Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 651 to 675 of 2962 results

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

Psalm 73:1-28

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... attention to their “wealth” (73:12 // 52:7); the image of their instability and imminent “fall” (Hb. npl, 73:18 // 5:5, 10; 36:12; cf. 52:5; 24:3); Yahweh’s hatred toward them and promise to “destroy” them (73:20, 27 // 5:4–6); the designation of Yahweh’s group of worshipers as a “generation” (73:15 // 24:6); Yahweh’s “guiding” his pilgrims (Hb. nḥh, 73:24 // 5:8); his “glory” (73:24 // 24:7–10; 26:8); the symbolism of Yahweh as “refuge” (73:28 // 5:11; 36:7); and ...

652. A History Lesson: From Ephraim to Judah, from the Exodus to Zion

Psalm 78:1-72

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... but unlike most, which are either prayers (Hb. tepillâ) or praises (Hb. tehillâ), this one is explicitly teaching (Hb. tôrâ; only here in the Pss. does this term not denote God’s “teaching/law”). Like Psalm 49 (v. 4, cf. Prov. 1:6), it designates itself as a parable (or “comparison,” Hb. māšāl) and as “riddles” (rendered “things hidden” in the NIV). Thus, we should expect to find in Psalm 78 explicit teaching and lessons but also something of a puzzle and mystery (as in 49:5–6, 15 ...

653. In Praise of the Lord of History: From Abraham to the Settlement in the Land

Psalm 105:1-45

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... in the imperative, Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always (v. 4). Initially we might think “his strength” simply denotes a divine attribute, but in 132:8 the ark is specifically designated as “the ark of your strength” (NIV “might”) and in 78:61 it is designated as “his strength” (NIV “might”). (For more on the connection between the ark and Yahweh’s “face” see commentary on 89:14–15.) The psalm’s framework is established by the covenant he made with Abraham ...

654. A Tale of Two Oaths: David’s for the Lord’s Dwelling and the Lord’s for David’s Dynasty in Zion

Psalm 132:1-18

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... at its journey’s end in the period of the Davidic monarchy, it “arises” directly to its resting place. Prior to the call for the ark to “arise” is the ritual of “bowing down” (lit., NIV worship) at his footstool. In verses 13–14, Yahweh designates his resting place to be Zion. He declares that at this resting place, I will sit enthroned, thus emphasizing his throne and royal role. In two respects, the theology of this psalm may be offensive to Christians. First, we see a human feeling the ...

655. The Divine King and His Universal Kingdom

Psalm 145:1-21

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... appears no less than seventeen times). It does not give a favored position to Israel. Yahweh is portrayed as Creator and King, whose acts are toward all and whose kingdom is known by all. Even the famous confession of Exodus 34:6 (in v. 8) and the designation, “your saints” (lit. “your loved ones,” Hb. ḥasîdêkā, v. 10), both of which elsewhere apply to Israel, are applied to “all he has made” (in v. 9 his compassion and in v. 13b his loving [Hb. ḥāsîd] nature). The only stipulations for ...

656. Jesus Anointed at Bethany

Matthew 26:6-13

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... 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. A woman came to Jesus with an alabaster jar of ...

657. The Image of Gold and the Fiery Furnace

Daniel 3:1-30

Understanding Series

William Nelson

... earlier (2:47). The statement is reminiscent of chapter 2, where the royal advisers are stymied by the king’s request to recount the dream: “No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men” (2:11). These statements are designed to set the reader up for the miracles that follow, thus magnifying the greatness and power of God. In Daniel 2, the Babylonian wise men do not believe any sage can do what the king asks and do not believe that their gods will reveal the secret ...

658. Daniel in the Den of Lions

Daniel 6:1-28

Understanding Series

William Nelson

... pit; but here such a strong affirmation is puzzling, especially since the king speaks in an anguished voice (6:20). Because he is unsure, the king asks Daniel whether his God has been able to rescue him from the lions (6:20). This may be just a designation for the Jewish God that Darius has picked up from Daniel. If so, it is not a confession of faith on the part of the king but merely a way of referring to Daniel’s God and distinguishing him from other gods. Daniel responds politely with the formulaic ...

659. Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight

Mark 10:46-52

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... :23; 2 Tim. 2:8; Rev. 3:7; 22:16). Although there is some evidence that the term Son (or descendant) of David might have connoted other things (such as exorcistic or healing powers), the weight of the evidence suggests that Mark understood the term as a designation for the Messiah of Israel. If this is correct, then we must ask whether Mark approved of the term being applied to Jesus. The answer to this question is perhaps a bit more complex. There is no doubt that Mark regarded Jesus as the Messiah (Christ ...

660. Jesus Heals a Paralytic

Luke 5:17-26

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... of man” carried with it a messianic connotation. Moreover, scholars have pointed to passages in the pseudepigraphal work 1 Enoch (see 46:2–4; 48:2; 62:5–7, 13–14; 69:27–29) as examples of how the “son of man” of Daniel 7 came to designate the Messiah. See further Fitzmyer, pp. 208–10. An interesting question concerning v. 24 is whether Jesus is actually the speaker in the first part of the verse (as it is understood in most versions) or whether Luke is making his own editorial comment (as in ...

661. Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

Luke 19:1-10

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... it may have been understood as “Lord” (see 5:12). four times the amount: Zacchaeus apparently applied the law of restitution for theft (see Exod. 22:1: “… four sheep for the sheep”). 19:9 son of Abraham: I.e., a true child of God. Although this was a common designation for a Jew (m. Aboth 5.19), Paul uses the expression of Christians (Gal. 3:29). 19:10 Son of Man: See note on 5:24 above. to seek and to save what was lost: Note Ezek. 34:16: “I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the ...

662. The Next Two Days: The Call of the Disciples

John 1:43-51, John 1:35-42

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... be the Messiah, Nathanael announces boldly and without question that you are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel (v. 49). The two titles, virtually synonymous in this context, are alternate ways of saying that Jesus is the Messiah (cf. vv. 41, 45). The designation of Israel’s anointed king as God’s son goes back to Psalm 2:6–7. The Gospel writer knows that Jesus is the Son of God in a more profound sense than Nathanael could have understood (cf. 1:14, 18), yet he allows Nathanael (like John ...

663. The Disciples Rejoin Jesus

John 4:27-38, John 4:1-26, John 4:39-42

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... and truth. The Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of truth” in 14:17; 15:26; 16:13. “Spirit” and “truth” are equated in 1 John 5:6, while “truth” (2 John 2; 3 John 12), or “grace and truth” John 1:14, 17) can be used as designations for the Holy Spirit. The relationship to God as Father is a new relationship made possible by the coming of Jesus Christ into the world. 4:26 I … am he: lit., “I am” (Gr.: egō eimi). Formally, these words correspond to the formula by which Jesus later ...

664. “I Am from Him and He Sent Me”

John 7:25-44

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... there was such a complete merging of the Mosaic Prophet with the Davidic messianic king. More likely, the Pharisees are saying that a prophet is not arising out of Galilee now, i.e., this Galilean called Jesus is no true prophet. 8:1–11 This section (designated as 7:53–8:11 in standard editions of the Greek text and in most English versions) is not found in the earliest manuscripts, and therefore cannot be regarded as an original part of John’s Gospel. Most of the later manuscripts that do contain the ...

665. The Disciples' Grief Will Turn to Joy

John 16:17-33, John 16:5-16

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... ’ death. The second is the whole age of the church and of the church’s mission. This is the period of Jesus’ absence, a time of grief and anguish. The time of joy is that future time, after Jesus’ return, when faith becomes sight. The pattern is clear enough; the designation of the whole age of the church as only a little while is perfectly consistent with the early Christian conviction that it “is the last hour” (1 John 2:18; cf. James 5:8; 1 Pet. 4:7; Rev. 1:1, 3; 22:6, 10). But there is a ...

666. Jesus Prays for His Disciples

John 17:6-19

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... ; the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Yahweh or Jehovah) is in view, and Thomas’ confession in 20:28 could be understood as bearing out this conclusion. A related, and more likely, suggestion is that the name is “I am” (Gr.: egō eimi; Heb.: ‘anî hû’), the self-designation of God in the OT (especially in Isaiah) that Jesus adopted at several crucial points in this Gospel and made his own (cf. 6:20; 8:24, 28; 13:19; 18:5–6; and above all, 8:58). 17:12 So that the Scripture would be fulfilled ...

667. The Glory of the New Covenant

2 Corinthians 3:7-17; 4:1-6

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... Rom. 11:8). Such a notion, however, is as repugnant to the modern mind as the Markan explanation of Jesus’ use of parables (Mark 4:12, citing Isa. 6:9–10). Therefore, commentators usually prefer to interpret the expression as a reference to Satan, even though such a designation seems to have no parallels. In Paul’s writings, “this age” refers to the present evil age that is perishing (cf. Gal. 1:4; 1 Cor. 2:6, 8; 3:18; Rom. 12:2), as opposed to the age to come that brings resurrection of the dead ...

668. Visit

2 Corinthians 13:1-10, 2 Corinthians 13:11-14

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... seen, however, even after the good news from Titus about the repentance of the majority in Corinth, the situation is still tense; Paul is still in a position of having to defend himself. His statement in 7:16 is clearly an exaggeration, designed more to effect a positive response than to compliment the church for already having one. 12:21 Scholars have debated whether the vice lists in v. 21b (impurity, sexual sin and debauchery) and v. 20b (“quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander ...

669. Faith or Observance of the Law

Galatians 3:1-14, Galatians 3:15-25

Understanding Series

L. Ann Jervis

... here would be “we receive the Spirit through the faith (of Christ) in which we participate by being in Christ, and we are in Christ because we are believers.” 3:15 This is the first time since 1:11 that Paul addresses his readers as brothers. (This designation undoubtedly was meant to refer to both the male and female members of the Galatian churches.) He says that he wants to get at the issue at hand from the perspective of everyday life. Paul takes his example from the legal world and uses the case of ...

670. Praise to God for a Living Hope

1 Peter 1:1-12

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... 2; 1 John 4:6). Such divinely inspired utterances were recognized as Scripture since they took their place in the NT (1 Cor. 14:37; 1 Thess. 5:27; 2 Thess. 3:14; 2 Pet. 3:16; Rev. 22:18–19). By elect (eklektos) Peter here designates the widely scattered Christian churches as the new Israel of God. In 2:4, eklektos (“chosen”) contrasts God’s action with the rejection of Christ by unbelievers. In 5:13, the compound term syneklektē (“chosen together”) refers to the church at Rome. See TDNT, vol. 4 ...

671. The Ten Commandments

Deuteronomy 5:1-33

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... love for God and love for neighbor (Matt. 22:34–40; cf. also Rom. 13:8–10). On the rabbinical summarizing of the law, see Flusser, “The Decalogue.” However, the sequence of commandments also presents a scale of values that reflects God’s design for human life. Unquestionably, God comes first. God is to be worshipped exclusively, without images and without abuse of God’s name. The fourth commandment exhibits a concern for the health and benefit of society as a whole, with its specific benefit for ...

672. The Temple Musicians

1 Chronicles 6:31-81

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... of refuge. Although the Chronicler has kept the tradition of listing these cities at the beginning of those particular lists, only Hebron (in 6:57) and Shechem (in 6:67) are explicitly called a city of refuge. Why the other cities lack the designation cannot be determined for sure. Additional Notes 6:31–48 The history of the temple musician families has been a much-debated topic in biblical scholarship, particularly since the publication of the seminal article by H. Gese, “Zur Geschichte der Kultsänger ...

673. Hezekiah Celebrates the Passover

2 Chronicles 30:1--31:1

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... the account of Hezekiah’s reign that the Passover is mentioned for the first time in Chronicles. It is introduced in 30:1 with the remark that Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, an all-inclusive designation that leaves no misunderstanding that the northern tribes are seen as part of the cultic community of Jerusalem. They are invited by the king to come to the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel ...

674. A Prophecy Against Assyria

Isaiah 14:24-27

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... 5). The concern of Isaiah 8 is the many-watered roar of one great nation, Assyria. The concern of Isaiah 17:12–14 is the stilling of the many-watered roar of many nations. Third, the Balaam story fits the horizon of prophecies against other peoples that are designed to harness divine power to the defeat of one’s enemies. Isaiah 13–23 is not generally concerned with the defeat of peoples with whom Judah is or might be at war. While one or two of the poems, such as that concerning Moab, would fit such a ...

675. Sin, Confession and Redemption

Isaiah 59:1-21

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... and the ideal servant in 11:2; 32:15; 42:1 and 44:3. It thus suggests, on one hand, the promise of wisdom and the role of the servant. On the other hand, it suggests the way this clothing with Yahweh’s wisdom (like the designation as servant) is indeed the destiny of the whole community. The second expression presupposes that words come from the prophet’s lips, but they are not words the prophet consciously formulated. Yahweh in person speaks, using the prophet as a mouthpiece. The prophet then does not ...

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