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 4901 to 4925 of 4986 results

4901. Job's Third Reply to Eliphaz

Job 23:1--24:25

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... , and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed” (John 3:19–21). For Job, the wicked are “those who rebel against the light.” They have chosen to depart from the ways illuminated by God’s light and refuse to stay (Heb. “dwell; take up residence”) in its paths. There may be an intentional allusion to Psalm 1:1 here. The wicked are the opposite of the “blessed one” in Psalm 1, who avoids association with evildoers and refuses to take up residence with them. The ...

4902. Jesus Begins to Preach

Matthew 4:12-17

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... and east, and Samaritans to the south). Judea was mountainous and isolated, but Galilee lay open to all sorts of contacts with the wider world. It was there in northern Palestine that Jesus began his public ministry. Matthew says that Jesus did not stay in Nazareth (none of the synoptic writers record anything that Jesus did during that visit to his home town) but went and lived in Capernaum (probably Tell Hum on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee). Capernaum becomes the base for Jesus’ Galilean ...

4903. A Tree and Its Fruit

Matthew 7:15-23

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... How were the Christians to recognize a false prophet? In earlier days a prophet was discredited if what he proclaimed in the name of the Lord did not come true (Deut. 18:20–22). The Didache had some simple tests to identify a false prophet (if he stays more than two days or asks for money, 11.5–6). It is “from his behavior, then, [that] the false prophet and the true prophet shall be known” (Didache 11.8). Jesus warns against false prophets. They come in sheep’s clothing (that is, they appear to ...

4904. The Pilgrim’s Thirst for God in a Dry and Weary Land

Psalm 63:1-11

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... –4, 11) and so is most akin to the prayer psalms, but it has no formal petition (though conceivably some of the Hb. imperfects could be rendered as wishes). Its primary function apparently is confessing to God the worshiper’s intentions of “seeking” and “staying close to” God, and affirming that God will in turn sustain and protect him. The psalm confesses what has drawn the worshiper to the sanctuary (vv. 1–2), the value and benefits of being there (vv. 3–8), and the consequences for fellow ...

4905. Woe On Unrepentant Cities

Matthew 11:20-24

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... are to receive woe (v. 21). That the three cities mentioned in verse 21–23 lie relatively close to each other just to the north of the Sea of Galilee suggests that Jesus himself (in contrast to the Twelve, who were sent throughout Galilee) stayed rather close to home. The pronouncement woe to you (v. 21) occurs frequently in Matthew (esp. in chap. 23). Although it warns of final judgment, it is an expression of grief rather than anticipated vengeance. Korazin is unknown apart from its mention here and ...

4906. God’s Goodness Redefined: The Nearness of God

Psalm 73:1-28

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... their failed heart and his nearness as their good. Additional Note 73:10 Drink up waters in abundance: The MT is difficult to decipher and probably disturbed. Hence, the NIV has rightly followed a sound reconstruction of the Hb. consonants in the verse’s first half. It has tried to stay with the MT in the second half, but here a minor reconstruction is probably also in order: “and their words they drink deeply” (see BHS). The entire verse thus refers to the many “converts” of the wicked.

4907. Jesus Walks on the Water

Matthew 14:22-36

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... thousand had been fed, Jesus “prevailed upon his disciples” (Knox) to cross over the lake ahead of him while he dismissed the crowds. The Greek ēnankasen is a strong word that means “to compel” (NIV, made). It suggests that the disciples would have liked to stay and share in the excitement of the crowd. In John’s recounting of the story, we learn that “Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself” (John 6:15). A strong popular ...

4908. The Healing of a Boy With a Demon

Matthew 17:14-23

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... suggests that their lack of faith must be attributed “to their involvement in a people hostile to Jesus and to what he stands for” (p. 156). The two rhetorical questions in verse 17 picture Jesus as visiting the world to establish his church. How long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Jesus orders the boy to be brought to him and, with a single command, orders the demon to depart (v. 18). Mark’s account describes in detail the exorcism (Mark 9:20–27). In private, the disciples ...

4909. The Day and Hour Unknown

Matthew 24:36-51

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... . 39 with those “taken away” by the flood: Knox says the flood “drowned them all”). The followers of Jesus are to be on the watch because they do not know on what day their Lord will come (v. 42). You can be sure that the head of a house would stay awake if he knew when the thief would arrive and tunnel through (Gk. dioryssō) the wall in order to rob him. In the same way, believers must be ready because the Son of Man will return at an hour when he is least expected. 24:45–51 Who then is ...

4910. Jesus Anointed at Bethany

Matthew 26:6-13

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... week of Jesus’ life. 26:6–13 During the Passover season Jesus apparently spent his evenings in the town of Bethany, located on the southeast slope of the Mount of Olives on the Jericho road less than two miles from Jerusalem. On this occasion he was staying with Simon the Leper (obviously cured earlier but still designated by the epithet). A parallel account in John places the scene in the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (John 12:1–8). It may be that Simon was the father of Lazarus and his sisters ...

4911. Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

Daniel 2:1-23

Understanding Series

William Nelson

... Aramaic is curious. Why would the narrator inform us of the language of the Chaldeans, as if Nebuchadnezzar incredibly had been speaking in Hebrew up to this point? Why make a point of shifting to Aramaic for the speech of the Chaldeans, when the book actually stays in Aramaic until the end of chapter 7 whether anyone is speaking or not? This is probably a scribal insertion. Ancient scribes used to put notes in the margins of manuscripts to explain things. In this case the word was added to show where the ...

4912. Nebuchadnezzer’s Dream of a Tree

Daniel 4:1-18

Understanding Series

William Nelson

... Nebuchadnezzar should be identified with this tree. Nebuchadnezzar saw not only a tree but a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven (4:13; also vv. 17, 23). The word translated “messenger” really means “watcher,” as in someone standing watch or staying awake, not in the sense of looking (cf. NIV footnote). The term occurs frequently in Jewish works from the Greek and Roman periods, especially in 1 Enoch (but also in Jubilees, the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, and the Dead Sea Scrolls ...

4913. Daniel’s Vision of a Man

Daniel 10:1--11:1

Understanding Series

William Nelson

... before our God” (Ezra 8:21). 10:13 The MT’s notarti sham (NIV I was detained there) is difficult to translate. It really means “I remained there,” or “I was left there,” but that hardly makes sense, because the angel who is speaking did not stay behind. On the contrary, he escaped and went to Daniel. It was Michael who remained behind to fight or detain the spirit being or prince of Persia. BHS proposes weʾoto hotarti sham, “I left him there” (thus RSV and NRSV), a reading supported by the ...

4914. The Healing of a Boy With an Evil Spirit

Mark 9:14-32

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... ), this account also prefigures the post-resurrection situation of the early church, when Christians would be called upon to minister in the name and power of Jesus as did the Twelve. This is confirmed by the words of Jesus in 9:19 (How long shall I stay with you?), which anticipate the time when Jesus would no longer be with his followers and they would have to carry on in faith. Implicit in the account is that Jesus’ followers are expected to have full faith in his power, even when he is not ...

4915. Jesus Clears the Temple

Mark 11:12-19

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... reflect Jesus’ high regard for the sanctity of the temple area, and agrees with the Pharisaic injunction (in the Talmud) against anyone using the temple area as a shortcut for other business. 11:19 When evening came, they went out of the city: It is possible that Jesus did not stay in Jerusalem at night because it was not safe for him, and that he went to Bethany where he could not be surprised and arrested by the temple priesthood.

4916. The Day and Hour Unknown

Mark 13:32-37

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... supposed to learn from Jesus’ predictions that the distresses and persecutions that they might face were all a part of the playing out of the drama leading to the end; and they were to take inspiration from this and from Jesus’ exhortation about staying alert at their task so that they might press on, undaunted in the necessary proclamation to all nations (13:10). With this final exhortation, the long discourse on the future (chapter 13) ends. The doom of Jerusalem has been announced, and the disciples ...

4917. Gethsemane

Mark 14:32-42

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... the moment at hand is. The sentimental suggestion that Jesus sought from his disciples some comfort in the face of the coming storm has no basis in the text, for Jesus turns to God and not to them. Rather, his repeated urgings to them to stay awake and pray reflect a concern that they be prepared for the physical and spiritual dangers that lie ahead for them. Repeated references to the dullness of the Twelve have prepared Mark’s readers to understand that the disciples were incapable of giving Jesus ...

4918. The Death of Jesus

Mark 15:33-41

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... young man” who announces to them that Jesus is risen from death (16:5–8). Mentioning the women has a twofold purpose. First, there is the obvious contrast between the disciples—the chosen apostles—who fled and denied Jesus, and these women who stayed with Jesus devotedly. These women exhibit the courage and devotion one would have expected from the apostles. It is in keeping with Mark’s use of irony that he features women as the positive role models of discipleship, for among many in the ancient ...

4919. The Parable of the Lost Son

Luke 15:11-32

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... , selfish, and wasteful young man. Jesus graphically portrays the ingratitude, sin, and degradation of this person. He requests his share of the estate. He apparently has no concern for the well-being of his father (or family). He has not chosen to stay nearby; rather, he liquidates his inheritance and leaves home. He then went to a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. In the minds of respectable first-century Jewish people the behavior of this son would be considered disloyal ...

4920. The Ascension

Luke 24:50-53

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... note there). Now at last the disciples fully understand Jesus. Gone are their fear and unbelief. Then they worshiped Jesus and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. Jesus now is truly understood as “Lord.” While awaiting the promise of the Father (v. 49) they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. This setting not only resumes where Jesus left off (see 19:47), but it anticipates Peter’s temple sermon in Acts 3. Here is an important Lucan idea. The Good News of the kingdom was preached in the ...

4921. The Seven Bowls of God's Wrath

Revelation 16:1-21

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

... . 3:10; Matt. 24:43–44; Acts 1:6–7; Rev. 3:3), is an exhortation to repent in order to receive divine blessing. The following beatitude envisions the promise of God’s faithfulness to those who are themselves faithful to God: Blessed is he who stays awake … so that he may not … be shamefully exposed (cf. 1 Thess. 5:6–7; 2 Cor. 5:2). The place of the “battle on the great day” is identified as Armageddon. Attempts to locate Armageddon geographically are futile; in fact, no such place exists to ...

4922. The People Rebel

Numbers 14:1-45

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... , Why are you disobeying the LORD’s command? He warns the people that God will not go with them, and the Amalekites and Canaanites will defeat them. Still, in their presumption they went up. Both Moses and the ark, the sign of God’s presence, stayed in the camp and, predictably, the people were defeated. God’s pledge has begun to come to pass. Chapters 13 and 14 vividly remind the reading community that the real issue for ancient Israel is not military readiness or even fruitfulness of the land, but ...

4923. Defeat of Sihon and Og

Numbers 21:21-35

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... section of the book. In 21:21–35 The people encounter the Amorites, they send a diplomatic message to the king Sihon, asking for permission to pass through the country. The message is similar to that sent to Edom in chapter 20. Israel pledges to stay on the king’s highway, to use no resources, and to do no damage. Sihon refuses and attacks Israel. But Israel defeats the Amorite king and takes his territory, including land Sihon has previously taken from Moab. Another poem here makes the point that Sihon ...

4924. Balaam's Donkey

Numbers 22:21-41

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... with a drawn sword. Such divine opposition also confronted Jacob, Moses, and Joshua; these narratives affirm the divine mystery and the warning not to presume on God’s favor. Those whom God calls remain under divine supervision. The angel here warns Balaam to stay true to the divine instructions. This unexpected divine opposition also signals that the Balaam story is a complex one. We will be wise to reserve any judgment until the end. With irony, the narrator tells us that it is the donkey, rather than ...

4925. Joshua to Succeed Moses

Numbers 27:12-23

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

The New Generation: Inheritance and Leadership 27:1–7: The census in chapter 26 prepares for the distribution of the land. The custom in ancient Israel was that land stayed with the tribe and was passed from father to son. The question now arises as to what happens when there are no sons but only daughters. The daughters of Zelophehad . . . belonged to the clans of Manasseh. The five of them—Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah—approach the community’s ...

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