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 676 to 700 of 4943 results

676. The Flood

Genesis 6:1-8:22

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

The Increase of Wickedness on Earth: This passage explains why God had to judge the inhabited earth with a deluge (6:9–8:22). It has two distinct sections: a description of the rapid increase in population, when the sons of God married daughters of men (vv. 1–4), and God’s response to human violence (vv. 5–8). The first section reports the population explosion, presumably spurred by the extraordinary marriages between the sons of God and the daughters of men. During that era superheroes are said to have ...

677. From Shem to Abram

Genesis 11:10-32

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

The Descendants of Shem to Abraham 11:10–26: This linear genealogy opens with a toledoth formula and recounts the lineage of Noah’s son Shem. Following the Table of Nations (ch. 10), this genealogy focuses on the line that leads from Noah to Abraham, through whom God would build his own people. The list consists of nine persons as it points to a tenth person (Westermann, Genesis 1–11, p. 560) and probably does not include every ancestor from Shem to Terah. The list establishes that the era from Noah’s ...

678. Worshipping Other Gods

Deuteronomy 13:1-18

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Sources of the Temptation to Go after Other Gods: Continuing the concern for the purity of Israel’s worship, in line with the first commandment, Deuteronomy warns the people of the kinds of situation in which they might be tempted or pressured into deserting Yahweh for other gods. First, the danger of false religious leaders (vv. 1–5); second, the possible conflict of loyalties when close family members are involved (vv. 6–11); third, the pressure of an influential group of leaders in a community (vv. 12– ...

679. The Suffering and Glory of the Servant

Isaiah 52:13--53:12

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

A New Revelation of Yahweh’s Arm: Like 48:20–21, the end of the previous section, 50:4–52:12, both suggested closure and questioned it. The comment about the impossibility of shalom which followed 48:20–21 led into the new twist to the servant motif in chapter 49. The point is less explicit at the end of 50:4–52:12, but the implication is again that not all the prophet’s agenda has been handled. Everything is in place for the restoration of the community to Jerusalem and for the restoration of the city ...

680. Jesus, Not Jewish Leaders, Interprets the Torah Rightly

Matthew 15:1-20

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

Big Idea: Jesus and his followers are shown to be true adherents of the Torah, contrasting with the Jewish leaders who disobey the law and so are defiled even as they follow their traditions. Understanding the Text In this passage Matthew narrates another conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees and teachers of the law (15:1). This controversy, like the earlier one (12:1–14), focuses on Torah observance, particularly teaching traditions on the Torah. Matthew affirms Jesus as the one who rightly interprets ...

681. John’s Introductory Vision The Risen and Glorified Christ

Revelation 1:9-20

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: John is commissioned to write to the seven churches a vision given to him by the risen and glorified Christ, the one who has conquered death and now rules over and cares for his church. Understanding the Text Following a majestic description of the Triune God in the prologue (1:1–8), we transition to John’s real-time situation on the island of Patmos on the Lord’s Day. There is no passage in all the New Testament that exalts Jesus more than John’s vision of the risen and glorified Christ ...

682. John Called to Prophesy Again

Revelation 10:1-11

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: God calls John to prophesy again about the imminent fulfillment of his plan to redeem his creation and judge evil, a plan that will involve additional persecution for God’s people. Understanding the Text Between the sixth and the seventh seal judgments is an interlude that features two visions: the 144,000 in 7:1–8 and the great multitude in 7:9–17. Similarly, between the sixth and the seventh trumpet judgments we find an interlude consisting of two visions: the mighty angel and the little scroll ...

683. The Bowl Judgments

Revelation 16:1-21

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: God continues to pour out his wrath on the ungodly, leading to a climactic eschatological battle and resulting in the final judgment of the evil world system. Understanding the Text Following the introduction of the bowl judgments in 15:1–8, chapter 16 provides details about each of the seven last plagues. When viewed alongside the previous trumpet judgments, the differences are few and the similarities many. While the trumpets kill a third of humanity, the bowls bring total destruction, and the ...

684. The Warrior Messiah Conquers the Two Beasts and Their Followers

Revelation 19:1-21

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: Jesus, the Warrior Messiah, will return in power and glory to conquer his enemies. Understanding the Text In this passage, God’s final victory over evil continues to unfold (19:6–20:15). After the announcement of the Lamb’s wedding in 19:6–10, we read of Christ’s second coming in 19:11–21. He is portrayed throughout this passage as Warrior, Judge, and King, who returns in glory and power to defeat his enemies and establish his universal reign. The first part of this unit (19:11–16) emphasizes ...

685. The Priestly Portions of Sacrifices

Lev 6:8–7:38

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God’s ministers help people to worship, and they deserve to be paid. Understanding the Text Leviticus 1:1–6:7 discusses the five basic sacrifices from the layperson’s point of view. Leviticus 6:8–7:38 changes the audience to priests: “Aaron and his sons” (Lev. 6:9, 25). This unit emphasizes portions of the sacrifices to be given to the priests. It anticipates Leviticus 8–10, on the ordination and duties of priests. Historical and Cultural Background A relief from Karnak in Egypt showing a man ...

686. Diagnosing “Leprosy”

Lev 13:1-59

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God is associated with life and wholeness. Understanding the Text Leviticus 13–14 continues the section of Leviticus on ceremonial uncleanness (Lev. 11–15). Unclean animals (Lev. 11) and uncleanness due to childbirth (Lev. 12) have been discussed, and discussion of uncleanness due to sexual emissions follows (Lev. 15). The present chapter concentrates on the identification of skin conditions (loosely, “leprosy”) that render a person unclean as well as the identification of similar-looking molds ...

687. Balak to Hire Balaam

Numbers 22:1-20

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: God protects his people from those determined to harm them. Understanding the Text In Numbers 21 the Israelites move out of the desert to the western edge of Canaan. They have passed around Edom and gone through Moab into territory north of Moab claimed by Amorites Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan, whom they defeat. Though Israel has passed by Moab without attacking, Balak king of Moab feels vulnerable. Moreover, Sihon’s territory now occupied by Israel has previously been occupied by ...

688. Disrespect Can Be Deadly

1 Sam 2:12-36

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

Big Idea: The Lord opposes those who treat him with contempt and withholds his promised blessings from those who despise him. Understanding the Text Samuel’s arrival at Shiloh (1:28; 2:11) provides a contrastive backdrop for the author’s negative portrait of Eli and his sons. The narrator alternates between negative accounts of Eli’s house (2:12–17, 22–25, 27–36) and brief positive observations about Samuel’s growing relationship with the Lord (2:18–21, 26). This culminates in the account of how Samuel ...

689. “When I Awake, I Will Be Satisfied with Seeing Your Likeness”

Psalm 17:1-15

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: When we encounter false accusations, through faith we hope to awake in the wonder of God’s likeness, which is true reality. Understanding the Text Some scholars identify Psalm 17 as a prayer of innocence, based particularly on 17:3–5.[1] Others, in view of 17:1–2 and 6–9, consider it an individual lament. While the categories of form criticism are helpful, the psalmists were not working with those categories as such, and they were sometimes inclined to mix genres. Obviously the psalmist is ...

690. “Show Me Your Ways, Lord”

Psalm 25:1-22

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: As students in the school of faith, we have the Lord as our Teacher, and his ways (and will) are our curriculum. Understanding the Text This psalm is another example of reflective prayer (see Ps. 16), in which the suppliant talks to God and then reflects on the subject of the prayer (see “Outline/Structure” below), either alone or in company with others. Goldingay proposes that it has an instructional purpose, to teach people to pray.[1] Generically, Psalm 25 is generally typed as an individual ...

691. “Lord, I Love the House Where You Live”

Psalm 26:1-12

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: The love of God’s house is evidenced in the psalmist’s personal conduct—the two cannot be separated, for David’s life is an illustration of how worship shapes one’s life. Understanding the Text Craigie, following Vogt,[1] classifies Psalm 26 as an entrance liturgy, or pilgrim prayer, related in both form and content to Psalms 15 and 24. In form, however, the prayer that God will vindicate the psalmist and examine his heart has replaced the liturgical question of Psalms 15:1 and 24:3, and even the ...

692. “The Span of My Years Is as Nothing before You”

Psalm 39:1-13

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: Once the repressed thoughts about our transitory lives are verbalized, valuable lessons about our status as foreigners in this world can be learned. Understanding the Text Psalm 39 is an individual lament, perhaps prompted by sickness, as was Psalm 38, and the suppliant prays that God will remove his “scourge” (39:10) from him so that he not die. This psalm shares resemblances to Psalm 381and anticipates shared ideas with Psalms 40 and 41 (see tables 1 and 2). It also has striking similarities to ...

693. Jesus and John the Baptist

Matthew 11:1-19

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

11:2–16:20 Review · Rejection by leaders and Jesus’s withdrawal from conflict:In Matthew 11:2–16:20, Matthew narrates Jesus’s ongoing ministry to Israel in the face of increased confrontation with and rejection by Jewish leaders. Faced with these controversies, Jesus withdraws from confrontation and instead turns to compassionate ministry focused on the Jewish crowds (12:15; 14:13; 15:21, 30). Matthew shows a range of responses to Jesus’s emerging identity, from rejection by Jewish leaders and Jesus’s ...

694. Jesus and Beelzebub

Matthew 12:22-37

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

In Matthew 12:22–32, the healing of a demon-possessed man turns into a controversy over the source of Jesus’s power. While the people respond by wondering whether Jesus might be the Messiah (“Son of David”; 12:23), the Pharisees ascribe his power to the prince of demons (as at 9:34). Jesus’s response to this accusation centers on the impossibility of a kingdom warring against itself (so Satan could not drive out demons; 12:25–26). Instead, Jesus’s exorcism of demons is an indication that his power comes ...

695. Stand Firm

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

2:13–14 · The second thanksgiving:The second thanksgiving begins almost identically to 1:3: “But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord” (2:13a). In this verse, Paul draws a sharp contrast between them and the ones who reject the truth and perish (2:10–12). The readers are “loved by the Lord,” the love of God being the foundation of their election (Deut. 4:37; 7:7–8; 10:15; Ps. 47:4; 78:68; Isa. 42:1; Matt. 12:18; Rom. 11:28; Eph. 1:4–5; Col. 3:12; 1 Thess. 1:4). The ...

696. One Like a Son of Man

Revelation 1:9-20

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

It is on “the Lord’s Day” (i.e., Sunday) when John has an ecstatic experience that sweeps his spirit into the heavenly realm (1:10; cf. 2 Cor. 12:2). With imagery that anticipates the heavenly liturgy to come (Revelation 4–5), a great voice like a temple trumpet (see Lev. 23:24) resounds and commissions John to write what he sees on a scroll. A messenger will then take the scroll from Patmos to the mainland and travel a circular route from Ephesus to Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and ...

697. Signs of the End of the Age

Matthew 24:1-35

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

24:1–2 In Matthew’s Gospel the first two verses of chapter 24 are closely related to the last two verses of chapter 23. Jesus had said, “Your house is left to you desolate” (23:38) and now adds that not one stone of the temple will be left on another (24:2), Mark’s intervening account of the widow’s gift (Mark 12:41–44) is omitted. As Jesus was walking away from the temple (hieron, the entire complex), his disciples called attention to the buildings. In 20–19 B.C. Herod the Great obtained permission from ...

698. The Man with Leprosy

Luke 5:12-16

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

Healing Controversies: Both of the healing stories of Luke 5:12–26 have religious implications. The healing of the leper (vv. 12–16) involves the issue of religious purity and impurity (or “clean” vs. “unclean”). The healing of the paralyzed man (vv. 17–26) involves faith and the forgiveness of sins. This healing story is the first of a series of episodes where Jesus encounters religious criticism and opposition. In 6:1–5 Jesus is accused of working on the Sabbath when he and his disciples picked grain to ...

699. Jesus and Beelzebub

Luke 11:14-28

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

This section consists of two parts: (1) the accusation that Jesus is empowered by Beelzebub and Jesus’ reply (vv. 14–23), and (2) Jesus’ teaching on the return of an evil spirit to the person from whom it had gone out (vv. 24–26). The first part is derived from Mark 3:20–27, which is also adopted by Matthew (12:22–30). The second part is found elsewhere only in Matthew (12:43–45) and so probably is derived from the sayings source. Evans (p. 44) finds a few interesting parallels with Deut. 9:1–10:11 (“ ...

700. Israel's Unbelief

Romans 9:30--10:21

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

Righteousness: Gift or Reward? So far Paul has considered the case of Israel from God’s side. God made choices from among Abraham’s descendants to create a peculiar people for himself. The election of Jacob over Esau was independent of human merit or responsibility, since the choice was made when both were still in Rebekah’s womb. If in subsequent generations God hardened Pharaoh and blessed Israel, it was “in order that [his] purpose in election might stand” (9:11), a purpose rooted in mercy and directed ...

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