Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 76 to 100 of 3852 results

Matthew 10:1-42

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... should not be surprised if they receive the same treatment as their teacher and master. If the head of the family is called Beelzebub (or Beelzebul, “the prince of demons,” 12:24; cf. 9:34), how much more will be slandered those of his household. The exact origin of the name Beelzebub is uncertain, although many commentators connect it in some way with Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron (2 Kings 1:2, 6). The Greek oikodespotēs (“head of the house”) is a pun on the name Beelzebub. 10:26–31 Three times ...

77. The Lord's Supper

Mark 14:12-26

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... the Twelve was shaped by the continuing celebration of the rite of Eucharist, or Lord’s Supper, in the early church (see Matt. 26:26–29; Luke 22:15–20; 1 Cor. 11:23–25). Scholars differ over several matters in their attempt to reconstruct the original form of the sayings over the cup and the bread and also in their opinions about which of the four accounts gives us the earliest version of the event. We cannot discuss all these questions here; instead, our aim will be to understand the Markan account ...

78. Jesus' Teaching on Prayer

Luke 11:1-13

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... should You be filled with compassion for us who are the children of Your children Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and are dependent on You for our maintenance” (Leviticus Rabbah 34.14). Holy Spirit: Gundry (pp. 124–25) suspects that Luke’s “Holy Spirit” may be original, while Matthew’s (literally) “good things” (7:11) is a Matthean modification. I do not agree. Given Luke’s pronounced interest in the Holy Spirit (recall 1:35, 41, 67; 2:25; 3:16, 22; 4:1, 14, 18) it is much more probable that ...

79. The Lord's Supper

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... well-known in relation to a particularly infamous act, there is no reason to overread the text. 11:24 The last words of verse 23 recount that Jesus took bread, and verse 24 narrates the first act of the Supper in relation to that bread. In their original Jewish context thanksgiving and breaking of bread were table customs that were performed by the head of a household or a host. The words this is my body refer to the bread alone. Brokenness is not in view in this traditional line; rather, the emphasis is on ...

80. The Resurrection Body

1 Corinthians 15:35-58

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... to illustrate his basic argument in this section. A final decision is impossible, but the thrust of the passage makes it far more likely that Paul is creating contrasts in illustration of his discussion of different natures of bodies rather than attempting to comment on the cosmic origins of the first and second Adam. 15:48–49 The argument in verse 48 is like by like: as was the earthly man, so are humans of the earth, and as is the man from heaven, so are the ones of heaven. Verse 49, however, makes a ...

81. My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?

Psalm 22:1-31

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... . zeraʿ, descendants or posterity, in vv. 23, 30 is the only exception), so there is nothing in their contents to suggest the nations are responding directly to the speaker’s deliverance. If the prayer (vv. 1–21) and the thanksgiving (vv. 22–26) were originally together and we give priority to the prayer, they would form a prayer with an extended vow of praise. This, however, is largely unparalleled in the Psalms. In support of this possibility, we should note that in the thanksgiving only vv. 22 and ...

82. Accusations

2 Corinthians 2:12--3:6

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... as soon as possible from Titus how the letter had been received in Corinth (cf. 7:6–15). When he did not meet Titus in Troas, Paul became so anxious that he traveled to Macedonia in order to try to find Titus, in effect reverting to his original plan of going to Macedonia before coming to Corinth (cf. 1 Cor. 16:5). Paul evidently knew that after delivering the tearful letter to the Corinthians and hearing their response, Titus would have taken a northerly route, making his way back to Paul in Troas via ...

83. The Seventy “Sevens”

Daniel 9:20-27

Understanding Series

William Nelson

... chapter moves into the apocalyptic genre again. Just as the prayer was introduced twice (vv. 3 and 4), so there are two verses that mark the transition from the prayer to the revelation of Gabriel. Verses 20 and 21a are doublets. Verse 21a seems to be more likely original; verse 20 was added later, perhaps when the prayer was added (if it was a later addition). Verse 20 is not a complete sentence, as it is meant to lead into the introduction of Gabriel, just as verse 21a does now. It is closely tied to the ...

84. Adam And Eve,The First People

Genesis 3:1-24

Sermon Aid

Peter C. Garrison

... in the story? Does he know who God thinks he is? 6. Do you ever question God's authority in your life? How? 7. Do you ask God who he is, too? What does he answer? 8. Do you ever ask God who you are? What do you hear? 9. "Original sin" is not being content with being the image of God, but wanting instead to be God. How does this "wanting to be first" hurt people today? Creation? Ourselves? Our church? Our nation? Our economy? 10. How is Eve's being helpful really being harmful? 11. When you carefully examine ...

85. Christmas 2

Jn 1:1-18 · Lk 2:41-51 · Eph 1:3-18 · Jer 31:7-14 · Ps 147

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... ) or, as verse 8 expresses it, "lavished upon us" (RSV). God gave himself to us, even yielding up the life of his Son at the hands of sinful humans. The only proper response on our part is to give ourselves to the Lord and to others. Outline: God is the original big spender. He gave us his Son. His Son gave up his life for us. What has been your response to this lavish grace? Do you just parcel out little pieces of yourself to God and others? Or, do you give your all? The Christmas season calls us to give ...

86. Let It Shine!

John 1:1-18

Sermon

Carlyle Fielding Stewart

... . Perhaps the darkness had a problem with God calling the light good and God not calling the darkness good. Whatever the case, the terms and conditions of the war of light and darkness were set into creation. Whereas darkness and light were originally created to function and coexist in harmony, when God began separating them and valuing them, the terms for the struggle between light and darkness began. In the beginning they were created as soul mates, but as God began to separate them, jealousy, envy ...

87. A Fool’s Tools

Matthew 25:14-30

Sermon

... the many generations since its opening night. Act I was entitled "the gifts"; Act II, "the erosion"; and Act III, the one you had just witnessed as you came in, "the living death." It never was intended to be a musical comedy, but there was no original intent to make it the tragedy it had become either. Starting as a one-act play entitled "The Gifts" it quickly had evolved into three acts retitled. Somehow this seemed more lifelike ... closer to the way things were. And the actors had little trouble getting ...

88. Change Is Possible

Galatians 1:11-24

Sermon

King Duncan

... really want to. WE CAN ALSO CHANGE IF WE HAVE A VISION OF SOMETHING BETTER THAT WE MAY ASPIRE TO. Flip Wilson used to say, "What you see is what you get." Modern research into human behavior says that is true. There is a scene in the original KARATE KID movie that is quite striking. The main character, Daniel, is befriended by the wise and elderly maintenance man, Mr. Miyagi. Daniel goes to see Mr. Miyagi and finds him trimming a delicate bonsai tree. Daniel is fascinated by this, so Miyagi tells him to try ...

89. Clean Hearts And Dirty Hands

Mark 7:1-23

Sermon

King Duncan

... time the newest monkey starts up the stairs, he will be attacked. Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in beating the newest monkey. After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs to try to reach the banana. Why not? Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been done around here ...

90. Rooted in the Scripture

Mark 4:26-34

Illustration

Edward F. Markquart

... of democracy come from? Most people say off the top of their heads, that it came from Greece and the Greek senate. Yes, but not totally. Where did our concept of democracy originate? From the Magna Carta. It came from the Magna Carta and England in the year 1215. Who was one of the primary authors of the original Magna Carta? Stephen Langdon. Who was Stephen Langdon? The Archbishop of Canterbury. Archbishop Stephen Langdon was one of the principal authors of the Magna Carta and he had his roots in the ...

91. Why Believe the Bible?

John 17:17

Sermon

James Merritt

... . Have you ever thought about how many copies or manuscripts we have of these historical figures and how close they are to one another. Have you ever thought about what the time span is between the copies that we do have and the original copies that must have been written? Let me just give you the manuscript evidence for the ancient writings related to these 3 historical figures I just gave you. Julius Caesar - earliest manuscripts 1000 years after Caesar lived - only 10 manuscripts exist. Plato - earliest ...

92. Body / Ambassador

2 Corinthians 5:11--6:2

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... As we have seen, Paul’s ministry of reconciliation is inseparable from God’s reconciliation of the world. The tacit argument here is much the same as the one that we have already seen several times in the letter. Ultimately, the Corinthians cannot deny Paul’s original message to them and his mediatory role without at the same time rejecting the gospel and denying their own Christian existence (cf. 1:19; 3:1–6). 6:2 The reason (For, gar) that Paul urges the Corinthians not to receive the grace of God ...

93. Boasting

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

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... ministry. Elsewhere in the Corinthian correspondence Paul adamantly claims that his apostleship is based on his vision(s) of Christ: “Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?” (1 Cor. 9:1; cf. 15:1–8; Gal. 1:12, 16). Although his original christophany on the way to Damascus remains the pivotal encounter with the resurrected Christ, other revelations and visions should not be discounted (cf. Acts 16:9; 18:9; 22:17–18; 23:11; 27:23). The vision that Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 12:2–4 ...

94. The Supremacy of Christ

Colossians 1:15-23

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... are quite certain that Paul, in adopting the hymn, modified it in order to apply it to the specific situation at Colossae. (The phrases in parentheses in the reconstruction just given reflect the additions, i.e., interpolations, that Paul may have made from the original hymn. The meaning and purpose of these interpolations will be dealt with later.) The Source of the Hymn A number of sources for the hymn have been suggested. Some scholars have analyzed the content of the hymn in light of the OT and think ...

95. The Son Superior to Angels

Hebrews 1:1-14

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... Peter (1 Pet. 3:7), enjoy their sonship by adoption and are made fellow-heirs with Christ. For our author the inheritance of the saints is important. See 6:12, 17; 9:15; 10:36; 11:8. 1:3 Some scholars have argued that v. 3 was originally part of a confessional hymn. The opening relative pronoun “who” (hos), the characteristic participles, and the content all point to this possibility. (On these points see the similarity in other “hymns” in NT epistles, e.g., Col. 1:15, Phil. 2:6ff., and 1 Tim. 3:16 ...

96. False Teachers and Their Destruction

2 Peter 2:1-22

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... (apōleia): The Greek apōleia (doom) is repeated in v. 3 and in 3:7, 16. The repetition is nicely brought out by the shades of meaning listed by BAGD: “the destruction that one experiences, annihilation both complete and in process, ruin.” Heresies: The Greek hairesis originally meant a school or sect of philosophy, the word implying primarily a choice of belief or opinion (as party in Acts 5:17; 15:5; sect in Acts 24:5, 14). The coming of Jesus as the “truth” (John 1:14, 17; 8:32; 14:6; 16:13 ...

97. Moses and the Burning Bush

Exodus 3:1-22

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... is external and embodied very early in biblical tradition. In verses 2–6 Moses does most of the seeing and looking, until he is “afraid to look.” In verses 7–9, God does all the seeing and invites Moses to look into the Egypt problem again. The original verb root is the same in each case, except when Moses is afraid to look (nabat, lit., “stare” or “gaze”): Moses the [messenger] of the Lord appeared to him...Moses saw…it did not burn up (v. 2) “I will go over and see this strange sight ...

98. A Message About Moab

Jeremiah 48:1-47

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... tastes as she did, and her aroma is unchanged). But soon she is to be opened and exposed to the air, poured from one jar to another. The implication is that this wine will be spoiled (see Additional Notes). Not only that, but once poured out of its original jar, the jar itself will be smashed. The metaphor points to the upcoming exile of Moab. Moab had seen its battles through the centuries, but for the first time it will face the exile of its citizens. Such a fate will lead the Moabites to be embarrassed ...

99. Imitating Christ's Humility

Philippians 2:1-11

Understanding Series

F. F. Bruce

... he displayed the nature (or form) of God in the nature (or form) of a servant. An excellent illustration of this is provided by the account in John 13:3–5 of what took place at the Last Supper: it was in full awareness of his divine origin and destiny, in full awareness of the authority conferred on him by the Father, that Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and dried them with the towel he had tied round his waist. The divine nature was displayed, and most worthily displayed, in the act of humble service ...

100. Signs and Oracles of Judgment

Ezekiel 4:1-5:17, Ezekiel 6:1-14, Ezekiel 7:1-27

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

... groups in Israel: “those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in [Jerusalem]” (9:4), and at least some among the community of exiles (11:16–20). Yet there is not one positive statement about the priests in the original text of Ezekiel. Surely, in a book written by a priest and shot through with priestly language and ideals, this is unexpected and reveals a negative view of the Jerusalem priesthood. The reference to “the king” in verse 27 is also unusual. Ezekiel’s ...

Showing results