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 851 to 875 of 2173 results

851. Epiphany 4

Micah 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5, Matthew 5:1-12, Psalm 1:1-6

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE Manifestation and ministry continue to be the dominant theological and liturgical themes for this Fourth Sunday after Epiphany, which provide the homiletical clue to the selection of readings and the sermon itself. The theological framework of the church year is quite "thin," almost indiscernible in the middle of Epiphany; actually, the beginning and ending of the season keep the manifestation/ministry themes in focus. The celebration of the Transfiguration on the Last Sunday after the ...

852. Epiphany 7

Matthew 5:43-48, Matthew 5:38-42, 1 Corinthians 3:1-23, Leviticus 19:1-37

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE As the Epiphany season nears its conclusion, the homiletical framework of the season con-tinues to thin out and the role of the readings becomes more important for the establishment of the theme for the day. Under the older church year, this would be Sexagesima Sunday, the second of the "three-to-get-ready for Lent" Sundays. They were removed from the church year's "Pre-Lent" and added to Epiphany simply because they had become part of Lent, making Lent, in effect, nine and a half weeks ...

853. Moses Forbidden to Cross the Jordan

Deuteronomy 3:21-29

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

3:21–22 To close his opening historical survey, Moses looks forward to the future as entrusted into the hands of his successor, Joshua. The lessons of the past were especially for him, and the most important lesson of all was that God’s victories were infinitely repeatable. If God could defeat two kings, God could defeat many more. Yahweh was a God who was not coincidentally lucky, but consistently victorious. These words, placed here, are picked up again in 31:1–8, when Moses actually commissions Joshua. ...

854. The Healing Of Simon Peter's Mother-In-Law

Mark 1:29-34

Drama

Dallas A. Brauninger

WHAT'S HAPPENING The Gospel called Mark wants to set a tone of direct action and quick response in this story. Mark shows an absence of dragging feet and suggests a sense of urgency. Jesus gets things done. From Mark's perspective, whatever happens around Jesus, the response is always immediate. "Immediately" is a favorite action word in the first chapter of Mark. After the baptism of Jesus, the Spirit immediately drives him out into the wilderness (Mark 1:12). When Jesus calls Simon and Andrew to be ...

855. Proper 24

Job 38:1–41:34, Isaiah 52:13--53:12, Mark 10:35-45, Hebrews 5:1-10

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: Our human pride gets in the way of our worshiping and serving the Lord. COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Job 38:1-7 (34-41) (C) The arguments of Job's four friends come to a conclusion and God himself answers from a whirlwind, a frequent setting for theophanies. God chides Job for his lack of wisdom and addresses him with a series of rhetorical questions. The entire chapter presents an argument from creation. Job was not present at the creation of the world; how can he dare to question the sovereign God? Lesson ...

856. Proper 15

Mt 15:21-28 · Ex 16:2-15 · Rom 11:13-16, 29-32 · Ps 78

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

The Miracle Of A Woman's Faith In the miracle of Jesus' healing a Canaanite mother's demon-possessed daughter, we confront a different kind of Jesus. Is he the same Jesus whom we often describe as "meek and mild?" Can this be the same man who blesses little children, gives sight to a blind beggar, forgives an adulterous woman, heals a lady by her touch of his garment, and tells the story of a Good Samaritan? Here we experience a Jesus who does not seem to fit into this portrait. He ignores a woman's cry ...

857. Epiphany 2

John 2:1-11, Isaiah 62:1-12, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

Wine Miracle On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; 2 Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples. 3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." 4And Jesus said to her, "O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you. 6 Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty ...

858. Lent 3

1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Exodus 3:1-22, Psalm 126:1-6, Psalm 103:1-22, Luke 13:1-9

Sermon Aid

George Bass

THEOLOGICAL CLUE The Third Sunday in Lent had the quality of "looking toward God" in trust, as the introit put it, "Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord" (Psalm 25:6, 2b, 22, 1, 2a), in the classic set of propers. The other readings and parts of the propers concentrated on the preparation of the catechumens for baptism at Easter; this Sunday was known as dominica exorcismi - exorcism Sunday - when the lectionary and the church year were beginning to develop. It also had the title of renunciation Sunday ( ...

859. Proper 12

Romans 8:28-39, Exodus 3:1-22

Bulletin Aid

First Lesson: Exodus 3:13-20 Theme: God, the Deliverer Call to Worship Pastor: We worship a God who intervenes in history to deliver his people. People: God did a mighty thing when he called Moses to deliver the Israelites from Egypt. Pastor: The God who revealed himself through Moses is the same God who has revealed himself to us through his Son. People: We praise God for our deliverance from sin, and hope of sharing in his kingdom. Collect Most gracious God, you always know where your people are, and ...

860. Easter Day

John 20:1-9, Colossians 3:1-17, Psalm 118:1-29, Acts 10:23b-48

Sermon Aid

THEOLOGICAL CLUE Easter, the theological center of the church year, celebrates the resurrection of the Lord; it is also the main festival of the Christian faith. It pins the Christian faith on a preposterous event, the raising of Christ from the grave after he had been dead almost three days. Easter is the great mystery of the faith, which no one can completely fathom or understand; it must be accepted on faith, faith alone. It is the heart of the good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ, because the one who ...

861. Easter 4

Acts 2:42-47, Psalm 23:1-6, 1 Peter 2:13-25, John 10:1-21

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

TEXTS FROM ACTS AND PSALMS In the lesson from Acts, we are told of the early Christians' generosity toward one another and of the steady work of God in the life and growth of the Church. Psalm 23 celebrates God's securing care and bountiful provision for humanity. Acts 2:42-47 - "Life in "the Last Days" Setting. Again, readers should turn to the materials for the second Sunday of Easter for a discussion of the setting of this lesson in the context of Acts 2. In brief, vv. 42-47 summarize the situation in ...

862. Lent 1

Mt 4:1-11, Rom 5:12-21

Sermon Aid

Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS The themes of sin and death that were central to Ash Wednesday are carried over into the First Sunday in Lent. These themes, however, are explored somewhat differently. Rather than a prophetic announcement of divine judgment against the people of God in the form of the Day of the Lord, as was the case in Joel 2, Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 explores the consequences of sin for all humans and for the creation itself through the stark imagery of exposed nakedness in a garden that is quickly ...

863. Baptism of Our Lord

Psalm 29:1-11, Isaiah 43:1-7, Luke 3:1-20, Acts 8:14-17

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

Call To Worship Leader: Happy New Year! With new determination we listen for the voice of God and we desire to respond happily. People: We also listen with new care for the promises of scriptures, which might make our lives prosperous and easier. Leader: We are here together, then, to pay attention to the ways men and women have honored the holy. People: And to hear again about the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. Leader: Today we celebrate the baptism of Jesus. People: We long for an experience ...

864. Epiphany 4

Psalm 71:1-6, Jeremiah 1:4-10, Luke 4:21-30, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

Call To Worship Leader: Welcome to this place where we can speak like humans and angels! People: Ah — but we know that if we are not compassionate we’re like noisy whistles! Leader: Welcome on this winter day to this place where love is part of our mission statement. People: Hmm. We know that the spiritual journey with God requires more than words in an official document. Leader: Welcome to this sanctuary where love is a divine gift and our human goal. People: Great! We are glad to be here; for one hour, ...

865. Proper 20

Psalm 79:1-9, Jeremiah 8:18--9:1, Luke 16:1-15, 1 Timothy 2:1-7

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

Call To Worship Leader: Good morning! I hope you rested well last night and have come here to enjoy integrating tranquility, insistent inspiration, and lively conversation. People: We’ve come to celebrate, giving thanks to the Giver of Life, Living Water, and Spirit Fruits. Leader: God is Great Mystery, calling us to relish the beauty of creation and to live as citizens of benevolent society. People: From the east to the west, God moves among the rich and poor, inviting all humankind to collaborate in ...

866. Proper 22

Lamentations 1:1-6, Lamentations 3:19-26, Luke 17:1-10, 2 Timothy 1:1-14

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

Call To Worship Leader: Autumn is coming. The land in the northern hemisphere is slowing down. The church calendar will soon conclude with celebrating “Christ as King.” Today, we acknowledge that Christians in both hemispheres and on all continents read the same scriptures, ask many of the same questions, pray about many of the same things, and desire to work for justice. People: All around the planet, Christians seek guidance for manifesting peace throughout the global village. Leader: We are Christians ...

867. Bildad

Job 8:1-22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Overview of the following three text: 8:1–22; 18:1–21; 25:1–26:14 · Bildad’s Words: Bildad grants less piety to Job than does Eliphaz and appears a bit more patient than Zophar. Bildad argues, at first, with comparison. Job is alive, his children are not. He urges Job to sift through his life to make sure that he is free of the guilt that has taken his children’s lives (8:4–6). Bildad develops a plant metaphor to teach Job the truth that the impious wither (8:11–19), though, for a season, they sometimes ...

868. Ask, Seek, Knock

Matthew 7:7-12

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

7:7–11 Earlier in the sermon (6:5–15) Matthew brought together a portion of Jesus’ teaching on the subject of prayer. Now he expands it by stressing how important it is for believers to be persistent in prayer. The present imperatives, “keep on asking,” “keep on seeking,” and “keep on knocking” (Williams) indicate that prayer is not a semi-passive ritual in which we occasionally share our concerns with God. In Luke, the narrative is immediately preceded by the story of the man awakened from sleep at ...

869. A Brother Who Sins Against You

Matthew 18:15-20

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

Humility and Forgiveness: We come now to the fourth major discourse of Matthew. It ends with the usual formula in 19:1–2 (cf. 7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 26:1). Chapter 18 reads very much like an early church manual and deals with subjects such as humility (vv. 1–4), responsibility (vv. 5–7), self-renunciation (vv. 8–10), individual care (vv. 11–14), discipline (vv. 15–20), fellowship (vv. 19–20), and forgiveness (vv. 23–35; cf. Barclay, vol. 2, pp. 173–74). 18:15–17 Matthew turns now to the question of appropriate ...

870. Advent 2

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

Sermon Aid

E. Carver McGriff

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Isaiah 40:1-11 This poetic oracle begins what is generally thought of as "Trito-Isaiah," apparently addressed to returnees from the country of Babylon. While in exile there, many of the Jews remained firmly faithful to their own culture, having nothing to do with the Babylonians. Many others, though, had allowed themselves to be integrated into the local culture. But there was a third group, those who didn't quite fit into either group. These people were confused, unsure of their ...

871. Proper 21

Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16, Jeremiah 32:1-3, 6-15, Luke 16:19-31, 1 Timothy 6:6-19

Bulletin Aid

Julia Ross Strope

Call To Worship Leader: Good morning, wealthy friends! You and I — we’ve brought nothing into the world and we’ll take nothing out! But we’ve gathered again to be thankful for who we are and what we have. People: We are rich in spiritual things. We are content with God’s Presence; the path we take to Holy Mystery satisfies our deepest longings. We are rich in Christ! Leader: On our paths with God, we strive to live in ways that honor God and manifest divine love so others may also be content. People: We ...

872. Coming Clean

Mark 7:1-23

Bulletin Aid

RobertT D. Ingram

Greeting Use the hymn "O For a Heart to Praise My God" for the worshipers' response below. Leader: Jesus quoted the prophet Isaiah saying, "This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me." Congregation: God, save us from giving mere lip-service! Leader: Children of God, Jesus said, "It is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come." Congregation: Sing "O For a Heart to Praise My God." Prayer God of truth, cut through the camouflage of ...

873. Seeking Honor

Mark 10:35-45

Bulletin Aid

RobertT D. Ingram

Greeting: Leader: The kingdom of God is not what many would expect. Left: In the world, people who are recognized as leaders lord it over everyone else. Right: And people who reach greatness become tyrants over everyone around them. Leader: This is not the way it works among Christ's disciples. Left: For us, whoever wishes to become great must be a servant to everyone else. Right: And whoever wishes to be first among us must become a slave to all of us. Leader: Jesus, Servant King of the new world, we come ...

874. Christmas 2

Matthew 25:31-46

Bulletin Aid

RobertT D. Ingram

Note: There is a time to sit listening and asking questions in our Father's house, and there is a time to go out and be obedient. Greeting Ldr: When Jesus was twelve years old, his parents could not find him. So Mary and Joseph returned to Jerusalem, and found Jesus in the temple. Cng: We still find you in the temple, Lord. Ldr: Though only twelve, Jesus sat talking with the teachers in the temple. They were all amazed at his understanding and his answers. Cng: We too are amazed at the simplicity and the ...

875. Proper 5

2 Corinthians 4:1-18, 1 Samuel 8:1-22, Mark 3:31-35, Mark 3:20-30

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

Theme: Facing the enemy. God and his servants can expect opposition. In the First Lesson Samuel and the Lord experience flack because the people want a king. In the Second Lesson Paul continues to be pummeled by all sorts of enemies and by the weakness of his body. In the Gospel Jesus discovers that his opponents are not only the scribes but his own family, who regard him as crazy. COMMENTARY Lesson 1: 1 Samuel 8:4-20 (11:14-15) (C) The people plead with Samuel to obtain a king for them so that they might ...

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