Sermon and Worship Resources

Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on

Showing 51 to 75 of 84 results

51. A PC Holiday Greeting

Humor Illustration

... generally accepted calendar year 2020, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions have helped make our society great, without regard to the race, creed color, religious, or sexual preferences of the wishes. Disclaimer: This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others and no responsibility for any unintended emotional stress these greetings may bring ...

52. John 1:6-8, 19-28

John 1:1-18

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the role of The Baptizer is both clearly and narrowly defined. Articulating this role is so important to the gospel writer that he interrupts the elegant lofty language of his prologue, “In the beginning was the Word,” to interject a rather awkward disclaimer about John the Baptist’s presence and identity. The very first statement about John emphasizes his simple humanity. He was “a man.” Yet this “man” does have special significance. He was “sent from God.” In other words, he is a man ...

53. Bear the Light

John 1:19-28

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

54. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Christians in the oneness of God’s Spirit, he spills that singleness of purpose and being into the multitude of spiritual gifts made available to all those who reside in the Spirit. Within the Corinthian community there had been various claims and disclaimers about the unique, and uniquely giftedness expressions of the Spirit. As chapter 14 will further discuss, a kind of hierarchy of spiritual giftedness was being touted by some members of the church Paul’s directive here levels the playing field. The ...

55. In the Service

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

56. John 20:19-31

John 20:19-23

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Sabbath after Easter tends to be a bit muted. Plus it’s one of the lowest attended worship services of the year. But for Thomas, “Low Sunday” became the highest moment of his life. The doubting disciple sees for himself the risen Lord. Despite his previous disclaimers (“Unless I see the mark of the nails...unless I put my hand in his side”), Thomas spontaneously exclaims the encapsulation of the entire gospel. Upon encountering the risen Jesus, Thomas’ Low Sunday is “My Lord and My God.”

57. So Send I You

John 20:19-23

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

58. See Something, Say Something, Do Something, Be Something

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... s a “Terms of Service.” You are online and you sign on to some website that has the information or product you’ve been searching for. But before you are granted access to that portal you must endure the “Terms of Service” claimer/disclaimer. The “term of service” barrier is the twenty-first century version of the cherubim with flailing; flaming swords set up to guard the Garden of Eden. You are SO not getting anywhere without first “agreeing” to the terms of “service” stipulated by the ...

59. Living “I Don’t Know” While “In the Know”

Matthew 21:23-27

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... with our language, making sure our words don’t give offense, that we have little time and energy left to love “in truth and actions.” Who cannot admire how the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard begins one of his essays with an anti-“pc” disclaimer: “These are Christian reflections. Therefore we will not talk about love, but about the works of love.” Jesus was not on the “correct” side of hardly any issue of his day. Most often he was politically and piously incorrect. Where did we get ...

60. Can Two Stay One?

John 13:31-38

Sermon

James Merritt

... of or remember the famous daredevil Evil Knievel. He was famous for jumping motorcycles over cars, trucks, tractor trailers, and even tried to jump a rocket propelled motorbike over the Grand Canyon. Before all of his jumps he would look into the camera and give this disclaimer: “Kids, don’t try this at home.” The following story I am going to tell you is true, but if you are single and contemplate getting married one day, don’t try this at home. On my very first date with Teresa I told her that ...

61. Boasting

2 Corinthians 11:1-15, 2 Corinthians 11:16-33, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... of the encounter with the divine. In the present text, Paul turns this argument around by making his miserable body actually become a proof of his superior revelatory experience! 12:1 Paul makes the transition to his new topic of boasting with a disclaimer. Even though he fundamentally doubts the efficacy of such activity, Paul is being compelled to boast in order to counter the boasting of his opponents (cf. 11:22). In view of this “counter-boasting,” we may assume that the opponents also claim to ...

62. Haman Hanged

Esther 7:1-10

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

... . Before she finishes describing the threat, she adds another statement of deference to the king: “If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king” (v. 4). This disclaimer effectively underscores the gravity of her request. It is also a subtle way of recalling for the king the monetary transaction that took place at their expense. The word “sold” is used twice in this verse, referring to the money that Haman ...

63. The Lord Removes Falsehood

Zechariah 13:1-6

Understanding Series

Pamela J. Scalise

... 2 Kgs. 1:8), and Samuel could be recognized by the robe he wore (1 Sam. 28:14). To wear such a robe would be to put on a . . . garment of hair in order to deceive, as Jacob had done (Gen. 25:25). Using a revised version of Amos’s disclaimer (Amos 7:14), future prophets will claim to be farmers rather than prophets. Genesis 2:5 and 15 imply that God created human beings to till the ground. In an economy where almost everyone was a farmer, the prophet’s denial in verse 5 will mean, “I am an ordinary ...

64. The Word Became Flesh

John 1:1-18

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... of v. 4, not the conclusion of v. 3. The point is not that in the Word there was life, but that through the Word life came into being (lit., “what was made in him was life”). 1:8 He himself was not the light. Such a disclaimer about John the Baptist would have an especially pointed meaning over against the belief mentioned in the third-century Pseudo-Clementine Recognitions I, 54: “Some even of the disciples of John [the Baptist], who seemed to be great ones, separated themselves from the people, and ...

65. The First Two Days: John the Baptist’s Message

John 1:19-28, John 1:29-34

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... messiahship. John the Baptist’s I am not or no to each of these titles sounds like a simple denial, but the Gospel writer insists that “he confessed, he did not deny, but confessed” (v. 20, RSV) when he said I am not the Christ. John the Baptist’s disclaimer is actually a confession because of its implication to the reader that what John is not, Jesus is. Clearly, Jesus is the Messiah (cf. 1:41; 20:31), but he is also Elijah, and he is the Prophet. These are not titles John the Baptist will use in ...

66. Jesus Clears the Temple

John 2:12-25

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... the word for “believe” or “trust” (Gr.: pisteuein), the narrator remarks that even though these people “trusted” in Jesus, he did not trust himself to them. He did not accept their faith as genuine. What is not clear is the ground for his suspicion. Did he disclaim their belief because it rested on a mere fascination with the miraculous for its own sake (cf. 4:48)? Or was it because he knew that out of fear they would fail to confess him publicly and put their faith into action (cf. 12:42)? Did ...

67. Jesus Prays for His Disciples

John 17:1-5, John 17:6-19, John 17:20-26

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... by which the world will come to believe and know what Jesus wants it to know. The disciples’ stance in the world, passive at the beginning of the long petition, becomes more and more active as Jesus moves toward his conclusion. The petition that began with the disclaimer, I am not praying for the world (v. 9), ends with the expressed intent that the world may believe [or “know”] that you have sent me (vv. 21, 23). Jesus’ delight in these followers whom God has given him is carried over from verses 4 ...

68. Pressing on Toward the Goal

Philippians 3:12-4:1

Understanding Series

F. F. Bruce

... on them, but gives them helpful advice. 3:15 NIV is right in rendering teleioi (“perfect”) as mature here. It has been widely maintained that the reference is to those who claimed to have attained perfection in the sense that Paul has just disclaimed for himself (v. 13). But Paul now includes himself among the “perfect” just as in Romans 15:1 he includes himself among the “strong” (“we who are strong”). The repetition of a word or its derivative in a different sense within a short interval ...

69. The Beginning

Genesis 1:1-2:3

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... the preexistence of matter. However, only the brevity of the creation account creates this impression. Ancient authors did not employ literary techniques for addressing complex issues from many perspectives. They focused on central issues without encumbering their documents with disclaimers. The focus here is on God’s sovereignty over the dynamic movement between cosmos and chaos, so as to discount pagan cosmogonies as a valid way of understanding the world’s origin. As a result, the theme of creation ...

70. Personal Rights and Christian Testimony

1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

... the ongoing reality of the decision he made (“I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me”; cf. 2 Cor. 11:9–10). The Corinthians boast of their rights; if Paul has any boast, it is in the disclaimer of his rights. Put differently, Paul’s boast is a nonboast. In a society where the right relationships and associations determined social and financial progress, the ability to claim (boast about) rights was a double-edged sword, a privilege that came with strings. The rights ...

71. “Trust in the Lord and Do Good”

Psalm 37:1-40

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... tree, but he soon passed away and was no more” (37:35–36). Here the Lord tells us something about the evil in this world and those who perpetrate it: it won’t last forever; they won’t get by with it perpetually. And the psalm is full of these disclaimers (37:2, 9a, 13b, 15a, 17a, 20, 38). Yet the closing verses sum up the living solution, that God is always there in times of trouble to deliver us (37:39–40). In fact, one wonders if God does not allow some formidable problems in life so that we ...

72. Second Meeting with Jerusalem Leadership

Galatians 2:1-10

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... of “false believers” in verse 4 and in a similar context in 2 Corinthians 11:26 suggests he is indicating that the nature of the doctrine taught by such opponents excludes their membership in the faith. This view is further enhanced by Paul’s disclaimer in Galatians 2:5 that his delegation (and, possibly, he is including the Jerusalem leadership here as well) never even gave a moment’s hesitation on the matter “so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.” Surely Paul viewed the ...

73. Divisions In the Church

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... letter). Paul is grateful here that he baptized only a few persons in Corinth, for this means that not many will be apt to say they were baptized into the name of Paul (1:13) and then declare that they “follow Paul” (1:12). As he registers this disclaimer, Paul recalls that he did baptize Crispus and Gaius. Crispus is surely the former president of the synagogue in Corinth who is mentioned in Acts 18:8, and the Gaius referred to here may be the same Gaius mentioned in Romans 16:23 who, Paul says, hosted ...

74. The Lord's Supper

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... than the text of the biblical materials. However, whatever Jesus said—probably in Aramaic—the texts that preserve his words are all written in Gk. Since we have only the biblical texts, I have restricted the work in this commentary—except for this explanatory disclaimer—to commenting on the text that lies before us. 11:26 The grammatical form of the words until he comes in Gk. (achris hou elthē) both gives a future cast to the coming, lit. “until he may come,” and implies that the matter of ...

75. Entering the Lord’s House

Psalm 5:1-12

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... we are correct in seeing Psalm 5 as the pilgrim’s confessional response to priestly entry liturgies like Psalms 15 and 24, it is striking to observe that it does not explicitly lay claim to the righteous behaviors prescribed in those psalms. Rather, it disclaims the company of the wicked and seeks entry into Yahweh’s holy temple by his great mercy and by self-descriptions such as “refugees” and “lovers of his name” (v. 11). Additional Notes 5:3 Morning by morning: The Hb. text reads lit., “by ...

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