Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 4401 to 4425 of 4489 results

4401. The Final Royal Accounts, Exile, and Restoration

2 Chronicles 36:2-23

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

From the Chronicler’s perspective the death of Josiah seals the fate of Judah and for all intents and purposes the exile has begun. Foreign rulers now take political control over the nation, and more important the narrative, as Necho, Nebuchadnezzar, and Cyrus, along with prophetic figures, act and speak for Yahweh. Throughout the accounts in this chapter the Chronicler regularly depicts the kings going into exile with temple treasures and makes no mention of their deaths. The lack of death notice, typical ...

4402. Trouble from the North

Jeremiah 4:5-31

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The story now shifts from marital language to military language. In his capacity as a watchman, Jeremiah sees a God-appointed nation from the north about to invade Palestine. In earlier prophets a judgment speech classically included an accusation followed by an announcement. In Jeremiah both elements appear, but not in the usual order. In broad strokes, however, one can identify the sequence: announcement (4:5–31); accusation (5:1–13); threat and further accusation (5:14–31); warning (6:1–9); further ...

4403. Hope: Return and know God

Hosea 6:1--7:16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

6:1-6 · Although the future seems certain and tragic, God surprisingly offers the possibility of hope if the people will admit their guilt and turn to seek him. God will allow them some time, so that they will come to the point where they are willing to confess their sins, want to know God, and long to experience his healing (5:15). They must earnestly seek God, acknowledge who God is, and desire to know him so that they can experience the material and spiritual blessings of his coming. Although God ...

4404. Intermarriage and Divorce

Malachi 2:10-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The fourth disputation, Malachi 2:10–12, opens abruptly. Who is speaking? Who is the “Father”? It seems that the people contest something the prophet has said, or it may be that the prophet is quoting a proverb. Since Malachi, by the disputation method, portrays the spirit of the people as filled with cynicism and sarcasm, it is best to take verse 10 as an argument by the people. It is filled with self-righteousness and self-justification but is hollow from Malachi’s perspective. The people’s argument may ...

4405. Samaritan Opposition Foreshadows Jerusalem

Luke 9:51-56

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

A clear break occurs in the text here, indicating a major division in the Gospel. Luke may depart from using Mark as a source, for he does not recount a story from Mark until 18:15. Luke uses the motif of a travel narrative, but the reader should understand it primarily as a literary technique. As a travel narrative it gives very few details about where the events are taking place. Jesus is en route to Jerusalem so that he can fulfill the things that have been written about him. On the way he teaches his ...

4406. On the Road to Emmaus

Luke 24:13-35

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The first resurrection appearance recorded in Luke’s Gospel is found here in 24:13–35. Two people are traveling to Emmaus from Jerusalem. The distance of sixty stadia is about seven miles. As they travel, they are discussing the events of the previous day, and Jesus catches up with them as they journey. They cannot recognize Jesus, not because he looks different, but because in God’s sovereignty they are prevented from identifying him. When Jesus inquires about the topic of their conversation, Cleopas (cf ...

4407. Jesus Changes Water to Wine

John 2:1-11

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

2:1–4:54 Review · Jesus and the institutions of Judaism:The stories that hallmark the beginning of Jesus’s public ministry all share a similar theme: messianic replacement and abundance. In chapters 2–4 Jesus is compared with important institutions, and in each instance, his presence makes them obsolete. (The same will be true of 5:1–10:42. There Jesus will appear during the major Jewish festivals and demonstrate his authority.) This theme is similar to the Synoptic parables of replacement: new wine breaks ...

4408. The Triumphal Entry

John 12:1-11, John 12:12-19

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Both John (12:1–8) and the Synoptics (Matt. 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9) record the anointing at Bethany, and since the settings are virtually identical, the narratives pose a textbook case in the difficulties of Synoptic/Johannine interdependence. Added to this is a Lukan story (Luke 7:36–38) with interesting parallels to both Mark and John. Jesus’s return from the wilderness (11:54) is prompted by another Feast of Passover, one year since the last festival, celebrated in Galilee (6:4). Jesus returns to Bethany ...

4409. Unity and Division in the Early Church: Ananias and Sapphira

Acts 4:32-37, Acts 5:1-11

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Luke again provides a summary account of the harmonious life of the believers (4:32–37). This description can be compared with the earlier summary account (2:42–47), but a few details pave the way for the narrative that follows (5:1–11). First, the phrase “one in heart and mind” (4:32) emphasizes the unity of the early Christians, but this unity will soon be broken by those within the community. Second, the focus on the “apostles” (4:35) as the leaders of this community also prepares for the exercise of ...

4410. Righteousness Through Faith

Romans 3:21-31

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

3:21–5:21 Review · God’s saving righteousness for Gentiles and Jews:Paul describes how God “now”—at the time when Jesus the Messiah came—declares sinners justified as a result of Jesus’s atoning death (3:21–31). Faith in Jesus Christ creates the universal people of God, consisting of Jews, the ethnic descendants of Abraham, and of Gentiles, the families of the earth whom God wanted to bless through Abraham (4:1–25). Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus Christ have peace with God, the hope of sharing the ...

4411. Death through Adam, Life through Christ

Romans 5:12-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

This section concludes the first major part in Paul’s letter, while preparing for the second part, in which Paul explains the reality of the revelation of God’s saving righteousness in the life of believers. In this section, Adam stands for the sinfulness of all humanity (1:18–3:20), while Jesus Christ stands for God’s solution to the problem of the human condition (3:21–5:11). In 5:12 Paul sets up a contrast between two men. One man is responsible for sin in the world, resulting in death, which has spread ...

4412. A New Possibility

Matthew 4:12-23

Sermon

James L. Killen

Something new, exciting, and promising is about to happen. God is about to put a new possibility before you. Get ready. That is a summary of what Jesus meant when he said, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." That is very important, because it is the heart of the message that Jesus came to bring to you and to all people. The passage of scripture we have just read marks a turning point in the story of Jesus. It tells us about the beginning of his public ministry. What went before was ...

4413. Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

Mark 6:30-44

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

6:30–44 From early times the feeding accounts have understandably attracted great attention, and continuing scholarly effort is made to try to understand them more fully. There are two feeding accounts in Mark—here, and at 8:1–10, where four thousand are fed—and also two accounts in Matthew (14:13–21; 15:32–39). Luke (9:10–17) and John (6:1–15) each report only the feeding of the five thousand. Much modern scholarly study has been devoted to the sources of the feeding accounts and other complex historical ...

4414. Signs of the End of the Age

Mark 13:1-31

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

Destruction and Persecutions to Come (13:1-23) 13:1–2 Chapter 13 of Mark is one of the two large sections of teaching material uninterrupted by other things, the other block of material being the parables discourse in chapter 4. The present discourse begins with a prediction by Jesus that the temple of Jerusalem will be destroyed (13:1–2). This leads to a typical Markan scene in which the disciples ask Jesus privately for the meaning of his statement (13:3–4) and Jesus gives an extensive answer to their ...

4415. The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

Luke 1:5-25

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

The Births of John the Baptist and Jesus Foretold: One of the problems in comparing the Synoptic Gospels is accounting for the distinctive features of the birth narratives in Matthew and Luke. On the one hand, Matthew mentions an angelic announcement to Joseph (1:20), the Magi (2:1), a star (2:2), the flight to Egypt (2:13–14), and the slaughter of the infants (2:16). Luke’s account contains none of these items. Moreover, only Matthew cites Isa. 7:14 (see 1:23), Mic. 5:2 (see 2:6), Hos. 11:1 (see 2:15), ...

4416. The Calling of Levi

Luke 5:27-32

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

Jesus’ Fellowship with Tax Collectors: The unifying theme that runs throughout the story of Levi’s call (vv. 27–31) and the discussion about eating and fasting (vv. 32–39) concerns fellowship and lifestyle. In the minds of the Pharisees, Jesus’ chief critics thus far in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus has chosen to have fellowship with the wrong kind of people. Since they were the party of “separatists” (see note on 5:17 above) who believed that redemption would come about by separating themselves from every impurity ...

4417. Lord of the Sabbath

Luke 6:1-11

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

More Controversy with the Pharisees: Jesus implied in the previous section (5:27–39) that his authority superseded the rules of ritual purity. Jesus demonstrates in this section that he has authority over the Sabbath. This is seen in the first episode where Jesus’ disciples picked and ate grain on the Sabbath (6:1–2), an action that Jesus defended against the charge that such activity amounted to “work” on the Sabbath (6:3–5). It reappears in the second episode when Jesus heals the man wit the withered (or ...

4418. The Resurrection

Luke 24:1-12

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

Luke 24 consists of a series of resurrection appearances of Jesus to various of his followers and culminates in his ascension (v. 51). Unlike the passion narrative, where there is fairly close agreement, the resurrection narratives of the Gospels diverge widely. Where the Gospels come the closest is in the telling of the discovery of the empty tomb (Luke 24:1–12). The reason for this is that this is the part of the narrative that Mark preserves (16:1–8). Since Mark breaks off rather abruptly with the ...

4419. An Illustration from Marriage

Romans 7:1-6

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

Paul at last turns to the problem of the place of the law in salvation, a problem he has mentioned in passing but has not discussed in depth. Like all Jews, Paul made certain affirmations of the law. The law was given by God and was thus “holy, righteous, and good” (7:12). It was the definitive expression of God’s will for the ordering of human life (2:1ff.), and as such it was worthy of endorsement (3:31). But in the wake of his conversion, and unlike most of his Jewish contemporaries and even many of his ...

4420. Orderly Worship

1 Corinthians 14:26-40

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

Protocol for Practicing Spiritual Gifts Paul steps back from a strict focus on prophecy and tongues in verses 26–33a as he considers more generally the practice of Christian worship. Essentially, Paul delineates regulations for orderly assembly and worship. Behind all the particular instructions about worship practices, however, is the basic theme Paul sets out at the end of verse 26, “All of these things must be done for the strengthening of the church.” 14:26 The modern reader of Paul’s letter gains a ...

4421. Clean and Unclean Animals

Leviticus 11:1-47

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

Manual of Purity: Chapter 11 begins the third section of Leviticus, which provides instructions on what is clean and what is unclean. Although these chapters are somewhat disparate, this theme unifies them—thus the title “Manual of Purity.” Following these instructions, chapter 16 describes the ritual of the Day of Atonement. Some commentators (e.g., Hartley) treat chapter 16 separately, but while it does allude to the narrative in chapter 10, it also provides a means of removing the effects of the ...

4422. David at Nob

1 Samuel 21:1-9

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’ ...

4423. Blessed Are Those Who Meditate on the Lord’s Instruction

Psalm 1:1-6

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

Psalm 1 may appear simplistic and naïve to modern readers. It seems to divide humanity into two distinct classes whose fates can be easily distinguished. But we are unfair to psalms if we presume they provide a full, accurate report of current circumstances. A psalm is not a newspaper article. A psalm of instruction, for example, seeks to correct improper attitudes and so offers an alternative perspective, referring to aspects of reality that are not so obvious (e.g., that the wicked will ultimately be ...

4424. Our Mighty Fortress

Psalm 46:1-11

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

God as our fortress (vv. 7, 11)—as a “Mighty Fortress” (thanks to Martin Luther)—has been an image comforting believers living in turmoil through the centuries. Psalm 46 is one of the Songs of Zion (also Pss. 48, 76, 84, 87, 132). Psalms 46, 48, and 76 follow the same pattern: (a) a confession that “God is . . . in Zion,” (b) a report that God has stilled Zion’s attackers, and (c) imperatives to acknowledge God as sovereign protector—not the usual hymnic imperatives to join in verbal praise (46:8, 10; 48: ...

4425. The Creator and His Providential Ordering of Creation

Psalm 104:1-35

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

The Creator and His Providential Ordering of Creation Psalm 104 hymns Yahweh as Creator. Every four or five verses (or lines of Hb. poetry) appear to be marked off by repeated terms and to treat a distinct realm of creation (vv. 1–4, 5–9, 10–13, 14–18, 19–23, 24–26, 27–30, 31–35; see further Allen, Psalms 101–150, pp. 31–32). The psalm is very cosmopolitan, echoing motifs from Israelite creation traditions (e.g., Gen. 1, showing both parallels and contrasts), wisdom traditions, Canaanite Baal imagery, and ...

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