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 101 to 125 of 679 results

101. Planning Your Way Out

John 6:35, 41-51

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

... by a grave, and wondered, "Shall we see each other again?" God sets that question in our hearts as a means by which we might be drawn to seek his Son. The "God-shaped vacuum," which Blaise Pascal spoke of existing at the center of every person ever born, yearns for fulfillment in each of us and is in itself sufficient proof of our eternal nature. We are made for life with God forever. Just before he himself died on the cross for us, Jesus made another promise that is just as powerful as the one in today's ...

102. The Four Sacred Chords of Home

Mark 13:24-37

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... asked. “No, I’m here sick.” Who first said “home is where the heart is?” Home is not just where the heart is. Home is our main hope of having a heart to begin with. But is it really the “heart,” our true and pure emotional yearnings, that drives our homing-instinct? If an emotional fix was all we needed, then a few smarmy Christmas specials should suffice. But what if “home” is where our soul soars and our spirit is fulfilled? What if “home” has as much to do with our Heavenly Father ...

103. We Ache to Know God’s Blessings

John 1:6-8, 19-28

Illustration

Joel D. Kline

... directly in Jim's eyes with a sad expression and saying in a sincere voice, "Pastor, ask God for a blessing for me." Who among us does not yearn for a blessing from God? Even those we are tempted to write off as too tough, too entrenched in destructive behavior—buried deep beneath the hardened exterior there is a yearning for blessing. Whether a troubled youth, one struggling with addiction, or the "respectable" person fearful of giving voice to his or her own inner struggle—whatever our situation ...

104. Seeking Christ

Mark 1:29-34

Sermon

King Duncan

... 7) And he was a carpenter. Of course, we see this kind of thing all the time. One lady in St. Petersburg Florida claims seeing Jesus’ image in a potato chip! (2) My guess is that we see what we want to see, and our deepest yearning of all is to see Jesus. Our deepest yearning is to encounter God. And so, in our search for meaning our eyes pick up patterns that, while random, seem to reveal God’s presence. And that gives us peace and . . . hope. And we want the world to know what we’ve seen. It is also ...

105. The Joy of the Lord

Nehemiah 7:73b--8:18

Sermon

King Duncan

... ; it is yesterday’s incorrect version of the future.” It’s not really economics that drives human behavior, Brooks continues. “People everywhere,” Brooks says, “long for meaning, purpose, and righteousness beyond economics. . . . Human beings yearn for a world that reflects God’s will in many cases as strongly as they yearn for money or success.” (5) Brooks is saying that if you do not have a meaningful purpose for your life, life will not have much zest, and you will not be as happy as God ...

106. Stuck in Park

Acts 17:16-34

Sermon

Tony Everett

... own ways of finding meaning in life through religion and philosophy (Acts 17:22-23). He even quoted one of their own poets (Acts 17:29). Notice that Paul sought common ground in a common humanity within a common creation. Paul heard their own searching and yearning for God and affirmed it also as his own. He invited them to consider that “this very God is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27). Paul honors relationships by meeting people where they are, listening to how they define reality, speaking ...

107. Come Home

Matthew 25:14-30

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... big choices in life. “Hiding out” might seem like a short term, smart choice. But with that choice comes the rejection of any chance of a “homecoming,” for the joy of entering into the pleasure of the Master. And you and I were made with a homing instinct that yearns for a homecoming. To be sure, we have become an incredibly mobile people. We fly, we drive, we bus, we boat, we bike all over the planet. How many of you now live in the “home town” you grew up in? How many of you need to think a ...

108. Come and See

John 1:29-42

Sermon

James L. Killen

... give to me?" What is God doing in your life to save you and move you toward the fullness of life that we all yearn for? A while ago we mentioned that the different names by which Jesus was called actually represent the witnesses of the early Christians who ... talk about the new life that will come to those who learn to live in a personal relationship with Jesus. It is the life that we all yearn for in our heart of hearts. It is the life for which God created us. It is the life to which God wants to save us. ...

109. Dying To Live

Isaiah 43:16-21

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... allow our sin to die. One is a horrific death, the other is a glorious one. If we are honest with ourselves and search the depths of our being, I believe we would all find a home-sickness which yearns for the glorious death which leads to genuine freedom. The poet Louisa Tarkington expresses this yearning: I wish there was some wonderful place; In the Land of beginning again; Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches; And all of our poor selfish grief; Could be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door ...

110. The Pilgrim’s Longing to “See” the God of Zion

Psalm 84:1-12

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... (Zech. 14:16–19). This psalm bears connections with other psalms of the temple. Psalm 42–43, another pilgrim psalm, also uses this phrase “appearing before God” (v. 2, NIV “meet with God”). Like our psalm (v. 2), it describes the pilgrim’s physical yearning (cf. 63:1, another pilgrim psalm) for the living God (42:2, a divine title found only in these two psalms within the Psalter). Both also draw an analogy with animal creatures to express the sense of attachment to God’s house (birds and ...

111. A Song of Praise

Isaiah 26:1-21

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... , there is an owning of the need to live by faith, and a longing to see as realities the events that have been described in vision. The prayer has four elements. (a) We are yearning for the acts that will vindicate your name (vv. 8–9). In the context of this prayer (e.g., v. 9b), the object of the people’s day-and-night yearning is not an inner experience of God but the witnessing of events that will demonstrate to the world that Yahweh is God. They do not see them yet. (b) We want your enemies to ...

112. Something is About to Happen!

John 1:1-14

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... we say that we are waiting for Christmas to happen, what are we expecting to happen? Some of you here tonight are expecting to receive that one gift that you have been bugging your parents for since September. Like the boy in the movie, “A Christmas Story” who yearns for a Red Rider BB gun, you have done everything in your power to influence, connive, and manipulate your parents to get you that one gift that is essential to your health and growth as a human being. And if you don’t get it, your parents ...

113. The Sign of the Dove

Matthew 3:1-17 · John 1:1-34 · Mark 1:1-8 · Luke 3:1-38

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... of a journey that will end in death. Yet it is the beginning of a journey that will also bring a new beginning of life, of hope, of promise, or resurrection glory to the world. It is a bittersweet moment that signifies a bittersweet life. All of us yearn to be in God’s favor. All of us want to have our lives blessed by God. But few of us want to take the journey along with Jesus to the cross. But with great blessing comes great responsibility. And following Jesus is always a bittersweet experience. For ...

114. Slow Burn

Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 6:19-24

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... nature of what it means to be in covenant with God, what that looks like in one’s life. A bit later, Jesus would again use the metaphor of light, this time along with the metaphor of the “eye” to talk about the difference between yearning for God and yearning for wealth and materiality (the current day’s equivalent of the golden calf). The “light” can only shine when one’s heart and mind are fixed on God. For this to happen, one must have “salt” within. What does this mean? When you cook ...

115. Rain of Grace

Hosea 6:1--7:16

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... the relationship with their whole hearts. In our scripture for today, the prophet Hosea describes a situation much like a marriage, in which God has kept God’s end of the bargain. God has loved us, sought us, forgiven us again and again, yearns …yes, YEARNS to redeem us! And yet, we are entirely fickle partners! We continually have wandering eyes, and wandering legs! We often ignore God or forget God exists altogether, let alone come into intimate relationship with God. It’s like walking into a room ...

Every age yearns for a more beautiful world. The deeper the desperation and the depression about the confusing present, the more intense that yearning.

Johan Huizinga

117. A New Beginning

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

... have hope (sort of). Our feel-good, therapeutic ethos and its media gurus say it is possible, especially if we buy the right products, network with enough important people, and make wise investments.[2] But what we do will not provide this sort of security for which we yearn. In line with Paul’s warning in Romans 7:18b-19 that we are trapped by our past and cannot do what we wish we could do, Rudolf Bultmann explains why we need a new beginning, but can’t make it happen on our own: ... man forgets in ...

118. Leaving Home

Luke 15:11-32

Drama

Arley K. Fadness

... . Some not so good. Like all parents it’s so hard to see our children leave. Some for bright careers, others for the streets of who knows what, some for patriotic duty serving their country. Always we parents grieve and pray and hope one day they will return home. We yearn like the yearning in Emmylou Harris’ song “Calling My Children Home.” GLADYS: Our kids - we love them forever. Hope they are around for our fortieth!

119. The Lord Is With Us

Luke 1:26-38, 2 Samuel 7:1-17, Romans 16:1-27

Sermon

Will Willimon

... part of the problem. We act, not only out of self-defense but also from a kind of misguided piety, a respectful unwillingness to involve the holy in our unholy exploits. We know that our lives need some contact with the source of our being. We yearn for some fellowship with the eternal, reaching out, tentatively toward heaven, longing, hoping. But like Groucho Marx who once turned down a membership to an exclusive club saying, "I wouldn't want to belong to any club that would take a guy like me,'' we find ...

120. Why We Light the Candles

Luke 2:1-20 · Isaiah 9:2, 6

Sermon

Will Willimon

... to eternal dark. I have been acquainted with the night..." writes the contemporary poet. We know the dark. It really does seem as if, in the words of John, we “love darkness rather than light.” Why do we light the candles? Because, despite the dark, we yearn for light. Power goes out in your home during a winter ice storm. We grope, stumbling about. Someone finally finds a match, snap, lights and candle, and there is light. You can see the relief on the faces of those in the room. Every year, on Good ...

121. A Call To Community

Acts 16:6-10

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

... life for them. The kids especially hated having to keep Cocoa chained up. It was painful to watch him lie there, not feeling well and with very little energy. They took to keeping Cocoa in the house more. The chemo had not touched his heart or his yearning for affection. And the kids gave him more love than any dog deserved, any dog except Cocoa. There is something about sharing a difficult time with loved ones that draws you close. When the family went to bed at night Cocoa would sneak into the children's ...

122. Advent Of Angels

Malachi 1:6-14

Sermon

Tony Everett

A seminary professor has said that there have been more books about angels produced during the past five years than in the previous 150. In our sometimes chaotic and impersonal society we have a deep yearning to be protected, loved, and guided. When we experience life's uncertainties and challenges we need a messenger from God; we need an angel to help us overcome adversity, to guide us through troubled times, to love us when we are most vulnerable, and to correct us when we stray ...

123. Unexpected Joy; Undeserved Gift

Isaiah 9:1-7

Sermon

Tony Everett

... ceremonial names given to the king at his coronation. These names reaffirmed the Lord's covenant with David 200 years ago. These names expressed desire that the people's hopes for renewal of spirit and restoration of power would occur. These names express a yearning for a new identity, a new vision that will emerge during the reign of a wise and powerful king. These names are full of power and promise. These names connect memories of the past and hopes for the future. This king would demonstrate fatherly ...

124. Proper 25

Psalm 65:1-13, Luke 18:9-14, Joel 2:28-32, 2 Timothy 4:9-18, 2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

... a public or private address, than a monologue? Is it the openness to receive strength for renewal and change rather than an expectation that something magical will be done for the praying person or group? A proper prayer is more determined by the attitude, the yearning for right relationships with God, with other persons, and with self than whether it is according to a particular form or whether it is even expressed in words. It is placing oneself in the presence of God and allowing oneself to be bathed in ...

125. Failure Is Not Final

Hosea 2:2-23

Sermon

William L. Self

... hearth for a life of infidelity. She pursues other lovers but soon presents a picture of frustration and despair as she is disposed of by her uncommitted lovers. However, though she chose to leave Hosea's home, he never let her out of his heart. He yearned for her and passionately sought to find her and return her to the family with tender, loving kindness and affection. This story of the tenderness and devotion of Hosea searching and finding Gomer is used by God to demonstrate how he loves his people who ...

Showing results

Antonyms: aversion, distaste, apathy, dislike, hatred, antipathy, disgust, disregard, abhorrence, acrimony, wet, animosity, animus, antagonism, bad feeling, bitterness, be averse to, detestation

Showing 101 to 125 of 679 results

101. Planning Your Way Out

John 6:35, 41-51

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

102. The Four Sacred Chords of Home

Mark 13:24-37

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

103. We Ache to Know God’s Blessings

John 1:6-8, 19-28

Illustration

Joel D. Kline

104. Seeking Christ

Mark 1:29-34

Sermon

King Duncan

105. The Joy of the Lord

Nehemiah 7:73b--8:18

Sermon

King Duncan

106. Stuck in Park

Acts 17:16-34

Sermon

Tony Everett

107. Come Home

Matthew 25:14-30

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

108. Come and See

John 1:29-42

Sermon

James L. Killen

109. Dying To Live

Isaiah 43:16-21

Sermon

Charley Reeb

110. The Pilgrim’s Longing to “See” the God of Zion

Psalm 84:1-12

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

111. A Song of Praise

Isaiah 26:1-21

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

112. Something is About to Happen!

John 1:1-14

Sermon

Charley Reeb

113. The Sign of the Dove

Matthew 3:1-17 · John 1:1-34 · Mark 1:1-8 · Luke 3:1-38

Sermon

Lori Wagner

114. Slow Burn

Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 6:19-24

Sermon

Lori Wagner

115. Rain of Grace

Hosea 6:1--7:16

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Every age yearns for a more beautiful world. The deeper the desperation and the depression about the confusing present, the more intense that yearning.

Johan Huizinga

117. A New Beginning

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

118. Leaving Home

Luke 15:11-32

Drama

Arley K. Fadness

119. The Lord Is With Us

Luke 1:26-38, 2 Samuel 7:1-17, Romans 16:1-27

Sermon