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 2415 results

801. What Can I Do for You?

Mark 10:35-45

Sermon

Thomas Peterson

... so that at least they have the option to be in the big leagues; at least the possibility is theirs to save the marriage; and, if that is not saved, to save themselves. We hold out a chance for them to create the art and find joy in expressing the passion within; and, when the results are in, the groundwork is laid and happiness is a by-product. The maximum we can offer anyone is this, “If you try, you may get your wish. But, if you don’t try, you have no chance to win at all. Who knows, the ...

802. Would That God. . .

Mark 10:46-52

Sermon

Thomas Peterson

... and begin to work on those things that drove him relentlessly. In deep respect for the man, Jesus turned the request back to him. Instead of giving mercy, he gave the man power to see deep into himself, the “whys” and “hows” of his hangups, and a deep passion to move away from them. Now let’s carry our imagining a bit further. The man sees the facts: how he behaves and how he looks in the eyes of others. He sees into himself: his unresolved childish needs. And then Jesus gives him the privilege to ...

803. We Haven’t Got To Them Yet

Mark 12:28-34

Sermon

Thomas Peterson

... . Here we have an echo of the First Commandment. We are to have no other gods before God. Jesus receives this commandment as it has been distilled over the centuries. Central to Jesus’ ministry was that there would be no other gods (nor life-consuming passions) than God. We are not to accept substitute gods be they rigid laws, exact sacrifices, or proudful personal piety. We are to keep right relationship with God and all humanity. Jesus knew that a right relationship takes on a life of its own. God’s ...

804. Speaking Truth to Power: The Ministry of Nathan

2 Samuel 11:1-27

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... meanness of this man? The story must certainly hit the bulls-eye with King David, because it instantaneously aroused his indignation. “I swear by the living Lord that the man who did this ought to die.” (2 Samuel 12:5 TEV) It summoned his passion for capital punishment, and for justice. “For having done such a cruel thing, he must pay back four times as much as he took.” (2 Samuel 12:6 TEV) The Connectional Confrontation You may remember that back in 1967 Lyndon Johnson met Alexei Kosygin ...

805. What Ever Happened to Wisdom?

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

... sings it, Phidias carves it, Shakespeare writes it ... Luther preaches it.” But it is not just the wisdom of the head, but the wisdom of the heart, which comes from above. Such enlightenment, graciously given by God, can see in the passion of Christ, prophesied by Jesus in today’s Gospel, not just a village carpenter’s lamentable death, but almighty God’s unthinkable sacrifice of himself for humanity’s reconciliation from sin to God, something Jesus’ disciples could not understand at the time ...

806. Gunda

John 6:60-71

Sermon

Robert Salzgeber

... . The doctor put his hand on the shoulder of the blind man. "My friend," he said, "you are now lying in that bed. That you are being taken care of is a revenge for the death of Captain Conolly." For the first time in his life, the man who so passionately desired revenge and who had so curtly rejected the message of Christ sensed a power that is stronger than hate. It is the power of love.2 "What gives life is God's Spirit; man's power is of no use at all." A parable: Paul Dicerio sat nursing a ...

807. God As Wisdom

Proverbs 1:20-33

Sermon

Sue Anne Steffey Morrow

... to be frightened of help?" Has your image of God changed over the years? The moment my own father died, God as father died for me. I didn't know it then, at least not consciously. But God as Father, giver of life, giver of love, God full of passion and pleasure, goodness and adventure, that God died when my own father did. God as father was, for me, projection, and if I couldn't have my real father, I certainly did not want some heavenly one. And in that father God's stead came Silence at first, capital ...

808. Path To A New Life

John 3:1-21

Sermon

Leonard H. Budd

... is given as our birthright. It means embracing the conviction that we are known, loved, supported and invited to partnership in being with One, who from all eternity intended us and who desires our love and friendship. Conversion means a recentering of our passion.... a realignment of our affections, the restructuring of our virtues.... Conversion is not so much a negation of our human development as it is a transformation and fulfillment of it." (P. 140) Nicodemus, you have to move into this new life as a ...

809. The Presence Of The Spirit

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

Charles Curley

... upon all flesh." Holy and Almighty God, your Spirit has been moving among us since before creation itself took form and shape. As you hovered over chaos itself, you move about today calling to the empty places in our lives. Fill us with your fire, your passion, your amazing presence. Storm through our lives like a raging wind. Light our path with the flames of your presence. Called, may we answer. Summoned, may we follow. Filled with your Spirit, may we live as those who have learned to love. In Christ our ...

810. When Something Is About To Happen

Mark 13:32-37

Sermon

Thomas Long

... keep the copy machines humming. Because nothing is about to happen. Even the second generation of Christians, the ones to whom the New Testament was originally addressed, were not immune to this loss of faith in the coming kingdom of God. In the beginning a passionate hope kept the line taut between their present experience and God's future, but as the days wore on and the suffering became intense, and the living memories of Jesus faded, and the world rolled on as before, the tension in the line slackened ...

811. They Also Serve Who Wait

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

Thomas Long

... his cane on the vaulted ceiling of the old and decaying synagogue in New York's lower east side. Morris Weiser was among the few Jews who survived the Janowska concentration camp in Poland, and now, a retired butcher in his seventies, his one remaining passion is to keep alive the Chasam Sopher synagogue. The synagogue has few Sabbath worshipers now, but Morris has put all of his savings into this place, sustains it by his constant effort, keeps it barely alive by the sheer force of his will. "When God ...

812. We Interrupt This Service

John 1:1-18

Sermon

Thomas Long

... of peanuts at the opera, an ungainly moment of mundanity wedging its way into an hour of inspiration. What he tried to say to the questioner was that he understood how he felt and that, yes, the announcements were often rattled off without care or passion, and, yes, they did sometimes seem to be somewhat uninspiring, but that, after all, the details of the church's institutional life were important, and five minutes of them couldn't hurt, and so on .... After the meeting Rev. Long realized he blew it. He ...

813. Lent 2

Mk 8:31-38 · Rom 4:13-25; 8:31-39 · Gen 17:1-7, 15-16; 22:1-18 · Ps 22

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... has to make a painful choice. Will she follow her heart and leave with her lover? Or will she stay true to her covenant with her husband and family? She finally decides that her leaving would only cause untold grief for her family and that the passion she felt for her lover would turn to resentment for having betrayed her family. She would remain in the fertile, but less than exotic, corn fields of Iowa, with her solid, but less than exciting, husband, who continued to love her. Francesca was temporarily ...

814. Maundy Thursday/Holy Thursday

John 13:1-17, Exodus 12:1-30, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, John 13:31-38

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... cited by the fourth gospel. Rather, John uses it as a springboard for Jesus washing his disciple's feet. The footwashing becomes a living parable which teaches humility. It illustrates the hymn to Christ's humility found in Philippians 2, our Second Lesson for Passion Sunday. Jesus, the Master and teacher, assumes the role of the servant. This action serves as a great teaching moment. The disciples of Jesus are not to lord it over others but stoop to serve others, as the Lord has served them. THEOLOGICAL ...

815. Advent 1

1 Corinthians 1:1-9, Isaiah 63:7--64:12, Mark 13:32-37, Mark 13:1-31

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... city and the temple was overwhelming and the task that confronted them was daunting. Alternately, the writer seems to blame God (63:17) or their own sinfulness (64:5-7) for their dire situation. Yet he continues to trust in the Lord and pray with great passion that the Lord would rend the heavens and come down in a dramatic demonstration of redeeming power (64:1), like the acts of wonder and might God showed when the people of Israel made their way through the wilderness to the promised land. The passage ...

816. Advent 2

2 Peter 3:1-18, Isaiah 40:1-31, Mark 1:1-8

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... the Miami Hurricanes in the last quarter to lay claim to the grand prize. What we hoped for really happened! Rabbi Mendel Katzman, a member of the ultra-orthodox Lubavitcher Jewish sect, experienced something of an epiphany after the victory. This group passionately looks for the Messiah. Their leader, whom many of the sect thought might be the Messiah, died toward the end of 1994. Katzman explained in the Omaha World Herald that it is difficult to maintain hope in the face of centuries of disappointments ...

817. Christ The King

John 18:28-40, 2 Samuel 23:1-7, Daniel 7:1-14, Revelation 1:1-3, Revelation 1:4-8

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... bear witness to the truth" (v. 37). Jesus certainly did not deny that he was a king but he was not interested in asserting his kingship because he knew that what he said would be misconstrued. Jesus was not interested in claiming titles. He was consumed by a passion to accomplish the mission God gave him to do, to bear witness to the truth. The word for witness is the Greek word from which we also derive the word martyr. Jesus was so committed to the task of proclaiming divine truth that he was willing to ...

818. Epiphany 7

2 Corinthians 1:12--2:4, Isaiah 43:14-28, Mark 2:1-12

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... . 3. Sermon Title: A Faith That Won't Quit. Sermon Angle: The faith of those who carried the paralyzed man comprises a compelling part of this story. They wouldn't take "No" for an answer; they wouldn't let any obstacle stop them. They had passion and determination! They must have really believed that Jesus could heal their friend. Jesus responded to their faith by healing and forgiving the man they cared about so very much. This exemplifies what the Lord was speaking of when he taught that faith can move ...

819. Good Friday

John 19:28-37, Hebrews 10:1-18, Isaiah 52:13--53:12, John 18:1-11, John 19:38-42, John 19:17-27

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... near to God through Christ, cling tightly to their faith, and to come regularly together for mutual encouragement and corporate worship. Epistle: Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 (See Lent 5 and Proper 23) Gospel: John 18:1--19:42 This is John's passion account, beginning with Jesus' arrest in the Garden. John portrays Jesus as being very much in control, not a victim of circumstances. The sufferings and death of Jesus show his glory and power. Following his arrest Jesus is conveyed to Annas, the former high priest ...

820. Proper 25

Hebrews 7:11-28, Job 42:7-17, Job 42:1-6, Mark 10:46-52

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me." Those around him found his shouts annoying and so they told him to shut-up. But life was passing him by, Jesus was passing him by. He might never come this way again. Bartimaeus shouted all the more passionately. Jesus heard his plaintive plea and stopped the procession so that, for this man, life might no longer pass him by. The cry above the crowd. It often happens that the individual gets swept away by the crowd. This story presents a refreshing reversal on that ...

821. Proper 28

Mk 13:1-32 · Heb 10:11-25 · 1 Sam 1:4-20 · Ps 16

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... . Christians will be brought into court to answer to the appointed officials (v. 11). Family members will deal with their believing brothers and sisters with treachery and violence (v. 12). Worship of the true God will be profaned (v. 14). Charles Colson speaks passionately about the culture wars in our country. While I don't quite agree with some of his stands, I do believe that he has a valid point. Christ and culture are in conflict. Christendom is dead but not Christianity. Outline: This passage states ...

822. The Transfiguration

2 Corinthians 4:1-18, 2 Kings 2:1-18, Mark 9:2-13

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... see the chariots of fire (angelic messengers), it would indicate that the Lord had granted Elisha's wish. In other words, the ability to perceive the spiritual reality would prove that his petition was granted. In order for us to catch the vision, it must be our passionate prayer that the Lord open the eyes of our spirit. Epistle: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 What's the weather in your church? Paul was accused of preaching a gospel that was veiled, hidden or obscured. Most people in our culture don't even know what ...

823. Christmas 2

Jn 1:1-18 · Lk 2:41-51 · Eph 1:3-18 · Jer 31:7-14 · Ps 147

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... people of Oklahoma City are struggling with the pain of the devastating bombing of their federal building. Hundreds of Rwandans in refugee camps are murdered in cold blood. Talk show hosts stir up hate. How desperately we need to catch the vision of the cosmic Christ, whose passion and goal is to unite all things in heaven and earth. Gospel: John 1:1-18 In the big inning. You've probably heard this one. Did you know that God is a big baseball fan? What are you talking about? Genesis opens with the statement ...

824. Easter 2

John 20:19-31, Acts 4:32-37, 1 John 1:1--2:2

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

... Light which You gave us as we each became a part of Your Church. Too often, Lord, our days have been mundane and we have lost sight of Your charge to carry Your Light into the darkness wherever we find it. Forgive us, Lord, and restore our passion to serve and live for You. In Christ we pray. Amen. Hymns "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" "Let There Be Light" "This Little Light Of Mine" Gospel: John 20:19-31 Theme: Faith beyond doubt Call To Worship Leader: There is but one God, creator of the universe ...

825. The Best For Last

John 2:1-11

Sermon

Richard A. Wing

... it was to be alive. To move about in a cloud of ignorance; to go up and down trampling on the feelings of those ... of those about you. To spend and waste time as though you had a million years. To be always at the mercy of one self-centered passion or another. Now you know ... that's the happy existence you wanted to go back to, ignorance and blindness." Then another man speaks from the grave and says, "That ain't the whole truth and you know it." Another poet reminds us of the richness of diversity. W. H ...

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