Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: Levi, disciple, evangelist, tax collector, the 12, the twelve, apostle, sermon on the mount, jewish audience, beatitudes, lord's prayer, great commission, parables, olivet discourse, mount of olives, olivet, synoptic

Showing 1426 to 1450 of 4942 results

1426. Hosea's Wife and Children

Hosea 1:1-2:1

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

Superscription (1:1): In a sense, chapters 1 through 3 in Hosea’s book serve as a summary of his entire message. Centered around the “sign” of Hosea’s marriage to Gomer, they prepare for and condense all that follows after in the story of God’s poignant love affair with the people of Israel in the eighth century BC. Perhaps they originally circulated in Judean circles independently of chapters 4–14. But whoever placed them in their present position intended to help us understand the oracles of chapters 4– ...

1427. God's Zeal for Salvation

Joel 2:18-27

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

2:18–20 We now come to the turning point of the book of Joel—the point at which God’s jealousy leads to pity for the chosen people. God removes both the everyday judgments and the threat of final judgment from their lives, verse 18. This passage too, however, is not to be understood in terms of some sort of self-seeking on God’s part. Rather, God’s “jealousy” could also be translated as God’s “zeal”—the word has both meanings in the Hebrew. The God of the Bible is a zealous God, with a purpose that is ...

1428. False Prophets

Micah 2:6-11

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

Opposition to the Prophet: As the arrangement of chapter 2 now stands, this passage shows the reaction of Micah’s listeners to his announcements in both 2:1–3 and 2:4–5. Those to whom he preaches take insulted exception to his words of doom directed against them; this is not an unusual reaction to the words of OT prophets (cf. 1 Kgs. 18:3–4; 19:10; Jer. 11:18–19; 20:1–2; Isa. 50:6, etc.). Persons, especially powerful persons who control others’ lives, do not like to hear that their God does not approve of ...

1429. Prayer and Praise

Micah 7:14-20

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

Israel’s New View of the Nations (7:14-17): There is some question about how this passage is to be interpreted. Hillers, Mays, and Wolff all take the verses to make up a communal prayer of lament to Yahweh, like the communal laments found in Psalms 44, 74, 79, 80, and 83. As a result, “you” in line 15a is taken to refer to Yahweh, and the following lines are read as jussives: “let us see . . . ,” 15b; “May the nations see . . . ,” 16a; “Let them lay . . . ,” 16c; “Let them lick . . . ,” 17a; “Let them come ...

1430. John the Baptist's Testimony about Jesus

John 3:22-36

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

Jesus’ interest in “water and the Spirit” (3:5) as the way of initiation into his new community is now explained. As soon as he leaves Jerusalem, Jesus himself takes up a baptizing ministry in Judea. Verse 22, along with 4:1–3, has the appearance of a transitional passage summarizing a stay in Judea of indefinite length (cf. the brief stay at Capernaum in 2:12). But certain details in the summary require further explanation. For example, did Jesus actually baptize people? No, but his disciples did (4:2). ...

1431. Jesus Talks with a Samaritan Woman

John 4:1-26, John 4:27-38, John 4:39-42

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The transition begun in 3:22 is continued in 4:1–4. Jesus moves from Jerusalem to the Judean countryside and from there to Galilee by way of Samaria. The intervening material (3:23–36) enables the reader to make sense of this cumbersome introduction to chapter 4. That Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John (v. 1) has already been intimated in 3:26. That the Pharisees noticed this is suggested by the fact that John’s disciples seem to have been reminded of it by a Jew (3:25). What has not ...

1432. Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

John 6:1-15

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The indefinite connecting phrase some time after this (v. 1; cf. 5:1) introduces a narrative that abruptly locates Jesus in Galilee, crossing from one side of Lake Galilee to the other. Such a beginning suggests that the Gospel writer is picking up a narrative source in the middle of things. The only real link to the two preceding incidents in John is the mention in verse 2 of the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick (cf. 4:43–54; 5:1–18). There is no way to be sure how much time has elapsed since ...

1433. Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial

John 13:31-38

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The transition from narrative to discourse is accomplished by the repetition in verse 31 of the verb “went out” (Gr.: exēlthen) from verse 30. As soon as Judas was gone, Jesus began to speak again. The material from verse 31 to the end of chapter 17 comprises the farewell discourses and the so-called high priestly prayer of the Johannine Jesus. The major themes of the discourses and the prayer are set forth programmatically in three distinct pronouncements in verses 31–35. The three pronouncements consist ...

1434. Jesus, Peter, and the Beloved Disciple

John 21:15-25

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

There is unfinished business with Peter. The scattered disciples have been brought into unity, but Peter’s threefold denial of Jesus (13:36–38; 18:15–18, 25–27) is a special case that must now be dealt with. The three denials must be canceled by three affirmations. In addressing Peter each time as Simon son of John (vv. 15, 16, 17), Jesus speaks to him as if he were no longer (or not yet!) a disciple, for he goes back to the name Peter had when he and Jesus first met (cf. 1:42). The framework for the set ...

1435. Exhortations

Philippians 4:2-9

Understanding Series

F. F. Bruce

Fresh Plea for Unity Two members of the church are begged by name to reach a common mind as fellow Christians, and another of Paul’s co-workers is urged to help them in this regard. 4:2 Euodia and Syntyche were evidently two very active members of the Philippian church, probably foundation members. From the fact that (in a letter meant to be read to the church) Paul begs each of them by name to agree with each other in the Lord, it may be inferred that the disagreement between them, whatever its nature, ...

1436. Adam and Eve

Genesis 2:4-25

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

The Adventures in the Garden of Eden of the First Humans: This narrative addresses the most troubling question faced by every human: “Why must I die?” In addition it gives a reason for several fundamental features of human experience—wearing clothes, pain in childbirth, toil and sweat in work, growth of thorns and thistles, and the enmity between humans and snakes. Much more importantly, this simple account offers penetrating insight into the human condition before God as well as giving the reason for the ...

1437. God’s Covenant with Noah

Genesis 9:1-17

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

God’s Blessing on Noah and His Offspring: After the great deluge God gives to Noah and his sons the same blessing he gave to humans at their creation (1:28), empowering them to prosper and to replenish the earth. Further, we learn that humans continue to bear the image of God; each person possesses intrinsic value.Yet God introduces three drastic changes. First, God grants humans permission to eat meat. Second, dread of humans henceforth characterizes the way animals respond to humans. Third, God also ...

1438. 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 ...

1439. Abraham and Abimelech

Genesis 20:1-18

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Abraham before Abimelech of Gerar: Abraham settles for a brief time in Gerar, a city-state in the Negev to the west of Beersheba, ruled by a Philistine king, where he again identifies Sarah as his sister. The local king, Abimelech, takes her into his harem. The rabbis speculate on the legendary beauty of Sarah in her old age, believing it to be a result of God’s blessing on the great matriarch of Israel. More likely, though, Abimelech may have been seeking an alliance through marriage with the people whom ...

1440. Jacob Apprehension in Meeting Esau

Genesis 32:1-32

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Jacob’s Enigmatic Wrestling Match: Before Jacob’s wrestling match (vv. 24–30), he has a vision of angels at Mahanaim (vv. 1–2). On the surface this brief report seems to be disjunctive. Nevertheless, several terms tie these two passages into the flow of the Jacob narrative. Jacob meets the angels or messengers of God (mal’ake ’elohim), and he sends “messengers” (mal’akim) to meet Esau. There is a play on “camp” (makhaneh; 32:2, 8, 10, 21) and “gift” (minkhah; 32:13, 20; 33:8, 10). Two terms for grace ...

1441. Jacob Goes to Egypt

Gen 46:1–47:12

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Jacob and His Family Move to Egypt: This account of Jacob’s family’s settling in Egypt contains seven sections: Jacob offers sacrifices at Beersheba (46:1–4), the journey to Egypt (46:5–7), a list of Jacob’s family (46:8–27), Jacob meets Joseph (46:28–30), Joseph prepares his brothers to meet Pharaoh (46:31–34), the audience with Pharaoh (47:1–10), and Joseph’s provisions for his father and brothers (47:11–12). 46:1–7 Several elements common to the experience of the patriarchs are present: God appears to ...

1442. The Appointment of Leaders

Deuteronomy 1:9-18

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Structures for Growth: The recollection of this particular event out of all the memories of the wilderness period is a key to one of the book’s main purposes, which was to provide Israel with a social, political, moral, and spiritual charter (cf. McBride, “Polity”). Here, and in greater detail in 16:18–18:22, the people are provided with different levels and structures of leadership. Those leaders are then given their primary responsibilities. Deuteronomy thus outlines a theology and an ethos of leadership ...

1443. Ahijah's Prophecy Against Jeroboam

1 Kings 14:1-20

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

The End of Jeroboam: Jeroboam had been promised a dynasty like David’s (1 Kgs. 11:38). His desire to have also a temple like David’s, however, has led him into disobedience—and we have seen in chapter 13 what happens to the disobedient. First Kings 14:1–20 now describes to us the consequences of Jeroboam’s attempt to possess the two “houses” he wanted instead of the one he was promised, and they do so in a way that makes clear the essential differences between the two kings. 14:1–5 We begin on familiar ...

1444. Abijah King of Judah

1 Kings 15:1-8

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

Abijam and Asa: We remain for the moment in Judah, with Rehoboam’s immediate successors. Abijam is the characteristically bad Judean king, indulging in the idolatry of Solomon’s later years and of Rehoboam. Asa is the characteristically good Judean king, behaving relatively faithfully like David and the younger Solomon. These two between them set the pattern for all subsequent Judean kings, who are measured in terms of whether they have been “like David” or not. 15:1–8 Abijam was just as bad as his father ...

1445. Athaliah and Joash

2 Kings 11:1-21

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

“David” Survives “Jezebel”: The destruction of the house of Ahab has impinged to an unsettling extent upon the house of David (2 Kgs. 9:27; 10:12–14). We recall the ominous lack of any restatement of the Davidic promise in 8:25–27. Have the two houses become so identified in intermarriage (8:18, 27) that a distinction is no longer to be maintained between them? Second Kings 11 begins by bringing us almost to the point of believing that this is so. There is a Jezebel in Judah, intent on doing there what ...

1446. Hoshea Last King of Israel

2 Kings 17:1-6

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

The End of Israel: The “uprooting” and “scattering” of Israel (1 Kgs. 14:15) has long been delayed because of God’s promises and character (2 Kgs. 10:30; 13; 14:23–29). God has continually saved (Hb. yšʿ) it from its enemies: through Elisha, through Jeroboam (2 Kgs. 14:27), through other unnamed saviors (2 Kgs. 13:5). There have been signs in the preceding chapters, however, that deliverance is now at an end, that the “exile” of 2 Kings 13:5 was a dry run for a now imminent main event. The most recent act ...

1447. A Rebellious Nation

Isaiah 1:1-31

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

Introduction--Jerusalem Judged and Restored: Chapter 1 introduces both the message of Isaiah ben Amoz over three decades and the book as a whole. The people have paid the penalty for abandoning their relationship with Yahweh (vv. 2–9) and need to own the fact that they have perverted their life with Yahweh by practicing religion but not justice (vv. 10–20); judgment can then be a creative purging that restores justice as well as the relationship (vv. 21–31). 1:1 The fact that the word vision always denotes ...

1448. The Lord's Anger Against Israel

Isaiah 9:8--10:4

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

Yahweh’s Unsated Anger with Israel: After 6:1–9:7 comes to an end, 9:8–10:4 pairs with the preceding section, chapter 5. The section as a whole takes further the earlier talk of Yahweh’s raised hand (5:25–30). The six woes (5:8–24) also come to a conclusion in 10:1–4. The fact that speaks of disaster for northern Israel might suggest that it is the background for the disaster for northern Israel presupposed by 9:1, but this material also confronts Isaiah’s own audience in Judah with the prospect of their ...

1449. Woe to David’s City

Isaiah 29:1-24

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

29:1–4 Here alone is Ariel a name for Jerusalem. It means “God’s lion,” but a similar word means “hero” in 33:7, while “Ariel” sounds the same as a word for the hearth around the temple altar where animals were burnt in sacrifice (see Ezek. 43:15–16). So we hear Isaiah lamenting “God’s lion” or a hero or the altar hearth, and we are not helped a great deal by the next line that makes clear that the term refers to Jerusalem, which David had once besieged. Parabolic communication is again at work. Isaiah has ...

1450. Judgment and Salvation

Isaiah 65:1-16

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

Yahweh’s Closing Critique and Vision: In these last two chapters of the book, once more we cannot discern an order or structure. The succession of phrases that look like introductions to prophecies (65:8, 13, 25; 66:1, 5, 12, 22) and the movement between verse and prose suggest that here it is not because a prophet let a stream of consciousness have its way. It is, rather, because a number of separate prophecies have been accumulated at the end of the book. These different prophecies have overlapping ...

Showing results