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 2426 to 2450 of 4961 results

2426. Treasured Relics

Matthew 25:14-30

Sermon

King Duncan

If you were asked to buy the tackiest gift imaginable, what would you buy? Martin Marty was once invited to a postnuptial party. He was asked to bring "a gift in the worst possible taste." The purpose was to embarrass the newly married couple. They would open their gifts standing in front of their family and friends and "ooh and aah" as they opened each tacky item. Marty found a five and dime store and began his search for the tackiest gift. To his delight he discovered a yellow plastic dove with a silver ...

2427. Dreaming Of Florida--awaking In Alaska

Revelation 7:9-17

Sermon

King Duncan

Near the end of 1981 a couple, Mr. and Mrs. Lewenetz, took a flight from Moscow to the United States to visit his father. When they emerged from their airplane at the end of the trip, they expected to find warm, sunny Florida. Instead, they found themselves in frigid Alaska. The couple did not even realize their mistake, however, until they tried to get a cabdriver to take them to the address of Mr. Lewenetz's father. Later a resident of the town who spoke Russian helped straighten out the problem. An ...

2428. Wrestling for a Blessing

Genesis 32:22-32

Sermon

James McCormick

The all night wrestling match with God reveals much of the meaning of Jacob’s life. The verses I just read report the events of only a few hours, but in those hours we see the meaning of his whole life. Jacob’s entire life had been a struggle. From the very beginning, he struggled with his twin brother, Esau. Jacob was his mother’s favorite. But he knew that Esau, his brother, was his father Isaac’s favorite. It was a classic sibling rivalry which resulted in tragic consequences. You remember the story: ...

2429. He Breaks the Power of Cancelled Sin

John 8:1-11

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Dr. Carl Meninger, well-known psychiatrist, wrote a book a few years ago entitled, Whatever Became of Sin. In it, he reported how a stern, plainly dressed man appeared on a busy corner of Chicago’s Loop. As people passed by, he would from time-to-time solemnly lift his arm and point to a passerby and say just one word; “Guilty!” Then without changing expression, he would drop his arm. After a few seconds, he would raise his arm again, and with an accusing finger pointing at another person, he would utter ...

2430. Step By Step

Acts 11:1-18

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

[Show Cheaper by the Dozen breakfast Clip] Have you heard about the next Survivor Game show they have planned? Six men will be dropped off on an island with 1 van and 4 kids for 6 weeks. Each kid plays two sports and takes music or dance lessons. There's no access to fast food. Each man must take care of his 4 kids, keep his assigned house clean, correct all homework, complete science projects, cook, and do six loads of laundry a day. The men have access to television but only when the kids are asleep and ...

2431. The Thirteenth Apostle

Acts 9:1-19a

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

At the end of the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, there is a curious story of how the eleven remaining apostles filled the vacancy in the band of the Twelve left by Judas’ suicide. The record says that the choice came down to two: a man named “Joseph, called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.” (Acts 1:23, 26) But Matthias was never heard from again! Evidently some sort of ...

2432. What More Can He Give?

Colossians 1:15-23

Sermon

James McCormick

For 2000 years, the vitality of the Christian Church has been determined by what we have done with Jesus. When Jesus has been the center of our attention and we have sought to follow him as faithful disciples, then the Church has been strong. But when we have misplaced him amidst the clutter of our bureaucracy, or relegated him to a marginal place in our theology, then we have been weak and impotent. It’s always been true: As goes our relationship with Jesus, so goes the Church! The earliest Christian ...

2433. Get Real

John 15:1-11, 16

Sermon

James Merritt

Her name is Deborah Ricketts. If you ever go to the movies, you will often see her handiwork though you will never see her. She is never listed in the credits, although she ought to get credit for a lot of what you see in the movies. What is her job? She is an independent researcher for the film industry. For anyone who wants their movie to be truly authentic, not fake, the movie to be accurate and the facts to be reliable, all you have to do is send your script and a sizeable check to this former ...

2434. The Word Made Flesh

Luke 2:1-7

Drama

Lois Anne DeLong

Characters (in order of appearance) Father (Aaron) Benjamin Esther Mother Rebecca Ruth Joseph Mary Innkeeper (Daniel) Innkeeper’s Wife Leah Innkeeper’s Child 1 Innkeeper’s Child 2 First Shepherd Second Shepherd Third Shepherd Props Two tables Four chairs Door Scrolls Broom Pitcher of water Glasses Tray with food and bowls on it Blanket Towel Manger Star Notes This play draws together ancient prophecies from the book of Isaiah and the birth of Jesus, showing how his coming was a fulfillment of those ...

2435. Walk Together

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Sermon

King Duncan

A want ad appeared in the newspapers sometime back: "For sale: One 52year old husband. Never remembers anniversaries, birthdays, or special days. Seldom holds hands, hugs, kisses, or says, "I love you." Rarely is kind or tender. Will sell cheaptwo cents. Call 5550366. Will dicker. Heinrich Heine left this clause in his will: "I leave my entire estate to my wife on the condition that she remarry; then there will be at least one man to regret my death." Our theme for today is "Walking Together." At the end ...

2436. Keep Your Eye On The Ball

Nehemiah 6:1-14

Sermon

James Merritt

There is one thing that seven years at seminary never taught me. I learned a lot about Greek, Hebrew, sermon preparation, counseling, etc. but I didn't learn hardly anything about leadership. Nobody ever told me that the words "pastor" and "leader" are synonymous. Nobody ever told me, specifically about two aspects of leadership. First of all, the pressure of leadership and second the price of leadership. There is indeed great pressure in leadership and a high price for leadership. If you are a leader, I ...

2437. The Unbelief of the Jews

John 10:22-42

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The notation of time and place in verses 22–23 is intended to set the stage for a new encounter between Jesus and the Jerusalem authorities, not to locate the events of 9:1–10:19. The time frame of Jesus’ ministry, especially in Jerusalem, is provided by the Jewish religious festivals. The last of these to be mentioned was the autumn Feast of Tabernacles (7:2), the setting of chapters 7–8. Now it is winter and time for the Feast of Dedication (known today as Hanukkah); the events of 9:1–10:19 are assumed ...

2438. The Bethsaida Boys

Mark 8:31-38

Sermon

John Jamison

After Jesus was baptized by John, he went to spend time in the desert lands east of the Jordan River, to begin preparing for the work he was going to do. While he was there in the wilderness, he got word that John had been arrested and killed. It was then that he decided it was time to come back to Galilee and get to work. He traveled around Galilee, which is not a big place, and began preaching and teaching, picking up where John the Baptist had stopped. We could spend a lot of time talking about John’s ...

2439. The Spirit Of Pentecost

Acts 2:1-13

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

It was one of the most wonderful and exciting moments in the history of the Christian faith. The Holy Spirit had fallen fresh on the lives of believers. People were filled with the passion and fires of the Holy Ghost. They were shouting joy from all directions. They were gathered from every persuasion and city, every nation and province, all glorifying God, speaking in foreign tongues but understanding each other, expressing different voices but still in one accord. This was the time of Pentecost, when God ...

2440. Our Christian I.D.

Luke 4:1-13

Sermon

John M. Braaten

Given that you and I are reasonably good people, it probably does not amaze you to read that Jesus was able to overcome temptation. After all, like me, you've probably been able to do it yourself, many times. Admittedly, we have 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 ...

2441. Voluntary Blindness

Matthew 6:1-15

Sermon

Herchel H. Sheets

"Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." That sounds impossible, doesn’t it? Wholeness was a major emphasis of Jesus’ message, was it not? Is he here asking us to become split personalities? No, with purposeful exaggeration he is simply emphasizing that "theatrical virtue does not count in the Kingdom of God,"1 and that we, therefore, should pay little attention to our good deeds. Some of the people among whom he lived were doing just the opposite of that. They were "religious" ...

2442. Who Is Jesus Christ?

John 14:5-14

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

There is a familiar greeting which I try to use at the beginning of each and every worship service. It comes from Paul’s Second Letter to the Church at Corinth: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (II Cor. 13:14) Now, that may sound simple and even trite, but I would suggest that that sentence contains the essence of the Christian Faith. It is through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ that we come to know the love of God, in the ...

2443. The Gift of Newness

2 Corinthians 5:17-20

Sermon

James McCormick

What picture pops into your mind when someone says the word, “church”? Is it a picture that quickens your pulse and stirs your blood? Or, is it a picture more likely to encourage a snooze? Is it characterized more by excitement and adventure? Or more by dullness and predictability? If we are talking about the first century church, those questions are easy to answer. Those first century Christians became so excited about their message that onlookers accused them of being drunk. They became so energetic ...

2444. How to Live the Good Life (Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness)

Galatians 5:22

Sermon

James Merritt

The French philosopher, Jean Jacques Rousseau, once said, "Happiness is a good bank account, a good cook, and a good digestion." That is what he would call today "the good life." There are many today who would agree with him. There are some who say that the good life is physical. They believe it just doesn't get any better than a hot tub, a back rub, and a drink at the pub. But then there are others who say the good life is material. They think that if you've got the mansion, the Mercedes, and the money, ...

2445. Any Given Sunday

Acts 2:41-47

Sermon

James Merritt

A little boy was standing on the side of the road when a man drove by who was lost. He stopped and rolled down his window and said, "Son, how do you get to town?" The little boy said, "I don't know." He said, "Where is Route 20?" The little boy said, "I don't know." He said, "Where does this road go?" The little boy said, "I don't know." The man, now exasperated said, "What is the name of this street that I am on?" The little boy said, "I don't know." The man sighed and said, "Boy, you don't know anything ...

2446. Praise and Prayer

Isaiah 63:7--64:12

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

Where Are Your Zeal and Your Might?: As the chiasm in chapters 56–66 treads its return path, the vision of the battling warrior (63:1–6) paired with the one in 59:15b–20. This prayer, then, pairs with the prayer in 59:9–15a. As the new vision was bloodier, the new prayer is much longer and more urgent. It has the features of a lament on the part of the community such as those that appear in the Psalms and in Lamentations, but like some of them (and like chapter 62) it unfolds as more of a stream of ...

2447. The Story of Israel Now and Later

Romans 2:1-16

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Paul makes explicit the story of Israel. Obedience to God’s law was required for Israel to remain in covenantal relationship with God. But Israel repeatedly broke the law, and consequently divine judgment fell on Jews. Moreover, God’s judgment will fall on individual Jews on the final day of reckoning if they do not repent by accepting Jesus as the Messiah. Understanding the Text In placing Romans 2:1–11 in its literary context, we focus in from the big picture of 1:18–3:20, which condemns all of ...

2448. New Creations

2 Corinthians 5:6-10; 14-17

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

This Sunday marks the beginning of a new Conference appointment. Even though I'm being reappointed as pastor of St. John the Apostle, each year is a new appointment. Preachers are only appointed one year at a time. That's part of our system for insuring that every church has a pastor and every pastor has a church. The final piece of business at every Annual Conference is the reading of appointments. It's exciting to hear all the names of all the churches and the pastors who will be serving them read aloud ...

2449. The Pageant

Luke 2:8-20, Luke 2:1-7

Drama

Jerry Eckert

[Comment: Emmanuel Church in Horicon was nothing like Faith Church, Milwaukee. There was talent galore, except, it appeared, in theatrical skills. Only one person in the church was active in a community theater and no one seemed to think it should be part of church life. There was no stage in the fellowship hall and the sanctuary was not particularly conducive to plays because there was no lighting except the normal room lights, which gave little flexibility for variations. There was a resistance to ...

2450. When Will The Pain Go Away?

Matthew 24:1-35

Sermon

George Johnson

A young mother in her 30s with three children came to her pastor to talk about her husband's impending death. He was dying of cancer. "I'm afraid," she said. The pastor listened and asked a few questions to help her express her fear. One of the questions he asked was, "Are you afraid of losing your faith?" There was silence. "Yes," she said. And then there were more tears. There are times when one feels abandoned by God. If God really loved me would this be happening? Prayers don't seem to be answered. All ...

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