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 51 to 75 of 3314 results

51. Living as Children of Light

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... on a past experience. The readers have put off (apothesthai) the old self and put on the new self at the time of their baptism. This is the indicative of their Christian life and forms the basis for the imperative to live out that life ethically. Thus the apostle reminds his readers: You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires. The new self, on the other hand, which the believers put on in baptism, is created to be like ...

52. Paul's Longing to Visit Rome

Romans 1:1-17

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... taught that a tree is known by the fruit it bears (Matt. 7:15–20; see also 21:28–32). His call to “Follow me” demands an act which embodies a belief. 1:6–7 Paul concludes the salutation in verses 6–7. He has been commissioned as apostle to the Gentiles, and hence he writes to the Gentiles in Rome, who, like himself, are called to belong to Jesus Christ. Paul’s reputation had preceded him to Rome. He makes no mention of his conversion or his years on the mission field; surely these have long ...

53. Man Proposes; God Disposes

Acts 1:15-17, 21-26

Sermon

Ron Lavin

... . It is likely that he betrayed the Lord with the intention to force his hand and show his power. Judas' plan went frightfully wrong. His plan was ill conceived. In bitter remorse, he hung himself. Judas' plan was not God's plan. Jesus had told all of the apostles, including Judas, that God's plan was that he would go to Jerusalem to die and then be raised again to life. Judas stubbornly clung to his own plan that apparently was that Jesus should conquer the Romans and become the new Jewish king. It was the ...

54. Moving On

Luke 6:12-16, Luke 9:1-9, Luke 10:1-24

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... (28), a dust storm is punishment for forsaking God. The dust of sin is the dust of the grave. In Jewish tradition, to be in mourning meant to push on ashes and sackcloth, and often to sit in the dust. But this is not the advise of Jesus to his apostles. They are not to fall into mourning for the ones who will not listen. But to kick off the dust from their feet, and to walk on to the next place. This kicking off of the dust has many layers of meaning therefore. In the Hebrew scriptures, God promises that ...

55. Stargazing, Naval Gazing, and Other Waiting Games

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Tony Everett

... by four, but with a question that would get them focused and moving forward. “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?” (Acts 1:11). It’s time to get busy. Stop star gazing and naval gazing. It’s time to get busy. Jesus left the apostles with a specific promise of power from the Holy Spirit and a precise mission to witness for Jesus to the ends of the earth. Jesus gives us the same promise and the same mission. How does the Lord get your attention? How does the Lord move you from ...

56. One in Christ

Ephesians 2:11-22

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... church. In this passage he shows that the church no longer is to be perceived as a body of Jewish and Gentile believers; rather, it is a completely new creation (“one new man” or “people”) in which all racial barriers and prejudices are obliterated. For the apostle, the church is a vivid example of how God is working out his plan to unite (1:10) and to complete (1:23) all things in Christ. In some ways, this concept of a “new people” is a development of thoughts about the new creation in Christ ...

57. Recruiting Volunteers

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Sermon

King Duncan

... Jones said, “Be careful how you pray. You may be the answer.” (3) He’s right. If we pray in the spirit of deomai, begging the Lord to work in and through us, then He will answer us. And we will be that answer. The next calling of the apostle is the calling to go, offer peace and heal the sick. In verse five of this lesson we read, “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house . . .’” Have you ever thought about how critical peace was to Christ’s ministry? There is a great story of ...

58. A Truly Universal Operating System

Romans 14:1-12

Sermon

Larry Lange

... the corporate bottom line ... is that your argument? All I hear from you, Mr. Gaitius, are rationalizations! That's a fine way to be a Christian in the world!" Billius' assailant moved closer to him. "My friends and I have already requested that the presbyter write to the apostle Paul about you. We don't worship here anymore; we're proud to say we don't eat meat at all; we're thinking of starting our own church. We can't associate with fools like you who worship idols and don't think anything of it. When ...

59. God’s Doing

Philippians 1:21-30

Sermon

Larry Lange

... to circumvent. Don began dreading each day of drudgery. He wondered how much more debilitated Donna would get. He wondered what size pipe was necessary for 100 toilets. Don became so weary he didn't care whether he lived or died himself. It may have been like that for the apostle Paul when they finally dragged him off to the slammer in Rome from which he wrote the words we hear in today's lesson. "Dying is gain." "My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better" (Philippians 1:21-23). The ...

60. Jesus Taken Up into Heaven

Acts 1:1-11

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... What he meant by an “angel” is not so clear. Perhaps all he wanted to say was that there was an overwhelming sense of the divine in what happened (see disc. on 5:19f.; 12:6ff.; cf. 7:30; 8:26; 10:3; 12:23; 27:23) such that the apostles were convinced that Jesus would come back as he had gone—visibly and manifesting the glory of God (this, of course, had been Jesus’ teaching, cf., e.g., Mark 13:26; 14:62). But some time would elapse before his return. Hence the question, why do you stand here looking ...

61. The Gospel of God in Christ through Paul

Romans 1:1-17

Teach the Text

C. Marvin Pate

... Testament labels for Israel to the Gentile Christians at Rome: “called” (cf. Deut. 4:37; 10:15; Isa. 41:9; 48:12), “beloved” (cf. Deut. 4:37; 10:15; see also Deut. 7:8; 23:5), and “saints” (cf. Exod. 19:5–6; Lev. 19:2; Deut. 7:6). The apostle to the Gentiles thereby communicates that they are as much a part of the people of God as is Israel. Too much should not be made of the fact that Paul does not address the Christians in Rome as “the church in Rome,” since he omits that title in the ...

62. Lesson from a Chipmunk

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Tony Everett

... was the Mount of Olivet, after all, where all this was supposed to happen! (see Zechariah ch. 14). While the apostles were staring at the clouds, suddenly two angels interrupted their silent musing. “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up ... of power is given. Here is where our mission is articulated and our specific purpose in life is clarified. So, what did the apostles actually do when they got back to Jerusalem? What are we really supposed to do within the church? How does a general promise become ...

63. Body

2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... temple, he brought the tabernacle into the temple (cf. 1 Kgs. 8:4; 2 Chron. 5:5), where it remained (cf. 2 Chron. 29:5–7) until it was destroyed with the temple in 587 B.C. (cf. Ps. 74:7; Lam. 2:6–7). Perhaps our passage implies the apostle’s hope that the resurrected tabernacle of his body will be brought into the eternal heavenly temple built by God himself. 5:2 On clothed with our heavenly dwelling, cf., for example, 2 En. 22:7–10, where Enoch is transformed in the seventh heaven during a face-to ...

64. Hearts

2 Corinthians 6:14--7:1

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... Israel. Cf. John J. Collins, “The Exodus and Biblical Theology,” BTB 25 (1995), pp. 152–60 (here p. 157). 6:17 Cf. Paul’s citation of Isa. 52:11 approvingly as paraenesis for the new covenant situation in Rom. 10:15, where the apostle applies Isa. 52:7 to the apostles of Jesus Christ who preach the gospel. On the idea of not touching the unclean thing, cf. Col. 2:21. It is interesting to note that the same negative imperative m? haptesthe (do not touch) is found in the context of Korah’s rebellion ...

65. Paul the Preacher to the Gentiles

Ephesians 3:1-13

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... repetition of the ideas used earlier in the epistle, for example: the mystery as made known by revelation (3:3 = 1:9) the role of apostles and prophets (3:5 = 2:20) the inheritance of the saints (3:6 = 1:14) the grace and power of God (3:7, 20 = 1:19 ... Paul’s apostleship was being questioned by the Corinthians, he remarked that “I am not in the least inferior to the ‘super-apostles,’ even though I am nothing” (2 Cor. 12:11). And on occasions when Paul is haunted by his former persecution of the ...

66. The Resurrection of Christ

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... as a designation or as a function. Perhaps he meant both. In commenting on the phrase “last of all” in v. 8, F. F. Bruce (1 and 2 Corinthians [NCB; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1987], p. 142) observes, “last of all among those entitled to be called apostles,” but this exposition may place the emphasis on the wrong nuance in Paul’s declaration. Cf. 1:1; 3:5–23; 4:14–16; 9:1–6; 11:1–2. 15:10 Paul writes explicitly of grace, God’s grace. As he elaborates on the foundational tradition ...

67. Body

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... –11). He describes this confidence by means of the early Christ creed, “God raised Jesus” (cf. Rom. 10:9; 1 Thess. 1:10; Acts 3:15; the participial construction used here is also found in Rom. 4:24; 8:11; Gal. 1:1). At the Parousia, the apostle will stand together with the Corinthians before God. This ties together with themes that Paul developed in the previous section (2:14–4:6), that Paul has often stood in the presence of God (cf. 2:14, 17; 4:6), and that believers are being transformed into the ...

68. Magnify Your Ministry!

Romans 11:11-24

Sermon

Raymond Gibson

... in our minds. The problem, however, is that we often do not seem to know who or what God looks like. We are like the apostle Philip who asked of Jesus, "Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied." Jesus was deeply disappointed by Philip’s request and said ... all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). It was he whom Christ had sent as an apostle to the Gentiles, it was the world in which he lived that was his stewardship responsibility - and he never forgot it. We might ...

69. Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin

Acts 4:1-22

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... more aware of his presence (cf. 2:4; 4:31; 13:9; Luke 12:11f.; 21:14f.), and such a moment was this, as the apostles prepared to make an answer for the hope that was in them (cf. 1 Pet. 3:15). Strangely, they were not questioned about their preaching ... use of Psalm 118:22 had been suggested by Jesus himself, who had quoted it in answer to much the same question as that put to the apostles on this occasion (v. 7; cf. Luke 20:1–18). In Jesus’ case, he had gone on to speak in terms of Isaiah 8:14f. and ...

70. The Choosing of the Seven

Acts 6:1-7

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... , they were simply unaware of the problem, largely because they had too much to do. 6:2–4 No sooner was the complaint made by the Hellenists (and it was never denied) than the matter was taken in hand. The Twelve—the only place in Acts where the apostles are given this title—gathered all the disciples together and, in effect, made confession that they had not run the fund properly; nor were they able to do so. Time was the problem, for they had to give first priority to the ministry of the word of God ...

71. Prophecy of Scripture

2 Peter 1:12-21

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... ’s “Listen to him!” but in v. 19 he inserts a similar notion with his “pay attention” to the word of prophecy. Mark and Luke do not read with him I am well pleased. It is likely that, had 2 Peter been the work not of the apostle but of a later pseudonymous writer, the divine words would have been reported in a version copied from one of the Gospel accounts. As it is, assuming apostolic authorship of this letter, the record in 2 Peter is an early testimony to the Gospel narratives, preceding them ...

72. Personal Rights and Christian Testimony

1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

... texts and underscore the basic and natural relationship between a worker and the work. Paul does not argue in favor of compensation for hire (as if a vinedresser got paid in grapes or a shepherd in buckets of milk) but brings home his point that as an apostle who has fought for the Corinthians, planted them as a vineyard in God’s kingdom, and shepherded them as sheep in God’s flock, he has certain evident rights. 9:8–12a Do I say this merely on human authority? Reiterating that he is not trying to ...

73. Obedience Is An Ugly Word!

Acts 5:17-42

Sermon

Barbara Brokhoff

... , "To give repentance and forgiveness of sins." And praise be his name, the risen Lord still has authority on earth to forgive sins! And only he can! But this good news is not accepted as good news by everyone. These men were furious and wanted to have the apostles put to death. Why wouldn't they? They killed Jesus, now they'll kill his followers. Yes, we'll have some problems if we walk with obedience to our Lord. Not everyone will like us and talk about how nice we are. Sometimes, in spite of all we ...

74. Acts 5:27-32

Acts 5:27-32

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Sanhedrin was in fact not responsible for Jesus' death, the high priest further weakens his position by declaring with his own mouth the thought that has crossed everyone's mind. In verses 29-32, Peter once again takes up his new role as voice of the apostles and articulator of their faith. Peter's previous testimony in front of the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:8-12) went well. Filled with the Pentecost Spirit and buoyed by his absolute sense of rightness, Peter doesn't hesitate to again speak plainly. As he had in 4 ...

75. Made Alive in Christ

Ephesians 2:1-10

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... of the text into chapters and verses. The Greek text permits one to appreciate the hymnic (liturgical) nature of this section because verses 1–7 form one sentence, and the first main verb does not occur until verse 5 (he made us alive). In chapter 2, the apostle develops two specific themes that he has already mentioned: In 2:1–10, he picks up redemption and forgiveness (1:7) and applies it to the reconciliation of sinful humanity kind by God; in 2:11–22, he applies the principle of unity from 1:10 to ...

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