Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1001 to 1025 of 1182 results

1001. The Ordination of Aaron and His Sons

Leviticus 8:1-36

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... Let It Be,” by Frances Havergal. The purity and dedication to God symbolized by the consecration of the priests’ right ear, thumb, and big toe remind us of how we as God’s royal priesthood ought to consecrate our whole being to God. The classic hymn “Take My Life and Let It Be,” especially in its second and third verses, expresses that kind of sentiment. Our desire should be, like these priests, totally dedicated and consecrated to God, even down to the level of our body parts. God calls ministers ...

1002. Purification from “Leprosy”

Leviticus 14:33-57, Leviticus 14:1-32

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22). Illustrating the Text Jesus’s blood brings healing. Literature: Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, by Lew Wallace. Wallace’s renowned novel (1880) and its classic film version (1959) center on the story of Judah ben Hur, who lived at the time of Jesus Christ. Judah is forced to be a galley slave. While he is away, Judah’s mother, Miriam, and his sister, Tirzah, are thrown into prison, where ...

1003. Failure to Enter the Land

Num 13:1–14:9

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... our problems. Illustrating the Text Fear is the enemy of faith. Nature: On February 12, 2014, car lovers everywhere gasped in horror when they woke to their morning news: an enormous sinkhole had opened up beneath the floor of a museum devoted to classic Corvettes. Eight of the cars had disappeared into the hole! Sinkholes are formed as groundwater slowly erodes bedrock. Everything on the surface can look safe and stable, but underneath a great hole is being formed. At the right (or wrong!) moment, the hole ...

1004. The Red Heifer

Numbers 19:1-22

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... , according to the Bible. Unlike the view of these fanatics, the real God never revels in killing and death. He is the God of life who wants people to have abundant life. Hymn: “All Creatures of Our God and King,” by Francis of Assisi. The text of this classic hymn is based on a poem written by Francis of Assisi, a man who demonstrated a great love for God’s creation. The words to his song reflect that love. More importantly, they affirm the God-glorifying purpose for which all things have been made.

1005. The Second Census

Numbers 26:1-65

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... before we reached our destination. On our lucky days, it was. But that is never the case with God. Absent repentance, all we can expect is retribution. God always keeps his promises. Literature: Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan. In this classic seventeenth-century book the protagonist, Christian, foolishly departs from the Main Highway. He has been tempted to take an apparently easier pathway, but this alternate route leads him to the land of Giant Despair, lord of Doubting Castle. The terrible giant ...

1006. Selfishness of the Transjordan Tribes Corrected

Numbers 32:1-42

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... Christmas carols earlier and earlier every year. There is something fun and exciting about walking through a mall or picking up a coffee at a local shop and hearing “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” or even “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” One Christmas classic, however, probably causes as many frowns as smiles for little boys and girls everywhere. In “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” the jolly old man is depicted with God-like powers of perception: finding out who’s naughty or nice, watching us ...

1007. Fighting Wars and Keeping a Promise: David Establishes an Ideal of Kingship

2 Sam 8:1–10:19

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... on finding satisfaction in God’s strength shown in weakness. You may even suggest that those wishing to go deeper consult resources like John Piper’s A Hunger for God, or Richard J. Foster’s sections on fasting in his classic work Celebration of Discipline. Including a short quote from one of these works could also enhance your illustration. God blesses those who emulate his just and faithful character in relationship with others. Testimony: Consider inviting a business owner, teacher, or community ...

1008. Blood Vengeance in Gibeah

2 Samuel 21:1-14

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... the birds and wild animals from devouring the decaying carcasses of her sons is a vivid reminder of the unforeseen consequences of sin. Illustrating the Text God’s justice is sometimes harsh. Quote: Life Together, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In this classic exploration of life in Christian community, Bonhoeffer (1906–45) discusses the hardness of God and the way Christian community should model it: Reproof is unavoidable. God’s Word demands it when a brother falls into open sin. The practice of discipline ...

1009. Ruling in the Fear of the Lord

2 Samuel 23:1-7

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... to follow him find safety (Rom. 8:31–39) and will experience the light of his kingdom (Rev. 21:23; 22:5). Illustrating the Text Fearing the Lord has important manifestations in our lives. Literature: The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame. In this classic children’s tale (1908), one of the characters, “the Mole,” has a supernatural experience, and a great awe falls upon him, “an awe that turned his muscles to water, bowed his head, and rooted his feet to the ground. It was no panic terror ...

1010. Israel Demands a King

1 Samuel 8:1-22

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... . The past recedes. The church recedes. All that remains is the self.12 God warns his people about the consequences of sin. Literature: The Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan. Bunyan (1628–88) provides many scenes of warning in this classic allegory (1678). When Christian and Hopeful leave the Delectable Mountains, the shepherds (divinely appointed by God) warn them, “Beware of the Flatterer.” By sad experience, the pilgrims learn the foolishness of neglecting this advice. They come to a place where ...

1011. The Lord Chooses a New King

1 Samuel 16:14-23, 1 Samuel 16:1-13

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... over mission, . . . opinion polls outweigh reliance on biblical exposition, concerns for power and relevance are more obvious than concern for piety and faithfulness.”6 God opposes those who rebel against him. Literature: Paradise Lost, by John Milton. In this classic poem (1667), Milton (1608–74) represents rebellion profoundly and vividly in describing the fall of Satan, the favored angel of God. The rebellion is dramatic, larger than life, and runs the range from stunning to terrifying. God announces ...

1012. David’s Faith Ignites a Victory

1 Samuel 17:1-58

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... his spiritual walk. Church History: Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, by John Foxe. This is an account (1563) of Christian martyrs throughout Western history from the first century through the early sixteenth century, emphasizing the sufferings of English Protestants. This classic book is an invaluable resource for stories of the faithful. Walking by sight stifles faith and produces paralyzing fear, obscuring the reality of God’s presence and power. Bible: Matthew 14:22–33. This is the account of Peter walking ...

1013. Séance in Endor: Bad News from Beyond the Grave

1 Samuel 28:1-25

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... Eli’s and Saul’s stories demonstrate that God’s word is reliable and must be taken seriously. Illustrating the Text Disobedience creates a communication barrier between God and the sinner. Quote: How to Pray, by R. A. Torrey. In this wise and ever-fresh classic (1900), scholar and preacher Torrey (1856–1928) addresses how sin can hinder prayer. Sin hinders prayer. Many a man prays and prays and prays and gets absolutely no answer to his prayer. Perhaps he is tempted to think that it is not the will ...

1014. Job Feels under Attack by God

Job 16:1-17:16

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... thought could conceive of evil as the conflict between rival deities. Job, however, believes in one God, who is sovereign over all of life. Thus, when faced with severe adversity, Job is compelled to trace his problems back to their ultimate cause in God himself. The classical formulation of the problem of evil asks this question: if God is all-powerful and all-good, then why do bad things happen to good people in God’s world? (Compare the interchange between Habakkuk and Yahweh in Hab. 1:2–2:3.) Job is ...

1015. Zophar’s Final Words for Job

Job 20:1-29

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... hats) always succeeded in the end, and the bad guys were killed or brought to justice. Everything was resolved in tidy categories, just as in Zophar’s system in the book of Job. Unlike Zophar’s system, however, God’s is not tidy or predictable. His is more like the classic Western novel Shane (1949) by Jack Schaefer, thought to be the best-written Western of all time. While the good guy wins in ways that are not stereotypical, the battle is complex and shows great restraint.

1016. Eliphaz Condemns and Counsels Job

Job 22:1-30

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... he knows about himself. He not only takes too seriously the inaccurate assessment of Mr. Potter but also falls into inaccurate reasoning about himself. Literature: The Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan. One of the themes one sees often in this classic allegory is the importance of having discernment. No one person consistently sees through the inaccurate reasoning he or she may hear, Bunyan seems to argue, so companionship is necessary. One of the deceitful characters, who mesmerizes with his words but ...

1017. Yahweh Speaks as the Master Teacher

Job 38:1--41:34

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... , we too must acknowledge that we are dependent upon him. Illustrating the Text Even the greatest people are feeble when compared to the living God. Film: Reference a popular superhero movie that will be familiar to your listeners. You might want to try a classic hero such as Superman, Spiderman, or Captain America. Take time to list some of the attributes that the hero has that are noble, and how those are amplified by the hero’s superhuman powers and responsibilities. Then note that most heroes and gods ...

1018. “Lord, Our Lord, How Majestic Is Your Name in All the Earth!”

Psalm 9:1-20

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... spark of faith still smolders. In Christianity, three hermeneutical approaches have come to some prominence in the messianic interpretation of the Psalms, all revolving around the place of Christ in the Psalms. The first we may call the All of Christ approach, classically represented by Augustine (AD 354–430), who typically saw Christ or the church in every psalm.1Yet, this method tends to de-emphasize the historical fabric of the Psalms. The second approach is the None of Christ approach, which basically ...

1019. “Ride Forth Victoriously in the Cause of Truth, Humility and Justice”

Psalm 45:1-17

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... and queen in this psalm was one underwritten by love (“Let the king be enthralled by your beauty,” [v. 11] is more than infatuation) and commitment (“Forget your people and your father’s house,” [v. 10b]). See Ruth 1:16. Marriage as a parable Classic Sermon: Psalm 45 celebrates a royal marriage, and in a sense every marriage is intended to be “royal,” but more than that. Indeed, God has given us the gift of marriage partly to help us to better understand our relationship with him and what it ...

1020. “God Is Our Refuge and Strength, an Ever-Present Help in Trouble”

Psalm 46:1-11

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... stood after 46:3 also, and they generally divide the poem into three parts (46:1–3, 4–7, and 8–11). There is probably no compelling reason to endorse this view, since Hebrew poetry does not exhibit the same kind of symmetry we expect of classical Western poetry,6and, further, the meaning of selah remains somewhat in doubt.7We will follow the two-part division, which seems to align with the content a little better than the three-part division. 1. God as refuge from natural disasters (46:1–7) Refrain ...

1021. “If I Were Hungry I Would Not Tell You, for the World Is Mine, and All That Is in It”

Psalm 50:1-23

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... understanding of sacrifice and distinguishes Israel’s faith from that of her neighbors (see the sidebar “The Moral Law and Sacrifice in the Psalms” in the unit on Ps. 40). The psalm is not a condemnation of the sacrificial system of the classical prophetic strain, and it even distances itself from a general condemnation (50:8). Verse 23, in fact, commends sacrifice (“thank offerings”) as a way of honoring God. Despite that, however, God has no need of Israel’s sacrifices to satisfy his hunger ...

1022. Nabuchadnezzar’s Dream and Daniel's Interpretation

Daniel 2:1-23, Daniel 2:24-49

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... knowledge can provide divine guidance as believers navigate the treacherous waters of life. We are the light of the world. Film: Schindler’s List. It is often the presence of darkness that causes people to long all the more strongly for light. Consider compelling classic films set in historical times of great turmoil and despair, such as Schindler’s List. Overwhelmed by the enormity of the task, at the end of the war Oskar Schindler laments, “I could have got more out. . . . If I’d made more money ...

1023. The Image of Gold and the Fiery Furnace

Daniel 3:1-30

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... manifestations of the Spirit), but no one knows the full joy of the feast (unveiled fellowship with Jesus) until it has fully come. Righteousness is responding to seemingly impossible situations by trusting God. Film: Mission: Impossible. The classic television series Mission: Impossible (1966–73) and its subsequent movie franchise live up to this title in presenting the protagonist Ethan Hunt in situations of extreme danger from which success or rescue seems “impossible.” However, viewers who ...

1024. Daniel Interprets the Dream and Confronts Nebuchadnezzar

Daniel 4:19-27

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... telling of the dream to its interpretation and at the same time changing from first person to third when speaking of Nebuchadnezzar (continuing through 4:33).1It also presents Daniel the sage in his new role as prophet. Moreover, he functions in the classical sense of earlier Hebrew prophets in the Old Testament who confront persons on behalf of God and sometimes predict divine consequences if repentance is not forthcoming. This role links the present text to the narrative in its parallel chapter (5:15–31 ...

1025. Nebuchadnezzar’s Judgment and Repentance

Daniel 4:28-37

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... ); “A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride” (14:3); “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (16:18); and “Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor” (29:23). C. S. Lewis observes in his enduring classic, Mere Christianity, In God you come up against something which is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. Unless you know God as that—and, therefore, know yourself as nothing in comparison—you do not know God at all. . . . A proud man is ...

Showing results