Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 2626 to 2650 of 3160 results

2626. Christian Success and Christlikeness

1 Corinthians 4:1-21

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Preben Vang

... 1) where they, while learning to write, trace letters written by their teacher? This latter suggestion could fit his encouragement in 4:16, “Imitate me.” Does he refer to a document on church practice that is now lost (a “letter of intent” of sorts)? None of these suggestions are impossible. Given his usual use of gegraptai, however, as a formula to introduce Old Testament texts, it is quite possible his real aim is to remind the Corinthians of the specific Old Testament texts quoted earlier in this ...

2627. Unity and Community (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

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Preben Vang

... is a kingdom announcement (phaner?sis [12:7]). Wisdom, knowledge, and prophecy make known the will of God, which sin hides. Faith, healings, and empowerments counter the physical effects of life outside God’s presence. If Paul considers tongues angelic languages of sorts, direct communication with God is now given a new avenue. In short, the Spirit has empowered the Christ community to experience God’s kingdom as they live in the fulfillment of the prophetic promise.10 Illustrating the Text The gifts of ...

2628. The Priority of Love

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

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Preben Vang

... nobody goes around shopping for suffering, and anyone trying to sell it can do so only by promising benefits on the other side of the suffering that allegedly outweigh it. Explain that almost every product advertised in our world promises some sort of pleasure or relief from suffering—no one advertises suffering for its own sake. Nevertheless, Scripture tells us repeatedly that there is joy in sharing in Christ’s sufferings. Christianity is not a feel-good experience that promises only happiness. Rather ...

2629. Spiritual Gifts and Spiritual Growth

1 Corinthians 14:1-25

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Preben Vang

... ”). It likely refers to the explanation of the Jesus tradition, the description of the core of Christian faith and how it relates to God’s promises in Scripture (cf. 11:23–26).[5] 14:7–11 pipe or harp . . . trumpet . . . all sorts of languages. A musical, a military, and a linguistic analogy bring home Paul’s point. If someone plays an instrument, who can recognize what is played without distinct notes? In other words, without distinct notes, beautiful instruments, like harps and flutes, turn ...

2630. The Fifth Trumpet (First Woe)

Revelation 8:6--9:21

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J. Scott Duvall

... since “God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows”—either to the flesh resulting in destruction or to the Spirit resulting in eternal life (Gal. 6:7–8; cf. Eph. 5:6; Heb. 10:26–31). We should not mistake the patience of God for any sort of compromise with sin. The power of sin offends God and hurts people and will be destroyed in the end. Throughout the book of Revelation, the vice-like grip of God’s justice continues to tighten around human beings who not only refuse to repent but become ...

2631. The Lamb and the 144,000

Revelation 14:1-5

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J. Scott Duvall

... reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Evil remains subtle and can rob us of what God desires if we give ourselves to things that are worthless and wasteful. What sorts of books or magazines do we read or movies do we watch? Does the humor we enjoy honor Christ? Do our words tear down or build up? How do we spend our money? What about our time? Is our life energy directed inward in selfishness or outward in service? This ...

2632. The Final Judgment

Revelation 20:11-15

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J. Scott Duvall

... to ask myself if I really believe what I have written in this book. Hell is for real. Am I?5 Dealing honestly with the biblical truth that God will judge the wicked brings us face-to-face with God’s absolute holiness and purity without any sort of boasting or gloating. It also ought to motivate us to pray for and reach out to our unbelieving friends with the good news of Jesus Christ. 2. God’s judgment is rendered on the basis of divine initiative and human responsibility. The two sets of books (“the ...

2633. The New Heaven and New Earth

Revelation 21:1-27

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J. Scott Duvall

... sense of a new kind or quality, not that it must bear no resemblance whatever to the present creation. Our best guess as to what the new creation will be like is to imagine the present creation in all its beauty, glory, and power without evil of any sort. That image will fall short, but it remains the best way to conceive of what is simply too wonderful to grasp. Teaching the Text This text depicts God’s future for his people and calls us to stay faithful here and now. 1. God really wants to live among ...

2634. The Sin Offering

Leviticus 4:1--5:13

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... the traditional “sin offering.” 5:4 if anyone thoughtlessly takes an oath. A third occasion requiring a sin offering is the case of a rash oath. An oath is a formal commitment in God’s name to do something or to abstain from something, usually involving some sort of ritual performance. A rash oath is one in which a person promises “as the Lord lives” to do something that either he or she cannot do, or upon reflection ought not to do, or simply forgets or chooses not to do. Oaths are taken very ...

2635. The Ordination of Aaron and His Sons

Leviticus 8:1-36

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... does not spell out a specific ritual for ordination other than that it involves the laying on of hands (Acts 6:6; 13:3; 1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6). But although churches have considerable freedom in the details, some sort of ordination ceremony for ministers seems appropriate to underscore the dignity and importance of their positions, just as Israel ordained its priests. Likewise, it seems appropriate for Christians to dedicate church buildings, just as the Israelites anointed the tabernacle to dedicate it ...

2636. Aaron Begins His Duties

Leviticus 9:1-24

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... story Aaron violates the second of the Ten Commandments by making an image of Yahweh in the form of a calf or bull, encouraging the people’s idolatry (Exod. 32:2–4). It is almost as if he is making amends for that earlier idolatry by sacrificing the sort of animal used for that idolatrous image. It is a matter of God’s grace that this earlier event did not permanently disqualify Aaron from serving in the priesthood. But God is able to redeem sinners and make them fit for his service. The same is true ...

2637. The Day of Atonement: Preparation

Leviticus 16:1-34

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... for failed or unpopular policies that the leader had in fact promoted. In such a case, just as the scapegoat bears the guilt for Israel’s sins, so the member of the staff is blamed for the leader’s mistakes. Scapegoating in this sense is a bad thing. But the sort of scapegoating found in the Bible is a good thing. It was good and necessary that the scapegoat bore away Israel’s sins in order for God to remain in Israel’s midst. And it is good that Christ bore our sins (1 Pet. 2:24).

2638. Living by God’s Sexual Standards

Leviticus 18:1-30

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... (1 Kings 11:5–7). The Israelites violate this law during the monarchy in the Hinnom Valley (2 Kings 23:10). Although some suggest that this injunction refers to mixed marriages with pagan women (Molek = women who worship Molek) or to some sort of bizarre ritual involving offering a man’s semen to a god, the severe penalty for this offense (Lev. 20:2–3) seems most consistent with child sacrifice (see “Historical and Cultural Background” above). 18:22 sexual relations with a man as . . . with ...

2639. A Lifestyle of Holiness and Love

Leviticus 19:1-37

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... 6, 21, 30; 19:3–4, 10, 12, 18, 25, 28, 30–32, 34, 36–37). This expression sounds odd to readers today. For example, I cannot imagine saying to my college students, “Do your homework; I am Joe Sprinkle.” But that is the sort of thing God often says in the Pentateuch. What does it mean? Perhaps this formula can be illuminated by similar pronouncements of ancient Near Eastern kings seeking to publicize their accomplishments.1It can introduce a statement about God’s power to heal and sanctify Israel ...

2640. Lamps, Cakes, and the Blasphemer

Lev 24:1-23

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... ’s tomb. Gold was befitting of royalty, in Israel’s case their divine King. Stoning (Lev. 24:14) was a special kind of punishment. Whereas simple homicide is subject to execution by the sword, stoning is sanctioned for cases of a different sort: worship of a foreign god, rebellious and disobedient sons, newly wed brides found not to be virgins, child sacrifice, sorcery, necromancy, blasphemy against Yahweh’s name, violation of the Sabbath, an animal that takes the life of a human being, and taking ...

2641. Vows, Redemption, and Tithes

Leviticus 27:1-34

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... fields, people, and animals are devoted. Fields as herem become the property of the sanctuary priests (v. 21). Foreign slaves, animals, or fields declared herem by their owners become the irredeemable property of Yahweh (v. 28). Leviticus 27:29 probably references herem of a different sort: persons declared herem by the courts as a judicial penalty (see Exod. 22:20, where the verb haram is used) or an enemy vowed as herem to God (Num. 21:1–3; Deut. 13:15; 1 Sam. 15:3). Such persons are executed. Making ...

2642. The Census and Duties of Levites

Num 3:1–4:49

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... who encroached on the tabernacle were to be killed (Num. 3:38). Guarding the sacred in our lives individually and corporately is still an important activity. 2. Substitution and redemption are key theological concepts. The firstborn sons belong to God in a special sort of way because they have been purchased by God by his provision of the Passover sacrifice in the exodus narrative. Since they have been redeemed by God, they in principle owe him their service. To keep from being given over to servitude to ...

2643. Impurity, Repentance, and Jealousy

Num 5:1-31

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... uncleanness requires avoiding the holy (Num. 5:3) and ritual cleansing (see Lev. 11–15). Confession, restitution, and sacrifice can provide cleansing from wrongdoing and/or sacrilege (Num. 5:5–9). Though God is holy, he provides for the cleansing from impurities of various sorts so that God’s people can remain in his presence. God himself is so pure that he cannot look tolerantly upon evil (Hab. 1:13). He demands pure offerings (Mal. 1:11). What could help keep Israelites pure? It requires fear of God ...

2644. The Aaronic Blessing

Numbers 6:22-27

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... Insights” above, “peace” (shalom) has a broad range of associated connotations that go beyond mere absence of war or strife: tranquility, harmony, prosperity, welfare, wholeness, health, and well-being. It is God’s desire for his people to experience all these sorts of peace. Eventually the messianic Prince of Peace will establish ever-increasing peace (Isa. 9:6–7) and a world without war (Isa. 2:4). For Christians, Christ himself is our peace, the one who has broken down the hostility between ...

2645. Gratitude, Forgiveness, and Obedience

Num 15:1-41

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... atoning sacrifice (Num. 15:22–29). Moses often prays on Israel’s behalf that God will forgive them (Exod. 32:32; 34:9; Num. 14:19), and the sacrificial system facilitates God’s doing so (Lev. 4:20, 26, 31, 35; 5:10, 16, 18). Forgiving sins of all sorts and degrees is part of the glory of the nature of God (Exod. 34:7). Various Scriptures celebrate how God forgives Israel (Ps. 103:3, 12; Dan. 9:9; Mic. 7:18). Forgiveness remains central to the new covenant (Jer. 31:34; Heb. 8:12). Christians are taught ...

2646. Korah’s Rebellion

Numbers 16:1-50

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... true prophet (Deut. 18:22). The fulfillment of Moses’s predictions confirms his prophetic office (vv. 28–30). 16:30 realm of the dead. This translates she’ol. “Sheol” (cf. NASB, NRSV) can refer to the underworld, where the dead experience some sort of shadowy existence in the afterlife (Isa. 14:9–11), though here it merely refers to these people meeting their deaths by being buried alive. Hence, “grave” seems to be an appropriate translation here. 16:37 Eleazar son of Aaron. Aaron’s ...

2647. Balaam’s First Three Oracles

Num 23:1–24:14

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... something, he will surely bring it about.” The New Testament adds that not only does God not lie (Titus 1:2), but it is impossible for him to lie (Heb. 6:18). Lying is contrary to God’s essential character. The Bible makes all sorts of promises about salvation, heaven, and God’s love for us. Are those promises reliable? Scripture teaches that God’s promises are sure because they are based on the character of God, who is entirely trustworthy. God does not change his eternal purposes. Balaam comes ...

2648. Immorality and Apostasy

Numbers 25:1-18

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... Amorite king Sihon (Num. 21:26). Its longer name is “Abel Shittim” (Num. 33:49), and it is probably to be identified with Tell el-Hammam.2 sexual immorality with Moabite women. The Hebrew word zanah refers to illicit sexual activity of all sorts: prostitution, adultery, and everything else prohibited by the Mosaic law. Given that they invite the Israelite men to “the sacrifices of their gods” (v. 2), perhaps these women offer the men sex on condition that they worship at pagan shrines. Or possibly ...

2649. The Sacrifices of the Sacred Calendar

Num 28:1–29:40

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... , it should not bother us. Christians can and should use the special occasions on the calendar for spiritual purposes. If the early church essentially modified the winter solstice to celebrate the birth of Jesus, it was a wonderful idea. The same sort of thing might be done for Halloween. Originally, it had a religious connection, being called “All Hallows Eve”—that is, the evening before the medieval church holiday of All Saints Day. In modern times that religious connection has been lost, but there ...

2650. War against Midian

Num 31:1-54

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... at the sanctuary. Theological Insights Israel is ordered to “carry out the Lord’s vengeance” on Midian (Num. 31:3). How can a good and loving God exact vengeance? Vengeance among humans is often associated with the irrational and disproportionate responses of mobs, the sort of thing that escalates injustice. And yet both Testaments speak of God’s vengeance (Deut. 32:35; Rom. 12:19; Heb. 10:30; Rev. 6:10; 19:2). George Mendenhall convincingly argues that Hebrew naqam (“to avenge”) refers not to a ...

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