Synonyms: thirstiness, dryness, parched, craving, strong desire, longing, yearning, avidity, hunger, voracity, keenness, eagerness, lust, appetite, passion, love, crave, want, covet, desire, hunger for/after, lust for/after, hanker for/after, have one's heart set on
Antonyms: aversion, distaste, apathy, dislike, hatred, antipathy, disgust, disregard, abhorrence, acrimony, wet, animosity, animus, antagonism, bad feeling, bitterness, be averse to, detestation
Showing 51 to 75 of 3108 results
Sermon
Billy D. Strayhorn
There's an old story about the four-year-old son of an undertaker who was rather perplexed after hear the story of the resurrection in Sunday School on Easter. "Do you mean that Jesus really rose from the dead?" the boy asked. "Yes, Jesus really rose from the dead," the Sunday School teacher said. Shaking his head in wonder the boy said, "Well, I know my daddy didn't take care of Him then, cause his people never get up again!" (1) Maybe that little boy was related to Thomas. He needed more proof. He knew ...
52. Garden Gone Bad
Isaiah 5:1-7
Sermon
Chrysanne Timm
This summer I decided to take up some simple vegetable gar­dening. I knew it would happen someday. It's in my blood. My dad has planted and tended summer gardens of various sizes my whole life. For several years, our family's garden filled the whole half acre second lot behind our home. We had strawberries, melons, tomatoes, sweet corn, lettuce, onions, cucumbers, zucchini, acorn squash, and even pumpkins. I don't remember much about Dad planting the garden each spring, but I suppose that is because ...
Sermon
Robert Leslie Holmes
There are two facts we all need to remember before we can make any real sense out of life. The first is that God is sovereign and holy, just and loving. The second is that we are not. We are servants, unholy, self-centered, and self-seeking. This Scripture passage is a marvelous illustration of this. You would think that seeing God send fire from heaven would change a corrupt heart every time. That, however, is not the case, as we can see from the life of Ahab and his Jezebel. I. The Sliding Spiral Of ...
54. Three Eggs, Not Bad!
Matthew 7:21-29
Illustration
There is an old joke that circulates frequently in preaching journals and on the Internet. It serves to bring me back to earth when I think about my own preaching. It is one of those stories whose origin is unknown. Just before going into surgery a pastor's wife told him that should she not survive the surgery, he should be sure to check the shoebox under their bed. She went into surgery, he to the waiting room. "Shoebox under the bed?" he thought. Their home was nearby. She would be in surgery for quite a ...
Sermon
Mary Austin
The late Mike Yaconelli, who was a youth ministry guru and the pastor of a unique and small church, told a story about preaching at his church. He said that nearly every time he preached, a young woman named Maria raised her hand and asked, “Now, what exactly are you talking about?” After one sermon, Maria, who was about sixteen at the time, raised her hand, and this time she asked if she could pray for him. “Sure,” he said. She asked if she could come up to the front, and he agreed. In the middle of the ...
Sermon
While waiting for a first appointment in the reception room of a new physician, I noticed the framed certificate which bore his full name. Convinced that I had heard it before, I racked my brain until I remembered that a tall, gawky kid with a similar-sounding name had been in my high school class, some 45 years ago. But upon being ushered into his office, I knew….just knew….I was wrong. I mean, this balding, graying man with the double chin and a face the quality of old shoe leather was far too old to ...
Sermon
Steven E. Albertin
Trinity Sunday begins the second half of the church year. The first half of the church year beginning with Advent and ending with Pentecost focused on the life of Christ. We call this second half ordinary time but there is nothing ordinary about it. It is an extraordinary time of the year when we focus on the church's life and mission. Some have called Trinity Sunday the "great hinge" of the church year. Others have called it the "great pain"! Why? Because as the only Sunday of the church year that focuses ...
Sermon
King Duncan
In a book titled God’s Little Devotional Book there is a delightful story of a great drought that struck Baghdad during the reign of Abdullah the Third. Moslem leaders in the land issued a decree that all the faithful should offer prayers for rain. Still, the drought continued. The Jews were then permitted to add their prayers to those of the Moslems. Their prayers didn’t seem to do the job either. Finally when the drought resulted in widespread famine, the Christians in the land were asked to pray. Almost ...
Sermon
King Duncan
A certain aged Catholic priest had become deaf. So members of his parish would write out their sins on a piece of paper before going to confession. One day, a parishioner slipped a piece of paper to the priest which read, “Two loaves of bread, a gallon of milk, a box of detergent and a pound of bananas.” The puzzled priest scanned the note, then passed it back to the parishioner. The parishioner looked at the note, then exclaimed with horror, “Oh, no! I’ve left my sins at the grocery store.” Well, where ...
Eulogy
Richard E. Merrick
Christmas Eve Suicide A tragedy has come into our lives! We are stunned and distracted, but we must not despair; by the grace of God, we do not have to be afraid. The greater the sorrow, so much greater the power of God to give us the faith that makes us more than conquerors. This faith helps us to look up and hope. This faith enables us to hear the good news of the angel again this special day: "Do not be afraid ... to you is born ... a Savior ..." Christians need not feel that they are left without ...
61. When You Feel Helpless
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Children's Sermon
King Duncan
Object: a picture of the musculature of a human being (can be found in most encyclopedias) Good morning, boys and girls. I want you to do something for me. Everybody hold up one arm. Okay, make a muscle. Come on, really squeeze that fist. Wow, look at all those muscles. Okay, you can put your arms down now. Let's see if the congregation will do it too. Okay, everybody, hold up one arm and show us your muscles. Come on, you can do it! That's pretty good. Do you know how many muscles you have in your body? ...
Sermon
Steven E. Albertin
The phone rings in the middle of the night. There is only one reason why someone would call you at this time of the night, and it can't be good. The deadpan voice of the police officer tells you the horrible news rather matter-of-factly. Your imagination runs wild. You were not there, but you can hear the tires screeching, the metal smashing, the glass breaking, and the sirens whining. It was not supposed to end this way. She had so much of life yet to live. Your boss calls you into his office. Other ...
Sermon
Thomas Lentz
A minister waited in line to get his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. A station attendant was helping direct traffic to the pumps as they became available, but there was a long line of cars in front of the minister. Finally, the attendant motioned him to a vacant pump. "Reverend," said the young man, "I'm sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip." The minister answered, "I know what you mean. It's the same in my business ...
Sermon
Lori Wagner
“Faith is a river that flows. May our prayers be reeds that cling to the rock From which springs somehow the living waters." I’ll bet all of you remember the first time you climbed the “big slide.” I mean the “BIG” slide, that one that you looked at as a child and thought –that’s awesome. But scary! Real scary! I mean, it’s WAY high, and it’s a long way to the bottom, and okay, wow! On the one hand, you are filled with that weird exhilaration to climb up there and have that experience of the wind whipping ...
Sermon
Leonard Sweet
Robert Valentine once compared Teddy Roosevelt and William Howard Taft as presidents. He said, “The difference was that when you left Teddy Roosevelt’s presence you were ready to eat bricks for lunch, and when you left Taft you felt what’s the use.” (Felix Frankfurter, Felix Frankfurter Reminisces [1960], 85.) We’re hoping that when you leave church this morning, you’re ready to eat bricks for lunch. But I hope you have something more wholesome. Remember as a kid . . . you didn't want to go to bed while ...
Sermon
James Merritt
I’m beginning a six-week series of messages that I am entitling “Dealing with Feelings.” I’m going to begin today with the most dominant destructive debilitating feeling of all. Have you ever awakened in the morning and somehow you just knew it was going to be a bad day? Somebody with a great sense of humor described a few clues to let us know that it’s “going to be a bad day” when: You wake up face down on the pavement. You call Suicide Prevention and they put you on hold. Your birthday cake collapses ...
67. The Failure
Luke 23:26-43
Sermon
James Merritt
You have ever known one, or you were one, or you still think you are one. You went to school with them. Maybe you grew up with them. Maybe you live with them. Maybe you even think you are married to them. They are easily identified by the labels that we put on them such as: losers, rejects, nerds, geeks, or failures. They get mocked, bullied, ridiculed, and made fun of. They are ostracized and isolated. They are on the outside looking in and nobody ever offers to let them in. You might say they are “On The ...
68. The Samaritan
Luke 10:25-37
Sermon
Lori Wagner
This morning, I want you to imagine with me for a moment. Close your eyes if you will. Sit back. I’m going to take you to another place. But first a warning: during a big chunk of this sermon, you will have your eyes closed. You can tell your friends that you went to church this Sunday and the preacher told you to shut your eyes and keep them shut for a long time. Where else can you go to church and be encouraged to shut your eyes? Are you ready? Let’s take a trip in time. [pause] You’re driving home from ...
Sermon
King Duncan
[While King Duncan is enjoying a well deserved retirement we are going back to his earliest sermons and renewing them. The newly modernized sermon is shown first and below, for reference sake, is the old sermon. We will continue this updating throughout the year bringing fresh takes on King's best sermons.] Original Title: Death Has Been Conquered New Title: Look Up, Not Down The Rev. Gary Paterson, a pastor in British Columbia, talks about the first worship service he led in his first pastoral charge. He ...
70. Let Them Eat Cake
2 Timothy 1:1-2:13
Sermon
Leonard Sweet
During the government shutdown this October, there was only one major point both Democrats and Republicans could completely agree on. Both parties proudly and loudly declared “It was not our fault.” Not so much “taking a stand” as taking a “stand off.” There are always two front lines going on during any conflict. There is the horrible physical conflict, the confrontation between persons and countries that results in blood and doom. The losses logged on that physical front line are devastating and deadly. ...
71. Proper 25
Psalm 65:1-13, Luke 18:9-14, Joel 2:28-32, 2 Timothy 4:9-18, 2 Timothy 3:10--4:8
Sermon Aid
William E. Keeney
TWO MEN PRAYING The parable about two men praying would have shocked the people to whom Jesus told it. He drew upon two well-known and widely accepted stereotypes. First is the Pharisee, who was generally regarded as the epitome of the religious person. Most Jewish families would have been proud to have their son grow up to be a Pharisee. The second was a publican. He was the epitome of the sinner. He was regarded as a traitor because he worked for the Roman occupying government. Most tax collectors were ...
72. The Doctor for Sin
Matthew 9:12-13
Children's Sermon
Wesley T. Runk
Object: A thermometer, a heating pad, and a bad cough. Good morning, boys and girls. I brought a few things that I have been using this week to share with you. (Bring out the heating pad and thermometer.) I have had all of the aches and pains that a person can have and still be living. In addition to this I have been coughing. (Give them an example of your very best cough.) When I cough it hurts right down to my toes. I don't know which are worse, the days or the nights. Have any of you been sick this week ...
Sermon
David E. Leininger
Jonah. Terrific story. One of Sunday School's most memorable hours - it is great drama. As you recall Jonah was a prophet in Israel. God came to him and said that he should leave his nation and go over to the capital of one of his country's fiercest foes...Ninevah in Assyria. Jonah did not want to go. So he went down to the seaport of Joppa and got on a boat headed for Tarshish in Spain. The direction was exactly opposite the one God wanted him to take. Jonah did not want to preach to the Ninevites. After ...
Sermon
King Duncan
Harriett Beecher Stowe was a most successful writer. She achieved her first triumph as an author at the age of twelve. She was a student at Litchfield Academy. With the other Litchfield students she was required to submit an essay at the end of the term. Her essay was awarded first prize by the unanimous vote of the judges and was one of two read at the graduation exercises by the headmaster, John Brace. So outstanding was her paper, the audience applauded when it was read. When it was revealed that ...
75. Trapped!
Romans 6:15-23
Sermon
King Duncan
Ming Kuang Chen, a delivery man from a Chinese restaurant in the Bronx was making a delivery one Friday evening to a thirty‑eight story apartment building. He took an express elevator to his customer’s apartment. That meant there were no stops, and no exit doors for the elevator, between the second and twenty‑first floors. At least, there were not supposed to be any stops. Chen had made his delivery and was on his way down when suddenly the elevator halted just below the fourth floor. Suddenly he realized ...
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