Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: Levi, disciple, evangelist, tax collector, the 12, the twelve, apostle, sermon on the mount, jewish audience, beatitudes, lord's prayer, great commission, parables, olivet discourse, mount of olives, olivet, synoptic

Showing 2501 to 2525 of 4942 results

2501. Jesus Made Like His Brothers

Hebrews 2:5-18

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

In the next section (2:5–18) the contrast between Christ and the angels continues. The assertion of the sovereignty of the Son over the world to come may be a direct rebuttal of such speculation regarding the role of angels in the coming kingdom now known to have been entertained among the Essenes. “The world to come” is the author’s theme and thus may be identified with the salvation just mentioned in 2:3 (cf. 9:28). Throughout Hebrews, the author views salvation in terms of its future consummation. Its ...

2502. Warning against Falling Away

Hebrews 5:11-6:12

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

5:11–6:8 · The exposition of Christ’s high priesthood is interrupted in the interest of another exhortation to persevere in faith. This section begins with a rebuke and is more severe in tone. The author intends to say more of Christ’s priesthood but must first prepare the audience to listen with understanding and appreciation. Their spiritual childishness shows itself in a disposition to content themselves with their theological and spiritual status quo, apparently since by further progress they would ...

2503. Jesus Like Melchizedek

Hebrews 7:11-28

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

With the ground thus laid, the author sets out to show that, of the two priesthoods reported in the Scripture, Jesus’s is superior (7:11–28) and the only source of salvation (see Heb. 5:9). Of great importance to the interpretation of Hebrews is the contrary-to-fact conditional statement in 7:11, together with two other such statements that figure prominently as the argument unfolds (8:7; 10:2). These clearly indicate that the readers of the letter, tempted to return to the comfortable paths of their ...

2504. Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All

Hebrews 10:1-18

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The Levitical sacrifices are portrayed as inadequate in 10:1–4. They only foreshadowed the true salvation, which Christ has guaranteed and will someday bring to completion. This is the third and last of the contrary-to-fact conditional statements around which the central argument of this sermon is constructed. The appeal to the repetitive character of Levitical worship and its inability to cleanse the conscience (9:13–14) indicates that the author has not deviated from his original purpose. He is ...

2505. Faith Defined and Exemplified

Hebrews 11:1-40

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

As a stronger faith is the need of the hour, the author sets before his readers the example of the heroes of faith (11:1–3). It is comforting to be reminded that the temptations one faces are neither unique nor even as severe as others have courageously endured, and the stirring examples of faith under trial will strengthen one’s determination to be equally worthy of God’s approval. In a statement similar to Romans 8:24–25, faith is defined as the unshakable confidence in the reality of the yet unseen ...

2506. Trials and Temptation

James 1:1-18

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

1:1 · Address and Greeting: Although James could claim to be a brother of the Lord and a leader in the early Jerusalem church, he is content to call himself a “servant.” Indeed, like Moses (Deut. 34:5) and David (Ezek. 37:24) before him, James recognizes that there is no higher honor than being called to serve the living God. James’s readers are also honored to belong to the people of God of the last day—“the twelve tribes.” As I suggested in the introduction, these readers are probably Jewish Christians ...

2507. Preparation for Action

1 Peter 1:13-2:3

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The exhortation of 1:13 provides the keynote of this section, as Peter tackles the unspoken question, How can I have a faith like that? He mentions faith four times in 1:3–9, and it would be very possible for an oppressed, isolated believer to feel that the faith described is too high to attain. Peter sets out in this section to show what the roots of such a faith are—and it turns out that the way we think is absolutely vital. Peter’s sudden introduction of “the prophets” (1:10–12)—probably shorthand for ...

2508. Wives and Husbands

1 Peter 3:1-7

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The zoom lens now focuses in on another, still more intimate relationship from which Christians were tempted to withdraw because of their new, otherworldly faith: marriage (3:1–7). Should Christian husbands or wives leave their partners if they do not share their faith? Again, some Christians answered yes. But Peter insists that they should not. He devotes more space to wives (3:1–6) because they could more easily be made to suffer from their husbands than vice versa. He eloquently teaches that the ...

2509. Suffering for Doing Good

1 Peter 3:8-22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

3:8–12 ·“Everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35): this is the principle underlying these verses, with which Peter summarizes the whole section. Christians treasure their fellowship with one another. When they are faced with persecution, their common joy in their Lord becomes all the more precious. But Peter wants to impress on them that their relationship with each other is not entirely inward-looking. People will notice what they say to each other about the ...

2510. Prophecy of Scripture

2 Peter 1:12-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

1:12–15 · Purpose Statement: The purpose of the letter is testamental (similar to the purpose of other biblical [e.g., Gen. 49:1–28; Deut. 33:1–29] and extrabiblical testaments [e.g., the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs])—namely, that after his death the addressees will have a written record of Peter’s teaching and so always be able to remember it. The reason this is necessary is that (1) Peter is mortal (he refers to his mortal body as a tent, as Paul does in 2 Cor. 5:1, where the resurrection body is ...

2511. The Antichrist Has Come! The Secessionists Deny Jesus’s Messiahship

1 John 2:18-27

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Christian speculation about the identity and advent of the antichrist has been a major pastime from the second century until today. In order to stay close to the text and its original meaning, however, we should be aware of several facts. (1) The Greek word antichristos does not appear in Revelation, but only in 1 and 2 John. While “the beast,” “666,” and other biblical villains might seem likely prospects for speculating about contemporary threats, each of these subjects must be investigated on its own. ...

2512. The Victory That Overcomes the World

1 John 5:1-12

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

In contrast to the violent victories of Zeus and Nike, and in opposition to the myth of redemptive violence propounded by Domitian and the Romans, the victory of Christ Jesus overcomes the world once and for all. Unlike sacrifices that need to be repeated at every festival, the sacrifice of Christ has put an end to all human attempts to attain divine favor. As an affront to the garnering of favor within systems of social honor and patronage whereby accolades granted are motivated by the hope of procuring ...

2513. Joy at Believers’ Walking in the Truth

3 John 1:1-14

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

1–2 · Greetings to the Beloved Gaius: While 1 John was a circular, and 2 John was an epistle to a leader and her church, 3 John is a letter to an individual, Gaius, whom the elder loves in the truth. Referring to him as “beloved” (NIV “my dear friend”), the elder says that he prays that all would go well with him and that his physical health would match his spiritual health. 3–8 · Joy at Believers’ Walking in the Truth: The elder shares his joy at the testimony of some of “the friends” (NRSV; NIV: “ ...

2514. Denunciation of the Intruding Teachers

Judges 1:1-36

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Major Themes of Judges: Although it is best to establish these through an inductive approach, here the major themes are briefly noted so as to be aware of them as we work through the text. The theme of covenant underlies the entire story, in keeping with its Deuteronomic character. More specifically, Judges is about God’s covenant people, Israel, about their faithfulness and unfaithfulness to covenant commitments made first at Mount Sinai and later renewed, especially at Shechem under Joshua’s leadership ( ...

2515. The Epiphany of the Glorious Son

Revelation 1:4-8

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

John moves from the revelation of Jesus and its prophetic urgency to an epistolary greeting (1:4a). From the highest height of heaven, where God’s throne resides (Isa. 6:1; 1 Enoch 14:18, 22), grace and peace pour forth from the one “who is, and who was, and who is to come,” a divine title meant to be read as a single name and a theological reflection on Exodus 3:14, when Yahweh revealed himself as “I am who I am” (1:4b; a rabbinic commentary on this text [Exodus Rabbah 3.14] expands the name to: “I am he ...

2516. Witness Interlude and the Seventh Trumpet

Revelation 10:1-11

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

There is a two-part interlude of witness between the sixth and seventh trumpets that keeps John’s audience in further suspense. In the first part (10:1–11), a powerful angel descends from heaven and stands on the earth. He is immense, with one foot on the sea and the other on land (10:1–2; cf. Dan. 12:5–7). Unlike the other angels mentioned in Revelation so far, this angel shares divine characteristics associated only with God and the Son of Man (9:1). The angel is clothed with a cloud and has legs of fire ...

2517. The Two Witnesses

Revelation 11:1-14

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

In the second part of the interlude (11:1–14), we hear the same message as in the first but with increased drama. The two witnesses (11:3; cf. Deut. 17:6; 19:15), who are given authority to prophesy against many peoples, languages, and even kings (11:11), represent the entire prophetic tradition in the history of God’s people, from Israel (symbolized by the olive trees; 11:4; cf. Hos. 14:5–6; Rom. 11:24–25) to the church (symbolized by the menorahs; 1:20). The prophets of both Testaments received heavy ...

2518. Gospel of Repentance

Revelation 14:6-13

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The next set of visions is three angelic pronouncements. The first angel proclaims an eternal gospel that is good news to some and bad news to others (14:6). For those who respond to the gospel (14:7; cf. 5:9; 7:9), their long-awaited vindication is indeed good news. For those who refuse to repent, a terrifying judgment ensues (11:9–14). The second angel announces proleptically that Rome has fallen (14:8a; cf. 18:1–24). Babylon was a symbol for Rome (cf. 1 Pet. 5:13; Dead Sea Scrolls, Pesher Habakkuk 2.11– ...

2519. The Babylonian Whore

Revelation 17:1-18

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

17:1–19:10 Review · The end of the empire: The next three chapters (Revelation 17–19) are an expansion of the sixth and seventh bowl judgments against “Babylon,” which has stood for Rome throughout Revelation (14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2, 10, 21). The dissolution of Roman power, which was anticipated in 14:8 (“Fallen is Babylon the Great!”) and 16:19 (God “gave her [Babylon] the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath”), is elaborated on in 17:1–19:10, as Rome’s entire domination system of military ...

2520. Hymns and Wedding Song

Revelation 19:1-10

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The stunned silence from Rome’s musicians at the sight of the burning city (18:22) is broken with the roar of “Hallelujah!” from heaven above (19:1). Hallelujah (transliterated into Greek as hallēlouia or into Latin as alleluia) means “Praise the Lord” in Hebrew and is used four times throughout two separate hymns in 19:1–8. (These hymns, incidentally, later became an inspiration for Handel’s Messiah.) The first hymn is from a vast angelic assembly (19:1–4; cf. 5:11–12) and attributes salvation, glory, and ...

2521. Eternity: The New Jerusalem

Revelation 21:1-27

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

21:1–8 · The new genesis: In Isaiah 64:17–19, God uses the language of a new heaven and a new earth to assure the Jewish exiles in the Babylonian captivity that he will bring them home to the land of their ancestral birth. He promises to restore the city of Jerusalem, rebuild the ruined temple, and reestablish Israel as a sovereign nation. Creation language and Israel’s restoration as the people of God are combined in Isaiah’s prophecy to give a message of hope to the exiles. Likewise, the text of ...

2522. Jesus or Niccolo?

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

This world's kingdoms have never been presented in a more Machiavellian fashion or more compellingly. And never before and never again have they been nor will they be targeted to one with more reason to succumb. Surely one of the great strengthening comforts of taking Jesus Christ as our Lord is that he, more than anyone else, understands our temptations. Scripture tells us, "He himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested" (Hebrews 2:18). So we can say with ...

2523. When Lazarus Leaped and Laughed

John 11:1-45

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

This gospel according to John is filled with a series of vivid verbal masterpieces of the genius, glory, and grace of Jesus Christ, God's Son. Bible scholars have long believed that each of the four New Testament gospels is targeted at a particular group. Matthew writes his gospel to the Jews. We see that in his frequent references to the Old Testament. Mark writes his gospel with the Romans as his primary target. Hence, Mark is succinct and to the point. His is the first written among the four gospels. ...

2524. One Heaven of a Party

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Sermon

Charley Reeb

Moses saw that look in their eyes. He saw that glimmer of hope on their faces. For when those words dripped like honey from his mouth, the people of God dreamed about what it was going to be like. At first glance, they really do not seem to be very exciting words, but for those who had been toiling in the wilderness, these words were like living water to a parched soul: “When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it ...

2525. The Transfiguration

Matthew 17:1-13

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

17:1–3 Following Peter’s great messianic confession, Jesus begins to teach his disciples that his messiahship would involve rejection by the religious authorities and lead to death (16:21). To encourage his followers and to provide hope that victory lies beyond defeat, Jesus takes Peter, James and John to a high mountain, where he is transfigured before them. There is no particular reason why this account should be considered “a creation of mythopoetic imagination” that leaves us without “the slightest ...

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