Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 2676 to 2700 of 3099 results

Psalm 88:1-18

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

From the Darkness of the Grave 88:1–18 Premature death is the subject of this prayer psalm of the individual. Like other psalms of sickness (Pss. 38; 41), it complains of social alienation (vv. 8, 18). As a psalm of the individual, the primary tradition on which it is based is that Yahweh should answer with deliverance when called upon, as summarized in ...

2677. Human Frailty and Sin, Divine Eternality and Anger, and a Prayer for Mercy

Psalm 90:1-17

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... esp. “you turn men back to dust” and “you sweep men away”). But we should notice that while the lament of verses 7–11 is staged between “you” and “we” in particular, verses 2–6 are staged between “you” and “men” generally. Moreover, the subjects of these sections are different. Verses 2–6 concentrate on God’s permanence over against the shortness of human life, and verses 7–11 focus on God’s anger and the decay and poverty it brings the people within that short life. Thus ...

2678. Vows About Acceptable and Unacceptable Associates

Psalm 101:1-8

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... prime interest (72:1). A priestly leader, however, could also be appropriate (the Levites “minister to” the Aaronic priests in Num. 18:2, where the NIV renders the same verb as “assist”). In this light, what is striking about this psalm is that the leader is subject to the same “torah” (or “instruction”) that is applied to every worshiper of Yahweh, as expressed in the liturgies of temple entry, which use the same terminology (5:3–6; 15:2–4; 24:4; 26:1, 3, 5, 11; 28:3–4; 36:1–4, 11 ...

2679. A Prayer for the Afflicted and for the Ruins of Zion

Psalm 102:1-28

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... and “in the day I call,” v. 2, though not evident in the NIV), in the verses opening and closing the main lament (vv. 3, 11, and in v. 8), and toward the end of the psalm where the lament is resumed (vv. 23, 24). Yahweh’s permanence is the subject at the opening of the hymnic praise (v. 12) and at its closing (vv. 24b–28). In each case it surfaces as a direct contrast to the impermanence of the speaker’s days. The point is to motivate the eternal Yahweh to grant the speaker to live out the full ...

2680. The Lord Compassionate and Slow to Anger

Psalm 103:1-22

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... . 33:13). It is cited frequently in the OT, several times in liturgical contexts (Pss. 86:15; 145:8; Neh. 9:17). This confession forms the basis for the use of the key word pair—love and compassion—in our psalm, but it also introduces the subject of God’s anger toward sins, iniquities (v. 10), and transgressions (v. 12), the same three terms used in Exodus 34:7. While celebrating God’s mercy, the psalm does not ignore the reality of his wrath, though it does focus on its delay (v. 8), temporality ...

2681. The Creator and His Providential Ordering of Creation

Psalm 104:1-35

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... open his hand or hide his face. And he may take away their breath or send his “breath”/ Spirit (Hb. rûaḥ can signify both). 104:31–35 Unlike the preceding verses that hymn the praise of God (where he is the predominant grammatical subject), the closing section is comprised of grammatical forms typical of prayer psalms, though still with the intent of furthering his praise. There is first the wish that God’s works of creation, also designated as the glory of the LORD, may . . . endure forever, and ...

2682. The Davidic King Promised Dominion over Enemies

Psalm 110:1-7

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... 3 In the phrase the LORD says to my Lord, “the LORD” (Hb. Yhwh) is obviously Yahweh, the second “Lord” (Hb. ʾadōnî not ʾadōnāy, which denotes God) is the king, and the “my” points to the prophetic speaker as one of the king’s subjects. The divine oracle contains both promise and limitations. It does promise the most exalted position imaginable, at my right hand, and victory over your enemies. But it also makes clear that the king’s authority is a grant derived from God and that it is ...

2683. Pondering the Lord’s Great Works of the Exodus and Conquest

Psalm 111:1-10

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... term for “awesome” serves as the link to the closing verse: as Yahweh’s name is awesome/fearful, so it evokes fear/awe (both terms derive from the Hb. root yrʾ) from humans. Throughout verses 2–9 Yahweh or his works have been the grammatical subjects, but attention now shifts to the proper human responses of fear and obedience. A casual reading of the psalm may lead one to think it merely refers to Yahweh’s works in general. But closer inspection (following a more literal translation than the NIV ...

2684. Blessings of Those Who Fear the Lord

Psalm 112:1-10

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... be quantified like material possessions. This same word pair appears twice in Proverbs, where each time “wealth” and “riches” are qualified in a non-material sense (8:18–19; 13:7). We should also note that righteousness does not point merely to a subjective, moral attribute, but also to an objective, state of being—namely “a right order.” The inclusion of forever does not promise eternal life within the horizons of the OT, rather it points to his family line. The words even in darkness admit ...

2685. The Parable of the Lost Sheep

Matthew 18:10-14

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

Humility and Forgiveness: We come now to the fourth major discourse of Matthew. It ends with the usual formula in 19:1–2 (cf. 7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 26:1). Chapter 18 reads very much like an early church manual and deals with subjects such as humility (vv. 1–4), responsibility (vv. 5–7), self-renunciation (vv. 8–10), individual care (vv. 11–14), discipline (vv. 15–20), fellowship (vv. 19–20), and forgiveness (vv. 23–35; cf. Barclay, vol. 2, pp. 173–74). 18:10–14 Matthew continues with ...

2686. A Brother Who Sins Against You

Matthew 18:15-20

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

2687. The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

Matthew 18:21-35

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

2688. The Rich Young Man

Matthew 19:16-30

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... eternal life came as a reward for some great act. Jesus answers, as he so often does, with another question: Why do you ask me (emphasized in Greek) about what is good? As an informed Jew you already have God’s revelation on the subject. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments. To the young man’s query, “What sort of commandments?” (Williams; Gk. poias), Jesus responds by listing five of the Ten Commandments (numbers five through nine, according to Exod. 20:12–16) and adding Leviticus ...

2689. The Lord, the Builder of the House(hold)

Psalm 127:1-5

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... life-threatening militants.) To us moderns the claim that children are a reward from God might seem particularly offensive to parents struggling with infertility. But we must recognize that many biblical verses do not pretend to be the first and the last word on any subject. In several biblical passages, Yahweh exhibits his love and concern for “the barren woman” by promising her joy and a family, that is, a home—whether literal or not (113:9; 1 Sam. 2:5; Isa. 54:1). Additional Note 127:1 Builds the ...

2690. A Blessing on the Family Who Fears the Lord

Psalm 128:1-6

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... too easily dismiss. The Psalms do not conceive of a state of blessedness that is merely personal and private. It is received and enjoyed as part of corporate, ritual worship. In this psalm’s second half, two areas of life are singled out as subjects for visual enjoyment: may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem and . . . your children’s children. Again, in the Psalms God’s blessing is enjoyed in the context of one’s immediate and larger social groups. For Christians, this points to family and church ...

2691. Out of the Depths

Psalm 130:1-8

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... (NIV put your hope in) Yahweh. Their “action of inaction” is also based on the premise that with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption (note the word order). The emphasis of the closing confession of trust thus lies not on the action but on the subject of the action: He himself will redeem Israel.

2692. Surrendering to God’s Inescapable, All-Searching Presence

Psalm 139:1-24

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... (vv. 1–6), omnipresence (vv. 7–12), and omnipotence (vv. 13–15). But the sudden shift from sublime wonder at God’s determined interest in the speaker to a denunciation of “the wicked” (vv. 19–22) sounds like an impulsive change of subject. Why are the wicked brought up in a psalm that to this point has made pleasant reading? Some commentators believe that interpretation of the psalm must begin with these verses. Its occasion would thus lie in the speaker’s conflict with the wicked ...

2693. The Divine King and His Universal Kingdom

Psalm 145:1-21

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... of praise and is a general designation, as the parallel term, “your mighty acts,” implies (v. 4). Next, “all [the people] he has made” are the recipients of Yahweh’s goodness and compassion (v. 9). As a result, “all you have made” becomes a subject praising God (v. 10). The final two instances are identical and emphasize his works as objects of his compassion: Yahweh is “loving toward all he has made.” In terms of motifs the structure of Psalm 145 may be analyzed this way: Praising God: 1 ...

2694. God of Creation and Restorer of Jerusalem

Psalm 147:1-20

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... 33:1). Yahweh is presented through the metaphoric roles of “builder” of Jerusalem and “the healer” of the brokenhearted (cf. Isa. 30:26; 61:1; Hos. 6:1). The Hebrew verbs praising God in this psalm are mostly participles, thus placing emphasis on the subject performing the action, rather than simply on the action itself. The two roles of builder and healer go hand-in-hand because the city’s former inhabitants are the exiles of Israel. Without transition the psalm moves to the stars. The connection ...

2695. Doxology to the Book of Psalms

Psalm 150:1-6

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... of this praise: his sanctuary and His mighty heavens (lit. “his powerful firmament”). As seen in Psalm 148, the congregation of the people of God stands as the liturgist summoning both the earthly and heavenly congregations to worship. Verse 2 provides the subject of praise, his acts of power and greatness. 150:3–5 The bulk of the remaining calls to praise list the musical instruments that are to accompany the singing. The praise of God is not simply contemplation, confession, and prostration—it is ...

2696. Paying Taxes to Caesar

Matthew 22:15-22

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... tax referred to was a poll tax levied on every person from the time of puberty until the age of sixty-five. It was paid to the Imperial Exchequer in Roman currency. The tax was resented by the Jewish populace, because it reminded them that they were subject to a foreign power that had seized their land and now exacted from them payment that went into the emperor’s coffers. 22:18–22 Jesus, aware of his questioner’s malicious intent, named them for what they were, hypocrites. He asked to be shown the ...

2697. Marriage at the Resurrection

Matthew 22:23-33

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... Jacob, he spoke not as the God of the dead but of the living. Jesus took the very Scriptures that the Sadducees accepted as binding and from them demonstrated the reality of the resurrection. This deduction rests upon the genitives being taken subjectively rather than objectively (i.e., “the God to whom Abraham belongs” not “the God whom Abraham worshipped”; see Tasker, p. 211). McNeile says that we must admit the possibility at this point that “Jesus condescended to a rabbinic style of argument ...

2698. Whose Son Is the Christ?

Matthew 22:41-46

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... Son of David to carry out a military mission related to Israel as a nation. Passages such as Isaiah 9:2–7 and 11:1ff. were understood as portraying national restoration and world prominence. But how could the Messiah be David’s son (and therefore subject to David) if David addressed him as Lord? The implication is that the Messiah is to play a more exalted role than the Pharisees expected from David’s earthly successor (cf. 22:6, 41). Stendahl notes that “the question is one of Haggadah, where two ...

2699. The Crucifixion

Matthew 27:32-44

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... that included Jews from Cyrene. Simon may have been a member. 27:33 Golgotha: The traditional site of Golgotha is in the present Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Gordon’s Calvary is a favorite alternative for many tourists. For a complete treatment of the subject, see A. Parrot, Golgotha and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. 27:35 The three types of crosses were the Saint Anthony cross (shaped like a capital T), the Saint Andrew’s cross (like the letter X), and the crux immissa (the traditional two ...

2700. Daniel’s Prayer

Daniel 9:1-19

Understanding Series

William Nelson

... seventy years and the time leading up to the end. However, the interpretation of the “seventy ‘sevens’” (9:20–27, esp. vv. 24–27) remains very controversial. As Driver says, “Probably no passage of the Old Testament has been the subject of so much discussion, or has given rise to so many and such varied interpretations, as this. . . . The prophecy admits of no explanation, consistent with history, whatever” (Driver, Daniel, p. 143). Montogomery summarizes the problem: “The history of the ...

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