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 2126 to 2150 of 2173 results

2126. The Example of Paul’s Suffering

Colossians 1:24--2:5

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

1:24-27 · Paul declared himself a servant of Christ in 1:23 and in the next few verses fleshes out what that means in terms of Christ’s sacrifice and the growth of the church. He uses terms such as “flesh” and “body” (1:24) that carry a range of meaning and impact. In 1:22, Paul declared that Christ conquered sin with his death (on the cross) in his fleshly body, and in verse 24, Paul expands the connotations of Christ’s body to include the church. He has both meanings in mind when he declares that he ...

2127. Instructions to Timothy

1 Timothy 4:1-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

3:14–16 · True religion: In Paul’s absence, he expects Timothy to minister under his authority (see 1 Cor. 4:17, 19; 16:10–11; 1 Thess. 3:1–6). The gospel should be expressed visibly in the life of the church, and Paul wants Timothy’s life (like his own) to exemplify that.The Bible calls God “the living God” when comparing him with dead, false gods. That is especially the case here. Ephesus was the site of a huge temple to the “great” Greek goddess Artemis (one of the seven wonders of the ancient world). ...

2128. The Cost of Discipleship

Mark 9:2-9

Sermon

Charley Reeb

I get a kick out of bumper stickers. Whenever I see an interesting one I always take a glance at the person who is driving the car. I want to get a glimpse of the person who would drive around with a crazy bumper sticker. I’m sure I am not the only one who has ever done that! Here are a few bumper stickers that I have seen or heard about over the years that always make me laugh: What If The Hokey Pokey Is What It’s All About? Driver Carries No Cash — He’s Married! I’m Retired — Go Around Me! Normal People ...

2129. Judas Hangs Himself

Matthew 27:1-10

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

27:1–2 At daybreak the chief priests and elders met in full council to plan the death of Jesus. The morning session also served to legalize the clandestine meeting that had taken place the previous night. Since their concerns about Jesus’ religious claims would carry little weight with Roman authorities, it was necessary to develop a charge that would appear revolutionary from a political standpoint. Luke cites a threefold charge of seditious teaching, opposition to taxation, and claim of kingship (23:2). ...

2130. Who Is the Greatest?

Mark 9:33-37

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

9:33–37 These verses must be seen as part of a collection of Jesus’ words that includes the whole of 9:33–50, all concerning discipleship. Careful study of the parallels to these sayings in the other Synoptic Gospels will show that they appear in various contexts and in varying forms, which indicates that Mark has gathered the sayings into a block of material of his own arrangement. In its Markan form, this material all seems to address relationships among Jesus’ followers, as we shall see in our ...

2131. The Jews and the Law

Romans 2:17-29

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

Psalm 51 records the confession of David when the storm of guilt from his adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah broke upon him. Psalm 51 is, in fact, descriptive of the human condition, “I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.… Surely I was sinful at birth” (vv. 3, 5). It may be possible to maintain confidence in one’s virtue if one limits or controls the field of comparison. It is common, for instance, in comparative studies of various kinds, to compare the strengths of one system ...

2132. Righteousness Through Faith

Romans 3:21-31

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

We return now to the opening theme of the epistle which Paul announced in 1:16–17, righteousness by faith. There it was like a first glimpse of the Himalayas seen from the plains of Nepal, shimmering on the horizon. Then the trek began in earnest as the reader was led up the rugged terrain of argumentation and proof from 1:18–3:20, in which Gentiles and Jews were confronted with a landslide of evidence against them. The inspiring first vision was long since obscured, and more than once the trekker was ...

2133. Living Sacrifices

Romans 12:1-8

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

The person who is justified by faith shall live (1:17). That is the theme of the epistle. In chapters 5–8 Paul began to discuss the characteristics of the “new life” (6:4), but not until chapter 12 does he devote himself to the ethical and ecclesiastical shape of it. Justification by faith produces neither moral passivity nor permissiveness. Rather, the indicative of chapters 1–11 leads to the imperative of chapters 12–16. The faith which saves is a faith which can and must be lived, and only the faith ...

2134. Love

Romans 12:9-21

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

In his famous hymn to love in 1 Corinthians 13 Paul says, “if … I have not love, I am nothing” (v. 2). In Romans 13 he says that “love is the fulfillment of the law” (v. 10), and he enjoins Christians to owe no one anything except the debt of love (v. 8). In the latter half of Romans 12 Paul provides insight and guidance concerning the nature of love. Love is defined at the outset (v. 9), middle (v. 17), and end (v. 21) as a commitment to good, and especially the victory of good over evil. This section is ...

2135. The Believer's Freedom

1 Corinthians 10:23--11:1

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

Once again Paul broaches the subject of merely eating idol meat, but now he seems concerned with the eating of such previously sacrificed foods outside the confines of the pagan temple. The section is challenging to translators and interpreters because Paul writes in a vigorous style that takes abrupt rhetorical turns that can be and often are lost in the reading of the text. Identifying Paul’s line of thought is crucial to comprehending this otherwise confusing passage. Paul gives a helpful hint when he ...

2136. Entering the Lord’s House

Psalm 5:1-12

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

Most commentators have read this psalm as a lament of an individual. But in verses 4–6, 9–12 attention is devoted to general classes of people, the wicked and the righteous. Strictly speaking, this is not a psalm of the individual merely. The speaking “I” may, in fact, be a liturgist representing “the righteous.” Some commentators who regard this psalm as an individual lament have specified it further as a psalm of the falsely accused, where the speaker seeks acquittal at Yahweh’s sacral court. This ...

2137. A Victory Procession and Instruction for Temple Entry

Psalm 24:1-10

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

It is difficult to make sense of what is going on in Psalm 24 without acquaintance with ancient Near Eastern traditions and Israelite ritual worship. Who is involved in the dialogue concerning Yahweh’s entry in verses 7–10? Why is there such interest in his militaristic qualities? And what does this have to do with his establishing the earth on water (an odd conception!) in verses 1–2, and what does any of this have to do with prerequisites for worship that sound so legalistic? The occasion of the psalm is ...

2138. The Penitential Psalm

Psalm 51:1-19

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

Every psalm is special, but with this one we feel that we enter upon holy ground. While it is a confession of sin, it reflects an intimacy with God few psalms can rival. In most psalms, blame for a lamentable condition is attached to enemies or to sickness, but this psalm is uniquely introspective before God. In the traditions of the early church, there are the seven penitential psalms (Pss. 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143). Upon closer inspection, however, we discover that only Psalms 32, 51, and 130 ...

2139. A Pilgrim’s Prayer to Fulfill Vows at God’s House

Psalm 61:1-8

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

61:1–8 The particular request of this prayer psalm appears to be for safe escort to the temple, so the speaker may fulfill his vows. Several indicators converge at this point. First, we may note the speaker’s longing for passage to your tent and the shelter of your wings (v. 4). The wish for guidance to the rock (v. 2) could be associated with the rock of the temple mount. Psalm 27 also uses “tent,” “shelter,” and “rock” as parallel expressions for Yahweh’s dwelling (27:5). It also contains several other ...

2140. The Conspiracy of the Nations

Psalm 83:1-18

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

Unlike other corporate prayer psalms, this one actually names the national enemies (vv. 5–8), and so it would seem we have one psalm we can date precisely to a particular crisis. But we cannot correlate the nations listed in this alliance with any event narrated in the OT. This list of ten nations appears simply to summarize those who have been national enemies of the people of God, thus making this psalm appropriate for any instance where national security is threatened. Unlike most other corporate ...

2141. The Writing on the Wall

Daniel 5:1-31

Understanding Series

William Nelson

We have seen evidence that the earlier chapters were independent traditions. For example, in chapter 1 the four Jews proved to be wiser than all the other sages, yet they are not asked to interpret the dream in chapter 2; Daniel is prominent in chapter 2 but missing from chapter 3. The author does not do a lot to provide smooth transitions between the different episodes, but there is some continuity in that the first four chapters feature King Nebuchadnezzar. The chasm between chapers 4 and 5 is greater ...

2142. Extreme Humility

John 13:1-15

Sermon

King Duncan

I want to begin with a serious question: How accurate would you be if someone asked you to evaluate yourself? For example, if you were asked to describe your athletic ability, or your appearance, or your intellect--how would you rate yourself? I ask that because a survey of nearly two hundred sociologists found that about a hundred of them, about one-half, expected to become one of the ten leading sociologists of their time. Obviously this is a mathematical impossibility for 100 of them to be among the top ...

2143. Free Indeed!

John 8:31-36

Sermon

April Yamasaki

"War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength." In George Orwell's novel, 1984, these slogans are used to control the thoughts of the people. While their country was at war, the people were deceived into thinking it was peace. While they were kept subservient, they thought they were free. While they remained ignorant of what was really going on in the world around them, they thought they were strong. Does this sound odd, or perhaps oddly familiar? Today's scripture seems to bear witness to a ...

2144. The Underwater God

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

In the Hebrides Islands they have a lovely legend about a god who lived beneath the sea. And the great desire of this god who lived beneath the sea was to have a little baby boy—a human baby. So he was always trying to catch little babies that might be in boats passing along the surface of the sea from island to island. And so the people always clutched their children close when in their boats. On one occasion, he almost got a boat. He was surging behind it, this seagod, when the boat reached shore. And ...

2145. Leadership--Two Examples

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

The frogs wanted a leader. They bothered Jupiter so much with their requests that he finally tossed them a log into the pond, and, for awhile, the frogs were happy with their new leader. Soon, however, they found out they could jump up and down on their new leader and run all over him. He offered no resistance nor even a response. The log did not have any direction or purpose in his behavior, but just floated back and forth in the pond. This practice exasperated the frogs, who were really sincere about ...

2146. Christ's Monarchy

Luke 23:33-43

Sermon

Molly F. James

Today is Christ the King Sunday. Our readings — particularly those from Colossians and Luke’s gospel — are all offering us images of Christ as our king. Like any good American, I have mixed feelings about monarchy. There is a romanticism about the monarchy. I love the stories of princes and princesses, kings and queens. While those make nice stories, when it comes down to it, I will also admit to a patriotism that can tend to a bit of self-aggrandizement. Remarkably, for over two centuries we have managed ...

2147. Second Sight

Luke 24:13-35

Sermon

Lori Wagner

This past week alone, I noticed at least 20 things I never noticed before. I saw a mama squirrel protecting her baby in the tree outside my porch. I met neighbors I never saw before. I took walks and noticed new buds, types of trees, all manner of railroad ties, how trains are constructed, found countless new places driving about in the area outside of town. The list could go on. I also noticed new things about myself, my likes and dislikes, and about others around me, especially at places such as the ...

2148. Sheep Just Wanna Have Fun

John 10:1-21, Psalm 23:1-6

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Earlier this month in some parks, farms, and yards of the UK, British sheep have been experiencing a new sense of freedom. Even as parks and open spaces are shut down due to coronavirus, and people are secluded in their homes, sheep have taken to roaming about the newly open spaces. But rather than wandering aimlessly through the fields, it seems, sheep have been seeking out children’s playgrounds, and have begun [wait for it] to play! It appears, their favorite activity is to take turns riding the “ ...

The museums are here to teach the history of art and something more as well, for, if they stimulate in the weak a desire to imitate, they furnish the strong with the means of their emancipation.

Edgar Degas

Oh, yes. I'd do it all again; the spirit is willing yet; I feel the same desire to do the work but the flesh is weak. It's too bad that our bodies wear out while our interests are just as strong as ever.

Susan B. Anthony

Showing results

Antonyms: aversion, distaste, apathy, dislike, hatred, antipathy, disgust, disregard, abhorrence, acrimony, wet, animosity, animus, antagonism, bad feeling, bitterness, be averse to, detestation

Showing 2126 to 2150 of 2173 results

2126. The Example of Paul’s Suffering

Colossians 1:24--2:5

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

2127. Instructions to Timothy

1 Timothy 4:1-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

2128. The Cost of Discipleship

Mark 9:2-9

Sermon

Charley Reeb

2129. Judas Hangs Himself

Matthew 27:1-10

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

2130. Who Is the Greatest?

Mark 9:33-37

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

2131. The Jews and the Law

Romans 2:17-29

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

2132. Righteousness Through Faith

Romans 3:21-31

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

2133. Living Sacrifices

Romans 12:1-8

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

2134. Love

Romans 12:9-21

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

2135. The Believer's Freedom

1 Corinthians 10:23--11:1

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

2136. Entering the Lord’s House

Psalm 5:1-12

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

2137. A Victory Procession and Instruction for Temple Entry

Psalm 24:1-10

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

2138. The Penitential Psalm

Psalm 51:1-19

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

2139. A Pilgrim’s Prayer to Fulfill Vows at God’s House

Psalm 61:1-8

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

2140. The Conspiracy of the Nations

Psalm 83:1-18

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

2141. The Writing on the Wall

Daniel 5:1-31

Understanding Series

William Nelson

2142. Extreme Humility

John 13:1-15

Sermon

King Duncan

2143. Free Indeed!

John 8:31-36

Sermon

April Yamasaki

2144. The Underwater God

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

2145. Leadership--Two Examples

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

2146. Christ's Monarchy

Luke 23:33-43

Sermon

Molly F. James

2147. Second Sight

Luke 24:13-35

Sermon

Lori Wagner

2148. Sheep Just Wanna Have Fun

John 10:1-21, Psalm 23:1-6

Sermon

Lori Wagner

The museums are here to teach the history of art and something more as well, for, if they stimulate in the weak a desire to imitate, they furnish the strong with the means of their emancipation.

Edgar Degas

Susan B. Anthony

Showing results