Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 101 to 125 of 164 results

2 Corinthians 8:16--9:5, 2 Corinthians 8:1-15, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... will of God” (1 Cor. 1:1; 2 Cor. 1:1). Indeed, as we have seen, there is a connection between the official recognition of Paul’s God-given apostleship and the collection (cf. Gal. 2:9–10). 8:6 The apostle uses the Macedonians’ exemplary attitude and behavior toward the collection in order to spur on the Corinthians’ participation in the campaign. Titus is the one who had recently carried the tearful letter to Corinth and had brought back news to Paul of the Corinthians’ repentance. Now the same ...

102. Freedom In Christ

Galatians 5:1-15, Galatians 5:16-26

Understanding Series

L. Ann Jervis

... approach common to persuasive speech—friendship through shared antipathy. Paul places himself and the Galatians in one camp against an opposition seeking to separate the Galatians from their goal. Paul affirms that in the past his readers were heading toward the goal in exemplary fashion—you were running a good race. They had been obeying the truth. The sense conveyed by the word “obey” is of having accepted a way of life and been willing to be shaped by it. But someone has stepped into their path ...

103. Further Instructions

Colossians 4:2-6

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... this congregation—for their commitment, maturity, and obedience to the gospel. Second, they provide valuable historical insight on Paul’s co-workers and their relationship to the Colossian church. The personal kinship and support that Paul shows for these “fellow servants” is exemplary of his capacity to love people and to recognize the contribution that they make to his life and the Lord’s work. These verses, along with Romans 16:1–24, are a helpful commentary on how God used a number of people ...

104. 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 ...

105. Taming the Tongue

James 3:1-12, James 3:13-18

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

... by how they lived (Matt. 7:15–23). James is applying his master’s teaching. Lifestyle was absolutely critical for the early church. Elders were primarily examples (1 Pet. 5:3; 1 Tim. 4:12; 2 Tim. 3:10–11), secondarily teachers: Their qualifications stress their exemplary lives and only mention their teaching ability as one item among many (1 Tim. 3; Titus 1). Lifestyle was an important witness as well (1 Pet. 2:12; 3:2, 16), for if it did not succeed in converting, it at least removed the excuses from ...

106. Praying for Endurance and Healing

James 4:13-17, James 5:1-6, James 5:7-12, James 5:13-20

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

... —and that is exactly the problem James has with these plans: There is absolutely nothing about their desires for the future, their use of money, or their way of doing business that is any different from the rest of the world. Their worship may be exemplary, their personal morality, impeccable; but when it comes to business they think entirely on a worldly plane. 4:14 In contrast to the secure rationality of their plans stands the insecurity of life: Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. In ...

107. To Elders and Young Men

1 Peter 5:1-11

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... . In the nature of the case, of course, the latter meaning will often include the former. Hints of the function of elders can be gleaned from verses 2–3. Their duties include leading and pastoring church members, taking financial responsibility, and living exemplary lives that match up to Christian teaching. With many of the first believers coming from a background of Judaism, it would be natural for the early churches to be organized on the well-established model found in the Diaspora, Jewish settlements ...

108. Water from the Rock

Exodus 17:1-7

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... the rock at Horeb (v. 6). They were in the shadow of Mt. Sinai. Numbers 10–36 will report the longer journey after Sinai, where they will return to Rephidim, renamed Meribah (Num. 20). Unlike the incident in Numbers, here Moses’ leadership was exemplary. At Rephidim, water from the rock and the Amalekites’ attack complete the structure of the Exodus journeys (see chiastic structure discussed in §18). 17:1–7 The people tested the Lord, raising their grumbling to a new level of mistrust. As at Marah ...

109. The Birth of Samson

Judges 13:1-25

Understanding Series

Cheryl A. Brown

... that most do ignore it is the fact that few sermons are preached on every verse in Judges 13–16. Small wonder. Samson does not conform to our idea of how a biblical hero should act. This arrogant, duplicitous, womanizing trickster is hardly an exemplary model of biblical morality. Moreover, his story itself, on the whole, does not follow the familiar pattern we have come to expect in the book of Judges. Samson was born under supernatural circumstances, his advent heralded by the angel of the Lord. He was ...

110. Samson’s Marriage

Judges 14:1-20

Understanding Series

Cheryl A. Brown

... of its prototype, the Israelites’ going down into Egypt (Genesis 42–46), leaving the land of God’s covenant promise and hence abandoning the covenant it represented. So Samson’s “going down” communicates subtly yet clearly that his actions were less than exemplary. 14:1–4 In biblical literature, a figure’s first words and first actions are always significant, for they reveal one’s character. The is true of Samson, whose first actions were revealing: he went down to Timnah and saw there a ...

111. Israel's Sons

1 Chronicles 2:1-55

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... his wife, and Perez and Zerah being the twin sons of Tamar, Judah’s daughter-in-law. Behind this short summary of Judah’s sons is, of course, the very enigmatic narrative in Genesis 38. It tells the story—amid the narrative of the highly exemplary other son of Israel, Joseph (Gen. 37–50)—of this ancestor who fathered twin brothers from his daughter-in-law, Tamar. This happened after the ancestor did not satisfy her legal rights, and she thus disguised herself as a prostitute to claim those rights ...

112. Abijah King of Judah

1 Kings 15:1-8

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... mother (cf. the additional note on 15:10) who had made a repulsive object of uncertain character for Asherah (v. 13) He did not remove (Hb. swr) the high places and focus his reformed worship only on the temple in Jerusalem, but otherwise he was exemplary in his religious policy. He reminds us of Solomon in his earlier period, unwisely failing to intervene to end worship at the local sanctuaries (3:2–3), yet faithful enough to bring into the temple of the LORD the silver and gold and the articles ...

113. Sermon on the Mount: Jesus Teaches on the Torah

Matthew 5:17-48

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... the Torah. They worked to keep in their everyday life the purity laws required for participation at the temple. In this way, their practices were often more strict than practices of other Jewish sects. In Matthew, however, the Pharisees are not portrayed as exemplary in Torah obedience. Instead, Jesus critiques them for disobedience to the Torah (15:3–6; 23:3, 23). So Jesus’ disciples are called not to an impossible ethic, but rather to a covenant loyalty that revolves around the central values of the ...

114. Sermon on the Mount: Allegiance and Trust

Matthew 6:19-24, Matthew 6:25-34

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... more times in Matthew (8:26; 14:31; 16:8; 17:20). The twelve disciples are portrayed as having little faith, as distinct from those in Matthew who lack faith (the Jewish leaders and Jesus’ hometown) and those who seek healing from Jesus and who show exemplary faith and even great faith (e.g., 8:10; 9:2, 22, 29; 15:28). “Little faith” is defined narratively by worry and fear (6:30; 8:26), wavering doubt (14:31), lack of understanding (16:8), and inability to do what Jesus has empowered his disciples ...

115. The Disciples’ Insufficient Faith to Heal as Jesus Heals

Matthew 17:14-23, Matthew 17:24-27

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... 6–9. Teaching the Text 1. Matthew, drawing on the picture of the disciples as those of little faith, encourages his readers to trust fully in Jesus and his authority for doing what he has called them to do. By providing the disciples as a foil for exemplary or even adequate faith, Matthew implicitly calls his readers to trust Jesus and his power. In this passage the disciples fall short of trusting Jesus for the power to fulfill the mission that he has already given to them (10:1). Matthew’s readers are ...

116. The Resurrected Jesus Is Vindicated by God and Given All Authority

Matthew 28:1-10, Matthew 28:11-15, Matthew 28:16-20

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... disciples’ characterization as those of “little faith,” since the only other occurrence of the word occurs at 14:31, where it is defined by “little faith” (oligopistos). Even in this climactic scene of Matthew’s Gospel, the disciples are not those of exemplary faith, but they do rightly worship Jesus (cf. 14:33). By portraying the disciples in worship here, Matthew begins and ends his narrative with people worshiping Jesus (2:2, 11). 28:18 All authority in heaven and on earth has been given ...

117. “Love Your Neighbor”

Luke 10:25-37

Teach the Text

R.T. France

... the bandits might still be lurking nearby. 10:32 So too, a Levite. This person is a temple helper, thus a lesser personage than a priest, but also perhaps concerned with ritual purity. Both priest and Levite represent the pious elite from whom exemplary behavior might be expected. 10:33 But a Samaritan. A Jewish audience, having heard Jesus poke fun at the religious professionals, would expect the next character to be a Jewish layman or local rabbi, whose more humane response would put the priest and ...

118. Lessons in Discipleship

Luke 17:11-19, Luke 17:1-10

Teach the Text

R.T. France

... to parables at the beginning of chapter 18. But in this section we find four separate units of teaching (17:1–2, 3–4, 5–6, 7–10), loosely connected in that all relate to the nature and demands of discipleship, followed by a brief exemplary story. The story involves a Samaritan, whose action, like that of the good Samaritan in 10:30–37, shows up the failure of the Jews in the story and so reinforces Luke’s insistent challenge to accepted social conventions. Historical and Cultural Background For ...

119. David the Conqueror

2 Sam 5:6-25

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... failed to take the Jebusite stronghold in Jerusalem, but now David conquers it and builds a palace there, thus declaring, “This city now belongs to Israel.” His desire to obey the Lord’s ancient command regarding the conquest of the land is exemplary. The Lord honors David with his enabling presence and secures his reign, for David’s actions are consistent with God’s goal of establishing his kingdom on earth. Surely today God’s chosen servants do not promote God’s kingdom by fighting wars ...

120. Disrespect Can Be Deadly

1 Sam 2:12-36

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... that the narrator of 1 Kings, by drawing attention to the fulfillment of the prophecy (cf. 2:27), is trying to absolve the house of David of any wrongdoing in the matter. Interpretive Insights 2:12 scoundrels. In contrast to Hannah, whose trust in the Lord is exemplary, Eli’s sons are depicted as those who dishonor God. Earlier Hannah pleads with Eli not to regard her as “wicked” (1:16), the same Hebrew word used of Eli’s sons in 2:12. Eli’s harsh initial response to her (1:14) suggests that he ...

121. David’s Faith Ignites a Victory

1 Samuel 17:1-58

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... need to embrace as they look ahead to what must appear to be an uncertain future (see Isa. 40). Teaching the Text 1. The Lord’s power is determinative in battle, and faith in that power can be the catalyst for victory. David’s faith is exemplary. In the face of a physically imposing, seemingly invincible enemy, he refuses to focus on what he hears and sees on the battlefield. He places his faith in the living God, who has proved himself trustworthy in David’s experience. As frail human beings, who are ...

122. Escaping a Tangled Web

1 Samuel 30:1-31, 1 Samuel 29:1-11

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... either case, his mercy is apparent. 2. In times of crisis the Lord’s chosen servants should look to him for security. As in chapters 21–23, we see the stark contrast between the desperate David, who seeks refuge with Achish, and the exemplary David, who seeks the Lord’s guidance and protection. Before Achish, David is a pretender who resorts to extreme deceit to stay alive. On both occasions God, speaking through the Philistines, confronts David with who he really is and then providentially causes the ...

123. Eliphaz

Job 4:1-5:27

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... the general pattern of retribution that he has observed is a necessary absolute law in God’s moral order. He fails to realize that there is relevant information about Job that is beyond his observation. Because the reader already knows about the exemplary character of Job and the conversation between Yahweh and the adversary in the prologue, it is apparent that Eliphaz’s conclusion about Job is flawed. By misjudging Job, Eliphaz only adds to his friend’s pain. In order to substantiate his conclusion ...

124. Job Feels Both Confidence and Terror

Job 23:1--24:25

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... , so it is not likely that he here is referring to God’s process of refining impurity out of his life. Rather, what God is doing through this intense adversity will demonstrate that Job’s character has been gold all along. Through this painful experience, the exemplary quality of Job’s character, which has been in dispute, will be recognized. This, then, is not refining that will make Job into gold, but it is an evaluation that will reveal that Job already is gold in God’s eyes. 23:11 I have kept ...

125. “Show Me Your Ways, Lord”

Psalm 25:1-22

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... , the Teacher is obviously Yahweh, and the psalm gives us a “bio” that informs us of his character: he is good (25:7, 8) and loving (25:6). So we should expect his instruction to reflect his character (25:10), and with this exemplary character, there should be no reluctance to listen to and follow his instruction. This imagery of the good Teacher who designs his curriculum by his gracious and merciful character provides the kind of “classroom” experience every student needs. Second, the Teacher’s ...

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