Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 701 to 725 of 793 results

701. “Some Trust in Chariots . . . , but We Trust in the Name of the Lord Our God”

Psalm 20:1-9

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: While reliance on our own resources is a mark of achievement, it can also become an obstacle to trusting in the Lord. Understanding the Text Psalm 20 is a royal psalm because it concerns the king (“anointed,” 20:6; “the king,” 20:9)[1] and his success in battle. Indeed, the psalm is concerned with the king’s obedience to the law of God (Deut. 17:16). Craigie calls the psalm a royal liturgy for use in the sanctuary,[2] and Goldingay considers it a dialogue between the people and the king,[3] ...

702. “As the Deer Pants for Streams of Water, So My Soul Pants for You, My God”

Psalm 42:1-11, Psalm 43:1-5

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: Even in adverse circumstances of place, atmosphere, and our own troubled thoughts, we can rally our hearts to joy and hope in God. Understanding the Text Psalms 42 and 43 are distinct psalms in the Hebrew (MT), Greek (LXX), Syriac, and Vulgate, which suggests that they were separate compositions. Yet the seamless relationship of the two poems is indicated by these factors: (1) they share a refrain (42:5, 11; 43:5); (2) Psalm 43 has no title (Ps. 71 is the only other exception in Book 2); (3) both ...

703. “Be Exalted, O God, above the Heavens; Let Your Glory Be over All the Earth”

Psalm 57:1-11

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: In our deepest conflicts God’s emissaries of love and truth will guide us into safe harbor. Understanding the Text Psalm 57 is generally recognized as an individual lament. Some commentators, including Dahood, also see a royal element, and he calls it a “lament of a king.”1This view is largely based on the title’s association of David with the psalm and the description of persecution that could easily be applied to a national leader. We should also note that the psalm is a prayer with ...

704. “In Your Heart You Devise Injustice”

Psalm 58:1-11

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: As one thinks in one’s heart, so one does, and that explains many of the tragedies of history. Understanding the Text Psalm 58 is usually identified as a community lament, although Gerstenberger is probably more accurate when he says it is “neither complaint nor thanksgiving nor hymn” but closer to the prophetic invective against the ruling classes.1 Except for the historical note in the title of Psalm 57, the terms of the title of Psalm 58 are the same. Further, the two psalms share the metaphor ...

705. Ten Commandments and the People’s Response

Exodus 20:1-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Overview: When Jesus is asked which commandment is the most important, he affirms two fundamental principles that characterize the Law and the Prophets: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:28–34; Matt. 22:34–40; Luke 10:25–27). The Decalogue (literally the “Ten Words,” or the Ten Commandments) itself opens with “the Lord your God” (20:2) and closes with “your neighbor” (20:17). ...

706. Instructions for Conquest and Settlement of Canaan

Num 34:1–36:13

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

34:1-29 · The Lord has promised to drive out the corrupt inhabitants of Canaan before the Israelites (Exod. 23:28; 33:2; 34:11, 24; Lev. 20:23). It is now crucial that the Israelites cooperate with God in completing the expulsion of the Canaanites and destroying all artifacts of their religious culture. Any remnants will cause trouble and result in God treating the Israelites like Canaanites (33:50–56), implying that the Israelites will apostatize as they have with the Baal of Peor (chap. 25). This theme ...

707. Military Failures

Jud 1:1–2:5

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Introducing the Era of the Judges (1:1–3:6): The book of Joshua ends with the death and burial of Joshua (Josh. 24:29–30). The book of Judges begins with an extended report of Israel’s military progress after Joshua’s death (1:1–36). Having received prior instructions to destroy the Canaanites and take possession of their land (Num. 33:51–53; Deut. 1:8; 7:1–4, 16), Israel begins by asking the Lord which tribe should lead the way in battle. After Judah is chosen and promised victory, the tribe takes ...

708. Israel Rebels Against Reheboam

1 Kings 12:1-33

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The story of the schism begins in Shechem (12:1–19), most recently the site where the rogue Abimelek was declared king back in Judges 9. For Rehoboam’s coronation ceremony, Jeroboam returns from Egypt and is present (as de facto leader?) along with a delegation, which lodges its principal complaint: the long hours and harsh working conditions under Solomon are making it difficult to happily dwell under fig and vine. The advice of the elders to Rehoboam indicates that the northerners’ claim is not ...

709. Priests and Levites

Nehemiah 12:1-26

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Why, before describing the final celebration and dedication of the wall (Neh. 12:27–43), does the author present another list of priests and Levites (12:1–26)? He again emphasizes the covenant community’s historical continuity with preexilic Israel. He provides a way of dating specific events in their history, reverting to the method used before the monarchy, when successive periods were remembered by the lifetimes of the high priests (Num. 35:28). With the loss of Hebrew kingship, it is important to ...

710. The Initial Appeals of the Parents and Lady Wisdom

Proverbs 1:8-19

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Proverbs 1:8–19 contains the first parental lesson out of ten (or more) in the prologue, exhibiting the basic structural features that the additional lessons will follow. On the basis of posited Egyptian literary models, scholars have often divided up this section into a number of originally independent “lectures.” Nevertheless, a convincing case can be made that the prologue as a whole presents a carefully composed and unified argument. Michael Fox lists the following three features as typical in these ...

711. Warning Against Rejecting Wisdom

Proverbs 1:20-33

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

In 1:20–35, wisdom is presented not simply as an abstract capacity or skill but as a person who directly addresses those most lacking in wisdom. Although the nature and origin of Lady Wisdom (Hebrew hokmah is a feminine noun) have been much discussed, this figure is best understood as both a poetic personification of a divine attribute and a foil, or conceptual antithesis, to the promiscuous or foolish woman. The designation for Lady Wisdom is literally “wisdoms,” possibly an intensive plural, implying ...

712. Agur’s Message: Relying on God’s Word, Learning from His Work

Proverbs 30:1-33

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

30:1–31:31 Review · Although the final two chapters of Proverbs contain the wisdom of two more sages, from a thematic-theological standpoint they form an epilogue that corresponds to and serves to complete the prologue (Proverbs 1–9; parallels will be noted below). The words of Agur son of Jakeh and of King Lemuel are both called an “oracle,” a term otherwise applied to prophetic utterances (30:1; 31:1; cf. the opening verses of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Malachi), perhaps thereby claiming divine origin and ...

713. Everything is Ephemeral

Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

1:1 · Title: The book begins with a title that attributes these “sayings” to “Qoheleth.” Deuteronomy 1:1; Nehemiah 1:1; Proverbs 30:1; 31:1; Jeremiah 1:1; and Amos 1:1 introduce their books similarly as containing the words of a specific individual, without necessarily claiming thereby that this person wrote or edited the present canonical book. Although often left untranslated as the proper name Qoheleth, this word is more likely a professional title, literally “the Assembler” of the people. The same ...

714. Restoration of Isarel

Jeremiah 30:1--31:40

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

30:1–33:26 Review · The Book of Comfort:As now arranged, the book so far has had several urgent warnings, some earnest pleas, and many dire announcements of coming disaster. By contrast, chapters 30–33 fulfill that part of Jeremiah’s assignment that called for building and planting (1:10). Now come promises of return from exile, of a secure and stable society in the homeland, and of an intimate relationship once again of people with their God. The “book” proper is in poetry (30–31); the prose expansion (32 ...

715. Oracles of Judgment against the Nations

Zephaniah 2:4-7

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

2:4–15 Review · On the international scene, Judah’s political future was far from secure. Judah was surrounded by enemies: Philistia to the west, Assyria to the north, and Moab, Ammon, and Edom to the east. Zephaniah expresses the sentiment of the population of Judah in his oracles of judgment against the nations. Yet he has a grander purpose in view. He speaks of the establishment of God’s kingdom, which the remnant of Judah and the nations will share together. Zephaniah’s particular reference to the ...

716. Questions about Worship, Gifts, and Order

1 Corinthians 11:2-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

A third topic provoking questions at Corinth concerned the proper expression and relative value of spiritual gifts, in particular the way in which certain gifts should be used in a worship service. Within this sphere of questions about worship, however, Paul takes time to deal first with two issues that have proved divisive in the worship of the church. These he has heard about, though the source of the report is not given. The first issue is concerned with the different head coverings that appropriately ...

717. Paul Called by God

Galatians 1:11-24

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

1:11–2:21 Review · Paul and the Nature of His Apostleship:Apparently part of the process used to sway the Galatians from Paul’s influence was to cast doubt on his credentials as an apostle (or at least as one “above” the authority of the agitators or the leaders they claimed to represent). The opponents of Paul seemed to claim for themselves a direct line of authority to someone, or some group, associated with the church in Jerusalem. While we have no way of evaluating the possibility that a countermission ...

718. Sons of God

Galatians 3:26--4:7

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

3:26–29 · The results of faith: No statements in the Pauline corpus reveal more readily than these the radical newness of human experience Paul believed to be a direct result of a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. In the cultural and religious context of first-century Galatia, where distinctions of national origin, gender, and economic status were the defining tools for human interaction, Paul’s words here declare the inauguration of a new paradigm of human value. Paul switches back to the second- ...

719. Therefore Walk in Unity

Ephesians 4:1-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

4:1–6:20 Review · Re-creating the Human Family: What God Is Doing: The “imperative” second half of the letter is structured around five occurrences of some form of the phrase “therefore walk” (4:1, 17; 5:1–2, 7–8, 15). Each of the five presupposes the “indicative” first half of the letter (“therefore”) and specifies walking in a particular way. All five may relate individually to chapters 1–3, or perhaps the first is unpacked by the following four. 4:1–16Re-creating the Human Family: What God Is Doing On ...

720. Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica

1 Thessalonians 2:1-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

2:1–3:13 Review · The gospel arrives in Thessalonica:Having finished the initial thanksgiving (1:2–10), Paul now begins the body of the letter. The themes of the thanksgiving are now taken up again and elaborated, with 2:1–12 explaining the character of the apostles and their entry while 2:13–16 reminds the church of their reception of the gospel in the midst of great persecution. The following section (2:17–3:13) recalls the story of the apostles’ absence from the church and their continued care and ...

721. Thanksgiving and Appeal

2 Timothy 1:1-2:13

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

1:1–2 · Salutation: The apostle discerns that Timothy needs fortification beyond the words of 1 Timothy. The distinctive terms of this second greeting provide further strengthening for Paul’s protégé. Paul’s own call is by “the will of God” himself, and his call, like Timothy’s, serves the “promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.” In addition, here Paul calls Timothy “my dear son” (literally “my beloved son”). Timothy is thus reminded, first, that he ministers under an authority that he ought not to ...

722. The Seventh Seal and the Golden Censer

Revelation 8:1-5

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

When the seventh seal breaks, appropriately there is silence (8:1). The eschatological hour and a half denotes a limited period of time before divine judgment can commence (Dan. 7:25; 9:27; Hab. 2:20), but here, as part of the liturgy, the silence is also a moment of reverent awe. Heaven is telling us, Be still and know the Godness of God (cf. Ps. 46:10). Taken as a whole, the seven seals give a partial answer to the problem of theodicy (i.e., why a good and powerful God does not act immediately to end ...

723. 8:2–5

Revelation 8:6--9:21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The Seven Trumpets: Why History Belongs to the Intercessors · Prelude of prayer: During a time of silence and prayer, the priest usually made an incense offering as part of the daily sacrifices of the Jerusalem temple (Mishnah Tamid 5.1–6; 6.1–3; 7.3). The priests typically sprinkled sacrificial blood on the altars of the outer temple courts (cf. Lev. 1:5) and later entered into the inner sanctuary to burn the incense on a separate altar before the Most Holy Place (cf. Exod. 30:1–9; Luke 1:8–12). In John’s ...

724. Jesus or Niccolo?

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

This world's kingdoms have never been presented in a more Machiavellian fashion or more compellingly. And never before and never again have they been nor will they be targeted to one with more reason to succumb. Surely one of the great strengthening comforts of taking Jesus Christ as our Lord is that he, more than anyone else, understands our temptations. Scripture tells us, "He himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested" (Hebrews 2:18). So we can say with ...

725. Oh Say, Can You See by the Dawn’s Early Light?

John 20:1-18

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

Across the street from the walls that surround the city of David there is a tomb. It looks like any other ancient tomb in that area. Step inside and you will quickly realize that this tomb is different. Someone of status and wealth once owned this tomb. You can tell that it belonged to a person of means because this is a double tomb with two side-by-side burial spaces. What is more, this tomb once contained a body but now it lies empty. The evidence of its having been used is seen in the way that the sides ...

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