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 176 to 200 of 313 results

176. Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... it clear that Moses was a one-of-a-kind, remarkable servant of God. His death was not due to infirmity or illness. Despite great age (itself a sign of divine blessing), Moses is described as being graced with sharp eyes and sharp appetites (the reference to "vigor" clearly indicates continued sexual prowess). Furthermore, it is only because Moses had laid hands upon Joshua, investing him with the "spirit of wisdom," that the Israelites recognized Joshua as their new leader. It is in verse 10 that perhaps ...

177. Luke 24:35-48

Luke 24:35-48

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... before eating in the Emmaus christophany (testifying to the spiritual nature of this visitation), it is only when sitting at table that Truth is revealed (see vv.30, 35). Back in Jerusalem Jesus actually initiates the meal with the disciples, demonstrating his physicality through his appetite (vv.42-43). Food is a recurring motif in all Luke's writings. Jesus seems either to be going to or coming from a meal on nearly every occasion of importance. The mode and mood of food creates some of the gospel's most ...

178. John 6:24-35

John 6:24-35

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... along. These hangers-on are not eager to be separated from the one who had miraculously provided them with free and plenteous food. The throng is not looking for the word of God. They are looking for their next meal. Jesus attempts to turn their appetite for bread into a hunger for the imperishable food of eternal life. Since this whole dialogue sets up a discussion of the Eucharist (6:51-58), the imagery of eating remains essential. But Jesus' first efforts to get this stubborn crowd to think with their ...

179. 2 Timothy 1:1-14

2 Timothy 1:1-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... lives during the peaceful, prosperous days of King Uzziah's rule in Judah (783-742) and King Jeroboam's rule in Israel (786-746). It is to his fellow landowners, though, especially those who have grown exceedingly greedy and grasping in their appetite for even more land-holdings, that Amos' ominous message is directed. The verses read from chapter 5 this week form a series of exhortations, accusations and promised punishments based on the illicit behavior of these landowners. By charging exorbitant rates of ...

180. Mark 3:20-35

Mark 3:20-35

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... two separate stories by slipping one complete unit in the midst of another unit, which is subsequently sliced in half, has kept scholars guessing. In fact, scholars from varied disciplines often find Markan sandwiches useful for satisfying their own particular appetites. What all these views have in common, at base, is the conviction that Mark's sandwiching technique takes seriously the attitudes and events presented in both story components. Neither unit loses its individual sense of importance as a result ...

181. Romans 13:8-14

Romans 13:8-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... that Paul chooses to list first among these "shall nots" the command that forbids adultery. Perhaps because he is speaking about love, Paul feels compelled to make clear just what kind of love he means. This love has nothing to do with sexual appetite or legalized licentiousness. Agape love is not an emotion or a spontaneous upwelling of good feelings. Just as Torah law was established and maintained through rigorous, disciplined practice, so the command, the "law" of agape-love, will also be instituted and ...

182. Ephesians 2:1-10

Ephesians 2:1-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... select. Indeed "all of us once lived" as captives to evil, living for "the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath" (v.3). This is not some prudish condemnation of sexual appetites and physical pleasures. With both body and mind completely indulged, the human spirit was wantonly selfish doing whatever the body wanted, whatever the mind imagined, without regard for anything or anyone else. That, the author states, is what makes us all "by ...

183. Jesus' Good News of a New World · Part 2

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

Mike Ripski

... who hunger and thirst for God’s right order. We can be thirsty for God’s right order and not know it. That’s why we need Jesus. He shows us our true condition, our sin-sickness. His way, truth, and life, are Bread from heaven that satisfies the appetite he activates in us. He is Living Water that makes us aware of how dehydrated we are and satisfies our thirst. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for God’s new world, for God’s right order: where children don’t go to bed hungry; or fear being ...

184. Jesus' Good News of a New World · Part 1

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

Mike Ripski

... know that God’s goodness is yours to enjoy right here, right now. What does “kingdom of heaven” mean? It is God’s new world that Jesus came proclaiming as good news, inviting persons to enter. Jesus is giving them a taste of it, so that their appetite will be awakened and they’ll want more. The requirement is that they leave the old world, believing that the new one is real and, in God’s time, will prevail, because it is eternal. Let’s consider the first three of Jesus’ teachings. I. Blessed ...

185. Proper 13

2 Samuel 11:26–12:13a, Psalm 51:1-19, John 6:24-35, Ephesians 4:1-16

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... news! People: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Exhortation Be humble always, and gentle, and patient too. Be forbearing with one another and charitable. PRAYER OF THE DAY Giver of good things, Gift of God, Spirit of the self-giver, give us an appetite for the eternal life that we may not be satisfied with what perishes, but devote our lives to the pursuit of spiritual excellence. Amen PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING Giver of all patience, Child of our humanity, renewing Spirit, we turn from our complaints about ...

186. Proper 15

1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14, Psalm 111:1-10, John 6:51-58, Ephesians 5:15-20

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... cup. Pastor: Friends, believe the good news! People: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Exhortation Be most careful how you conduct yourselves: like sensible people, not thoughtlessly. Use the present opportunity to the full, for these are evil days. PRAYER OF THE DAY Whet our appetite, Giver of life, for the bread of life, Jesus Christ, that through our faith in him and our reception of him we may have life eternal, living with him day by day and raised by him on the last day. Amen PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING ...

187. Second Sunday in Lent

Philippians 3:12-4:1, Genesis 15:1-18, Psalm 27:1-14, Luke 9:28-36, Luke 13:31-35

Bulletin Aid

B. David Hostetter

... know your purpose for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. PRAYER OF CONFESSION Creating Spirit, hear our confession. We are often forgetful of who we are and in whose likeness we are created. We regret the imbalance in our lives that too often allows our appetites to run away with us, so that we seem to live for eating and drinking and love-making alone. Our minds are too to consider the refreshment of the spirit, the exercise of the mind, the discipline of the body. Forgive our excesses and deliver us ...

188. A Time for Opportunity

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Sermon

King Duncan

... the flow of illegal drugs. If you think drug use is a victimless crime, look what it is doing to innocent victims of drug-related crimes. Look what it is doing to nations like Mexico, Colombia and Afghanistan that are involved in feeding our appetite for drugs. Of course, we can get addicted to prescription painkillers, as well. The truth of the matter is that addictions of all kinds are proliferating in our society. In his book Secret Life, prize‑winning poet Michael Ryan tells the story of his lifelong ...

189. Did You Know...You Can Be Forgiven For Anything?

1 John 1:8-10

Sermon

James Merritt

... . We are being bombarded today from movies, to television, to the media telling us there is no such thing as "sin". There is an interesting verse in Proverbs that says this, "Equally amazing is how an adulterous woman can satisfy her sexual appetite, shrug her shoulders, and then say, ‘what is wrong with that?'" (Proverbs 30:20, NLT) I call this the "Hollywood hoax". Today, extra-marital sex, premarital sex, and homosexuality – are all presented as if they are normal, natural, necessary, needed, and not ...

190. American Idol

Exodus 20:4-6

Sermon

James Merritt

... up at her and said, "I love you more than hockey." What do you love the most? Some people love food more than anything else. In Philippians 3:19, Paul speaks of people "Whose god is their belly." "Whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things." (Philippians 3:19, NASB) Some people love fun more than anything else. II Timothy 3:4 speaks of those who are "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." "Treacherous, reckless ...

191. Sex and the City

Exodus 20:14

Sermon

James Merritt

... He says, "You shall not commit adultery." (Exodus 20:14, NASB) Quite frankly, we are living in a generation that not only commits adultery, but refuses to admit adultery. Proverbs 30:20 says, "Equally amazing is how an adulterous woman can satisfy her sexual appetite, shrug her shoulders, and then say, "What's wrong with that?" (Proverbs 30:20, NLT) We've even learned to play word games when it comes to this commandment. First, we downplay adultery. We will call it a "little fling" or "fooling around". Then ...

192. Bring It On

Hebrews 4:15-16

Sermon

James Merritt

... said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.' But Jesus answered him, saying, ‘It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.'" (Luke 4:3-4) The devil appealed to his physical appetite. Jesus was hungry, no doubt about it. He was saying in essence, "If it feels good do it." Now we are going to learn a great lesson about temptation here. There is nothing wrong about eating the right food, drinking the right beverages, or loving someone the ...

193. God Where Are You? - The Problem of Evil

Genesis 3:1-6, Judges 6:13

Sermon

James Merritt

... fat and brimming with nutrition and Satan peeled off the healthful skin, sliced the starchy center into chips and deep fried them and Man gained still more pounds. God then gave lean beef, so that Man might consume few calories and still satisfy his appetite and Satan created McDonalds and its 99¢ double cheese-burger. Satan then said, "You want fries with that?" Man replied, "Yes and super-size them!" Satan said, "It is good." Man went into cardiac arrest. God sighed and created quadruple by-pass surgery ...

194. A Song for Tomorrow

Psalm 1:1-6

Sermon

James Merritt

... now know, Hollywood not only flaunts fornication and pre-marital sex both in its lifestyle and in it movies; it actually brags about it. The Hollywood mentality is described perfectly in Proverbs 30: 20, "Equally amazing is how an adulterous woman can satisfy her sexual appetite, shrug her shoulders, and then say, "What's wrong with that?" (Proverbs 30:20, NLT) Finally, we come to the scornful or the scoffer. This is a person that is unruly. The word refers to "a dog snarl" and it literally means to "make a ...

195. Feeding Sin

Mk 9:38-50

Illustration

King Duncan

... cruising the Canadian Arctic when the men spotted a polar bear stranded on an ice floe. It was quite a novelty for the seamen, who threw the bear salami, peanut butter, and chocolate bars. Then they ran out of the food. Unfortunately, the polar bear hadn't run out of appetite, so he proceeded to board their vessel. The men on ship were terrified and opened the fire hoses on the bear. The polar bear loved it and raised his paws in the air to get the water under his armpits. We don't know how they did it, but ...

196. Risky Business

Jeremiah 1:4-10

Sermon

Mary S. Lautensleger

Su Xueling (pronounced ZOO-ling) is a different breed of entrepreneur, delivering instant noodles on her bicycle to satisfy fast-food appetites in central China. She wanted to use her business acumen to spread the gospel message in a land where religion has been controlled or suppressed by the government for decades. Ms. Su's father is a communist revolution veteran, and religion has always been considered a leading threat to Communist ...

197. When Desire Goes Bad

1 Kings 21:1-21a

Sermon

Stan Purdum

... age encourages it. Of course, wanting is a very necessary part of being human. It is a form of energy and motivation that drives invention, discovery, mastery, improvement, and accomplishment. The fruit of healthy desire is achievement and satisfaction. But like any appetite, it needs to function with some restraint, because when it goes too far, when it becomes our primary motivation, it becomes destructive, both to us and to others. The Bible's word for desire gone bad is "covetousness," and the fruit of ...

198. Cross Eyed: Focus

Mark 1:9-15

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... When you fast, make sure you drink plenty of liquids. Or do a juice fast. Only drink fruit juice, to keep your blood sugar levels up. That doesn't mean drink ten gallons of cranberry juice or orange juice, but drink a little occasionally to curb your appetite. I usually drink 2 16 oz bottles of cranberry juice or something like that when I fast. Then I drink plenty of water. And you can fast starting immediately after breakfast. Skip lunch and dinner or dinner and supper whichever it is at your house. Skip ...

199. Bed But Not Sleep

Illustration

Brett Blair

Someone said that... Money will buy: A bed, but not sleep. Books, but not brains. Food, but not appetite. A house, but not a home. Medicine, but not health. Amusement, but not happiness. Finery, but not beauty. A crucifix, but not a Savior. What kind of wealth do you want? We celebrate the wealth of God's love in Jesus Christ. The wealth of God's love brings us what the wealth of the world cannot touch: Peace, understanding, fulfillment, life. These things are eternal.

200. Reviewing Our Hungers (Series: Questioning Our Values)

Luke 6:17-26

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... For? “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.” Matthew said, “Blessed are those who hunger for RIGHTEOUSNESS for they will be filled.” A friend of mine challenged me on this point by commenting that he didn’t have much appetite for righteousness since he didn’t even know what it meant. I replied, “Righteousness is like country ham, fine wine, or Krystal hamburgers. You have to develop a taste for it.” Righteousness is a passion for the right, the good, the worthy. It is ...

Showing results