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 426 to 450 of 4943 results

426. The High Priest of a New Covenant

Hebrews 8:1-13

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

The True High Priest and His Ministry In this passage the author sums up his argument thus far but also brings it to a new stage. He continues to expound the definitive character of Christ’s work, now drawing the contrast in a new and fascinating manner by using the language of shadow and reality. 8:1 The point of the argument centers on the actual reality and sufficiency of our high priest. He has been able definitively to accomplish what the levitical priesthood pointed toward in anticipation. He now has ...

427. Suffering for Being a Christian

1 Peter 4:12-19

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

Suffer Cheerfully for God 4:12 Dear friends signals the beginning of a new section, as Peter returns to the subject of suffering, though in particular to suffering on account of being a Christian. That a painful trial should come to those who have committed their lives to God’s keeping should not cause surprise. Conversion does not bring exemption from troubles, though it does assure believers of divine assistance through troubles. To have been born again into new spiritual life (1:3) will inevitably ...

428. Making One's Calling and Election Sure

2 Peter 1:1-11

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

Greeting 1:1 The opening of 2 Peter is along the conventional lines of a NT letter, giving sender, addressees, greeting (see commentary on Jude 1 and Additional Notes on Jude 1–2). The sender identifies himself as Simon Peter. Most Greek MSS of 2 Peter transliterate the sender’s first name as Symeōn, the Hebrew form applied to Simon Peter elsewhere in the NT only in Acts 15:14, in the appropriate Jewish-Christian setting of the Council of Jerusalem. The author further calls himself a servant and apostle of ...

429. The Song of Moses and Miriam

Exodus 15:1-21

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

Singing at the Sea: Worshiping the Lord was Israel’s transition to a new existence. Exodus 15 links the experience of Egypt (chs. 1–14) and the trust-building journey of the first year in the wilderness (chs. 15–18). It ends the traumas of Egypt with a song to, and about, the Lord’s victory over the chaos. Verses 22–27 describe the challenge of trusting Yahweh for basic provision and protection during their journey to the mountain of God (Horeb/Sinai). This “Song at the Sea” has three stanzas (vv. 2–6; 7– ...

430. The Decree of Darius

Ezra 6:1-12

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

The Green Light: This chapter draws to a triumphant close the accomplishment of the first mission given by God through the Persian king Cyrus in 1:1–4. Stage one was realized by chapter 3. Now stage two is brought to a satisfying finale in the completion of the temple-building project. The temple represented the heart of Israel’s spiritual life as the sign of God’s presence with the people, the focus of their worship and the source of divine blessing. Now, in principle, the postexilic community stood on a ...

431. Mourning for the One They Pierced

Zechariah 12:10-14

Understanding Series

Pamela J. Scalise

12:9–11 This next section is laden with grief. The root “mourn” (spd) occurs five times in as many verses (12:10–14). Yet this mourning is God’s good gift, a necessary accompaniment to repentance (see also Joel 2:12; Isa. 22:12). This blessing will enable the people of Jerusalem to turn back to God. While God sets out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem (v. 9), God will transform the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem (vv. 10–14). Then the Lord will provide them with the means to ...

432. The Impending Departure I

John 14:1-4, John 14:5-14, John 14:15-31

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The single theme of the first block of teaching material is developed in dialogue form, with a series of questions and answers (13:36–14:24) ending with a postscript in the form of a monologue (14:25–31). Each question is occasioned by a previous statement of Jesus, so that each interchange has three parts: Jesus’ initial statement, the question that it occasions, and Jesus’ answer to the question. In all, four disciples take their turn as inquirers: Peter, Thomas, Philip, and Judas (not “the son of Simon ...

433. Israel Rebels Against Rehoboam

1 Kings 12:1-24

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

The Kingdom Torn Away: The king is dead. Long live the king! Well, not quite. We are now to read of the tearing away of the kingdom that has been threatened in chapter 11. As Moses led his people out from slavery under the house of the Egyptian Pharaoh, so Jeroboam will lead Israel out from “slavery” under the house of David; as God hardened Pharaoh’s heart in order to accomplish all his will, so the hardness of Rehoboam’s heart will precipitate this schism also. The exodus will take Israel towards a new ...

434. Joash Repairs the Temple

2 Kings 12:1-21

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

Joash: Joash sits on his throne, but until now the main actor in his story has been the priest Jehoiada. Now we begin to hear of his own activities, as the “highlights” of his forty-year long reign over Judah are described to us. They do not make particularly inspiring reading. 12:1–3 The introductory regnal formulas for Joash correspond to those found elsewhere for Judean kings who have eschewed idolatry (cf. Asa in 1 Kgs. 15:9ff.; Jehoshaphat in 1 Kgs. 22:41ff.; also the early Solomon, 1 Kgs. 3:3). There ...

435. Worthy Is the Lamb Who Was Slain

Revelation 5:1-14

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: Jesus, the crucified and resurrected Lion-Lamb, is worthy to carry out God’s plan of redemption and judgment for the world. Understanding the Text Revelation 5 continues the throne-room vision that began in 4:1. Following the worship of God as sovereign Creator, the scene shifts to the Lamb as Redeemer. John sees a scroll in God’s right hand, and the heavenly worshipers fall silent as the mighty angel asks, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” (5:2). This brings us to a ...

436. Faithful Witnesses Who Proclaim God’s Word

Revelation 11:1-14

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: God calls his people to faithful witness, leading to hostility from the world but ultimately resulting in vindication by God. Understanding the Text The interlude of 10:1–11:13 speaks to the situation of God’s people in this world. The first part of the interlude features the recommissioning of John to continue his prophetic ministry (10:1–11), a ministry that extends to the entire church in the second vision of the interlude: the two witnesses (11:1–13).1This second vision has two parts: 11:1–2 ...

437. Israel Celebrates the Passover

Numbers 9:1-14

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: We need to recall how God saved us. Understanding the Text The book of Numbers begins with the census initiated twelve and a half months after the exodus (Num. 1:1, 18). But in Numbers 9 (and probably Num. 7–8 as well; see comments as Num. 7:1), the book flashes back to the previous month (Num. 9:1)—that is, to the very month when the tabernacle had been completed (Exod. 40:17). Precisely one year after the initial Passover, the Israelites begin the first annual Passover commemoration around ...

438. The Lord Decides to Build David a House

2 Samuel 7:18-29, 2 Samuel 7:1-17

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

Big Idea: The Lord’s irrevocable promise to David is reliable and guarantees the realization of his purposes for his covenant community. Understanding the Text David has transported the ark, the symbol of God’s presence, to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 5). Knowing that the Lord is the true King of Israel (2 Sam. 6:2), who has defeated his enemies (5:17–25; 7:1), David naturally desires to build a “house” (a temple, or palace) for this victorious King.1The Lord will eventually allow a temple to be built (1 Kings 5–6 ...

439. Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice

1 Samuel 15:1-35

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

Big Idea: The Lord gives greater priority to obedience than to religious formalism. Understanding the Text In this account the narrator’s pro-David/anti-Saul agenda continues to gain momentum. In chapter 13 Samuel announced that Saul would have no royal dynasty, placing the king on thin ice. Chapter 14 did nothing to ease our concerns about Saul, as he exhibited a preoccupation with his own honor and an obsession with religious formalism, particularly oaths. He was ready to execute his own son, and he ...

440. The Image of Gold and the Fiery Furnace

Daniel 3:1-30

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

Nebuchadnezzar Builds the Statue (3:1-12): Big Idea: God sometimes allows believers to face dark times of crisis in which their faith and faithfulness are challenged, even with the penalty of death. Understanding the Text Daniel 3:1–30 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 ...

441. Thanksgiving and Prayer

2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

1:1–2 Review · Epistolary Salutation: This second epistle begins exactly as 1 Thessalonians did, using nearly identical wording. The only difference between this text and 1 Thessalonians 1:1 is that God is here called “our Father” (cf. Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:3–4; Eph. 1:2; Phil. 1:2; 4:20; Col. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:3; 3:11–12; 2 Thess. 2:16; Philem. 3), echoing the prayer Jesus taught the disciples (Matt. 6:9). Paul and his associates also add here that grace and peace come “from God the ...

442. Paul's Longing to Visit Rome

Romans 1:1-17

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

The Salutation The first seventeen verses of Romans serve as an introduction to the epistle and fall into three parts. The first part, verses 1–7, is Paul’s salutation. In the second part, verses 8–15, Paul introduces himself and speaks of his desire to visit Rome. The third and final part is verses 16–17, in which Paul broaches the seminal theme of his gospel, justification by faith for both Jew and Gentile. First, the salutation. Letters in Hellenistic times followed a standard literary pattern. Unlike ...

443. Abraham Justified by Faith

Romans 4:1-25

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

Abraham as the Model of Faith Chapter 4 is a test case of righteousness by faith. In 3:21–31 Paul presented a position statement on salvation through faith in Christ’s sacrifice of atonement. In chapter 4 he sends the class to the laboratory, as it were, to test that thesis. Here we find the compressed and nuclear thesis of 3:21–31 developed in the discursive style of Jewish midrash. Midrash was the name given to a form of rabbinic exposition in ancient Palestine which sought to penetrate the meaning of ...

444. The Writing on the Wall

Daniel 5:1-31

Understanding Series

William Nelson

We have seen evidence that the earlier chapters were independent traditions. For example, in chapter 1 the four Jews proved to be wiser than all the other sages, yet they are not asked to interpret the dream in chapter 2; Daniel is prominent in chapter 2 but missing from chapter 3. The author does not do a lot to provide smooth transitions between the different episodes, but there is some continuity in that the first four chapters feature King Nebuchadnezzar. The chasm between chapers 4 and 5 is greater ...

445. Daniel in the Den of Lions

Daniel 6:1-28

Understanding Series

William Nelson

The Lion's Pit: In this familiar chapter, Daniel’s enemies conspire to get him thrown into the lions’ pit for making petitions to his God. Just as we wonder where Daniel is in chapter 3, so we wonder where Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) are in chapter 6, for there is no mention of them. We can be sure that they, like Daniel, would have continued their daily prayers in spite of the threat of being devoured by wild animals, yet there is no explanation for their absence. This ...

446. “I Am from Him and He Sent Me”

John 7:25-44

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The temple discourse begins anew with a notice that Jesus cried out. This second announcement (vv. 28–29), like the first (vv. 16–19), initiates an encounter with the crowd, yet itself comes as a response to something already expressed. As verses 16–19 addressed the question that perplexed the religious authorities in verse 15, so verses 28–29 address the debate among the people of Jerusalem in verses 25–27. Specifically, they address the objection that Jesus cannot be the Messiah because everyone knows ...

447. Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

John 14:15-31, John 14:1-4, John 14:5-14

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

448. Faith or Observance of the Law

Galatians 3:1-14, Galatians 3:15-25

Understanding Series

L. Ann Jervis

Paul’s Appeal to the Gospel the Galatians Have Known and Experienced 3:1–2 The apostle begins this section of his letter by addressing his readers as foolish Galatians! This designation appears to have been a common one for the Galatian tribes who were often considered barbarians and “foolish.” The ancient Greek writer Callimachus (c. 305–c. 240 B.C.), for instance, uses the word as if it were a standard epithet, writing: “the foolish tribe of the Galatians” (Hymn 4, To Delos [Mair, LCL]). Paul uses this ...

449. Shishak Attacks Jerusalem

2 Chronicles 12:1-16

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Shishak Attacks Jerusalem: 12:1–12 The Chronicler reports on the campaign of Shishak king of Egypt against Jerusalem, which took place in approximately 926/925 B.C. This is not, however, a neutral report about a military event in Judah’s history. The Chronicler’s very creative usage of source material from 1 Kings 14:21–28 indicates that this subsection presents the turning point in Rehoboam’s reign. As soon as his kingdom was established (Hebrew kun) and he became strong, he and all Israel with him ...

450. Completion and Dedication of the Temple

Ezra 6:13-18

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

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