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 1726 to 1750 of 4959 results

1726. Epiphany 2

Jn 1:29-42 · 1 Cor 1:1-9 · Is 49:1-7 · Ps 27

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... . Not only does he make a verbal witness but brings his brother to Jesus. When the Lord lays his eyes on Peter, he calls him by a new name, Cephas, the Rock. All of these men have one thing in common: They are not fulfilling their own inward desires by responding to a call from outside themselves to be and to act as the Lord's servants. THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION Old Testament: Isaiah 49:1-7 Reach out and touch someone. Is there anyone who has not heard this advertisement? It has been employed in some of the ...

1727. Epiphany 4

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5, Micah 6:1-8, Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... them the being-in-Christ attitudes. These attitudes are not prescriptive (do this and you'll be this way) but descriptive (those who have the spirit of Christ are this way). When you ask someone what they want out of life, they often respond that they desire happiness. Jesus tells us that it is better to be blessed than to be merely happy. Outline: 1. Would you rather be happy or blessed? (Discuss the difference.) 2. Who are the truly blessed ones? Those who have discovered how to be humble (poor in spirit ...

1728. Epiphany 5

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5, Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 5:17-20, Isaiah 58:1-14, 1 Corinthians 2:6-16

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... out who the villain is. The television show, Unsolved Mysteries, which features real life mysteries, has been on the air for years and is extremely popular. It seems that when confronted with the ultimate mystery, the mystery of God and of being, however, we desire the curtain of transcendence to be drawn aside. In the New Testament, the word mysterion can be interpreted to mean an open secret or a secret that will ultimately be revealed. Paul often employs it as a synonym for the gospel. The secret of ...

1729. Lent 2

John 3:1-21, Genesis 12:1-8, Romans 4:1-25

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... Christ for salvation. Note John's theology of the cross. The cross is not the symbol of ignominy and shame but of glory and power. The cross is, in effect, Jesus' throne. "For God so loved the world ..." Personal salvation is not the goal of Christianity. God desires to save the whole world. Much the same point was made in the first lesson, the call of Abram. God planned to bless all the peoples of the world through him. We must always keep two great truths in balance -- God loves me but he also loves the ...

1730. End times

Mt 24:1-14 · 1 Thess 3:7-13 · Jer 26:1-6 · Ps 105:1-7

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... asked Jesus for signs of the closing of the present age and the start of the new age. Unfortunately, the signs which Jesus spoke of are ambiguous -- earthquakes, wars and violence have accompanied every age. This indicates that Jesus did not intend a specific time but desires that we might be eternally vigilant and watchful for the dawning of God's new day. He did say that the end would not come until the gospel was preached to all the world (v. 14). Outline: The disciples asked for the signs of the end ...

1731. Pentecost

1 Corinthians 12:1-11, Joel 2:28-32, John 7:25-44, Acts 2:14-41, Acts 2:1-13, John 20:19-23

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... . Amen. THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS Lesson 1: Acts 2:1-21 Tower of Babel reversed. People of many different nations flooded into Jerusalem to worship God at the temple. It is no coincidence that God selected this time to pour out his Spirit. He desired to counter the divisive effects of race and nation. Pentecost reverses the Tower of Babel story, where humankind became fragmented, as evidenced by the confusion of language. At Pentecost, the believers did not speak the same language but were given the ability ...

1732. Proper 10

Genesis 25:19-34, Isaiah 55:1-13, Romans 8:18-27, Romans 8:1-17, Matthew 13:1-23

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... v. 18). Birth pangs. The image that Paul presents is of a world in utero, a womb-wrapped world that is struggling to be born. Labor pains are the necessary prelude to new life. It is the pain that makes leaving the confines of our old world easier, even desirable. As the contractions of pain squeeze us, we are propelled into the light of a painful process of letting go of the old life and embracing the new life, to which the Lord is calling us. In this role, we must help our sisters and brothers to focus on ...

1733. Proper 14

Genesis 37:12-36, 1 Kings 19:9-18, Jonah 2:1-10, Matthew 14:22-36, Romans 9:1-5; 10:5-15

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... movies, I yelled at her: "I hate you! I wish you were dead!" I felt terrible about it afterward and sobbed to sleep. Yet the dark side of my soul had unexpectedly reared its ugly head. We cannot stand in judgment of Joseph's brothers while most of us have desired, perhaps for an instant, the destruction of one who vies for what we cherish. Old Testament: 1 Kings 19:9-18 Knowing when to throw in the towel. When does a person quit? When do you say, "Enough!"? Elijah was going to quit out of fear. That's the ...

1734. Proper 15

Mt 15:10-28 · Rom 11:13-15, 29-32 · Gen 45:1-15 · Is 56:1-7 · Ps 133

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... when they will be part of the family of God, ministering to the Lord and worshipping him in the holy temple. Both Jew and Gentile, those on the inside and those on the outside, are outcasts. The common denominator is sin. God intends to gather all who desire to be a part of God's covenant people (v. 8). Joyful worship. Isaiah proclaims that those who assemble in God's house of prayer will be joyful in their worship. The heart of worship is praise and thanksgiving, as we respond to God's gracious acts of ...

1735. Proper 25

Exodus 22:16-31, Leviticus 19:1-37, Deuteronomy 34:1-12, Matthew 22:34-46, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; 2:1-16

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... , people are not looking for esoteric mystery religions; they are seeking a religion which is simple and to the point. The religion of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was simple, but through the centuries it became more and more complex. This was to satisfy the desires of the religious bureaucrats but had the result of making the Jewish religion more inaccessible to the uneducated. Jesus reduces religion down to the basics: loving God and the neighbor. He made it simple and so must we. God has shown his love for ...

1736. Proper 4

Genesis 6:1-8:22, Deuteronomy 11:1-32, Matthew 7:21-29, Romans 1:1-17, Romans 3:21-31

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?" They demonstrated works, but they did not flow from a heart of faith. They never knew Jesus. They were not moved by their faith but by the desire to glorify themselves. People who lack faith can still be used of God for great things but no personal benefit will accrue to them, because it did not flow from a faithful heart. Choose wisely your building materials. Jesus contrasts the foolishness of the man who ...

1737. Reformation Sunday

Jn 8:31-36 · Rom 3:19-28 · Jer 31:31-34 · Ps 46

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

COMMENTARY Lesson 1: Jeremiah 31:31-34 God will establish a new covenant with his people, not written on parchment or etched in stone, but written on the human heart. God will bestow not only the desire but the power to do his will. This new covenant will be intrinsic rather than external. It will also be inclusive rather than exclusive, not just reserved for the righteous few (v. 34). Lesson 2: Romans 3:19-28 No person will be accounted righteous by keeping the law of ...

1738. Trinity Sunday

Mt 28:16-20 · Jn 3:16-18 · Gen 1:1--2:4a · Ex 34:4-9 · 2 Cor 13:11-13 · Ps 8

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... Mend Your Ways. Sermon Angle: At the crucifixion, the soldiers threw dice to determine the ownership of Christ's seamless robe. They didn't want to tear it. That robe symbolizes the unity of the Church. The Corinthians were tearing at Christ's robe through their desire to stand out. This put them in competition against one another and produced a destructive effect. Paul orders them to mend their ways by living in peace. To take the analogy further, we can say that we are strands or threads in Christ's robe ...

1739. The Great I AM

Sermon

Ronald Lavin

... remind us to remember. "You come from ashes, to ashes you will return." We stop and remember our mortality. Button, button, who's got the button? "Not me," we reply in confession. "My life is out of control when I hold the control panel and change the stations as I desire. It doesn't work for me to be at the control panel." "Yes," says God in reply to our confession. "I know. I made you that way. You were never intended to be in charge." Button, button, who's got the button? "You do," we say to God when we ...

1740. I Am The Way, The Truth, And The Life

Sermon

Ronald Lavin

... is all bad. The religious person, unlike the hedonist, is not only concerned about his own pleasures, but the happiness of others. Unlike the humanist, he has values beyond the human realm. But like both, he discovers that his way of religion does not fulfill his ultimate desire. At its best, religion is man's attempt to think about and live by some reference to God. The reason why no man-made religion works is because it is man-made. Religion is not the way to God. Jesus never said religion is the way to ...

1741. I Am The Servant

Sermon

Ronald Lavin

... freedom of the servant people Israel from Egypt. Unleavened bread was used because the people were in a hurry to depart from Egyptian slavery. They had no time to let bread rise. This time, as Jesus raised the unleavened bread in the Passover blessing, he said, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I shall never eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. This is my body which is given for you...This cup which is poured out for you is the new ...

1742. Justified By Greed: Biography of a Pharisee

Micah 5:1-4, Zechariah 9:9-13, Isaiah 9:1-7, Matthew 27:45-56, Mark 15:33-41, Luke 23:44-49

Drama

Lynda Pujad

... . We knew that Judas loved money and had a reputation for stealing from the disciples' treasury box. Our bargain was thirty pieces of silver to identify Jesus in the night. Judas couldn't have been a better contact man, and he molded easily to our desires. After Jesus had celebrated the Passover, he and his group of followers went into the Garden of Gethsemane. We wouldn't have known where to find the man, and Judas knew all the ins and outs of the disciples' activities. We had hundreds of armed soldiers ...

1743. Seder Service: The Passover Haggadah

Bulletin Aid

Robert L. Linder and Rabbi Sol Ester

The Passover "A program of fellowship for adults and/or youth in Christian congregations desiring a better understanding of the heritage and the meaning of the institution of the Sacrament of Holy Communion." This work was inspired and initially written by Rev. Robert L. Linder while pastor of First English Lutheran Church in Toledo, Ohio. He was assisted by Jewish leaders of the community. It ...

1744. The Wisemen

Sermon

Jerry Eckert

... oldhomestead for them until after the census was taken. The young woman came over and also welcomed them. "Howis it that you are here?" she asked. Caspar responded, "We scholars are accustomed topursuits that bring life to its highest value. Our curiosityand desire for resolution of data before us draws us tosearch out that which is true and that which helps allothers." Balthazar went on, "Our different fields of studypointed to the grave need for and the unique possibility ofa new kind of leader, one who ...

1745. Children

Sermon

Jerry Eckert

... said. He grabbed my arm and pulled me through the people until we stood next to Jesus. Birdie began to cry. He took her from my carrying sack, held her close, and then, when she didn't stop crying, tried to burp her. "I apologize for my student's zealous desire to protect me. Your daughter's first birthday? I am honored to be the rabbi to bless her today," he said over the noise of the crowd and over the sound of Birdie crying. It wasn't a scream or anything, just a sad-sounding but consistent crying. Jesus ...

1746. The Poor In Spirit

Sermon

John A. Terry

... , "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles." It is not those proud of themselves and their accomplishments who will inherit the kingdom, but those who rely on God. To be poor in spirit, we empty ourselves of all desire to exercise self-will. We let go of preconceived ideas of God's will and way. To be poor in spirit, we discard ideas of our own goodness and spiritual self-sufficiency, or any other thing that stands between us and God. This is entrance into a life ...

1747. Those Who Mourn

Sermon

John A. Terry

... Lord who died, died for us ... for you, for me, for mother, and for all people. He died not because of any death or darkness in him, but only to free us from the death and darkness in us. If the God who revealed life to us, and whose only desire is to bring us life, loved us so much that he wanted to experience with us the total absurdity of death, then, yes, there must be hope; then there must be something more than death; then there must be a promise that is not fulfilled in our short existence in ...

1748. The Persecuted

Sermon

John A. Terry

... Garden of Gethsemane knowing he faced the cross, he asked to be delivered from physical suffering: "Father, if it be possible, let this cup (of suffering) pass from me" (Matthew 26:39). Jesus accepted suffering when it was forced upon him, but he never sought or desired it. When we try to be the best Christians we can, but find ourselves being reviled and persecuted, having all kinds of evil uttered against us falsely, we can say it is not fair, which it is not. If our concern is our immediate reward, we ...

1749. Cain's Sentence

Genesis 4:1-26

Drama

Jerry Eckert

... you doing? Cain (from the back on his phone): Fine. No problem. What do you want? Pastor: You looked awfully angry when you left church this morning. You understood what happened, didn't you? Cain: (angrily) I understood all right! Pastor: No one doubted your desire to give something nice to the church. But you know what white elephants the church has been stuck with in the past by people whose gifts weren't evaluated first. That painting of Jesus in the Garden just doesn't go anywhere in the whole church ...

1750. Pain And Promise In The Heart Of God

Hosea 2:2-23

Sermon

Harold Warlick

... , casts out the fickle spouse. With the image of God as a pained, brokenhearted husband as a backdrop, the lection for today describes Hosea's vision of a resumed marriage between God and God's people. Hosea paints a picture of God's incredible desire to live with this wayward partner. Perhaps hundreds of sermons are preached each week in our nation on the topic of Hosea and his relationship with Gomer. Unfortunately, the text easily opens itself up to the preacher's whim, allowing the preacher to define ...

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