Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 4751 to 4775 of 5000 results

Matthew 2:13-23

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... brats" and "preachers' kids." Jesus' moves fulfill prophecy, but they also make him "from" both everywhere and nowhere. Always the strangers and newcomers, the Joseph/Mary family live both undercover and underground in order to safeguard their child's life. This early experience became a mark of Jesus' later ministry. For it was out of years of a "guerilla" lifestyle that Jesus could sigh and say, "Foxes have holes and birds ... have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head" (Matt. 8:20 NIV).

4752. John 12:20-33

John 12:20-33

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... 's plan to the end, even death itself, if they are to "bear fruit" (v.24). This leads John to his version of the whoever-would-save-their-lives-will-lose-them/whoever-would-lose-their-lives-will-find-them teaching, a truth found in all four gospels (Mark 8:35; Matthew 16:25; Luke 9:24). The call to discipleship is a call to suffer, sacrifice, even die for others to live as God lives, to live as Jesus did. This unexpected nature of messiahship a messiahship that embraces servanthood and dying is not an easy ...

4753. Acts 8:26-40

Acts 8:26-40

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... because of his status as a eunuch), this Ethiopian apparently worships God and makes pilgrimages to the Jerusalem temple in order to attend services there. It is as he is returning from such an experience that the Ethiopian eunuch encounters Philip. Yet another mark of this man's uncommon identity is revealed in verse 28. This eunuch is an educated man, capable of reading God's Word for himself. Philip now uses this fact and the Isaiah tradition to evangelize for Christ. The balance between the established ...

4754. John 15:9-17

John 15:9-17

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... one of slave to householder. Jesus denies that the term "servant" or "slave" can be used to describe the relationship of the disciples to himself. Jesus' love for the disciples has made them "friends" and like all friendships this relationship is marked in part by the confidences that are shared. All of Jesus' witness before the disciples, including the startling revelations given in this Farewell Discourse, are evidence of this friendship status. Jesus declares, "I have made known to you everything" all ...

4755. John 3:1-17

John 3:1-17

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... is in darkness until he reaches Jesus, the one who is the light, who "shines in the darkness" (1:5). This Pharisee purposively comes to this light when he seeks out Jesus. Likewise, Nicodemus' first words to Jesus yield him both positive and negative marks. In his greeting Nicodemus acknowledges Jesus as a teacher. But he also declares that he has "come from God" a fairly strong confessional statement. But even as he continues his initial address, Nicodemus lets the reader down, for he seems to affirm Jesus ...

4756. Ephesians 1:3-14

Ephesians 1:3-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... had been promised a special heritage (Deuteronomy 32:9). The first inheritance has now been reaffirmed through their new existence "in Christ." In verses 13-14, the writer now turns to Gentile believers and notes that "you also" are a part of that select group, full members of the inheritance, "marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit." Through Christ, Jew and Gentile have been brought together to form a seamless unity, an undifferentiated family in God's grace.

4757. John 6:1-21

John 6:1-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... , he even "tests" Philip in good Socratic fashion asking the mystified disciple where they could get food for this crowd (v.5). The disciples appear to do rather poorly on Jesus' little quiz. Philip moans that not even 200 denarii would be enough (contrast with Mark's version). Andrew shows a bit more initiative by finding a child who has a morsel of food to share, but he dismisses his own efforts as futile (v.9). At this point, Jesus the teacher takes full charge of the classroom commanding the disciples ...

4758. Luke 3:1-6

Luke 3:1-6

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Luke reinforces by using the traditional prophetic "call" formula "the word of God came to John son of Zechariah" (v.2). What John the Baptist is "called" to "proclaim" (kerusso "speak with authority") is a message of repentance. Both Luke and Mark identify John's rite as a baptism of "repentance" (metanoia "change of mind"). This purposive "turning away from sin" will result in the life-transforming experience of "the forgiveness of sins." This proclamation is undoubtedly what leads Luke to specifically ...

4759. Luke 1:39-45 (46-55

Luke 1:39-45 (46-55

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... and exalted status, also liberates her from months of seclusion and silence. At last her own pregnancy is announced and acknowledged. Both Elizabeth and Mary take on new identities at the moment of Elizabeth's inspired pronouncement. No longer are they marked women (because of being barren or a virgin) who stand outside the most powerful traditional sphere available to women that of fertile mother. The unique, divinely ordained purpose for their pregnancies places them into a new sphere of influence that of ...

4760. Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... , when Jesus is "praying." In Luke's gospel, the most revealing and empowering moments in Jesus' ministry occur during times of prayer (Luke 6:12; 9:18, 28; 22:41-42). During this moment of prayer, Jesus now receives the Holy Spirit, the gift that marks the beginning of his messianic, Spirit-filled public ministry. This differs from the baptism of the Spirit John predicts in Luke 3:16, for in this case the Messiah is the one receiving the Spirit, not giving it out to others. The uniqueness of this moment ...

4761. Philippians 3:17-4:1

Philippians 3:17-4:1

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... received mutual affirmation and instruction. "Join in imitating me" is an associative, collaborative suggestion and is reinforced by his strong advice to "observe" others. This "observing" is not mere casual reflection but rather suggests that the Philippians are to "mark" or "set your sights on" those whose lives are worthy of emulation. Second, Paul implicitly suggests that the Philippians are not the only ones who might benefit from the mentoring and modeling Paul provides. He emphasizes this even more ...

4762. Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... is the fact that the earlier Masoretic text has the father cut the son's "confession" off midway, as he excitedly calls his servants to tend to the young man. The robe, ring and sandals (v. 22) the father has the boy decked out in are all marks of the son's fully restored place of honor and authority in the household. The killing of the "fatted calf" symbolizes a truly special and festive occasion. As noted earlier, however, the elder son is not yet a part of this celebration. In fact, apparently he does ...

4763. John 20:19-31

John 20:19-31

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... other twin. When news reached Thomas of the clandestine appearance of Jesus to the others, he was not impressed. As a man not given to faddish and hysterical devotion to lost causes, Thomas insisted on reserving judgment until he could put his "finger in the mark of the nails" (v. 25). John's reference to nails here is the only such reference in the New Testament; criminals were commonly lashed to a cross and if nails were used, they were placed through the wrists and not the hands. Recent archaeological ...

4764. John 21:1-19

John 21:1-19

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... John at least six times to describe the arrest of Jesus.) The fishing, generally good at night, also offered the additional benefit of providing fresh fish for the morning markets. Not all authorities agree that the disciples' foray into the fishing boat marked a permanent decision to resume their former profession. Some argue that the disciples had fled Jerusalem where they seemed nervous and ill at ease in the political and religious post-resurrection aftermath and returned home for a reality check or to ...

4765. Revelation 7:9-17

Revelation 7:9-17

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... . These elders and "living creatures," already described in chapter 4, now are accompanied by "angels." The sense of an unmitigated divine victory still directs the praise of these heavenly beings. The relief from the harrowing revelation of the seven seals is marked by seven ascriptions possessed by God blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, might a list first defined in 5:12. This sevenfold series appears liturgically as a kind of doxology. It closes today's text's second praise scene. The ...

4766. Acts 16:9-15

Acts 16:9-15

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... literature some of the most life-altering insights of the "great" came to them while in a dreaming state. For Paul and the future Gentile mission of the church, the call toward Macedonia is momentous. Paul's turn toward the West into Macedonia marks the first step in the church's missionary movement into Europe itself, setting up the first signs of the dichotomy between the Christian West and the largely unmissionized East that would remain until this century. There is a fair amount of scholarly debate ...

4767. Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31

Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... , namely the Torah (see Burton L. Visotzky, The Midrash on Proverbs [New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992]). The remaining verses (24-31) constitute an in-depth discussion of wisdom's role in creation. Wisdom "was there when he set the heavens in place" and when he "marked out the horizon on the face of the deep" (v.27 NIV). When God "established the clouds" and gave "the sea its boundary," wisdom was present (vv. 28-29 NIV). Wisdom was a "craftsman" working at "his side" (v.30 NIV) and rejoicing in the ...

4768. Luke 9:51-62

Luke 9:51-62

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Today's text starts us on Jesus' long, drawn-out journey to Jerusalem. In Luke, this is a 10 chapter-long sojourn (9:51-19:45), composed of material that is not found in Mark and only some of which is found in Matthew. The bulk of this material is characterized by the creative language, style and organization of material unique to this gospel writer. While Luke occasionally reminds his readers that Jesus is still on his Jerusalem journey (13:22, 33; 17:11; 18: ...

4769. Hosea 11:1-11

Hosea 11:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... in chapters 4-10 turns to one of judgment against Israel for willful disobedience and arrogant apostasy, the pain this attitude inflicts upon Yahweh is also a part of the prophet's word. As chapter 11 opens we see clearly why these words forever mark Hosea as the "love prophet" and why these verses constitute a "love chapter." The message of divine judgment now melts into a pool of divine compassion. Yahweh's judging fist unclenches to open out toward the beloved children with the imploring love of a ...

4770. Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... primarily on the flow of Christ's love as it is experienced within the membership of the faithful. Grammatically this is an exhortation for Christians to love other Christians suggesting that the ability both to extend love and to receive love are marks of true discipleship and the reciprocating glue that helps hold the church together. It was the early church's ability to practice mutual love in the midst of a hostile pagan environment that prompted Tertullian's oft-cited observation, "See how these ...

4771. 1 Timothy 1:12-17

1 Timothy 1:12-17

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... 1 Timothy 3:1; 4:9; 2 Timothy 2:11a; Titus 3:8a). The term translated "sure" is pistos. More familiar to us as "faithful" or "trustworthy" (as translated in verse 12 to describe Paul), these "sure" sayings are used as verbal flags, marking a solemn emphasis on important sayings, especially those about salvation. (What topic could be more important?) The "sure" saying here has been described as encapsulating the whole gospel message in one sentence: "that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." By ...

4772. Luke 17:11-19

Luke 17:11-19

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... faith-witness by specifically mentioning the region of Samaria. Although found only in Luke's gospel, the story does bear some resemblance to other occasions in which lepers are healed. Remember the first cleansing account (Luke 5:12-16; Matthew 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-45) where Jesus is moved by the cries of the lepers? In both healing stories the "unclean" lepers cry out loudly to the approaching Jesus. Lepers were socially required to announce their presence and their defective state so that purified Jews ...

4773. 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... by the next generation (Crescens, Titus, Tychicus). Paul has spoken throughout the letter of the imminent end of his ministry. But he cannot help still planning for the future. He asks for his cloak, books and parchments as well as for still another helper, Mark. If Paul had seemed overly self-reliant in verses 6-8, he now returns to the theme of God's unwavering strength and his unswerving dependence. Paul sadly admits that "all deserted me" as his "first defense." This probably refers to the first hearing ...

4774. A Powerful Sacrament

Mark 1:1-8

Sermon

King Duncan

... anyone greater than John the Baptist . . .” (Mt. 11:11). One reason John had such an impact on people may have been his humility. He was not on an ego trip. He was genuine. He was real. And he wasn’t interested in advancing his own agenda. In fact, Mark tells us that his message wasn’t about himself at all, but about the coming Messiah: “After me,” said John, “will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he ...

4775. Back To Basics: The Three R's of Baptism - Sermon Starter

Mark 1:4-11

Illustration

Brett Blair

... only one of those begins with an R. I always thought the fellow that came up with that one needed to go back to school. As parents and teachers and leaders today we would do well to remember that life is still composed of basics. That is why, when Mark chose to open his Gospel, he did so with the Baptism of Jesus at the Jordan. Baptism reminds us of the three R's of the soul: Repentance, righteousness, and revelation. So, don't be amazed when a president of the United States repents before the nation for ...

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