Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1026 to 1050 of 1285 results

1026. A Blind Beggar and a Rich Scoundrel

Luke 19:1-10, Luke 18:35-43

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R.T. France

... spiritual. 18:43 followed Jesus, praising God . . . they also praised God. “Followed” probably means that he took up the life of discipleship in place of a life of begging, and he would be among the crowd that will accompany Jesus to Jerusalem. The double mention of praising God prepares us for the arrival of this group in Jerusalem in 19:37, where the praise will relate to “all the miracles they had seen.” 19:2 Zacchaeus. On his status, see “Historical and Cultural Background” above. 19:4 ...

1027. The Story of Israel Now and Later

Romans 2:1-16

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C. Marvin Pate

... 15:1–2: “But you, our God, are kind and true, patient, and ruling all things in mercy. For even if we sin we are yours.” It is just such a notion that Paul rejects in Romans 2:1–11. 3. Romans 2:4–5 announces a “double whammy” on Jews: the wrath of God has already fallen on Israel in history through past exiles (Assyrian and Babylonian) and present exile (Roman occupation) (a view reflected in, e.g., the Dead Sea Scrolls, Baruch, Tobit, Sirach, 2 Maccabees, Psalms of Solomon),3and the wrath of ...

1028. The Christian’s New Dominion: Dedicated to Righteousness

Romans 6:15-23

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C. Marvin Pate

... , since according to the apostle, the human will has only the capacity to disobey the law (especially if the law stirs up the will to rebellion in the first place). Second, “What Happened at the Cross Stays at the Cross!” is a sermon that conveys a double meaning: our sins were buried with Christ at the cross so that no one can bring them back up to shame us, and our sinful lifestyle should remain a thing of the past, buried at the cross. Here again is tension between the indicative and the imperative ...

1029. Introduction and “Hello”

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

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Preben Vang

... , by Os Guinness. For when society becomes godless and the church corrupt, the prospects of good people succeeding are significantly dimmed and the temptation to feel a failure is ever present. In today’s world, this dilemma confronts us in the form of an added double bind. On the one hand, we are told by a myriad of Christian speakers that we should be thinking about our legacy—the clear knowledge of our contribution after our time on earth. On the other hand, we are told by countless other Christians ...

1030. Applying God’s Wisdom to Life’s Issues

1 Corinthians 2:6-16, 1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

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Preben Vang

... to its theological use referring to Christian commitment to God), his point is even stronger. The proof the Corinthians are seeking is found in the power of God, not in human argument. Given the context, Paul may even deliberately be playing on this double meaning of pistis. 2:6 wisdom among the mature. Between two weighty “I” sections, Paul now switches to “we” to give a broader statement about his teaching in general (2:6–16). The wisdom Paul teaches wherever he goes is understood by mature ...

1031. Consider Others Higher Than Yourself

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

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Preben Vang

... yet for us there is but one God, the Father. Paul likely quotes a confessional statement already known to the church, maybe a hymn sung when the Christ followers met to worship. Paul uses it as a Christian confession in this context for a double purpose. It places the Christian faith in a category that is incomparable to the general temple-worship scene in Corinth, and it reminds the “weak” believers that the so-called gods of the temples remain powerless. For Christian believers there is “but one ...

1032. Personal Rights and Christian Testimony

1 Corinthians 9:1-27

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Preben Vang

... 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 that free and wealthier Corinthians could claim were secured by a patron (ultimately Caesar in Rome), who in turn could demand loyalty (see “Grace and Patronage” in the introduction). Paul owes ...

1033. Unity and Community (Part 1)

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

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Preben Vang

... God who does not keep silent (Ps. 50:3). 12:3 no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed.”[5] The difficulty that the lack of a verb in Greek creates has resulted in a flurry of attempts to explain Paul’s double noun phrase “cursed Jesus” (anathema I?sous).[6] If Jesus is the object of the curse (“may a curse be placed on Jesus”), as most English translations prefer (see the NIV), only one option seems viable. Since it proves next to impossible to imagine one of the ...

1034. The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Revelation 1:1-3

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J. Scott Duvall

... prophets and apostles, especially centering on the gospel. 1:3 Blessed is the one . . . , and blessed are those. This is the first of seven beatitudes in the book of Revelation (1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14). In this case, we have a double blessing: (1) on the one who has the ability and courage to read aloud the book of Revelation to the gathered church, and (2) on those who gather to listen to its message and obey what they hear. In the first century, most people (as high as 85 percent of ...

1035. Message to Pergamum

Revelation 2:12-17

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J. Scott Duvall

... of good works (2:13) iv. Accusation related to sin (2:14–15) v. Exhortation and warning (2:16) vi. Admonition to listen (2:17a) vii. Promise to the overcomers (2:17b) Interpretive Insights 2:12 These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. The sharp sword typically symbolizes warfare or judgment. The sword comes out of Jesus’s mouth in 1:16; 2:16; 19:15, 21, indicating the power of his words to execute judgment on his enemies. The Roman government had the right to execute ...

1036. The Fifth Trumpet (First Woe)

Revelation 8:6--9:21

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J. Scott Duvall

... specific timing of the coming judgment. 9:16 The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number. John hears that the demonic cavalry will number “two myriads of myriads,” or twice 10,000 × 10,000 (double the number of angels worshiping in Rev. 5:11; cf. also Dan. 7:10). The figure communicates an “indefinite number of incalculable immensity.”1The standing Roman army at this time numbered around 150,000 with an auxiliary army of roughly the same size ...

1037. The Harvest of the Earth

Revelation 14:14-20

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J. Scott Duvall

... Joel passage is “the only OT passage where harvesting with a ‘sickle’ is spoken of figuratively.”[2] Elsewhere in Revelation we see two visions, where the second interprets the first (e.g., 7:1–17). If both visions here indicate judgment as I am suggesting, this doubling would point to the severity of the punishment. The judgment of 14:6–20 then stands in contrast to the fate of the righteous already established in 14:1–5 (note also the “Zion” theme in Joel 3:16–21; cf. 14:1). 14:17–18 ...

1038. God’s Judgment of Babylon Calls for Celebration

Revelation 19:1-10, Revelation 18:1-24

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J. Scott Duvall

... concern extends to all the works of his hand, humans and animals alike. We must wait for God to bring justice. Music: “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” by The Who. In this eardrum-smashing, throat-tearing anthem, The Who serve a double shot of cynical disillusionment. Verse by verse, the lyrics poke holes in the hope that “this revolution” will be “the revolution”—restoring hope, fulfilling promises, providing true justice. The song culminates with an invitation to “meet the new boss,” who is ...

1039. The New Heaven and New Earth

Revelation 21:1-27

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J. Scott Duvall

... as a transition between God’s final victory (19:6–20:15) and the new creation (21:1–22:5). Just as 20:4–10 and 20:11–15 provide two versions of the final judgment of the wicked, so 21:1–8 and 21:9–22:5 offer a double vision of the eternal state. More specifically, 21:1–8 encapsulates what will be explained in more glorious detail in 21:9–22:5: the new creation as the holy city (21:9–21), the temple (21:22–27), and the new Garden of Eden (22:1–5). This transition ...

1040. The Burnt Offering

Leviticus 1:1-17

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... All,” by J. W. Van DeVenter. This older hymn (1896) might be used in its beautiful rendition by the contemporary Christian artist CeCe Winans. We must seek God’s favor by giving him what he asks for. Literature: The Lost Princess: A Double Story, by George MacDonald. In this wise and convicting children’s story (first published in 1875 as The Wise Woman: A Parable), George MacDonald, a great British writer whose works influenced C. S. Lewis, shows the importance of following God’s commands. His ...

1041. Uncleanness Due to Childbirth

Leviticus 12:1-8

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... of his foreskin”) is to be circumcised. Mary carried this out for the baby Jesus (Luke 2:21). The woman remains unclean to a somewhat lesser degree an additional thirty-three days. If she has borne a girl, the mother’s uncleanness doubles to eighty days: two weeks of maximum uncleanness and sixty-six days of lesser uncleanness. The reason for the numbers “seven” and “forty” is not explained in the text, though a case can be made for their being numbers symbolizing wholeness/completeness. Seven ...

1042. Sexual Discharges

Leviticus 15:1-33

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... down,” related to the verb shakab (“lie down”) as a euphemism for sexual intercourse (see vv. 18, 24, 33), or it could refer to what is laid down, as in “a layer of dew” (Exod. 16:13–14). Perhaps it is a double entendre. A man who ejaculates apart from ordinary marital intercourse (e.g., after a nocturnal emission or masturbation) has minor uncleanness; he must bathe and launder affected clothes, and both he and his clothes are unclean until evening. Ordinary marital sexual intercourse also ...

1043. The Day of Atonement: Preparation

Leviticus 16:1-34

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... based on the meaning of kapporet’s root kapar, which in the Qal stem allegedly means “to cover.” However, this rendering is problematic. First, kapar probably means not “to cover” but instead “to daub with pitch” (koper) (Gen. 6:14). Second, the doubling of the middle consonant “p” in kipporet indicates that the noun is related to kipper, the Piel form of the root, not the Qal meaning. In the Piel kapar means specifically “to make atonement” rather than “to cover, apply pitch” (see ...

1044. Punishments for Sin

Leviticus 20:1-27

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... Insights 20:2–3 sacrifices . . . to Molek. On sacrifice to Molek, see comments at Leviticus 18:21. stone him . . . cut him off. Child sacrifice (see “Historical and Cultural Background” at Lev. 18:1–30 and comments at Lev. 18:21) is subject to a double penalty: stoning to death by the human community (v. 2) and being cut off from one’s people by God (v. 3). Cutting off (see “Additional Insights” following the unit on Lev. 6:8–7:38) involves something beyond stoning, such as termination of ...

1045. Portions for the Priests and the Levites

Numbers 18:8-32

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... The New Testament does not specifically command Christians to “tithe,” but it does indicate that ministers of the gospel should look to God for financial support through the people of God (1 Cor. 9:3–14). Ministers who preach and teach ought to receive “double honor”: the honor of respect and the honor of a financial honorarium (1 Tim. 5:17–18). Sometimes this is not possible, so ministers may, like Paul, have to resort to “tentmaking” (Acts 18:3) to support themselves while still engaged in ...

1046. Moses’s and Aaron’s Sin at Meribah

Numbers 20:1-13

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... rebels (Num. 20:24) in conjunction with using a symbol against rebellion. must we bring you water out of this rock? The “we” is a dreadful gaffe that contributes to God’s condemnation of Moses and Aaron (see v. 12). 20:11 struck the rock twice. The double striking of the rock reflects Moses’s anger and perhaps his unbelief (see v. 12). 20:12 you did not trust in me. Lack of faith may be indicated in Moses’s hitting the rock not once but “twice” (v. 11), suggesting doubt about whether God ...

1047. Immorality and Apostasy

Numbers 25:1-18

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... going to a Weight Watchers meeting each week is a way to keep commitment strong.” But imagine what it would do to a Weight Watchers meeting if someone came who not only had no intention of losing weight, but also insisted on eating a double cheeseburger, French fries, a jelly doughnut, and a milkshake right in front of the group. It would be totally inappropriate and disruptive. The offender probably would be asked to leave. Zimri was guilty of something similar in flagrantly and openly flouting the moral ...

1048. The Daughters of Zelophehad (Part 1)

Numbers 27:1-11

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... what comes before.3 The story of the daughters of Zelophehad is one story in two episodes separated for literary-structural reasons. Historical and Cultural Background By custom, only sons inherited property at their father’s death. Firstborn sons received a “double share” (Deut. 21:17)—that is, twice as much as any other brother. The same custom occurred in Assyria (Middle Assyrian Laws B ¶1). Girls typically received a portion of their father’s property before the father died through the gift ...

1049. Samuel Confronts the People

1 Samuel 12:1-25

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... Samuel’s description in 8:11–18. 12:14 If you fear the Lord and serve. The combination of the verbs “fear” and “serve” echoes the commands of Moses (Deut. 6:13; 10:20) and Joshua (Josh. 24:14). The words are repeated as a double command in verse 24, with added emphasis (see the note below). It is apparent that the Lord, despite granting Israel a king, remains sovereign over his covenant people and expects them to renew their covenantal allegiance to him. and do not rebel. This command recalls ...

1050. David on the Run

1 Sam 21:1–22:5

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... , dreadful news, and news that is to make the standing saint to take heed lest he fall. . . . I would not tempt him that stands to fall; but the good that a returning backslider has received at God’s hands, and at the hand of Christ, is a double good; he has been converted twice; fetched from the world and from the devil, and from himself twice (oh grace!), and has been made to know the stability of God’s covenant, the unchangeableness of God’s mind, the sure and lasting truth of his promise in Christ ...

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