Sermon and Worship Resources

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 1838 results

51. Meet in the Middle

2 Cor. 5:18-19

Illustration

Tim Kimmel

... to a new generation. The Japanese, although conquered, remained a hated enemy. The monument the Koreans built at the location of the fire not only memorialized the people who died, but stood as a mute reminder of their pain. Inner rest? How could rest coexist with a bitterness deep as marrow in the bones? Suffering, of course, is a part of life. People hurt people. Almost all of us have experienced it at some time. Maybe you felt it when you came home to find that your spouse had abandoned you, or when your ...

52. Lost Baggage: Empty Your Suitcase

Matthew 18:10-14

Sermon

James Merritt

... worse the person’s relationship just isn’t valued that much and we refuse to deal with it. Even though you don’t deal with the problem, the problem deals with you. The more you let it go the more it feasters and the more it feasters the more bitter you get. Then, eventually we go and talk to someone else about it. If there is one thing I learned, when somebody really hurts you it is impossible for you not to tell somebody else about it. Frankly, this is when what could have been a molehill turns into ...

53. Ezekiel's Call

Ezekiel 1:1-28, Ezekiel 2:1-3:15, Ezekiel 3:16-27

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

... describe the words of God’s law (Ps. 19:10) and wisdom (Prov. 16:23–24; 24:13–14) as being sweet like honey. Perhaps here as well, the point is that Ezekiel finds joy in obeying God’s word (compare Jer. 15:16). Even when the message is bitter, it is sweet to be in communion with the Lord. Now God again commissions Ezekiel: “Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak my words to them” (v. 4). In many ways, this second divine speech parallels the first. Once more, God warns Ezekiel he ...

54. 8:2–5

Revelation 8:6--9:21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... lead it to the kind of ethical compromises that were taught by Balaam, Jezebel, and the Nicolaitans of Revelation 2–3. Also, not all people are happy with Rome. Those crushed by the Roman military machine are embittered, grumbling, and dying, and this spirit of bitterness can also infect the church. Forth Trumpet: The fourth trumpet strikes a third of the sun, moon, and stars with darkness to such an extent that there is no light for a third of the day and night (8:12). This catastrophe recalls the ninth ...

55. Massah and Meribah

Exodus 17:1-7

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... …….taste the waters of Life. In Jesus, we have a “foretaste” of what is to come in God’s eternal kingdom. The rock/stone too is an interesting metaphor. The people want to “stone” Moses….but from out of a stone (out of their bitterness), comes the freshness of God’s soul-quenching presence. God turns their “stony” resentment, the hardness of their hearts, into “flesh” –by causing the springs to rise up from the earth (the same way as in the Creation story), so that the desert is ...

Bitterness imprisons life; love releases it. Bitterness paralyzes life; love empowers it. Bitterness sours life; love sweetens it. Bitterness sickens life; love heals it. Bitterness blinds life; love anoints its eyes.

Harry Emerson Fosdick

57. Screaming For A Reason Why

Matthew 26:36-46; 27:45-46 · Job 3:1-26

Sermon

Wallace H. Kirby

... why did you ever let me live? Why should anyone who is to suffer ever be born? Why is life given to people who find it so bitter? Job sat on his ash heap and he screamed for a reason why. It was Thursday night, after he had shared the evening meal with his ... as Job did from his ash heap. He screamed for a reason why. He knew in the darkness of Gethsemane as he prayed that the bitter cup of defeat might pass from him. He cried out for a reason why. All these questions -- the ones we ask, the ones Job asked, ...

58. Good News! You Are Going To Be Tortured

Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon

Roger G. Talbott

... tormented by the fire of rage for the rest of their lives and maybe, who knows, for eternity as well. That very pain will lead them to discover what forgiveness really is. What about those of us who have not suffered any outrage who are nevertheless imprisoned by our bitterness and tormented by our rage? Can we admit that we cannot forgive? Can we even say what it is and who it is that we need to forgive? Can we say why we are not happy or do not feel free? John Patton in his book, Is Human Forgiveness ...

59. The Victory Of The Cross

Sermon

Erskine White

... : where are your subjects now? Who will save You now from the power of Rome?" When the mockery was done, they dragged Jesus out to the city street and tied the short beam of the cross to His back. The long beam was waiting for Him at Calvary. So bitter was to be His defeat that He would carry His own instrument of death to the place of His execution. There was a crowd following Jesus, and more people waiting outside the city walls, on Calvary. Most were there for the spectacle. As in our own day, when there ...

60. What Is Your Mercy Quotient?

Luke 6:17-26

Sermon

Wallace H. Kirby

... story that he told about himself, something that happened when he was a small boy, which taught him a profound lesson. One day after school, Louis got into a fight with another boy. It was a real knock-down, drag-out fight. He lost, and felt bitter and resentful. That evening at home he walked around mumbling some hateful words and curses against his opponent. His mother, who had heard the whole story and reprimanded him, said nothing. Knowing her to be a very wise and devout woman, Louis was surprised when ...

61. The Passover and the Passion

Drama

Denny C. Wise

... on all other nights we eat bread or matza, while on this night we eat only matza. Jesus: And what is the second difference? John: It differs in that on all other nights we eat vegetables and herbs of all kinds, while on this night we must eat bitter herbs. Jesus: And what is the third difference between this night and all other nights? John: It differs in that on all other nights, we do not dip vegetables even once, while on this night, we dip them twice. Jesus: And what is the fourth difference? John: It ...

62. "I Don’t Hate Any More!"

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

... ’s Peace. Christians need to build the bridges that can restore broken human relations. They are the ones who have the resources. Christians should be the ones to take the first steps. By the grace of God we begin to love (not necessarily "like") difficult people. The bitterness is gone. I don’t hate any more. Now I can bring my gift and get through to God, because I have let him get through to me. We have peace (His Peace) in spite of difficult circumstances. The lump has left my soul. I am free. There ...

63. Living With The Aches And Alleluias

Mark 13:32-37

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... Francis how he could stand this, Francis replied, "God warms my heart when I keep my eyes fixed on him." God warms our hearts, too, when we keep our eyes fixed on God. It is so easy to lose ourselves in self-pity to be called Bitter rather than be called Bubbles. There are situations in life that, if not dealt with properly, leave us depressed and weary. These are times when, from our perspective, things appear as if they will never change. However, from God's perspective all things are working together ...

64. Are You Going Down?

Luke 2:1-14

Sermon

King Duncan

... and I know the answer to that question, for light has entered our dark world, the least and the lowly have been exalted, and you and I, all of us, have been offered the opportunity to experience anew the grace of God melting away our rebellion, our bitterness, our loneliness and our fear. That opportunity exists for all who will open their hearts to let the Christ child be born anew within them. He has come down. Let us give him the honor and praise and glory forever more. Amen. 1. PARABLES, August, 1986. 2 ...

65. Wedding, Wine, And Wonderment

Mark 2:18-22

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... the day arrived when no one came to taste or buy the wine. The only remaining customers were the faithful members of the family for whom family traditions were more important than making satisfying wine. "The owner of the winery knew why the grapes were making bitter wine. She had all the knowledge she needed to restore her winery to its former glory. But she lacked the courage to use the knowledge at her disposal to make the changes necessary to produce satisfying wine like she had for years before. Family ...

66. Handling the Harshness of Life

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... suggestions for your consideration on how we can respond. FIRST, ACKNOWLEDGE THE HURT, THE HARSHNESS, THE HELPLESSNESS. What does it mean to acknowledge the harshness? Well, it does not mean that you live every moment of every day on the doorstep of despair and bitterness. It does not mean that you go about with an impending sense of heaviness hanging over your head. Victor Hugo opposed Napoleon III and was exiled from his beloved France for 18 years--from 1852-1870. During his exile he lived in the Channel ...

67. Strategic Kindness

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Sermon

King Duncan

... . That will take you far in any area of your life. Later in the film, it is Miss Dubose's kind and gentle words that turn away the wrath of a lynch mob. (1) In our lesson from Ephesians for today, St. Paul says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Let's talk for a few moments about strategic kindness. There are some people who are going to hear ...

68. Tastes Great, Less Filling - Sounds Good, Not True

Proverbs 23:29-35

Sermon

James Merritt

... ancient world, was oftentimes used as a laxative. Paul prescribed this medicine for Timothy's digestive problems. Sometimes wine was used as a sedative or a pain killer. So we read in Prov. 31:6, "Give strong drink to him who is perishing, and wine to those who are bitter of heart." Anybody who has ever had too much to drink can tell you of the numbing effect alcohol can have! Finally, it was used as an antiseptic or a germ killer. That is why we read in the story of the Good Samaritan that he poured oil ...

69. With Malice toward None, With Charity for All

Matthew 5:43-48

Sermon

James Merritt

... —grow up! Have a love that is so mature and so strong in the Lord Jesus Christ, that through Him you can love even your most bitter of enemies. For you see, Jesus was not speaking of being perfect in our life, but being perfect in our love. Now I know that there ... traitors, and for that reason I cannot pardon your friend." Peter Miller said, "Friend! He's no friend of mine. He's the most bitter enemy I've ever had in my life. For years he persecuted me and harassed me. He did everything he could to hurt my ...

70. Conflict Resolution (Series: Fundamentals of Family)

Colossians 3:1-17

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... past that we cannot undo. Forgiveness begins with a “desire in the heart.” We want something better for ourselves than we presently feel. Forgiveness is not a matter of ought; it is a matter of opportunity. My preaching can make you feel guilty or bitter but it won’t make you any better. We forgive when we feel God’s Spirit nudging us with an impulse to pull ourselves out of the sludge of our disabling resentment. Forgiveness is AN EXPERIENCE OF GRACE. “Forgive as God has forgiven you.” If ...

71. Political Pardon

Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... I heard what my father had done. It wasn't even about him or about the deeply emotional respect I had for him. It was more about what life is supposed to be like and how it had glimmered more brightly in that moment. To wrestle anger and bitterness and revenge to the ground and defuse it with grace and mercy and an all-encompassing desire for restored relationships was as strange as it was redemptive. I thought, of course, of Peter's words to Jesus, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he ...

72. Sentimental Slaves

Exodus 16:2-15

Sermon

David J. Kalas

... too. We must not let a little discouragement, a little challenge, a little difficulty in our journey send us scurrying back to some memory-mirage of a smorgasbord back in Egypt. Instead, let me ask you to do a little remembering today: to remember clearly the bitterness, the bondage, and the ultimate emptiness of sin. God provided manna for those hungry souls in the wilderness. A jar of it was kept in the Ark of the Covenant as a constant reminder of God's faithful provision. He responds to the needs of his ...

73. The Waters of Marah and Elim

Exodus 15:22-27

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... � (Deut. 32:39). The Lord’s self-revelation in the giving of the law was as “the Lord your healer.” In the beginning of their life in service to Yahweh rather than the pharaoh, they were in need of healing and health. In the healing of the bitter waters at Marah, the Lord showed concern for safe drinking water. After that, God took them to the healing oasis at Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water. The text is silent about the repair done in ...

74. Sin and Punishment

Jeremiah 8:4--9:26

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... law, which are quite clearly listed in Deuteronomy 28 and elsewhere. They not only have resisted the true God, however; they have also served the Baals, the gods of their predecessors in the land. Their judgment is first described by the metaphor of drinking bitter food and poisoned water. The land that God gave them was a land flowing with milk and honey, but because of their sin, they will be cut off from this provision and given something horrible instead. Furthermore, they will not be allowed to stay ...

75. I am the Man Who Has Seen Affliction

Lamentations 3:1-66

One Volume

Tremper Longman III

... the man. Of course, this is the action that an attacking army would (and in the case of Babylon in 586 B.C., did) take against a walled city like Jerusalem. But in keeping with the metaphor of the man, this siege is accomplished not by an army but with bitterness and hardship. The final bet verse (v. 6) indicates that God consigned the man to the fate of the dead. He lives now in darkness like a corpse in a grave. The thought of the man in darkness continues into the next stanza. 3:7–9 Gimel. In the final ...

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