Sermon and Worship Resources

2 Kings 19:1-13

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

The Assyrian Assault on Judah: The second David has arrived. He has reformed Judean worship according to Mosaic law, casting off foreign influence and domination. We wait to see what will happen when the king of Assyria tries to take the kind of vengeance on Judah that he has just inflicted upon Israel. 18:13–16 The beginning of the Assyrian assault is reported in verses 13–16, as a new king (Sennacherib) attacks all the fortified cities and captures them. This is not a very promising beginning. It seems ...

102. Hezekiah's Prayer

2 Kings 19:14-19

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

The Assyrian Assault on Judah: The second David has arrived. He has reformed Judean worship according to Mosaic law, casting off foreign influence and domination. We wait to see what will happen when the king of Assyria tries to take the kind of vengeance on Judah that he has just inflicted upon Israel. 18:13–16 The beginning of the Assyrian assault is reported in verses 13–16, as a new king (Sennacherib) attacks all the fortified cities and captures them. This is not a very promising beginning. It seems ...

103. Isaiah Prophesies Sennacherib’s Fall

2 Kings 19:20-37

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

The Assyrian Assault on Judah: The second David has arrived. He has reformed Judean worship according to Mosaic law, casting off foreign influence and domination. We wait to see what will happen when the king of Assyria tries to take the kind of vengeance on Judah that he has just inflicted upon Israel. 18:13–16 The beginning of the Assyrian assault is reported in verses 13–16, as a new king (Sennacherib) attacks all the fortified cities and captures them. This is not a very promising beginning. It seems ...

104. Christ, Our King

John 18:33-37

Sermon

Thomas C. Willadsen

Today is the last day of the church year. The church year starts four Sundays before Christmas, so next week when I wish you all a happy new year, I hope to get a better response than blank stares. The last Sunday of the church is called both “Christ the King” Sunday, and “Reign of Christ” Sunday. This festival goes all the way back to 1925, when Pope Pius XI added it to the calendar. It was set as the last Sunday of the church year in 1970. When I learned this I was a little surprised. I love looking into ...

105. Finding the Sermon

Luke 2:41-52

Sermon

John B. Jamison

We are going to do things a little differently today. Instead of me just preaching you a sermon, we are going to see if we can find the sermon that is hidden inside today’s passage of scripture. I think there are a lot of different messages in this story about the young boy Jesus, and maybe we can sort through them and find the one that speaks to us best today. The story tells us one of the few things we know about Jesus as a young boy. He and his family had gone to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, ...

106. Standing Firm

Philippians 3:17-4:1

Sermon

Bonnie Bates

The call of Paul in this letter is to stand firm in the Lord, to not falter, to not align our minds on our earthly life but focus on the eternal life to come. Sounds like a big task, doesn’t it? I woke up hearing the words sung by Sidewalk Prophets, but I was remembering the first words of the refrain as “stand firm in the Lord.” You should look up the beautiful lyrics online. As I had been thinking about the title I had given for this message, I wondered about the emotions Paul was feeling in this letter ...

107. The Great Reveal

Luke 4:14-21

Sermon

Lori Wagner

In the last two weeks, we’ve followed Jesus as his ministry is getting underway. We experienced his baptism in which the Holy Spirit surrounded and affirmed him and his messianic identity. We saw him turn water into wine, illuminating his identity as Holy Bridegroom and prophetic messiah who will inaugurate the fulfillment of God’s abundant promise. Now in our scripture for today, we see Jesus formally announcing his mission –God’s mission – a proclamation that the time of God’s fulfillment had come and ...

108. Restitution for Wrongs

Numbers 5:5-10

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... will swell and her thigh waste away. If not guilty, the woman will be cleared and able to have children. 5:29–31 These verses contain a sort of postscript, the law for a husband’s jealousy, which summarizes the section in characteristic Priestly style. The husband is declared innocent of any wrongdoing, but the woman will bear the consequences of her sin. Verses 11–31 will seem odd to modern readers for a number of reasons. The ordeal procedure itself seems almost magical. Such customs were ancient ...

109. The Test for an Unfaithful Wife

Numbers 5:11-31

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... will swell and her thigh waste away. If not guilty, the woman will be cleared and able to have children. 5:29–31 These verses contain a sort of postscript, the law for a husband’s jealousy, which summarizes the section in characteristic Priestly style. The husband is declared innocent of any wrongdoing, but the woman will bear the consequences of her sin. Verses 11–31 will seem odd to modern readers for a number of reasons. The ordeal procedure itself seems almost magical. Such customs were ancient ...

110. David at Gath

1 Samuel 21:10-15

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

David’s Flight – The Priests at Nob: 21:1–9 Having accepted that Saul’s enmity was fixed and that exile was the only option, David sought initial supplies from the priest at Nob. Ahimelech’s wariness on David’s arrival may have reflected an awareness of Saul’s antipathy toward David and a fear of getting involved in a power dispute. However, it is equally possible that Ahimelech’s expression of ignorance in 22:14–15 was the truth and his fear was that David would bring Philistine troops in his wake. David’ ...

111. David at Adullam and Mizpah

1 Samuel 22:1-5

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

David’s Flight – The Priests at Nob: 21:1–9 Having accepted that Saul’s enmity was fixed and that exile was the only option, David sought initial supplies from the priest at Nob. Ahimelech’s wariness on David’s arrival may have reflected an awareness of Saul’s antipathy toward David and a fear of getting involved in a power dispute. However, it is equally possible that Ahimelech’s expression of ignorance in 22:14–15 was the truth and his fear was that David would bring Philistine troops in his wake. David’ ...

112. Christ, Our King

John 18:33-37

Sermon

Thomas C. Willadsen

Today is the last day of the church year. The church year starts four Sundays before Christmas, so next week when I wish you all a happy new year, I hope to get a better response than blank stares. The last Sunday of the church is called both “Christ the King” Sunday, and “Reign of Christ” Sunday. This festival goes all the way back to 1925, when Pope Pius XI added it to the calendar. It was set as the last Sunday of the church year in 1970. When I learned this I was a little surprised. I love looking into ...

113. War Between the Houses of David and Saul

2 Samuel 2:8-3:5

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

David’s Rise to Power Begins: Chronicles, which is primarily concerned with the history of the house of David, gives little detail about the reign of Saul. First Chronicles 10 records Saul’s death in the same form as 1 Samuel 31 but with the addition of a negative summary of Saul’s reign. Chapter 11 of 1 Chronicles then moves to the meeting of the whole nation with David at Hebron that is described in 2 Samuel 5:1. The pains and struggles that accompanied the birth of David’s reign and the role of Ish- ...

114. David Conquers Jerusalem

2 Samuel 5:6-16

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

Confirmation and Consolidation: 5:1–5 This section provides an editorial summary of what may have been protracted and at times tense negotiations. The delay between Ish-Bosheth’s death and David’s enthronement over Israel is not known. It was seven years and six months before the capital was moved to Jerusalem, and verse 5 could imply that the two events were simultaneous. However, although it is likely that the negotiations took longer than they would have if Ish-Bosheth had lived, it is unlikely that ...

115. David Defeats the Philistines

2 Samuel 5:17-25

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

Confirmation and Consolidation: 5:1–5 This section provides an editorial summary of what may have been protracted and at times tense negotiations. The delay between Ish-Bosheth’s death and David’s enthronement over Israel is not known. It was seven years and six months before the capital was moved to Jerusalem, and verse 5 could imply that the two events were simultaneous. However, although it is likely that the negotiations took longer than they would have if Ish-Bosheth had lived, it is unlikely that ...

116. David Mourns

2 Sam 18:19–19:8

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

Absalom’s Defeat: 18:1–5 David’s forces may have been more limited than he had been used to in recent times, but he and Joab were skilled in making the most of limited resources and in fighting battles where they were outnumbered. The description of his army’s structure leaves the impression that these are well-organized professional forces, as opposed to Absalom’s perhaps more haphazard arrangements. We are given only an outline, but the campaign appears to have been well-organized. David intended to lead ...

117. Gad

1 Chronicles 5:11-22

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Descendants of Reuben, Gad, and the Half-Tribe of Manasseh: Whereas the previous genealogy covered the area south of Judah, the Chronicler now moves to the Transjordanian tribes to the east of Judah. Two of Israel’s sons mentioned in 2:1–2 are particularly associated with these tribes, namely, Reuben (5:1–10) and Gad (5:11–17). However, from 5:18 the half-tribe of Manasseh is also mentioned together with these other tribes. The last subsection of this particular genealogy (5:23–26) deals explicitly with ...

118. The Half-Tribe of Manasseh

1 Chronicles 5:23-26

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Descendants of Reuben, Gad, and the Half-Tribe of Manasseh: Whereas the previous genealogy covered the area south of Judah, the Chronicler now moves to the Transjordanian tribes to the east of Judah. Two of Israel’s sons mentioned in 2:1–2 are particularly associated with these tribes, namely, Reuben (5:1–10) and Gad (5:11–17). However, from 5:18 the half-tribe of Manasseh is also mentioned together with these other tribes. The last subsection of this particular genealogy (5:23–26) deals explicitly with ...

119. Burning the Midnight Oil

Matthew 25:1-13

Sermon

Steve Molin

It has been several decades since Pastor John Lloyd Ogilvie wrote his book about the parables of Jesus titled, The Autobiography of God. As Ogilvie pointed out, this “autobiography” – this self-writing – is exactly what the parables of Jesus are.[1] They are the description of the kingdom of God by God’s own self.” Jesus did not write them down as an author would; he told them to small groups, to angry crowds, to the masses, to individuals, and most often, to his disciples. He painted word-pictures about ...

120. Hannah Dedicates Samuel

1 Samuel 1:21-28

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

1 & 2 Samuel - One Book: Biblical commentaries by their nature tend to concentrate on the meaning and significance of individual sections. However, it is important that we also see what are essentially close-up or limited-range pictures in their wider context. In order to understand and appreciate the details of the individual stories we need to know something of the nature and structure of the book as a whole as well as its place in the canon of Scripture. There is no doubt that 1 and 2 Samuel should be ...

121. Zedekiah King of Judah

2 Kings 24:18-20a

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

The End of Judah: Josiah, like Ahab, humbled himself before the LORD, and judgment, as in Ahab’s case, did not fall during Josiah’s reign. The implication of the analogy is that we may expect it to fall during the reign of Josiah’s son (cf. 1 Kgs. 21:28–29). This is exactly what we find now, as the story of Kings comes to its end. It is not, however, the first of Josiah’s sons to sit on his throne (Jehoahaz) who experiences the full force of God’s wrath (cf. 1 Kgs. 22:51–2 Kgs. 1:18), or even the second, ...

122. The Fall of Jerusalem

2 Kings 24:20b--25:26

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

The End of Judah: Josiah, like Ahab, humbled himself before the LORD, and judgment, as in Ahab’s case, did not fall during Josiah’s reign. The implication of the analogy is that we may expect it to fall during the reign of Josiah’s son (cf. 1 Kgs. 21:28–29). This is exactly what we find now, as the story of Kings comes to its end. It is not, however, the first of Josiah’s sons to sit on his throne (Jehoahaz) who experiences the full force of God’s wrath (cf. 1 Kgs. 22:51–2 Kgs. 1:18), or even the second, ...

123. Wrapped in a Cloud

Luke 1:26-38

Sermon

Lori Wagner

The approaching wintry days and nights means cuddling up in your warmest, cozy fleece, as unexpected snow wraps the earth in a thick, opaque, and silent blanket of white. Ever go outside after foot upon foot of snow has obliterated everything familiar from sight? All you see is white. Everywhere white and a kind of strange glowing haze in the frosty, still air. When the sun peers through the haze, it casts an eerie kind of glow. The crystalline particles of snow glisten, almost blinding you with their ...

124. For Someone Noted for Their Smile

Psalm 39 · John 6:51-58

Eulogy

Richard E. Zajac

Million Dollar Smile [Tell of the varied ways their smile impacted not only their life, but the lives of those they loved.] They conducted an interesting study some years ago as to the impact of our appearance upon the paycheck we happen to receive. They analyzed the employment data of seven thousand adults, and they came to the conclusion that those who were above average in appearance earned far more than those who were below average in appearance. And although appearance has to do with the shine on our ...

125. Israel Without Weapons

1 Samuel 13:16-22

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

Saul’s Initial Problems: The relationship between chapters 10 and 11 and what is described in chapters 13 through 15 is obscure. First Samuel 13:8 appears to indicate that these events are related to Samuel’s call to Saul to meet him at Gilgal (10:8). But if this is seen as an imminent appointment, it is hard to connect it with the events in the second half of chapter 10, the battle and further ceremony described in chapter 11, or the military activity found in 13:1–7a. The problem is solved if there was a ...