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 4626 to 4650 of 4986 results

4626. The Law and the Promise

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

Understanding Series

L. Ann Jervis

... regarded the law as a way to salvation. Rather, the covenantal nomism of Judaism understood that God’s gracious election of Israel assured Israel’s salvation and that Israel’s following of the law was an expression of gratitude and desire to stay within the covenant. What distinguishes Paul from his Jewish kinfolk is not only that he argues against covenantal nomism but also that he separates grace (covenant) from law (nomism). Paul separates the response of faith to God’s grace from the response ...

4627. Paul's Ministry in Thessalonica

1 Thessalonians 2:1-16

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... which you heard from us (logon akoēs par’ hēmōn tou theou): NIV takes logon closely with tou theou, “the word of God,” and akoēs with par’ hēmōn, “which you heard from us.” This can be read differently, though to the same effect, by staying closer to the word order of the Greek: “you received the word of hearing (i.e., the word which you heard) from us, (but it was) God’s (word).” Tou theou may be placed at the end for emphasis and intended, thereby, to stand in contrast to par’ h ...

4628. The Coming of the Lord

1 Thessalonians 4:13--5:11

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... external false teaching, such as an early form of Gnosticism, that denied the resurrection hope. Even less should we think that he is correcting his own teaching. The question of what happened to the Christian dead may never have been raised during the missionaries’ stay in Thessalonica, or if it was, some may have missed or misunderstood what was said. But the question is now raised, and Paul replies. The description of the dead as those who … sleep (koimaō, see disc. on 5:6) is not peculiar to ...

4629. Instructions on Worship

1 Timothy 2:1-15

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

... something new, the then (better, “therefore”) also ties it to what has gone before. But what? Most likely it goes all the way back to the charge in 1:3, but now by way of verses 18–20. What Paul says, then, is: “Even as I urged you, stay there in Ephesus to stop the false teachers. I now urge, therefore, first of all, that …” The first of all suggests not so much that prayer itself is the first thing that needs to be discussed, but that offering prayers of all kinds for “all people” is the ...

4630. Overseers and Deacons

1 Timothy 3:1-16

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

... . But such an idea seems to be much later in time, as well as too esoteric for this context. The Purpose of the Letter The letter has now come a considerable distance. It began with a clear statement of its occasion: a charge to Timothy to stay on in Ephesus to oppose some false teachers and their errors, including a digression by way of personal testimony illustrating the truth of the gospel (chap. 1). In chapters 2 and 3, Paul moves through several concerns that reflect some of the disorders in the church ...

4631. By Faith

Hebrews 11:1-40

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... the choice of suffering rather than pleasure. Moses refused what would have been the dream of most: to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. Instead he chose to identify with the suffering of his people (Exod. 2:11f.; cf. Acts 7:23ff.). To stay in Pharaoh’s court would have meant the enjoyment of pleasures, that is, immediate gratification, albeit only for a short time. This choice would have involved Moses’ turning his back on the needs of his people and hence had to be described as sin. The key ...

4632. Favoritism Forbidden

James 2:1-13, James 2:14-26

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

... in Greek is literally “naked.” This means, however, the lacking of an outer garment (Job 22:6; 24:7; 31:9; Isa. 20:5; 58:7; Matt. 25:36; John 21:7; 2 Cor. 11:27). Rabbi Akiba and his wife had only one outer garment between them, so one stayed home while the other wore the garment to the market or the rabbinic school. At night they buried themselves in straw to keep warm. The without … daily food in Greek is not the same as Matt. 6:11 but means the same. James has used a form more common in ...

4633. The Sin and Doom of Godless Men

Jude 1:1-16

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... 18; John 14:22); (4) a Christian prophet, one of the leading men appointed by the Jerusalem church, Judas Barsabbas (Acts 15:22); (5) a freedom fighter, Judas the Galilean (Acts 5:37); (6) a citizen of Damascus, in whose house on Straight Street Paul stayed after his conversion (Acts 9:11); and, of course, (7) the traitor, Judas Iscariot (Matt. 10:4). Loved: A number of later MSS modify ēgapēmenois, “loved,” to read hēgiasmenois, “sanctified” (KJV), on the model of 1 Cor. 1:2. NEB’s “who live ...

4634. Moses Flees to Midian

Exodus 2:11-25

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... is he?” . . . “Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat.” He imagined “the Egyptian,” very far from home, having confronted the local muscle and still sitting alone at the well. It is not surprising that Moses agreed to stay with the man. “Agreed” (yaʾal) can be translated more strongly: “he was pleased” or “he was content.” The text does not mention God, who was nonetheless working behind the scenes through strangers to provide for this chosen man. When Jethro gave ...

4635. The Waters of Marah and Elim

Exodus 15:22-27

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... for safe drinking water. After that, God took them to the healing oasis at Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water. The text is silent about the repair done in these days. It simply implies that they stayed for several weeks (16:1). Additional Notes 15:23 Possibilities for the location of Marah include the Bitter Lakes or Hawarah, 46 mi. south of Suez. Elim may have been at Wadi Gharandel (62 mi. down the Suez Gulf) or Ayun Musa which has 12 springs ...

4636. The Ten Commandments

Exodus 20:1-21

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... listening to God deliver the Ten Commandments. The power of the encounter that began in Exodus 19 continued with the sound of the trumpet of the Lord, the thunder and lightning and . . . the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. These verses mention twice that they stayed at a distance (vv. 18b, 21), as a result of their fear as well as in response to God’s concern that they would rush onto the mountain (19:12–13, 23–25). The story of this powerful and personal encounter with the Lord who had ...

4637. Achan's Sin

Joshua 7:1-26

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

... deeply the sting of the defeat. In a lament, Joshua cries out in concern to God: Ah [lit. ahah], Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then ...

4638. Gideon Defeats the Midianites

Judges 7:1-25

Understanding Series

Cheryl A. Brown

... reduce the number of troops so that Israel might not boast that her own strength had saved her (cf. Deut. 8:17–18). The criterion by which he was to divide them was that anyone who tremble[d] with fear could go home, while the rest could stay and fight (cf. Deut. 20:8). This phrase picks up and significantly expands upon the theme of fear, which again appears in verses 1–3. Israel was camped at “the spring of Harod” (Hb. harod, trembling); and the Midianites were camped at Moreh (Hb. moreh), which ...

4639. The Birth of Samson

Judges 13:1-25

Understanding Series

Cheryl A. Brown

... Baptist appears to have been a Nazirite from birth. The text states that he was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb and that he should abstain from wine and fermented drink (beer) (Luke 1:14–15). 13:15 We would like you to stay until we prepare a young goat for you: The allusion to Abraham was surely intentional (Gen. 18:1–10) and underscored the contrast between Abraham’s son, Isaac, and their son, Samson. Although the parents were pious like Abraham and Sarah, the son was no Isaac ...

4640. Cyrus Helps the Exiles to Return

Ezra 1:1-11

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... compared to Cyrus giving permission for Judeans to rebuild the temple. (ANET, p. 316; cf. A. Kuhrt, “The Cyrus Cylinder and Achaeminid Royal Policy,” JSOT 25 [1983], pp. 83–97). 1:4 A quite different interpretation is offered in NJPS: “and all who stay behind, wherever he [i.e., any returnee, mentioned in v. 3] may be living, let the people of his place assist him . . .” This rendering takes “the people of his place” as resuming the first phrase, which is related to non-returning Judeans. This ...

4641. Ezra's Prayer about Intermarriage

Ezra 9:1-15

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... it refers to divine grace, while in verse 15 (“because of this,” NRSV) it stands for human guilt. The polarization updates the contrast in the first half of the prayer, between past guilt—leading to punishment—and present grace. The message is to stay with grace by dealing with the present guilt and distancing themselves from it. The grim alternative was divine anger that would leave no survivors. “It is no doubt a weakness of modern spirituality that it regards a real fear of God’s wrath which ...

4642. Triumph of the Jews

Esther 9:1-19

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

... ”; 4:14). The story began its reversals when Esther was willing to stand before the king (5:1, 2). Haman unwittingly contributed to Mordecai’s honor when he stood in the court one fateful morning (6:5). His fate was confirmed in 7:7 when he stood (“stayed behind”) to beg for his life from the queen. With irony, Harbona points out to the king that a gallows “stands by Haman’s house” (7:9). As Esther continues to execute her plan, she is beckoned to stand before the king (8:4). 9:6 They also ...

4643. Sin and Punishment

Jeremiah 8:4--9:26

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... of drinking bitter food and poisoned water. The land that God gave them was a land flowing with milk and honey, but because of their sin, they will be cut off from this provision and given something horrible instead. Furthermore, they will not be allowed to stay in the land, but the Lord will scatter them widely as described as an explicit curse in the covenant law (Deut. 28:25, 36–37, 64–68). Additional Notes 9:12 What man is wise enough? The question does not presuppose a negative answer. As mentioned ...

4644. God Rejects Zedekiah’s Request

Jeremiah 21:1-14

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... , and it is indeed the role of the prophet to pray for God’s people. However, Jeremiah’s response indicates that it is too late for the nation as a whole and for the king himself. However, the people as individuals have the opportunity to either stay hard and die in the city or repent and surrender to Nebuchadnezzar. 21:1–2 Jeremiah speaks his next oracle in response to an appeal from King Zedekiah, who sends Pashhur and a priest named Zephaniah (see Additional Notes) as his ambassadors. Now that his ...

4645. Two Baskets of Figs

Jeremiah 24:1-10

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... likely soon after the exile of Jehoiachin and some of the leading citizens of Judah in 597 B.C. (24:1), but certainly before the final exile of 587/86 B.C. God describes his people with two images, those who went into exile (the good figs) and those who stayed in Judah (the bad figs). The text only mentions that the vision came to Jeremiah, not that he actually reported it to the people. If he did (which is likely) inform the people of this vision, it would be to make the people who remained after the 597 B ...

4646. Seventy Years of Captivity

Jeremiah 25:1-14

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... )fundamentally breaks the covenant with Yahweh. They have broken covenant and now deserve the judgment of destruction and exile (see Deut. 28). The prophetic message was conditional. If the people of God turned away from this despicable practice, then they would be able to stay in the land. But they did not listen (implying disobedience) to this message and so they angered God to the point where judgment against them was certain. 25:8–11 In consequence of their refusal to repent even in the face of the ...

4647. Jeremiah Threatened with Death

Jeremiah 26:1-24

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... message is such that he uses this occasion to urge the people to listen and obey the oracle. He also underlines the conditional nature of the prophecy. There is still time to change the outcome. Judgment is contingent on the people’s staying the course in their sin. If they reform their ways, then God will relent. From the perspective of the people, their future is still open to them. Repentance will avert complete disaster; rejection will bring the Babylonian army. With his responsibility to communicate ...

4648. I am the Man Who Has Seen Affliction

Lamentations 3:1-66

One Volume

Tremper Longman III

... a yoke and declaring God’s charge that his people submit themselves to Nebuchadnezzar’s rule. In other words, Nebuchadnezzar was God’s instrument of discipline and the people should accept that and learn. If they did, then they would be able to stay in the land. However, if they did not, then God would bring “sword, famine and plague” (Jer. 27:13) on them, which is exactly what happened. The people chose to listen to false prophets of peace like Hananiah rather than to Jeremiah. Accordingly ...

4649. Israel Unrepentant

Hosea 6:1--7:16

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... 6:11b–7:16 begins and ends with the same theme: the disappointment of God’s love. God wanted to restore Israel to communion with himself (6:11b). God wants to redeem Israel from the Assyrian threat (7:13). God has always been the Israelites’ stay, disciplining and strengthening them (7:15). But the Israelites will have none of God. They have strayed from God’s fellowship, rebelled against God’s lordship, and even spoken ill of him. Therefore, God’s judgment on Israel is inevitable. 7:13 Woe in ...

4650. Israel’s Ill-Placed Confidence

Amos 5:18-27

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... control of the Assyrians, then the Babylonians, and then served as a provincial capital under the Persians. Damascus is notable in the NT as the city to which Paul (then Saul) was traveling to persecute Christians when he encountered the risen Christ. After his conversion Paul stayed in Damascus until he had to escape the city by night because Jews were plotting to kill him (Acts 9:1–27; 22:3–16; 26:12–23; 2 Cor. 11:32–33). Paul also visited Damascus after his journey to Arabia (Gal. 1:17). Day ...

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