Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 101 to 125 of 797 results

Acts 1:1-11

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... Jesus, there is a certain poignancy in their failure right to the end to understand that the kingdom was not of this world (cf. John 18:36) but of the Spirit, to be entered only by repentance and faith. It would be unjust to suggest that the apostles had learned nothing from Jesus. In some respects they had come a long way (see disc. on v. 2; cf. Luke 24:45). But clearly they were wedded still to the popular notion of the kingdom of God as something political—that its coming would see the gathering of the ...

102. Simon the Sorcerer

Acts 8:9-25

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... the East and by these means had held the Samaritans in his thrall for a long time (v. 11). They called him the Great Power (v. 10), apparently at his own suggestion (v. 9). From the New Testament, as indeed from later sources relating to the Samaritans in particular, we learn that “power” was a name given to any angelic or divine being (cf., e.g., Rom. 8:38; Eph. 1:21; 3:10) and sometimes even to God himself (Mark 14:62). In the light of this, it would appear that the Samaritans believed Simon to be the ...

103. Peter at Cornelius’ House

Acts 10:23b-48

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... required by his dream, namely, that he should cast aside his scruples concerning the Gentiles. His opening words, therefore, when he spoke to them all were to announce that God had shown him not to think of any person as impure or unclean (v. 28). How well Peter had learned this lesson is seen in 1 Peter 2:17. Then he asked the question that, oddly, had not been asked before, Why did you send for me? (v. 29). 10:30–33 Cornelius replied by outlining the events of three days past that he saw as an answer to ...

104. Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians' Faith

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... then it may be hyperbole (cf. Rom. 1:8; 2 Cor. 2:14; Col. 1:6). It is commonly suggested, however, that Priscilla and Aquila may have heard of the faith of the Thessalonians in Rome before coming to Corinth (Acts 18:2), as Paul would have learned, and “what was known at Rome could be presumed to be known everywhere” (Morris). Certainly at Corinth, Paul and the others had no need to say anything about it. News of their faith (and equally, no doubt, of their “work produced by faith,” etc., 1:3) had ...

105. Final Instructions

1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... three, for the explanatory clause at the end of these verses almost certainly refers to them all (despite the singular “this” of v. 18 which might appear to refer only to the last of the three). Thus it was God’s will for them first, that they should learn to face all that comes with irrepressible joy (NIV be joyful always). Paul’s intent is explained more fully in Philippians 4:4, where he has “rejoice in the Lord always.” We might have little in the world to be glad about (cf. 1:6), but in the ...

106. Warnings Against Idleness

2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... this from the same report that brought news of their mistaken ideas about the Parousia (see 2:1–12), or perhaps he is referring to the original report brought by Timothy. Nothing in the text indicates that they had just learned about it now or that they had heard of it only once. Again the Greek is literally, “walking in a disorderly manner” (cf. 3:6 and see disc. on 1 Thess. 2:12 and 5:14). What precisely this means is explained: they are not busy; they are being busybodies. ...

107. The Lord's Grace to Paul

1 Timothy 1:12-20

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

... that Timothy is to fight the good fight. But what are these prophecies? Paul will mention this event in Timothy’s life twice more in these letters. In 4:14 he refers to Timothy’s ministry (apparently) as a “spiritual gift,” and there we also learn that the prophecies were accompanied by the elders’ laying on of hands. In 2 Timothy 1:6, where the concern is with their own personal relationship, Paul narrows the focus to his own laying on of hands. But what precisely happened, and when, is not known ...

108. Advice About Widows, Elders and Slaves

1 Timothy 5:1-6:2

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

... to act worse than a person who makes no profession of faith. The second paragraph (vv. 9–16) of this section adds a new dimension to what has been said, and at the same time also helps to clarify some of the items in verses 4–8. Here we learn that a “genuine widow” is to be put on the list of widows, provided she has met further qualifications of godly living (vv. 9–10). Then the widow given to self-indulgent living (v. 6) is exposed in detail (vv. 11–13), with instructions for her to remarry (v ...

109. Encouragement to Be Faithful

2 Timothy 1:1-2:13

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

... the faith) and love are products of his being in Christ Jesus (see disc. on 1 Tim. 1:14; cf. Gal. 5:22). But how this phrase relates to the verb presents a more difficult problem. The sense seems to go something like this: “Let what you have learned from me serve as your model for sound teaching, but let it do so as you yourself also model faith [or faithfulness] and love.” The final imperative, guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you, parallels verse 13, but now in the language of 1 Timothy 6 ...

110. God Disciplines His Sons

Hebrews 12:1-13, Hebrews 12:14-29

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... than an authentic son or daughter. In short, it is a part of authentic sonship (and not the contradiction of it) to experience the discipline of God as Father. We may recall what is said of Christ in 5:8: “Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.” 12:9–10 In these verses our author draws his analogy further, using an a fortiori form of argument (from the lesser to the greater). As far as our human fathers (lit., “fathers of our flesh”) are concerned, they disciplined us ...

111. Warning Against Refusing God

Hebrews 12:14-29, Hebrews 12:1-13

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

112. The Christian and the World

James 4:1-12

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

... as he did with Jesus in the wilderness—he fled, leaving him. That will be the experience of the Christian as well if he or she learns to say no. 4:8 Full repentance will mean purification. There is both promise and demand in the call Come near to God and he will ... a metaphorical symbol for moral purity: “Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right!” (Isa. 1:16–17). The hands-hearts combination is also found in the Old Testament: Pss. 24:4; ...

113. Rahab and the Spies

Joshua 2:1-24

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

... her guests. Without the power to fight, Rahab lives by her wits. Rahab’s deception is the way God rescues the blundering spies and ensures that the tribes will possess Canaan. Deception remains the weapon of the marginal and helpless. 2:8–14 The spies learn about Jericho because Rahab comes to the roof where they are hiding and tells them about her city. Her speech expresses her faith. It begins with Israel’s common statement of faith, I know. Personally she knows that the Lord has given the land to ...

114. The Sun Stands Still

Joshua 10:1-15

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

... the Lord and receives assurance: Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you (10:8). Joshua will learn later how important it was to consult the Lord and to receive this promise. Joshua’s counterattack on the five kings demonstrates he had learned two lessons from previous battles. He fights a wise, well-planned operation, and yet victory depends largely on support from God, the divine warrior. Joshua launches a forced march, a 32-kilometer ...

115. Rebuilding the Altar

Ezra 3:1-6

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... music and song here—both were key elements of postexilic worship. 3:11 The enthusiastic description continues with reference to a hymn, which is regularly cited as an epitome of vocal worship in Chronicles, in this form or an even shorter one. We learn from Jeremiah 33:11 that this hymn was sung before the exile by those who attended a thanksgiving service, to which grateful worshipers brought their songs and thank offerings after deliverance from personal crisis. In the postexilic era it developed into a ...

116. Ezra's Prayer about Intermarriage

Ezra 9:1-15

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... religious leader, only too aware that he was a newcomer and did not belong to the established Jewish hierarchy. 9:1–2 The hermeneutical sophistication of the leaders’ report is a clue that the speakers were siding with Ezra and echoing lessons already learned from their teacher. Basically the complaint is of marriage to women from outside the community. It is branded as unfaithfulness, a term that as a noun or a verb reverberates through the account. It is an accusation here, acknowledged by a larger ...

117. Purim Celebrated

Esther 9:20-32

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

... is more than a wisdom story featuring the proverbial “fool.” It is a historical account of an evil person who opposes God’s chosen people without cause. Like Pharaoh in the exodus story, he learns the hard way that the Jewish people cannot be abused with impunity. What Xerxes and the rest of the Persians learn is that blessing the Jews brings blessing. This principle is evident as the book closes in chapter 10. 9:26 Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur: Although the name Purim is ...

118. Judgment Against Evil Kings

Jeremiah 22:1-30, Jeremiah 23:1-8

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... the fourth son, Shallum, was placed on the throne because of his pro-Babylonian, anti-Egyptian stance (see further Introduction: Historical Context). We get the brief story of the rise and rapid fall of Jehoahaz in 2 Kings 23:31–35 and 2 Chronicles 36:1–4. We learn there that he was twenty-three years old. We also are informed that when Neco dethroned him he took him to Egypt where he died. It is from Kings that we characteristically hear that he “did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as his fathers ...

119. Warning to Zedekiah

Jeremiah 34:1-7

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... asked him to pray for him and the country, and hoped that he would get a more positive message. 34:1–7 This oracle is dated during Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of Jerusalem. From the historical reports found in 2 Kings 25 and Jeremiah 39 and 52, we learn that the siege lasted from the tenth month of the tenth year of Zedekiah’s reign until the fourth month of the eleventh year when the Babylonian army breached the city’s wall, a period of approximately a year and a half. The oracle came sometime during ...

120. The Recabites

Jeremiah 35:1-19

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... only reason why they are even in Jerusalem (and not living in tents) is because of the siege, which may date this to 597 B.C. 35:12–19 Verses 1–11 describe the symbolic-act and in the remaining verses of the chapter (vv. 12–19), we learn of its prophetic significance. This message is not for the Recabites but rather for the men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem. It appears that this oracle came from a time when God through Jeremiah was still allowing for the possibility of repentance, slim as that ...

121. Disaster Because of Idolatry

Jeremiah 44:1-30

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... through Jeremiah come to a horrible reality in the destruction of Jerusalem. But in the previous chapter we observed how they continued to be hard-hearted toward the Lord and his prophet. Against God’s will they fled to Egypt. In this chapter, we will learn that matters get worse still. While in Egypt, they take up the worship of foreign deities, which earlier had brought God’s judgment upon them. 44:1–6 When the divine word comes to Jeremiah this time, Israelites were living in a variety of locations ...

122. I am the Man Who Has Seen Affliction

Lamentations 3:1-66

One Volume

Tremper Longman III

... (v. 6) indicates that God consigned the man to the fate of the dead. He lives now in darkness like a corpse in a grave. The thought of the man in darkness continues into the next stanza. 3:7–9 Gimel. In the final verse of the preceding stanza, we learned that God placed the man in darkness, like the darkness of the grave. In this stanza, the man is sealed off alive in a prison with no possibility of parole or escape. Verse 7 speaks of his being walled in and bound in chains. Verse 8 notes that the walls ...

123. Jonah Flees from the Lord

Jonah 1:1-17

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... an innocent man, for then God’s condemnation would fall on them (contrast Matt. 27:25). Israel’s law forbade the shedding of innocent blood (Deut. 19:10, 13; 21:8), and those who shed it were cursed (Deut. 27:25; Jer. 26:15). So the sailors have learned a healthy respect for the power of Yahweh, and their prayer to him in verse 14 is couched in the language of urgent entreaty. “Please, Yahweh,” they entreat, “let us not die for the life of this man, and do not lay upon us innocent blood, for you ...

124. Jonah's Anger at the Lord's Compassion

Jonah 4:1-11

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... to act in judgment, and who loyally loves all the creatures and beings created in this world. That God of an absolutely unique compassion and love, which are unachievable by human beings, is the God who has forgiven Nineveh. And Jonah is angry. Finally the reader learns from verse 2 the reason for Jonah’s flight to Tarshish (see the comment at the end of 1:3). Jonah has disobeyed Yahweh’s initial command to him (1:2) not because he would be branded a false prophet when Nineveh repented; Jonah is not ...

125. The Mountain of the Lord

Micah 4:1-5

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... resides there, and it is there alone that they can hear the Lord’s word spoken to them, verse 2. The Israelite custom of pilgrimage to the temple (cf. Ps. 84; 122) will be universalized. The nations will go up to Zion because they desire to learn how to walk according to Yahweh’s tôrâ or instruction, in accordance with God’s will, verse 2. In short, the nations will come to realize that Yahweh’s way alone can bring them satisfactory life, and their pilgrimage will be quite voluntary. A universal ...

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