Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1076 to 1100 of 1230 results

Exodus 27:20-21

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... and the tent of meeting. Exodus 28–30 describe Aaronic vestments, priestly ordination, and priestly service. Additional Notes 27:20 Some scholars have noted the lack of olive trees in Sinai and concluded that this is part of a later retrospective idealization (or pious fiction) of the wilderness tabernacle. It is possible that traders were a source of olives and other supplies. 27:21 This chapter describing the courtyard ends without mention of the bronze basin that stood between the bronze altar and ...

1077. The Offer of Life or Death

Deuteronomy 30:11-20

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... those things that the humble person does not bother with (Ps. 131:1) or that even the wise find beyond their understanding (Prov. 30:18). It is not, therefore, impossibly idealistic, impracticable, unachievable. We have noticed earlier the balance achieved between ideal standards and earthly realities. The idea that God deliberately made the law so exacting that nobody would ever be able to live by it belongs to a distorted theology that tries unnecessarily to gild the gospel by denigrating the law. The ...

1078. Allotment for Zebulun

Joshua 19:10-16

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

... the time of the book of Judges, which lists foreign populations living in tribal territories whom tribes must subjugate or in whose midst tribes must live. Judges 1:27–36 mentions unconquered populations in Canaan. By contrast, Joshua presents an ideal picture of tribal inheritances, including land not yet conquered. The lists in Joshua divide the land of Canaan and eliminate its gaps. Boundaries of the tribes coincide with those of Canaan. The lists in Joshua do not include topographical notes about ...

1079. Allotment for Issachar

Joshua 19:17-23

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

1080. Allotment for Asher

Joshua 19:24-31

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

1081. Allotment for Naphtali

Joshua 19:32-39

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

1082. Allotment for Dan

Joshua 19:40-48

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

1083. Elijah on Mount Carmel

1 Kings 18:16-46

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... 3:2–3). They are even more opposed to idolatry, however, and it is unlikely that in a context where Israel has given itself over to idolatry, they intend us to think critically of Elijah for acting thus. Centralization of the worship of the LORD is the ideal (cf. Deut. 12), but any worship of the LORD is better than worship of Baal. And the LORD removes the altar, of course, after it has served its purpose (v. 38)! It is interesting to note that “all Israel” is conceived in this passage, as earlier in ...

1084. Jeroboam II King of Israel

2 Kings 14:23-29

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... . 3:16; 12:3). This represents, not merely the restoration of all the territory in Transjordan captured by Hazael in 2 Kings 10:32–33, but the wholesale incorporation of Aram into his kingdom (cf. also Damascus and Hamath in v. 28), the re-establishment of the ideal borders of northern Israel as they had existed under Solomon (cf. 1 Kgs. 8:65). This is not because he is a good king (v. 24). It is, rather, because in this period immediately after Elisha’s death there is still deliverance to be found, in ...

1085. Azariah King of Judah

2 Kings 15:1-7

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

1086. The Temple Musicians

1 Chronicles 6:31-81

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... Chronicler, first, presents them as closely associated with the priestly lineage of Levi and, second, as already commissioned by David even before the temple in Jerusalem was built. By linking the cult singers so closely with both the ancestor Israel and the ideal King David, this writing firmly establishes their status. This might be an indication of how these temple musicians were regarded in the Chronicler’s days or, even more likely, of how the Chronicler wanted society to regard the musicians. 6:49 ...

1087. David's House and Family

1 Chronicles 14:1-7

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... fame spread throughout every land. His dealings with the Philistines exemplify his military power and therefore confirm that the LORD made all the nations fear him. These closing remarks append to the descriptions of the Deuteronomistic source text the Chronicler’s own ideological agenda, namely, to show David as the ideal king.

1088. David Defeats the Philistines

1 Chronicles 14:8-17

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... exemplify his military power and therefore confirm that the LORD made all the nations fear him. These closing remarks append to the descriptions of the Deuteronomistic source text the Chronicler’s own ideological agenda, namely, to show David as the ideal king. ADDITIONAL NOTES 14:12 The attentive reader would notice that, whereas 2 Sam. 5:21 mentions that “David and his men carried . . . off” the Philistine idols after the battle, the Chronicler’s text indicates that David gave orders to ...

1089. David's Psalm of Thanks

1 Chronicles 16:7-43

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... to the Chronicler’s narrative construction is the “covenant.” This concept plays a prominent role in the ark narrative. It is likewise prominent in particularly the first part of the composite psalm. A last theme is seeking Yahweh. For the Chronicler this concept expresses the ideal attitude toward Yahweh, and it leads to rest and peace. This theme is also prominent in the composite psalm (see, e.g., 16:10–11). My suggestion is that the singing of this psalm in the presence of the ark would be an ...

1090. Hezekiah Celebrates the Passover

2 Chronicles 30:1--31:1

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... Passover was celebrated as a national event during the time of Hezekiah. The king explicitly instructed and sent letters to the people from Beersheba to Dan (30:5) to come to Jerusalem for the celebration. In the end it seems that the ideal of an all-inclusive celebration was striven for, but this did not really materialize: people in Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun, . . . scorned and ridiculed the royal couriers. The lone exception: some men of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves (kana ...

1091. Completion and Dedication of the Temple

Ezra 6:13-18

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... Judeans were involved or some of the Yahweh-worshiping aliens of 4:2 or both; we shall revisit this issue in connection with chapter 8. They functioned like Rahab in the first occupation of the land long before (Josh. 2:9–14). The idealism of having the experience of foreign exile as a qualification for membership was tempered by the practicality of gaining adherents who espoused the community’s own uncompromising stand for orthodoxy. Nonetheless, there still stood out against the rest a group of former ...

1092. The Passover

Ezra 6:19-22

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

1093. A Prophecy Against Moab

Isaiah 15:1--16:14

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... Davidic king’s shadow follows. With more irony, Judah saw this as its own protection as it lived among the nations (Lam. 4:20), not vice versa. Sheltering the vulnerable and terminating oppression (vv. 3b–4) are further features of Judah’s royal ideal now put onto Moab’s lips. Love (v. 5) is the distinctive word khesed that suggests the steadfast commitment that one person will sometimes show to another whether or not they are obliged to do so. Faithfulness is ’emeth, which, like khesed, is ...

1094. Sin, Confession and Redemption

Isaiah 59:1-21

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... however, prove to be a false antithesis insofar as the prophet stands for the people. Yahweh’s breath is on the prophet, and Yahweh’s words are in the prophet’s mouth. The first expression reflects the description of the promised king, the renewed community, and the ideal servant in 11:2; 32:15; 42:1 and 44:3. It thus suggests, on one hand, the promise of wisdom and the role of the servant. On the other hand, it suggests the way this clothing with Yahweh’s wisdom (like the designation as servant) is ...

1095. Who Is This Man?

Matthew 16:13-20

Sermon

King Duncan

... God.” The question that confronts you and me today is the same one that confronted those early disciples. Who do you say Jesus Christ is? Opinions vary. For some people he is an example of the best of what it means to be human. He’s the ideal person for us to emulate. He is the model for what we all should be. Haddon Robinson, in his book What Jesus Said, notes that after World War I, General Pershing planned a series of victory parades through many European capitals. He needed 27,000 soldiers to march ...

1096. Tangled Up in the Vines

John 15:1-8

Sermon

John Jamison

... , and since most folks back then were familiar with vineyards, they got to the point quickly. In chapter 5 of Isaiah, the prophet told a story about someone who built a beautiful vineyard on a fertile hill, doing everything needed to create an ideal setting for the vines. But the vineyard failed. The owner said, “When I expected it to yield domestic grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?” He then tore down the protective wall and hedge, let the vineyard become overgrown with briars, and commanded ...

1097. A Divided Family

Mark 3:20-25

Sermon

King Duncan

... life. Think of the stories that grace its pages--Cain and Abel, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers, Think of the troubled marriages--Abraham and Sarah, Hosea and Gomer, David and his many wives. It is very difficult to find an example of an ideal family in the pages of the Bible. However, all that changed with the coming of Jesus. That’s one reason Christians made such an impact on the society of their time. In spite of some of Jesus’ rather radical teachings, the early Christian community took ...

1098. You Are What You Eat

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Sermon

Rick McCracken-Bennett

... aggressive, and serviceable citizenship. To provide, through Kiwanis clubs, a practical means to form enduring friendships, to render altruistic service, and to build better communities. To cooperate in creating and maintaining that sound public opinion and high idealism which make possible the increase of righteousness, justice, patriotism, and goodwill.[1] The Lions Club holds as its core values that of integrity, accountability, teamwork, and excellence.[2] Along with their motto, We Serve, these values ...

1099. Why Bother?

Mark 12:38-44

Sermon

April Yamasaki

... kids seemed so bored, so unresponsive," he says about his practice teaching this past year. "I wonder if my work will make any difference in their lives at all?" A social worker has been at her job for a number of years. She began her work with high ideals of what she could accomplish to address some of the painful situations she saw around her. But in her small town alone, she soon found that there were far more needy people than she could serve. On top of that, she discovered that she would normally see ...

1100. How Angry Are You?

Luke 4:21-30

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

... in our desire for a good and whole life of love. The “chariot” of the Christian life is moving toward a goal, and that goal is the love of God, love of neighbor, and proper love of self. In this metaphor, the charioteer is reason. In ideal circumstances, reason is directing, controlling, driving the good energies of anger and desire. This balanced understanding of anger as part of the creative tension of the moral life helps us to embrace the many stories of Jesus that seem to include his authentic and ...

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