Sermon and Worship Resources

Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on

Showing 4601 to 4625 of 4938 results

4601. Eliphaz Condemns and Counsels Job

Job 22:1-30

Teach the Text

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 ...

4602. “God Is Our Refuge and Strength, an Ever-Present Help in Trouble”

Psalm 46:1-11

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: Human effort is necessary to build God’s kingdom, but the final word is that we should “be still” and recognize that God is the real Builder. Understanding the Text Psalm 46 is a type of poem that challenges form criticism’s assumptions. Gunkel has identified it as a subtype of the hymn, which he labels “Zion Songs.”1 Goldingay helpfully lays out the features of this psalm that overlap with other types and concludes that the psalm of trust is the best choice of categories.2 Indeed, the spirit of ...

4603. “In Your Heart You Devise Injustice”

Psalm 58:1-11

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: As one thinks in one’s heart, so one does, and that explains many of the tragedies of history. Understanding the Text Psalm 58 is usually identified as a community lament, although Gerstenberger is probably more accurate when he says it is “neither complaint nor thanksgiving nor hymn” but closer to the prophetic invective against the ruling classes.1 Except for the historical note in the title of Psalm 57, the terms of the title of Psalm 58 are the same. Further, the two psalms share the metaphor ...

4604. “Zeal for Your House Consumes Me”

Psalm 69:1-36

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: Our passion for worship and for God may evoke misunderstanding from others. Understanding the Text Psalm 69 is an individual lament that has grown out of the worshiper’s persecution and assaults by those who hate him. The psalmist is ill (69:29) and falsely accused (69:4). Often these two conditions are combined, as with Job, to create an intolerable situation for the psalmists. Psalm 69 belongs to a subcategory of psalms sometimes called imprecatory psalms, because they contain “curses” against ...

4605. Questions about Marriage, Divorce, and Celibacy

1 Corinthians 7:1-40

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

7:1–16:9 · Paul’s Response to Questions from the Corinthians: In the first verse of chapter 7, Paul moves from oral reports about the church and begins to address questions posed by the Corinthians themselves in a letter. The letter is now lost but originally was perhaps carried to Paul by the three Corinthians mentioned in 16:17. The recurring expression “now for” or “now about” introduces Corinthian questions throughout this section. 7:1–40 · The questions to which Paul responds in 7:1–16 probably had ...

4606. The Fall of Babylon

Revelation 18:1-24

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

In chapter 18, John describes a variety of responses, from heaven (18:1–8, 20) and on earth (18:9–19), to the shocking news of Babylon’s destruction. These responses constitute the climactic scene of the seventh trumpet-plague and the “third woe” that precede the inbreaking of God’s reign on earth. Drawing upon biblical “doom-songs” and laments that were written of other city-states (cf. Beasley-Murray, Revelation, p. 262), John composes a dirge about Babylon’s destruction which deepens the significance of ...

4607. David Destroys the Amalekites

1 Samuel 30:1-31

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

Victory and Defeat: 30:1–5 Although a small group could have traveled more quickly, it took David’s army of about six hundred men three days to travel the fifty or so miles back to Ziklag. They almost certainly would have been away for at least a week, leaving plenty of time for the Amalekites to take advantage of their absence. David’s previous activities against groups including the Amalekites (27:8) must have been noted, but his policy of destruction meant that there was no evidence against him. This ...

4608. Job's First Test

Job 1:6-22

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

In the Presence of Yahweh: 1:6 Having established the character of Job on the basis of social reputation (1:1), evidence of divine blessing (1:2–3), and demonstrable piety (1:4–5), the narrative takes a darker turn to reveal hidden circumstances affecting Job. One day is not just any day or a day selected at random, but actually the day in Hebrew. It probably indicates a particular day set in advance for a formal gathering when, unknown to Job or any other human, a meeting takes place in which the children ...

4609. The Wicked Uprooted and the Righteous Flourishing in God’s House

Psalm 52:1-9

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

Commentators have found this psalm difficult to analyze according to the traditional form-critical categories and difficult to locate within a setting. This commentary argues that Psalm 52 shows greatest affinity to the liturgies of temple entry. We hear a prophetic indictment of the evil person (vv. 1–4) and his sentencing (v. 5); a liturgist’s testimony to the congregation in the form of a taunt (vv. 6–7), and his testimony of the benefits of entering God’s house and praising him (vv. 8–9). The opening ...

4610. Comfort for the Contrite

Isaiah 57:14-21

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

Critique of the Community: While there are positive notes throughout 56:9–59:8, the dominant tone is confrontational, and even the positive notes incorporate barbed comment. The way the passages speak of shalom, which occurs six times (57:2, 19, 21; 59:8), sums up this point. This distinctive concentration of references finds its closest parallel in Zechariah 8, which again belongs to the same period as Isaiah 56–66. Admittedly there are no specific indications of a particular context here, and the ...

4611. How Well Do You Listen?

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Sermon

King Duncan

Bob Woolf in his book Friendly Persuasion tells a hilarious story that former talk show host Larry King once told him. It seems that Larry was a guest on a morning show in Dallas, TX. The woman who interviewed him was the classic host who asks you a question and then looks off in another direction, not paying any attention to what you say in reply. This host had five questions written out by someone else and she checked off each question as she asked it. Larry noticed she wasn’t listening at all. She was ...

4612. The Most Generous Gift

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

King Duncan

Fanny Brice, was a well-known comedian, singer, theater and film actress in the first half of the twentieth century. Her second husband was professional gambler Julius W. “Nicky” Arnstein who, unfortunately, fell into trouble with the law. According to one source when Arnstein finally went to jail, Fanny kept the truth from their children, telling them that their father was working in Paris. For Christmas, the children wrote their father, telling him that they wanted a pair of rabbits for Christmas. Fanny ...

4613. Without Conflict There Is No Story

Mark 6:1-13

Sermon

Ron Lavin

George Anderson wanted to write a book. He had the subject of his book in mind. The title would be Handling Troubles. He knew that if he could get a publisher, the book would help other people. He knew he could do it, but he didn't know how, so he joined a writers' group. A famous and successful author was addressing a group of novice writers at the writers' group meeting. The would-be writers, including George, hung on his every word. "There must always be conflict," the speaker said. "Conflict is the ...

4614. A Justice Jesus

Luke 4:14-21

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

When I did my doctoral studies in organizational revitalization, we were taught a simple way to bring about transformation in the way ministry is done. Simply change the name of the committees or create a brand new structure to do new things in new ways. In one of the parishes I served, we re-envisioned our ministry every five years. One year, more to humor me than anything else, the Vision Task Force agreed to propose a new name for our mission outreach committee changing it from Church and Society ...

4615. What Will It Take to Make You Happy?

Luke 6:17-26

Sermon

King Duncan

“Who do you think is happier?” asks Marc Reklau in his book Destination Happiness, “people who [have] won the lottery or people who [have become] paralyzed after an accident?” You may be surprised at the answer. “Yes, the lottery winners were very happy, but not for very long,” Reklau continues. “After six months they went back to their previous levels of happiness.” On the other hand, “the accident victims were sad, but surprisingly after six months, they [also] went back to their previous levels of ...

4616. The Art of Impersonation

Matthew 5:21-37

Sermon

King Duncan

Series: Seeing God More Clearly in 2020 Who would you say is your favorite celebrity? Can you imagine walking in his or her shoes for one day? It would probably be challenging. The only people who can come close to understanding what it’s like to walk in their shoes might be celebrity impersonators. Did you know there is a worldwide industry of people who pretend to be famous celebrities? These impersonators usually look like the people they are imitating. They dress like them. They take on the celebrity’s ...

4617. Hosanna! Please Save Us!

Matthew 21:1-11, Matthew 26:14-16

Sermon

King Duncan

In our social-media obsessed culture, we assume that everyone wants to be in the spotlight. Everyone wants attention. That’s what Facebook, Instagram and TikTok want us to believe. But being the center of attention can be exhausting and isolating too. Actor George Clooney said in a recent interview, “There are restrictions to this kind of fame. I haven’t walked in Central Park for 15 years. I’d like to, you know?” And actor Johnny Depp said in an interview on the Today show, “[Being famous] is a little bit ...

4618. The Raising of Paul

Acts 14:8-20

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Prop: you may want to bring a prop of a human brain or have people put their hands on their heads as you explain the parts of the brain Did you ever hear people speak about the wonders of the human mind? We don’t use even a fraction of what our brains are capable of. When you think of it this way, we house in our own persons a valuable untapped resource of brain power, enough capable of solving all of the problems in the world, if only we knew how to tap into it. So say some theorists. But we also know ...

4619. The Good Yoke

Matthew 11:25-30, 1 Kings 19:1-8, 1 Kings 19:9-18, 1 Kings 19:19-21

Sermon

Lori Wagner

What kind of yoke are you wearing today? Not this kind you say! Are you sure? Indeed, we may not get up in the morning and fit ourselves into a wooden harness like the one you see here –although sometimes our clothing may feel like that if we’ve gained a few pounds, no? But we all do bear a yoke. We yoke ourselves to ideas, concepts, issues, material things, relationships, belief systems. Our yokes in a sense bear the markings of those identities that we are willing to take on as our own identity, the ...

4620. Hold Me When I'm Angry

Joshua 5:1-12

Sermon

Carl Jech

The Shadow: Anger Introduction Why was All In the Family such a popular television program? I suspect it was because the "love-hate" relationships between Archie, Mike, Gloria and Edith helped us better to understand the ways in which our love is mixed with anger, our joys are mixed with pain, and our laughter is tinged with sadness and pathos. Even longsuffering Edith with her good-natured naivete could get angry. Who can forget the time when she tells Archie to "stiffle!"? Or the episode where Archie ...

4621. How Did That Hole Get There?

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

Bruce Melver tells about a precocious six-year-old in his church who thought and talked like an adult. His name was Blair Miles and he posed some challenging questions for his pastor to answer. Bruce tells about one Sunday after church when Blair came up to him and asked Bruce if he could have a conference with him. “Of course, Blair,” Bruce replied, “I’d be happy to visit with you anytime.” Blair thought for a moment and then said that he had better talk first with his parents to see when they could bring ...

4622. Holy Extravagance

Mark 14:3-9

Sermon

Will Willimon

The preacher steps from the pulpit, the ancient book is closed, the choir has finished, the benediction is given, the Threefold Amen is sung and the notes die away from the organ. Now, 1eft with your thoughts, it was good, you think to yourself, all well and good -- the preacher was adequate, the prayers, the choir quite good, the organ fine. But a nagging question keeps tugging at your brain. You try to put it aside, to keep alive the sounds and sights of the service, but the question will not leave you. ...

4623. Preparing for the King

Luke 3:1-6

Sermon

King Duncan

Even if we dread deadlines, most of us will admit that we work better when we have a deadline staring us in the face. But few of us have to face the kind of deadline the White House staff does when they welcome a new President to D.C. Kate Anderson Brower has written a New York Times best-selling book titled The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House which shares a behind-the-scenes look at all the work that goes into the Presidential transition. There are only about 90-100 residential ...

4624. For The Love of God is Giving

Mark 12:38-44

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

The widow Jesus points out in today's passage is considerably different than one I read about in newspaper article a number of years ago. It seems that in Indianapolis, a wealthy widow was found dead in her home. The police discovered over 5 million dollars in cash stuffed in trash cans, shoe boxes, drawers, tool boxes, paper bags, the pockets of clothing and even in a vacuum cleaner bag. Most of the money was in $100 bills. Two million of the money was found in a trash can next to the widow's bed. Mrs. ...

4625. What Are You Bananas About?

Philippians 3:17-4:1

Sermon

King Duncan

I don’t think I’m making a controversial statement this morning when I say that most sports fans are crazy. Of course, I’m not talking about any sports fans in this room today. I’m talking about fans of other teams. They’re nuts! Doesn’t matter if they’re cheering for preschool T-ball teams or professional athletes in the Super Bowl or the World Series. Sports fans are just plain crazy. They paint their faces in the team colors. They spend hours in a stadium, enduring freezing cold, as well as pouring rain ...

Showing results