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 2151 to 2175 of 4959 results

2151. There’s Gotta Be a Day

Malachi 4:1-6

Sermon

... loss of a sense of place was lamentations. Exile meant no guarantee of return, ever. In this instance they had returned with rejoicing. But that had been some years before. They had also begun the rebuilding of the temple, one of their passionate desires. But that had begun years before. Two great moments, they seemed great moments no more. If the two community preoccupations are no longer preoccupations, what’s left? Not surprisingly, the focus now turns to the self. The long-range view isn’t paying ...

2152. My dear friends, let us play.

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Sermon

Kendall McCabe

... . We come to church to learn something we did not know before, no matter how irrelevant to living it may be. Sometimes we even prefer to keep it that way. Yesterday's great preacher, Harry Emerson Fosdick, said no one ever came to church with a burning desire to learn what happened to the Jebusites. But when I am confronted with learning about the Jebusites or about what is happening to the people in the low-rent housing two blocks from here, I am tempted to go for the Jebusites every time. (And, I might ...

2153. The Third Sunday in Lent

John 4:1-26

Sermon

Kendall McCabe

... only in serving that we come to realize what the really important questions are! In spite of the obstacles the woman put between herself and Jesus, Jesus persisted in revealing himself to her as her Savior, as the one who could satisfy the deepest needs and desires of her life and make her like herself once again. The Eucharistic preface used in the Roman Catholic Church on this day makes the point clearly: When he asked the woman of Samaria for water to drink, Christ had already prepared for her the gift ...

2154. The Fifth Sunday of Easter

John 14:1-4

Sermon

Kendall McCabe

... recognized the truth of the matter. In spite of all the good will the ecumenical movement had engendered, the fact was we were still a long way from being "together again." History, dogma, misunderstandings, would all work to interfere with the unity Christ desires for his church. We knew the facts. But the woman knew the truth, the truth as it is in Christ. She recognized, in the experience shared that weekend, a new unity had been achieved, regardless of what the professional theologians and ecclesiastics ...

2155. The Sixth Sunday of Easter

John 14:15-31

Sermon

Kendall McCabe

... That is part of what it means to be baptized into Christ. We share in his ministry. Christ seeks to come to all the world through us until no one feels orphaned or alone. Wherever one soul is softly moaning, "Sometimes I feel like a motherless chile," Christ desires to be, and he calls upon us to help him get there: to the unemployed and desperate, to the rejected and oppressed, to the feared and misunderstood, to your partner in the pew, and to your neighbor down the street. Christ, broken in the bread and ...

2156. The Ladder of Success

Genesis 2:4-25

Sermon

Paul Hegele

... what to do with herself during summer vacation. Charlie Brown's advice? "Start a new hobby. The people who get the most out of life are those who really try to accomplish something." "Accomplish something," says Lucy, "I thought we were just supposed to keep busy." The desire to be successful can be good. The trouble starts, though, when we want too much success. The trouble starts because, no matter how far up the ladder of success we climb, we want to go higher. Given a Garden of Eden, we still want to be ...

2157. Christ's Passion Portraits

Isaiah 50:1-11

Sermon

Paul Hegele

... it should be a portrait of Christ. The question was - what should Jesus look like? Five hundred years before Christ's birth, Isaiah had predicted he would have "no form or comeliness that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him." Except for the unnerving remark, the Bible never mentions Jesus' appearance. So, which of the scores of paintings available should we choose? Everyone had a favorite. The youth representative to the committee had torn from a catalog a picture of a laughing ...

2158. The Focus of Fitness

Jeremiah 18:1--19:15

Sermon

... 100 years ago, to see our popular interest in exercise, what might they think? Back in those days, there wasn’t time or energy to take 45 minutes jogging or lifting, just for the sake of exercise. They might consider us a little bit daffy. Along with the desire for fitness are the many suggested diets by which to lose weight. "Getting in shape" for many people means losing ten, twenty, thirty or more pounds. Many of the plans claim that theirs is the "easy" way. But is there an easy way? Some of you have ...

2159. Honest to Goodness Religion

Hosea 4:1-19

Sermon

"For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice." (v. 6) Prayer: Lord, Instill in us a sense of wonder that you really care what we do with our lives. Lead us to a greater appreciation of your love so we may never take it for granted. Amen There is a captivating story written ...

2160. Let God Be God

John 3:1-21

Sermon

Dean Lueking

... came to Jesus by night, out of fear of being found out. No doubt he did come with concern that some of his fellow Pharisees might see him and report his visit. But the point is that he came. He came with a sense of searching and desire to know more of this unconventional rabbi from Galilee who was performing such signs as Jerusalem had not seen before. Jesus gave Nicodemus far more than the man was seeking. Before the conversation is two or three sentences along, it is clear that our Lord is taking ...

2161. Parable of the Lapel Pin

Matthew 10:1-42

Illustration

... or most any kind of pin. The pin stands for what you belong to or what you believe in," counseled the mother. Billy was expressing a basic need of wanting to belong, of being identified with something of which he might be proud. It is a worthy desire. God wants us to belong to His Kingdom. To identify ourselves with Him. Christians are expected to identify themselves with Christ. Jesus said, "He who confesses Me before men, him will I confess before my Father in Heaven and he who denies Me before men, him ...

2162. A Place for You

John 14:1-4

Sermon

Dean Lueking

... in so great a measure that we have no words to describe it. Eye has not seen, nor has ear heard what good things God has prepared for those who love him. Christian hope makes it possible to look beyond the fulfillment of urgent wishes and pressing desires and offers a vision beyond suffering here and beyond our death. This hope is not based on our self-confidence or upon any of our specific expectations of the future. It rests upon God’s promise in his Son. This promise not only made Abraham travel to ...

2163. That They May Be One

John 17:6-19

Sermon

Dean Lueking

... be no doubt in my mind that all of you present would answer yes. If I could ask you another question, "... and would you be willing to die for the cause of unity among Christians?" I would anticipate a very different response. It is one thing to agree to the desirability of Christian unity. It is quite another to lay down one’s life for that cause. You and I are not called upon to lay down our lives so that believers in Christ Jesus could be one. That has already been done for us. Our task is to hear this ...

2164. Your Calling from God

Genesis 12:1-8

Sermon

... , consider your calling from God. That does not necessarily mean leaving or giving up something, but rather giving something for God’s sake to the world. Remember that Jesus gave up his glory with the Father and became like one of us, identifying with our humanity and our desire to be fully human, to save us. His willingness to go on the mission, on which the Father sent him, caused him to be crucified by those he had come to save. Yet God raised him up to glory and "gave Him a name which is above every ...

2165. Whose Meal Is It?

Exodus 12:1-30

Sermon

... was in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. He was there to participate with his disciples. In particular, in celebrating the Passover, he told them that they really did not know how much he wanted to celebrate the Passover with them. "I have earnestly desired to celebrate this Passover with you," he said. So they went and made preparations in the upper room and they gathered and celebrated the Passover. As one said to the other, "Remember...?" Jesus added this new dimension. I paraphrase his words: "I am ...

2166. Chosen as Witnesses

Acts 10:23b-48

Sermon

... Jesus Christ, but also for us. We can share with him his eternity. What a glorious day! What a wonderful faith! Where did we get this faith? Did it arise out of human aspirations to be able to live forever? Was it born in the human desire to go on living and somehow to be able to experience immortality so that philosophies of understanding were developed, which finally became doctrines of faith? Or did God create this possibility? Through our faith and our experience of the Living God did we come to believe ...

2167. The Source of Power

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

... each other differently and to be able to communicate. One of the amazing, perplexing experiences of Pentecost was that they were able to communicate in one Spirit. When we see ourselves and others in the perspective of God’s saving power and love, we are freed from our desires to manipulate or to use someone else to satisfy our own needs and ends. We are freed from our fear of having to save ourselves from another because of what we are afraid they might do to us. God can save us. When we claim that it is ...

2168. Parable at the Candy Store

Proverbs 16:16

Illustration

Staff

... of a candy bar. It was an easy decision. The youngest child had learned that, though she loved chocolate, it was not good for her skin and she must choose something more suitable, which she did. The third child was so confused with the number of choices and the desire to please her father that she was unable to make a choice. The father loved all the children regardless, but he knew that each one must learn to make his own choices in order to be happy in life. He knew that failure to make a choice was in ...

2169. Jesus Knows

John 14:15-31

Children's Sermon

... a very special name, Pentecost. Did you know that something we all love very much was born on this day? That's right, many years ago today the Church was born, and it has lived a wonderful life. Maybe we should sing Happy Birthday to the Church. [Sing if desired.] That was great! It is good to remember the Church and thank God for all that has happened during its lifetime. I have something else to remember with you this morning. A long time ago there was a great baseball player by the name of Babe Ruth. How ...

2170. The Resurrection of Our Lord

Acts 10:23b-48, Exodus 10:1-20, 1 Corinthians 15:12-34, John 20:1-9, John 20:10-18, Colossians 3:1-17

Sermon Aid

... 15:32-44) c. This risen body was both recognizable and unrecognizable. Jesus could eat and still be spiritual enough to pass through closed doors. (Luke 24:42; John 20:19) d. The resurrection was an act of God. Jesus did not rise on his own power or desire. God promised through the prophets that he would destroy death and save his people. He sent his Son to die and rise again. It was God who raised Jesus from the dead. (Acts 11:30) e. The resurrection is not a happy ending to a tragic story to make ...

2171. Easter 5

Jn 13:31-35 · Acts 13:44-52; 14:8-18; 21-27 · Rev 21:1-5

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... the way out - v. 1 b. God is in the new world - vv. 2-3 c. Living conditions in the new world - v. 4 WORSHIP RESOURCES Prayer of the Day: "O God, form the minds of your faithful people into a single will. Make us love what you command and desire what you promise, that, amid all the changes of this world, our hearts may be fixed where true joy is found." Hymn of the Day: "Lord of all nations, Grant me Grace" Theme of the Day: What's New in Religion? Gospel - A new commandment. Lesson 1 - A new understanding ...

2172. Pentecost

Jn 14:8-17, 25-27; 20:19-23 · Acts 2:1-21 · 1 Cor 3-7, 12-13 · Gen 11:1-9

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... not communicate nor understand one another. As a result, the city and tower were unfinished. Lesson 2: Acts 2:1-21 1. Together (v. 1). The Holy Spirit comes as a communal experience. The Apostles were assembled in Jerusalem. They were together in their desire for the Spirit. They were together in prayer and in faith in Christ as Lord. Together they were hoping for the Spirit. The Spirit is a gathering force, and he comes when believers are in unanimity. 2. Utterance (v. 4). The Spirit gave the Disciples ...

2173. Proper 6

Lk 7:36--8:3 · Gal 2:11-21 · 1 Ki 19:1-8

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... Queen Jezebel who sends a messenger to Elijah to tell him that within twenty-four hours she will have his life. Scared to death Elijah flees to Beersheba and to the wilderness out of the reach of Jezebel. Under a broom tree alone, he sits discouraged, depressed, and desires death. He falls asleep but Yahweh as an angel comes to him with food and drink and twice orders him to eat that he might have strength to go to Mount Horeb. In this story we see a paradox: Elijah is afraid to die at the hands of Jezebel ...

2174. Proper 11

Lk 10:38-42 · Col 1:21-29 · Gen 18:1-10 · 2 Ki 4:8-17

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... and to talk about spiritual affairs. We can miss the words of eternal life from Jesus by being too busy about things that are of minor importance. 3. Needful (v. 42). Jesus told Martha that "one thing is needful." There are numberless things we may desire but not need. Our luxuries have become necessities until a disaster takes them away. Then we realize that we really did not need them. People managed and were happy even when they did not have automobiles, radio, TV, or computers. Of the various things ...

2175. PROPER 13

Lk 12:13-21 · Col 3:1-11 · Ecc 1:2; 2:18-26 · 2 Ki 13:14-20a

Sermon Aid

John R. Brokhoff

... and long for it, unless he inherited a fortune. To get ahead financially, a husband may work night and day, hold more than one job, and his wife may work, too. The question must often come to these people's minds: Is it worth the work? Are our material desires and standards too high? Are we missing out on the better things of life by giving all our time and effort to making money? Lesson 1 speaks to these questions. Outline: Is it worth the work? A. Work for wealth only is not worth it You must leave it ...

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