Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 2676 to 2700 of 3160 results

1 Sam 14:15-52

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... grows among the Philistine forces, the Lord sends the whole army into a panic by shaking the ground (14:15–23). The earth tremor frightens the Philistines, and they fight among themselves in all the confusion and flee the battleground. It is the same sort of panic that was behind the victory at Mizpah (1 Sam. 7:7–12) and the defeat of the Midianites under Gideon (Judg. 7:22). Saul’s lookouts at Gibeah report the commotion to their commander, and Saul immediately consults Ahijah the priest, apparently ...

2677. Saul Kills the Priest of Nob

1 Samuel 22:6-23

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... Edom and Israel, and David later treats the Edomites harshly (cf. 2 Sam. 8:12–14). Not only does Saul order the death of eighty-five priests, but the whole town of Nob is put to the sword, including women and children. It is the sort of total destruction normally reserved for Israel’s worst enemies. Only one person escapes and reaches David with the news: a son of Ahimelek named Abiathar. When David hears about the massacre, he admits that his deception has contributed heavily to the priests’ deaths ...

2678. Saul’s Final Battle

1 Samuel 28:1-25

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... . An unusual aspect of this account is the description of Samuel as “spirit” (28:13 NIV 1984; NIV “a ghostly figure”), a word that means “God,” “gods,” or at least “divine beings.” This is one of the few hints in the Old Testament of some sort of dynamic existence after death and is thus all the more intriguing. While Saul prostrates himself on the ground Samuel begins to speak, complaining about being disturbed in this fashion (28:15–19). The grave was to be a place of rest, where the ...

2679. War Between the Houses of David and Saul

2 Samuel 2:8-3:5

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... of Israel (2:8–11). His reasons for doing so are not entirely clear, but later on even Ish-Bosheth suspects that Abner wanted the throne for himself (3:6–8). The name Ish-Bosheth means “man of shame,” but this was a later development, a sort of derogatory nickname. Originally his name was apparently Ish-Baal, or Esh-Baal, meaning “man of Baal” (1 Chron. 8:33). Baal was the name of a prominent Canaanite god, but in Hebrew the word also meant “lord” or “master”; it was even sometimes used ...

2680. Shimei Curses David

2 Samuel 16:5-14

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... of Saul’s family. By throwing stones at David, Shimei implies that David should have been stoned to death for his crimes. On the other hand, David’s men feel that Shimei deserves to die for cursing the king. According to the law, slander of this sort was akin to blaspheming God (Exod. 22:28). But David does not allow anyone to strike Shimei down, perhaps because he knows his own sin was behind his troubles and he deserves harsh words. By committing the matter to God, David hopes that the Lord will ...

2681. David’s Census

2 Samuel 24:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 109:4). Even in the book of Job, the “satan” is not evil but is associated with the group of divine beings called the “sons of God” whose duty it is to serve the Lord (Job 1:6; 2:1; see NIV notes). The “satan” in Job is a sort of divine prosecutor whose task is to ferret out hypocrisy. Sometimes the taking of a census was perfectly acceptable (Numbers 1; 26), so David’s sin must here involve the motivation behind the census. In all probability David is guilty of pride as he glories in the size ...

2682. Solomon Builds the Temple

1 Kings 6:1-38

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... from architectural models of the surrounding nations, including Canaanite and Phoenician designs. Since Hiram’s workers are involved, this would not be overly surprising. The pivot point of this section comes in the form of an unmediated divine word, an interruption of sorts directly from God to Solomon (6:11–13). In my view, the chapter is built around this theological utterance, where God furnishes the king with a careful warning by means of an “if . . . then” equation. If the king does not walk ...

2683. Asa King of Judah

1 Kings 15:9-24

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... large throughout the narrative of the divided kingdom. Asa’s obituary in the closing lines of this section mentions, for the second time in 1 Kings, a document called “The book of the annals of the kings of Judah” (15:23), presumably some sort of record the author draws from. Finally, there is the curious note about Asa’s “diseased” feet, and commentators theorize everything from leprosy to venereal disease. After a long reign that spans seven northern kings, this is a painful way for Asa to ...

2684. Eliphaz

Job 4:1–5:27

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... appears most conciliatory toward Job. Job is not wicked. Far from it, Job is righteous; but, as with all humanity, Job cannot be perfect. The calamity Job is experiencing is divine discipline for something untoward. All humanity must deal with something of this sort. Job needs only to address the imperfection and move on. Though Eliphaz becomes harsher through the cycle of speeches, he remains the most encouraging and grants the most to Job. Even when frustrated to the point of declaring Job’s sins as ...

2685. The Lord Speaks

Job 38:1--41:34

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... may be a hippopotamus, connected in Egypt with the deities Seth and Horus. Behemoth may also be a water buffalo or related to the bull figures so prominent in Mesopotamia. Or Behemoth may be a literary fiction, drawing from well-known imagery but representing a sort of everybeast of a type that complements Leviathan. Behemoth, a creation of God, as is Job (40:15), is a primordial beast of calm repose, approachable only by its Maker. God’s query whether one can catch it provides the segue to the next ...

2686. Edom’s Judgment Pronounced and Reaffirmed

Obadiah 1:1-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... ” in her womb (Gen. 25:21–27). It also lends perspective to the later declaration of Malachi, “Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated” (Mal. 1:2–3). The concluding phrase “the Lord has spoken” serves as a sort of colophon, solemnizing the prophecy regarding the day of the Lord and emphasizing the certainty and finality of Esau’s judgment. 19–21 · Yahweh’s kingdom established:Characteristic of prophetic literature, Obadiah’s oracle concludes with the promise of restoration for ...

2687. First Perplexity

Habakkuk 1:1-4

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... . What little justice there is is perverted. The terrible conditions mentioned here are most applicable to the time of the wicked king Manasseh. According to 2 Kings 21:1–18 and 2 Chronicles 33:1–20, Manasseh plunged into every sort of Canaanite religious debauchery, including the worship of Baal and Asherah and the establishment of a state astral cult. Even the temple in Jerusalem was desecrated with Canaanite altars and symbols. The king himself not only practiced witchcraft but even involved ...

2688. Murder, Adultery, Divorce, and Oaths

Matthew 5:21-26, Matthew 5:27-30, Matthew 5:31-32, Matthew 5:33-37

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... of remarriage to a first spouse after a divorce and second marriage have occurred (Deut. 24:1–4). Jesus again commands a stricter ethic by limiting the allowable reason for divorce to porneia (a Greek term meaning sexual infidelity of some sort, though the specific connotation Matthew intends by this term is debated) rather than the broader circumstance of a husband’s displeasure for something indecent (Deut. 24:1). The fourth case raises the importance of keeping oaths made to the Lord (Deut ...

2689. Clean and Unclean

Matthew 15:1-20

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... disobedience in the name of adherence to traditions to this same kind of hypocrisy that Isaiah saw in his day. Isaiah’s complaint—empty worship drawn from human rules—fits Jesus’s complaint against these Jewish teachers as well. Jesus uses a parable of sorts to indicate that ritual cleansing before meals is unnecessary and misses the true source of impurity (15:10–11). Jesus’s explanation of his parable or riddle (15:16–20) clarifies that it is the heart of a person (rather than hands) that ...

2690. Jesus Changes Water to Wine

John 2:1-11

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... third day” (2:1). This may refer to traveling time to Cana or fit the day sequence in chapter 1. In the latter case, some believe that John is chronicling the momentous first week of Jesus (a new week of creation?). Cana is a climax of sorts: here the disciples believe in him for the first time because Jesus manifests his glory (2:11). Weddings (2:1–12) were festive events in first-century Judaism, and entire communities participated. Since Galilee is Jesus’s home, it is not surprising that he is in ...

2691. The Shepherd and His Flock

John 10:1-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... who believe are ready to cast off the extreme charge of demon possession lodged against Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles (7:20; 8:48). Jesus’s teachings and miracles (esp. 9:1–7) are confirming evidence for them. With this encounter we reach a sort of crescendo in the Gospel. The evidences accumulating in the Book of Signs will shift following this chapter. No longer will Jesus discourse with the Jewish leaders. He will later be with friends in Bethany (11:1–12:8), supportive crowds (12:12–19), and ...

2692. Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

John 14:15-31

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... :18–24). Futurist eschatology imperceptibly blends with realized eschatology. In Judaism, disciples who had lost their rabbi were often called orphans (14:18), but this will not be the case for Jesus’s followers—he will come back visibly (14:18–19). But what sort of return is this if the world cannot take part? Will there be no secular verification? Remarkably the description of the coming of the Paraclete in verses 15–17 parallels the coming of Jesus in verses 18–21. Note the stress on love and ...

2693. The Vine and the Branches

John 15:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... and expectations appears in 15:14–17. What especially stands out is his offer of friendship. In Christ, disciples have unparalleled access to God. True friendship is always hallmarked by complete candor, honesty, and transparency between persons. Jesus has become that sort of friend because he has unveiled himself fully (15:15). Moreover, this is not a casual thing passed out indiscriminately: Christ has chosen us to be his friends (15:16)! The indwelling of Christ and his love are thoroughly individual ...

2694. Jesus Before Pilate

John 18:28-40, John 19:1-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... important: “king” was a political title that was enjoyed in Judea only by Herod the Great. Is Jesus making a political challenge with this word? Jesus accepts the title but redefines it: his kingdom is otherworldly. He is not an insurrectionist of the sort that Rome fears. Pilate feels no threat and glibly dismisses Jesus, but his closing remark (“What is truth?”) shows that he cannot be one who recognizes Jesus’s voice (18:38). Soon, however, Pilate’s interest will be piqued. Jesus is innocent ...

2695. Jesus and Peter

John 21:15-25

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... John’s church the message is clear: John’s survival may not have been Christ’s will at all. Appendix · These final notes assert the authority of the beloved disciple as a reliable eyewitness and as the originator of a trustworthy historical tradition. This same sort of confirmation is given in 19:35. From 1 John 1:1–4 we can see how John’s connection with the historical events of Jesus’s life was valued. Moreover, the Gospel bears eloquent testimony to the power of John’s spiritual perception ...

2696. The Trial Before Felix

Acts 24:1-27

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... in the governing of the province when Cumanus was a procurator in AD 48–52. In appealing to his experience in this province, Paul attempts to reveal the weaknesses of Tertullus’s argument. The focus of Paul’s speech is, however, a confession of a different sort (24:14–16). What he admits is that he worships the God of Israel, he is faithful to Israel’s tradition, and he hopes for “a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked” (24:15). In this way, Paul turns this defense speech into a ...

2697. Prayer for Enlightenment

Ephesians 1:15-23

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... ability will be to live and grow in their new relationship with God and each other. Therefore (“for this reason”), Paul prays for his readers, whose faith he has heard about, that they may increase in understanding. Their two-dimensional faith encapsulates the sort of life the epistle promotes. It consists of faith in the Lord Jesus and love toward all the saints. In other words, it involves a confidence in God’s work through Christ, which then issues in loving concern for fellow members of the new ...

2698. Redemption: Clearing the Ground

Ephesians 2:1-10

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... . Recent exegetical discussion suggests that by “works” Paul means the various marks of Judaism: circumcision, Sabbath keeping, kosher food, and the like, as if ethnicity were the issue. It is possible, however, that Ephesians broadens the idea to include any sort of self-aggrandizing behavior. Either way, our works cannot place God in our control; we would in fact destroy ourselves in our boasting (2:9). Second, however, truly good works realize our God-intended potential. God has prepared a way ...

2699. Living as Children of Light

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... the family can take any number of forms; for the moment, Paul focuses on what might be called “appropriate conversation,” both in the sense of interpersonal relations and in the usual sense of speech (5:3–6). Sexually immoral behavior and any sort of impurity of life are absolutely prohibited. The same is true of greed, classified here with “impurity.” Whereas in most modern congregations greed may be far less frowned on than sexual misbehavior, Paul prohibits them both in the same breath, as if ...

2700. Rules for Christian Households

Colossians 3:18-4:1

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... on the Mount of Olives: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). Jesus Christ practiced perfect submission to the Father (1 Cor. 15:28); wives have a similar opportunity to practice this sort of submission. The phrase “fitting in the Lord” (3:18) is an important qualifier. The verb carries the sense of duty. For example, the Stoics used the term to describe a behavior that was in harmony with the natural order. But rather than tell the ...

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