Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 4326 to 4350 of 4884 results

2 Kings 7:3-20

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... been an accumulating tension; it is no surprise to read of full-blown invasion, as the king of Aram, long anxious for a fight (5:7), encamps his army at the very gates of Samaria. Our only question is how long Elisha will continue to help doomed Jehoram. It is perfectly clear by this stage that Jehoram cannot help himself (5:7; 6:8–10). Is this siege, then, to be the context in which the house of Ahab finally meets its allotted end (1 Kgs. 21:21–24)? Or are we to wait yet longer for Elijah’s prophecy ...

4327. Jehoiakim King of Judah

2 Kings 23:36--24:7

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... in 13:1–7; there it is the number of the remnant, here, the number of the exiles. The LORD’s anger is burning even more fiercely now than it was then (13:3; 23:26; 24:20). Insight: Hezekiah and Josiah in Canonical Context Josiah was the perfect king, conforming himself in all respects to the law of Moses. Hezekiah was a second David. He was (like David) not without flaws, as his first reaction to the Assyrian invasion revealed (18:13–16) and as his later reaction to illness confirmed (20:1–11). His ...

4328. Jehoiachin King of Judah

2 Kings 24:8-17

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... in 13:1–7; there it is the number of the remnant, here, the number of the exiles. The LORD’s anger is burning even more fiercely now than it was then (13:3; 23:26; 24:20). Excursus: Hezekiah and Josiah in Canonical Context Josiah was the perfect king, conforming himself in all respects to the law of Moses. Hezekiah was a second David. He was (like David) not without flaws, as his first reaction to the Assyrian invasion revealed (18:13–16) and as his later reaction to illness confirmed (20:1–11). His ...

4329. Zedekiah King of Judah

2 Kings 24:18-20a

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

4330. The Fall of Jerusalem

2 Kings 24:20b--25:26

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

4331. Jehoiachin Released

2 Kings 25:27-30

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... Kings, in fact, to Samuel, and they hang on tenaciously to the words of 2 Samuel 7:15–16: “my love will never be taken away from him . . . your throne will be established forever.” Excursus: Hezekiah and Josiah in Canonical Context Josiah was the perfect king, conforming himself in all respects to the law of Moses. Hezekiah was a second David. He was (like David) not without flaws, as his first reaction to the Assyrian invasion revealed (18:13–16) and as his later reaction to illness confirmed (20:1 ...

4332. The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

1 Chronicles 15:1-16:6

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... . The Chronicler made use of his source text in 2 Samuel 6:12b–19a again, following it less strictly than he did with some previous sections and making some significant changes. For example, in 1 Chronicles 15:25–29 he changed some of the perfect tense verbs of his source text into participles to emphasize ongoing action. Whereas 2 Samuel 6:12a indicates that David was informed about the blessings that the Lord had bestowed on Obed-Edom’s house since the ark came there, this information is omitted ...

4333. Later Opposition Under Xerxes and Artaxerxes

Ezra 4:6-24

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... versions rightly took the Aramaic qiraʾ as plural, “cities” (NRSV; Rosenthal, Biblical Aramaic, p. 35), so that Samaria refers to the province. 4:12 Restoring . . . repairing: The Aramaic verbs, of which the meaning of the second is uncertain, are strangely perfect. In light of v. 13, possibly an exaggerated claim was made that the work was already done (Barthélemy, Critique textuelle, vol. 1, p. 533). 4:13 Revenues, for which compare BDB, p. 1082, is an uncertain rendering. Rosenthal, Biblical ...

4334. A Song of Praise

Isaiah 26:1-21

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... in these chapters (not least ch. 25) points rather to an openness to other nations. A nation that is thus of steadfast mind in its commitment to Yahweh’s ways and that trusts in Yahweh rather than in its own prestige and security will find perfect peace. The last phrase is another of the prophet’s repetitions, literally “peace peace,” double “well-being.” This will include freedom from war but will also extend beyond that. The promise thus takes up that of 9:6 and applies it to any nation that ...

4335. Deliverance of Israel

Isaiah 27:1-13

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... of worship is actually the removal of sin. And the abandonment of the city and the withholding of compassion are deserved. Its inhabitants were stupid (v. 11). As is evident from the translation, the moves from second to third person and from “perfect” verbs (denoting completed actions) to “imperfect” verbs (denoting actions still in progress; e.g., vv. 7–8) make this a difficult passage. It is not even certain that verses 10–11 describe Jerusalem. When “Jacob” appeared in 17:4, the word ...

4336. Israel's Only Savior

Isaiah 43:1-13

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... the floods and fire of undeserved affliction, but in this context deserved affliction is more to the point (see 42:25). As a result, Yahweh’s own presence will actually neutralize the forces of destruction that Yahweh unleashed. The verbs in verse 3b are perfect, and KJV was surely right to translate them as past. They refer to God’s past act of bringing Israel out of Egypt and delivering it at the Red Sea, the event that constituted its creating and forming, its original redeeming and summoning (v ...

4337. Who Is This Man?

Matthew 16:13-20

Sermon

King Duncan

... story is that when we have an absolute standard to measure ourselves by, it is futile to measure ourselves against other men and women. We must measure ourselves by the standard of Christ. (2) Jesus is, of course, the mark we measure our lives by. He is the perfect example of what a human being ought to be. For some people that is good enough where Jesus is concerned. He is the absolute standard. He is the ultimate role model for humanity. He is humanity at its finest. But for most of us, Jesus is more than ...

4338. In Search of Heroes

Matthew 16:21-28

Sermon

King Duncan

... expects out of any of us is to recognize that the world doesn’t revolve around us. Think of it: some of us have chosen for our heroes people who have devoted their lives to one thing and one thing only. It might be making money. It may be perfecting a golf swing. It may be crafting a style of singing, getting elected to a political office, or a host of other flashy endeavors. It’s understandable that we should admire them . . . as long as we remember that what they are doing is not at all important in ...

4339. Deathbed Confessions

Matthew 20:1-16

Sermon

King Duncan

... of us need an anchor that will hold during the storms of life. (3) If we are wise enough to have a strong anchor that will withstand any storm, we will not need to make a deathbed confession, and we will not envy the person who does. We are not perfect, but we are wise enough to see that there are certain laws--moral laws, spiritual laws, if you will--that govern this universe as surely as does the law of gravity. By the grace of God we will seek to do right, because in the long run it is in ...

4340. Broken Promises

Matthew 21:28-32

Sermon

King Duncan

... the magazine In Touch a few years back. It was about Coach Cleveland Stroud of the Rockdale County, GA Blue Collar Bulldogs. Stroud was coach for 18 years before his basketball team made it to the state championship. Stroud recalls that “it was the perfect night” when they won that championship. “A night you dream of.” He was carried around the gym on the shoulders of his triumphant players and their proud parents. The local paper put his picture on the front page. But the excitement was short-lived ...

4341. Giving Back to Caesar

Matthew 22:15-22

Sermon

King Duncan

... regardless of what others might think. High praise coming from the Pharisees. That was the bait. Now for the trap: “Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?” This must have seemed like the perfect ploy to the Pharisees. Would Jesus play to the crowd and encourage disobedience to Rome? Such boldness would have won him followers but at the expense of pitting himself against the Roman government. If, on the other hand, he sided with Rome, he would alienate ...

4342. We've Got a Friend in High Places

1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28, Ephesians 1:15-23

Sermon

King Duncan

... some of the more bloodthirsty and savage parts of the Old Testament, felt called upon to offer some explanation in defense of God. She said: “That happened before God became a Christian.” (4) I like that. If we could discern in the Old Testament a perfect representation of God’s character, there would have been no need for Christ. But the representation of God’s character in the Old Testament is a mixed bag. In some places, He is a tender shepherd, but, in other places, He calls for innocent people ...

4343. How to Have a Rich Future

Mark 13:24-37

Sermon

King Duncan

... about his return. And he is telling them to be vigilant, be alert, be prepared for his coming. And, of course that is good advice. “Do not let him find you sleeping . . .” A book came out a few years ago that would make a perfect gift for someone on your Christmas list--particularly if that person is a perpetual worrier. It’s titled The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook. The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook is a how-to guide on surviving the most bizarre and dangerous situations imaginable ...

4344. The God Who Comforts

Isaiah 40:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... She flung the earrings to the floor and burst into tears. All this while, her dad said nothing. Then he came to her, cuddled her in his arms and whispered, “I know they don’t look right now. I bought them because someday they will suit you perfectly.” Rachel Naomi Remen writes, “I am truly grateful to have survived my adolescence. At some of its lowest moments, I would get out the box and look at the earrings. My father had spent a hundred dollars he did not have because he believed in the person ...

4345. Among You Stands One

John 1:6-8, 19-28

Sermon

King Duncan

... remembered the unsold layaway package she had carefully put away the previous day. She opened the store and reached for the package sitting on the topmost shelf. And what do you know? . . . the package contained a pair of skates. Amazingly, the skates fit perfectly. “Have this,” one of the boys said, offering the $3 they had to Elizabeth. But Elizabeth wouldn’t take the money from them. “Go buy yourselves some nice gloves,” she said with a sheepish smile. Then she said to the boys, “How lucky ...

4346. Where Did He Get Such Authority?

Mark 1:21-28

Sermon

King Duncan

... Leonardo da Vinci received their inspiration from Him. Jesus wrote no poetry; but Dante, Milton, and scores of the world’s greatest poets were inspired by Him. Jesus composed no music; still Haydn, Handel, Beethoven, Bach, and Mendelssohn reached their highest perfection of melody in the hymns, symphonies, and oratorios they composed in His praise. Every sphere of human greatness has been enriched by the humble Carpenter of Nazareth. “His unique contribution to the race of humans is the salvation of the ...

4347. A Time to Get Angry

John 2:13-22

Sermon

King Duncan

... what to do with our anger. We are aware of the negative results of anger. Anger can cause us to do some really dumb things. Recently I heard a ridiculous joke that tickled my funny bone. I normally don’t tell bar jokes from the pulpit, but the story perfectly illustrates the problems we can cause for ourselves, if not for others, when we get angry. It is about a man who walks into a bar and says, “Bartender, give me two shots.” The bartender asks, “You want them both now or one at a time?” The guy ...

4348. You Are God's Handiwork

Ephesians 2:10

Sermon

King Duncan

... works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Think of that--we are God’s handiwork . . . or as one scholar has translated it, “We are God’s work of art . . .” When Paul says we are God’s handiwork, he is not saying we are perfect. He doesn’t even claim that we are better than other people. In fact he begins this passage describing in detail what rascals we’ve been. He writes, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins . . .” But then he writes, “But because of ...

4349. Faces of Failure: Nicodemus

John 3:1-21

Sermon

Don Tuttle

... quite differently than did Alexander Campbell, the founder and theological brains behind the Restoration Movement. Campbell had a very high view of Jesus. In his book “The Christian System,” he refers to Jesus as “the supreme deity and…the author and perfecter of the Christian system [or faith].” He says “Jesus is the one Lord in all the divine fullness of sovereign, supreme, and universal authority.”[i] In other words, Jesus is by nature divine, with all the authority that entails. But my ...

4350. Making Sense

John 17:6-19

Sermon

John Jamison

... imagine Jesus no longer sitting at the table with the disciples but standing in the courtroom, making his closing statement before the jury. While the words before and after the prayer were to help the disciples understand, John wrote the prayer to make perfect sense to those logical Greeks and Romans. In a formal, structured manner, Jesus stated his case in his prayer. He recognized that God is supreme and that everything and everyone belongs to God. He then made the affirmation that he, Jesus, actually ...

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