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 1301 to 1325 of 4962 results

1301. I Should Have Taken the Money

Illustration

King Duncan

The college faculty gathered for their weekly meeting. A professor of archaeology brought with him a lamp recently unearthed in the Middle East. It was reported to contain a genie, who, when the lamp was rubbed would appear and grant one wish. The Dean was intrigued. He grabbed the lamp and rubbed it vigorously. Suddenly a genie appeared and made him an offer. He could choose one of three rewards: wealth, wisdom, or beauty. Without hesitating, the Dean selected wisdom. "Done!" said the genie and ...

1302. One For All

1 John 3:16-24

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

Object: A Teddy Bear Good morning, boys and girls. Sometimes when we are small and afraid, it helps to hold on to something soft--like this Teddy Bear. Did any of you ever have a Teddy Bear? I heard about a very brave lady who probably would liked to have had her Teddy Bear with her. She is a California State Highway Patrol Officer. One day she received a call concerning a woman about to jump from a bridge. This presented the officer with a very big problem. She has an extreme fear of heights, and the ...

1303. One Pastor's Answer to What He Does

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

The pastor proclaims eternal truths to people who would rather hear the latest baseball score. He teaches, though he must solicit his own classes. He heals, though without pills or knife. He prays for people and hopes they pray for him. He leads worship and tries to make God real to those present. He sows God's Word and cultivates God's vineyard so that we may have deep roots in Christ and bear abundant fruits of the Spirit. He is a manager, administrator, correspondent, keeper of official records. He is ...

1304. This Could Have Been Your Life! (A Drama about Coveting)

Drama

Dave Marsh

Director's Notes: A wacky gameshow drama about how coveting other people's lives is sin. Be sure to have a long enough gap between each line after a slide so the person running Powerpoint can keep up. Cast: Bob Braggart: A gameshow host Jean Cranston: A woman from the audience. Jason: Announcer Props: Microphone Powerpoint slides (found here) Setting: A game show (LIGHTS UP ON CENTER STAGE with game show music playing...) Bob: Welcome back folks to another exciting, fun-filled addition of This Could Have ...

1305. A Dwelling Place

Psalm 23:1-6

Eulogy

Barbara G. Schmitz

Almighty God, our Father in heaven, before whom live all who die in the Lord: Receive N. into the courts of your heavenly dwelling. Let N.'s heart and soul now ring out in joy to you, O Lord, the Living God, and the God of those who live. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP p. 466) "Receive N. into the courts of your heavenly dwelling." I think that says everything about why we are gathered here today. Because we are here today to affirm that to God's "faithful people, life is changed, not ...

1306. To Know Christ As one

Ephesians 3:14-21, Galatians 3:26--4:7

Bulletin Aid

James Wilson

Call to Worship Leader: Come, let us enter the house of the Lord for worship this day! People: We were once seen as Jew and Gentile, divided and separated before God. Leader: Through the cross we are all called to know the love of Christ as one. People: Surely God is merciful and gracious and worthy of our heartfelt love. Leader: God is just and righteous and bore our sins that we may have life. All: Blessed be the name of the Lord! Collect Almighty and loving God, only in your divine wisdom could your ...

1307. Tying One On

John 1:27

Children's Sermon

Sharing This Week's Gospel Theme At Sunday School Teachers: Here is a simple project that will teach some of your students a practical, as well as spiritual, lesson. It will work best if you have a variety of age groups represented in your class - or coordinate several classes together on this one. First, read today's Gospel to your class. Make the connection between the sandle thong and their shoe strings. How many are wearing shoes that lace? How many can tie their own shoes? Now for the practical lesson ...

1308. The More I Give The More I Have

Luke 6:17-36

Illustration

Brett Blair

Professor John Killinger in his book "Letting God Bless You" relates the story of a beautiful woman who is ninety years old and has always been extremely generous with everything she has. He says, "She helps foreign students who want to come to this country to study. She sends flowers and food to people who have had a distressing time of any kind. She gives frequent dinners and parties in order to be able to introduce people to one another. Often she sends theater and concert tickets to people she knows ...

1309. We Have a Choice to Transform

Mark 8:31-38

Illustration

Brett Blair

There is a story about two young brothers who were caught stealing sheep. The punishment back then was to brand the thief's forehead with the letters ST which stood for sheep thief. As a result of this, one brother left the village and spent his remaining years wandering from place to place indelibly marked by disgrace. The other remained in the village, made restitution for the stolen sheep, and became a caring friend and neighbor to the townspeople. He lived out his life in the village an old man loved ...

1310. We Are Not Ghosts

Luke 24:36b-48

Illustration

Keith Grogg

On Easter morning, before the sunrise service in Carolina Beach, I was standing next to my friend Steve Hall, the minister at St. Paul's Methodist. And the sun hadn't quite peeked out above the horizon, but there was a spectacular red glow all along the skyline, reflecting on the ocean. And I was just about to say, "Steve, I can't figure out why I'm not out here every morning," but he had started to speak first, and he said, "Why am I not out here every morning?" John, the most sacramental of the four ...

1311. The One That Will Be Sacrificed

John 1:29-42

Illustration

William B. Kincaid, III

"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And he's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the ...

1312. Where Have All the Heroes Gone?

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-19

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

Object: A big red "S" to hang on your chest (A cape would be nice, too.) Boys and girls, What is it that makes a hero? If I put this "S" on my chest and put a cape over my shoulders like Superman (woman), would that make me a hero? No, it's not what people wear that makes them heroes, is it? It is not even how big they are or how strong. A person is a hero when he or she is brave and good. A hero helps other people. A hero stands for the things that are right, even when other people are doing wrong. You ...

1313. Sometimes You Have to Stop

Philippians 3:13-14

Illustration

Maxie Dunnam

In the British Museum in London there is displayed the final draft of Thomas Gray’s masterpiece of a poem, “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard.” Lovers of English literature marvel at how every word seems to be carefully chosen. The amazing thing is that Thomas Gray never considered that poem complete. In the museum display you can see the process through which he went, each successive draft carefully penned by hand. Seventy-five of them! And the author was still unsatisfied. Two lessons are there. One ...

1314. Many Parts, but of One Body

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Illustration

John R. Steward

"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ." (v. 12) There was a man who had a dream one night that he had died. In his dream he found himself in a large room. The room had a very large banquet table filled with different kinds of food. There were people seated around the table but they were seated five feet away from the table. In his dream, the people were very hungry and wanted to eat but were unable to get out of ...

1315. Wedding: They Became One Flesh

Genesis 3:1-24

Sermon Aid

O. Garfield Beckstrand, II

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him ... Therefore a man leaves father and mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.” Reading: Genesis 3:18, 24 Dear ____ and ____ : I am sure that the wish of all this afternoon, not only yourselves, but also your parents and certainly our Lord, is that you together might begin this day to live lives of fullness and happiness. And what each of us would want to share most with you (even ...

1316. Drink One For The Brothers

Humor Illustration

A cowboy, who just moved to Wyoming from Texas, walks into a bar and orders three mugs of Bud. He sits in the back of the room, drinking a sip out of each one in turn. When he finishes them, he comes back to the bar and orders three more. The bartender approaches and tells the cowboy, "You know, a mug goes flat afte I draw it. It would taste better if you bought one at a time." The cowboy replies, "Well, you see, I have two brothers. One is in Arizona, the other is in Colorado. When we all left our home in ...

1317. Recognize that One Must Submit to the Government Despite Injustice

Ecclesiastes 8:2-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

8:1–17 Review · In chapter 8, Qoheleth takes up the topic of the role of government and judicial authority, especially in relationship to “evil” (the Hebrew root for “evil” occurs seven times in Ecclesiastes 8). This section is remarkably similar in some of its perspectives to Romans 13, though not necessarily Paul’s source. Both texts note the theological basis as well as the personal benefits of submission to authority, although Ecclesiastes 8 focuses more on the latter than Romans 13. Here the author ...

1318. Only One Child to Love

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

A young woman had been seeing a psychiatrist. The doctor had established that she was a wife and mother of three children, and he asked, "Which of your three children do you love the most?" She answered instantly, "I love all three of my children the same." He paused. The answer was almost too quick, too glib. He decided to probe a bit. "Come, now, you love all three of your children the same?" "Yes, that's right," she said, "I love all of them the same." He said, "Come off it now! It is psychologically ...

1319. All Choices Have Consequences

Drama

Karren Boehr

Theme: Teenage Drinking Teenage drinking often brings with it painful, irreversible consequences. This particular drama not only shows the price of uncontrolled actions, but also incorporates the role every responsible Christian has in the problem. Scene: Living room of a house several days after a fatal car accident Characters:ROB: Nice-looking Christian young man, clean cut, has just killed his mother while driving drunkMARY: Christian young woman, Rob's classmate, sensitive, caring JIM: Christian young ...

1320. Where Have All the Shepherds Gone?

Mark 6:30-44

Sermon

James Weekley

Have you ever seen a shepherd in living color? Near our home in Southern California several years ago, we would occasionally observe this rare phenomenon on grassy hillslopes of the San Gabriel Mountains. The sheep looked the part, except their wool coat didn't have that washed-in-Tide appearance. The shepherd wore boots, blue jeans, and a Texas straw hat. With a two-way transistor radio strapped to his belt, he could communicate to his wife that he'd be home by six. Such a description is a far cry from ...

1321. Many Parts, One Rose

Romans 12:1-8

Children's Sermon

Tim Carpenter

Exegetical Aim: To demonstrate the necessity of all our gifts in the body of Christ. Props: A long stem rose, and another rose that has been pulled apart; petals, leaves, stem, and thorns. Place both the rose and the pulled apart rose in a box so that they cannot be seen. Lesson: Good morning friends. How many of you like flowers? (response) O good, I like flowers, too. Well guess what I brought with me today? Let’s look in the box and find out. (Pull out the stem, with no thorns or leaves or petals) Isn’t ...

1322. I Am The One Who Jesus Loves

John 13:23

Illustration

Brett Blair

Author and speaker Brennan Manning came up with a slogan. The slogan is, "I am the one Jesus loves." It sounds a little arrogant doesn't it? But he is actually quoting Scripture. Jesus' closest friend on earth, the disciple named John, is identified in the Gospels as "the one Jesus loved." Manning said, "If John were to be asked, 'What is your primary identity in life?' he would not reply, 'I am a disciple, an apostle, an evangelist, an author of one of the four Gospels,' but rather, 'I am the one Jesus ...

1323. One Task

Luke 9:51-62

Illustration

Ernest Munachi Ezeogu

A guard in charge of a lighthouse along a dangerous coast was given enough oil for one month and told to keep the light burning every night. One day a woman asked for oil so that her children could stay warm. Then a farmer came. His son needed oil for a lamp so he could read. Another needed some for an engine. The guard saw each as a worthy request and gave some oil to satisfy all. By the end of the month, the tank in the lighthouse was dry. That night the beacon was dark and three ships crashed on the ...

1324. No One Can Escape from God’s Hand

Amos 9:1-10

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The final chapter begins with another vision, a hymn, and a final warning. The fifth vision pictures the enactment of God’s judgment on Israel by describing his destruction of Israel’s temple (probably at Bethel) and by statements that God will not allow anyone in the nation to escape his wrath (9:1–4). In this vision God is standing beside an altar at a temple, commanding that the temple and the people in it be destroyed. The earth will shake, the pillars of the temple will buckle, and the falling roof ...

1325. Making One’s Calling and Election Sure

2 Peter 1:1-11

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

1:1–2 · Salutation: The letter opens with the identification of the author as “Simeon Peter” (RSV; NIV: “Simon Peter”)—this work uses the more original form of the name, Simeon (as in Acts 15:14), rather than the shortened version Simon. He is writing to those with “a faith as precious as ours”—so, to faithful believers. The expression “our God and Savior Jesus Christ” is unusual and unlike similar expressions later in the letter. If our author is following the normal rules of Greek, he is talking about a ...

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