Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 501 to 525 of 538 results

501. A Levite and His Concubine

Judges 19:1-30

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

19:1–21:25 · Areas of Social Norms and Political Decisions:How appropriate, then, that as the first extended narrative ends and the second begins, the refrain “In those days Israel had no king” appears again in 19:1, bridging the two stories and subtly reminding the readers that those were days when “everyone did as they saw fit” (17:6; 21:25). 19:1–29 · The second extended narrative begins with the attempt of another Levite to woo back a concubine who has left him to return to her father’s house (19:2–10 ...

502. Praise the Slain Lamb

Revelation 5:1-14

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

As though the second movement in a symphony, the celebration in the eschatological temple of God continues, with a reading of a scroll. Typically, in a Jewish synagogue liturgy, the seals on a Torah scroll are broken so that God’s Word may be read to the whole congregation. However, this scroll in the right hand of the enthroned Creator cannot be opened or read (5:1). Even a being as powerful as the angel with the great voice must ask, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” (5:2). The ...

503. Supplementary Offerings

Numbers 15:1-21

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

Most commentators find it odd for a chapter of Priestly legislation to follow four chapters of narrative about murmurings in the wilderness. Olson argues persuasively that there is purpose for the placement of the chapter. He maintains that it relates in important ways to chapters 11–14 on the one hand and to chapter 16 on the other. Also, in contrast to a number of other commentators, he understands chapter 15 to exhibit an internal coherence (Numbers, pp. 90–101). What follows will in general support ...

504. The Would-Be Pilgrim Who Thirsts for God: Part II

Psalm 43:1-5

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

For an introduction to Psalm 43, see the introductory comments on Psalm 42. 43:1–5 The psalm’s first petitions, “judge me” (Hb. šopṭēnî, NIV vindicate me) and plead my cause, are legal in nature and might lead us to speculate about circumstances of false accusation (see Ps. 7). The petitions of 43:3, however, clearly pray for God’s light and truth to escort the speaker to God’s holy mountain. We should also observe that the psalms of temple entry (see the Introduction) use legal language for God to “judge ...

505. The Plague of Flies

Exodus 8:20-32

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

8:20–32 The fourth plague consisted of dense swarms of flies, but only in Egyptian houses. This central cycle of plagues (flies, dying livestock, and boils) begins just as the first and last three began, following a confrontation with Pharaoh early in the morning (7:15; 8:20; 9:13). Moses declares the transmission formula, This is what the LORD (Yahweh) says, together with the refrains that state, for the fourth time, the main purpose for the exodus: Let my people go, so that they may worship (“serve”) me ...

506. For Someone Who Will Be Terribly Missed

Job 19:23-27 · John 12:23-26 · John 14:1-6 · Acts 1:21-26

Eulogy

Richard E. Zajac

The Doctor and His Dog [Tell of what they’d wish for us to do, how we can carry on from where their life had ended.] In one of his books, John Braille tells of an old country Doctor who made his rounds in a horse-drawn carriage. The Doctor’s dog would go along for the ride. One day, the Doctor went to visit a man who was critically ill. “How am I, Doctor?” the man asked. The Doctor replied: “It doesn’t look good!” Both men were quiet for a while. The man then said: “What’s it like to die, Doctor?” As the ...

507. Giving with Open Hands

Mark 12:41-44

Sermon

Thomas Peterson

A couple stands before the pastor in the midday service. He asks, “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” The father says, “I do.” Then the father takes the right hand of the bride in his right hand and places it into the right hand of the pastor who, in turn, places it in the right hand of the groom. The vows are given, and the groom, having taken the right hand of the bride, says, “I, John, take thee, Mary, to be my wedded wife.” Dropping hands, the bride offers her right hand to the groom and ...

508. He Preached Good News

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

James Garrett

Last Sunday we examined the beginning of John’s sermon where he said the King is coming, prepare! Today we continue with that sermon. Hear the words of John, the son of Zachariah, recorded in Luke 3:7-18. John, austere preacher, calls for the multitudes to prepare the way for Christ’s coming with severe earnestness. His message is a call to repentance with actions that demonstrate an altered life. “Bear fruits that benefit repentance,” he says. “We have Abraham as our father,” is not a valid claim or an ...

509. Thorns and Roses

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

Around the turn of the century a young man named Clarence took his girlfriend on a summer outing. They took a picnic lunch out to a picturesque island in the middle of a small lake. She wore a long dress with about a dozen petticoats. He was dressed in a suit with a high collar. Clarence rowed them out to the island, dragged the boat into shore, and spread their picnic supplies beneath a shade tree. So hypnotized was he by her beauty that he hardly noticed the hot sun and perspiration on his brow. Softly ...

510. Paul's Thorn In The Flesh

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

Around the turn of the century a young man named Ole took his girlfriend on a summer outing. They took a picnic lunch out to a picturesque island in the middle of a small lake. She wore a long dress with about a dozen petticoats. He was dressed in a suit with a high collar. Ole rowed them out to the island, dragged the boat into shore, and spread their picnic supplies beneath a shade tree. So hypnotized was he by her beauty that he hardly noticed the hot sun and perspiration on his brow. Softly she ...

511. The Best Birthday Ever

Psalm 90:1-17

Sermon

David E. Leininger

St. Paul's 40th Birthday. And some of you here in 1998 were here in 1958. Things are different now, of course. Churches change and neighborhoods change and even whole societies change. We know that WE change as we get older. I remember the days when it seemed that Christmas or a birthday would NEVER get here; and now I think, "Is it here again ALREADY?" You too? LOTS of things change with age. Not long ago, someone noted some of the more obvious adjustments.(1) It was entitled, "YOU'RE NOT A KID ANYMORE ...

512. The Christian's Wild Card

1 Corinthians 15:12-34

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

It was Easter Saturday, and Mommy was sitting at the kitchen table coloring Easter eggs with her small son and daughter. She told them about the true meaning of Easter, and taught them the traditional Easter morning greeting, "He is risen!" and the response, "He is risen indeed!" The children planned to surprise their father, a Presbyterian minister, with this greeting on Easter Sunday morning by saying, "He is risen!" as soon as he awoke. The next morning, bright and early, the little boy heard his father ...

513. Hebrews 10:5-10

Hebrews 10:5-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

The author of Hebrews reaches back to the traditions of the Psalms and Jeremiah to clarify the new situation which now confronts those who would be obedient to God. Whereas chapter 10 began by describing the old,cultic sacrificial ways of obedience, verses 5-10 introduce the new reality which now applies. The author begins to explain the impetus for this change with the statement that Christ " came into the world. " More than a simple reference to Christ's incarnation, this phrase points to the entirety of ...

514. Jeremiah 31:7-14

Jeremiah 31:7-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

Jeremiah's life of prophetic pronouncements spanned what were arguably the most turbulent years in the history of his nation and people. Estimated to extend from 626 to 584 B.C., the history surrounding Jeremiah's career might be likened to a roller coaster ride - punctuated by thrilling highs and dramatically plummeting lows, while racing at breakneck speed and apparently out of control. David's kingdom had long ago split in two; the Northern tribes had already succumbed to Assyrian dominance when ...

515. Hebrews 10:5-10

Hebrews 10:5-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

The author of Hebrews reaches back to the traditions of the Psalms and Jeremiah to clarify the new situation which now confronts those who would be obedient to God. Whereas chapter 10 began by describing the old, cultic sacrificial ways of obedience, verses 5-10 introduce the new reality which now applies. The author begins to explain the impetus for this change with the statement that Christ " came into the world. " More than a simple reference to Christ’s incarnation, this phrase points to the entirety ...

516. Jeremiah 31:7-14

Jeremiah 31:7-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

517. Passion Palm Sunday (Lent 6)

Psalm 31:9-16, Isaiah 50:4-9a, Matthew 26:14-16, Philippians 2:5-11

Bulletin Aid

Amy C. Schifrin

Prayer For Procession With Palms Precedes the reading of the processional gospel: Matthew 21:1-11 Leader: All glory, laud, and honor belong to you, gracious King. As we lift our voices before you, may your love transform us, your Spirit renew us, and your mercy open our hearts, that your song of praise would know no end. All: Amen. Reading Of The Passion (Congregation sings verse 1 of “Glory Be To Jesus,” LBW 95) Leader: Glory be to Jesus, Who, in bitter pains, Poured for me the lifeblood From his sacred ...

518. How Firm a Foundation

Luke 6:39-49

Sermon

Cynthia Cowen

Every night after work and on weekends, Eric worked on building his cabin. It was not on his lot in Waterford Township, but in his own backyard. It was sort of prefab — constructed with cedar, a section at a time. On Sunday afternoons, accompanied by his family, he loaded up his trailer with completed sections and hauled them up to his property. The camp became known as Shaky Cedars. As each wall was placed side by side, the sections soon became a whole. When we buy a house, we carefully look at the ...

519. Sabbath Regulations

Exodus 35:1-3

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

Exodus 35 is remarkable for the dramatic reversal and transformation after a word of forgiveness from the Lord. The people prepared to build the tabernacle with full and willing hearts. The structure of the chapter illustrates the reversal by forming a mirror image of Exodus 31 (the last chapter before the golden-calf crisis), presenting similar material in reverse order. The last subject of Exodus 31 was the Sabbath, and the Sabbath command is now the first word after the golden calf crisis (35:1–3). The ...

520. Danites Settle in Laish

Judges 18:1-31

Understanding Series

Cheryl A. Brown

The Danites Take Their Own Inheritance: The road to chaos winds its way through Judges 18 but now widens increasingly (cf. Matt. 7:13–14) to encompass an entire Israelite tribe. The Danites were a small tribe who were never able to secure their allotment of territory in the land of Israel. Judges 1 describes their containment by the Amorites (1:34; cf. Josh. 19:40–46) and the Joseph tribe’s encroachment into their territory. The story of their migration from the area originally allotted to them to a new ...

521. Not One is Upright

Jeremiah 5:1-31

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

Poor and Great, All of Jerusalem Depraved (5:1-9): This oracle is a dialogue between Yahweh and Jeremiah. Yahweh first challenges Jeremiah to go out into Jerusalem to discover a single righteous person (5:1–2). Jeremiah then argues that the good people are among the leaders, not the poor who are in the streets. He is quickly disillusioned (5:3–6), and finally, on this basis, God proclaims that his coming judgment is just (5:7–9). 5:1–2 The challenge goes out, presumably to Jeremiah in the light of the ...

522. Sermon on the Mount: Final Warnings and Call to Obey Jesus’ Words

Matthew 7:13-14, Matthew 7:15-23, Matthew 7:24-29

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

Big Idea: Jesus’ final words in the Sermon on the Mount warn against those who claim to belong to God but are disobeying God’s will. Those who are wise will put Jesus’ authoritative words into practice. Understanding the Text The final section of the Sermon on the Mount focuses on putting into practice Jesus’ teachings and provides warnings about those who do not obey God’s will. Jesus speaks of bearing fruit being the mark of a disciple (7:15–20; see also 12:33–37; 13:18–23; 21:18–22, 43). Bearing fruit ...

523. Samson's Marriage

Judges 14:1-20

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Having noticed the Philistine woman in Timnah, Samson goes to his parents demanding that they get her for him as a wife. The parents, alarmed that he wants to marry a non-Israelite who belongs to the occupying power, try in vain to suggest that he find someone from among their own people. But Samson is insistent, and using an expression that will eventually appear again in the epilogue’s refrain (cf. 17:6; 21:25), he justifies his request by declaring that the woman is literally “right in his eyes” (14:3 ...

524. Kings of Israel

1 Kings 15:33–16:28

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

At some point during the twenty-four-year reign of the usurping Baasha (15:33–16:7), the prophet Jehu arrives with a strong denunciation. The fact that Baasha does a good imitation of Jeroboam is the initial reason for the prophetic word, as the hitherto unmentioned Jehu announces that the house of Baasha will experience an identical fate. Jehu’s confrontation certainly anticipates prophetic activity in the next major section of 1 Kings (chapters 17–22), and his phrase “from the dust” (16:2) evokes ...

525. The Plague of Blood

Exodus 7:14-24

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

7:14–25 First Blood. The account of the first plague begins with the notice that Pharaoh’s heart is unyielding. The Hebrew word here is kabed, meaning a “fat” heart or “heavy and sluggish” heart. In this context it could be paraphrased “self-fulfilled” or “self-satisfied.” The word describes Pharaoh’s “hard heart” in 7:14; 8:14, 28; 9:7, 34; 10:1; 14:4, 17. The synonym used elsewhere for “hard heart” is khazaq, which means “tough” or “strong.” Pharaoh will not change much in the conflict that follows. He ...

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Showing 501 to 525 of 538 results

501. A Levite and His Concubine

Judges 19:1-30

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

502. Praise the Slain Lamb

Revelation 5:1-14

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

503. Supplementary Offerings

Numbers 15:1-21

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

504. The Would-Be Pilgrim Who Thirsts for God: Part II

Psalm 43:1-5

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

505. The Plague of Flies

Exodus 8:20-32

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

506. For Someone Who Will Be Terribly Missed

Job 19:23-27 · John 12:23-26 · John 14:1-6 · Acts 1:21-26

Eulogy

Richard E. Zajac

507. Giving with Open Hands

Mark 12:41-44

Sermon

Thomas Peterson

508. He Preached Good News

Luke 3:1-20

Sermon

James Garrett

509. Thorns and Roses

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

510. Paul's Thorn In The Flesh

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

511. The Best Birthday Ever

Psalm 90:1-17

Sermon

David E. Leininger

512. The Christian's Wild Card

1 Corinthians 15:12-34

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

513. Hebrews 10:5-10

Hebrews 10:5-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

514. Jeremiah 31:7-14

Jeremiah 31:7-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

515. Hebrews 10:5-10

Hebrews 10:5-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

The author of Hebrews reaches back to the traditions of the Psalms and Jeremiah to clarify the new situation which now confronts those who would be obedient to God. Whereas chapter 10 began by describing the old, cultic sacrificial ways of obedience, verses 5-10 introduce the new reality which now applies. The author begins to explain the impetus for this change with the statement that Christ " came into the world. " More than a simple reference to Christ’s incarnation, this phrase points to the entirety ...

516. Jeremiah 31:7-14

Jeremiah 31:7-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

517. Passion Palm Sunday (Lent 6)

Psalm 31:9-16, Isaiah 50:4-9a, Matthew 26:14-16, Philippians 2:5-11

Bulletin Aid

Amy C. Schifrin

518. How Firm a Foundation

Luke 6:39-49

Sermon

Cynthia Cowen