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 1676 to 1700 of 1838 results

1676. Prescription for Unhappiness

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

... misery. 8. Take personally, with a chip on your shoulder, everything that happens to you that you don't like. 9. Don't give yourself wholeheartedly or enthusiastically to anyone or to anything. 10. Make happiness the aim of your life instead of bracing for life's barbs through a "bitter with the sweet" philosophy. Use this prescription regularly for awhile and you will be guaranteed unhappiness.

1677. Feeling Through Others

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

... to read through her senses of touch, smell, and taste. At the end of her autobiography Helen Keller says: "Fate—silent, pitiless—bars the way. Fain would I question his imperious decree; for my heart is undisciplined and passionate, but my tongue will not utter the bitter, futile words that rise to my lips, and they fall back into my heart like unshed tears. Silence sits immense upon my soul. Then comes hope with a smile and whispers, 'There is joy in self-forgetfulness.' So I try to make the light in ...

1678. Double Message Noted

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

A man sat down to supper with his family and said grace, thanking God for the food, for the hands which prepared it, and for the source of all life. But during the meal he complained about the freshness of the bread, the bitterness of the coffee, and the sharpness of the cheese. His young daughter questioned him, "Dad, do you think God heard the grace today?" He answered confidently, "Of course." Then she asked, "And do you think God heard what you said about the coffee, the cheese, and the bread?" Not so ...

1679. The Power of Hypocrisy

Illustration

R. C. Sproul

... their Jewish traditions and join the Lutheran church. When the stunned family asked why, the father explained that it was necessary to help his business. The youngster was bewildered and confused. His deep disappointment too gave way to anger and a kind of intense bitterness that plagued him throughout his life. He left Germany and went to England to study. He sat daily at the British Museum formulating his ideas and composing a book. In that book he introduced a whole life and worldview and conceived of a ...

1680. Presenting the Glory of God

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

... Annie Dillard terms "the enormous temptation in all of life to diddle around making itsy-bitsy friends and meals and journeys for itsy-bitsy years on end." The trouble with that, says Dillard, is that God and "the world is wider than that in all directions, more dangerous and more bitter, more extravagant and bright. We are making hay when we should be making whoopee; we are raising tomatoes when we should be raising Cain, or Lazarus."

1681. Words, Words, Words

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

Dr. Wilfred Funk, the well-known dictionary publisher, was asked to select the ten most expressive words in the English language. Here is the list: • the most bitter word—alone • the most tragic—death • the most reverend—mother • the most beautiful—love • the most cruel—revenge • the most peaceful—tranquil • the saddest—forgotten • he warmest—friendship • the coldest—no • the most comforting—faith

1682. In Search of a New Life

Revelation 21:1-5a

Sermon

King Duncan

... and rejection. In fact, she was high when she auditioned for Hee Haw. As the show became more successful, Lulu’s addiction grew. She got kicked off the show and told to clean up her life. At about this time, Lulu discovered she was pregnant. She became bitter and angry toward God. She felt there was no way God could love her. Lulu’s son, Damon, was born with serious health problems related to her drug use. When the doctors told her that Damon wouldn’t make it, Lulu reports, “I can remember lying in ...

1683. Can We Really Love Our Enemies

Luke 6:27-36

Sermon

Charles H. Bayer

... we must conclude that Jesus meant what he said. We are to love those who despise us and bless those who curse us. Indeed, it is at this point the Christian ethic is most vividly etched out in a violent, pagan, brutal world filled with hate and bitterness; a world just like ours. "That's so radical," someone protests. Certainly it is! That's what makes it Christian. We are not certain we want religion to be that radical. We would rather it be more socially acceptable, comfortable and in line with the way we ...

1684. Without a Scratch

Illustration

William J. Johnson

In July of 1755, Colonel George Washington fought alongside more than 1300 men in a battle to run the French out of Fort Duquesne. It was a bitter battle with French soldiers and Native American warriors pounding the American troops with constant fire. After the battle, Washington discovered four bullet holes in his jacket. Strangely, he was unharmed. He attributed his escape to the prayers of his devout mother. Many years later, when Washington was again visiting Fort ...

1685. Jesus Destroys the Power of Sin

Mark 2:1-12

Sermon

Richard Gribble

... and relationships, that is the destruction sin causes. The challenge to be a reconciler in our world is significant. A story illustrates the invitation placed before us to bring healing to our world. Two brothers who lived on adjoining farms developed a bitter dispute. It was their first serious rift in forty years of farming side-by-side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as necessary. They had never had a quarrel until now. It began with a small misunderstanding but eventually mushroomed into ...

1686. All the Way to Hell

Luke 17:1-10

Illustration

J. Ellsworth Kalas

... screaming, "I'll chase you all the way to hell!" We can understand the father's fierce anger, but there is something almost prophetic about his words. If we allow our hatred for those who have wronged us to go unchecked, it will eventually destroy us. We will follow our bitterness "all the way to hell."

1687. Recognizing Who God Is

Job 42:7-17

Sermon

King Duncan

... has driven him closer to God. He cherishes every day, and sees beauty in the most common things. He writes, "I still want (my family) back, and I always will, no matter what happens as a result of their deaths. Yet the grief I feel is sweet as well as bitter . . . Never have I felt so broken; yet never have I been so whole . . . My soul has been stretched. Above all, I have become aware of the power of God's grace and my need for it." (4) When we suffer, invariably, if we open ourselves up to God, we ...

1688. Making a Difference

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

Molly F. James

... humility and generosity. Just like Zacchaeus, my friend Amelia is not what she might seem on the surface. While she was born into wealth, there were times when she had to go without. Her parents divorced when she was a teenager, and sadly it was a long and bitter divorce. For a time all her mother’s assets were frozen and she and her mother were locked out of their house. Amelia and her mother spent months living in a Howard Johnson’s motel room living as cheaply as they could, for they had no idea how ...

1689. A Soldier Gives His Wine

Matthew 27:45-56

Children's Sermon

Donald Neidigk

... , he was trying to be kind. Jesus had said, "I am thirsty." That's what the soldier had with him to drink, so that's what he gave Jesus. Why do you suppose Jesus drank the wine vinegar? (Answers will vary.) I wonder if he drank it to show how bitter our sins were that he was dying for. Maybe he drank it to show that he was one of us, the Savior of not just the rich, but poor and ordinary people too. For whatever reasons Jesus drank the wine vinegar, I'm glad he did it. It tells me ...

1690. Shockwaves of Joy

Matthew 28:1-10

Sermon

King Duncan

... it poisons both the victim and the perpetrator. But love has an endless capacity to heal and transform and bring new hope and life to both its giver and its recipient. Martin Luther King Jr. in his essay “Loving Your Enemies” wrote, “To our most bitter opponents we say: ‘We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering. We shall meet your physical force with soul force. Do to us what you will, and we shall continue to love you . . . One day we shall win freedom ...

1691. The Sign of the Dove

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

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... ’s calling comes a charge, and with the charge comes a mission. Noah’s dove was given a mission. Jesus’ ordination by the Holy Spirit descending “in the form of a dove” confirmed his mission. The mission may be difficult. It may be filled with both bitter and sweet times. It will be filled with bittersweet times. But in the end, there comes a beautiful promise. “I will be with you. . . . even to the ends of the earth until the end of the earth.” This is the sign of the “dove.” The promise ...

1692. The Gathering at Cana

John 2:1-11

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... people. Look closely at your life. Examine your cause for celebration. Can others share it with you? Is it a blessing for the entire community? The wine of Christ is also sweet. It’s a beautiful, rich, fine, and sweet new wine. Nothing that is bitter or caustic, sour or that leaves a bland aftertaste will come from God. But a miracle that comes from God will be of exceptional beauty, sweetness, kindness, love. What kind of “fruit” is your celebration made of? What kind of “wedding feast” do you ...

1693. The Prophet of Locusts and Honey

Luke 3:1-20, Luke 3:21-38

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... ? Does it sound like the noisy buzzzz of swarming locusts? Or the sweet, smooth sound of honey dripping by your ears? The psalmist tells us, “taste and see that the Lord is good.” What will God’s presence in your life taste like? Slightly bitter like a locust cake? Or sweet and succulent as a honeycomb? The Jewish people believed that God’s “Word” would taste like honey. In fact, in the medieval period, when students learned the Torah, their rabbis would place honey on the scroll, and they would ...

1694. Messengers

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... no doubt already been working on his “bill of divorce” (a ‘get’ in Hebrew). Matthew describes Joseph as faithful to the law, but also kind. He didn’t want to make young Mary stand before the Sanhedrin, accused as an adulteress, made to drink bitter water. He didn’t want to see her punished, nor ruin her family’s reputation. He decided to divorce her quietly, without a public hearing, obviously forfeiting his bride price and his own reputation in the process. Perhaps he had even drawn up the ...

1695. Unreasonable Mercy

2 Kings 5:1-27, Matthew 8:5-13

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... Arameans, and brought to live with Naaman and his wife. We don’t know if she was stolen from her family, or if out of mercy, Naaman took her to live with them, when her family was killed. But in whatever case, the girl responds not with bitterness or mourning or hatred, but shows love for her “adopted” family. And advocates on his behalf. God too responds in kind to us, even after Jesus’ death at the hands of his peers. Still, the Holy Spirit continues to advocate on our behalf, so that we, unworthy ...

1696. Mercy Me!

Romans 14:1--15:13, Luke 6:27-36, Luke 6:37-42, Luke 6:43-45

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... are angry with. Whenever you have unresolved anger within your body and your spirit, you are doing daily damage to your heart, your spirit, your faith, and your ability to love. You can’t have a healthy relationship with Jesus when your heart is engaged in bitterness with someone else. Every time you judge someone else, you add more weight to your own spirit. “For every person will carry his own burden.” (Galatians 6:5) We like to say in our culture, we dig ourselves into our own holes. Often we do ...

1697. Babel

Genesis 11:1-9

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... we render judgements and sentences upon our neighbors. When we pin those to the “wall” whom we consider beneath us or somehow different than we are, we are building a wall within our hearts, brick by brick. We are walling ourselves in. With each brick of bitterness and fear we lay, the sicker our hearts get. Do you see it? God is not punishing the people of the earth by destroying those walls and scattering those Babelites. God is effecting a rescue! Babel is a saving story. God is in the business of ...

1698. Sweet Salvation

John 2:1-11, Isaiah 25:1-12

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... true, good, and beautiful is the gift of Jesus –God’s salvation gift who will be the fulfillment of God’s eternal plan to return us to that place of paradise where we live in unity with God in an eternal marriage, without want, without bitterness, without pain, without thirst. Jesus is the wine. Jesus is the blood. Jesus is the living water. Jesus is abundance of life. Sweet, sweet salvation. Based on the Story Lectionary Major Text John’s Witness about Jesus’ Miracle During the Wedding at Cana in ...

1699. Stop the PANIC!

Luke 15:1-32 · Exodux 15:1-27--16:36 · Psalm 23

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... and driver he has hurled into the sea.” Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah). So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to ...

1700. The Phrase We Never Want to Hear

John 20:19-23, John 20:24-31

Sermon

King Duncan

... wall to protect his tiny town from future tsunamis. Everyone thought he was crazy. The wall was incredibly thick and tall. It cost a huge amount of money. It took twelve years to complete. And in those twelve years, the citizens of Fudai complained bitterly about their crazy mayor and his wasteful project. And then in 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit off the northeast coast of Japan, creating a massive tsunami wave twelve stories high. Twenty thousand people were killed or went missing in the aftermath ...

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