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 1851 to 1875 of 2173 results

1851. Manasseh

2 Kings 21:1-18

Sermon

Warren Thomas Smith

Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem ... And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. Here is a small hinge of truth upon which a tremendous door swings open to a profound question. Why is it that a merciful God one who is perfect goodness, absolute love, incarnate justice permits an evil man to live a long, successful life? At the same time, why do righteous individuals sometimes survive a few wretched years amid poverty and misery ...

1852. Mary of Nazareth

Isaiah 7:1-25

Sermon

Warren Thomas Smith

"Behold the handmaid of the Lord ..." Mary is very much a part of the gospel story. The mother of Jesus is one of six women so named in the New Testament. Mary is the Greek form of the Hebrew, Miriam, meaning exalted. Moses’ sister bore that splendid name. Mary of Nazareth - has any individual in Scripture suffered more at the hands of the church? Rome has elevated her to goddess - Mariolatry. It really was late in being officially established, not until December, 1854 when Pious IX promulgated the dogma ...

1853. Your Image of Tomorrow

Matthew 3:1-12

Sermon

Leonard Mann

"Among those who are born of women ..." If you are thinking of the human race, this is a rather inclusive statement; I can’t think of very many people it leaves out! And this is a statement of Jesus as he offers a summa cum laude of highest praise to one of his associates in the dissemination of truth and light. He says, "Among those who are born of women, there has not arisen a greater prophet than John the Baptizer" (Matthew 11:11; Luke 7:28). What was it that was so great about John - this son of ...

1854. But Men Loved Darkness

John 3:1-21

Sermon

Louis H. Valbracht

If you should ask the question: "What is wrong with our world today?" you would probably get as many answers as there are persons who are interrogated. Indeed, it is often like the lady foreman of the all-woman jury who was asked by the judge whether the jury had reached a verdict. "Yes, your Honor," she replied, "we have reached twelve verdicts." I suppose I’m considered a male chauvinist pig for using that story, but it could apply in either men or women. Yet the writer, Glen Drake, has placed his finger ...

1855. Chapter VI

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

Frank H. Seilhamer

When I discussed the third Commandment, "Remember the Sabbath," I said that it was perhaps the most ignored and least thought about "Word" in the lot. In sharp contrast to it this guide for living, along with the one that follows it, is among the most thought about, discussed, and argued over of our time. For killing is going on around us continually, or so it seems. Just look at the newspapers, the television screen, or listen to the radio any day, and there killing is front and center. Who isn’t aware of ...

1856. FULLER

Mark 9:3

Illustration

Stephen Stewart

Mark 9:3 - "And his garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them." We are so used to seeing laundry trucks going up and down our streets and taking dirty laundry away and bringing back clean clothing; we are properly impressed with the enterprise of the young GI’s of World War II who thought up the diaper services; we take automatic washers and dryers so much for granted; perhaps we would do well to stop for a moment and think about those who used to be sent out of ...

1857. The Forgiving Father (Father's Day)

Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

Brett Blair

I heard a minister say one time that in his younger days, when his children were small, he would have family meetings. These meetings were to discuss chores, and family matters, trips, etc. Yet, he admitted, when he would call these meetings, the expression on his children’s faces would usually be: “what have we done wrong, now.” Finally, he said, my wife pointed out to me that the tone in my voice when I called these meetings was very serious, the same tone that he used when he disciplined his children. ...

1858. How to Fix the Past

1 John 1:5--2:14

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

They were sitting in my office recently, a couple preparing to be married. This will be the second marriage for both of them. I asked, “When did your relationship with God become very personal and real?” The bride’s answer so touched me that I asked for permission to share it, and she graciously agreed. She said, “It was following my divorce, during a low period in my life. I was running with the wrong crowd. One morning at 3 am I found myself in the parking lot of a place I did not want to be. I said, “ ...

1859. Concern

John 19:17-27

Sermon

Burton F. Blair

Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, "Woman, here is your son." Then he said to the disciple, "Here is your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. John 19:25b-27 On the eighth day after his birth, Jesus was presented at the temple by Joseph and Mary. While Joseph, Mary, and the infant ...

1860. Service Without Witness

Isaiah 50:1-11

Sermon

Donald Macleod

Most worshiping Christians are familiar with at least that part of a wonderful prayer by St. Francis of Assisi that goes this way: Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy.1 These words reach into the deepest meaning of service, but note this very significant feature: St. Francis combines serving with being. Many ...

1861. Song of an Evangelist

Psalm 103:1-22

Sermon

Gordon Pratt Baker

The author of the One hundred and third Psalm is an evangelist who cannot refrain from telling the world of God’s goodness to him. Indeed, he is fairly bursting with joy at the very thought of witnessing to what the Lord has done. He is so filled with the spirit of praise and thanksgiving, in fact, that his song flows from his lips in an unbroken stream. Moreover, he is offering its testimony before the faithful gathered in the Temple for Sabbath worship; and the spiritual depth of its message can only ...

1862. Blessed among Women

Luke 1:39-45, 1 Samuel 2:1-11

Sermon

Erskine White

"And Elizabeth ... exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.’ " (Luke 1:42) No one knows what she looked like. European artists have made her look European. African artists have made her look African. Native American artists have drawn her in their image, as have artists from South America, the Far East and nearly every other part of the world as well. In a sense, she has become the universal woman, adapted in every generation to every race and culture ...

1863. Easter: The Festival Of Joy

Isaiah 25:1-12

Sermon

Durwood L. Buchheim

In the book of Proverbs we read: "A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken." A better translation says it more plainly: "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones." The issue is also clearly stated by the preacher in Ecclesiastes: "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: ... A time to weep and a time to laugh." In the Gospel of Matthew this very clear reminder by our Lord: "Do not look ...

1864. Resurrection: From Sin to a Second Chance

Psalm 23:1-6

Sermon

Leonard H. Budd

The afternoon sun was waning as the shepherd boy, David, led his sheep down the well-worn path that led from the green pastures to the pool of still water where his flock would quench their thirst before heading back to the fold. He glanced back at the flock following him; then stopped and looked more closely. Where was Ayin, his big ram? One of the lambs was gone, too. The shepherd boy shaded his eyes against the late afternoon sun. In the distance he saw the big ram lumbering down the hill along a ...

1865. A Shepherd Who Became a Sovereign

2 Samuel 12:1-31

Sermon

R. Blaine Detrick

In the beginning, God created his world and his people. Mankind fell into sin in the Garden of Eden. God worked out a plan of salvation. To institute that plan, he selected a man and determined that through that one man, he would build a nation - a nation to accomplish his redemptive purpose. That man was Abraham. Through the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God was building a chosen people. During Joseph’s lifetime, God preserved his people in a desperate time of famine by taking them down into the ...

1866. A Citizen of Three Worlds

Sermon

R. Blaine Detrick

Paul For personal reading: Acts 9--28 For public reading: Philippians 3:4-14, 20 Outline Jewish Citizenship (Philippians 3:4-6; Romans 9:3; 10:1; Acts 23:6-8) Roman Citizenship (Acts 16:16-39; 22:24-29; 25:9-12) Heavenly Citizenship (Philippians 3:20) Q-SHEET Paul - A Citizen of Three Worlds Acts 9--28 QUIZ: (Match a city with each statement, then a person with the city; try first without a Bible, then use the verses to verify each answer.) 1. Paul lowered over wall in basket (9:25) _______ _______ (9:10) ...

1867. THE MARRIAGE GAP

Genesis 2:4-25

Sermon

William McKee Aber

It’s interesting to me that the Christian Church, which makes a great use of symbols - both pictorial and verbal - has chosen to retain the symbol of sacrifice when describing the faith, and has rejected another symbol that is widely used throughout Scripture. I refer to marriage. Christ calls himself a "bridegroom"; the church (and also Israel) is referred to as the bride; the covenant relationship of God and Israel is allegorized in the story of Hosea and an unfaithful wife; and the very word "covenant ...

1868. God’s Choice

1 Samuel 16:1-13

Sermon

Roger Prescott

Introduction Samuel knew that Saul’s leadership was over. It probably troubled him a great deal to have to anoint a successor. It’s never comfortable telling someone they’re going to be replaced. But Samuel listened to God speaking to him and followed his strange guidance in selecting a replacement for Saul. Samuel knew that Saul would not agree to giving up his power. In fact, Saul could probably be counted on to throw one of his famous fits and fly into a murderous rage. So the anointing would have to be ...

1869. Why Must We Carry A Cross?

Mark 8:31-38

Sermon

Brett Blair

You might remember comedian Yakov Smirnoff. When he first came to the United States from Russia he was not prepared for the incredible variety of instant products available in American grocery stores. He says, "On my first shopping trip, I saw powdered milk you just add water, and you get milk. Then I saw powdered orange juice you just add water, and you get orange juice. And then I saw baby powder, and I thought to my self, What a country!" Smirnoff is joking but we make these assumptions about Christian ...

1870. The Whip of War

John 2:12-25

Sermon

Brett Blair

The subject of war can be found throughout the bible. And why is this? After all it is a holy book. The answer: The Bible is full of war because life is full of war. The Bible not only tells us about God it tells us about mankind, and therefore it addresses the most significant events in human history. We are currently in such a time, and because we are at war it is appropriate for us this morning to take a look at the subject of war and what the Bible has to say. Let me start by asking you a question. Do ...

1871. Memories

Luke 2:21-40

Sermon

Daniel G. Mueller

Hidden away in just about every family’s photo album is a cute little picture of a baby’s buns. Along with all the other photos of baby’s first haircut, first birthday, first bike ride, and the like, there’s also that one picture, that infamous photo showing off baby’s buns. Parents love to have at least one such photo; but the individual whose anatomy is so displayed grows up living in fearful dread that one day his girlfriend or her boyfriend will actually see that awful picture. It’s fun to look through ...

1872. Overcoming Loneliness

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

In the overcrowded conditions of our modern world loneliness has possessed us: "He’s a real Nowhere Man, Sitting in his Nowhere Land, Making all his Nowhere Plans for nobody." Such emptiness, such frustration, such loneliness depresses us. What’s to be done about it? This feeling of hopelessness has been around a long time. The ancient writer of Psalm 22 cried out: Dear God, right now I feel like a worm, not a person. I feel so used by other people. And to make it worse, I feel resented by the very same ...

1873. Called to Be Saints

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

Warren Thomas Smith

"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you." (v. 12) Who is a saint? The historic definition is one whose life is worthy of imitation by all of Christendom. Some add that a sense of humor is a prerequisite, along with having performed miracles. "She is a saint," we say. What do we mean? We usually have in mind a person whose goodness, unselfishness, love, is unmistakable. Ah, but ask that one, "Are you a saint?" The answer: "Of course ...

1874. The Word of the Cross

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

Sermon

T. A. Kantonen

In the center of Christianity stands the cross of Christ. The Apostle Paul defines the whole gospel as "the word of the cross." Both the Christian message and the Christian life are cruciform, bearing the shape of the cross. Thus we cannot avoid speaking about the cross, directly or indirectly, throughout the year. But during Lent, and especially on Good Friday, we try to keep silent and let the cross speak its word to us. We are not commissioned to trim and hew the cross to suit our desires, much less to ...

1875. The Fulfilled Promise

Acts 2:14-41

Sermon

T. A. Kantonen

These words, spoken by the Apostle Peter on the first Christian Pentecost, reveal the lasting significance of the pivotal event which had just taken place, the coming of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the world mission of the church. As Christians throughout the world unite to celebrate Pentecost, the birthday of the church, these simple words still carry a message of vital importance concerning the nature, the purpose, the outreach, and the impelling power of the community of the Spirit which came ...

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