Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 826 to 850 of 4963 results

826. “Trust in the Lord and Do Good”

Psalm 37:1-40

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... the same spiritual environment he learns how to live with the problem. But he cannot leave the issue there, because he realizes, like Job, that he has an advocate in heaven (Ps. 73:25; see Job 16:19; 19:25), and he moves on to reveal that he hopes, like Psalm 49, for a continuing relationship with God, who will “take” him into glory (73:24; see 49:15). While the “glory” of Psalm 73 may be the elevated spiritual state of being in God’s presence in the temple, it certainly creates some space for the ...

827. “The Lord Is Great!”

Psalm 70:1-5

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... and has features of a psalm of lament. Psalms 69 and 70 have common linguistic links (see table 1). It is quite possible that Psalm 69 was written with Psalm 40:13–17 in view in order to make the transition from the lament of Psalm 69 to the hope of Psalm 70. Goldingay observes that the terms of Psalm 70 both reiterate and reinforce the terms of Psalm 69, and he suggests that this reinforcement is the reason for the duplication here of Psalm 40:13–17.1It seems to me that the weight represented by these ...

828. Beyond Judgment

Matthew 24:36-44

Sermon

James L. Killen

... thinking. It would be easy for us to think of it as something God requires of us. And that might seem like an overwhelming requirement. But Jesus is talking about the saving work God is doing in our lives and in our world and urging us to hang our hopes on that promise and to live toward its fulfillment. When we talk about the saving work of God, some people may begin to visualize a promise of conspicuous miracles that will give every story a happy ending. It doesn't work like that. God is at work among all ...

829. Widows and Their Worries: Back to Bethlehem

Ruth 1:1-22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... . Third, after arriving on foreign soil, the family meets a series of tragedies. More precisely, we read Elimelek’s obituary. Elimelek dies and is survived by his wife and two sons. While this is tragic for Naomi, the widow would have taken a measure of comfort, and even hope, in the fact that she had two sons—heirs and people who could look after her in her old age (Deut. 25:5–10; Lev. 25:25). But this is not meant to be. After Elimelek dies, both sons marry Moabite women. The fact that Mahlon and ...

830. A Worthy Woman Meets a Worthy Man

Ruth 2:1-23

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... of the plot. First, the character happens to be a distant male relative of Naomi’s husband. Second, this relative is designated as a “man of standing” (2:1). The very existence of someone related to Elimelek and Naomi gives the reader cause to hope that Naomi’s misfortunes may change due to legal responsibilities a living family member had to a deceased relative’s family (Lev. 25:25; Deut. 25:5–10). Only after these introductory items do we learn that the person’s name is Boaz. Indeed ...

831. Future Glory

Romans 8:18-27

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... existence, which became the dominating reality on account of Adam’s sin. The present state of creation is distressful, but there is hope because God promised the restoration of a perfect world (8:20). One day, when believers in Jesus Christ will be glorified as ... . Christians experience salvation as “firstfruits” only (8:23), with the full harvest yet to come. Christians speak the language of hope. Even when they pray they do not use a language that truly corresponds to the glory and majesty of God. ...

832. Today Can Be the First Day of Your New Life!

Matthew 2:13-23

Sermon

King Duncan

... But courage is somewhat of a limited ally. It all too easily falls prey to its greatest enemy, an emotion with an interesting name: discouragement. Think about it. Courage and discourage. For courage to be lasting and effective, it must be able to see hope. If it sees no hope, it quickly transforms into discouragement. The opposite of fear is not courage, the opposite of fear is faith. Faith tells us that although the odds are against us, we are not alone. That is the Biblical answer to fear. We may see no ...

833. Humanity Reaching Out

Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon

James L. Killen

... things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:8-10) God is always working to pull us together and to make life good for everyone. When we think thoughts like that, our hearts are often lifted up by a vision of reality that is full of hope. But too often, right after the elation a somber voice speaks in the back of our minds, saying, "But life really isn't like that. There is a lot of tragedy and meanness and suffering in this world." And that is true. The next part of the story shows it ...

834. Do You Have Your Key Ready?

John 20:1-18

Sermon

King Duncan

... in which God whispers our name. As long as you believe that there is an answer, an answer will be found. I cannot recall any appearance of the risen Christ to an unbeliever. Your greatest ally in the long, dark night of the soul is your faith and your hope. “I am here,” he says, “I will never forsake you.” This brings us to the final thing we need to say on this Easter Sunday morning. The victory of Easter is a gift available to anyone who will receive it. The New Testament was not written by Greeks ...

835. A New Possibility

Matthew 4:12-23

Sermon

James L. Killen

... to the hospital shack to care for him. One was a Roman Catholic named Denny Moore. The other was a Methodist, the son of an English gardener. His name was Dusty Miller. They rubbed his legs to restore circulation. They talked to him about things intended to restore his hope. Ernest Gordon didn't know it at the time, but the two men were part of a little group of prisoners who decided to "have another go at the Christian faith" not as a way of trying to bribe God to rescue them but simply in an effort to ...

836. Elephants in the Room: Abuse – I Have a Secret

Matthew 11:28

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... such folks are abusers. In fact, most children are sexually abused by someone they know well. The Christian Response to Abuse So, now that we are clear on the evil reality of abuse, what is our response as loving Christians to such a huge problem? Find Healing and Hope in Christ. Only Jesus can give the love and power necessary to heal the abused and the abuser. Surrender to his love and care. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all of you who are heavily burdened, I will give you rest.” Find a ...

837. Mission Possible!

John 1:43-51

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... is personal. Living life with no meaning or purpose is personal. It is a personal tragedy. We have been given the power to transform people with God’s love. We have the source of hope and strength. Will we share it? If we had the cure to cancer we would tell everyone. We have the cure for a meaningless life and spiritual death. What’s keeping us from sharing it? I know that the word “witness” conjures up many negative images. I know that many ...

838. Pop Verses: Isaiah 40:28-31

Isaiah 40:28-31

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... he proclaimed God’s comfort and power to them. The Bible is the living word of God, and God wants us to hear his message through Isaiah today. Right now! I don’t believe it is an accident that this is our passage for today. We need strength. We need hope. We need power. We need to know that love is greater than evil! Perhaps you need this word in your personal life as well. Not only do the horrific events in the world have you weary, but the events of your life are wearing you down. Maybe it seems like ...

839. Jesus Questioned About Fasting

Mark 2:18-22

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... for a richer display of God’s power on behalf of the nation. When Jesus used the image of a wedding celebration to symbolize his ministry here, it may very well have been intended not just as a symbol of joy but more specifically as a sign that the hopes of the prophets were being realized. The imagery of a wedding celebration in connection with the kingdom appears also in Matt. 22:1–14; 25:1–13; and in Rev. 19:7–9 the final victory of Christ and his everlasting union with his saints is likened to a ...

840. Ingrafted Branches

Romans 11:11-24

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... since his birth are relatively short. If God waited for the fulness of time to send his Son (Gal. 4:4), we must not doubt that he continues to achieve his purpose in history between the first and second advents of his Son. This is the certain hope of Romans 9–11. As Luther noted, just as the sons of Jacob (Israel!) rejected Joseph and sold him into slavery, only years later to reencounter and acknowledge their brother in the most unexpected way, so “it will happen that the Jews who expelled Christ to ...

841. Balaam’s First Oracle

Numbers 23:1-12

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... although he has refused to curse Israel. Furthermore, the latter part of the oracle does allude to the divine favor Israel enjoys. Balaam responds that he must speak God’s word. 23:13–17 The anxious King Balak then moves the scene to another location, still hoping to exact from the seer a curse on his enemy. The prophet will again see only part of the people from this second location, the field of Zophim on the top of Pisgah. Again Balak builds seven altars and sacrifices seven bulls and rams. Once more ...

842. Job Speaks

Job 3:1-26

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... of the jussive by the repeated use of the word may. 3:4–5 Job’s curse on that day expresses a desire that the light which is characteristic of the daytime be totally over-whelmed by darkness and deep shadow so that no light shine upon it. Job’s hopes for this day are obviously symbolic of his wish never to have been born into such a painful life, since it is not possible to change or obliterate a past event. Job’s anger at having been born to suffer lashes out at “That day” by desiring that God ...

843. Eliphaz's Second Speech to Job

Job 15:1-35

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... they “sow” (4:8). It is impossible for “a mortal to be righteous before God.” Since even God’s servants, the angels, are untrustworthy, “how much more” are humans subject to “error” (4:18–19). As a result, Job must deserve his suffering. His only hope is to accept God’s discipline (5:17) and throw himself upon the mercy of God (5:8). Eliphaz does not change his argument much in chapter 15, although he criticizes Job more harshly. The problem is still that humans are impure and as a ...

844. Job's Second Reply to Zophar

Job 21:1-34

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... reality. (For other examples of the traditional viewpoint, see Pss. 14; 53; 37; 49). 21:17–18 In Proverbs 24:19–20, we find the extended proverb: “Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out” (emphasis added). Job’s reference to the lamp of the wicked may indicate a familiarity with this particular proverb, or with the sentiments it expresses. Bildad had trotted out a near quote of this proverb in ...

845. Eliphaz's Third Speech to Job

Job 22:1-30

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... 4:7–9, 17–19; 15:14–16). Since even the angels—who stand above humans in Eliphaz’s understanding of creation order—are charged “with error” by God (4:18–19; 15:15–16; see also Ps. 8:5), how then can sinful humans hope to escape the divine punishment they all deserve? Now Eliphaz takes a further step to argue that God remains essentially unaffected by human conduct—whether exceedingly wicked or exceedingly righteous—and thus we can trust his judgments in all cases to be unbiased. As a ...

846. The Lord Speaks

Job 38:1--41:34

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... of two extended animal portraits—behemoth in 40:15–24 and leviathan in 41:1–34—that drive home the inability of humans to control these amazing creatures in God’s world. If humans have no power to control these animals, then how could they ever hope to bend the creator to their will? In the Hebrew text, chapters 40 and 41 are differently divided so that the initial description of leviathan in 41:1–8 becomes 40:25–32. This links the description of these two beasts even more closely together as ...

847. Punishment for Disobedience

Leviticus 26:14-46

Understanding Series

W. H. Bellinger, Jr.

... has made clear the consequences of breaking covenant. This final section considers the question of what is next and offers some hope for return from the exile, which has been countenanced in the previous sections. Yahweh will keep the divine covenant commitments and ... is not at an end. Renewal of the covenant relationship with Yahweh is still a possibility for providing a future. This hope turns on the act of confession: But if they will confess their sins. The sins are characterized as treachery later in ...

848. Where's the Magic?

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-12

Sermon

King Duncan

... much magic in the church today maybe it is because our pies are mostly moss. Faith is a total commitment of all we are and all we hope to be to God through faith in Jesus Christ. This list of the heroes of the Old Testament provided by the writer of Hebrews is a list ... we give up. There is always a way out if we allow God’s Spirit to guide us. Faith is a commitment of all we are and hope to be to God. Faith is an assurance that the God who created us is with us in every battle we may face. Faith is also that ...

849. Scrubbing Our Social Media Accounts

Romans 5:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... : that of a woman who loves Jesus and lives for God’s glory. And that grace and mercy, that new legacy, changed Shannon’s life. Through Jesus’ death on our behalf, we received a new legacy too: a life of freedom and peace with God now, and the future hope of living eternally in the glory of God. But these blessings are only available to those who put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Jesus is the way to God, and to all the blessings of God’s loving-kindness. If you have not given ...

850. You Have a Story to Tell

John 9:1-41

Sermon

King Duncan

... Of the grace that is greater than all my sin . . . Of when justice was served and where mercy wins . . . Of the kindness of Jesus that draws me in Oh to tell you my story is to tell of Him. “(9) The formerly blind man’s story is a story of hope and love and life and grace. It’s the story of what Jesus did in him. And he refused to be silenced by the fear tactics of the Pharisees. The next time they interrogated him, they accused Jesus of being a sinner. And the formerly blind man said, “Whether he ...

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