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 1926 to 1950 of 4959 results

1926. Advent 1

Mark 13:1-31, Mark 13:32-37

Sermon Aid

Wayne B. Keller

... that God will usher in the Eternal Kingdom with a nuclear war. Again, security, needing to know the unknowable, is an idol that gets much press, from the world and church. I invite us to consider in what ways we have made security and the desire to know the unknowable our god.(three minutes of silence.) For the assurance, incorporate these ideas: We can wander around with the unknowable for years; we can spend our whole lifetime seeking security, and we shall fail. For as Augustine has said, "We can know ...

1927. The Season of the Holy Spirit

Luke 17:11-19

Sermon Aid

Wayne B. Keller

... words, situations, people to accomplish what we want when we want it. Forgive the use of our intellects and our will to thwart your plan and purpose. Our self-centeredness is so subtle! Reach deeply into our inner nature and reorient us around a dominant desire to know your will and do it. Show us again what life can be when motivated by your love, and all our energies are marshalled to express this love in our relationships with others, our families and the realm of society for which you have made ...

1928. The Season of the Nativity

John 1:1-18

Sermon Aid

Wayne B. Keller

... to the traditional carols, consider these:"Savior of the Nations, Come" "The True Light That Enlightens Man" III. Other Music Possibilities Organist/Choir director: Music for Preparation from the "Christmas Oratorio" Response to the Scripture: "A Boy Is Born" Response to the Stewardship Challenge: (Offertory) "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" Response to the Benediction: "I'm Gonna Sing When the Spirit Says Sing"

1929. The Problem With Finding The Kingdom

Matthew 13:44-46

Sermon

William J. Carl

... In fact, instead of seeking the kingdom, he was doing his best to try to avoid it. Listen to his own description: You must picture me alone in that room… night after night, feeling… the steady, unrelenting approach of him whom I so earnestly desired not to meet. (Finally, in 1929) I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed; perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England. (Edited by Hugh T. Kerr and John M. Mulder, “Conversions,” Grand Rapids, Michigan ...

1930. How Does One Follow Jesus During The Threat Of War?

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

George Johnson

... block to some. There is a "no" to the gospel as well as a "yes." Many of us have been struggling with how to respond to the threat of war, the possibility of our country's military involvement. The fact that we struggle at all may come from the desire within us to follow Jesus. How does one become a peacemaker when the talk is about war? Following Jesus is not something that is done in a vacuum, in theory or in another world; it is not something that we can divorce from our daily lives, which includes our ...

1931. What's The Bottom Line?

Matthew 21:33-46

Sermon

George Johnson

... how much it will cost. He wants the best. Every effort is made to make sure that the grapes are top quality, sweet juicy grapes. Fertile soil, good cultivation, stones cleared out, choice vines planted. How can you go wrong? But more is done to ensure the desired results. He builds a watch tower so all dangers can be detected ahead of time. There is protection from enemies. A wine vat is built close by to get ready for the harvest. The owner does everything to make a good harvest possible. Now the author of ...

1932. Have You Accepted Jesus' Invitation?

Matthew 22:1-14

Sermon

George Johnson

... wholeness. It is beautiful, like a marriage feast. How do you accept this invitation? 1. Be obedient to the call. Say a decisive Yes. The Holy Spirit will work in your heart, in your conscience, in your inner self. There will be a nudge, a hunger, a desire to be different, a longing for change. Your conscience will give you a reminder that the way you are going is wrong, a dead end. Something is missing. Be obedient to that call. Answer Yes. Say it out loud. Say it clearly, decisively. Tell God, "I want ...

1933. What Is Servant Leadership?

Matthew 23:1-39

Sermon

George Johnson

... your servant." What does it mean to be a servant? What is servant leadership? It is not only an issue for call committees to consider as they look for pastoral leadership, it is a quality to be sought by all who follow Jesus, and certainly is desirable in local church leadership and the institutional church. When this community thinks about our church, hopefully they think of us as a servant. "The greatest among you will be your servant." It is a different attitude than what we learn from a society that is ...

1934. Says Who?

Sermon

Thomas Slavens

... all those less famous people who have made our freedom possible, we give You our thanks. For the freedom with responsibility that we enjoy we are grateful. For a government by, of, and for the people we are indebted. Grant to us the ability and the desire to support the causes of freedom in our world. Prevent us from demanding so much security that we lose our liberty. For the President of the United States and the president’s staff for the Congress, and the Supreme Court, we ask for Your direction and ...

1935. Beyond Bread and Butter

Luke 12:42-48

Sermon

Thomas Slavens

... places. On this Labor Sunday the Christ looks over the labor world. What does he see? Does he see labor seeking only its own welfare or does he see labor attempting to share its abundance with others less fortunate? What he sees is determined by the desire of those who work to move beyond bread and butter. Prayer Eternal God, who call people to separate vocations and in whose service we find the meaning of our life work, we thank You for work. For jobs that are interesting and useful we are grateful. For ...

1936. This Is My Body

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Sermon

Thomas Slavens

... with communicants his love and power, and who guides and strengthens them as they attempt to do the will of God. In this sense the Christ is present in the Communion service. In order to experience this presence, the communicant needs to come to this table with a desire to open her or his life to the will of God with forgiveness for those who have wronged her or him and with an intention to lead a finer life. After the death and Resurrection of Jesus, two of his disciples were going to a village called ...

1937. The Strength of the Master

Sermon

Thomas Slavens

... to good works, especially for those who find avenues of service in the church, we are grateful. For those who serve in local churches as well as in regional, national and world organizations of the church we thank You. Grant to us the ability and the desire to continue to grow in Your service. Give us glimpses of the vastness of the Christian world enterprise and give us courage and devotion to contribute to it. Help us to envision what one person might do for You in the world. Help us to be Christian ...

1938. The Churches and Higher Education

Sermon

Thomas Slavens

... that the churches can do for higher education is to make a place in higher education for balanced Christian instruction and maintain its presence as a respected alternative to state-funded secular institutions, providing the highest quality education for those who desire spiritual as well as secular understanding. Prayer Our God, who are “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love,” (Psalms 145:8) we, who are often hasty to anger and lacking in steadfast love, worship You, who ...

1939. Prepare The Way Of The Lord

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

James Garrett

... a wreath, put up a tree. We buy gifts and wrap them in beautiful colors. Plan parties, prepare for family gathering, do extra cooking. All of these are important preparations. One of the joys of the season is sharing it with friends and family. I have no desire or intent to put any of these down -- to make you feel guilty about them. They’re important preparations that touch our attitudes and our basic emotions. However, let’s not forget to stay with the main event. The main event features a baby in the ...

1940. Jesus Is Baptized

Luke 3:21-38

Sermon

James Garrett

... a thread of it every day, and at last we cannot break it.” Mr. Mann, you are only half right. Habit is a cable; we weave a thread of it every day, but it can be broken? There is One who will help you break it, if you desire it. Habits are often practiced without guilt, justified through cleverly devised mental schemes. We have to be continuously converted all the days of our lives, continually to turn to God as children. Life is a continuous conversion. In every setting in which we are put we have to ...

1941. A Strange Kind Of Glory

John 13:31-38

Sermon

John M. Braaten

... Corinthians 1:18, 26-28)." Clearly the glory to which we are called is a strange kind of glory, rooted not in our goodness but in God's faithfulness, and characterized not by success but by servanthood, not by golden health but by ready helpfulness. The desire for the things that mark privilege and success in this world and the quest for health are all) dangerous temptations that threaten our ability to see the kind of life God in Christ has in mind for us. This concept is illustrated cleverly in the story ...

1942. A Farewell Gift

John 14:15-31

Sermon

John M. Braaten

... a moment of silence and then, in hushed tones a little voice asked, "Mommy, was that God?" Jesus, in offering peace, does not say, "I'm here, the Holy Spirit's here and God is here, now be at peace!" The peace that Jesus offers cannot be had simply by desiring. The peace of God is a gift, it can only be received as a by-product of faith. That's why the world is largely a stranger to it. Most of the world sees peace as an end in itself, a release from tension, the avoidance of struggle, an escape ...

1943. Our Christian I.D.

Luke 4:1-13

Sermon

John M. Braaten

... also caved in to temptation innumerable times, but for a person with Jesus' devotion and strength, eluding the tempter's entrapment must have been a piece of cake. That assumption is based on that belief that temptation is merely the urge to do something wrong. It is the desire to do something which will benefit one's self but which, if done, would violate the laws of God or society. For instance, you walk through a store and you see something you would like to own, but you don't have the cash, so into your ...

1944. Finding Our Roots

Luke 9:28-36

Sermon

John M. Braaten

... ? What will shape and form your life if it is not God? Some of the possibilities might surprise you: what you had for breakfast and how it agreed with you. How other people treat you, especially certain people. What people say about you. How you feel. The intensity of your desires or the weight of your burdens. Who you are with. What kind of a day it is. Too often it is things like these that design our daily lives, and yet we talk about how free we are. We are not free at all until our life is rooted in ...

1945. The Story Of The Scandalized Neighbors

Luke 15:11-32

Sermon

John M. Braaten

... Eli received back his rebellious son, I am convinced that it was not the tragedy in the far country that changed Judah, it was the tenacious and shameless love of Eli and Rachel. The undeserved love of his parents gave Judah the strength, security and desire to return and, in turn, transfigured his life. Scandalized as I am by such an unmerited and lavish outpouring of affection and acceptance, if I had in foolishness followed the path into the far country, I would want a father - no, I would need a father ...

1946. Portrait Of A Powerful Servant

John 13:1-17

Sermon

John M. Braaten

... the common good for our own ego needs and accompany it with all kinds of pious chatter. Power in itself is not an evil thing, nor is the pursuit of it incompatible with God’s design. The passion to learn, the pursuit of excellence - evidence of our desire for power - have been implanted in us as part of the Divine image. Indeed, Jesus promised power to the apostles (Acts 1:8) before he ascended. What is at issue here is not power as such but its use. Jesus saw power as an instrument not of control ...

1947. A Hand We Can Grasp

John 14:1-4

Eulogy

Alan R. Lindberg

... whose hand we can grasp. And we know that he will safely lead us through the darkness into the light once again. He leads us to a place where we join with him - in the glory of his presence. To be with the Lord is really what every Christian desires. And because Jesus traveled the Hell of the Cross and the wait in his grave, this is only a temporary thing - for his promise is to take away the darkness - to open once again the eyes of and _________, that they might blink in the heavenly light once more ...

1948. Jesus Calls Matthew, Jesus Heals The Leaders Daughter, Jesus

Matthew 9:18-26, Matthew 9:9-13

Drama

Dallas A. Brauninger

... , they said to his disciples, 3 and 4: "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 1: But when he heard this, he said, 2: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners." 1: While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, 5: "My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on ...

1949. Duties Toward Others

Romans 13:8-14

Drama

Dallas A. Brauninger

... darkness and put on the armor of light; 7: let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 8: Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

1950. Let It Shine!

John 1:1-18

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

... by God is to function in harmony with the light so that light and darkness would complement each other, work together in a collaborative manner. It was not necessary for the darkness to say to the light, "I am better than you. I am greater than you. I am more desirable than you. God prefers me more than you." There was no reason for the darkness to try to overcome the light. No reason for the darkness to set up a conspiracy to take the light from the light because the light could only do its best work in ...

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