Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1276 to 1300 of 2157 results

Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... your neighbor, and love yourself. The "you" in verse 30 is singular, making the commandment personal and potent - you yourself shall love the Lord your God and you shall do so with every facet of your being - heart, soul, mind and strength. Note that this latter-day version of the Shema differs from the original found in Deuteronomy 6:5 by adding "mind" to the list of the ways of love. This is not so much an addition to the original text as it is a cultural adjustment made by Jesus for a strongly Hellenized ...

1277. Philippians 4:49

Philippians 4:49

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... his message. The ambiguity of these verses increases as we continue to the next verse. Verse 5 contains Paul's enjoinder that the Philippian Christians be known for their epieikes, a uniquely Greek term almost impossible to translate. Some versions call it "gentleness," others "magnanimity." The term is a neuter adjective which is related to "eikos" ("reasonableness") and so might also be understood as the quality of "sweet reasonableness." Greek tradition contrasts Paul's term with "strict justice" as ...

1278. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... faith and truth were fairly common in ancient literature. There are several Greek parallels of Paul's words here - in Plato, Tyrtaeus and Macimus, as well as Jewish parallels from wisdom literature (such as 3 Ezra 34-40). The form and content of Paul's version, which we read Christ into, would actually be quite acceptable to any learned Greek or Jewish scholar of Paul's day. Yet we know Paul was addressing a Christian community. He forges a strong link to the concerns of this Corinthian church in verse one ...

1279. Luke 6:17-26

Luke 6:17-26

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... . What a powerful beginning for them all! Returning from the mountain top (Luke's traditional choice for retreats of prayer and meditation), Jesus and his disciples now come down to "a level place." While all three of the synoptic gospels record their own versions of the following events, they all locate the participants in very different geographical areas - the mountains for Matthew, the sea for Mark, and the plain (the "level place") for Luke Luke's choice of location seems to be not only a "level place ...

1280. Luke 4:1-13

Luke 4:1-13

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

All three of the synoptic gospels agree that Jesus experienced a period of temptation; all three give us similar versions of the incident. In addition, Hebrews 4:15 also testifies to Jesus' temptation episode. The author of Hebrews used the temptation narrative to show that Jesus, like us, faced threats to his own fragile humanity. Luke, however, has a different agenda. Seeking to address both the Jewish and Christian worlds, ...

1281. Romans 5:1-5

Romans 5:1-5

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... it might entail, develops Paul's third virtue: the probity of a distinctive Christian character. The term used here for character means literally "the state of being proved and tested" (Matthew Black, Romans: Based on the Revised Standard Version, The New Century Bible Commentary [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1989], 75). Our integrity is proved and tested through our response to suffering and our ability to endure - yielding probity. The probity of Christian character, the testing and trying of integrity ...

1282. Hebrews 13:1-8

Hebrews 13:1-8

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... "run the race," chapter 13 is giving the rules for the competition. Still another theory suggests that the change in style is because this material was first presented by its author orally, in the equivalent to our modern-day sermon. This written version only appeared later after the author decided to put down his final address to this community in written form. The first three verses of this chapter look at how Christians are to maintain right relationships between believers. Of primary importance is this ...

1283. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5

2 Thessalonians 2:13 – 3:5

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... about the correct interpretation of the first phrase of the verse. While the NRSV has accepted the translation as "first fruits," other scholars contend that it would be more aptly construed as the phrase "from the beginning." Extant texts support both versions. It does seem odd, however, that Paul would refer to the Thessalonians as the "first fruits" when they were in no way the first converts, even within Macedonia itself. A less specific temporal connotation is possible by asserting that "from the ...

1284. John 1:29-42

John 1:29-42

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

While all the gospels record the event of Jesus' baptism, each does so with an eye turned toward the specific community and situation the gospel writer is addressing. Thus, while there are tremendous similarities between all four versions of the Baptism, there are also subtle and theologically important differences. Not surprisingly, John's gospel gives us the most unique perspective on Jesus' baptism. Here, John the Baptist is actually the central character throughout the active record. The magnificent ...

1285. Exodus 17:1-7

Exodus 17:1-7

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... to note that we never hear the actual result of the blow Moses strikes. The power of the Lord's promise - that "water will come out of it, so that the people may drink" (v.6) - is all that this writer feels is necessary to record. The version of this incident in Numbers carefully details how much water was released and how both the people and all their livestock were able to drink their fill (Numbers 20:11). The Jahwist knows the water is there, because the Lord said it would be. The writer's faith ...

1286. Acts 2:1-21

Acts 2:1-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... of Pentecost is told by Luke in this week's text from Acts. Considerable scholarly ink has been spilled over precisely how Luke put together his account of this event much of it focusing on just where Luke got all the various components his version weaves together. Rather than investigate all the possible threads that Luke may have used, we encourage you to help your people view the completed tapestry Luke created to picture in living color the birthday of the church. The first component in today's text ...

1287. Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

This week's gospel text (like last week's) presents two "versions" of Jesus' favorite communication form a parable. More than mere "stories," less than full-blown "myths," and with a different focus and format than an "allegory," parables remain a distinctive part of Jesus' teaching ministry. While his own mastery of this story-form is unique and unparalleled, the parables of ...

1288. Matthew 14:13-21

Matthew 14:13-21

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the Baptist's death at Herod's hands with Jesus' instantaneous "compassion" for the intrusive crowd suggests that Matthew was intentionally emphasizing the difference between messianic authority and the abusive power practiced by human despots such as Herod. Mark's version of this miracle also seems to suggest it as a demonstration of messianic authority but here Jesus' tactics are more directly threatening to the cruel rulers in power. While Jesus' healing compassion and touch are the focus of Matthew's ...

1289. Matthew 14:22-33

Matthew 14:22-33

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... -known messianic miracles. Although Jesus makes the disciples feed the crowd of hungry people who have followed him out to this isolated area (v. 13), when it is time for them to disperse, Jesus once again assumes a leadership role. In Matthew's version, Jesus first actively dismisses the disciples and then the gathered crowd itself. Not only do these actions clearly reassert Jesus' leadership position before the gathering, it also allows Jesus time to finish what he has come to this "deserted place" for in ...

1290. Matthew 16:21-28

Matthew 16:21-28

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... remain in the region of Galilee, preaching, teaching and healing for the first half of their gospels. Only after Jesus makes his explicit passion prediction does his one and only journey toward Jerusalem begin. Our gospel text today offers Matthew's version of that crucial "hinge" moment when Jesus reveals to his disciples the shocking nature of the Messiah's future. Jesus' identity as the Messiah was only just affirmed by Peter in the verses immediately preceding these (16:13-20). But Jesus apparently ...

1291. Matthew 18:15-20

Matthew 18:15-20

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... . The precise focus of the instructions Jesus gives in verse 15 is brought into question by the existence of a serious textual variation among ancient manuscripts. While most transcripts include the specific "against you," a number of very reliable versions omit these words. Since "against you" determines whether these words are about a personal incident or simply a general statement about general situations, the meaning remains unclear. Jesus may have been speaking either in personal or in corporate terms ...

1292. Judges 4:1-7

Judges 4:1-7

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... note at this time that chapter 4's tale of Israel's deliverance from Canaanite oppression under the guidance of Deborah's judgeship is retold in grand poetic style in chapter 5's "The Song of Deborah." Scholars suggest that this poetic version is probably the oldest integral text contained in the Old Testament. While portions of chapter 4's prose rendition of these events are also quite early, there is structural evidence (grammatical, historical and especially geographic) that points to the fact that ...

1293. Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... . Verse 21 takes special care to make clear that all the people who wished to receive John's baptism had received it including Jesus. While Luke does not describe this event, Jesus' baptism is as much a detail here as in Matthew's or Mark's version. It is evident that, before his arrest, John the Baptist had succeeded in paving the way for the Lord as his ministry was intended. Jesus' own baptism is a part of the preparatory ministry and thus fulfills John's ministry. Only Luke specifies that, after his ...

1294. Luke 5:1-11

Luke 5:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... see Luke 4:20). Luke takes a teaching story and transforms it into an epiphany experience. The transition from teaching to fishing is a rough one. Luke jolts the reader when fitting together different traditions. If, in fact, this is seen as a pre-resurrection version of John 21, however, we may smooth this transition by thinking about the outcome of this sudden fishing venture. A large crowd, which Jesus has been teaching for some time, is gathered directly in front of these boats on the edge of the shore ...

1295. Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the priest's right to be supported by these gifts offered to God. The "credo" gives a succinct summary of the Pentateuchal history _ but stresses above all else that the fathers and mothers of Israel were wanderers. The most telling feature of this highly condensed version of Hebrew history is the fact that they had no place of their own _ no land, no home, no "place" to rest. That stark reality makes the simple statement in verse 3, "I have come into the land," truly poignant and powerful. Note that the ...

1296. Luke 13:1-9

Luke 13:1-9

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... . Again, this parable of the barren fig tree is found only in Luke. Yet, since both Matthew (21:18-19) and Mark (11:12-14) record the story of Jesus' cursing a barren fig tree _ which Luke omits _ this may be Luke's "kinder, gentler" version of that episode. This parable begins with the owner of the vineyard visiting his fields to survey their fruitfulness. In Palestine, it was not uncommon for land given over to a vineyard to also include a variety of fruit-bearing trees. The owner's visit is quite ...

1297. Luke 24:1-12

Luke 24:1-12

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... only the women disciples who had stayed at the cross to see where Jesus' body was taken, it is only the women who venture out at the earliest hour possible to perform a final loving task for their master anointing his dead body for burial. Luke's version does not offer any commentary about the movement of the stone from the tomb's entrance. The women do not seem to be either dismayed or disturbed by the stone's removal. They simply enter the tomb. The verb structure that announces "they did not find" Jesus ...

1298. John 21:1-19

John 21:1-19

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... of chapter 21 as fragile and awkward as the author's original transition from 20:31 to 21:1. But no matter how tenuous a grip chapter 21 has on the rest of John's gospel, it is firmly a part of this gospel's tradition. No versions of John lacking chapter 21 have ever been found or even suggested. And while the connective tissue that stretches between this final chapter and the rest of the gospel may appear a bit thin at times, it nevertheless maintains a coherent narrative. The four stories within the ...

1299. Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... the authority such a leadership role entails. The significance of the "seventy" (or "seventy-two") who are sent out also points to a political approach to the mission. Seventy was the number of nations of the world, according to Genesis 10 (with the Septuagint version of this count coming to 72). Seventy was also the number of individuals Moses appointed as the elders of Israel (Numbers 11:16-17). It seems apparent that Luke intends the number 70 to represent entire-planet, empire-wide missions. The word is ...

1300. Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... command to sacrifice Isaac. But obedience is an integral part of faith throughout Hebrews faith is always an active response to God's word, not simply some intellectual, internal assent to the divine. In two other ways, the author adds color and contrast to the biblical version of Abraham's initial call by God. Hebrews 11:8 claims Abraham set out from his homeland of Ur for "a place that he was to receive as an inheritance." There is no specific reference to an "inheritance" in the story found in Genesis 12 ...

Showing results