Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: Levi, disciple, evangelist, tax collector, the 12, the twelve, apostle, sermon on the mount, jewish audience, beatitudes, lord's prayer, great commission, parables, olivet discourse, mount of olives, olivet, synoptic

Showing 2951 to 2975 of 3314 results

2951. New Dominion as a Blessing of the New Covenant: Dead to Sin

Romans 6:1-14

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C. Marvin Pate

... in continuing to forgive us? This issue arises out of his comments in 5:20–21: sin increases trespass, but grace more than compensates for sin. No doubt the Jews or even Jewish Christians whom Paul encountered in the synagogues raised this issue regarding the apostle’s understanding of grace and law. 6:2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin. Paul’s reply is his impassioned m? genoito (“May it never be!”). Since Christians have died to sin, how could they possibly continue to live in ...

2952. The Holy Spirit and the Blessings of the New Covenant

Romans 8:1-17

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C. Marvin Pate

... as a nation—that is, the restoration of Israel. Alongside the future hope of Israel’s national resurrection, Daniel 12:1–3 places the individual resurrection body of the believer. Paul’s Jewish heritage combined those two aspects, and so does the apostle in Romans 8:11. The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will also raise Christians from the dead. For Paul, Jesus’ resurrection began the true restoration of Israel, one that includes Gentiles and the future hope of the resurrection body. 8 ...

2953. The Spirit and the Glory of the Age to Come and the New Covenant

Romans 8:28-39, Romans 8:18-27

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C. Marvin Pate

... end time (see the sidebar).3 8:36 “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” Paul cites Psalm 44:22 (43:23 LXX), from a passage that laments the suffering of the righteous. In similar fashion, the apostle wants his readers to know that suffering for Christ is to be expected (cf. Rom. 12:14–21). 8:37 in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Paul assures the believer of future victory with his choice of words “more ...

2954. Exile for National Israel, Restoration for Spiritual Israel

Romans 11:1-10

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C. Marvin Pate

... of God throughout the Old Testament actually carried along the plan of God as it narrowed its focus, culminating in the expectation of the one Messiah. But, with the advent of Jesus Christ, the focus of God now widened, beginning with the apostles (the beginnings of the remnant in the New Testament), and expanding to include the church (the replacement of Israel, however temporary that may be); and one day it will encompass the world (which will bring the revelation of God full circle). Illustrating ...

2955. The Kindness and Sternness of God

Romans 11:11-24

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C. Marvin Pate

... Israel (“the whole batch”) will be holy one day. 11:17–18 You do not support the root, but the root supports you. In 11:17–24 Paul warns Christian Gentiles not to look down on Israel because of their present unbelief. The apostle to the Gentiles supplies three reasons for this warning. Verses 17–18 provide the first of these: Christian Gentiles are indebted, even dependent, on the spiritual heritage of the Old Testament people of God. Paul uses his now famous analogy to illustrate the point ...

2956. Ethics and Eschatology

Romans 13:8-14

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C. Marvin Pate

... for the believer. However, the salvific message of 13:11–12a occurs in the context of this present age; hence Paul’s emphasis in 13:12b–14 on the necessity for Christians to live holy lives. It is clear that, for the apostle, eschatology forms the basis for Christian ethics. Accordingly, two general commands are issued: Christians are to put off the deeds of darkness and put on the weapons of light. This respective shedding of unrighteousness and donning of righteousness reflect the ongoing struggle ...

2957. Church Divisions and Confusion of Allegiance

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

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Preben Vang

... thinks of verse 10 in formal rhetorical terms as a propositio1or simply as a strong reminder to Christian friends who have lost their way[2] makes little difference for the issue facing the Corinthian church. Paul is not trying to assert his authority as an apostle they must obey but is attempting to remind his Christian brothers and sisters of the teaching of the cross.3 The thesis statement in verse 10 comes as a direct response to a report Paul received from people related to Chloe. Chloe was probably a ...

2958. John’s Introductory Vision The Risen and Glorified Christ

Revelation 1:9-20

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J. Scott Duvall

... and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. John connects with his audience not on the basis of positional authority (e.g., “apostle”) but on the basis of shared experience. He struggles alongside his listeners in the trenches of faith. As a follower of Jesus, he is their “brother” (adelphos) and “fellow partner” (sygkoin?nos) in three realities: suffering or tribulation (thlipsis), participation in ...

2959. Message to Thyatira

Revelation 2:18-29

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J. Scott Duvall

... the Lord (something Judy and I have learned from raising three daughters), but there are times when we have to let them follow God’s call even when job security or income level are not the primary concerns. Remember the fundamentals. Bible: The apostle Paul constantly reminded his disciples to stick with the fundamental message he had taught them. A moving example comes in Acts 20:17–38, when Paul says good-bye to the Ephesian elders just before heading toward Jerusalem, where persecution awaits. It is ...

2960. Message to Sardis

Revelation 3:1-6

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J. Scott Duvall

... are coming up short of God’s standard. From God’s perspective, their works are unfinished or incomplete. They desperately need to “remember” (command 3) what they have received and heard, namely, the truth of the faith taught by Jesus and passed down by his apostles. But they must do more than recall; they must also keep/obey/live out these truths (command 4), which will surely involve repentance (command 5). But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief. Jesus then warns that he will come ...

2961. God on His Throne as the Sovereign Creator

Revelation 4:1-11

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J. Scott Duvall

... There have been many attempts to identify the twenty-four elders.3Because of their function in the book, they should probably be viewed as an exalted order of angels that serves as part of the heavenly council and in some sense represents the people of God (twelve tribes and twelve apostles). They are clearly distinct from God’s people (e.g., 5:5, 8; 7:13; 11:16–18; 19:4), and their primary role is related to worship, since they are often portrayed as falling down (e.g., 4:10; 5:8, 14; 7:11; 11:16; 19:4 ...

2962. The Four Horsemen

Revelation 6:1-17

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J. Scott Duvall

... miss the point. Our job is not to try to predict the date of Christ’s return or map out a detailed timeline of end-time events (Acts 1:6–7). These judgments in particular cannot be restricted to any one period of history. Death, as the apostle Paul reminds us, is the last enemy and affects us all (1 Cor. 15:25–26). A much better approach is to look for the effect of the vision on the original readers and, by implication, on us as contemporary readers. Mounce rightly concludes that “visions at best ...

2963. The Protective Sealing of God’s People on Earth

Revelation 7:1-8

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J. Scott Duvall

... will protect them until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6). We are called to overcome, but our perseverance is rooted in the grace of God made real in our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit. Illustrating the Text God will judge a wicked world. Bible: The apostle Peter liked to use the story of Noah to illustrate God’s judgment and promise of salvation. Two times he references the story as a picture of Christ’s work as Savior and Judge (1 Pet. 3:18–20; 2 Pet. 2:5–10). As in the days of Noah ...

2964. John Called to Prophesy Again

Revelation 10:1-11

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J. Scott Duvall

... this very thing: “Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also” (John 15:20). And in his final letter, the apostle Paul reminded Timothy of this hard truth: “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12). In spite of the promised difficulties, God assures us of his constant presence, of spiritual protection, and of future ...

2965. Faithful Witnesses Who Proclaim God’s Word

Revelation 11:1-14

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J. Scott Duvall

... of the forces of evil is actually their undoing, because of God’s faithful commitment to raise his people from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus stands as the premier demonstration of God’s commitment to reverse the curse of sin and death. As the apostle Paul put it, “If we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Rom. 6:5). Teaching the Text In spite of the difficulty of this passage, several points of application ...

2966. The Beast from the Sea (Antichrist)

Revelation 13:1b-10

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J. Scott Duvall

... , believers are called to trust God and to go on trusting God as he walks with them through the fire. Theological Insights Revelation 13 and Romans 13 have often been compared when thinking about the relationship between the Christian and the state. The apostle Paul reminds us that God created human government and “there is no authority except that which God has established” (Rom. 13:1; cf. Dan. 4:17, 25, 32; John 19:11). When operating properly under divine authority, the state upholds law and order ...

2967. The Beast from the Earth (The False Prophet)

Revelation 13:11-18

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J. Scott Duvall

... promoting the worship of the antichrist (see the sidebar on 13:1–10). 13:13–14a it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. . . . it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. Jesus and his apostles predict that false prophets will come on the scene attempting to deceive many through signs and wonders (e.g., Matt. 7:15; 24:11, 24; cf. 2 Thess. 2:9; 1 John 4:1–3). The second beast performs “great signs” in the tradition of the true ...

2968. The Final Judgment

Revelation 20:11-15

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J. Scott Duvall

... throne judgment because only “the dead” are judged. Destiny judgment for believers occurred at their resurrection on the basis of their genuine faith in Christ’s faithfulness (Eph. 2:8–10: by grace, through faith, to do good works). Hence, this explains the apostle Paul’s humble hope that he might somehow attain to the resurrection from the dead (Phil. 3:11, 20–21). None of the dead can escape God’s judgment since both “great and small” are brought before the throne. There is no hiding ...

2969. The Sin Offering

Leviticus 4:1--5:13

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... the death of Jesus. Christians have been redeemed by the blood of Christ, who was “a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Pet. 1:19), and “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Pet. 3:18). The apostle Paul picks up on the Old Testament’s sacrificial imagery as well. Twice he seems to use the word “sin” in the Old Testament sense of “sin offering.” Romans 8:3 reads, “For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the ...

2970. The Priestly Portions of Sacrifices

Lev 6:8–7:38

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... fellowship offerings (Lev. 7:31–32, 34), which could be eaten at home by any “clean” family member, including women (Lev. 10:14; Num. 18:11). Priests also kept the precious hide of burnt offerings (Lev. 7:8), and maybe that of sin and guilt offerings too. The apostle Paul applies this to the need to pay ministers of the gospel. He says in 1 Corinthians 9:13–14, “Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what ...

2971. The Nazirite Vow

Numbers 6:1-21

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... does God think about long hair and alcohol? It is easy to jump to conclusions. Paul seems to say that long hair dishonors a male (1 Cor. 11:14), whereas in Numbers 6 long hair is a symbol of the Nazirite’s consecration to God. Interestingly, even the apostle Paul undertook a Nazirite vow, cutting his hair at the end of the vow and presenting it to God in the temple to show to fellow Jews that he still respected the law (Acts 18:18; 21:17–26). Did Paul contradict his own teaching? Surely this means ...

2972. Preparations for Worship (Part 1)

Numbers 7:1-89

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... Jan van Eyck, it contains some twenty-four panels. One of the most striking of these is the lower center panel, The Adoration of the Lamb. That panel shows Christ as a pierced lamb, his blood flowing into a chalice, being worshiped by angels, apostles, prophets, bishops, men, and women. This altarpiece has, over the centuries, enhanced the worship of Christ, helping people to reflect on the “Lamb who was slain,” just as the gift of the tribal leaders in Numbers 7 facilitated worship in the tabernacle ...

2973. Korah’s Rebellion

Numbers 16:1-50

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... also true in the church. Paul compares the church to the body in which different members have different functions. Each member, though different in function, has a place in contributing to the whole (1 Cor. 12:12–26). God calls some, not all, Christians to be apostles, prophets, or teachers (1 Cor. 12:27–29). Korah as a Levite already had a high calling to minister in the tabernacle (Num. 16:9–10). But to rebel against those whom God has called to leadership is to rebel against God himself (Num. 16:11 ...

2974. The Ark Finds a Resting Place

2 Samuel 6:1-23

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... realities beyond the literal restoration of Jerusalem. The author of Hebrews uses Zion in a figurative sense to refer to the heavenly city, populated by God, the angels, and the “church of the firstborn” (12:22–23; cf. 13:14 and Gal. 4:26). The apostle John envisions a new Jerusalem descending from heaven following the final judgment (Rev. 21:1–22:6). This city, called “the bride, the wife of the Lamb” (21:9), will be inhabited by the people of God from all ages (cf. 21:12–14, the symbolism ...

2975. Fighting Wars and Keeping a Promise: David Establishes an Ideal of Kingship

2 Sam 8:1–10:19

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... group from the church that went on a short-term mission trip. Highlight the way in which forsaking and stepping beyond the comfort and security of home allowed God’s power and provision to shine through. Bible: Briefly reference the life of the apostle Paul and his extraordinary missionary impact. Then share Philippians 3:1–11, in which Paul testifies about forsaking his human credentials in order to know and proclaim the surpassing power of the gospel. Bible: Reference the story of David and Goliath in ...

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