Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 2751 to 2775 of 4914 results

2751. You Are God's Child

Romans 8:1-17

Sermon

King Duncan

Do You Know Who You Are? A hitchhiker was trying to get a ride one night in Los Angles. A car pulled over to pick him up. When the hitchhiker got into the car he saw the face of the driver and recognized him. The driver was film star Michael Douglas! The hitchhiker was shocked and all he could think to say to Michael Douglas was, “Do you know who you are?” That’s our theme for today: Do you know who you are? I am thrilled to be able to tell you by the power vested in me as a minister of the Gospel who you ...

2752. Are You Giving Up Chocolate for Valentine's Day?

Luke 4:1-13

Sermon

King Duncan

Welcome on this Valentine’s Day. It is ironic that this is also the First Sunday in Lent. Lent is generally that season of the year when people have chosen a favorite treat or some vice to give up for these six weeks. One man said his children traditionally gave up something like candy for Lent. Last year, however, he urged them to go beyond that to giving up some habit or sin that they knew was bad for them. About halfway through Lent he asked the children how they were doing with their Lenten promise. ...

2753. Triumph of the Jews

Esther 9:1-19

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

The Victory of the Jews: The ninth chapter of Esther recounts the events that ensured Jewish victory. It begins with an emphasis on a particular day: On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar—a date that chillingly recalls the events in chapter 3 that led to this crisis. This chapter is about this day (and the next), about the victory the Jews achieved over those who hated them, and about the rest that followed. These events provide the etiology of the Jewish festival of Purim. Much of ...

2754. Shining as Stars

Philippians 2:12-18

Understanding Series

F. F. Bruce

Encouragement to Fidelity After the Christ hymn, and reinforced by its contents, the apostolic exhortation is resumed. 2:12 Christ’s obedience has been stressed; his obedience should be an example to his people. Paul has no misgivings about the Philippian Christians’ obedience: unlike the Corinthians in the situation reflected in 2 Corinthians 10:6, they had always shown obedience, not so much to Paul as to the Lord whose apostle he was. If it is felt to be strange that obedience should be mentioned at all ...

2755. Judgment Against the Nations

Isaiah 34:1-17

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

Streams Turned into Desolation, Desert into Pools: While chapter 33 looks back and reworks the message of the book so far, it does so in a way that points forward and emphasizes the wondrous reversal and restoration that Yahweh will bring about. Since the second half of the book is more renewal-focused, chapter 33 thus also anticipates this material. Chapters 34–35 then mirror chapter 33. They have one eye to what has preceded, but they more explicitly point to what will come, introducing us to themes to ...

2756. Jesus Enters Jerusalem as a Peaceable and Humble King

Matthew 20:29-34, Matthew 21:1-11

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

Big Idea: After mercifully healing two blind men, Jesus enters Jerusalem as a peaceable and humble king in concert with Zechariah’s vision of Israel’s king who comes to bring salvation. Understanding the Text This passage, which narrates Jesus healing two blind men outside Jericho (20:29–34) and thereafter entering Jerusalem in kingly fashion (21:1–11), introduces a new section of Matthew focused on Jesus’ ministry to crowds and confrontations with Jewish leaders in Jerusalem (chaps. 21–23). Matthew ties ...

2757. A Call to Servanthood and Suffering

Mark 10:46-52, Mark 10:35-45, Mark 10:32-34

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

Big Idea: Once more the disciples fail by seeking greatness rather than servanthood, and the right “path” is shown by Bartimaeus, who centers entirely on Jesus and “follows” him “along the road.” Jesus is central, and here he reveals that his way of suffering is redemptive, providing a “ransom for many,” and ends his public ministry with a call to discipleship. Understanding the Text This is the final set of events in Jesus’s public ministry, as the rest of Mark will cover the passion week, crucifixion, ...

2758. A Special Child Promised

Luke 1:5-25

Teach the Text

R.T. France

Big Idea: The promise of the birth of a special child shows that a new age is dawning: John the Baptist will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. Understanding the Text We have considered Luke’s introductory statement of intent (1:1–4) in the introduction (“Luke the Historian: Luke 1:1–4”), and I will not comment further on it here. The story then begins, to the reader’s surprise, not with Jesus but with the promise of the birth of John the Baptist. The reader will be invited to compare the ...

2759. Rejecting or Responding to Jesus

Luke 10:1-24

Teach the Text

R.T. France

Big Idea: How people respond to Jesus and his ministry (and to his disciples’ message) determines their spiritual destiny. Understanding the Text The mission of the seventy-two leads to reflections on the significance of Jesus’s ministry and of the mission that he now shares with his followers. As in the earlier account of Jesus’s transfiguration, we see again here that the drama being played out on the earthly level also has a supernatural dimension, both in the conflict with and the defeat of Satan (a ...

2760. God and Mammon

Luke 16:16-18, Luke 16:1-15

Teach the Text

R.T. France

Big Idea: Our heavenly well-being depends on how we have handled the possessions entrusted to us here on earth. Understanding the Text Two more parables (16:1–8a, 19–31) follow the three in chapter 15. In the light of the interpretive comments on the first parable in 16:8b–9, both parables make a connection between life on earth and life in heaven, and the focus in both is on wealth and how we use it, a prominent theme in Luke that has already been given sustained attention in chapter 12 (summed up in the ...

2761. Continuing Opposition to the Apostles by Jewish Leadership

Acts 5:12-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Luke here again provides a portrayal of the ministry of the apostles and the opposition from the Jewish leaders. The summary account of the miracles performed by the apostles (5:12–16) provides a different manifestation of the power of God. While the death of Ananias and Sapphira points to the powerful act of God in judgment, here the mighty acts performed through the hands of the apostles point to the powerful saving acts of God. Throughout Luke’s narrative, one finds both aspects of divine power ...

2762. Holy War: Fighting Right the Right Fight

Ephesians 6:10-20

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Paul’s argument has reached its final stage. God has redeemed, adopted, and sealed the readers as members of his new creation. They can now live together in unity, newness, love, light, and wisdom—essential characteristics of that new creation. Yet Paul is fully aware that believers in their current context face fierce resistance to living out this new lifestyle of God’s future. They are engaged in a holy war. As he closes the letter, Paul reassures the beleaguered readers that they are not left alone and ...

2763. The Wind

Mark 1:4-11

Sermon

Charley Reeb

John the Baptist says something interesting in Mark, “He (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Those were prophetic words. John was pointing to a time when those who followed Jesus would be infused with the power of the Holy Spirit. Later this prophetic word would be underscored by Jesus’ baptism when the Spirit of God descended upon him like a dove. Just a few years later John’s words would be confirmed on the day of Pentecost when the church was born by the power of the Holy Spirit. On this ...

2764. Pop Verses: John 3:16

John 3:16

Sermon

Charley Reeb

Today I continue our series “Pop Verses.” We are taking a closer look at some of the most popular Bible verses. We are going to find out why they are so popular and how they apply to our lives. What you might discover is that some of these verses don’t mean what you think they mean or they mean a lot more than you think they mean. You see, quite often our favorites verses are just that – they’re verses. They’re not read in light of the passage in which they appear. This can lead to a misunderstanding about ...

2765. Jesus Heals a Paralytic

Luke 5:17-26

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

Healing Controversies: Both of the healing stories of Luke 5:12–26 have religious implications. The healing of the leper (vv. 12–16) involves the issue of religious purity and impurity (or “clean” vs. “unclean”). The healing of the paralyzed man (vv. 17–26) involves faith and the forgiveness of sins. This healing story is the first of a series of episodes where Jesus encounters religious criticism and opposition. In 6:1–5 Jesus is accused of working on the Sabbath when he and his disciples picked grain to ...

2766. The Seven Bowls of God's Wrath

Revelation 16:1-21

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

16:1 Scholars have long pointed out the similarities between the first six trumpet judgments (Rev. 8:6–9:21) and the first six bowl judgments (16:1–14; cf. Beasley-Murray, Revelation, pp. 238–39); and we have called attention to the “hailstorm” that links the seventh trumpet to the seventh bowl. In one sense, John’s vision of bowl-plagues repeats and emphasizes the previous point: divine judgment intends to bring the nations to repent and to confess God as sovereign creator and ruling Lord. Their refusal ...

2767. Hallelujah!

Revelation 19:1-10

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

19:1–3 Now that the third woe is completed, the reader is ready to hear God’s concluding word that speaks of salvation rather than of judgment. These doxologies describe the logical response of worship to the angel’s earlier demand for the heavenly community to “Rejoice … O heaven/Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets!” (18:20). They also form part of the heavenly liturgy of joy that is marked by the repeated acclamations of Hallelujah! (19:1, 3, 4, 6)—found only here in the NT but often in the OT ...

2768. Idolatry Forbidden

Deuteronomy 4:15-31

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Obedience and Loyalty to Israel’s Unique God: The historical recollections now give place to urgent exhortation. 4:15–20 This specific warning against idolatry is prefaced with a reminder of the point just made, you saw no form (v. 15). Any attempt, therefore, to make an image as an object of or aid to worship, was bound to be inadequate. But the reason for the prohibition should be carefully expressed. Sometimes it is claimed that Israel here affirmed an invisible deity, as against visible idols. Or that ...

2769. The Fall of Babylon

Isaiah 47:1-15

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

The Fall of the Gods and Their City: So Yahweh has declared Babylon’s destiny to fall to Cyrus. Now, before the prophet’s eyes, the Babylonian gods make the reverse of the journey that the vessels from the Jerusalem temple had made (ch. 46), and the prophet bids the city itself accept the humiliation of its defeat and the end of its exercise of power in the middle east (ch. 47). One might infer that the situation has moved on and that the city has now actually fallen, but as the chapters continue to unfold ...

2770. Beyond a Friendly, Cuddly Christmas

Matthew 2:13-23

Sermon

King Duncan

This is the season for returns is it not? . . . Especially for returning unwanted or impractical Christmas gifts. I was reading something interesting recently about Costco, the giant members-only warehouse store. Costco is the second largest retailer in the world after Walmart. What you may not know is that Costco has one of the most generous return policies in the retail world. They will allow customers to return just about anything they buy there . . . for a full refund. As you might guess, that kind of ...

2771. The Tragedy of Caiaphas

John 18:1-27 · John 11:45-47 · Matthew 26:36-75

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:64) “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:16) Greek theatre became an art form long before the first century. But in the first century it still flourished in the cities of the Roman Empire ...

2772. You are Anointed

1 Samuel 16:1-13

Sermon

Lori Wagner

“To God we are the aroma of the Messiah.” (Paul in his Second Letter to the Corinthian Church 2:14-16) Props: Provide/burn fragrant incense or scented candles or some other type of enduring scent (be cognizant of possible allergies, and find something that your congregation can find pleasurable). For the end of your sermon, be prepared to hand out fragrant bookmarks. You can make your own by buying fragrance testing papers ($9.99 on amazon for 100), or you can purchase scented bookmarks. What are your ...

2773. The Rant

Matthew 23:1-12

Sermon

Lori Wagner

All of Philadelphia mourned a week ago when the Phillies –the Fightin’ Phils—failed to win their last two games, forfeiting their chance to move on to the World Series. Philadelphia fans are passionate. Everybody knows it. They put themselves out there because they love their team. When teams from out of state come to Philadelphia, they experience a kind of culture shock. But what they soon realize is that Philadelphia fans just really love baseball, and they bond with their team in a way that no-one else ...

2774. The Dream is Fulfilled

Daniel 4:28-37

Understanding Series

William Nelson

The King Becomes a Beast-Man and Then Recovers: In terms of form, chapter 4 starts out as a letter from King Nebuchadnezzar addressed to all people everywhere. It begins in the first person with praise to God (4:1–3). Next, the king relates in his own voice the story of his dream (4:4–18). Then the account shifts to the third person for Daniel’s interpretation (4:19–27) and for the narrative of how the dream was fulfilled (4:28–33). Finally, the text reverts back to the first person as Nebuchadnezzar ...

2775. Week One Of Lent

Sermon

Richard Gribble

Monday Week OneLeviticus 19:1-2, 11-18Matthew 25:31-46 Be Holy As Is God We all know that God is divine. This is how we define God. But how does one define divinity? One might say that divinity means omniscience and omnipotence. These are both proper descriptions, possibly even definitions of divinity, but how can a human relate to these things? We know so many things that are more powerful than we and so many people who are more intelligent than ourselves. Maybe we can imagine the divinity of God as all ...

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