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 1226 to 1250 of 2173 results

1226. No Confidence in the Flesh

Philippians 3:1-11

Understanding Series

F. F. Bruce

First Conclusion: Call to Rejoice “With this communication about Epaphroditus now the epistle seems to be at an end” (Ewald, ad loc.). If so, nothing remains but a final word of greeting. The reader is therefore prepared for Finally. 3:1 Finally: the natural inference from this phrase (drawn by most commentators) is that Paul is on the point of finishing his letter. If the letter be regarded as a unity, it must be assumed that something suddenly occurred to him which prompted the warning of verse 2 with ...

1227. The Reversal of the Deuteronomic Curses and Blessings: Replacing Law with Faith

Romans 9:30--10:21

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: The key issue in this controversial text is the role of the law in light of the work of Christ. Paul reverses the Deuteronomic curses and blessings: non-Christian Jews experience the Deuteronomic curses because they attempt to be justified by the law, while believing Gentiles are justified because their faith is in Christ, so to them belong the Deuteronomic blessings. Understanding the Text Romans 9:30–10:21 forms the second unit in Romans 9–11 (9:1–29 is the first, and 11:1–32 is the third). The ...

1228. “Taste and See That the Lord Is Good”

Psalm 34:1-22

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: Having experienced God’s goodness, we invite others to “taste and see that the Lord is good” and thus experience the assuagement of their fears. Understanding the Text In addition to being an alphabetic acrostic,[1] Psalm 34 shares at least three other features with Psalm 25, another acrostic: (1) the waw (the sixth letter of the Hebrew alphabet) is missing from both poems; (2) each closes with a supernumerary verse beginning with the Hebrew letter pe; and (3) the same verb begins each of these ...

1229. Spiritual Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

The Nature of Enthusiasm This section addresses a new topic, namely, spiritual gifts (or the spiritual gifts of the spiritual ones). The modern reader of this passage may miss simple elements of Paul’s discussion because of the distance between the worldviews of the first century and the present day. No matter what one thinks about such matters at the turn of the twenty-first century, from what Paul wrote, it is clear that he assumed the reality of extraordinary spiritual experiences and understood that ...

1230. Pulling Our Punches

Mark 10:17-31

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

Nobel Prize Laureate for Literature Robert Allan Zimmerman — more popularly known as Bob Dylan — has written many memorable lyrics. He has a good ear for the rhythms of speech, poetry, and the Bible. In his song “The Times They Are A-Changin’” Dylan listed a number of factors that should prove to those who stand in the way of truth that “Your order is rapidly fadin’.” He concluded with words that echo Jesus — “For the first one now will later be last, for the times, they are a-changin’.” In the gospels it ...

1231. Faith or Folly

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“Dead flies make the perfumer's ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.” Ecclesiastes 10:1 “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him.” Matthew 4:10 Imagine you are a vineyard owner preparing a scrumptious feast for a party for esteemed guests. You’ve gone to a great deal of preparation, and you’re just about ready to serve. You’ve brought out your best, sweetest red wine from your wine cellar. Yet, the weather is humid that day, insects are swarming, and you’ve ...

1232. The Christian Mother

John 15:9-17

Sermon

King Duncan

Several years ago in one of her columns, Erma Bombeck described the complex task God had in creating mothers. After all, he had to build a creature who "would run on black coffee and leftovers...Have a lap that disappears when she stand up...A kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed love affair...And six pairs of hands." Also, "three pairs of eyes." An angel pleaded with God not to work so hard. "Lord," said the angel touching His sleeve gently, "Come to bed..." "I can't," said the ...

1233. Yada, Yada, Yada!

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

Sermon

Lori Wagner

July 23rd is annual “Yada, yada, yada” day according to sources online.[1] It’s the day to celebrate the 153rd episode of Seinfeld (the 19th episode of the 8th season of 1997, for which writers Peter Mehlman and Jill Franklyn won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series)! The phrase was already popular through the comedian Lenny Bruce but caught the winds of culture in the 1990s with Seinfeld’s episode entitled, as you might imagine, “The Yada, Yada.”“Yada, yada, yada” is a kind of evasion tactic ...

1234. 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

TWO MEN PRAYING The parable about two men praying would have shocked the people to whom Jesus told it. He drew upon two well-known and widely accepted stereotypes. First is the Pharisee, who was generally regarded as the epitome of the religious person. Most Jewish families would have been proud to have their son grow up to be a Pharisee. The second was a publican. He was the epitome of the sinner. He was regarded as a traitor because he worked for the Roman occupying government. Most tax collectors were ...

1235. Riding A Train

Mark 10:17

Children's Sermon

Kenneth Mortonson

Purpose: To help children understand why we need rules and regulations; and why they should be followed. Material: A train ticket, if available; or a plastic credit card. Lesson: Have any of you ever ridden on a train? ... It is an interesting experience. Long ago, when people rode on the train, they bought a ticket from a person in the station, and when they got on the train, they gave the ticket to another person who was called the conductor. But this is not the case with many trains today. In ...

1236. Beware Of Imitations

Matthew 7:14

Children's Sermon

Kenneth Mortonson

Purpose: To remind children not to accept imitations as something real. Material: An artificial flower, an imitation gemstone; and perhaps a real flower and/or stone for comparison. A picture of Jesus, if available. Lesson: This morning I want to show you something that I received in the mail (or wherever you might have obtained a cubic zirconia simulated diamond or artificial gemstone). What does it look like? ... (A diamond.) But it is not a diamond and I would be tricked by someone if it was sold to me ...

1237. Prayer

Ps 19:14 · Mt 6:9

Children's Sermon

Kenneth Mortonson

Purpose: To help children understand the nature of prayer. Material: If you feel it is safe to do so, you might have a prayer written on a piece of paper and burn it on a metal tray. Lesson: Today I want to talk to you about something we do together each Sunday and which I assume you have done at home. We call it "praying." You may use prayers in your family when you sit down to have a meal or when you are getting ready to go to sleep. These are special times for prayers, but I hope you know that you can ...

1238. Behold The Man Who Taught By The Sea

Mark 4:1-20

Sermon

Thomas A. Pilgrim

It was the end of the school year and a first grade teacher was saying good-bye to her students. One little boy said to her, "Teacher, I sure do like you. I'd like to stay in the first grade forever, but I've been promoted. Boy, I wish you knew enough to teach me in the second grade."1 So many people who are successful are able to look back at a person who first turned on a light inside the mind, who quickened the thinking, who first stirred the desire to learn. Behind every successful person there is the ...

1239. Hard Questions!

1 Kings 17:7-24

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

Children sometimes ask cute questions, but often they are also incisive. In Children's Letters to God, a child inquires, "Dear God, Where does everybody come from? I hope you explain it better than my father. Ward." Another child queries, "Dear God, Did you mean for a giraffe to look like that or was it an accident? Norma." Then, there are those persons who, in the presence of larger questions, can think only of the obvious and mundane. Yellowstone Park Rangers report that, at the place where Old Faithful ...

1240. Epiphany 4

Luke 4:14-30

Bulletin Aid

Dennis Koch

Gospel Note Luke probably intended his account of the passionate, near-violent response to Jesus' hometown sermon to prefigure the Nazarene's ultimate rejection at the hands of his own people, as well as the eventual extension of the Gospel to the Gentiles. Also implicit in this story, however, is the sense that human desires and expectations may well be thwarted by God's plans and by the actions of those servants who are responsive to God's bidding. Liturgical Color Green Suggested Hymns Songs Of ...

1241. 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

COMMENTARY Old Testament: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 God establishes his covenant with Abraham and his descendants. Like the covenant with Noah, it is an eternal covenant. Unlike that covenant, the beneficiaries of this covenant are Abraham's descendants exclusively. God promises to multiply his progeny so that nations and kings come from his line. As a result of this new relationship, the names of Abram and his wife, Sarai, are changed to Abraham and Sarah. Abraham means "the divine father is exalted." Sarah ...

1242. The Spoiled Child

Philippians 2:12c-13

Children's Sermon

Kenneth Mortonson

Purpose: To focus on one way that we learn from God. Materials: A toy microscope. Lesson: Do any of you have a toy like this? What is it? In many homes today, you can find this toy microscope. It is used to help children discover special facts. For example, it may be used to help a child see a small object, like an insect's wing, more clearly. Now, there is one special feature of the microscope that you must remember. If you are to use a microscope you must look into it if you are to see what is there. No ...

1243. True Greatness: Servanthood Not Status

Mark 10:35-45

Bulletin Aid

Dennis Koch

Gospel Note Mark often uses the disciples to represent the attitudes of his own contemporary church. Here we have them vying for positions of prestige in glory. Jesus' response hints that suffering takes precedence over glory, that positions in glory are granted by a higher authority, and that in any case such quibbles belong to the world. Christian greatness, it seems, is a matter of servanthood, not status. Liturgical Color Green Suggested Hymns God, Who Stretched The Spangled Heavens Out Of The Depths, ...

1244. Look Around You

Mark 5:21-43

Children's Sermon

SHARING THIS WEEK'S GOSPEL THEME AT HOME Parents: Many cultures are different than ours. Understanding between peoples is increased by studying their cultures. Tolerance, love and peace grow when people's actions are understood through the context of the different cultures. If your children are young, perhaps the different names for God used by different religions is a good start: God, Jehovah, Yahweh, Allah, etc. In these troubled times it is hard to keep a Christian perspective about world actions. There ...

1245. The Season of the Holy Spirit

Luke 17:11-19

Sermon Aid

Wayne B. Keller

Theme: Thanksgiving THE COMMUNITY GATHERS One pastor began this way: We meet to praise, in a sense, to "Cheer for God." The amen literally means, "hip, hip, hurray!" Call out some praise words; and ask the people to respond with "hip, hip, hurray!" Then, conclude with Iranaeus statement, "The glory of God is man/woman fully alive!" so, rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, as thanksgiving, thanksliving people! You may want to continue with this response between pastor and the people: Pastor: Come on, friends, let's ...

1246. Consecration Crucified to Sin

Galatians 2:11-21, Galatians 5:16-26

Bulletin Aid

Call to Worship Leader: The Apostle Paul wrote, "Those who belong to Jesus Christ have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires." Congregation: We no longer live, but Christ lives in us. The life we live in the body, we live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us. Leader: May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Congregation: May we never boast about our good deeds for ...

1247. Consecration Take up His Cross

Mark 8:31--9:1

Bulletin Aid

Leader: "If anyone would come after me," spoke Jesus, "he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Congregation: We lay aside our desires and ambitions, subjecting them to the path of service you have chosen for us, Lord. Leader: "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it." Congregation: May we become so interested in your work, Lord, that we lose interest in earthly concerns, considering all that we are and all that we ...

1248. Never Underestimate The Power of a Cup of Cold Water

Matthew 10:1-42

Sermon

Brett Blair

Now I would like to stop the world for just one minute and ask you to think back. Think back with me to the first century. Think about those 50 years after Jesus’ death and what it must been like for Jesus’ disciples. Before the last one died their efforts had brought 500,000 men women, and children into the ranks of the church. But what they had to suffer in order to accomplish this task is seldom discussed. We like the outcome of their discipleship but we don’t want to hear the cost of discipleship. So ...

1249. We Know Where You Came From

John 6:41-51

Sermon

King Duncan

Have you ever noticed that it is very difficult to escape your reputation? Once people have an image of you in their minds, it is very difficult to change their perception. Back in the 1940s, a highly popular advertising jingle for Chiquita Bananas ended with the line: "Bananas like the climate of the very, very tropical equator, so you should never put bananas in the refrigerator. No. No. No. No." We're told that the only reason the word REFRIGERATOR was mentioned in the jingle was that it rhymed with ...

1250. Fans or Followers

Matthew 4:18-22

Sermon

King Duncan

Someone named Kyle Idleman has written a very thoughtful essay titled “Why I’m Not a ‘Fan’ of Jesus.” He begins by noting that, according to a recent survey, the percentage of Americans who claim to be Christian is somewhere north of 75 percent. “Really?” he asks, “three out of four people are followers of Christ? “Let’s see, if the population of the United States is about 311 million and 75 per cent are Christians that brings the number of Christians to somewhere in the neighborhood of 233 million. That’s ...

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