Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 301 to 325 of 793 results

John 16:5-16

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

There is a reason the disciples are best known as the “duh!-ciples.” Jesus hand-picked his own team, these twelve companions in ministry and mission. How could his chosen dozen have been so duh! and dumb? Come on, now. Don’t deny that this very thought has not crossed your mind at some point or another when reading any of the four gospels! From the safe distance of twenty centuries it is easy to look back self-importantly at Galilee and assert that, “If I’d been there I’d have ‘gotten it!’” Really? You ...

302. Historical Background

Mark 6:14-29

Illustration

Scott Hozee

Only the back-story here provides a glimmer of something positive to say about how it all came about. According to a very helpful article by Craig Keener in The Lectionary Commentary (Eerdmans, 2001), John the Baptist was probably the only figure who had the courage (and the holy pluck) to stand up to Herod Antipas. This is not the Herod who was around when Jesus was born nor is this the Book of Acts Herod who later persecuted the church and killed, among others, James. But what this middle Herod shared in ...

303. There’s Still Time

Mt 6:1-2, 5-6

Sermon

Frank Ramirez

Nowadays the cost of a dinner and a movie keeps going up, and a vacation can be especially expensive, but if I really want to go somewhere I just take the change out of my pocket and lay it on the desk. It's like a time machine. Each coin has a year stamped on it, and just thinking about the year helps me travel back in my memory. 1979 is the year my first son was born and the year I started in ministry. 1981 and 1983 are the years my daughter and second son were born. 1990 was when I moved to Indiana from ...

304. God All Along

Acts 9:1-6 (7-20)

Sermon

David J. Kalas

See him as he travels along the road to Damascus: the intensity in his eyes, the purposefulness of his pace. He is a man on a mission. His name is Saul, and he is making the 135-mile trip from Jerusalem to Damascus for a deliberate and expressed purpose. He and his companions are sort of a posse, tracking down dangerous criminals in order to bring them to justice. But this is not a scene from the Wild West. No, these men from Jerusalem are a theological posse, if you will, and the criminals they seek are ...

305. "Before" and "After"

Psalm 31:1-24

Sermon

King Duncan

Don’t you love “Before” and “After” pictures? Most “Before” and “After” pictures focus on the thrill of improvement. Your home before our design team got their hands on it: It looks like a nice suburban rancher. Your home after our design team worked on it! It looks like the Biltmore mansion! You, before you bought the Muscle Miracle Machine and you, after you bought the Muscle Miracle Machine. All the women swoon! You can almost hear the excitement in the television announcer’s voice, can’t you? The “ ...

306. The Wrong Gift

Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

What did you get for Christmas? We shouldn't ask it, but we do, don't we? It is part and parcel of our experience of the season. While Christmas gift-giving may have originated in Christian communities seeking to celebrate the divine gift to us, it is now our culture that demands we spend and purchase and drive the economy into the black through our holiday purchases. We are obligated to give gifts. We are cajoled into giving. We must ?nd the "right" gift for each person on our list. Can you do it? Did you ...

307. Paul's Concern for the Corinthians

2 Corinthians 12:11-21

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

The third and last section of 2 Corinthians 10–13 prepares the way for Paul’s third visit to Corinth. His first visit was to found the church (Acts 18); his second visit was to check the church (2 Cor. 2:1); and now his third visit will be to judge the church. If Paul’s ministry of the Spirit is convincing evidence for the legitimacy of his apostolic authority and ministry, a ministry that he attributes directly to God (cf. 2:14, 17; 3:5–6; 10:17), then the Corinthians’ decision to reject that ministry ...

308. Freedom In Christ

Galatians 5:1-15, Galatians 5:16-26

Understanding Series

L. Ann Jervis

Paul’s Direct Warning: To Become Circumcised Is to Be Divorced from Christ 5:2 Now Paul turns up the heat with a direct address—Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you. No longer using Scripture, Paul states forthrightly: if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. The options are clearly laid out: either circumcision without Christ or Christ without circumcision. While Paul has referred to the “circumcision group” (2:12) as those who are opposed to the “truth of the gospel” ...

309. David's Plans for the Temple

1 Chronicles 28:1-21

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Final Arrangements for Building the Temple and Transfer of the Kingdom to Solomon: After the major insertion into the Chronicler’s narrative dealing with David’s preparations for handing over power to his son and for building the temple, the writer now returns to the narrative line interrupted at the end of 1 Chronicles 22. There we read David’s speeches to Solomon and some officials. A theme that was already subtly present in the previous David narratives, namely, the issue of being granted “rest and ...

310. Mordecai Honored

Esther 6:1-14

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

Haman Honors Mordecai: Chapter 6 recounts a series of ironic coincidences that provide just deserts for the antagonist of the story. The coincidences include the king’s insomnia on a particular night; the reading of the annals at just the point where Mordecai had uncovered the plot; Haman’s appearance in the court at this moment; the king’s choice of a riddle-like question; and Haman’s choice to assume that this riddle was an invitation for him to authorize his own honor! These coincidences highlight the ...

311. The Impending Departure II

John 16:5-16, John 16:17-33

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The second farewell discourse runs most closely parallel to the first precisely where it is most properly a “farewell” (i.e., where it addresses directly the question of Jesus’ impending departure; cf. 13:33). Here, inevitably, is also where the differences between the two discourses become most noticeable. Whereas the first discourse was largely structured around a series of questions by various disciples, here the question-and-answer method seems to be consciously abandoned. The earlier discourse began ...

312. Jesus Prays for His Disciples

John 17:1-5, John 17:6-19, John 17:20-26

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

If chapters 15–17 are viewed as an expansion in reverse order of the three pronouncements found in 13:31–35, then chapter 17 is built on Jesus’ solemn reference to glorification in 13:31–32. Glorification is at any rate the theme of verses 1–5. In verse 1, Jesus prays, Father, … Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. In verse 5, he prays again, And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. Superficially, it appears that these two petitions ...

313. Naaman Healed of Leprosy

2 Kings 5:1-27

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

An Aramean is Healed: The account of Elisha’s miracles continues with the story of Naaman the Aramean, who is healed as he bathes in the river Jordan. It is yet another narrative that picks up themes from the Elijah story; the LORD is seen to be God, not only of Israelites, but also of foreigners (1 Kgs. 17:17–24) and is acknowledged as the only real God (1 Kgs. 18:20–40). 5:1–8 The sovereignty of Israel’s God over the whole world is announced right at the beginning of the story, as we are told that— ...

314. The Divine Plan of Salvation

Romans 11:33-36

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Paul offers a hymn of praise to God for his plan of salvation. Understanding the Text Romans 11:33–36 is a hymn of praise to God’s plan of salvation; it consists of three strophes: 1. Three characteristics of God’s plan: riches, wisdom, knowledge (11:33) 2. Three rhetorical questions about God’s plan (11:34–35) a. Who has known the mind of the Lord? (11:34a) b. Who has been the Lord’s counselor? (11:34b) c. Who has given to God that God should repay? (11:35) 3. Doxology to God’s plan (11:36) Note ...

315. Wisdom and Foolishness

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

Big Idea: Christians cannot use the commonly accepted wisdom that guides the surrounding culture as the standard for their thinking and living. Understanding the Text In the ancient world, “wisdom” was not an abstract concept unrelated to daily living. To the contrary, it was a way of living based on a given understanding of life’s purpose and of what actions reasonably would accomplish such purpose. Various philosophers (lit., “lovers of wisdom”) competed to gain a following for their particular brand of ...

316. “You Are My Son; Today I Have Become Your Father”

Psalm 2:1-12

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: God’s sovereign control of the universe establishes a touchstone for understanding God’s relationship to us and ours to him. Understanding the Text The content and form of Psalm 2 is generally identified as a royal psalm, composed for and used on the occasion of some Israelite king’s elevation to the throne. We do not know which king, but given the David collection that it prefaces, it could have been composed as a literary introduction to Book 1 (Pss. 3–41). Hilber has made a case for a ...

317. “The Lord . . . Rules the World in Righteousness”

Psalm 10:1-18, Psalm 9:1-20

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: Acknowledging our humanity is prerequisite to a faith that allows and even expects God to act on our behalf as he has acted for the saints of history. Understanding the Text Psalm 7 closes with a vow of thanksgiving (7:17), and Psalm 8 is in effect the fulfillment of that vow. Then follows Psalm 9 with a continuation of thanksgiving, followed by the lament of Psalm 10. This order is a reversal of the usual order of lament and thanksgiving. There are certainly psalms that contain mixed types,[1] ...

318. “You Have Given Me the Heritage of Those Who Fear Your Name”

Psalm 61:1-8

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: In prayer we are led to God our Rock, and to a higher plane of faith and trust. Understanding the Text Psalm 61 is an individual lament.1The reader is not informed about the problem, except that it is evidently, like the occasion for Psalms 42–43, related to the psalmist’s “foe” (61:3b). Not generally included in the royal psalms, it nevertheless contains the beautiful prayer on the king’s behalf in verses 6–7, or a prayer prayed by the king. A backward glance at Psalm 60 and a forward glance at ...

319. Be Joyful & Reverent

Ecclesiastes 11:7--12:8

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

11:7–10 · The second subunit presents Qoheleth’s final commendation of joyful living, although the typical reference to eating and drinking is lacking here. The subunit begins by affirming that it is good to be alive (11:7, literally “to see the sun”; cf. 6:5). We should enjoy the light of each day God grants us, not knowing how many we will have and keeping in mind the many dark and meaningless days to follow (11:8). The reference here is to our death, as in 6:4, rather than to difficulties during life, ...

320. On Divisions in the Church

1 Corinthians 3:1-23

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Yet even the possession of the Spirit and the mind of Christ does not necessarily ensure growth in our understanding of divine wisdom, as the next four verses show; for the Corinthians, still much as they were when Paul left them, are “mere infants in Christ” (3:1), unready for any wisdom that passes beyond milk (the proclamation of the gospel) to solid food (the attempt to explore the implications of God’s act in Christ for our present behavior, 3:2; cf. Heb. 5:12–14; 1 Pet. 2:2). Their “jealousy” and “ ...

321. Living as Children of Light

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

4:17–32 · Therefore walk in newness: Efforts to walk in unity succeed to the degree to which they reflect the indwelling influence of Christ. Confident that he communicates the very counsel of the Lord, Paul negatively urges his Gentile readers to conduct their lives no longer as their fellow unconverted Gentiles do (4:17). This does not imply that Paul recommends a “Jewish” lifestyle; by “Gentile” here he means “pagan,” “Christless.” That is, he warns against living life apart from Christ, according to ...

322. The Triumphal Entry

Mark 11:1-11

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

11:1–11 From here to the end of chapter 16 the action takes place in or very near to Jerusalem, with much of it centering on the temple area. In the passage before us, Jesus enters Jerusalem from the east (having come from Jericho, about eighteen miles away) in the company of a crowd of pilgrims who are going to the holy city for a religious celebration, perhaps Passover. The scene of the entry is full of jubilation and is portrayed by Mark as the appearance of the Messiah, Jesus, coming for his final ...

323. Introduction

Luke 1:1-4

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

Luke's Preface: The first four verses of Luke’s Gospel make up what is sometimes called a “prologue” or “preface.” Since these verses, which are only one sentence in the Greek, actually function as a literary preface, it is probably best to regard them as Luke’s preface introducing his Gospel. Since Luke 3:1–2, however, also functions as an introduction to the Gospel and since some of the components found in the infancy narratives of chaps. 1–2 appear to be loosely connected, it has been suggested that ...

324. Job’s Reply to Zophar

Job 12:1--14:22

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

Job’s Equal Wisdom 12:1 Undeterred by Zophar’s stringent warnings, Job answers Zophar’s harshness with equal venom. 12:2 Doubtless. Job begins his reply to Zophar with the same word with which he began his response to Bildad (ʾomnam, “surely, certainly, without a doubt,” 9:2), but here the word drips with intentional sarcasm. Job clearly has his doubts about the wisdom of the three friends—especially after the rather unfeeling rebuke that Zophar has just pronounced. He directs his reply at all three ...

325. The Cost of Following Jesus

Matthew 8:18-22

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

A Ministry of Healing: Matthew summarized the public ministry of Jesus as teaching, preaching, and healing in chapter 4 (v. 23; repeated in 9:35). In chapters 5–7 we were introduced to the teaching ministry of Jesus. In chapters 8–9 we will learn of his ministry in deeds. This second main section of the Gospel comprises three series of acts of miraculous power. Each series has three miracles—one in the realm of nature (calming a storm, 8:23–27) and the other eight connected with some form of sickness. ...

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