Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 1001 to 1025 of 4963 results

1001. 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... his introductory remarks by proclaiming "God is faithful" (v. 9). The roots of Paul's pharisaic background and the enduring tenets of Paul's Christian faith revolve around this confession. Once made, God's promises are not broken. Just as for Paul the divine promise of chosenness to Israel still remains viable, so too does the welcoming call God offers to any other faith community. Despite all the contentiousness, backbiting, and wrong thinking, God ...

1002. Jeremiah 1:4-10

Jeremiah 1:4-10

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... been born about 645 B.C., just as the long reign of King Manasseh (687-642) was coming to an end. Manasseh had served as an obedient vassal-king of the powerful Assyrian empire _ and while his lengthy rule had brought stability to the remaining southern kingdom of Judah, his spineless toadyism to his Assyrian lords had gradually undermined much of what had been Israel's unique identity. During Jeremiah's childhood, the power of the royal house began once again to flex its muscles. First, under the short ...

1003. Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... to know all the sordid, seedy details. He reveals that the father's money was spent on nothing but prostitutes _ about as worthless and sinful a way of frittering away that inheritance as there could be. The father refuses to be shocked or saddened. His eyes and heart remain firmly fixed on what he sees as the only important fact about this missing younger son _ he is found, and he is alive. Perhaps to ease the older son's anxieties, the father does carefully articulate that it is to the elder that all the ...

1004. John 13:31-35

John 13:31-35

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... further elaborates to his disciples that any attempt to follow him at this time, to try to stem the course of the events about to unfold, is foundless and foolish. All in all, it is a fairly disheartening, even frightening message Jesus imparts to his remaining disciples. It is at this moment that Jesus offers the disciples a "new commandment" what might be thought of as a guiding principle to keep them in line and on track as Jesus leaves them. At first glance, the command to "love one another" (especially ...

1005. Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... focused on righteousness, not wickedness. To him, the message of peace will be eagerly received. But to he who is not of a "peaceful" mind, the Good News will not even register. The households of those closed off to the peace message will remain in spiritual darkness. Hence these missionaries are counseled to stay in one home only without fear that their continued presence may be a hardship on their hosts. Jesus also appears to counsel a relaxing of dietary laws as part of these messengers' marching orders ...

1006. Luke 16:1-13

Luke 16:1-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... as a kind of rhetorical question, but that a scribal omission transformed the question into a declaration. Those who choose to accept the text as it has come down to us have tried out a great number of interpretations in an effort both to remain true to the text and to avoid having Jesus give outright praise to dishonesty. (See Colin Brown, "The Unjust Steward: A New Twist," in Worship, Theology and Ministry in the Early Church, ed. Michael J. Wilkins and Terence Paige [Sheffield, Eng.: JSOT Press, 1992 ...

1007. 2 Timothy 1:1-14

2 Timothy 1:1-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Paul. In verse 5, Paul returns to the formal thanksgiving theme, offering thankfulness for God's work in Timothy's life. The bulk of Paul's letter will focus on an appeal to Timothy to stay loyal - and here Paul reminds Timothy that by abiding in his faith, remaining loyal to it, he not only honors God, but he also upholds the gift of faith that was passed down to him by his mother and his grandmother. Timothy's faith is not just his own - it is part inheritance as well - and he must be careful to safeguard ...

1008. Luke 19:1-10

Luke 19:1-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... 9 is a vindication of Zacchaeus. By calling him a "son of Abraham," Jesus is concurring with Zacchaeus' defense, not proclaiming forgiveness. While scholars argue the importance of the verb forms in verse 8 with great force, in the end the meaning seems to remain ambiguous. Perhaps purposefully so. By allowing for both nuances to suggest the truth, Luke's story works both to vindicate Zacchaeus and yet suggest that Jesus' necessary stay with this tax collector led Zacchaeus to a change of heart. Verse 10 ...

1009. 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... work prompts a moral imperative - that person should not eat. In verse 11, Paul confronts his Thessalonian brothers and sisters head-on with the facts as he knows them. Yet, he continues to temper his theological offensive by letting those in error remain relatively anonymous. Obviously, Paul knows of a particular situation among the Thessalonians. The impression given by Paul's Greek here is that he knows the identity of these "idlers," and yet he chooses to identify them simply as being "among you." The ...

1010. John 3:1-17

John 3:1-17

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... of the Christian message. Jesus corrects Nicodemus' blatant misunderstanding of the Greek another, which can be interpreted as "from above," "again," or "anew." After making it clear that this rebirth is from "above," Jesus reminds the religious establishment how distant they remain from God. Verses 6-8 show with glaring, galling clarity how wide the chasm is between God (born of the Spirit) and human beings (born of the flesh). Emphasizing the distance between the Spirit and the flesh gives greater impact ...

1011. Mark 6:30-44

Mark 6:30-44

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... has created. Bathsheba's pregnancy requires that he take quick action. But David's own moral turpitude is only deepened by Uriah's steadfast piety. By refusing to enjoy the comforts of his home and the love of his wife while his battalion remains in the field, Uriah perfectly demonstrates the selfless dedication to a code of honor which David has so badly betrayed. Twice David tempts Uriah to sleep with his wife; twice Uriah resists temptation (once even while he is drunk). In desperation David completely ...

1012. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... will all participate in Moses' face-to-face relationship with God. Special prophetic knowledge will no longer be necessary, as the mind of God will be open to us all. In vivid contrast to all those spiritual gifts whose time is limited, Paul ticks off a triad of gifts that remain: faith, hope and love. Paul has already pronounced faith without love as "nothing" (v. 2). Hope ushers in the eschaton, but once these days have arrived, hope turns into fulfillment. Thus love ...

1013. Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... accepted Abram's actions as legitimate signs of trust and faith - as true righteousness. It is this active living faith that is "counted" by God. Abram can no longer doubt the word of God. Despite his age or infirmity, or momentary misfortunes, the vow of the Lord remains intact. Age is not a deciding factor in the call of God. King Uzziah and King Josiah were only sixteen when they sought after God (2 Chronicles 26 and 34). In contrast, Anna was 84 when she was called into service (Luke 2:36-37). God first ...

1014. Psalm 23

Psalm 23

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... knowledge that we are never alone, never deserted, even in the "depths" of this valley, instills a peace of mind and heart that is unexpected on such a dark and frightening journey. Notice: The enemies of life are not blotted out; the "valley of the shadow of death" remains a destination for all of us. But it is not our final destiny. Thus the "Lord's house" (v.6) does not need to be thought of as the temple. Instead it represents the epitome of the guest-host experience. Dwelling in the house of the Lord ...

1015. 2 Kings 5:1-15ab

2 Kings 5:1-15ab

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... is out of the mouth of this lowliest, anonymous member of Naaman's household that the solution to Naaman's greatest personal anguish comes. Despite her own position as a helpless, nameless captive, the Israelite girl's faith in her God and God's prophets remains unshaken. With confidence and compassion she boldly suggests that if her new master were to stand before the Lord's prophet, even as he now stands before the authority of the king of Aram, he would surely be cured. Naaman's first surprising action ...

1016. Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-19

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-19

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... heart's desire was fulfilled. Their faith led them to the heavenly city - not the earthly Jerusalem, a conclusion that clarifies the author's intentions in verse 10. Because of the abiding faithfulness of those desiring to dwell in this heavenly homeland, God remains devoted to these sojourners. The final portion of this week's epistle lesson breaks off midway in this chapter's last section. Verses 17-22 continue to follow the lineage of faith from Abraham to Isaac through Jacob and Joseph. Verses 17-19 ...

1017. Philemon 1:1-20

Philemon 1:1-20

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Onesimus now hold in common through their adoption into Christ. But Paul does not go on to recommend that Philemon take any specific course of action. Unlike the next section of his letter (vv.17-20), Paul's intentions here in verses 15-16 remain ambiguous. Paul does spell out exactly what he wants Philemon to do and how it should be accomplished in verses 17 and 18. He wants Philemon to welcome Onesimus back without hesitation, without punishment. To allow the relationship between Philemon and Onesimus to ...

1018. John 6:1-21

John 6:1-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... loaded down with the 12 baskets of leftovers, physically experience the superabundance of Jesus' gift of bread. Likewise, Jesus' directive that "nothing may be lost" suggests that this surplus remains ("abides") for the crowd even after Jesus will leave them. Clearly this message of an abiding presence, one which cannot be lost for those who remain faithful, is a critical lesson for the disciples. (For more on this, see L. Th. Witkamp, "Some Specific Johannine Features in John 6:1-21," Journal for the Study ...

1019. Jeremiah 1:4-10

Jeremiah 1:4-10

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... of Jeremiah's "call," the Assyrian empire was crumbling. The national attitude was both full of trepidation yet tinged with ill-advised political optimism. Turning a deaf ear to the warnings uttered by previous prophets, the headstrong citizens of the remaining Southern Kingdom continued to look for political answers for Judah's return and rebirth. Instead of renewing Judah's viability and vitality by seeking divine guidance and returning to Torah ways, the politicians began to assess the possibilities for ...

1020. Isaiah 50:4-9a

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... of maturity and virility, to be plucked out. The Servant does not even turn his face to avoid the ultimate sign of distaste and disrespect a spit in the face. How the Servant manages to endure all this abuse dished out in verse 6 is explained in the remaining verses of this third "Servant Song." While it is only with the Lord's help that the Servant maintains his commitment to his task, the tense of the verb in verse 7 is ambiguous. As it stands, this "help" can be interpreted as referring to present or to ...

1021. Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15

Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... crabby complaints gained him a minor reprieve. Although still technically a prisoner, he was moved from the dreary cells in the improvised cistern house prison to a kind of "house arrest" in the "court of the guard" (37:21; 32:2). Here he remained until Jerusalem finally fell to the Babylonians (38:13, 28; 39:14). This "court of the guard" was probably a kind of stockade within the palace itself, a "minimum security" area where prisoners could receive communications and even visits from friends and family ...

1022. Matthew 10:24-39

Matthew 10:24-39

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Jesus too soon and unwisely is dismissed. Jesus appears to counsel that one type of fear is justified - "fear him who can destroy both soul and body" (v. 28). But he immediately disarms this potential threat with an analogy so ludicrous that no doubt remains about the safety of a loyal disciple's soul. Jesus reminds his disciples that if the souls of halfpenny sparrows garner the attention and concern of God, then how can they doubt God's providential and protective presence for them? They may not see ...

1023. Romans 12:9-21

Romans 12:9-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... , unhypocritic" - Paul's injunction that we love genuinely with all sincerity. Such a simple command. Yet it is a demand that challenges all members of a koinonia community every moment of every day. Indeed among Paul's long litany, this first line remains the most difficult to consistently recreate. Where genuine love thrives, Paul suggests, these other attitudes will spring up and prosper - a hatred of all evil, a commitment to the good (that is, God's will) and the kind of caring concern usually reserved ...

1024. Romans 14:1-12

Romans 14:1-12

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... insist upon is conviction - for nothing irks Paul as much as a tepid faith, a lukewarm commitment. Just as Paul had made "honor" a primary component of Christian character in Romans 12:10, he insists here that the ultimate concern of all Christians remains honoring God. In verses 7-12 Paul crafts a masterful argument full of carefully balanced opposites in an almost hymnic style. He begins by holding up living and dying to ourselves in contrast to living and dying "to the Lord." Both Jewish and Hellenistic ...

1025. Mark 9:2-9

Mark 9:2-9

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... Jesus as "my beloved Son." But the rest of the message is for the benefit of the disciples those present on the mountaintop and all those who would come after them: "Listen to him!" The voice and vision immediately fade. Only Jesus and his disciples remain. Although the voice did not specify what message the beloved Son had to offer, Jesus' first words to Peter, James and John when the vision ends are cautionary. They are "to tell no one about what they had seen" a warning that suggests the disciples ...

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