Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 2651 to 2675 of 3160 results

2651. The Lord Decides to Build David a House

2 Samuel 7:18-29, 2 Samuel 7:1-17

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... expressly described here as eternal. God’s work with the king always had implications for the people. . . . The nation is to be blessed within the radius of the Davidic covenant, but the destiny of the royal house remains. . . . It would be a poor sort of eternity that the covenant would have, if its heart were taken out.2 Blenkinsopp observes that the democratization view of Isaiah 55:3–5 “goes some way beyond what the author says.” He adds, “Furthermore, it is difficult to understand why this ...

2652. Defeat, Death, and Departure

1 Sam 4:2-22

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... author Dillard (b. 1945) asks: Why do people in churches seem like cheerful, brainless tourists on a packaged tour of the Absolute? On the whole I do not find Christians, outside the catacombs, sufficiently sensible of the conditions. Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we so blithely invoke? Or, as I suspect, does no one believe a word of it? The churches are children playing on the floor with their chemistry sets, mixing up a batch of TNT to kill a Sunday morning. It is madness to ...

2653. Be Careful What You Ask For

1 Samuel 10:9-27

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... ” (mishpat hammelukah) with the “rights” of the king (mishpat hammelek) mentioned in 8:9, 11 (where NIV paraphrases, “will claim as his rights”). In this case the scroll mentioned in verse 25 would be a perpetual reminder of the Lord’s earlier warning—a sort of “I told you so” document to be brought out when the people complain about the king they once wanted so badly. However, in light of the allusion to Deuteronomy 17:15 in the previous verse, as well as the emphasis in chapters 9–10 ...

2654. David on the Run

1 Sam 21:1–22:5

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... fear and agony himself. God will go to some lengths to get the attention of his people when they disobey. Bible: The story of Jonah. Quote: “The Returning Backslider,” by John Bunyan. A returning backslider is a great blessing (I mean intended to be so) to two sorts of men. . . . The uncalled are made to hear him and consider; the called are made to hear him, and are afraid of falling. . . . O brethren, saith the backslider that is returned, did you see how I left my God? did you see how I turned again ...

2655. David Flees to Gath—Again

1 Samuel 27:1-12

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... in desperation seek their own security at the expense of their identity and integrity. Certainly this is an important lesson for the exilic readers of the history, who are in a precarious position in a foreign land. Yet in this story is a silver lining of sorts. Just as when the ark went to Philistine territory (1 Sam. 4–6), God will not be thwarted by the failures of his people. In his providence he gives David the opportunity to kill the enemies of Israel while stationed in a Philistine outpost and ...

2656. Job Presents Evidence against the Retribution Principle

Job 12:1--14:22

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... fervent desire for God to hear his case, just as in the New Testament Paul appeals from the provincial governor Festus to the emperor Caesar (Acts 25:11). Job is convinced enough of the legitimacy of his case to take it to God, so that he might sort things out properly. Job believes that God will respond to him differently from how the friends have. He proposes to argue his case before God, so that God can determine what is right, in contrast to what the friends have falsely alleged against Job. 13:4–5 ...

2657. Eliphaz Turns Up His Criticism of Job

Job 15:1-35

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... , by John Bunyan. Early in this timeless English allegory, when the main character, Christian, decides to begin his journey out of the City of Destruction to find relief from his burden of guilt, he is derided and mocked by his friends. They make all sorts of false accusations against him, just as Job’s friends do to him in his adversity. This is contrasted with the very good advice early on of Evangelist, who rescues Christian from the Slough of Despond and points him in the right direction. Evangelist ...

2658. Eliphaz Condemns and Counsels Job

Job 22:1-30

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Daniel J. Estes

... is offered to whoever will accept it. Earlier in the book of Job, Eliphaz commended Job for his generous treatment of needy people. Nevertheless, contradicting what he previously has known to be true, Eliphaz in this chapter charges Job with all sorts of grievous sins against others. Once again, Eliphaz lets his logical reasoning compel him to a conclusion that is not accurate. Instead of speaking about what he knows, Eliphaz asserts what he thinks should be the case. By this means, he falsely represents ...

2659. Yahweh Speaks as the Master Teacher

Job 38:1--41:34

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... were forced to stare into mystery and admit how little you truly understood about what God was up to in your life. Talk about what it was like to admit your own ignorance and your feelings of loss and panic that were related to this sort of helplessness. Then share a testimony about how you have discovered that dependence on God, who is omniscient and good, has shaped you, and how accepting mystery and resting in the hands of the Ancient of Days is a constructive experience, especially in times of suffering ...

2660. “You Are My Son; Today I Have Become Your Father”

Psalm 2:1-12

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... “rule” while the Targum the verb “break.” In light of the parallel metaphor in the second half of the verse, the translation “break” is preferable, although “to rule” is not out of metaphorical range, since the shepherd “ruled” with his staff by sorting out the sheep (Lev. 27:32; Ezek. 20:37) and fighting off intruders of the flock (Ps. 23:4). Shattering a clay vessel (“pottery”) to pieces was a common symbol of destruction (Isa. 30:14; Jer. 19:11). In the Egyptian Execration ...

2661. “I Will Not Fear Though Tens of Thousands Assail Me”

Psalm 3:1-8

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C. Hassell Bullock

... unit on Pss. 9–10), the concluding verse of the psalm is a combination of trust and blessing, and a good place to emphasize our need, even in the midst of our own personal crisis, to pray for others in need. David, out of sorts with the popular political winds and under suspicion of divine abandonment, prays for Israel nevertheless: “May your blessing be on your people” (3:8a). Illustrating the Text A sacred sorrow Worship: Plan a service of sacred sorrow, when your congregation has the opportunity to ...

2662. “Lord, Our Lord, How Majestic Is Your Name in All the Earth!”

Psalm 9:1-20

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... he attended the coronation of Elizabeth II. He replied that he had not attended, but his further response suggests that he had obviously seen it on television. Lewis reflected on the ceremony: The pressing of that huge, heavy crown on that small, young head becomes a sort of symbol of the situation of humanity itself: humanity called by God to be His vice-regent and high priest on earth, yet feeling so inadequate. As if He said “In my inexorable love I shall lay upon the dust that you are glories and ...

2663. “Ride Forth Victoriously in the Cause of Truth, Humility and Justice”

Psalm 45:1-17

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... Psalm 45 in the procession of Song of Songs 3:6–11.2 Outline/Structure In effect we hear only one voice in the psalm, the voice of the poet. God never speaks, nor does the king or the queen. But the recipients of this ode are the criteria that sort out the structure for us. They are the scribal poet, the king, and the queen, giving us the following structure: 1. Title / the poet’s signature (45:1) 2. Praise of the royal groom/king (45:2–9) 3. Praise of the royal bride/queen (45:10–15) 4. Promise ...

2664. “If I Were Hungry I Would Not Tell You, for the World Is Mine, and All That Is in It”

Psalm 50:1-23

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... psalms and gave the psalm the same title.5Another explanation, just as plausible, is that the compiler of Books 2 and 3 saw the link between “adulterers” in 50:18 and David’s adultery in Psalm 51 and, given his thematic criterion of sorting, made Psalm 50 the prelude to Psalm 51. Even though the term “adulterers” does not appear in Psalm 51,6the occasion for that psalm was, according to the superscription, David’s adultery with Bathsheba. It is quite possible that the editor worded the title ...

2665. How to Escape Being Possessed By Our Possessions

Luke 12:13-21

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

Somewhere along the way I saw a cartoon of an elderly man of obvious wealth on a canopied death bed, surrounded by servants, family members, lawyers, and all sorts of “hangers-on”. It was quite clear why most of the people had gathered there, but now the old gentleman is sitting up with his arms folded and a very determined look on his face. One bystander says to another, “Someone just told him he couldn’t take it with ...

2666. Our Most Common Sin

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... of the contrast Jesus is drawing. “Because we’ve grown up familiar with the New Testament stories, we’ve come to accept the Pharisee as a villain. The Publican’s status is not always clear to us, but we generally assume that he was a fairly decent sort. This was not the feeling of the people who first heard this parable. To them it was a shocking thing to have a religious teacher speak a good word for the Publican and criticize the Pharisee. The Publican was regarded as a grafter and a crook. He ...

2667. Without Christmas, Life Would Be Impossible

Luke 2:1-14

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... true physically with Mary is true spiritually for every Christian: the Son of God has been born in us. That’s what being a Christian is all about. Receiving the gift of God—His Son, Jesus Christ, as a living presence in our life. Now that has all sorts of important meanings, but I want you to think about this meaning. As children of God we can exercise the right of a child, the right of always being face-to-face with the Father—our Father. When Christ is born in us, then prayer becomes possible and ...

2668. Ready for the Game Warden

Matthew 25:1-13

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

... 's right- -practice, practice, practice. That's also how we prepare ourselves for life. If we do the right thing long enough, we won't even have to think about what we should do in most situations. We will just naturally do what is right and good and loving. The sort of thing that Jesus would do. The secret to being good on an instrument and good in life? That's right--practice, practice, practice.

2669. The Grace Question: “Are You a Teacher…and Yet Do Not Understand These Things?”

John 3:1-21

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... . I. Focus first on that phrase that shocked Nicodemus. “You must be born again.” Now, I know how that term is normally used, and that is a little bit unfortunate. It’s used to distinguish between people who—usually as adults—have had some sort of dramatic experience that confirmed for them their Christian faith. It’s used to separate people who may have come into the Christian life in what some would call a “normal” kind of way....to separate those who may have had a more dramatic, explicit ...

2670. Look Again

Matthew 1:18-25

Sermon

James L. Killen

... just may look different. It would be a mistake for us to believe that everything happening in our world is something God decided to cause to happen. No, God has chosen to put things together in this world so that there is an openness and so that all sorts of things are possible, both good things and bad things. Many of the threatening things we spoke about when we were talking about how life looks to us are real destructive forces that have to be dealt with, just as King Herod was a real threat Joseph and ...

2671. Are You a Pillar or a Pillow?

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

Sermon

King Duncan

... ministry.” With that, he passed the basket of money to the congregation, urging those in need to take from it, without shame. They did, but when the basket returned, it contained $67 more than it had when it started out. I believe that the same sort of thing would happen in this church. In spite of personal hardship and heartaches, there are some persons in this church who have learned to stand firm. Pillars of the church also manage to stand firm even when the weaknesses of the organized church are all ...

2672. Being Thankful for the Right Reasons

John 1:14, Colossians 1:11-20

Sermon

King Duncan

... wouldn’t let him through the Pearly Gates. When he got to his destination, however, he was welcomed with open arms. “Are you certain that you didn’t make a mistake?” he asked St. Peter. “You see, there are certain parts of my life of which I’m sort of ashamed.” St Peter answered, “No, we didn’t make a mistake. You see, we don’t keep any records up here.” The man was greatly relieved and overjoyed. Then he saw a group of men over in a corner beating their heads against a celestial wall ...

2673. Hagar and Ishmael

Genesis 16:1-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... the angel of the Lord who meets Hagar in the wilderness; this is the first time he appears in the Bible. But in verse 13 the text says that it is God who speaks with her. The angel of the Lord and the Lord—distinct, yet the same. All sorts of explanations, usually along the lines of form-critical concerns (what was the original form of the story?), have been offered to explain this “incongruity.” Might we see here, as we saw in the “us” of 1:26 and 11:7, a hint of God’s trinitarian nature? The ...

2674. The Ark in Ashdod and Ekron

1 Samuel 5:1-12

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... events illustrate for the audience the power of Israel’s deity, the Lord. Twice the image topples to the ground before the ark, and the second time Dagon’s head and hands break off. Meanwhile, the Lord afflicts the people of Ashdod with tumors of some sort, and the disease follows the ark to Gath, a city several miles to the east. Death comes to many, and the people panic, as do the residents of Ekron, about eleven miles northeast of Ashdod. The spread of the plague confirms the original reaction of the ...

2675. Samuel Anoints Saul

1 Sam 9:1–10:8

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... After searching the tribal areas of Ephraim and Benjamin, Saul is ready to give up the search, but his servant suggests that they consult a highly respected man of God. Fortunately the servant has a small amount of silver to give to the prophet, for payment of some sort was customary (see 1 Kings 14:3). When the two men ask about the prophet, they are told that he is on his way to bless a sacrifice at the local high place. High places were shrines located on hills and contained, among other things, an altar ...

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