Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: complain, moan, groan, whine, mutter, grouse, bleat, carp, cavil, protest, rumble, gurgle, murmur, growl, roar, complaint, muttering, grievance, objection, protestation, quibble, criticism, charge, accusation

Showing 1 to 25 of 154 results

1. Your Faith: Winning or Whining?

Hebrews 11:1-40

Sermon

Eric Ritz

... for the patient acquisition of virtue, little inclination to sign up for a long apprenticeship in what earlier generations of Christians called holiness." It will be extremely difficult for any of us to have a faith that is winsome and holistic if all we do is whine about the preparation and diligence needed to reach the goal of a winning faith. You know your faith is growing and is fruitful when you can say no to adversity and yes to the present moment and to the future that God is always opening up ...

2. Generations

John 4:1-26

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... the boomers, you must Get Relevant, if you want to reach the busters you must Get Real. At times it seems busters turn everything into a whine-fest, as if they were another depression generation, not sometimes because they have cause to whine, but because it's chic to whine, to display angst and anomie. In the midst of their whine fests, however, busters have demonstrated remarkable creativity in getting their feelings across to the culture. Of course, the deeper question is whether or not busters have ...

3. A Song Sung Blue

1 Samuel 1:1-20

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... ’s goodness. It is more like the singing of whales, clearly a language, but not a language imprisoned in the twenty-six letters of an alphabet. Elsie laments what has happened and is happening to her, but it is lamenting that is dynamic and not static. Her whining is a way through which Elsie is pushing the limits of her life up against the reality of death so that she can win through to death’s beyond. So it is that we have this sad song from David, so thoroughly soaked with the importance and richness ...

4. Unto Us

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

Will Willimon

... , all mittoned, stuffed in new coats with drool down the fronts, clutching recent acquisitions meant to pacify them for the trip to Cleveland. Over Illinois and through the Chicago vector to Grandmas's house we fly. ''Say excuse me, Gabriella," a mid-Western, nasal voice whined. I looked up from my paper to see a small face topped by a sprig of artificial green and red, pushing now persistently at my knees, attempting wordlessly to shove herself into the seats beside me. ''Oh, let me get out and let you in ...

5. Allowing God To Do A New Thing

Isaiah 43:14-28

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

... saying, "Well, don't fight it. Come in and join us." This woman's gift for openness to life and creativity was reflected in a large giraffe that stood at her doorway. Attached to the giraffe was an international "No Whining" sign. And surely, she would not have tolerated whining in her room. How many of us see children as representing drudgery and responsibility? This woman did not. She saw them as representing an opportunity for her to express her love with freedom and creativity. That is the perspective ...

6. Good Guys And Bad Guys Alike

Genesis 37:1-11, 12-36

Sermon

Steve Burt

... with a different character than usual. Look at this story of Joseph and his brothers. We usually identify with Joseph, don't we? Today let's try to understand the position of the father and the brothers. Joseph was Jacob's eleventh son, Dad's pet. Maybe he whined a lot to get his needs met, was a con artist. One day Dad gave him a fabulous coat, better than anything the others got. That burned their buns. The text says "they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him." Now remember, we're identifying ...

7. The Christian Journey III: The Desert

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). Circumstances may try us but we, by God's grace, determine our response. Those who were nourished in the wilderness had no more manna to eat than the Israelites who whined for cucumbers and onions. As Paul put it in 1 Corinthians 10:13, "No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing will also provide the way out ...

8. The Ten Commandments #4: The Sabbath

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... on the Boardwalk. We would be permitted to do so with the proviso that no money be spent. Well, that was like holding a red flag in front of a bull. We would get up to the Boardwalk, and immediately I would begin whining about how much I wanted some ice cream. We walked and I whined. Finally, she would relent and buy me what I wanted, but she would sternly say, "Now don't tell your parents about this." When we got back home, the first thing out of my little mouth was "Mommy, Daddy, guess what Aunt Dawn ...

9. Look Up and Live

Numbers 21:4-9

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... complaining and criticizing among God's people, but we know it did not. It goes on all the time, even to this day, despite the fact that it does no one any good. Some wag has noted Jesus could turn water into wine, but has never been able to turn whinING into anything. Sometimes we might NEED snakes. There is a story of three men who live on a ranch out West, the father John, the sons, Jake and Joe. They never had any use for the church until one day Jake is bitten by a rattlesnake. The doctor is summoned ...

10. Grumblers Among God's People

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

... gas station to fill up and let the six children go to the bathroom. A few minutes later he pulled away, not realizing that one of the girls was still in the bathroom. The other five children whined, "You forgot Peggy!" Instead of listening to them, he drove on angrily demanding that they be quiet and stop whining. After having driven for nearly an hour, he calmed down enough to realize the mistake. When he turned around to go back he said, "Why didn't someone tell me!?" Leaders who are oversensitive tend to ...

11. He Was Afflicted

Isaiah 63:7-14

Sermon

King Duncan

... 's Day. So for anyone who didn't get what they wanted, for all those who are worn out and frazzled, for all those who absolutely hate holiday cheer, give yourselves permission today to rant and rave and vent and whine all you want. This is your special day. (1) It's amazing how little whining there is in the Bible. The people of the Bible lived much more difficult lives than we do. Would you want to live in a world without modern drugs, for example, including anesthetics? Neither would I. Life was short, it ...

12. Keep on Praying

Luke 18:1-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... of the universe that your kid (regardless of age) is going to suddenly, desperately need whatever is being sold by the check-out stand in that particular aisle. Whether it's the gum aisle, the candy aisle, the cough drop aisle, or the battery aisle, cajoling, whining, nagging, begging, even out-right crying and screaming is sure to break out as the desired goody is passed. The child knows that if they beg, moan, screech, or scream long and loud enough, there's a good chance that the adult-in-charge may cave ...

13. When You Are Up And Out

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... days. Mid-life crises are for real. A little man who is up a tree. Maybe he is feeing what Chuck Swindol calls the “lonely whine of the top dog.” It’s lonely at the top; people are jealous of you. You are not sure whom you can trust and the ... stops on your desk. You got what you want, but you are not sure you want what you got. Maybe he is feeling the lonely whine of a top dog. He is looking for something more. He is longing for something different and he is anxious to meet somebody who can make ...

14. Losers, Weepers

Isaiah 49:8-16a

Sermon

Tony Everett

... you notice the past tense of many verbs in this text so far? God has answered, has helped, has kept (Isaiah 49:8-9), and has comforted (Isaiah 49:13). Sadly, the losers-weepers didn't get it, yet. In the very next verse (v. 14), the whining complaint of the loser prevailed. They still saw themselves as helpless and hopeless, forgotten by the Lord. They seemed to be unwilling and unable to understand and accept what God had already done to change their perspective from loser to victor. If they could not see ...

15. Why Did You Bring Us Out of Egypt?

Exodus 17:1-7

Sermon

Schuyler Rhodes

... make it their business to be certain that no leaders can rise up to move the people. Anyone who tries to step into roles of leadership becomes a target, and if that person has any skeletons in his or her closet, they will be revealed. The truth is that we whine a lot. We complain endlessly and are strikingly similar to the Israelites as they shook their fists at Moses and shouted, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt, anyway? Did you lead us out here so we would die of thirst?" No one is suggesting that blind ...

16. Look Up and Live

Numbers 21:4-9

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... complaining and criticizing among God's people, but we know it did not. It goes on all the time, even to this day, despite the fact that it does no one any good. Some wag has noted Jesus could turn water into wine, but has never been able to turn whining into anything. Sometimes we might need snakes. There is a story of three men who live on a ranch out west, the father, John, and his sons, Jake and Joe. They never had any use for the church until one day Jake is bitten by a rattlesnake. The doctor is ...

17. Joy Is for Leaping

Song of Songs 2:8-13

Sermon

Donna Schaper

... I am a Hindu because of sculptured cones of red kumkum powder and baskets of yellow turmeric nuggets, because of garlands of flowers and pieces of broken coconut, because of the clanging of bells to announce one's arrival to God, because of the whine of the reedy nadaswaram and the beating of drums, because of the patter of bare feet against stone floors down dark corridors pierced by shafts of sun light, because of the fragrance of incense, because of flames of arati lamps circling in the darkness, because ...

18. The Natural Look

Luke 9:28-36 (37-43)

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

... sand, all those people turn into beasts — whiny, bitter, stiff-necked children — who blame Moses for the misery and the despair of their unfinished lives. Moses, it turns out, is no prince himself. He mumbles when he should be eloquent. He whines and complains about all his whining and complaining people. He regularly feels terrified. And when he does not feel terrified, he seethes with anger. Through it all, he carries on a verbal tug-of-war with this jerk named God who somehow dragged him into this ...

19. Massah and Meribah

Exodus 17:1-7

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... “Is the Lord among us or not?” “What if you’re the only one who sees God?! What if it’s your word against the baking sand?!” And the Lord heard their prayers….. Yes, that’s what I said. The Lord heard their prayers…even carping, whining prayers, even massah, meribah prayers. And God answered them, not merely by giving them something cool and wet to drink, but by proving that the Lord IS truly among us, even if sometimes, we cannot see Him. God told Moses to strike the Rock at Horeb. Lo ...

20. Raison d’Etre

Matthew 5:13-16, Matthew 5:17-20

Sermon

Dean Feldmeyer

... a man to sit like that in the snow and make no fire. As the twilight drew on, its eager yearning for the fire mastered it, and with a great lifting and shifting of forefeet, it whined softly, then flattened its ears down in anticipation of being chided by the man. But the man remained silent. Later, the dog whined loudly. And still later it crept close to the man and caught the scent of death. This made the animal bristle and back away. A little longer it delayed, howling under the stars that leaped and ...

21. Topsy-turvy Christianity

Luke 6:17-26, Luke 6:27-36

Sermon

J. Will Ormond

... Followers of Jesus may be victims, but they are not to regard themselves as such, being shaped and determined by the hostilities and abuse unleashed on them. Rather, they are to take the initiative, not by responding in kind, or by playing dead, or by whining. They are not to react but to act according to the kingdom principles of love, forgiveness, and generosity. Such behavior ... is a pursuit of that life one learns from God who does not reciprocate but who is kind even to the ungrateful and the selfish ...

22. The Tenth Meal

Sermon

Robert F. Scott

... ha' seen him upon the tree. He cried no cry when they drave the nails And the blood gushed hot and free, The hounds of the crimson sky gave tongue But never a cry cried he. I ha' seen him cow a thousand men On the hills o' Galilee, They whined as he walked out calm between, Wi' his eyes like the gray o' the sea. Like the sea that brooks no voyaging With the winds unleased and free, Like the sea that he cowed at Gennesaret Wi' twey words spoke' suddenly. A master of men was the Goodly Fere, A ...

23. Life's Loose Threads and The Tie That Binds

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Sermon

Robert S. Crilley

... slaves. No doubt, in some respect, the sheep proved easier, and in almost every respect, better company. Small wonder Yahweh had heard the Hebrews complaining in captivity -- they were good at it! Indeed, Moses' own ears had been ringing with their incessant whining ever since. Like some group of disgruntled tourists, when they weren't griping about the accommodations, they were bellyaching about the food or lack thereof. They were constantly murmuring that things would've been a whole lot simpler if they'd ...

24. Good News, Bad News, Good News

John 13:1-17

Sermon

Thomas Long

... from the roughest professor on campus, not in spite of, but because she hasn't given an A since 1953. They arenn't drafted by the Army; they volunteer for the Marines. No Novacaine for them at the dentist, no sir. Unlike many others, these folks don't whine; they don't grumble; they don't look for the easy way out. The tougher things get, the more they thrive. So, when they arrive at a biblical text like ours today, the story about Jesus washing the disciples' feet, their approach is, "Okay, don't sugar ...

25. The Christian Journey IV: The Pool

Sermon

John N. Brittain

... communion with God, of receiving and meditating on the law, of trusting God for everything. Circumstances may try us, but we, by God's grace, determine our response. Those who were nourished in the wilderness had no more manna to eat than the Israelites who whined for cucumbers and onions. As Paul put it in 1 Corinthians 10:13: "No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide ...

Showing results

Showing 1 to 25 of 154 results

1. Your Faith: Winning or Whining?

Hebrews 11:1-40

Sermon

Eric Ritz

2. Generations

John 4:1-26

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

3. A Song Sung Blue

1 Samuel 1:1-20

Sermon

Robert Noblett

4. Unto Us

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

Will Willimon

5. Allowing God To Do A New Thing

Isaiah 43:14-28

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

6. Good Guys And Bad Guys Alike

Genesis 37:1-11, 12-36

Sermon

Steve Burt

7. The Christian Journey III: The Desert

Sermon

John N. Brittain

8. The Ten Commandments #4: The Sabbath

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

David E. Leininger

9. Look Up and Live

Numbers 21:4-9

Sermon

David E. Leininger

10. Grumblers Among God's People

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

11. He Was Afflicted

Isaiah 63:7-14

Sermon

King Duncan

12. Keep on Praying

Luke 18:1-8

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

13. When You Are Up And Out

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

14. Losers, Weepers

Isaiah 49:8-16a

Sermon

Tony Everett

15. Why Did You Bring Us Out of Egypt?

Exodus 17:1-7

Sermon

Schuyler Rhodes

16. Look Up and Live

Numbers 21:4-9

Sermon

David E. Leininger

... complaining and criticizing among God's people, but we know it did not. It goes on all the time, even to this day, despite the fact that it does no one any good. Some wag has noted Jesus could turn water into wine, but has never been able to turn whining into anything. Sometimes we might need snakes. There is a story of three men who live on a ranch out west, the father, John, and his sons, Jake and Joe. They never had any use for the church until one day Jake is bitten by a rattlesnake. The doctor is ...

17. Joy Is for Leaping

Song of Songs 2:8-13

Sermon

Donna Schaper

18. The Natural Look

Luke 9:28-36 (37-43)

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

19. Massah and Meribah

Exodus 17:1-7

Sermon

Lori Wagner