Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4376 to 4400 of 4489 results

4376. Jesus as True King of Israel

Matthew 2:19-23, Matthew 2:13-18, Matthew 2:1-12

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

Big Idea: Matthew contrasts Jesus’ identity as the Messiah—the true King who enacts Israel’s return from exile—with Rome’s client-king, Herod, affirming Jesus’ identity through Old Testament testimony, God’s protection, and worship of Jesus by the Gentile magi. Understanding the Text Matthew 2 narrates the political threat that Jesus’ birth creates for Herod and the ensuing need for Jesus’ family to flee the country. After time in Egypt, they return, settling in Nazareth. Themes of God’s protection and ...

4377. Jesus Eats with Sinners and Heals the Sick

Matthew 9:9-13, Matthew 9:14-17, Matthew 9:18-26, Matthew 9:27-34

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Jeannine K. Brown

Big Idea: Matthew encourages his readers to trust and follow Jesus, whose healing power and mercy toward sinners signal the arrival of God’s kingdom. Understanding the Text The final section of chapters 8–9 continues to accent themes of Jesus’ authority to heal—with three healing accounts in this section—and faith as the appropriate response (9:22, 29). The call narrative of the tax collector Matthew includes a paradigmatic meal scene in which Jesus eats with “tax collectors and sinners” (9:9–13; see also ...

4378. Jesus’ Compassion and Authority to Do the Miraculous

Matthew 14:13-21, Matthew 14:22-36

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Jeannine K. Brown

Big Idea: Matthew shows Jesus to be worthy of trust as the Son of God, as he acts in compassion and authority to heal the sick, feed hungry crowds, and even walk on the sea. Understanding the Text Matthew narrates Jesus healing the sick, feeding the five thousand, and walking on the water to demonstrate Jesus’ authority over sickness and even the natural elements. Through these miracles Matthew reaffirms Jesus’ identity as the Messiah (“Son of God” [14:33]). The evangelist has already emphasized Jesus’ ...

4379. The Authority of Jesus over Nature and the Cosmic Powers

Mark 5:1-20, Mark 4:35-41

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Grant R. Osborne

Big Idea: Jesus shows himself to be Lord of the storms, completely sovereign over the powers of nature and of the cosmic world of darkness. In contrast, the disciples are unable to think of anything but their own vulnerability. Understanding the Text Mark moves from a collection of Jesus’s parables to a collection of Jesus’s miracles. The emphasis is on his authority, and the order moves through every type of miracle that Jesus did, demonstrating first his power over nature (4:35–41), then his power over ...

4380. Sabbath in Capernaum

Luke 4:38-44, Luke 4:31-37

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R.T. France

Big Idea: A typical day in Jesus’s ministry in Capernaum reveals his power over both spiritual and physical oppression. Understanding the Text Luke has characterized Jesus’s Galilean ministry as one of teaching (4:14–15), though his words in Nazareth presuppose that he has also been healing (4:23). Now, by setting out the events of a typical day in Capernaum, Luke fills out the picture. The resultant portrait of an authoritative exorcist and healer as well as an impressive teacher will provide the backdrop ...

4381. Discipleship and Mission

Luke 10:1-24, Luke 9:57-62

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R.T. France

Big Idea: To follow Jesus and share his mission demands full commitment. Understanding the Text Ever since 5:1–11 Jesus has been gathering disciples. In 6:13 he chose the Twelve from among a larger number. It is clear that the Twelve will be his principal companions on the journey to Jerusalem, but who else will go with them? We are not told whether the three potential recruits in 9:57–62 did in fact join the group, but they represent the difficult choice to be made. So it is surprising to find so large a ...

4382. God and Government

Romans 13:1-7

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C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Paul declares that government is a divine institution, and so Christians should submit to its authority. He provides two reasons why believers should do so: fear of punishment for wrongdoing, and obedience for conscience’s sake. The specific form that this submission should take is paying taxes. Thus, obeying the authorities is another expression of being a living sacrifice to God. Understanding the Text Even though Romans 13:1–7 is a part of general Christian exhortation (cf. 1 Tim. 2:1–3; 1 Pet ...

4383. Ethics and Eschatology

Romans 13:8-14

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C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Ethics and eschatology go hand in hand. Because the age to come has dawned, Christians participate in the new covenant; but because the present age continues, Christians must love others and not cater to the flesh. Indeed, the dawning of the age to come in Christ empowers believers to love others in the present age. The Old Testament law could not accomplish this. Understanding the Text Romans 13:8–14 resumes Paul’s discussion about Christian love in 12:9–21. At the same time, 13:8–14 anticipates ...

4384. Separation of Faith and Life

1 Corinthians 5:1-13

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Preben Vang

Big Idea: The desire to gain cultural acceptance, significance, and influence can lead a church to lose its Christ focus and make it blind to even the most blatant violations of the Christian message by its prominent members. Genuine disciple making, then, becomes impossible and even unnecessary. Understanding the Text A major shift occurs here. The theological discussion of the first four chapters dealing with the church’s cliquish behavior, pride, and attachment to secular culture now moves to a head-on ...

4385. Aaron Begins His Duties

Leviticus 9:1-24

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God uses imperfect ministers to lead his people to see and joyfully worship him. Understanding the Text In this passage Aaron and his sons are directed by God through Moses to commence sacrificing. Leviticus 9 continues the account of the inauguration of worship under the Aaronic priesthood that began in Leviticus 8 and goes through Leviticus 10. In Leviticus 8 the ordination of priests involves a seven-day ceremony. On the eighth day following this (Lev. 9:1), Aaron and his sons begin to ...

4386. Blood: Right and Wrong Uses

Leviticus 17:1-16

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Blood and sacrifice are important, though they can be abused. Understanding the Text Leviticus 17–27 forms a major unit in Leviticus in which “holiness” is emphasized, for which reason it has come to be labeled the “laws of holiness.” Leviticus 17 introduces this unit by emphasizing the holiness of proper sacrifice, the prohibition of idolatry (sacrifice to goat-demons), and the proper use of blood. John Walton describes this chapter as “maintaining holiness from outside the camp” (see “ ...

4387. Balak to Hire Balaam

Numbers 22:1-20

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God protects his people from those determined to harm them. Understanding the Text In Numbers 21 the Israelites move out of the desert to the western edge of Canaan. They have passed around Edom and gone through Moab into territory north of Moab claimed by Amorites Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan, whom they defeat. Though Israel has passed by Moab without attacking, Balak king of Moab feels vulnerable. Moreover, Sihon’s territory now occupied by Israel has previously been occupied by ...

4388. Keeping Promises

Numbers 30:1-16

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Take solemn promises and commitments seriously. Understanding the Text Following the first census in Numbers is a section dealing with vows, specifically Nazirite vows (Num. 6). Likewise, after the second census Numbers 30 deals with vows, especially women’s vows. Why would a section on vows follow Numbers 28–29, which is on offerings made on holy days? Perhaps because holy days are occasions for completing vows. Numbers 29:39 mentions that “vows” can be completed by sacrifice on holy occasions. ...

4389. Reviewing the Past

Numbers 33:1-56

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Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Reviewing God’s dealings in the past helps people to keep following God in the present. Understanding the Text All the major events in the book of Numbers are now complete. So this seems an appropriate occasion for the book to review what has gone before by listing campsites from Egypt to Canaan, starting with Rameses in Egypt, where Israel had lived, and ending at the plains of Moab with some forty campsites in between. Verses 1–15 take us to Mount Sinai. Verses 16–36 list camps in the desert. ...

4390. David Spares Saul’s Life—Again

1 Samuel 26:1-25

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

Big Idea: The Lord vindicates his chosen servants when they look to him for justice. Understanding the Text For a second time in the story, the Ziphites report David’s whereabouts to Saul (cf. 1 Sam. 23:19). Earlier Saul confessed David’s innocence and even asked the Lord to bless David (1 Sam. 24:16–21), but now again the king is ready to hunt David down and kill him. David decides once more to demonstrate his loyalty to Saul. Though the Lord again seemingly delivers Saul into his hands, David refuses to ...

4391. Eliphaz Condemns and Counsels Job

Job 22:1-30

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Daniel J. Estes

Big Idea: Eliphaz accuses Job of sins he has not committed and gives Job advice that does not apply to him. Understanding the Text Job 22 begins the third and final cycle of speeches, and it is evident that Job and his friends are rapidly reaching an impasse. In the third round, the speeches are much shorter than before, and eventually the dialogue disintegrates completely when Zophar’s turn comes but he does not speak (after chapter 26). In addition, the speakers are increasingly frustrated and caustic ...

4392. “Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit”

Psalm 31:1-24

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C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: Life’s opposition forces are formidable, but God holds powerful sway over the evil forces that assail us. Understanding the Text Psalm 31 is an individual lament.[1] The lament proper is found in 31:10–13, where the psalmist complains about his crisis, which, judging from the anatomical language of 31:9–10, was an illness, interpreted by his enemies as God’s ill favor. In view of the declaration of trust in the Lord (31:6, 14), the attestation of his deliverance (31:7–8, 21–22), and the ...

4393. “Come and See What God Has Done”

Psalm 66:1-20

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C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: God’s redeeming work in our lives is the extension of his great redeeming acts in history. Understanding the Text This psalm appears to be a hybrid of a hymn, a community psalm of thanksgiving, and an individual psalm of thanksgiving.1It only hints at the adversity that has prompted the psalmist to make and pay his vows of thanksgiving to God in the temple (“when I was in trouble,” 66:14). This hint, though nothing more than that, takes its place parallel to Israel’s trial in Egypt, which he ...

4394. God Subjugates Judah under Babylon

Daniel 1:1-21

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Ronald W. Pierce

Big Idea: The incomparable Lord is sovereign over all earthly kingdoms, holding rulers and subjects alike accountable for sin and challenging believers to spiritual fidelity. Understanding the Text Daniel 1:1–21 introduces the narratives of chapters 1–6, which reflect the writer’s perspective on the approximately seventy years of Judean exile (605–538 BC) alluded to in verses 1 and 21 and throughout the book. It also serves as the Hebrew prologue to the book’s concentric Aramaic and Hebrew sections (chaps ...

4395. Daniel in the Den of Lions

Daniel 6:1-28

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Ronald W. Pierce

Daniel’s Success and Darius’s Decree (6:1-9): Big Idea: God may allow those who remain faithful to him and his word to experience jealous opposition from unbelievers in a hostile environment. Understanding the Text Daniel 6:1–28 is woven into the book’s overall literary structure in two ways. First, it advances the narrative of chapters 1–6, in which the first four focus on Nebuchadnezzar (chaps. 1–2 with historical markers and 3–4 without) and the last two show the transition from Belshazzar of Babylon to ...

4396. Resurrection and Accountability

Daniel 12:1-13, Daniel 11:36-45

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Ronald W. Pierce

Big Idea: The wise should understand that the struggle of human history ends with resurrection to everlasting life for the righteous and to everlasting punishment for the wicked. Understanding the Text See the unit on 10:1–11:1 for a discussion of the larger context, structure, and comparisons of chapters 10–12, including its fourfold division. Against this backdrop, 11:40–12:13 completes the last section of Daniel’s final appearance vision (chaps. 10–12), the book’s two Hebrew sections (chaps. 1 and 8–12 ...

4397. Abraham’s Test

Genesis 22:1-24

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Sometime later God tests Abraham. It is not clear how much later, but Isaac is old enough to carry wood for a fire and carry on an intelligent conversation with his father. For the first time the verb (but not the idea) “test” occurs in the Bible. As early as chapter 12 God tested Abraham when he told him to leave Ur with his family, and Abraham went out not knowing “where he was going” (Heb. 11:8). As a matter of fact, Abraham’s life begins and ends, as far as divine speech goes, with two imperatives: “ ...

4398. Moses’s Call and Commissioning

Ex 3:1-22, 4:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The call of Moses is a radical break from everything that has gone before. Moses is shepherding Jethro’s flocks near Horeb, the mountain of God, when the burning bush attracts his attention. The Hebrew word for bush (seneh) appears in the Bible only five times and sounds similar to Sinai. Fire is formless, powerful, luminous—a perfect means of representing God. Although the messenger appears in the flaming bush, it is the Lord who speaks with Moses; the messenger has nothing to say. God identifies himself ...

4399. Israel Routs the Philistines

1 Sam 14:15-52

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

As confusion grows among the Philistine forces, the Lord sends the whole army into a panic by shaking the ground (14:15–23). The earth tremor frightens the Philistines, and they fight among themselves in all the confusion and flee the battleground. It is the same sort of panic that was behind the victory at Mizpah (1 Sam. 7:7–12) and the defeat of the Midianites under Gideon (Judg. 7:22). Saul’s lookouts at Gibeah report the commotion to their commander, and Saul immediately consults Ahijah the priest, ...

4400. The Lord Rejects Saul as King

1 Samuel 15:1-35

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

As in the last chapter, Saul wins an important victory but makes a serious mistake (15:1–9). This time the enemy is the Amalekites, a Bedouin people that attacked the Israelites after they came out of Egypt (Exod. 17:8–16). In accord with the Lord’s harsh words about Amalek given to Moses, Samuel tells Saul to attack the Amalekites and “totally destroy” all their people and animals (15:3). This technical term for complete destruction was also applied to the Canaanites when Joshua invaded the land. Because ...

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