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Showing 4751 to 4775 of 4946 results

4751. Prophecy of Scripture

2 Peter 1:12-21

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

The Need to Remember 1:12 Peter now comes to the purpose of his letter. So, in view of all that I have outlined and because so much is at stake for your spiritual welfare, I will always remind you of these things. Here speaks the true preacher. Often a preacher is simply reminding listeners of Christian truths of faith and works they already know, as a spur to follow Christ more perfectly. But Peter is well aware, as have been all who have spoken in God’s name down through the ages, of the fallibility of ...

4752. Miscellaneous Laws

Deut 23:15–25:19

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Community Laws: Defining and Protecting the Community · These last chapters (23-25) of the central law code have a “flavor” of concern for a compassionate and caring community that takes seriously the claims of kinship and the needs of the weak and vulnerable. That community itself, however, needs clear definition and measures to protect its religious distinctiveness and purity. This need explains the presence, alongside laws that immediately appeal to us by their charitable nature, of other laws that ...

4753. David’s Charge to Solomon

1 Kings 2:1-12

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

David’s Charge to Solomon: Chapter 1 anticipated David’s death. Chapter 2 will describe it. First, however, David has a few things to say to Solomon about his conduct as king (2:1–4). Then there are certain “loose ends” to be tied up (2:5–9). Only after he has seen to the good of the kingdom in this way will he be able to die in peace (2:10–11). 2:1–4 Like God’s words to Joshua upon his “succession” to the leadership of Israel after Moses’ death (Josh. 1:6–9), David’s parting words to Solomon open with an ...

4754. “Unless You Repent . . .”

Luke 13:10-17, Luke 13:1-9

Teach the Text

R.T. France

Big Idea: God requires repentance before it is too late, but people are more concerned with keeping the rules than with God’s agenda. Understanding the Text These are two separate pericopes, brought together here simply for the convenience of this commentary. First, repentance has been at the heart of the message of both John (3:3, 8) and Jesus (5:32), and Jesus has rebuked his contemporaries for their failure to repent in response to his preaching (10:13–15; 11:32). In chapter 15 he will illustrate God’s ...

4755. The Holy Spirit and the Blessings of the New Covenant

Romans 8:1-17

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Second Temple Judaism longed for the return of God’s Spirit, as evidenced in Joel 2:28–29. Paul’s use of the term “Spirit” in chapter 8 signifies that Joel’s prophecy has come true. The chapter is chock-full of covenantal blessings of the Spirit—given to Gentiles, no less, because they have accepted Jesus as the Christ. Understanding the Text Romans 8:1–17 discusses six new-covenant blessings to the believer that proceed from the Spirit: justification (v. 1), obedience (vv. 2–8, 12–13), ...

4756. Israel and the Present Curses and the Past Blessings of the Covenant

Romans 9:1-29

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Chapters 9–11, which correspond to the curses component of the covenant (chaps. 5–8 enunciate the blessings), answer the question “Have God’s promises to Israel failed?” Paul answers, “No!” In 9:1–5 he broaches the problem of Israel’s unbelief. Israel previously enjoyed the blessings of the covenant but is now under its curses for rejecting the Messiah. Understanding the Text In order to situate Romans 9:1–5 in its literary setting I must briefly make four points. First, what is the relationship ...

4757. Witnesses of the New Covenant

Romans 12:1-8

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

Big Idea: Paul challenges believers to be witnesses of the new covenant by distancing themselves from this age and by being transformed in their minds so that they can fulfill the will of God. Understanding the Text Romans 12:1–2 is, in genre, parenetic (exhortational) material. The basis of Paul’s challenge to the Roman Christians (and us as well) is the mercy of God—that is, the blessings of the new covenant delineated in 3:21–11:36: justification, sanctification, glorification, and so forth. Thus, the ...

4758. The Woman, the Son, and the Dragon

Revelation 12:1--13:1a

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: God protects Jesus Christ and the messianic community against satanic attack. Understanding the Text As well as being the start of a new major section, Revelation 12 stands as the theological heart of the book because it shows why the church faces spiritual hostility in this world and how God provides the victory. Revelation 12:1–14:20 forms a grand interlude detailing the cosmic conflict between God and the forces of evil, as well as God’s vindication of his people and judgment of the ...

4759. Proclamations of Judgment and Reward

Revelation 14:6-13

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: God will condemn wicked power centers along with their leaders and followers but will reward his people with eternal blessings. Understanding the Text Following the glorious portrayal of the Lamb standing with his people on Mount Zion celebrating their victory, we encounter a series of judgments on those who follow the beast: three angelic messages of judgment (14:6–13) followed by two visions of judgment (14:14–20). In 14:6–13 three angels issue proclamations of coming judgment (14:6–11) with ...

4760. The Conclusion

Revelation 22:7-21

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: Those who obey this authentic prophecy from God, which proclaims how to live in light of Christ’s imminent return, will be eternally blessed. Understanding the Text The somewhat random organization of the conclusion results from the many things John is trying to accomplish in this closing section. There are various speakers (John, an angel, Jesus, the Spirit and the bride, the hearers), important parallels with the prologue in 1:1–8,1and three central themes that reinforce the overall message of ...

4761. A Lifestyle of Holiness and Love

Leviticus 19:1-37

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: The basis of biblical ethics is God’s holiness and love. Understanding the Text Leviticus 19:2 emphasizes the theme that gives the laws of holiness (Lev. 17–27) their name: “Be holy, because I, the Lord your God, am holy” (v. 2). Leviticus 19 marks a conceptual center of Leviticus. It is surrounded by chapters with similar themes (Lev. 18; 20) to highlight the centrality of this passage.1 It is hard to see an organizing principle in the disparate laws of this chapter, save that each encourages ...

4762. The Choice: Obedience or Punishment

Lev 26:1-46

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Obedience and disobedience have profound consequences. Understanding the Text Leviticus 26 is a continuation of Leviticus 25. The two chapters have a common introduction (25:1–2a) and conclusion (26:46), both emphasizing Mount Sinai. Leviticus 26 refers back to Leviticus 25’s instructions to give the land its Sabbath rests (26:34–35, 43). Its command to keep the Sabbath (26:2) naturally follows Leviticus 25’s Sabbath Year theme. But in a broader sense this chapter sums up the entire holiness code ...

4763. “In God I Trust and Am Not Afraid. What Can Mere Mortals Do to Me?”

Psalm 56:1-13

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: To ask God to store our tears “in his bottle” is to affirm our trust in God’s attentive care to the detail of our miseries. Understanding the Text Psalm 56 is an individual lament that, suggested by the Greek and Aramaic translations of “A Dove on Distant Oaks,” came to be used as a community lament (see the comments on the title below). As is often the case with laments, the psalm is tempered by statements of trust (56:3, 4, 11), so much so that we would not go entirely wrong if we called it an ...

4764. Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

Genesis 39:1-23

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Joseph finds himself in the employ of Potiphar, a high-ranking official of Pharaoh. What goes through the mind of the bewildered teenager, who has been uprooted violently from his home, sold as a servant, made to live with strangers, and purchased off the trading block and is now dwelling in a foreign country? Joseph has two things going for him. First, the Lord is with him. Joseph may not know this—at least not yet, for although the Lord is with Joseph, the Lord does not keep Joseph out of trouble and ...

4765. Be Joyful & Reverent

Ecclesiastes 11:7--12:8

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

11:7–10 · The second subunit presents Qoheleth’s final commendation of joyful living, although the typical reference to eating and drinking is lacking here. The subunit begins by affirming that it is good to be alive (11:7, literally “to see the sun”; cf. 6:5). We should enjoy the light of each day God grants us, not knowing how many we will have and keeping in mind the many dark and meaningless days to follow (11:8). The reference here is to our death, as in 6:4, rather than to difficulties during life, ...

4766. The Tithe

Malachi 3:6-18

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

In the fifth disputation, Malachi argued that God would show his justice in judgment at his appointed time. The prophet, true to the prophetic tradition, calls for a response in preparation for the coming of the messenger and the messenger of the covenant. The appeal for a particular response links this section to the third disputation (3:10–16). In both sections, God is expecting a renewal of fidelity: in marriage (2:10–16) and in worship (3:7–12). The former is representative of our love for others and ...

4767. The Lord's Supper

Mark 14:12-26

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

14:12–21 These verses tell of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem to celebrate Passover with his disciples and of Jesus’ foreknowledge of Judas’ treachery. The overall purpose of the narrative is to dramatize that the one who betrayed Jesus was actually a disciple who shared Jesus’ company and ate with him. Mark probably saw in this account an allusion to Psalm 41:9–10 (which is cited specifically in John 13:18). The fact that the disciples were not given a name or an address in order to comply with Jesus’ ...

4768. To the Church in Ephesus

Revelation 2:1-7

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

In the first chapter, John introduced himself and his composition (1:1–3; 1:9–10) and then greeted his readers who belong to seven different congregations of the Asian church (1:4; 1:11). Chapters 2 and 3 expand upon this introduction in continuation from the preceding commissioning vision (1:12–20). In this way, John’s own perceptions of his audience are conveyed through the authoritative voice of “the First and the Last,” who instructs the seer to write the Lord’s greetings to the angelic representatives ...

4769. Meditating on the Lord’s Instruction: From A to Z

Psalm 119:1-176

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

Meditating on the Lord’s Instruction: From A to Z 119:1–176 Psalm 119 is an extended meditation on “walking” according to the law of the LORD, as stated in its opening verse. Other such torah psalms are Psalms 1 (cf. esp. 119:15, 47, 77, 97, 174) and 19 (cf. 119:103, 127). Eight synonyms are used throughout: law (always sing., Hb. tôrâ), word (Hb. dābār), laws (always pl. in the NIV, Hb. mišpāṭîm), statutes (or better “testimonies,” Hb. ʿēdût, usually pl.), commands (Hb. miṣwâ, usually pl.), decrees (Hb. ḥ ...

4770. The Woman on the Beast

Revelation 17:1-18

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

17:1–2 Within the framework of Revelation, the vision of Babylon’s prostitute and her punishment functions as part of an extended footnote (17:1–19:10) that describes the contents of “the cup filled with the wine of the fury” of God’s wrath (16:19b). Its complexity and even confusion have led some to question John’s sources (cf. Beasley-Murray, Revelation, pp. 249–50). However, this betrays a failure to read the story as a wonderfully crafted “mystery,” in agreement with the clue provided by the angelic ...

4771. God with Skin On

Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

As we gather here this holy night, we come from a variety of religious backgrounds. For some of you I’m sure the more familiar word during The Lord’s Prayer is “trespasses.” You will especially appreciate an internet story about the little boy who was sent to bed early on Christmas Eve. His boisterous excitement was getting in the way of all the hectic, last minute preparations his parents were trying to make, and they needed to get rid of him. A few minutes later his father overheard the child saying his ...

4772. The Way Up Is Down!

Mark 9:30-37

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

There once was a palace servant who longed more than anything else in life to be a knight. He yearned to represent his king and vowed within himself that if he ever had a chance to be a knight he would serve his king as the noblest knight who ever lived. His dream came true. His great day came. At his knighthood ceremony, the former servant, now a knight, made a special oath within himself. He vowed that from that day forward he would bow his knees and lift his arms in homage to no one but his king. As a ...

4773. Lord of the Sabbath

Mark 2:23-3:6

Sermon

George Reed

The Gospel Reading shows Jesus in a position of conflict with the religious leaders of his day, a position we find him in repeatedly. This time it is over the observance of the sabbath. This is a story we need to hear, not only to understand the life of Jesus, but to apply it to ourselves as religious folks. In Jesus' critical encounters with the Pharisees or scribes or the Jews, we must avoid the temptation to look down on them by placing ourselves above them. The faults of the religious people of Jesus' ...

4774. Learning to Walk in the Dark

Matthew 26:14-16

Sermon

David & Marian Plant

If we take away nothing new from the Passion story this year let us take away this: through it we can learn to walk in the dark and remember that the dark is as day to God. Barbara Brown Taylor titled her 2014 book Learning to Walk in the Dark. .In the introduction she pointed out, “From earliest times, Christians have used ‘darkness’ as a synonym for sin, ignorance, spiritual blindness, and death. At the theological level, however, this language creates all sorts of problems. It divides the day in two, ...

4775. Sparkle

Luke 4:31-37

Sermon

Lori Wagner

But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.…Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. (James 14-15; 21) “The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. And he thrust out the enemy before you and said, Destroy.” (Deuteronomy ...

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