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 2301 to 2325 of 4961 results

2301. With Malice toward None, With Charity for All

Matthew 5:43-48

Sermon

James Merritt

In his second Inaugural address, March 4, 1865, just a little over a month before he would be assassinated, Abraham Lincoln uttered these immortal words: With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan—to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and ...

2302. Show Me Your Baptismal Certificate

Mark 1:9-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

At your baptism, you are given an identity as a follower of Jesus. For the past thirty years or more, the church has tried to find its identity, not in baptism, but in leadership. Leadership is a function. Being a disciple is an identity. Let’s explore this morning why this confusion of categories is so important, and so debilitating to the body of Christ. “What’s in your wallet”? That is the take-away line for a credit card company that wants their card to be front and center in your wallet. Forget the ...

2303. John the Baptist

Matthew 3:1-12, Matthew 3:13-17

Sermon

David E. Leininger

A time to put your imagination to work this morning. The scene is a large, ornate room in the palace of Herod the king. In it, you and others who comprise the best and the brightest in all of Judea - religious leaders, politicians, courtiers. There is an air of expectation in the hall, for you are about to meet a man whose reputation has spread across the land. The king's men have arrested him after reports that he has denounced Herod's marriage to Herodias, until recently the wife of Herod's brother ...

2304. The Glory of the New Covenant

2 Corinthians 3:7-17; 4:1-6

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

In contrast to the death that the law brings because of the people’s inability to obey, Paul affirms that the Spirit gives life. According to Ezekiel, the life-giving Spirit is the central feature of the prophetic expectation of the restoration from exile. After the people have been punished and purged and brought again through the wilderness in a “new exodus,” they will be given a new Spirit that will reanimate the nation dead in its trespasses and sins (cf. Ezek. 11:19; 18:31; 36:26). The Vision of the ...

2305. Is It I, Lord?

Mark 14:12-26

Sermon

Erskine White

"Is it I, Lord; is it I?" That's the haunting question the disciples asked on that Maundy Thursday night so long ago and the question searches the human heart this evening. Jesus said to them, "One of you will betray Me," and immediately the room was filled with the sound of excited voices talking all at once: "Is it I, Lord; is it I?" A well-known preacher of the last century (Phillips Brooks) remarked that the disciples showed real virtue in asking that question. They didn't try to blame one another. ...

2306. God Makes The First Move

John 6:25-59

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

As I was walking the beautiful Augusta National Golf Course several weeks ago; I noticed .the famous German golfer, Bernard Langer, practicing for the Masters. He is a two-time winner of that prestigious tournament. As I watched him, I thought about his personal testimony which he offers far and wide. Langer says that when he won the Masters in 1985, his priorities were golf, golf, and more golf, then himself, then a little time with his wife, and occasionally a nod toward God. He says that if his golf was ...

2307. She Waits

Acts 1:1-11, Luke 24:50-53, Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.” John 14:2-3 “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.” John 14:26 “Instead, your hearts are filled with sorrow because I have told you these ...

2308. Hiltgunt Margaret Zassenhaus

Deuteronomy 31:1-8

Sermon

Carroll Gunkel

One of the members of our congregation recently underwent eye surgery. When I visited her, she commented favorably on the gentleness, the compassion, and the concern of the surgeon who had performed the operation. She commented further on the number of people he helped and yet, at the same time, was never too busy to carefully explain what he would do in the course of surgery. Furthermore, the parishioner continued, every other month the surgeon went to Puerto Rico to work for one week in a free clinic. ...

2309. Is It Too Late? ... Continued

Matthew 25:14-30

Sermon

George Johnson

Today we continue the sermon started last week. Our text is the familiar story of the talents in Matthew 25. We are concentrating on the care of the earth and its environment as an example of a talent - a responsibility - that God has given us. God has entrusted to us this property to care for. We are asking what it means to be a responsible steward of creation? And what are the consequences if we bury this talent? When you listen to the tone of a person's voice you can often catch a feeling of how serious ...

2310. Old and New

Mk 2:22 · 2 Cor 5:17 · Is 43:19

Sermon

Robert Noblett

Something old, something new; Something borrowed, something blue. That’s what the old rhyme suggests every new bride ought to have on her person come the wedding day. We’re not going to spend any time talking about "borrowed" and "blue," but we do want to spend some time on "old" and "new." Those words have a way of cropping up more than just occasionally. Nearly every day we hear them used. They are used religiously. "As for me," says Carol, "you can give me that old-time religion." They are used ...

2311. Away In a Manger

Luke 2:1-7

Sermon

James Merritt

I want to share with you three stories, that take place in three different nations, that illustrate a central truth about Christmas. The headline read "Japan Goes Wild for Ho-Ho Holiday." A nation, made up almost entirely of Shinto and Buddhist believers, has taken to celebrating "Kurisumasu" with the heartiest of Ho-Ho-Hos. The season is marked by extravagant gift-giving, with shoppers lined up for blocks outside of expensive department stores. Red-garbed choirs give enthusiastic if uncertain voice to " ...

2312. Battle Stations

Ephesians 6:10-18

Sermon

James Merritt

If you are in the military, and especially in the Navy, you will recognize the command "Battle Stations." Whenever a military man hears this he knows to get to his post, lock and load, make sure the safety is off, the trigger is pulled back, and he is ready to fire and ready to fight. I've already told you that every Christian on earth is at war. We were born at war with God because we are born in sin. But when we lay down our arms at the cross of Jesus Christ in unconditional surrender, God declares peace ...

2313. The Living Stone and a Chosen People

1 Peter 2:4-12

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

The Stone—Living and Deadly Peter now turns from exhorting his readers to conduct that befits their life within the believing community to inviting them to consider the nature of that community which Christ has brought into existence. 2:4 The shift to stone from the figure of “milk” (v. 2) is unexpected and seemingly without reason. But for a Jewish reader there is a natural succession of ideas in this passage—not milk: stone, but the Hebraic one of babes: house. A helpful illustration is in Genesis 16:2. ...

2314. The Impending Departure I

John 14:1-4, John 14:5-14, John 14:15-31

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The single theme of the first block of teaching material is developed in dialogue form, with a series of questions and answers (13:36–14:24) ending with a postscript in the form of a monologue (14:25–31). Each question is occasioned by a previous statement of Jesus, so that each interchange has three parts: Jesus’ initial statement, the question that it occasions, and Jesus’ answer to the question. In all, four disciples take their turn as inquirers: Peter, Thomas, Philip, and Judas (not “the son of Simon ...

2315. Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

John 14:15-31, John 14:1-4, John 14:5-14

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

2316. Whatever Became of Sin?

Romans 5:12-21

Sermon

Robert G. Tuttle

Death pervaded the whole human race, inasmuch as all men have sinned. But, its effect is vastly exceeded by the grace of God and the gift that came to so many by the grace of one man, Jesus Christ (Romans 5:12, 15 NEB). Paul puts it more succinctly in 1 Corinthians 15:21: "As by man came death, by man comes also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive." William Barclay explains: "Sin had man in its power. There was no hope. Into this situation there came ...

2317. The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Acts 20:13-38

Sermon

James Merritt

Let me begin with a story of a Christmas that a certain young man would never forget. It was the first time that he had been given money by his parents so he could go and buy them a Christmas gift. For several years he was always getting something from his parents, but never giving anything to his parents. He finally realized one day, “Something is wrong with this picture.” Being too young to work and not being smart enough to ask for an allowance he went to his mom and dad and offered to do some extra ...

2318. For a Man in His Sixties

Philippians 4:2-9

Eulogy

Louis M. Pratt

Dealing With Suicide Philippians 4:4-13 This funeral was for a man in his sixties who committed suicide. The message is an attempt to deal with the subject in a sensitive and caring manner. The death of a loved one is always a tragedy. It is doubly so when that loved one has taken his own life. Today, we have come together to share the sorrow of all the Carpenters at the suicide of their husband and father, L. T. Not only grief, but guilt and anger are normal feelings when faced with the death of a loved ...

2319. Can a Christian Go to Hell?

Matthew 7:15-23

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord", shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. [Matthew 7:21] If as a Christian you land in heaven, will you be surprised? Once a pastor was invited back by his former congregation to speak for an anniversary celebration. A dear old lady came up to him and said, "And, of course, you know about my dear husband, Albert. Since you left, dear Albert died and has gone to heaven." Since he vaguely remembered Albert as one ...

2320. Worn Out? Tired? Weary?

Matthew 11:25-30

Sermon

Louis H. Valbracht

In both his Letter to the Galatians and his Letter to the Thessalonians, Saint Paul, without equivocation, admonishes us all NOT to be weary. And then, paradoxically almost, in 2 Corinthians, we find that he is after all, human himself, and he admits that he himself has often been weary. Perhaps it’s the most used expression in our conversation: "I’m tired! I’m beat! I’m dead! I’m weary! I’m worn out! I’ve had it!" Christian people are supposed to feel beneath them the everlasting arms. Instead, they feel ...

2321. Who Can Ask for Anything More?

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Sermon

Fredrick R. Harm

Those who have read Charles Dickens' famous story, Oliver Twist, will recall that little Oliver, still hungry after receiving the thin gruel doled out to him in the orphanage, was always saying, "More, please." Whether we are entitled to more or not, we human beings are very much like Oliver. We are always saying, one way or another, "We want more." Who was it that first said, "Enough is always a little more than a man has"? Philosophers and sages of long ago were sure that happiness does not lie in ...

2322. Crucified, Dead, and Buried

John 19:17-27, John 19:28-37, John 19:38-42

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The mention of the soldiers by the NIV in verse 16b makes the natural and probably correct assumption that it was the Roman soldiers of verse 23 who took charge of Jesus. Though the verb took charge is, strictly speaking, used impersonally (i.e., “they” took charge of Jesus, or Jesus “was taken into custody”; see the first note on 18:28), its close link with verse 16a suggests the continuing involvement of the chief priests (and their officials) in all that happened. Clearly, they are present, as is Pilate ...

2323. The Death of Jesus

John 19:28-37, John 19:17-27, John 19:38-42

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

2324. The Burial of Jesus

John 19:38-42, John 19:17-27, John 19:28-37

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

2325. Scandal

Luke 22:14-23:56

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

While Don Richardson was a student at Prairie Bible Institute in the 1950s, his heart burned in anticipation of bringing the good news about Jesus to an unreached tribe. He and Carol found their prayers answered in 1962 as they sailed out of Vancouver harbor toward Netherlands New Guinea. Before long, they were deposited by a missionary plane among the Sawi people, a group of tribes living in the trees of the interior rain forest. The jungle floor was too damp for permanent dwellings, so the Sawi helped ...

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