Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 3076 to 3100 of 4490 results

3076. Nothing to Hide

Psalm 32:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

Jerry White, in his book Honesty Morality & Conscience tells two memorable stories. The first is from author Mark Twain. Twain says that when he was a boy, he was walking along a street and happened to spy a cart full of watermelons. He was fond of watermelon, so he sneaked quietly up to the cart and snatched one of the melons. Holding it in his arms he then ran into a nearby alley and sank his teeth into it. No sooner had he done so, however, when a strange feeling came over him. Without a moment’s ...

3077. Peace and Quiet in an Upside-Down World

Isaiah 50:1-11

Sermon

Tony Everett

Johnny is four years old and he stopped taking naps before his second birthday. From his 6:15 am wake up (all by himself, no alarm clocks) until his 8 pm bed time, Johnny is in perpetual motion. He is running or talking or both all day long, and he expects the same from everyone around him. You can’t be around Johnny very long without feeling exasperated and exhausted, yearning for just a few minutes of peace and quiet. You may know Johnny, or someone just like him. One Sunday after church Johnny’s Dad was ...

3078. Treasure Hunt

Matthew 13:44-46

Sermon

King Duncan

Back in 1905, there was baseball game played in Salt Lake City. A team called the Rhyolites were playing against a team called the Beattys and the Beattys were up to bat. The pitcher threw the ball, the batter swung and the ball rocketed toward first base. William Giffiths, the first baseman, saw the ball coming his way. Then he watched with amazement as the ball ricocheted off a small stone and landed right in his glove. He beat the runner to first easily for the out. The little stone had given Griffiths ...

3079. Envision: A Church After God’s Heart

Matthew 22:34-40

Sermon

James Merritt

It doesn’t happen very often. When it does happen it is so different from everything else that can happen that you realize that it has “this is a God thing” written all over it. At least, for me, on very rare occasions, an opportunity comes along that you realize only God could have put before you. You know it because only God could have engineered all of the circumstances that were necessary to coalesce and come together for this “God thing” to happen. It works like this: God begins to stir your heart and ...

3080. God Will Provide the Resources

Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon

King Duncan

There is a time-honored story about a pastor and his wife who decided to invite the church council and their spouses over for dinner. It was quite an undertaking, but this devoted couple wanted to be a good example for the leaders of their church. When it came time for dinner, everyone was seated and the pastor’s wife asked their little four-year-old girl if she would say grace. The girl said, “I don’t know what to say.” Her mother said, “Honey, just say what I say.” Everyone bowed their heads and the ...

3081. That's Not Fair

Matthew 20:1-16

Sermon

King Duncan

Some years back an anonymous dialogue circulated on the Internet. It was aimed at parents. It went like this: Whenever your children are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God’s omnipotence did not extend to His own children. After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve. And one of the first things God said was “DON’T!” “Don’t what?” Adam replied. “Don’t eat the forbidden fruit,” God said. “Forbidden fruit? We have forbidden fruit? Hey Eve, we have forbidden fruit ...

3082. Winners and Losers

Matthew 25:31-46

Sermon

King Duncan

Brett Blair tells a story about a man who had been driving all night and when morning came, he still had far to go. He decided he had to get some sleep. So he stopped at the next city he came to, found a city park, and pulled into a parking spot in the park so he could get an hour or two of sleep. It just so happened he had chosen a quiet place on a very popular jogging route. So just as he laid back and was starting to doze off, there was a knock on his window. He woke up. “Yes,” he said. “Excuse me, sir ...

3083. Just Grace

Matthew 20:1-16

Sermon

James Merritt

The woman’s accounting firm is having its best year since she founded it ten years ago. Taxes are due the next day and she wonders if maybe they have taken on too many projects. I majored in accounting and I know missing the tax deadline is a quick way to lose creditability with customers. She decides to bring on some extra help. A friend had mentioned a temp agency in town that was pretty reliable. She Googled the name, locates the number, and makes the call. The nervous woman breathes a sigh of relief ...

3084. Lost

Luke 15:1-7

Sermon

James Merritt

Have you ever lost something of value that was really, really important that really mattered to you and you couldn’t find it? Once you realized it, what did you do? You dropped everything you were doing and immediately went looking for it. Do you remember when you found it? Do you remember the joy, the relief and the happiness that you felt? Maybe it was your car keys or your wallet or a credit card or even a wedding ring. How many of you have ever lost a kid? I can tell every one of you this. If you have ...

3085. In Corinth

Acts 18:1-17

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

Corinth was the most important city to which Paul had come since leaving Syrian Antioch, and he stayed there longer than in any other city (as far as we know). Luke tells us of the establishment of the church in Corinth, but nothing of its life. For this we must turn to Paul’s letters. So little does Luke say of this church that he has opened himself to the charge of being less interested in Corinth than in Macedonia and Ephesus (Rackham, p. 322). There may be something in this, but the reason lies more in ...

3086. Paul in Ephesus

Acts 19:1-22

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

This section and the one before it are a pair. They are both concerned with the relationship of Christianity to an imperfect form of the faith—“the baptism of John.” In this case Paul deals with the situation himself. These verses include also a brief description of his ministry in Ephesus, aspects of which are illustrated in the following section. But again we must turn to Paul’s letters to fill out our knowledge of these years. They show that his achievement in Ephesus was at the cost of much suffering ( ...

3087. Made Alive in Christ

Ephesians 2:1-10

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

Christ and the Salvation of Believers Chapter 1 of Ephesians is dominated by the theme of praise and thanksgiving. In verses 3–14 the apostle utilizes a redemptive eulogy to praise God for all the spiritual blessings that he has bestowed upon the believer. These blessings are mediated through the Son and are confirmed in the believer through the inner witness of the Holy Spirit. The use of baptismal themes suggests that the hymn may have been connected with the celebration of baptism in the early church. ...

3088. Wives and Husbands

Ephesians 5:22-33

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

What motivates the author to move from general admonitions on moral life and corporate worship to specific instructions regarding household relationships? Beare suggests that the arrangement of material follows the conventional pattern of Hellenistic philosophical literature, which concluded its doctrinal exposition with a brief presentation of the social code (p. 716). Another author places the code, particularly this section on husbands and wives, within the context of the ethical instructions that ...

3089. The Exodus

Exodus 12:31-42

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

The night of the exodus came. After the lengthy plagues, speeches, and extended instructions for the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread observances, the exit began. The second half of Exodus 12 continues to braid together the three themes of the Passover lamb, the death/life of the firstborn, and the necessity of bread without yeast. The narrative describing the beginning of the actual exit from Egypt forms the central panel (D) of the chiastic structure we saw in the previous chapter: C First Passover ...

3090. The Lord Commands Joshua

Joshua 1:1-18

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Unity: Joshua begins and ends with concerns about the unity of the tribes. The book expresses a special concern about tribes east of the Jordan River cooperating with those west of the river (1:10–18; 22:7–34). A geographical barrier such as a river often promotes jealousy, regionalism, and civil war; regional customs potentially can distort the worship of the Lord. Success in the battle for Canaan depends on fielding forces from both the east and the west. That unity depends on loyalty first to Moses and ...

3091. Ruth and Boaz on the Threshing Floor

Ruth 3:1-18

Understanding Series

Michael S. Moore

Naomi’s Strategy: Naomi is Ruth’s mother-in-law (khamot, 2:23). This feminine form of kham (“father-in-law”) is widely perceived by lexicographers to be a nominal derivative of the unattested verb *khamah. Cognates of this word appear in extrabiblical literature (Arabic khamay, “to protect, defend”; OSA ?mh, “sacred precinct, protective association”), and the root idea seems to be protection, shelter, or refuge. An Arabic attorney, for example, is a mu?amin (“protector”), while an Egyptian “protector” is a ...

3092. Ezra Comes to Jerusalem

Ezra 7:1-10

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

Ezra’s Commission: Chapter 7 introduces us to the person and mission of Ezra. His mission is the second of the three presented in Ezra-Nehemiah. It has two parts: first to take back to Jerusalem valuable supplies and pledges for the temple, along with a fresh group of returning exiles; and second to implement the adoption of the Torah to regulate the life of the Judean community. We notice, looking over the chapter, that it falls into three sections. First, verses 1–10 give a preview of the journey of ...

3093. Ezra's Prayer about Intermarriage

Ezra 9:1-15

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

Ezra’s Challenging Prayer: The mission assigned to Ezra had two parts. While we have seen the first part carried out in chapter 8, the second part remained to be done. In 9:1–10:44, we shall read how the Judean community, complying with Artaxerxes’ decree in 7:14, 25–26, accepted the Torah. Comparison with the latter passage shows that the editor’s presentation of Ezra’s work was highly selective, and that here the issue of intermarriage with the local population was the focus of his concern. To that end ...

3094. Sin and Punishment

Jeremiah 8:4--9:26

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

My Stubborn People (8:4-7): The next oracle denigrates God’s people for their foolish stubbornness. Through a series of rhetorical questions and comparisons, it emphasizes their unwillingness to restore their broken relationship with their God. 8:4–5 The oracle begins with two rhetorical questions. When someone falls they naturally get themselves on their feet again. When someone turns away, presumably from the right path, they try to return to go in the right direction. After these rhetorical questions, ...

3095. Flight to Egypt

Jeremiah 41:16--43:13

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

Forced to Go to Egypt: The remnant in Judah is now faced with a hard decision. Should they stay in Judah and perhaps face an angry Nebuchadnezzar or should they flee to Egypt? 41:16–18 By virtue of the murder of Gedaliah and his own defeat of Ishmael, Johanan found himself as the de facto leader of the remnant of Judah. His first reaction was to take them all away from Judah and go to Egypt in order to find safe haven. The remnant is described as the soldiers, women, children and court officials. Johanan ...

3096. Weeping and Mourning

Micah 1:8-16

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

The Prophet’s Lament over Samaria (1:8-9): 1:8–9 Micah now breaks into a lament over the destruction of Samaria that he has announced. Because of this, because the northern kingdom will be destroyed, he must mourn Israel’s fate, stripping himself of his usual clothing, walking about barefoot, as was the custom in grief (cf. Isa. 20:2; 2 Sam. 15:30), and crying out with howls like those of jackals at night or with screeches like those of ostriches. (The NIV improperly reads jackal, singular, and has owl ...

3097. Abram and Lot Separate

Genesis 13:1-18

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Abram and Lot Separate: This account unfolds in the four scenes of Abram’s return to Canaan (vv. 1–4), the separation of Abram and Lot (vv. 5–13), God’s renewal of the promise of land and offspring to Abram (vv. 14–17), and Abram’s settling near Mamre (v. 18). 13:1–4 Abram went up from Egypt with Sarai and Lot to the area south of Canaan called the Negev. Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. Leaving the Negev, Abram traveled north through the hill country, eventually arriving ...

3098. Jesus, Messiah and Lord, Is True Interpreter of the Torah

Matthew 22:15-22, Matthew 22:23-33, Matthew 22:34-40, Matthew 22:41-46

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

Big Idea: When his authority is tested, Jesus is shown to be the true interpreter of the Torah, amazing people with his answers, calling people to absolute loyalty to God and love of neighbor, and showing himself to be Messiah and Lord. Understanding the Text In response to Jesus’ three provocative parables, various groups of Jewish leaders initiate confrontations with Jesus (see 22:15, 23, 34). These revolve around Torah adherence and how to live out faithful allegiance to Yahweh, similar to earlier ...

3099. Jesus’s Ministry and Popularity Continue to Grow

Mark 1:40-45, Mark 1:35-39, Mark 1:29-34

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

Big Idea: Jesus’s ministry of power and authority is universal. He helps every person who comes, and his popularity with the crowds grows in phenomenal ways. However, his desire is not for the plaudits of the people but to proclaim the kingdom truths to everyone. Understanding the Text Mark 1:21–38 describes one twenty-four-hour period (from Sabbath morn to Sunday morn). All of this material (including through 1:45) traces Jesus’s ministry to the crowds, who are filled with wonder at each new illustration ...

3100. Caring for the Needy and Commissioning Apostles

Mark 3:7-12, Mark 3:13-19

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

Big Idea: Jesus again leaves the urban setting for a ministry at the Sea of Galilee, healing the sick and demonstrating authority over all powers. At the same time, we see the second stage of discipleship as Jesus elects and empowers twelve disciples/apostles, making them the restored new Israel. Understanding the Text This passage (3:7–12) begins a new section of ministry by the lake (3:7–6:6). At the same time, it starts another cycle in Mark (defined by Jesus’s ministry to the disciples, the crowds, and ...

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