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 1176 to 1200 of 2173 results
Sermon
King Duncan
Have you ever gotten really upset with the ending to a book or movie? If the ending is too unexpected, or too weak, or if they kill off your favorite character, it can ruin the whole story for you. In other cases, the ending might be offensive to some people, but that’s a risk you take when you go to the movies. Here’s something you may not know. Movie censors in China are allowed to change the ending to movies to protect Chinese citizens from “scenes that might disturb social order or impart criminal ...
1177. What Heaven Will Be Like
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Sermon
King Duncan & Angela Akers
We all like to believe that we are moral people, don’t we? We’re good people. Or good enough compared to our neighbors. And if we ever act in ways that violate some moral code, we must have a good excuse for doing it, right? In 1995, a man named Robert Lee Brock was serving time in a Virginia prison for breaking and entering and grand larceny. While serving his time, Brock sued the Virginia prison system for various alleged offenses, but every lawsuit was rejected. So Brock tried a new approach: he sued ...
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
1–2 · Salutation: The salutation is brief, identifying the author, as we have noted, and then identifying the recipients as people who have been “called,” “loved,” and “kept” by God the Father and Jesus Christ. There is no criticism of these “dear friends” stated anywhere in the letter. 3–4 · Opening: Reason for writing: After the salutation comes the reason for writing. While about to write in another vein, Jude has received information that means he must instead exhort the community he addresses to “ ...
Sermon Aid
Harold H. Lentz
BACKGROUND MATERIAL There is considerable variety to the miracles performed by Christ. One was performed in a synagogue (curing the demoniac), another in a home (healing Peter's mother-in-law), and this one he performed on a public thoroughfare. While Jesus and his disciples were walking, a man afflicted with the terrible disease of leprosy approached them. Fear of leprosy was so great that strict laws had been passed concerning the actions of one so afflicted. The law demanded that lepers should isolate ...
Sermon
Barbara Brokhoff
A musician in a camp meeting where I preached wrote a country-gospel song titled, "Sin Will Take You Farther Than You Want To Go and Keep You Longer Than You Want To Stay." Nineteen words is a tad long for a song title, but it does state a succinct and compelling truth: sin will get you in serious trouble. In this lesson, Ahab is king and is married to the wicked, Baal-worshipping Jezebel, and covets the vineyard belonging to a worshipper of God named Naboth. Ahab had plenty of property of his own, but he ...
1181. Advent 4
Luke 1:46-56, Luke 1:39-45
Bulletin Aid
Dennis Koch
Gospel Note This reading combines Luke's dramatic narrative of Mary's visit to Elizabeth and his lyrical "Magnificat." Central to both is the affirmation, on Elizabeth's lips as well as Mary's own, of the blessedness of the mother-to-be. Noteworthy, however, is the insistence that Mary's blessedness is not inherent, but derives from God's actions toward her in the Incarnation. After all, the adjective "blessed" is really a passive verb form, and thus itself points to God's gracious, saving agency. ...
Children's Sermon
SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT HOME Parents: Today's Gospel-based activity is a variation on an old children's game that you may have played as a child. The dry version is a perfect solution to rainy-day boredom, and the wet version is a summertime hit with children of all ages. You will need either four to ten small sponge balls for indoor play, or as many water balloons as you desire for outdoor fun. (If you use water balloons, make certain that they are full enough to break easily.) You will also ...
Sermon
King Duncan
I believe you will agree with me that this is one election season that all of us will be happy to see come to an end. One of the candidates for president . . . I won’t say which one . . . was campaigning in West Virginia recently. Some of the coal miners were not real happy about it when the candidate asked for their vote. “Vote for you?” one of them jeered. “Why, I’d sooner vote for the Devil!” “Fair enough!” called out the candi­date, “But in the event that your friend doesn’t run, may I have your ...
1184. Two Sinners
Luke 7:36-50
Sermon
King Duncan
To learn how Americans feel about prayer, Life magazine once interviewed dozens of people. One person they talked to was a prostitute, age twenty-four, in White Pine County, Nevada. “I don’t think about my feelings a lot,” she said. “Instead I lie in my bed and think [about God]. I meditate because some­times my words don’t come out right. But he can find me. He can find what’s inside of me just by listening to my thoughts. I ask him to help me and keep me going. A lot of people think working girls don’t ...
1185. Be Patient
James 5:7-12
Sermon
King Duncan
One Christmas season when Shirley Duncanson’s daughter was nearing her third birthday, Duncanson decided to take her along with her brothers ages 1, 4, 6, 8 out shopping. The little girl saw a doll that she wanted. Nothing Duncanson could say or do would alter her desire. She wanted that doll and she wanted it then. No reminder that Christmas was coming that she needed to be good because Santa Claus might be watching had any impact on her. With a one-year-old in the cart, and three other children to keep ...
Sermon
King Duncan
Karl Barth, one of the twentieth century’s most famous theologians, was on a streetcar one day in Basel, Switzerland, where he lived and lectured. A tourist to the city climbed on the streetcar and sat down next to Barth. The two men started chatting with each other. “Are you new to the city?” Barth inquired. “Yes,” said the tourist. “Is there anything you would particularly like to see in this city?” asked Barth. “Yes,” he said, “I’d love to meet the famous theologian Karl Barth. Do you know him?” Barth ...
Sermon
King Duncan
There is a time-honored story about a pastor and his wife who decided to invite the church council and their spouses over for dinner. It was quite an undertaking, but this devoted couple wanted to be a good example for the leaders of their church. When it came time for dinner, everyone was seated and the pastor’s wife asked their little four-year-old girl if she would say grace. The girl said, “I don’t know what to say.” Her mother said, “Honey, just say what I say.” Everyone bowed their heads and the ...
Sermon
King Duncan
Pastor Ben Patterson tells about his 5-year-old niece, Olivia, and her best friend, Claire, who were participating in a nativity play at school. Claire was playing Mary, and Olivia played an angel. Before the show, a young boy was going around the dressing room proclaiming to all who could hear him, “I’m a sheep.” Then asking, “What are you?” Each child responded politely, including Olivia, who proudly declared she was an angel. The boy then turned to Claire, who was still struggling into her costume with ...
1189. Who's Your Master?
Philippians 2:1-11
Sermon
King Duncan
Bradford Robinson tells about a minister in Texas who used a very creative visual aid to start his message. He brought on to the stage a beautiful Golden Irish Setter that belonged to his youth minister. The youth minister loved this dog so much that when the dog had been sick and had to be in the vet kennel overnight, he stayed all night with him. Needless to say this dog also loved his master. The senior minister brought the dog on to the stage and he rolled a ball across the platform and said, “Fetch, ...
Sermon
King Duncan
Growing Strong in the Season of Lent Luke 22: 31-34; 54-62 (Passion Sunday) or John 18:15-27 (Good Friday) It is very difficult to think of the events of Holy Week without thinking of Simon Peter’s denial of Christ. The story is well known to us all. At the last supper Jesus tells Simon Peter that before the cock crows three times, he will deny him three times. Prior to this Simon Peter has just pledged his allegiance to Christ in his normal, assertive style, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and ...
Understanding Series
Donald A. Hagner
The Grounds for Faithfulness With his central theological argument concluded, the author turns now to some practical applications of what he has so effectively argued. Thus, as is true throughout his epistle, he is never content simply to present theology without showing its practical relevance to his readers. Indeed, he has had his Jewish readers in mind through all the argumentation of the preceding section. But now he comes again to their immediate situation. In this section he draws together motifs ...
Teach the Text
Preben Vang
Big Idea: Christians who consider themselves mature must be careful not to confuse trust in God’s grace with self-reliance. Rather than putting God’s forgiveness to the test, they should focus on passing God’s test, which will reveal that their primary and most trusted relationship is with him. Understanding the Text The key verse in this unit is verse 12: “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” Using an example from the Hebrew Scriptures, Paul compares the self-confidence ...
One Volume
Gary M. Burge
6:1-6 · Although the future seems certain and tragic, God surprisingly offers the possibility of hope if the people will admit their guilt and turn to seek him. God will allow them some time, so that they will come to the point where they are willing to confess their sins, want to know God, and long to experience his healing (5:15). They must earnestly seek God, acknowledge who God is, and desire to know him so that they can experience the material and spiritual blessings of his coming. Although God ...
Sermon
Charley Reeb
A friend of mine once shared a story about his first visit to Niagara Falls. He said it was magnificent — the rush and roar of the water — the display of raw power. But as he looked upon the water gushing forth, he remembered a picture in a textbook. It showed Niagara Falls in the middle of winter, and much of the water was frozen. Big lightning-shaped forms of water were at a standstill. There was no movement, no action, no power. As my friend reflected on the picture, he thought how disappointing it ...
Sermon
King Duncan
A man tells the story of leaving a grocery store when he was approached by two small boys selling candy bars for their school band. The man told the boys, “I’ll buy a chocolate bar from you on one condition. You eat it for me.” The boys agreed. The man bought the chocolate bar and promptly handed it back to one little boy so that he could eat it. The boy shook his head and said, “I can’t.” “Why not?” the man asked. The boy looked at him gravely in the eye and said, “I’m not supposed to take candy from ...
1196. Not Your Lips, but Your Life
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Sermon
King Duncan
I’ve got a pop quiz this morning for all you history buffs. What is something that was declared illegal 100 years ago, but is perfectly legal today? I’ll give you a hint: it inspired the 18th Amendment to the Constitution. In what was termed the Noble Experiment, the United States government made it a crime to manufacture, transport or sell alcoholic beverages. From 1920 to 1933—a period referred to today as the Prohibition Era—all the bars and saloons and liquor stores in the nation shut down. Or did they ...
Sermon
King Duncan
Kids think that money just grows on trees, don’t they? That’s part of their overall innocence, and their trust in the abundance of life. When they’re hungry, someone feeds them. Clean clothes magically show up in their dresser drawers. Toilet paper and soap magically appear in the bathroom. And so it’s pretty normal for kids to assume that Mommy and Daddy or Grandma or some loving adult can also buy them whatever they want. Why can’t we order pizza every night? Why can’t we have a new car like the ...
1198. God's GPS
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Sermon
King Duncan & Angela Akers
When was the last time you got lost? Was this the result of human error or technological error? Or both? Last year, a news station in Indonesia broadcast a story about an Indonesian groom who went to the wrong wedding and almost married the wrong woman because of an error by Google Maps. It appears that this was an arranged marriage, so the prospective bride and groom did not realize the mistake. Family members from the two families discovered the mistake as they chatted before the wedding. Fortunately, ...
1199. Miracle Nine: Healing A Deaf-Mute
Mark 7:31-37, Mark 7:24-30
Sermon Aid
Harold H. Lentz
BACKGROUND MATERIAL It is rather strange that Mark is the only Evangelist to record this particular miracle of Jesus. It is believed that the other Gospel writers had Mark's writings in hand when they wrote their Gospels. And this was a double miracle, a healing of both deafness and of a speech impediment. All the more wonder that Mark is the only one to relate this action. Another area of conjecture concerns the man's speech impediment. Although he is often called a deaf-mute, the scriptures refer to his ...
Sermon
Richard Gribble
Monday Holy WeekIsaiah 42:1-7John 12:1-11 Following The Road All people have a vocation in life. Many times the word vocation is applied to priesthood and religious life alone, but this is far too limiting. All people have a vocation, a road that they will follow in life. Some people will follow the vocation to the single life; most will follow the call to married life and family. Some will follow the invitation to become religious and/or priests. Many people will be wives or husbands who work daily to ...
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