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 4676 to 4700 of 4963 results

4676. The Aaronic Blessing

Numbers 6:22-27

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation” (Exod. 34:6–7). On the gracious side, he is slow to get angry and forgives sins of all kinds and degrees. And yet he remains holy: “He does not leave the guilty unpunished.” The strict requirements of the law show God’s holiness. But there is a tension between God’s holiness and God’s grace. It is God’s gracious character that allows him to forgive and forgo sending ...

4677. Preparations for Worship (Part 2)

Num 8:1-26

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup” (1 Cor. 11:27–28). Establishing personal purity before worship and serving God remains a Christian value. Illustrating the Text Being in the presence of our holy God is a powerful experience. Human Experience: You are in the backyard with your family, standing at the grill. It is a beautiful, sunny summer day, muggy and warm. Suddenly ...

4678. Ingratitude and Judgment

Num 11:1-35

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... These may be the seventy who had partially ascended Mount Sinai with Moses (Exod. 24:9–15). Compare Jethro’s advice when Moses was overwhelmed judging disputes (Exod. 18). Though these seventy are, like Moses, endowed with God’s Spirit, Moses’s prominence remains: God speaks to Moses at the tent (v. 17), not to the seventy.6 11:18 Consecrate yourselves. This anticipates God’s manifesting himself by a miracle. 11:18–20 you will eat it . . . until . . . you loathe it. In poetic justice they ...

4679. Racism and Envy

Numbers 12:1-16

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... exempt status. Happily, however, in 2000 the school reversed itself on this issue and began to allow interracial dating among its students. In 2008 it issued an apology, saying it was “profoundly sorry” for having allowed “institutional policies to remain in place that were racially hurtful.”10It took a while, but finally biblical teaching on this matter had prevailed, even at this once segregationist institution. Envy destroys joy. Economics: In his essay “The Downside of Inciting Envy,” Arthur ...

4680. Failure to Enter the Land

Num 13:1–14:9

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... man he killed, and he apologized for his “poor judgment.”5 But even if Stallworth were ever forgiven by the man’s family, or forgiven by the NFL after a year’s suspension from the league, or even forgiven by God, Mario Reyes remains dead because of Stallworth’s foolish behavior. Stallworth has to live with the guilt of that choice. His sin has an irrevocable consequence. Sin has consequences, sometimes permanent consequences. For that reason, we should never allow God’s willingness to forgive to ...

4681. Condemned to Wilderness Wandering

Numbers 14:1-45

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... man he killed, and he apologized for his “poor judgment.”5But even if Stallworth were ever forgiven by the man’s family, or forgiven by the NFL after a year’s suspension from the league, or even forgiven by God, Mario Reyes remains dead because of Stallworth’s foolish behavior. Stallworth has to live with the guilt of that choice. His sin has an irrevocable consequence. Sin has consequences, sometimes permanent consequences. For that reason, we should never allow God’s willingness to forgive to ...

4682. Portions for the Priests and the Levites

Numbers 18:8-32

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... others are less so but still require ceremonial cleanness to partake of them (vv. 11–13). The Levites’ tithe is no doubt itself somewhat holy, but they are to tithe to the priests the “best and holiest” part of their tithe (v. 29). It remains true today that what we give over to God is by definition “holy.” Anything given to God today should therefore be treated with the respect becoming holiness. To embezzle the contributions to the church is an especially impious sacrilege against what is holy ...

4683. The Red Heifer

Numbers 19:1-22

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... for seven days (v. 14), and food left in open containers in a corpse’s presence is unclean as well (v. 15). It is as if the “vapors” from the corpse contaminate the whole room,9though if a container is sealed from the vapors, the food remains clean. Outdoors, where vapors are dispersed, impurity is contracted only by touch, whether the person has been slain in battle or has died of natural causes (v. 16a). Touching bones in a grave or touching a grave itself also conveys uncleanness (v. 16b). 19:17 ...

4684. Moses’s and Aaron’s Sin at Meribah

Numbers 20:1-13

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... 46–50) or, more generally, to the contemporaries of these spokesmen, nearly all of whom had already perished in the desert over the last four decades.3The spokesmen for these grumblers would then represent the last remnant of the first generation who remained unrepentant in their complaining. 20:4 Why did you bring the Lord’s community . . . ? The verb in Hebrew is plural, addressing both Moses and Aaron. The rabble unfairly question their motives and/or competence. 20:5 terrible place. Or “evil ...

4685. A Failure of Leadership

Num 20:14-29

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... and thinker John R. W. Stott. As I write these words, only Billy Graham is still alive, and he is suffering from failing health and is no longer active in ministry. Church history records how great Christian leaders come and go. Many were and remain famous. Some are forgotten except among church historians. But God continues to raise up new leaders for each new generation. Just as Eleazar succeeded his father, Aaron, in the ministry of priesthood, so God raises up new leaders for each generation so that the ...

4686. Balaam’s Donkey

Numbers 22:21-41

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... of the reader, who otherwise might have thought him to be a pious gentile follower of Yahweh. Scriptural witness as a whole indicates that Balaam is greedy for gain and indifferent to the morality of cursing an innocent people for money. To the end he remains stubbornly intent on cursing Israel in defiance of the will of God. Balaam ends up being executed for continuing to try to harm Israel (Num. 31:8), fulfilling the words of the promise to Abraham: “Whoever curses you I will curse” (Gen. 12:3). There ...

4687. Balaam’s First Three Oracles

Num 23:1–24:14

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... desire, who on a whim would strike a victim with his mischievous love arrows. The faithful God of the Bible is different. He is not capricious. He does not lie (Num. 23:19). He does not change his mind on a whim. He always remains true to his principles. Sin can lead us to irrational behavior. Human Experience: A popular quote, often wrongly attributed to Albert Einstein or Benjamin Franklin, observes that insanity can be defined as “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results ...

4688. Balaam’s Final Prophecies: The Star and the Scepter

Num 24:15-25

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... could mean “all humankind” (see comments above). David never literally conquered all humankind, but every knee will bow to Christ (Phil. 2:10). Thus, even if David is the primary reference in Numbers 24:17, an indirect or typological reference to Christ remains possible, for the images and titles of David often foreshadow the kingship of Christ. Teaching the Text Knowledge of God is sometimes manifested in people who do not know God (Num. 24:15–16). Prophets are called “seers” (hozeh), people who ...

4689. The Second Census

Numbers 26:1-65

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... Despair, lord of Doubting Castle. The terrible giant captures Christian and begins sowing seeds of doubt about the mission that Christian has been called to pursue. At a certain point, Christian even despairs of life. At this low point, Christian’s travel partner, Hope, reminds him of how God always remains faithful, as evidenced in Christian’s past victories. Through prayer, the hero is encouraged and freed from the prison of doubt.

4690. Joshua Appointed as Moses’s Successor

Numbers 27:12-23

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... land. Moses instead must appoint a successor in leadership. Moses is thus instructed about how he will soon die after viewing the land from atop the Abarim mountain range in Moab, though this foretelling is not immediately fulfilled. Moses still needs to convey the remaining laws of the book of Numbers and to deliver the speeches of Deuteronomy before his final acts on the mountain. But the time of Moses’s death is quickly approaching. So in Numbers 27:12–23, at the prompting of God, Moses formally ...

4691. Keeping Promises

Numbers 30:1-16

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... until our time together is over.”6While this change represents a commendable desire of couples not to make promises that they may be unwilling or unable to keep, the change also represents a woeful lack of commitment to the marriage relationship. It remains a Christian duty to keep solemn promises, specifically marriage vows. Unwise oaths can be disastrous. Mythology: Greek mythology records the rash oath made by the hero Perseus. Perseus was supposed to bring the gift of a horse to Polydectes, king of ...

4692. The Daughters of Zelophehad (Part 2)

Numbers 36:1-13

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... . There is the first Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, birthday. One of the moments many people remember is sitting down with a lawyer, and perhaps with other family members, and hearing the reading of the last will and testament. In that moment, what remains of the loved one’s possessions is distributed. In passing, this person seeks to give us a final blessing. As Christians, we will receive our blessing from the God of life, who will bring us into our inheritance and celebrate it with us. Here ...

4693. “Your Sin Will Find You Out”: The Lord Confronts His Sinful Servant

2 Samuel 12:1-31

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... narrator’s apology for David. Yes, David disobeys the Lord and is severely punished for his crimes, but in contrast to the Lord’s treatment of Saul, the Lord does not reject his dynasty or remove him from the throne. Indeed, the fact that David’s throne remains secure, in spite of his heinous sin and its consequences, is proof of God’s commitment to him. Historical and Cultural Background When David’s baby dies, he laments, “I will go to him, but he will not return to me” (v. 23). This is a ...

4694. A Prodigal Son Comes Home in Body, but Not in Spirit

2 Sam 14:1–15:12

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... in the form of leniency to unrepentant wrongdoers can be potentially disastrous. David’s failure to bring unrepentant wrongdoers to justice comes back to haunt him. Joab, who was reprimanded but not punished for his murder of Abner (2 Sam. 3:22–39), remains in an influential position and is instrumental in bringing Absalom back into David’s good graces, a decision that proves to be nearly disastrous for David. David’s failure to bring Amnon to justice following his rape of Tamar prompts Absalom, in ...

4695. David Runs for His Life—Again

2 Samuel 15:13-37

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... by Francis Frangipane. The Lord is not pleased with the spiritual passivity and indifference so prevalent among His people. We are aware daily that terrorists could attack with massive destruction, or we watch the advance of perversion in our cultures, yet many Christians remain prayerless and inactive. This is in spite of the Lord’s promise that if we will come before Him, humbling ourselves in earnest prayer, He will empower us to pursue our enemies and defeat them. But instead of seeking God’s face ...

4696. The Lord Is My Rock

2 Samuel 22:1-51

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... that the Philistine champion would defy the armies of the “living God” (1 Sam. 17:26, 36). 22:51 he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed. When the Lord made his special covenant with David, he promised that his “love” (hesed) would remain with David’s dynasty (2 Sam. 7:15; cf. Ps. 89:28). Here David testifies that he has been the recipient of this “unfailing kindness” (hesed). Theological Insights The major theme of this song is the Lord’s protection and deliverance. David opens ...

4697. Barren No More

1 Sam 1:1-20–2:11

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... at a time when many are worshiping the fertility god Baal (cf. Judg. 2:11–13; 6:25–32; 8:33; 10:6, 10; 1 Sam. 7:4), Hannah could be tempted to look to this popular god to deliver her from her childless condition. But she remains faithful to the Lord and is vindicated. She affirms that the Lord is sovereign, challenging the Canaanite belief that Baal is the incomparable king who ensures fertility. In contrast to Baal, who periodically succumbs to the god of death, the Lord both kills and makes alive. The ...

4698. Israel Demands a King

1 Samuel 8:1-22

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... by wholeness, truth by feeling, ethics by feeling good about one’s self. The world shrinks to the range of personal circumstances; the community of faith shrinks to a circle of personal friends. The past recedes. The church recedes. All that remains is the self.12 God warns his people about the consequences of sin. Literature: The Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan. Bunyan (1628–88) provides many scenes of warning in this classic allegory (1678). When Christian and Hopeful leave the Delectable ...

4699. Meet Israel’s New King

1 Sam 9:1–10:8

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

Big Idea: Even when his people’s faith falls short of his expectations, the Lord remains faithful and makes provision for their deliverance. Understanding the Text Israel demanded to have a king like the nations that lived around them (1 Sam. 8). They wanted a leader who would ensure national security (8:19–20) through an army and alliances. Despite how they may have viewed this ...

4700. Saul Forfeits a Dynasty

1 Samuel 13:1-15

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... . After all, empowered by the Lord’s Spirit, he defeated the Ammonites, and the rebellious people responded positively to Samuel’s call to covenantal renewal. Yet there was unfinished business. The Ammonites have been defeated, but the Philistine problem remains. The Lord announced to Samuel that the new king would deliver Israel from the Philistine threat (9:16). When Samuel commissioned Saul, he indicated that Saul, once empowered by the Lord’s Spirit, should take action against the Philistines ...

Showing results

Showing 4676 to 4700 of 4963 results

4676. The Aaronic Blessing

Numbers 6:22-27

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

4677. Preparations for Worship (Part 2)

Num 8:1-26

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

4678. Ingratitude and Judgment

Num 11:1-35

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

4679. Racism and Envy

Numbers 12:1-16

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

4680. Failure to Enter the Land

Num 13:1–14:9

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

4681. Condemned to Wilderness Wandering

Numbers 14:1-45

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... man he killed, and he apologized for his “poor judgment.”5But even if Stallworth were ever forgiven by the man’s family, or forgiven by the NFL after a year’s suspension from the league, or even forgiven by God, Mario Reyes remains dead because of Stallworth’s foolish behavior. Stallworth has to live with the guilt of that choice. His sin has an irrevocable consequence. Sin has consequences, sometimes permanent consequences. For that reason, we should never allow God’s willingness to forgive to ...

4682. Portions for the Priests and the Levites

Numbers 18:8-32

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

4683. The Red Heifer

Numbers 19:1-22

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

4684. Moses’s and Aaron’s Sin at Meribah

Numbers 20:1-13

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle