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 1201 to 1225 of 1245 results
Sermon
Michael L. Sherer
... come out of a mud-hole? Can any good thing come out of a dying inner-city congregation? Out of a tiny group in a suburban church trying to do something to improve the world in some small way? Out of a handful of committed church folk eager to change their neighborhood, their block, their town or city, when the group is only populated by pious nobodies? The implied answer in today’s gospel is a resounding Yes! In fact, that’s where good things have almost always come from. I doubt Jesus’ friends and ...
1202. Homecoming
Exodus 17:1-7
Sermon
Will Willimon
... beings at bottom. Unless we can establish roots somewhere in a place where we are at home, we feel that we float, that we are barely there at all." I've watched even Duke freshpersons, refurbish, rebuild, extravagantly in time and labor, an otherwise perfectly acceptable dorm room, so eager are they to make it a home of their own. Virginia Wolfe, no relation to Thomas or Tom, wrote that the main thing a woman needs to be herself is "a room of one's own." Can we? Is there a place for us, worthy of the name ...
1203. No Partiality
Acts 10:34-43
Sermon
Will Willimon
... wrote a story, "The Wall," in which a group of men await death before a firing squad. As the hour of their death comes closer and they contemplate the moment when they must stand before the wall and be shot, their lives dwindle away. One says, "With what eagerness I had run after happiness, and women, and liberty! And to what end? I had wanted to liberate Spain,...I had belonged to the anarchist movement, I had spoken at public meetings. I took everything as seriously as if I had been immortal...I had the ...
1204. The Vine
John 15:1-8
Sermon
Lori Wagner
... olive vines and grape vines were necessary to Israel’s well-being, for food and within the Temple. And there is something to be said for the virtues of the vine as a metaphor –its resistance to destruction, deep, enduring roots, eager, vast growth potential, and fruit-bearing capability. Often used as metaphors for Israel itself, olive and grape vines represented fruitfulness, abundance, sustenance, and life –the fruit of the promised land.It’s no wonder that this symbol of “promise” would be ...
1205. The Power to Witness
Luke 24:44-53 · Acts 1:1-11
Sermon
Lori Wagner
... with God’s gifts of healing and teaching, so that we too can continue to witness to God’s ongoing redemption. Those who invite the Holy Spirit to fill them and use them, prepare yourselves in prayer and in petition. Today, more than ever, we need eager and available witnesses, not just those who sit in the courtrooms watching or sit in their chairs reading about the things that have passed, but those who are animated through the power of the Spirit to relay that truth to others, to verify the truth of ...
Sermon
Lori Wagner
... or 6 open mouths stretching outward from tiny little necks, reaching for the bits of food Mama bird would bring into the nest. Again, she was on a mission. Off she flew to find food. Within a moment, she was back depositing the food inside the open, eager beaks. I had never seen a bird’s beak open that wide! It appeared as though they were merely attached at the base, stretching so widely open that their mouths appeared far bigger than their bodies. They were in fact tiny bare bodies with giant open beaks ...
1207. Missional Discontinuity
Mark 6:30-44, Mark 6:45-56
Sermon
Dean Feldmeyer
... where Jesus and his disciples were overwhelmed by the volume of work and the depth of need that had been set before them. In the first story, the disciples returned from their missionary journey upon which Jesus dispatched them in verses 6-13. They were excited and eager to share with Jesus all that had happened to them but there were so many people with so many needs coming to them for help that they did not have time to even eat their lunch, much less talk about what happened last week. So Jesus bid ...
Sermon
Lori Wagner
... if they truly choose this path. For true discipleship, the true path of following Jesus, includes the path to the cross, persecution, and likely torture and martyrdom. Jesus isn’t trying to discourage them from following him. Quite the contrary. Jesus wants worthy, eager, passionate disciples. But he needs them to understand what they are taking on. Discipleship is not just a perk or favor but a commitment to do what it takes to expand the gospel through thick and thin, good and bad, easy and difficult ...
Sermon
Lori Wagner
... was not a celebration of faith but a robbery of the poor. Unfortunately, many people equate religious institutions and their leadership with “God” and God’s own message. While the widow gave from her bleeding heart, the vampires in Pharisee clothing were all too eager to suck her in. Jesus’ sharp critique of the Temple system would come up again, as Jesus overthrows money changing tables in the Temple courtyard. But in a way, this passage today is even stronger, because it is all too easy for any of ...
1210. The Favorite
Luke 2:41-52
Sermon
Lori Wagner
We all know that person –the one who is supposed to succeed, the favorite of all the teachers. Everybody likes this kid. Let’s call him Jake for now. Jake is kind. He’s respectful. He’s smart and eager to learn. He’s ambitious and industrious. He’s the one who climbs the tree to save the neighbor’s cat or takes soup to the homeless. He always greets his neighbors on the street and takes part in community events. He’s the one everyone loves. Zip forward 20 ...
1211. I Shall Rise Again!
I Corinthians 15:19-26 · Luke 24:1-12
Sermon
King Duncan
... Risen,” and the clamoring of bells. The priest, holding high a lighted candle, would bid all, “Come and receive light,” and would pass the flame to the multitude of candles held to receive it. With these flickering torches in their hands, the throng turned eagerly to the House of God. The doors to the church were closed and locked. Loudly they knocked, their voices raised in solemn chant: “Lift the gates, O ye rulers of ours, and ye eternal gates be lifted, for there will enter Christ, the King of ...
Sermon
Mary Austin
... is out on a road trip, preaching and teaching people about Jesus. The book of Acts (Acts 8:5-13) tells us that it starts out this way: Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed; and many others who were paralyzed or lame were cured. So there was great joy in that city…But when ...
1213. What Is Truth?
John 18:1--19:42
Sermon
Schuyler Rhodes
... For some, the mention of the word, “politics” from the pulpit is troublesome. But friends, let us be clear and unambiguous. This was a political execution. Jesus was set up as a would-be “King of the Jews” and neither Jews nor Romans were eager for competition in the power game. So Jesus got eliminated. In order for such a process to proceed, however, it was important that a narrative be constructed that met the needs of the “principalities and the powers (Ephesians 6:10f),” who cared less about ...
1214. Temptation
Luke 4:1-13
Sermon
Will Willimon
... and the ER. Our American hospital-going public hopes to have, through government funding, that which medieval Christendom once sought from its priests--remission of sins of the flesh, hope of easy, everlasting life. With Drs. Joe and Terry Grayden, we eagerly await each week's announcement of medically made miracles, in the same manner that the credulous once flocked to Our Lady of Lourdes. The Vatican bureaucracy which once extracted heavy penance from the medieval faithful has been replaced by the folks ...
Sermon
Lori Wagner
... Jerusalem, loves his Jewish faith, loves the symbol of the Temple, and loves God’s people. But he also knows, ultimately the Temple will fall. For its heart has become barren. And though God in Jesus can overcome barrenness, there must be an eagerness to conceive and a deference before God for healing. At the time, Jerusalem had neither. Barrenness in the Jewish faith is the worst kind of status to have. Yet refusing to reproduce or multiply is different from an inability to reproduce or multiply. The ...
Sermon
Lori Wagner
... father’s inheritance and goes off on his own. He spends lavishly and foolishly, ending up in dire straits. Desperate and having learned his lesson, he humbly and sheepishly returns home, ready to be the lowest of servants. Instead, his father greets him eagerly and lovingly, placing rings on his fingers and sandals on his feet. He calls for a celebration and throws a grand party with music, dancing, and feasting! He is so excited and happy that his younger son has returned. His brother however is angry ...
Sermon
Dave Zuchelli
... , and we’re dumped into a valley of questioning and despair. Looking back can be very comforting while walking through the valley. For Jesus’ followers, walking throughout the countryside must have been a wonderful comfort zone. In the towns and villages, small crowds gathered, eager to hear the words of the Master. If they weren’t so receptive to Jesus’ compassion and message, they could simply shake the dust off their feet and move to the next burg. Not so with the city… City folks are often a ...
Sermon
Dave Zuchelli
... possessions, wealth, and/or physical treasures. When people got hung up over material things, alarm bells seemed to go off in Jesus’ mind. His reference to the cup and dish was directed at laws of ritual cleansing. The hypocritical religious types were eager to make sure the outside was spotless. Jesus, however, drew a distinction between the clean surface and the filth that lay within. That filth, in Jesus’ mind, was their “greed and self-indulgence.” They were careful to give an outward appearance ...
Sermon
Lori Wagner
... a homeless shelter or even the corner café. What kind of identity does this apparel convey? A job as a server, waitress, or chef is not an easy job. It requires close attention to what’s going on around you. It requires quick response, an eager spirit, and dedication to the task at hand. It requires focus and commitment. It requires a desire to put before someone a plate of food that has been especially prepared for that person. It requires hospitality, communication, a heart for people, and obedience to ...
Sermon
Lori Wagner
... suppers. But no one wants any part of the responsibilities. After each of the hen’s requests results in decline, she answers, “Then I will do it myself.” After the bread is finished and is ready for the table, every one of the animals speak up that they are eager to help her eat the bread. But the little red hen decides to eat it all by herself. The moral of course to the story is that those who do not take part in the responsibilities will not take part in the reward. While Jesus is not saying that ...
Sermon
Lori Wagner
... things, over the top amazing things when you call to him in prayer. So, pray fervently. Pray honestly. Pray for the encouragement you need. And pray for justice for others. For Jesus brings us good news. Our God is always, always our very first responder. Always willing. Always loving. Always eager to shine his favor upon us. [1] “Heartwarming Stories of First Responders,” Kovacorp, accessed October 9, 2022, https://www.kovacorp.com/heartwarming-stories-first-responder
Sermon
April Yamasaki
... gone to the town in search of food. She had returned to the town to tell everyone about you. We confess that we are often more like the disciples, hardly knowing what to say. In prayer, in personal interactions, with people we know and those who are strangers, make us eager to share. Revive our curiosity, and renew our energy to be faithful witnesses to you. Be our living water welling up in us. Amen.
1223. Brace Yourself!
Matthew 5:21-37
Sermon
John Jamison
... along the northern shore of the sea a large group of people started to gather around them. Jesus found a spot big enough to hold them all and sat down to teach them. Looking around the crowd, he saw fishermen, farmers, orchard-keepers, mothers, and children, all eager to hear what he had to say. Over to one side, he saw the little group of those Pharisees and Sadducees dressed in their fine robes and hats, wearing their stoles and jewelry. They didn’t have enough authority to arrest him up there, but if ...
Sermon
King Duncan & Angela Akers
... . These women tested and delivered airplanes, instructed male pilot cadets, aided the fighter pilots in gunnery practice, and flew missions looking for enemy searchlights. Although Betty enjoyed her work, she wrote an article during this time in which she noted, “I am eagerly awaiting the time when God will use my flying to take the glorious gospel of our blessed God to those who are without Christ.” After the war, she got that opportunity. She helped to found a mission aviation organization which is ...
1225. Good News/Bad News
Matthew 16:21-28
Sermon
King Duncan & Angela Akers
... Jesus had to deal with the problem of conveying bad news. Jesus and his disciples were at Caesarea Philippi. Good news was everywhere. Their ministry to this point had been a stunning success. Crowds pressed in on them everywhere they went. People eagerly reached out to touch this attractive young teacher from Nazareth. The disciples themselves were caught up in the excitement of it all. Jesus asked them, “Who do you say I am?” and Simon Peter answered enthusiastically, “You are the Christ, the Son ...
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