Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: Levi, disciple, evangelist, tax collector, the 12, the twelve, apostle, sermon on the mount, jewish audience, beatitudes, lord's prayer, great commission, parables, olivet discourse, mount of olives, olivet, synoptic

Showing 501 to 525 of 5000 results

501. The Lord's Grace to Paul

1 Timothy 1:12-20

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

... rather than his wrath. 1:14 Still caught up in the wonder of it all, Paul says it again, only this time the emphasis shifts from his ministry (vv. 11–12) to his actual conversion. Although stated with some unusual turns of phrase (e.g., our Lord [Christ Jesus] as the bestower of grace), the theology of this passage is thoroughly Pauline. Grace had been poured out on him abundantly, a grace that brought about both his faith and his love. For Paul, God’s is always the prior action. Faith is a response ...

502. Love and Obey the Lord

Deuteronomy 11:1-32

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... of Canaan (v. 12), that it was he who gave the rain (v. 14), and that he could as easily withhold it (v. 17), are deceptively simple. They actually conceal a strongly polemical claim. For among the inhabitants of Canaan it was Baal who was lord of rain, fertility, and agricultural fecundity. The warning of verse 16 is thus very pointed. Israel would indeed face, and repeatedly succumb to, the temptation to pay homage to the gods that seemed to control agricultural success, yet no amount of prayer to these ...

503. The Servant of the Lord

Isaiah 49:1-7

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... live there under those pressures done to them and how can it be undone? That problem continues to set the agenda in chapters 49–55, even while the focus on the surface changes. 49:1–6 Listen to me sounds like Yahweh. But it goes on, the LORD called me before I was born. So who now speaks? Read in the context, 49:1–6 becomes entirely intelligible as the prophet’s further testimony, following on 40:6–8. Like Isaiah’s own testimony to his call (see ch. 6), this testimony comes after some chapters ...

504. The Glory of the Lord

Exodus 40:34-38

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Exodus closes on a note of joyous hope with the glory of the Lord present with his people and guiding them on their journey (40:34–38). God’s people are assured of the reality of that presence in the ongoing wilderness experiences of despair and death. Even though that will be forthcoming, God’s presence never leaves them, even accompanying them into the exile in Babylon and bringing them back—a second exodus.

505. The Lord's Judgement of Ahaziah

2 Kings 1:1-18

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... arrested by fire at the top of a mountain, much like the sacrifice was consumed by fire on Mount Carmel back in 1 Kings 18. The third captain has the sense to beg for mercy (1:13–18), and one gets the impression that if the angel of the Lord had not intervened, Elijah would have continued to call down fire. Ahaziah, like his father, tries in vain to nullify the prophetic word but discovers to his grave chagrin that such a task is beyond any earthly monarch. It is curious that Ahaziah has no son to succeed ...

506. The Mountain of the Lord

Isaiah 2:1-5

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... himself will rule the nations and will make decisions for them; then and only then will there be a state of shalom, when weaponry can be changed into implements of peace. Before this glorious vision may be realized, there is one precondition: men must respond in full submission to the Lord (2:5). It is possible to be inspired by the vision of the messianic age, but inspiration should lead to obedient faith.

507. The Servant of the Lord

Isaiah 42:1-9, Isaiah 42:10-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... by redeeming his people to be “a light to the nations” (42:6 RSV, NASB). Even the people in the wilderness of Kedar and in the Edomite city of Sela are invited to join in praise of the God of Israel (42:11). Second, his people praise him because the Lord rouses himself for battle like a mighty warrior (Exod. 15:3, 16). Zealous for his kingdom, he will not allow enemy nations to trample his rights. Yahweh has been patient with the nations for a long time (42:14–17). Now he is ready to act on behalf of ...

508. Call for a Return to the Lord

Zechariah 1:1-6

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... second year (October–November, 520 BC), falls between Haggai’s second and third messages (Hag. 2:1–9 and 2:10–19, respectively). It adds a new dimension to Haggai’s message of practical obedience—that of a personal relationship with the Lord. Zechariah’s opening message establishes a fitting foundation for the rest of the book, placing the matter of the rebuilding of the temple within the framework of God’s overall purpose with regard to Israel and Jerusalem. It provides solid encouragement ...

509. The Lord Promises to Bless Jerusalem

Zechariah 8:1-23

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... blessing on Jerusalem. The admonition to love truth and peace again urges them to let their present conduct be molded by future realities. Verses 20–23 build on Isaiah 2:1–5 and Micah 4:1–5, where Jerusalem is the focal point of the globe because the Lord is there to give direction to all peoples of the world. He will instruct multitudes of willing hearers who have come to learn his will and to do it. In the present passage the role of Israel is stressed. Contempt for and hatred of Jerusalem has been ...

510. The Lord Will Call for Judah

Zechariah 10:1--11:3

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... , strong, and victorious heroes. The change is also external—deliverance from the power of the enemy. Verse 1 provides an effective transition from the picture of a vigorous and prosperous people thriving on the produce of fertile soil to the admonition to seek the Lord, who is the author of that fertility and prosperity. It is God who sends the rain, and it is God who brings comfort and deliverance to his people. The message is clear: seek God and trust him. He will prosper and deliver his people. By ...

511. The Lord of the Sabbath

Matthew 12:1-14, Matthew 12:15-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... longest of his fulfillment quotations (see “Sources” in the introduction). Jesus’s compassionate healing ministry is alluded to in 12:20 (Isa. 42:3), and his warning of secrecy connects to 12:19 (Isa. 42:2). In addition, the Isaiah citation confirms that Jesus is Isaiah’s servant of the Lord (also 8:17), who will bring justice not only to Israel but also to the Gentiles (“nations” in 12:18, 21, can be rendered alternately as “Gentiles”; cf. NRSV).

512. Lord of the Sabbath

Mark 2:23-3:6

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... declares that people are not made for Sabbath rules, but rather the Sabbath is intended to bless and enhance human life. Second and more important, Jesus grounds this teaching in his own authority as Son of Man. In declaring that “the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (2:28), Jesus once again puts himself unambiguously in the place of God. Each of the five conflict stories in 2:1–3:6 portrays Jesus’s sovereign authority as superseding all other authorities—whether of society, of scribes and ...

513. The Lord's Supper

Mark 14:12-26

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... transgressors” (Isa. 53:12). Jesus concludes the supper by resuming the eschatological motif of chapter 13 (14:17, 19, 20, 24, 32): “until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God” (14:25). The Last Supper is intended as the interim feast of believers with their Lord until his return.

514. Lord of the Sabbath

Luke 6:1-11

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... David legitimately broke the technical requirements of the law when human need was present. The Pharisees may have been thinking, “But you are not David.” Accordingly Jesus argues that he is greater than David, for as “the Son of Man,” he is “Lord of the Sabbath.” So Jesus authorizes the behavior of his disciples in this situation, and thus the first Sabbath controversy ends with Jesus making a bold statement about his person and authority. The atmosphere in the second incident (6:6–11) is ...

515. The Lord’s Grace to Paul

1 Timothy 1:12-20

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... ,” Paul felt it sufficient to acknowledge himself “least of the apostles” (1 Cor. 15:9). Writing later from prison and meditating on the comprehensive lordship of Christ, Paul moves himself further down the ladder: “I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people” (Eph. 3:8). Now, urging radical grace over proud speculation and moralism, he points to himself as exhibit A in God’s program of reclaiming a hopelessly ruined race.In chapter 2, Paul will refer to the process by which Christ ...

516. The Day of the Lord

2 Peter 3:1-18

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... this is not by talking about it but by living “holy and godly lives” (3:11). 3:14–18 · Final Encouragement to Stability: Our author sums up. (1) Live holy lives (3:14). (2) Think of the delay in the coming of Jesus as “our Lord’s patience,” which means “salvation”—perhaps the recipients’ salvation, for Christ could have come before they came to know and commit to him. Then our author notes (3) that Paul agrees with this teaching in at least three of his letters (the Greek form indicates ...

517. Lord of the Sabbath

Matthew 12:1-14

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... God is of greater importance than the ceremonial legislation that prepared the way for its arrival. If the Pharisees had understood this principle, they would not have criticized the disciples for plucking grain on the Sabbath. That the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath should not be difficult to grasp. The title has eschatological overtones: it is not simply a way of saying “man,” as if what is being taught is the humanitarian lesson that physical needs are more important than religious prescriptions ...

518. Entering the Lord’s House

Psalm 5:1-12

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... of this Hb. verb ʿrk elsewhere. On the other hand, the verb’s frequent use in connection with ritual sacrifice (Lev. 1:8–9, 12; 1 Kgs. 18:33) could indicate that a sacrifice was to be offered with the singing of the psalm. 5:6 The LORD abhors: Instead of Hb. ytʿb, “he abhors,” we should perhaps read, ttʿb, “you abhor,” since the duplicate Hb. t could easily have been omitted. 5:8 My enemies is lit. “my lurkers” or “watchers” (Hb. šôrēr), a Polel participle derived from šwr. The ...

519. Follow the Lord's Commands

Deuteronomy 26:16-19

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... Deuteronomic text, then they support the understanding that it is primarily the honor of Yahweh that is the goal of the exaltation of Israel. And this impression is further strengthened by the final phrase of the chapter, that Israel would be a people holy to the LORD, for this is another clear echo of Exodus 19:6, where holiness is linked to Israel’s role as God’s priesthood in the midst of the nations and both are linked to covenant obedience. The chapter thus brings the whole legal section to a close ...

520. The Day of the Lord

Isaiah 2:6-22

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... his prayer in verses 6–9, Isaiah seeks to drive people into a corner. Of course he wants actually not to make them hide from Yahweh but to make them seek Yahweh. Prophets cannot always (usually?) be taken at face value. The dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty (v. 10b) recurs at the beginning and end of verses 19–21, and the motif is also developed in between. The dread is not a feeling but an objective dreadfulness, a terrifying awesomeness, parallel to Yahweh’s majestic splendor. Both ...

521. The Cup of the Lord's Wrath

Isaiah 51:17--52:12

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... vulnerability a mother needs her (grown-up) children to look after her. This mother has watched her children die or be deported. They too have drunk her cup of poison. (c) I am a wife who has been abandoned (vv. 21–22). The one who speaks is your Lord. The precise form of the word occurs only once elsewhere in the OT, in Psalm 45:11, in words addressing a bride and describing her groom. Once more, Zion’s husband is promising to come back. (d) I am a slave who has been humiliated, perhaps raped (v. 23 ...

522. The Lord's Prayer

Matthew 6:5-15

Illustration

Marcus J. Borg

The Lord’s Prayer is interesting because of what it doesn’t include: It’s not about an afterlife. There is no petition asking God to take us to heaven when we die. It’s not about material success. There is no petition asking God to see that we “prosper” - an important ...

523. Labor For The Lord

Illustration

Glen Pierpoint

Our labor for the Lord is: a labor of love (I Thes 1:3). a labor not in vain (I Cor 15:58). a labor known by Christ (Rev 2:2). a labor God does not forget (Heb 6:10). a labor which is to be done together (I Cor 3:9). a labor for eternal things (Col 1:28-9). a labor which is to reward (I Cor 3:8). a labor done to be accepted by Him (II Cor 5:9). a labor which doesn't have an end (Luke 10:2).

524. Not Quite the The Lord's Prayer

Humor

A new Sunday school teacher had to iron out some problems with the Lord's Prayer. One child had to be corrected after repeating, "Howard be thy name." Another youngster prayed, "lead us not into Penn Station." Still another surprised the teacher with, "Our Father, who art in heaven, how'd you know my name?"

525. The Baptism of the Lord

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Sermon

Derl G. Keefer

... and Savior. I take God the Holy Spirit to be my sanctifier, teacher, guide, and comforter. I take the word of God to be my rule in all my actions and the people of God to be my people under all conditions. I do hereby dedicate and devote to the Lord all that I am, all that I have and all I can do. And this I do deliberately, freely, and forever. Amen.1 1. (Quoted in protevangelium.blogspot.com).

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