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 2173 results
Sermon
John E. Harnish
Have Faith: Everything changes. Some things never change. I grew up in the nostalgic days, the "Happy Days" of the 1950's. Our fathers, without a doubt the "Greatest Generation," returned from a world torn by war to build a new world out of their hopes and dreams. They began by giving birth to the largest generation in history, the Baby Boomers. Born in 1947, I was one of the first. It was a time of great vitality and optimism, a time of peace after the trauma of two world wars. And it was a time when a ...
52. A Courageous Mr. Nobody
Illustration
Jon Johnston
Who was United States Senator Edmund G. Ross of Kansas? I suppose you could call him a "Mr. Nobody." No law bears his name. Not a single list of Senate "greats" mentions his service. Yet when Ross entered the Senate in 1866, he was considered the man to watch. He seemed destined to surpass his colleagues, but he tossed it all away by one courageous act of conscience. Let's set the stage. Conflict was dividing our government in the wake of the Civil War. President Andrew Johnson was determined to follow ...
To fall in love is easy, even to remain in it is not difficult; our human loneliness is cause enough. But it is a hard quest worth making to find a comrade through whose steady presence one becomes steadily the person one desires to be.
Anna Louise Strong
54. Elihu
Job 32:1--37:24
Understanding Series
Gerald H. Wilson
The Friends Conclude and Elihu Begins Excurses: Had the third cycle of dialogue between Job and his three friends been complete, we would expect to find Zophar’s concluding speech in response to Job at this point. However, at least in the canonical form of the book, Bildad’s truncated final speech (25:1–6), Job’s expanded concluding speech (chs. 26–31), the complete absence of any final speech by Zophar, and the opening comments in the following Elihu section, press the reader to understand this collapse ...
55. Freedom In Christ
Galatians 5:1-15, Galatians 5:16-26
Understanding Series
L. Ann Jervis
Paul’s Direct Warning: To Become Circumcised Is to Be Divorced from Christ 5:2 Now Paul turns up the heat with a direct address—Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you. No longer using Scripture, Paul states forthrightly: if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. The options are clearly laid out: either circumcision without Christ or Christ without circumcision. While Paul has referred to the “circumcision group” (2:12) as those who are opposed to the “truth of the gospel” ...
56. Life by the Spirit
Galatians 5:16-26
Understanding Series
L. Ann Jervis
5:16 Paul directs his readers to live by the Spirit. The Greek word translated “live” (peripateite) is literally “walk.” Paul uses this word elsewhere when speaking of living the new life in Christ (Rom. 6:4), a life that is conducted by means of the Spirit (Rom. 8:4). The word suggests continuance, progress, and daily attention. Paul commands his readers to avoid gratifying the desires of the sinful nature by means not of law observance but of living by the Spirit. The Greek for “sinful nature” is ...
Understanding Series
Gerald H. Wilson
God Has Wronged Me Job’s response to Bildad’s second speech alternates between recrimination against his friends’ lack of compassion and lament over the divine attack he is experiencing. The friends attack and torment Job because they are convinced he is at fault (19:4, 28). Job continues to claim his innocence and to call the friends to compassion and mutual support (19:21–22). He concludes with a warning that if the friends continue to align themselves with God’s unwarranted attack on Job, they might ...
Understanding Series
Gerald H. Wilson
Taking God to Court 23:1 One can hardly call Job’s words in chapters 23 and 24 a response to Eliphaz’s third speech. Job takes no notice of his friend or his argument, but he begins instead to consider the feasibility and benefit of bringing God to court so he might hope to find just resolution to his complaint. In chapter 23 Job reflects, at first confidently but ultimately with increasing terror, on the difficulty of locating God and securing his presence for the legal proceedings. 23:2 Job says, my ...
Understanding Series
Norman Hillyer
Watch Out for False Teachers Peter began this letter by speaking of the divine provision for a godly life (1:1–11). He went on to stress the divine inspiration of Scripture truths (1:12–21). Now he warns against those who are threatening the church’s spiritual well being by the way they falsely treat these matters (2:1–22). 2:1 In some respects times do not change. All prophecy, whoever gives it and in whatever circumstances, needs to be interpreted. Furthermore, just as in the period of the OT there were ...
60. Rules for Holy Living
Colossians 3:1-17
Understanding Series
Arthur G. Patzia
The Ethical Dimensions of the Christian Life Chapter three begins what normally is called the “ethical section” of the epistle. This follows a general trend in Paul’s epistles in which he first deals with the theological issues and then builds his ethics upon that foundation (cf. Rom. 12:1ff.; Gal. 5:1ff.; Eph. 4:1ff.; Phil. 4:1ff.). It is quite common to discuss this characteristic as the indicative and the imperative of Paul’s theology. Basically, it is the “you are” and the “you ought” of the Christian ...
61. The Lord Speaks
Job 38:1--41:34
Understanding Series
Gerald H. Wilson
God’s Appearance and Examination of Job Excursus: It should be clear from the outset that the fact God that appears in response to Job’s plea for a meeting immediately puts the lie to any claims to the contrary that Elihu and the other friends have made. God does appear in response to Job. His very appearance, therefore, proves Elihu’s earlier claim false—that God will not respond to Job because he has already spoken his final word of judgment in Job’s suffering. Deciding how to characterize this divine ...
62. Proper 13
Luke 11:1-13, Hosea 11:1-11, Colossians 3:1-17, Psalm 107:1-43
Sermon Aid
William E. Keeney
THE UNWISE FARMER The parable included for the Gospel reading today concerns a farmer who prospered. He let his possessions possess him. Certainly you can find parallels today, though it may be corporations who buy up farms and add acreage to acreage. The family farm is less and less a part of American life. Only about two per cent of the population now earns their livelihood full-time in farming. The typical person who accumulates wealth today is more likely to do it in business and commerce. The parable ...
Sermon
Charley Reeb
One of the great things about preaching on sex is that I don’t have to work very hard getting your attention! I was in Leesburg this past week doing work for the Board of Ordained Ministry. A colleague asked me what I was preaching about today. I said, “Sex.” He replied, “Are you for or against it?” I said, “I am very much for it! I enjoy sex a lot!” You may be surprised to hear me say that, but it needs to be said from the pulpit. Why? Because over the years the church has done a pretty terrible job ...
64. Walking in the Light
1 John 1:5--2:14, 1 John 2:15-17
Understanding Series
Thomas F. Johnson
Walking in the Light and the Problem of Sin The next two sections of 1 John are on the theme of walking in the light. The first section, 1 John 1:5–2:2, addresses the theme in relation to the issue of sin, while the second section, 1 John 2:3–11, focuses on walking in the light in relation to obedience, especially to the love command. The terms walk, light, and darkness occur throughout the section (1:5–7; 2:6, 8–11) and unify it. The Elder’s opponents are always present in the background. They have made ...
65. Walking in the Light and the Problem of Sin
1 John 2:15-17, 1 John 1:5--2:14
Understanding Series
Thomas F. Johnson
Walking in the Light and the Problem of Sin The next two sections of 1 John are on the theme of walking in the light. The first section, 1 John 1:5–2:2, addresses the theme in relation to the issue of sin, while the second section, 1 John 2:3–11, focuses on walking in the light in relation to obedience, especially to the love command. The terms walk, light, and darkness occur throughout the section (1:5–7; 2:6, 8–11) and unify it. The Elder’s opponents are always present in the background. They have made ...
Understanding Series
Norman Hillyer
The Stone—Living and Deadly Peter now turns from exhorting his readers to conduct that befits their life within the believing community to inviting them to consider the nature of that community which Christ has brought into existence. 2:4 The shift to stone from the figure of “milk” (v. 2) is unexpected and seemingly without reason. But for a Jewish reader there is a natural succession of ideas in this passage—not milk: stone, but the Hebraic one of babes: house. A helpful illustration is in Genesis 16:2. ...
67. The Ten Commandments
Deuteronomy 5:1-33
Understanding Series
Christopher J. H. Wright
Introduction to Israel’s Covenantal Constitution: The Decalogue · Here opens Moses’ second discourse (chs. 5–26), the central section of the whole book. It is subdivided into two main parts. Chapters 5–11 are a broad exhortation to covenant loyalty and obedience, following up and amplifying the theocratic and covenantal challenge set forth in chapter 4. Chapters 12–26, with their subheading in 12:1, are more detailed legislation, much of which renews, expands, and sometimes modifies laws already given in ...
Understanding Series
Norman Hillyer
Writer and Readers 1 By custom, Hellenistic letters began with a threefold formula: (a) the name of the sender; (b) the name of the recipient; and (c) an opening salutation. Greek writers followed the pattern “(a) to (b): greetings.” A NT example is the letter of Claudius Lysias to Felix (Acts 23:26). Jewish letters were introduced slightly differently. The opening sentence gave the names of writer and recipient. A second sentence invoked a blessing upon the reader. The three elements of (a) author, (b) ...
69. Personal Accountability
Ezekiel 18:1-32, Ezekiel 19:1-14
Understanding Series
Steven Tuell
The introductory formula The word of the LORD came to me in 18:1, and the concluding formula declares the Sovereign LORD in 18:32, clearly demarcate the first unit of this section. Unconventional, but equally clear, markers set off the second unit, 19:1–14. In 19:1 the Lord commands the prophet: “Take up a lament concerning the princes of Israel.” The final verse of the chapter repeats this identification: “This is a lament and is to be used as a lament.” The common theme connecting the sermon in chapter ...
70. Israel Unrepentant
Hosea 6:1--7:16
Understanding Series
Elizabeth Achtemeier
Israel’s Hollow Repentance (6:1-6): Contrary to the LXX, which connects this passage with 5:15 by the addition of the word, “saying” (as in the RSV), this pericope is complete in itself as one more record of Israel’s deceitful ways toward God. Overcome by Assyria’s engulfment of them (see the comment on 5:8–15), the Israelites call a day of repentance in the effort to secure for themselves God’s aid once again. Such fasts of repentance are held in Israel whenever there is a calamity of any sort—defeat by ...
Teach the Text
C. Marvin Pate
Big Idea: Phoebe, Paul’s patron, will deliver Paul’s covenant letter and have it read to the Roman Christians. Phoebe’s authority as patron and deaconess will reinforce the reading’s solemnity. The Roman Christians should respond to Paul’s letter by providing hospitality for Phoebe and joining their resources with hers to launch Paul’s mission to Spain. Understanding the Text Romans 16:1–2 continues the document clause of Paul’s covenant letter to the Roman Christians (15:14–16:27). Romans 16:1–27 divides ...
72. Where Has Your Lover Gone
Song of Songs 6:1-13
Understanding Series
Elizabeth Huwiler
Admiration and Desire: The section begins with the man admiring the woman in the beginning of another descriptive motif (6:4–9) that does not go below the neck. This description is followed by another “who is this?” verse (6:10; see 3:6; 8:5). The following verse (6:11) does not answer the question: rather, an unidentified speaker (NIV “Lover”) tells of going to the nut orchard. Both the speaker and the sense of 6:12 is unclear. The next verse (6:13) contains an exchange about the Shulammite (apparently ...
73. In Search of a New Life
Revelation 21:1-5a
Sermon
King Duncan
Do you like stories of buried treasure? Here’s one that you may not have heard. According to a legend from the Wild West, back in the 1870s, notorious outlaw Jesse James and his gang stole millions of dollars worth of gold bullion from a Mexican general. The men proceeded to bury their treasure somewhere in the Wichita Mountains of Oklahoma. Rumor had it that Jesse had scratched a secretly-coded map on an old bucket and left it as a marker. One source says that after Jesse’s death, his brother Frank James ...
74. Lent 1
Mt 4:1-11 · Rom 5:12-21 · Gen 2:7 - 3:7 · Ps 32
Sermon Aid
Russell F. Anderson
THIS WEEK'S TEXT Revised Common: Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 · Romans 5:12-19 · Matthew 4:1-11 Roman Catholic: Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7 · Romans 5:12-19 · Matthew 4:1-11 Episcopal: Genesis 2:4b-9, 15-17, 25 -- 3:1-7 · Romans 5:12-19 (20-21) · Matthew 4:1-11 Lutheran: Genesis 2:7-9, 15-17; 3:1-7 · Romans 5:12 (13-16) 17-19 · Matthew 4:1-11 Theme: Christ Confronts Satan. Suggested Text For Preaching: Matthew 4:1-11 COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Genesis 2:7-9, 15-17; 3:1-7 This text derives from the second Genesis creation ...
Teach the Text
Preben Vang
Big Idea: Husbands and wives must protect each other from sexual temptation and recognize their obligation to take care of each other’s sexual needs. They are co-owners of each other’s bodies. Understanding the Text Although Paul’s discussion on sexual immorality in chapter 6 makes the transition to his discussion on sexual obligations in marriage smooth, chapter 7 introduces a new section that continues through 11:1. After his extended discussion of the Corinthian Christ followers’ troublesome allegiance ...
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