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 801 to 825 of 1164 results

801. Turn in an Account of Your Stewardship

Luke 16:1-15

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

I’ve been thinking a lot about heaven lately. When you minister to the dying and the bereaved, you can’t help but think about what heaven is going to be like. In the midst of all my pondering, I was helped by, of all people, Dennis the Menace. Under a tree, obviously just enjoying life and reflecting, a friend says “I wonder what heaven is like?” In successive frames that conveys seriousness, satisfaction and conviction, Dennis responds, “Well...it probably looks like toy shop.”....Sounds like a carousel ...

802. The Model of Success

Luke 16:1-15

Sermon

Mark Trotter

Some of you know that the church is involved inevitably in matters of business. In some churches, particularly smaller churches, the ministers take a very important role in administering the business side of the church. This church decided not to do that with its minister. Its business affairs are managed by the Board of Trustees and the Finance Committee. They have done a wonderful job, and I congratulate them. I am not allowed to manage the business affairs of the church, but I am still interested in ...

803. Feeding the 5000

Mark 6:30-44

Sermon Aid

Richard A. Jensen

In her outline of Mark's Gospel, Mary Ann Tolbert presents Mark 6:35--8:21 as a unit of material. The next unit she identifies is 8:22--10:52. She suggests that both units of material can be read as the unfolding of the hardness of the hearts of the disciples. In the section of 6:35--8:21 Jesus feeds the multitudes two times (6:30-44; 8:1-9). Following each feeding story Jesus gets in the boat with his disciples (6:45-52; 8:14-21). (We have looked at these boat stories in chapter 14.) What we see in the ...

804. Hostage Crisis

1 Kings 19:1-8

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

Sweat swarmed and beaded the palms of his hands as his heart thumped and pulse escalated. Bulging eyes blinked rapidly as his face twitched. His brown, swollen hands rumbled nervously through the inside pocket of his urine-stained tweed overcoat. "I got to find a match," he said to himself. "I got to find a match." Again he jerked through every pocket of his pants, jacket, and shirt. Still no match. Wildly flailing his arms more frantically now, he began overturning chairs and tables in the room. Yellow ...

805. Who Are Those Strangers In White Robes?

Revelation 7:9-17

Sermon

King Duncan

A couple of years back a movie came out that had phones ringing all over this nation. The movie was "Bruce Almighty." And the reason phones were ringing was that, for the first time, Hollywood published God's phone number. In the movie, a TV newsman played by Jim Carrey is endowed by God with divine powers, allowing him to perform such feats as parting a bowl of tomato soup like the Red Sea. God's phone number is repeatedly displayed on Carrey's pager whenever the Lord tries to summon him. Usually, movies ...

806. The Parable of the Choices

Matthew 21:28-31

Sermon

Shirley Gupton Lynn

In 1897 Remington Arms Company chose not to buy a patented "writing machine." The Underwood Company bought it instead and has sold millions of typewriters since. Remington Arms made a bad choice. In the 1950's Sam Phillips made a record for a young man who wandered into his Memphis studio. The fledgling singer wanted to record his voice for his mother. In 1955 Sam Phillips chose to sell his exclusive recording contract with Elvis Presley to RCA for $35,000. Bad choice. Former President Nixon chose to ...

807. By Believing

1 Peter 1:13-21

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

While researching the sermon for today, I ran across a web site entitled, “I Used to Believe." Among its entries were these: 1. I used to believe that God was always watching me so I danced around when I brushed my teeth so God would not get bored. 2. I used to believe that God lived in the church, and the reason bad things happened was that God woke up grumpy from sleeping on the hard pews. 3. I used to believe that Communion was served during church because the service was so long that everyone needed a ...

808. Unlocking the Access

Ephesians 3:1-12

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

Did any of you hear or see this story back in November. It originally appeared in the Columbus, Ohio paper and was reported in both the newspaper and on ABC 13 News. Here's the headline: Teen locked out of house ends up stuck in chimney An Ohio teenager who locked himself out of the house tried to make like Santa Claus and shimmy down the chimney. It didn't work. Firefighters in Columbus say the 15-year-old was small enough to get most of the way down the chimney, which was about a foot wide. But the flue ...

809. Mary's Song

Luke 1:46-47, 52

Sermon

Will Willimon

I suspect that many of you are anxious for me to get off my chest quickly whatever it is that I want to say, to get out of the pulpit, so you can get on with the beautiful music of Christmas. We have restrained ourselves throughout the Sundays of Advent, confined ourselves to slow-moving, somewhat somber hymns of hope, anticipation, expectancy. "Come, O Come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel." Anticipation has become fulfillment. Now, we are at last ready to sing of Christmas. There are Sundays when ...

810. Proper 28

Lk 21:5-19 · Isa 65:17-25 · 2 Thes 3:6-13 · Ps 98

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Isaiah 65:17-25 A description of new heavens and earth. In this pericope we have the Old Testament description of the new heavens and earth. It is similar to the New Testament description in Revelation 21. The Hebrews coming out of bondage in Babylon return to a destroyed city and temple. They need encouragement to re-build and start anew. The conditions of life in the new age will be the opposite of what they experienced in exile. There will be a new Jerusalem in which people ...

811. The Life We Prize

Luke 9:18-27

Sermon

Various Authors

[Jesus said] If any[one] would come after me, let [them] deny self and take up [their] cross daily and follow me. Our family was skiing in Colorado with some friends. I rode up a long chair lift with a stranger who turned to me saying, "The name’s Clyde; I’m a plumber from California. I'm out here to meet women and have fun. What’s your work?" I answered, "Fire insurance," the response I frequently give when I want to have some fun with an unsuspecting stranger. He questioned, "Fire insurance? Who do you ...

812. Overcoming Loneliness

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

In the overcrowded conditions of our modern world loneliness has possessed us: "He’s a real Nowhere Man, Sitting in his Nowhere Land, Making all his Nowhere Plans for nobody." Such emptiness, such frustration, such loneliness depresses us. What’s to be done about it? This feeling of hopelessness has been around a long time. The ancient writer of Psalm 22 cried out: Dear God, right now I feel like a worm, not a person. I feel so used by other people. And to make it worse, I feel resented by the very same ...

813. The Crucifixion

Luke 23:26-43

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

The crucifixion account consists of three parts: (1) the journey to the place of crucifixion (vv. 26–31), (2) the crucifixion (vv. 32–38), and (3) the story of the two crucified criminals (vv. 39–43). Although most of this material comes from Mark 15:21–32, much of it appears only in Luke (vv. 27–32, 33b, 39b–43); consequently, many commentators think that the evangelist had access to another account of the crucifixion story. 23:26–31 Verse 26 describes how Simon from Cyrene is made to carry Jesus’ cross. ...

814. The Parable of the Talents

Matthew 25:14-30

Sermon

Brett Blair

Jesus once told a story of a wealthy landowner who was preparing for a long journey. He called his three servants and divided his money between them, each according to their ability. To one servant he gave five talents, meaning a sum of money, to a second two, and to a third one. Why is life like that? I don't know. We are all equal in the eyes of God. We are all guaranteed equal rights under the Constitution. In an election our votes are all equal. But when it comes to our abilities, we are as different ...

815. I'm On a Mission from God!

Jonah 1:1-17

Sermon

Did you happen to see the tribute to John Belushi on television this past week? (Or TRY until the cable went out?) John was an incredible comic talent who created fascinating characters. What brings him to mind this morning is the delightfully wacky pair that he and Saturday Night Live partner Dan Ackroyd teamed up to create - Jake and Elwood, the Blues Brothers. These two genial bozos are sent out on an ill-fated fund-raising mission for their old parochial school by a fierce old nun. As they blunder ...

816. Homecoming

Mark 16:1-20

Sermon

Will Willimon

I want to speak to those of you who are grieving the death of someone whom you love, which, by my reckoning, includes about everyone here. For some of you, your pain is still acute. Others, like me, found that the ache of the loss gradually receded. You got up, you went on, but still, at moments when you least expect, grief grips you again and you realize there are not many days in this life without loss. Those whom we love keep leaving, keep journeying to "that land from which no traveler has ever ...

817. The Lamb of God

John 1:29-34

Sermon

William B. Kincaid, III

"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And he's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the ...

818. Sons And Daughters Of God

Galatians 3:23-29

Sermon

King Duncan

James W. Moore in his book, SOME THINGS ARE TOO GOOD NOT TO BE TRUE, tells the story of Rapunzel from Grimm's fairy tales. Do you recall that ancient story? I'll bet some of our children do. A beautiful girl named Rapunzel lives with a wicked witch in a drab and dingy tower. The old witch is holding Rapunzel captive, and to keep the girl "in her place," the wicked witch does two things. First, she removes all the mirrors from the tower, so Rapunzel cannot see what she looks like. And then the old witch ...

819. Awake to Glory

Luke 9:28-36

Sermon

J. Ellsworth Kalas

Today we celebrate one of the most neglected passages in the Bible. It's possible that more sermons have been preached from some of the obscure places in First and Second Chronicles than from this tremendously significant scripture which describes the transfiguration of our Lord. At the time of the transfiguration, Peter finally broke the awed silence, but the Gospel writer says that he knew not what to say. I expect we preachers and teachers still feel a bit that way when we approach this story; probably ...

820. Conversion or Credentialing?

Acts 9:1-5, 10-12, 17-19

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

It's been an eventful week in the Olds' household. Sandy and I flew in from vacation last Tuesday and immediately drove to Lexington, Kentucky to participate in the service of ordination of our son, Wes, who is now a full elder in our denomination. As I recessed from that service a long-time friend of mine asked, “Howard, which was the best, your ordination or the ordination of your son?" Without hesitating, I replied “Need you even ask?" It is a moving and humbling experience to see your son or daughter ...

821. All Dressed Up And Somewhere To Go!

Isaiah 62:1-12, Isaiah 61:1-11

Sermon

Harold Warlick

In Tennessee Williams' play Sweet Bird of Youth, the heckler says to Miss Lucy, "I believe that the silence of God, the absolute speechlessness of God, is a long, long and awful thing...." The late Carlyle Marney retired from his church in Charlotte and went to Wolf Pen Mountain. There he waited for God to say something. He confessed that he had figured if he could get some time completely free from his preaching, his church work, and his worldly obligations that God would really jabber. After five years ...

822. How To Become What You Are

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Sermon

Erskine White

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. (Luke 21:28) What are you? If I asked you that question right now, you might come up with many different answers. You might say, "I am a wife," or a husband, a mother or a father, a grandmother or grandfather. You might say, "I am someone's son," or daughter, or a brother or sister to so-and-so. In other words, you might define yourself in terms of your family relationships or other relationships which are important to you. You might say, "I am Italian- ...

823. Journey To The Cross VI: Jesus And Pontius Pilate

Matthew 27:11-26

Sermon

James W. Moore

Jesus came riding triumphantly into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday... the picture of success. But then, just a few days later, he was nailed to a cross like a common criminal. What happened? What do we make of this? Was Jesus a success? What do you think? Well, for many years now, we in America... have been highly “success-conscious,” “success-oriented.” And most have agreed with Webster’s definition: “Success is the attainment of wealth and fame.” Think about it. Isn’t it true that when we think of success... ...

824. Neighbors Who Never Met

Luke 16:19-31

Sermon

Brett Blair

What parable would make a man with three doctoral degrees (one in medicine, one in theology, one in philosophy) leave civilization with all of its culture and amenities and depart for the jungles of darkest Africa? What parable could induce a man, who was recognized as one of the best concert organists in all of Europe, go to a place where there were no organs to play. What parable would so intensely motivate a man that he would give up a teaching position in Vienna, Austria to go and deal with people who ...

825. Jesus Walks on the Water

John 6:16-24

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

Jesus’ solitary escape from those who would make him king provides an additional reason for a detail in the synoptic Gospels that is only partially explained. After the feeding “Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray” (Mark 6:45–46; cf. Matt. 14:22–23). John’s Gospel suggests that he also “he went up on a mountainside” to prevent a kidnap attempt! In similar fashion, Mark and ...

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