Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 2926 to 2950 of 5000 results

Leviticus 17:1-16

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... 19; 1 Pet. 1:2; 1 John 1:7; Rev. 1:5; 5:9). The blood of Jesus Christ, like the blood of sacrificial animals in the Old Testament, is the divinely appointed gift that satisfies God and allows us to be forgiven. Illustrating the Text Christianity makes exclusive claims that will not be popular in our pluralistic culture. History: Chemist Ascanio Sobrero synthesized nitroglycerin in 1864 and immediately destroyed his notes, for he realized how unstable the explosive is. A San Francisco tragedy emphasized that ...

2927. Living by God’s Sexual Standards

Leviticus 18:1-30

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... appropriately expressed. That stability promotes life (Lev. 18:5). Increasingly, Christians are disregarding God’s sexual standards. But ignoring them can bring chaos and judgment (Lev. 18:24–30). Christians ignore God’s sexual standards at their own risk. Illustrating the Text We must resist conforming to the world. Science: Solomon Asch, a psychologist, conducted a series of famous experiments on the power of peer pressure. He discovered that an otherwise rational person could be induced to provide ...

2928. A Lifestyle of Holiness and Love

Leviticus 19:1-37

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... making courts fair to everybody regardless of social standing (vv. 15–16). Love of neighbor is central to God’s law. It undergirds every command concerning how people are to treat one another. And love of neighbor remains central to Christian ethics. Illustrating the Text We are called to reflect God’s holiness. Metaphor: Many people can remember walking through a funhouse hall of mirrors, laughing at the ways their image was distorted. Short and squat. Tall and thin. Big head and tiny body. It ...

2929. Holiness of Priests

Lev 21:1–23:2

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... to stricter standards than common Israelites were. As Warren Wiersbe deduces from this passage, “If we want to have God’s blessing on our ministry, we must keep ourselves, our marriages, and our families pure and dedicated before God.”4 Illustrating the Text Church leaders must seek to live morally pure lives. History: Before doctors knew about “germs,” the Hungarian physician Ignaz Semmelweis made a medical observation that contributed to the progress of medicine. He became aware in the 1840s ...

2930. Holy Days and Festivals

Le 22:17–23:22

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... wanderings when God let Israel live in temporary shelters (v. 42). So Christians should do no less than Israel did. They too should pause regularly to thank God for his blessings and for the hard times that God has seen them through. Illustrating the Text The Israelites’ festivals helped them remember that they were a special people, called by God. Cultural Institution: The national holidays of the United States have been created to inculcate a sense that America is a remarkably good country. The Fourth ...

2931. Lamps, Cakes, and the Blasphemer

Lev 24:1-23

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... appropriate to say that when the offender is a professing Christian. A collective expression of Christian moral outrage can be fitting at times. We should still be jealous for the name and reputation of our God and defend it where appropriate. Illustrating the Text Stoning was and is a particularly gruesome punishment. Informational: Stoning was a punishment for blasphemy in the Bible. It endured as a punishment in postbiblical times and has been revived as a form of execution by Islamic militant groups ...

2932. Sabbath Year and Year of Jubilee

Leviticus 25:8-55, Leviticus 25:1-7

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... . It is good to give those at the bottom of the economic ladder a path out of poverty. Exactly how to effect this change is a matter of economic and political prudence. Nevertheless, the laws of Jubilee remind us that it is a worthwhile goal. Illustrating the Text God did not want his people trapped in slavery. History: An iconic symbol of freedom is the Liberty Bell. The bell is inscribed with the text of Leviticus 25:10: Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants thereof Lev. xxv ...

2933. Vows, Redemption, and Tithes

Leviticus 27:1-34

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... are capable of giving God more than we actually can supply. But as Leviticus 27 shows, God in his grace makes generous allowances for this kind of human excess caused by imprudent zeal. Such excesses are preferable to apathy that promises God nothing. Illustrating the Text We are to give freely to God, not only what is expected but beyond. Literature: “Babette’s Feast,” by Isak Dinesen. This story by Danish writer Isak Dinesen (1885–1962) was first published in Ladies Home Journal in 1950. In 1987 ...

2934. The Census and Duties of Levites

Num 3:1–4:49

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... the curse we deserved (Gal. 3:13) and died as a ransom for (or instead of) many (Matt. 20:28). Thus the substitution of the Levities for the firstborn provides a conceptual framework for understanding how Christ serves as a substitute for us. Illustrating the Text Every person in the church has a part to play. Music: The first violin takes the prominent position in the orchestra. It usually plays the more technically challenging melody parts that draw more of the audience’s attention. The second violin ...

2935. Preparations for Worship (Part 1)

Numbers 7:1-89

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... silver plates for similar reasons. Numbers 7 reminds us that such gifts to God should not be despised. If given out of genuine devotion, they are welcomed by the Lord as an act of worship, just as the gifts of the tribal leaders were well received. Illustrating the Text Our gifts can enhance worship. Art: One of the treasures of church art is the Ghent Altarpiece. It was commissioned by Jodocus Vijd and his wife, Elizabeth Vorluut, for a chapel that the couple had financed for the parish church of St. John ...

2936. Preparations for Worship (Part 2)

Num 8:1-26

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup” (1 Cor. 11:27–28). Establishing personal purity before worship and serving God remains a Christian value. Illustrating the Text Being in the presence of our holy God is a powerful experience. Human Experience: You are in the backyard with your family, standing at the grill. It is a beautiful, sunny summer day, muggy and warm. Suddenly, it is as if someone ...

2937. Setting Forth with God

Numbers 10:11-36

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... among them. The ark is a symbol of God’s throne and presence in the tabernacle in the middle of the Israelite camps. We too need to be reminded of God’s presence and protection to give us courage to face the dangers that life presents. Illustrating the Text God invites others into his family. Personal Testimony: Hobab was invited by Moses to be part of the family of God. For some people, an invitation to join a family can be very appealing. It certainly appealed to me. As an adolescent, I was very ...

2938. Ingratitude and Judgment

Num 11:1-35

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... !” (v. 29). Even apart from a ceremony, God himself has confirmed that these leaders have been chosen along with the others to guide God’s people. Good leaders welcome coworkers in ministry and do not jealously guard their prerogatives. Illustrating the Text Concentrating on the negative undermines happiness. News: The national news media have a tendency to concentrate on the negative. Speechwriter William Safire caught this tendency in a speech that he wrote for Vice President Spiro Agnew: the national ...

2939. Condemned to Wilderness Wandering

Numbers 14:1-45

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... have so damaged your relationship with your spouse that you end up divorced. Lying or theft can get you fired at work and ruin your career. Sin can result in forfeiting some of God’s blessings, even if we later repent and God forgives us. Illustrating the Text We should always hold God’s holiness and grace in tension. Informational: The rabbis recognized the tension between God’s holiness and God’s grace, as did Moses. Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first day of the month of Tishri. According to the ...

2940. Korah’s Rebellion

Numbers 16:1-50

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... to limit his punishment (vv. 22–23, 46–48). The fact that God is willing to be placated shows God’s forgiving nature. We too have hope of salvation on the basis of Christ’s intercession and sacrifice for us (Heb. 7:25; 9:26) Illustrating the Text False teachers twist Scripture to suit their own needs. Cults: As James Sire points out in his book Scripture Twisting,5religious cults often defend their heretical views by distorting the teaching of Scripture. Such twisting of the Bible can take the form ...

2941. Portions for the Priests and the Levites

Numbers 18:8-32

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... organizations. By doing this, ministers set a good example for their congregations. It is also an act of worship, showing gratitude to God for his provisions. On the other hand, there is no evidence that the Old Testament priests tithed. Illustrating the Text Whatever our convictions about laws concerning tithing, Christians should be more generous. Informational: According to the Barna Group, few American Christians “tithe” in the sense of actually giving 10 percent or more of their income to their ...

2942. Moses’s and Aaron’s Sin at Meribah

Numbers 20:1-13

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... A leader’s bad example might encourage the people to be lax in their obedience to God’s commands as well. So God made an example of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. And if we are ethically and spiritually lax, we too may forfeit our blessings or ministries. Illustrating the Text Sadly, there are many examples of leaders falling prey to sin. News: Moses and Aaron are not the only leaders of God’s people who have had their ministries marred by sin. There are many modern examples. Here are a few. Some years ago ...

2943. A Failure of Leadership

Num 20:14-29

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... take God’s people where previous generations of leaders were unable to go. Moses and Aaron, as great as they were, were unable to give the people their allotment in the land of promise. Their replacements, Joshua and Eleazar, did (Josh. 14:1). Illustrating the Text Spiritual leaders die. Personal Story: Three of my heroes of faith as a young Christian were the evangelist Billy Graham, the apologist Francis Schaeffer, and the British pastor and thinker John R. W. Stott. As I write these words, only Billy ...

2944. Victory and Serpents

Num 21:1-9

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... to the genuinely penitent, as the father receives back his prodigal son in Jesus’s parable (Luke 15:11–32). Thus, though we will sin, we can take comfort in the fact that we have a God who forgives and heals those who turn to him. Illustrating the Text We will never know how “what might have been” can be destroyed by sin. Film: On the Waterfront. In this 1954 Oscar-winning film, Terry Malloy (played by Marlon Brando) is a dockworker and a promising boxer. He has a big fight scheduled. But ...

2945. Through Moab into the Transjordan

Num 21:10-35

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... obstacles and hardships, whether material or spiritual, that life presents. And as God gives us victories in such areas, these become occasions to sing songs of praise. And they can pave the way to greater victories in the future. Illustrating the Text When approached with the right attitude, difficult circumstances can become occasions for thanksgiving. Spiritual Discipline: This passage from Numbers reflects how the Israelites recorded remembrances of God’s provision for them in the face of opposition ...

2946. Balak to Hire Balaam

Numbers 22:1-20

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:31, 38–39). Not even all the powers of the occult can thwart God’s will to bless his people. Illustrating the Text Not even the devil can keep God from blessing his people. Church History: The great Protestant Reformer Martin Luther had a sense of the reality of Satan that most of us in modern times lack. His writings make frequent reference to the devil. Legend even ...

2947. Balaam’s Donkey

Numbers 22:21-41

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... acceptable to curse Israel. God had already spoken. If God’s word clearly prohibits something, there is no reason to ask him otherwise. It is a sign of spiritual immaturity or unbelief if we ask God for permission to do what his word clearly prohibits. Illustrating the Text False prophets can appear true. Popular Culture: Balaam was used by God. God spoke some wonderful things through him. But in the end, he was a pagan diviner who opposed God. He was not a true prophet of God. In 1969 the former Beatle ...

2948. Balaam’s First Three Oracles

Num 23:1–24:14

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... believers will be victorious in the end, for this is God’s will and promise. No one can overturn God’s good plans for his people. Ultimately, it is the enemies of God’s people who are cursed. God’s people will be blessed. Illustrating the Text There are modern “cursings” of God’s people. Philosophy: Just as Balak sought to curse Israel, so many modern people “curse” Christians. Atheists and secularists do not literally curse—a curse requires a god or at least the supernatural—but they ...

2949. Immorality and Apostasy

Numbers 25:1-18

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... privately (Matt. 18:15–16; Gal. 6:1). If impenitent, the offender can be reproved (1 Tim. 5:20) or even excommunicated (Matt. 18:17; 1 Cor. 5:2). We are obligated to address sin in our midst. Otherwise, the whole church may suffer harm. Illustrating the Text True witness can be, and has been, compromised by false teaching. Church History: In the 1970s, out of the hippie Jesus movement, arose a heterodox Christian cult known as the Children of God (more recently known as the Family International). It was ...

2950. The Second Census

Numbers 26:1-65

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... –15), and that we will inherit eternal life and heaven (2 Pet. 3:13; 1 John 2:25). Since God has regularly carried out his threats and kept his promises in the past, we most certainly should heed his warnings and claim his promises in the present. Illustrating the Text God always carries out his threats. Human Experience: Many of us probably remember a scene like the following from our childhood. We are in the backseat of the car with a sibling. It’s a family road trip. Everyone is buckled in for a four ...

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