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 3826 to 3850 of 4942 results

3826. David In Saul's Service

1 Samuel 16:14-23

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

Introducing David: The focus again moves, this time from Saul to David. Saul remains in the picture up to 2 Samuel 1, and his influence is felt after that in the ongoing tensions between the north and the south in Israel. But from this point Saul is a secondary character. Samuel, who had resigned his commission as national leader (ch. 12), is recalled to anoint David. Samuel’s return underlines the portrayal of Saul’s reign as being a pause before the genuine new age arose in Israel with David’s ...

3827. David at Gath

1 Samuel 21:10-15

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

David’s Flight – The Priests at Nob: 21:1–9 Having accepted that Saul’s enmity was fixed and that exile was the only option, David sought initial supplies from the priest at Nob. Ahimelech’s wariness on David’s arrival may have reflected an awareness of Saul’s antipathy toward David and a fear of getting involved in a power dispute. However, it is equally possible that Ahimelech’s expression of ignorance in 22:14–15 was the truth and his fear was that David would bring Philistine troops in his wake. David’ ...

3828. David at Adullam and Mizpah

1 Samuel 22:1-5

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

3829. War Between the Houses of David and Saul

2 Samuel 2:8-3:5

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

David’s Rise to Power Begins: Chronicles, which is primarily concerned with the history of the house of David, gives little detail about the reign of Saul. First Chronicles 10 records Saul’s death in the same form as 1 Samuel 31 but with the addition of a negative summary of Saul’s reign. Chapter 11 of 1 Chronicles then moves to the meeting of the whole nation with David at Hebron that is described in 2 Samuel 5:1. The pains and struggles that accompanied the birth of David’s reign and the role of Ish- ...

3830. David and Mephibosheth

2 Samuel 9:1-13

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

David Meets Mephibosheth: 9:1–13 The story of David’s first encounter with Mephibosheth is told without editorial comment. It can be read as a charming picture of life at court, emphasizing David’s kindness and sense of responsibility. However, it can also be read as a further example of David’s political opportunism, using Saul’s family to bolster his own position within the country. There has been a long delay between David’s promise to care for Jonathan’s family (1 Sam. 20:14–16) and the events of this ...

3831. Absalom's Conspiracy

2 Samuel 15:1-12

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

Absalom – In Geshur and Jerusalem: 14:1 Although his reason for wanting Absalom back in Israel is obscure, Joab plays the key role in the account of Absalom’s return. Again, the writers’ awareness of people, their characters, and their motivations is remarkable. Both Joab and Absalom are portrayed with a great deal of insight. It is possible that Joab had tried before to obtain a pardon for Absalom, as David’s comment in verse 19 could indicate. That would then explain the circuitous route that Joab used ...

3832. Abraham Pleads for Sodom

Genesis 18:16-33

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

18:16–17 This is the beginning of the second major section of this chapter (vv. 16–33). Having accomplished their primary purpose in visiting Abraham and Sarah, the three messengers set out on their journey. The reference to their looking down toward Sodom introduces the subject of this section. Continuing to be hospitable, Abraham walked along with them for a while to see them on their way. Yahweh then spoke. Whether he spoke to himself or to the messengers is not clear. Yahweh wondered if he should ...

3833. The Rulers of Edom

Genesis 36:31-43

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

36:31–39 These eight kings . . . reigned in Edom before Israel had a king. Since their succession was not by genealogy, Edom apparently did not have a dynasty. After performing a heroic act of deliverance, such as Hadad’s defeat of the Midianites (v. 35), a leader was invested with authority similar to that of the judges in Israel, but by contrast he was called a king. Then that king ruled from his own town. The mention of a second Hadad (v. 39) leads to the conjecture that there was an attempt to ...

3834. Aaron's Staff Becomes a Snake

Exodus 7:8-13

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

7:8–13 The conflict between the pharaoh and the Lord commences with a prefatory symbolic wonder. While Moses’ staff is sometimes called the “staff of the Lord” (4:20; 17:9), God uses the staffs of Aaron and Moses interchangeably to perform the wonders in Egypt. In the first encounter with the pharaoh, Aaron’s staff becomes a reptile. In the first two wonders God tells Moses to take his staff (v. 15; the Lord speaks of “the staff that is in my hand,” v. 17), but the agency of the wonders is Aaron’s staff ( ...

3835. Passover Restrictions

Exodus 12:43-51

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

12:43–51 These verses return to the concerns of perpetually keeping the Passover. They mirror “C” in the chiastic structure above, the “First Passover instruction” (vv. 21–27) as C′, the “Perpetual Passover ordinance.” Here the Lord speaks to Moses and gives seven additional statutes designed to preserve the original purpose of the celebration: to form a community around the historical deliverance of God’s people. These verses are sometimes treated as an appendix but, besides adding regulations to ...

3836. Social Responsibility

Exodus 22:16-31

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

Covenant Laws III: Property Rights, Capital Offenses, Using Power, Relationship to God: Exodus 22 deals with eleven casuistic laws of the book of the covenant. These case laws protected property in cases of theft or negligent damage and established civility between neighbors by setting limits of liability for another’s property. They continue through verse 17, after which the legal form changes to commandments (apodictic law). The commandments address three more capital offenses, limitation of the use of ...

3837. Atonement Money

Exodus 30:11-16

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

Exodus 30 includes instructions essential to priestly service in the tabernacle: making the gold incense altar for the tent of meeting (vv. 1–10); collecting the tabernacle census tax (vv. 11–16); making the bronze basin for the courtyard (vv. 17–21); the anointing oil ingredients (vv. 18–33); and the incense recipe (vv. 34–38). 30:11–16 The Lord instituted a tabernacle census tax for two purposes. First, it was to be yet another reminder that God, as Creator, was the source of their individual lives. ...

3838. The Lord is God

Deuteronomy 4:32-40

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Obedience and Loyalty to Israel’s Unique God: These verses are the climax, not just of chapter 4, but of the whole first discourse of Moses in the book. They are fittingly exalted, in content and style. As mentioned earlier, this whole section mirrors the opening eight verses but elevates the theme tremendously. The stylistic device of rhetorical questions that expressed the incomparability of Israel in verses 6–8 is employed again to affirm the incomparability of Yahweh, and for a similarly combined ...

3839. Follow the Lord's Commands

Deuteronomy 26:16-19

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Covenant Renewal and Covenant Curse: Structurally, we are moving into the second half of the “inner frame.” Chapter 27 balances chapter 11, thus functioning as a framework for the detailed legislation in chapters 12–25. This is clear not only from the reference in both chapters to the ceremony at Mt. Ebal but also from the emphasis in both on covenant choice and commitment. 26:16–19 Verse 16, with its reminder to follow and carefully observe the decrees and laws, deliberately echoes 12:1 and thus functions ...

3840. The Death of Moses

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

The Last Mountain: The Blessing and Death of Moses · The speeches have been made, the sermon has been preached, the song has been sung. All that remains is for Moses to bid farewell and leave the stage, which he does in typical fashion (typical of him, and typical in another sense of his great successor), by climbing a mountain. Just before the final ascent, however, comes his parting blessing on the tribes of Israel. There is something beautiful in the fact that after all the dark chapters of curses, ...

3841. Solomon's Wisdom

1 Kings 4:29-34

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

Solomon and the Nations: The previous section, 4:1–20, was clearly defined by its beginning and ending (“all Israel . . . Judah and Israel”). It was a passage about Solomon’s rule over Israel. With 4:21 we begin a new section concerning Solomon’s rule over other kingdoms and his impact on the world more generally. It is revealed that Israel’s peace and prosperity are related to Solomon’s dominion over the surrounding kingdoms (they contribute to the prosperity and represent no threat to the peace, vv. 21– ...

3842. Envoys from Babylon

2 Kings 20:12-21

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

Deliverance and Exile: It seems that the veiled threats in 2 Kings 16–17 with regard to Judah have come to nothing. Jerusalem has not suffered the same fate as Samaria. Yet the Davidic promise has been cited in 2 Kings 16–19, not in relation to a wicked king, but in relation to the most pious king Judah has had (19:34). This creates the impression that in these days of accumulated sin, even a good king requires God’s special grace if the kingdom is to survive. It brings into question, therefore, whether ...

3843. The Sons of David

1 Chronicles 3:1-9

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

David’s and Solomon’s Descendants: 3:1–9 We finally come to the long-awaited focus of this particular Judahite genealogy, David’s and Solomon’s descendants. With the mention of Hebron and Jerusalem, the presentation of the descendants of David simultaneously becomes a short overview of the phases in his reign. He first established his kingship from Hebron and later moved his capital to Jerusalem, which he captured from the Jebusites (see 11:4). For seven years and six months he reigned in Hebron, and in ...

3844. David Defeats the Philistines

1 Chronicles 14:8-17

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

David's House and Family: 14:1–17 Before the Chronicler comes to the renewed attempt to bring the ark to Jerusalem (starting in 1 Chron. 15:1), there is a detour in the narrative. I have already discussed the difficulty involved in fitting 1 Chronicles 14 into the narrative logic of the Chronicler’s broader construction. Although there might be good (compositional-historical) reasons to transpose this chapter to another position, the effect of the present form of the text is twofold. It provides an ...

3845. The Gatekeepers

1 Chronicles 26:1-19

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

The Gatekeepers: 26:1–19 The gatekeepers, who are also part of “the rest of the Levites,” are now presented. The same bipartite presentation as in the previous subsection is used: first, the genealogical list of the “gatekeepers” (26:1–11), and second, the different positions that were assigned to them (26:12–19). The position of Obed-Edom is uncertain, since it seems that 26:4–8 and probably also 26:12–18 were later insertions. Obed-Edom had been mentioned in earlier lists as a Levitical singer (15:21; 16 ...

3846. The Treasures and Other Officials

1 Chronicles 26:20-32

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

3847. The Temple's Furnishing

2 Chronicles 4:1-5:1

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Solomon Builds the Temple: It is clear that 2 Chronicles 3:1–2 serves as introduction to this episode in the Solomon narrative, with 5:1 concluding the account. The structure of the description between the introduction and the conclusion, however, is difficult to unravel. The description starts with a basic overview of the ground plan of the temple (3:3), then moves to a description of the portico in front of the temple (3:4–7), and then provides a detailed account of the Most Holy Place, its contents, and ...

3848. The Dedication of the Temple

2 Chronicles 7:1-10

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

The Dedication of the Temple: 7:1–11 Solomon’s prayer in 6:12-42 is followed here by the report on the glory of the LORD taking possession of the temple. This section draws strongly on 1 Kings 8:62–9:1, but with significant deviations. First of all, the three verses (2 Chron. 7:1–3) describing how “the glory of the LORD” filled the temple are from the Chronicler’s own hand. The phrase “the glory of the LORD” occurs three times in these verses, emphasizing that Yahweh’s presence has now become visible in ...

3849. The Lord Appears to Solomon

2 Chronicles 7:11-22

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

3850. Rehoboam Fortifies Judah

2 Chronicles 11:5-17

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Rehoboam Fortifies Judah: 11:5–12 This section does not occur in the source text in Kings or anywhere else in the Hebrew Bible. Some scholars suggest that the city list provided here should rather be associated with the time of Hezekiah. Although the content of this section would probably not fit into the historical-geographic context of Rehoboam, it is quite clear what the Chronicler’s intention was with these verses. After the conclusion of the schism in the previous section, it was necessary to ...

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