Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 226 to 250 of 797 results

2 Kings 2:19-22

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... people (Rom. 11:1ff.; the remnant theme will remain an important one throughout Kings); or about faith (Heb. 11:32–39); or about prayer (Jas. 5:13–18). On the basis of my own reading of the Elijah story, I may also suggest that there are things to be learned from him regarding having a sense of perspective about one’s life of service; regarding the need for humility; regarding willingness to be part of God’s plan, rather than to be the plan itself (cf. Matt. 3:11–15; 11:11; 20:20–27; John 3:27 ...

227. Elisha is Jeered

2 Kings 2:23-25

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

228. Rebuilding the Temple

Ezra 3:7-13

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... music and song here—both were key elements of postexilic worship. 3:11 The enthusiastic description continues with reference to a hymn, which is regularly cited as an epitome of vocal worship in Chronicles, in this form or an even shorter one. We learn from Jeremiah 33:11 that this hymn was sung before the exile by those who attended a thanksgiving service, to which grateful worshipers brought their songs and thank offerings after deliverance from personal crisis. In the postexilic era it developed into a ...

229. The Kings of the South and the North

Daniel 11:2-35

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... best, challenging them to endure pain so that they can be stronger. Though the players do not always enjoy this routine, it is because of her extra push that they are able to succeed at game time. God grants us challenges so that we might learn perseverance. The suffering and the consequences of our sin are never in vain but serve to make us stronger for the future (Rom. 5:3–5). The temptation to idolatrous pagan worship continues even today. Culture: A recent rise in neopaganism has capitalized on modern ...

230. Mark 1:21-28

Mark 1:21-28

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... gathered there immediately discern a difference in Jesus' teaching. In fact, they're astonished at the authoritative quality of his words. This authority (exousia) makes Jesus' teaching distinctly different than that of the scribes. Scribes were part of the learned minority in the first century. They were Torah interpreters, teachers, legal and ethical experts. Although scribes could be part of the Sanhedrin and were obviously held in high esteem, it was Jesus' teaching that appeared to have such unique ...

231. 2 Corinthians 1: 11-13

2 Corinthians 1:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... of Jesus must cultivate. The result of living according to the first four directives will naturally bring about conditions that will enable the fifth directive to exist—“live in peace” or “cultivate peace.” Paul promises the Corinthians that as they learn to live according to these directives, “the god of love and peace will be with you.” Experiencing this God is not the result of their own actions, but rather because the divine qualities of “love” and “peace” are available as ...

232. 2 Corinthians 13:11-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

233. Matthew 15:21-28

Matthew 15:21-28

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... elevated station of the “children,” who dine first. Yet it allows for the “puppies” to be included in the feast on their own terms. At his crucial moment in his mission and ministry, Jesus embraces both his divinity and his humanity through the learning exercise of changing his mind. He breaks his own rule. He expands his mission. Yet nowhere here does Jesus rescind his mission to Israel. Jesus responds to the woman’s “great faith,” not necessarily to the logic of her argument. Nevertheless he ...

234. Philippians 3:4b-14

Philippians 3:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... speak in both Hebrew and Aramaic, not someone with mixed pagan or Hellenistic heritage. But Paul isn’t done. Yes, he can boast of his membership in a pure heritage. But he can also trot out his own individual accomplishments. His love for the law and learned status in the law was so great that he became a Pharisee, one of those who were especially observant and focused on making the Torah a living reality in the life of every Jew. Paul reveals this to be not simply an intellectual pursuit. His devoutness ...

235. Matthew 23:1-12

Matthew 23:1-39

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... establishment’s addiction to public recognition lifts up their love of titles, the more pious-sounding the better. The term “rabbi” was used more generally in the first century, only later being limited to those who met required standards in learning. In Jesus’ day the term “rabbi” was used to identify any honored teacher or pious Jew. Matthew’s gospel is particularly careful with the use of this term. Only outsiders, never disciples, refer to Jesus as “teacher” or “rabbi.” The ...

236. Genesis 2:18-24

Genesis 2:18-24

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... The first confrontation here is over the "hot" issue of divorce where debates over its legality were raging among the various schools (Shammai, Aquiba, Hillel). Verse two makes the motive behind the Pharisees' question explicit. They are quizzing him not to "learn" from Jesus the teacher, the rabbi, but to "test" Jesus, the threatening new leader, and possibly to label him as a representative of some particular school. Jesus foils their plan, however, by at once taking charge of the discussion and refusing ...

237. Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... teach me the whole of the Torah while I am standing on one foot." Cutting through the heft of traditional scholarship and scriptures, Hillel replied, "What is hateful to you do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah. The rest is commentary; go and learn it." Jesus' response is similar. He combines Deuteronomy 6:4-5 with Leviticus 19:18 to give a two-pronged answer to the scribe's question. Only here in Mark's rendition of this encounter does Jesus recite the line "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God ...

238. Luke 2:41-52

Luke 2:41-52

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... gnostic literature on Jesus as a child shows him already performing healings and raising the dead, Luke's young Jesus is gifted but not all-knowing. He amazes those who listen to his responses, but he is also listening to the other learned men there and asking questions of them. Jesus at twelve is genuinely both student and teacher. The response Jesus evokes from the others gathered at the temple is deemed as "existanto" (verse 47) - literally being outside oneself. The scholars witnessing Jesus' youthful ...

239. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Greek parallels of Paul's words here - in Plato, Tyrtaeus and Macimus, as well as Jewish parallels from wisdom literature (such as 3 Ezra 34-40). The form and content of Paul's version, which we read Christ into, would actually be quite acceptable to any learned Greek or Jewish scholar of Paul's day. Yet we know Paul was addressing a Christian community. He forges a strong link to the concerns of this Corinthian church in verse one by beginning with the gift of tongues. Paul's reference to the speech of ...

240. Psalm 23

Psalm 23:1-6

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... image of God comes out of the Exodus tradition. Here more than at any other time, the Hebrews could envision themselves as a wandering flock, totally reliant upon their "good shepherd" for guidance. Through their many mistakes and missteps, the wandering Hebrews learned all too well what happened when they tried to continue on independent of God's guidance. Disaster always struck. Looking back at this history, it is easy for the Psalmist to declare that it is God the Shepherd who leads all members ...

241. Luke 10:25-37

Luke 10:25-37

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... only an excuse - not a justification. Steven Hoyer and Patrice McDaniel have addressed the question of why Jesus used the most respectable images of stalwart "goodness" he could as the negative examples in this story. They conclude that Jesus intentionally uses these learned men to illustrate to his lawyer listener that "...being good in the traditional legalistic sense was not at all the same thing as loving God or loving one's neighbor, things the lawyer himself has just said were necessary for salvation ...

242. 1 Peter 2:2-10

1 Peter 2:2-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Community and Commitment are the two chief challenges facing the new, struggling church here in 1 Peter. The widely scattered Christian churches of Asia Minor had to learn how to live apart from the greater pagan society they existed in while living as part of that same culture. The author of 1 Peter knew that this was a balancing act not easy for anyone but even less so for such new and inexperienced Christians. Chapter 2 begins with ...

243. Acts 17:22-31

Acts 17:22-31

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the mixed nature of his audience that Paul's words seem to be capable of communicating on both a strictly biblical and a more inclusively philosophical level. His format is precise; his argument, progressive, giving it the shape of a learned philosophical presentation. What has remained open to interpretation by scholars is the appropriate "spin" Paul intended his words to take. Scholars who see this speech as sympathetic and inclusive hear Paul gently praising the natural religiosity of the Athenians. His ...

244. Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... jot and tittle of Torah mandates. To facilitate this "rest," this new concept of faithfulness to the Sabbath spirit, Jesus offers believers a new "yoke." Not only is the yoke "easy" and the burden "light," the baggage is knowledge which Jesus shares with the new believer ("learn from me"). This yoke is "his" because Jesus also wears it. Believers are called to join him, not just to be loaded down with a new law while he watches. Jesus offers new ways to understand, to think and (in the new yoke) to do.

245. Matthew 14:13-21

Matthew 14:13-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the treacherous events that led up to his execution. John the Baptist's death obviously disturbed Jesus deeply. John was both Jesus' kinsman and his messianic confederate. Matthew's text does not try to intrude upon Jesus' private thoughts and grief when he learns of the Baptist's death. The gospel writer does report that, as he often did, Jesus immediately separated himself from the crowds and sought solace in a private retreat far removed from civilization choosing a "deserted place" to come to terms with ...

246. Luke 2:41-52

Luke 2:41-52

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... first century "whiz kid" who had set himself up as a teacher to the teachers in the temple. Public teaching in the temple was customary at this time, especially during the special occasions of feasts and holy days. The traditional Jewish method of learning involved a question and answer dialogue between the teacher and the student a technique that appreciates all teachers as students and all students as teachers. For Jesus to be asking and answering questions is not unduly odd or out of the ordinary. The ...

247. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... to query Paul about the spiritual pedigree of those who curse Jesus' name. But Paul's first comment in verse 2 starkly reminds contemporary readers just how diverse and deeply pagan was the environment in which the early Christians lived and learned. Until quite recently, the Corinthians had been participants in this pagan culture, worshiping human-made idols. Perhaps it is in part a reaction against these worthless idols, constructed by human hands and out of human ideals, that some group has arisen ...

248. Philippians 3:17-4:1

Philippians 3:17-4:1

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... his lessons to heart. Paul may also be seen as exercising some apostolic authority here _ urging the Philippians to heed him simply because of his special designation. However, Paul does not designate himself as the sole example the Philippians have from whom to learn. He urges those in the Christian community in Philippi to look towards the examples they have in their midst of those who follow the lead of Paul and his associates. (The "us" is probably a reference to Timothy and Epaphroditus, who were both ...

249. Philippians 3:4b-14

Philippians 3:4b-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Christ has done for me" or "because of what I want to do for Christ." Verse 8 makes it clear how forcefully Paul is committed to this new perception of gains and losses. Not just his particular merits of heritage or status or learning are singled out, but now "everything" is regarded "as loss" when compared to the new knowledge Paul gained of Christ. Paul may have intentionally designated this experience as one of "knowing Christ" in order to clearly distinguish Christian "knowing" from the secret gnosis ...

250. Philippians 2:5-11

Philippians 2:5-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... . Of course, neither the exalted Christocentric focus of all Pauline theology nor the concluding verses of this "kenotic hymn" make such a limited interpretation of the "self-emptying" process possible. Correctly interpreting this kenotic act requires that we learn to dismiss any notion that "emptying" is a negative process an act that represents only a void. Voices from two rather disparate sources have recently expounded on a more profound and yet less familiar understanding of kenosis. The emerging ...

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