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 1526 to 1550 of 5000 results

1526. Perfect Strangers

Exodus 1:1-22

Sermon

Justin Tull

... affection for the Hebrews. Indeed, they began to fear them. Ironically, they feared them because of their great numbers, which was part of God’s promise to Abraham of numerous descendants. Driven by fear, the Egyptians enslaved the Hebrews and made them work long and hard. But the Hebrews increased in number all the more. Finally, the Pharaoh took drastic steps to curtail these outsiders: He decreed that all of the male children of the Hebrews be thrown into the Nile. With such violence, our first story ...

1527. Recollections of Mary -- Dramatic Monologue

Luke 2:1-7, Luke 2:8-20

Drama

Robert A. Morgan

... off to bed and fell asleep quickly, because it had been a big day. We had worked hard, and I was tired. I hadn't been asleep long at all when somehow I woke up, and found myself very wide awake. The inn was dark. Father and Mother had gone to bed and to ... they left, but as it turned out, it was a good thing they left when they did, for bad things happened to many babies in Bethlehem not long after they went away. No, I haven't ever told you that part of the story, and I'm not going to tell you now - someday, ...

1528. Changing The Rules

Mark 7:1-23

Sermon

Robert Salzgeber

... case and what I think your sentence should be. I'll be back in 15 minutes. You can just wait right here, I won't be long." The 15 minutes seemed like a lifetime to Billy, forcing him to deal with his crime once again. "Boy, I wish I could replay the tape ... in the affirmative. "Let me tell you why, Billy," Judge Green was speaking softly and tenderly now, "I've known your mother for a long time. Yes, your mother and I went to school together when we were kids. Billy, your father was a fine man, but when he ...

1529. "Because I'm God"

Job 38:1--41:34

Sermon

John P. Rossing

... last week's lesson, Job was stymied by his inability to figure out where God was when he wanted to talk to God. Now, suddenly, with no preparation or introduction, the voice of God roars out of the whirlwind. Why does God speak now, when he has been silent so long? Not because Job talked him into it; not because he figured he owed it to Job. God hasn't placed himself under obligation to Job at any point in the story. No, God speaks now only because he chooses this moment to speak. In fact, it's only by God ...

1530. L. T.: The Lonely Terrestrial

Drama

Edward Long

... planet - called, I believe, Pluto in your solar system ... LEE: But what are you doing here and how can I be important enough for you to 'scooter' down to visit? VISITOR: We have been scrutinizing earth from our Starship and by scouts beamed down for over a long time and our mission is complete. We were intrigued by your simple message and I begged the Commander of our mission for a few hours to learn about you and your quiet faith in sending such a message ... Really! Some of the messages from yours and ...

1531. Christmas Eve at the Candy Cane Inn

Drama

Edward Long

... think ... I think we're on the right road, but by golly it is really snowing! Try the radio - see if there's some news about how long the storm will last. SUZY: My feet are cold, Dad. Turn up the heater please. HENRY: Hate to tell you but I think the thermostat is ... dream ... almost too good to be true ... HENRY: Yup, first nice thing that's happened to us today; more than that, in a long time. Maybe there is hope at Christmas ... maybe ... (Dabs a tear in his eye.) HENRY sits by the fire FREDA joins him, ...

1532. Step One - Honesty

Luke 8:26-39 · Proverbs 23:29-35

Sermon

John A. Terry

... the 1960s be in a psychiatric hospital or, today, a street person. What we also know is the reaction of people to this man who was, as the text says, "clothed and in his rightful mind." The reaction of the people? They were afraid. There is a long and tragic history of people having the town drunk and the village idiot. There is often what is known as "codependency," that is, family and friends who help a person just enough to let him maintain an unmanageable life, but in truth they do not have him healed ...

1533. Step Three - Faith

Mt 8:5-13 · Heb 11:1-7 · Is 55:6-9

Sermon

John A. Terry

... turn their will and lives over to God. God's ways are higher than ours. God's thoughts are higher than ours. Yet ours is a God who is present and accessible, even in our ignorance. Helen Keller, when communication had been made by touch of hand through long and patient love, when she could learn about God in Christ, replied in newly-learned language that she knew all this before, but did not know God's name. She had experienced the higher power before, but now knew what to call that power. We know because ...

1534. Scene 7 - The Wise Men

Drama

Nancy Steltz

... quickly to Jerusalem to ask King Herod where the child is. (Herod is seated in his court with his attendants. One servant leads the Magi to Herod.) Herod: Who are you and what brings you to Jerusalem? Meichior: We are scholars and astrologers. Caspar: We have made a very long journey from the East. An unusual, bright star led us to this land. Our studies led us to believe that the King of the Jews has been born in your country. Herod: I am King of the Jews; I reign over Judea. Baithazar: Where is he who has ...

1535. So You Want To Go To Bethlehem, Do You?

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

Johnny Dean

... his sermon is, don’t you? "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand." That’s it. No cute stories, no three points and a poem, no worn-out, pious clichés. He just stands there, roaring his one-line sermon like a lion. You could probably hear him long before you could catch sight of him. You could hear "REPENT!" echoing off the barren desert landscape. And I don’t want to hear that, especially now, at this time of the year. Don’t you just want to shout at him, "Lighten up, John! You crusty old party ...

1536. Repent Your Way To A Merry Christmas

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

Brett Blair

... a desperately poor young couple living in New York around the turn of the century. Neither had money sufficient to buy a gift for the other so they each secretly went out and sold something of worth. He sold his prized pocket watch to get her a braid for her long hair. When he presented it to her she removed her scarf to reveal that she had had her hair clipped and sold to purchase a chain for his pocket watch. The thrust of the story is obvious. It is not what you give that is important, but the sharing ...

1537. Here Comes the Judge!

Matthew 25:31-46

Sermon

Johnny Dean

... gave me a headache), the schedule of examinations (ditto), and a list of papers to be written and what length they should be. I argued unsuccessfully with my professors at seminary that they were not doing future congregations any favors by requiring ministry students to be long-winded, but, as you can see, it didn’t do any good. Oh, well... At least I have someone to blame it on! One item on the list in which every student took great interest was the percentage breakdown of the various components of the ...

1538. So You Want to go to Bethlehem, Do You?

Mark 1:1-8

Sermon

Johnny Dean

... his sermon is, don’t you? "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand." That’s it. No cute stories, no three points and a poem, no worn-out, pious cliches. He just stands there, roaring his one-line sermon like a lion. You could probably hear him long before you could catch sight of him. You could hear "REPENT!" echoing off the barren desert landscape. And I don’t want to hear that, especially now, at this time of the year. Don’t you just want to shout at him, "Lighten up, John! You crusty old party ...

1539. Making Christmas Last

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

Brett Blair

... that as we take down the decorations for another year, there is a sinking emptiness and an emotional let down. My Mom long ago gave up live Christmas trees in favor of artificial. I remember trying as a child trying all the tricks to keep it ... note to the post office as soon as the glue dries on the envelope I'll be making. Hope my breakfast guests don't stay too long, I have 40,000 cranberries to string with bay leaves before my speaking engagement at noon. Love, Martha Stewart P.S. When I made the ribbon ...

1540. Home for Christmas

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

Johnny Dean

... tell us that what children fear most is abandonment, because that’s the very thing we adults continue to fear most of all. There is no dread so terrible as the fear that everyone we know and love will go away and leave us alone. Perhaps that’s why the longing for home is greater at Christmas than at any other time. "I’ll be home for Christmas," the song says, "if only in my dreams." I would be less than honest if I did not admit that, unlike most times when I step into this pulpit, there IS somewhere ...

1541. Easter Celebration Is Just A Foretaste

Luke 18:31-34, Mark 8:31--9:1, Matthew 27:45-56, John 20:10-18, John 20:1-9

Sermon

Joann Hary

... in the dark hours of death, with grief for the loss of a loved one, with an emptiness and loneliness like no other. That is truly where Easter must begin because it is in the darkness that the Great News of Easter meets us. Actually, Easter began a long, long time ago with an almighty and everlasting God who continues to love us all, even in the midst of our darkness. Easter continued for us as we faced the dark hours of Good Friday, and it burst forth in mystery and grandeur as God the Father glorified his ...

1542. And Who is my Neighbor?

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

Johnny Dean

... mock those who are different and ignore those who are in need. Elaine pleads with the officer, "We didn’t do anything." But this is no plead it is an indictment: "That’s exactly right," he says. "The law requires you to help or assist anyone in danger as long at its reasonable to do so." The Lawyer know this and so did every other Jew with a smattering of knowledge of the Law. So do we. With just a smattering of knowledge of the Gospel of Christ, we know that as our law. The first observation is that ...

1543. Where is the Nearest Sycamore Tree?

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

Johnny Dean

... tree to get a better view of the parade. Did you ever wonder why seeing Jesus was so important to Zaccheus, why Zaccheus would go to all that trouble just to catch a glimpse of Jesus as he passed by? Was he just curious? Or did he have some secret longings that he hoped Jesus would fulfill? Did he wonder, "Can Jesus really do the things I’ve heard about? Can he open the eyes of the blind and make the lame walk? Is he really as good a preacher as everybody says?" Could there have been some other reasons ...

1544. The Stranger in the Manger

John 1:1-18, John 1:19-28

Sermon

Johnny Dean

... and wife a little tarnished maybe, a little ragged around the edges from the numerous moves from one house to another, but still a treasured keepsake. And, look! Here's one that says "Baby's First Christmas." As you look at your child now, it seems so long ago that you first hung this one on the tree. But as you look at the ornament, the memories rush back and it seems like only yesterday. Somewhere inside that big box marked "Xmas" you find a smaller box. Tissue paper or bubble wrap protects several small ...

1545. What You See Is What You Get

John 14:5-14, John 14:1-4

Sermon

Johnny Dean

... anxiety that is making you sick, fill your life with spiritual values. "Believe in God; believe also in me," Jesus says. To rid your life of anxieties, place it in the hands of Jesus. Let your heart be filled with his presence, and let God be God. Long before modern psychology knew that depression, low self-esteem, and anxiety were the major causes of health problems, both mental and physical, Jesus was saying that if don’t have faith in the one to whom you turn for help, you’re wasting your time. What ...

1546. The Meaning of Life

John 17:6-19

Sermon

Brett Blair

... some motherly wisdom but all that came to mind at the time was "A stitch in time saves nine" and "Starve a cold, and feed fever." They didn’t seem to fit the occasion so she asked, "Why have you quit school?" Without hesitation Jason said, "It’s too long, it’s too hard, and it’s too boring." This time she was equal to the task. She shot back, "you have just described life. Get on the bus!" The day in and day out tediousness and challenges of life can be overwhelming. Sometimes life can be just too ...

1547. Easter is a Terrible Thing to Waste

Acts 1:1-11, Acts 1:12-26

Sermon

Johnny Dean

... to solve it. And we’ve got some really good ideas. So how about it, Lord? Isn’t it time you restored the church to power? You wouldn’t want to waste another Easter, would you, Lord?" And Jesus says to us, as he said to those first disciples so long ago, "Oh, don’t you worry about that. You don’t need that kind of power and you don’t need to know when God is going to establish the kingdom. It may have already happened and you just missed it. That happened once before, you know? God’s taking ...

1548. Dancing with the Wind

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

Johnny Dean

... " series. As I watched and read reports about how anxious and enthusiastic people were about the opening of this movie, willing to stand in long lines waiting to purchase a ticket to see it, I wondered why it is that people don’t get that excited about the church ... breathe in the Spirit and be inspired by the Spirit to act on behalf of God. But the church has been waiting to exhale far too long. As the Spirit of God flows into us, it also ought to flow from us in the way we treat one another, the way we ...

1549. How Soon Is "Soon"?

Sermon

Rolf E. Aaseng

... language in Revelation where God is called the one who is and who was and who is to come, or the Alpha and the Omega. The passage of time doesn't affect God; with God it is always the present moment. Thus what may seem to us to be a long time of waiting is in a sense already over as far as God is concerned. There is no before or after with God, no period of waiting. Everything is right now. Moreover, as far as we individually are concerned, the word "soon" is entirely appropriate. We could die soon - at ...

1550. It Dawned on Me

Sermon

Ron Lavin

... t help them. I couldn't even help myself. Joseph, a rich Jew and a member of the Sanhedrin Court which condemned Jesus, had asked permission to bury Jesus in his own grave, just outside of Jerusalem. Poor Joseph, he had wanted to become a disciple for so long, but he hesitated because of his position, for fear of what people might say. He was a decent man, but so cautious that opportunity passed him by. Now, when Jesus was dead, he threw all caution to the wind and decided to give up his own eternal resting ...

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