Sermon and Worship Resources

Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on

Showing 1176 to 1200 of 2844 results

1176. 2 Timothy 2:8-15

2 Timothy 1:1-2:13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

It is the opening line nobody ever wants to hear: “Which do you want first, the good news or the bad news?” The good news is that there is some gloriously good news. The bad news is that some genuinely bad news goes along for the ride. That is the good-news/bad-news message brought by Paul in this week’s epistle text. The apostle both prepares his protégée for what he might expect, and encourages Timothy, and future generations of Jesus followers, to persevere. At the beginning of this section of his ...

1177. Can You Hear the Music?

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Who doesn’t like an “attaboy!” when they do something good? It’s why we have “honor society” in school. It is the reason we have scholarship awards as we head into college. “Attaboy!” stands behind all those accolades high achievers get throughout life — Rhode’s scholarships, purple hearts, Silver stars, gold statues, merit raises for school teachers, making partner in a big firm, getting re-elected (in any organization, at any level). “Attaboys!” reward the gracious, good, above-and-beyond behaviors we ...

1178. The Life of Your Table?

Luke 24:13-35

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

How many of you here this morning remember “Stone Soup”? No, I don’t mean the magazine. No, I don’t mean the recipe. I mean the story. “Stone Soup” is an old folk-tale, told and re-told with slightly different details in dozens of countries and cultures. In case you’ve forgotten it is a fable that focuses on the ingenuity of some weary travelers who arrive at a small village with nothing. No food, no money, nothing. All they have is a large cooking pot. The travelers are met with suspicion and surliness ...

1179. About that Salesman

Matthew 23:1-39

Sermon

King Duncan

How many of you have ever tried to sell anything? Would I be wrong if I said that, at some time or another, every one of us has tried to sell something? It may be no more complicated than trying to sell your toddler on the idea that vegetables really do taste good. O.K., you’re still trying to sell your teenager or your husband on the idea that vegetables really do taste good. But all of us have been sales people at some time or another. Selling is truly our oldest profession. Remember the serpent ...

1180. A Reminder to God...and to Us

Genesis 9:1-17

Sermon

King Duncan

Last April a 9-year-old African-American lad named Willie was kidnapped from his driveway in Atlanta, Georgia. After the man grabbed him, Willie explained later, and threw him in the back of his car, Willie just kept “praising God” with a song he learned in Sunday school. It was a song by Hezekiah Walker titled “Every Praise.” While he was singing, Willie said, his kidnapper yelled expletives at him. “He told me, shut up you [blankety-blank] boy,” said Willie. Willie, however, kept singing until his ...

1181. An Annual Reminder

John 20:1-9

Sermon

David J. Kalas

In the opening verse of our passage from the epistles, the apostle Paul writes, “Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news....” That might well also be the opening line of our sermons this Sunday. After all, it is Easter. The calendar compels us to return to the foundation and the heart of the gospel message. And the people who will fill our pews this Sunday — some of them barely familiar to us since we last saw them on Christmas Eve — already know what we’re going to tell them. I ...

1182. Shockproof

Ephesians 4:17--5:21

Sermon

James Merritt

Dawn Smith Jordan was selected Miss South Carolina in 1986 and was the second runner up to Miss America that year. An event took place the year before that caused an emotional and spiritual earthquake in her life that shook her to the very core of her being. On May 31, 1985, her 17-year-old sister, Sherrie, was kidnapped while walking from her car to the mailbox. She was just two days from her high school graduation. They didn’t hear anything for a few days and then they received a letter in the mail from ...

1183. About Getting Drunk

Ephesians 5:15-20

Sermon

King Duncan

A juggler, driving to his next performance, is stopped by a traffic cop. “What are these matches and lighter fluid doing in your car?” asks the officer. Was he a potential arsonist, thought the officer or, even worse, a terrorist? “I’m a juggler,” the driver answered, “and I juggle flaming torches in my act.” “Oh yeah?” says the doubtful cop. “Let’s see you do it.” The juggler gets out and starts juggling the blazing torches masterfully. A couple driving by slow down to watch. “Wow,” says the driver to his ...

1184. Shake the Taters

Humor Illustration

Michael P. Green

A farmer was sitting on the porch of his house when a stranger came by and asked, “How’s things?” “Tolerable,” came the reply. He continued, “Two weeks ago a tornado came along and knocked down all the trees I would have had to chop down for this winter’s firewood. Then last week lightning struck the brush I had planned to burn to clear the fields for planting.” The stranger responded, “That’s remarkable, what are you doing now?” The farmer answered, “Waiting for an earthquake to come along and shake the ...

1185. Through Macedonia and Greece

Acts 20:1-6

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

20:1a It would appear that soon after the silversmiths’ riot Paul departed Ephesus for Macedonia. The words of encouragement that he addressed to the believers before going may have been along the same lines as those he spoke to their leaders a few months later (vv. 17–35). He had already “decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia” (19:21), but he may have set out sooner than intended, partly because of the riot, partly because of his anxiety over the situation in Corinth. These had ...

1186. Paul the Preacher to the Gentiles

Ephesians 3:1-13

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

Paul and the Mission to the Gentiles When the apostle completed his section on the spiritual blessings in Christ (1:3–14), he proceeded to offer a prayer of thanksgiving and petition (1:15–23). After this theological discussion in 2:1–22, it appears that he is once again ready to turn to prayer because the statement, “For this reason” (3:1), refers to what he has just said; furthermore, the actual prayer in 3:14ff. appears to relate to this section and would be a fitting climax to the thoughts that he has ...

1187. Paul’s Request for Onesimus

Philemon 1:8-25

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

Now that Paul has sufficiently commended Philemon for his exemplary Christian life, he moves to the heart of his request regarding Onesimus. In one way, Paul gives the impression that he is “shadow boxing,” that is, skirting around the real issue and not confronting Philemon directly. But Paul’s strategy is determined by two factors: First, he needs to move very carefully and weigh every word. After all, a request to reinstate a runaway slave was quite unusual in the first century. According to Roman law, ...

1188. A Call to Persevere

Jude 1:17-25

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

Peril Foretold by Apostles 17 Jude now turns from his series of illustrations provided by OT types and prophecies (vv. 5–16) to remind his readers of a much more contemporary voice. They are urged not only to recall what the inspired writers of earlier centuries have foretold, but to remember that in their own day the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ have warned of the rise of false teachers. The constantly needed admonition to remember is frequently repeated in the Scriptures. Forgetfulness of divine ...

1189. Samson’s Marriage

Judges 14:1-20

Understanding Series

Cheryl A. Brown

Samson’s First Encounter with a “Foreign Woman”: After the dazzling introduction of this wonder-man in Judges 13, we anticipate seeing him in action. He was grown, the Spirit was stirring him, the Israelites had been in bondage to the Philistines for forty years. Surely it was time for some action. We want to see what he can do, and we know that the stage is set for the performance. That is why Samson’s first moves are so surprising, and frankly, disappointing. We expected a little more than a spoiled brat ...

1190. Bread Upon the Water

Ecclesiastes 9:13--12:8

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Huwiler

Wisdom and Folly: The section is a loosely woven collection of vignettes and sayings, punctuated by phrases characteristic of Qohelet’s own voice. It is difficult to break it into segments because the themes of randomness, social order, wisdom and folly, and language overlap and sometimes clash. The reader may find it difficult to follow a coherent line of reasoning. The overarching theme is that of living in an unpredictable world, and the section moves from random disaster (9:11–12) to random success (11 ...

1191. The Fall of Jerusalem

Jeremiah 52:1-30, Jeremiah 52:31-34

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

The Fall of Jerusalem: By placing the description of the fall of Jerusalem after the oracles against the foreign nations and as last in the canonical book, the editor reminds the reader of what is of first order importance in the book. Yes, Babylon and the other foreign nations will get what they deserve, but Judah deserves its punishment as well. The description of the fall of Jerusalem also is a way of showing how Jeremiah’s earlier prophetic words did come to pass. It is Jeremiah not the false prophets ...

1192. Judgment of Israel's Neighbors

Amos 1:1-2:5

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

The Superscription (1:1): 1:1 Amos is introduced to us by a number of editors, probably from Judah, who have, over a period of time, formulated the superscription as we now have it. Probably the original heading of the book read something like, “The words of Amos from Tekoa.” The NIV mistakenly connects the shepherds with Tekoa, but of Tekoa modifies Amos, and the reference to the shepherds simply states Amos’s occupation. The facts that the reign of Jeroboam II of Israel is synchronized with that of ...

1193. Christ the King

Colossians 1:13

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

Object: A map Boy and girls: Imagine a world without roads. This road map is just filled with lines. What are each of them? That's right roads. We would be in trouble, wouldn't we? Two hundred years ago there were no roads in much of our country, particularly west of the Mississippi. I heard about a farmer who decided to do something about that. He decided to begin a road from his little town to the state capitol. He started this grand project even though the state capitol was 100 miles away. How did he do ...

1194. Pilate and the Condemnation of Jesus

John 18:28-40, John 19:1-16

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The sentencing of Jesus to death takes place within the framework of a series of exchanges between the Roman governor Pilate and the Jewish religious authorities. The time is from early morning (18:28) to noon (19:14) of the day after Jesus’ arrest. The structure of the narrative is determined by the fact that the Jewish authorities, for reasons of ritual purity, would not go inside the palace that served as Pilate’s headquarters (v. 28). Contact with the dwelling of a Gentile—even a temporary dwelling, ...

1195. Timothy and Epaphroditus

Philippians 2:19-30

Understanding Series

F. F. Bruce

Timothy’s Forthcoming Visit In 2:19–30 we have a section that has been called the “apostolic parousia” or “travelogue.” Paul announces his intention of paying his readers a visit before long (v. 24) but plans to send Timothy in advance of himself. 2:19 I hope in the Lord Jesus, in which “in the Lord Jesus” may have the same “incorporative” force as similar phrases with “in” have elsewhere in Paul (cf. 1:14, 26). Paul and Timothy, as fellow Christians, participate in the risen life of Christ. Their hopes ...

1196. The Table of Nations

Genesis 10:1-32

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

The Table of Nations: The Table of Nations presents a geographic picture of the nations as they occupied the earth at the end of the primeval age. The peoples, all descended from Noah, were divided into three major groups according to their lineage from each of Noah’s sons. The geography in this table covers parts of Asia, Europe, and Africa, from the Iranian plateau in the east to the Mediterranean coastlands in the west, from the Black Sea in the north to Somalia in Africa. The locus is Canaan, the ...

1197. The Death of Sarah

Genesis 23:1-20

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Abraham Purchases the Cave of Machpelah: In the preceding episode Abraham reached the pinnacle of his journey with God by proving his complete obedience to God even in regard to his beloved son (ch. 22). Before his death he faces two more basic issues: the burial of Sarah and finding a wife for Isaac. In this chapter, Abraham deals with the first of these. This account consists of the report of Sarah’s death (vv. 1–2), the negotiations for the purchase of a lot (vv. 3–16), and Abraham’s taking ownership of ...

1198. Isaac and Rebekah

Genesis 24:1-67

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Finding a Wife for Isaac: Abraham’s last major responsibility in light of God’s promises is to find a wife for Isaac. Otherwise the promise of numerous offspring will perish for lack of an heir. The text does not address why Abraham waited so long to fulfill this responsibility. Abraham commissions his most trusted senior servant to travel to Haran to find a wife for his son. In order to preserve the integrity of his offspring, this wife must come from the line of Terah. The servant is confident that he ...

1199. The Second Journey to Egypt

Genesis 43:1-34

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Jacob’s Sons Return to Egypt: With the supplies of grain almost gone, Jacob finally accepts the reality that his sons must return to Egypt to buy more grain. After they arrive in Egypt, Joseph orchestrates a sequence of incidents that moves to the climactic moment when he makes himself known to his brothers. This, one of the most powerful accounts in history, has seven scenes. Jacob’s family discusses the need to return to Egypt (43:1–14). When they arrive in Egypt, the brothers attempt to return the money ...

1200. Hearing and Responding

Luke 8:19-21, Luke 8:16-18, Luke 8:1-15

Teach the Text

R.T. France

Big Idea: When God’s word is proclaimed, there are different levels of response, ranging from those who take no notice to those whose lives are transformed. Understanding the Text At the heart of Jesus’s mission as announced in 4:14–21 is teaching and the proclamation of good news. We have had an important section of his teaching in 6:20–49, which concluded with trenchant comments on the importance of putting into practice what is heard—a theme that runs through this whole section. Since then, Jesus has ...

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