Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 1526 to 1550 of 4977 results

1526. The List of Returnees

Ezra 2:1-70

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... be correct. The itemized details listed add up to less; some persons and items were omitted in the catalogs. The large number of menservants and maidservants (a ratio of approximately one to six, 2:64–65) indicates that some returnees were wealthy. There are also quite a few horses, which were used by the wealthy. However, there are many more donkeys, which were used by the poor. Just as is true today, the spiritual temperature of a community can be seen in their freewill offerings (2:68–69). The phrase ...

1527. Later Opposition Under Xerxes and Artaxerxes

Ezra 4:6-24

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... fit the context. The Jews learned to speak Aramaic during the Babylonian exile; thus Aramaic was the language of the returned exiles and continued to be the language of the Jews until the time of Christ. The two languages, Hebrew and Aramaic, are quite similar, so most Jews likely continued to use the Scriptures in Hebrew. But sometime in the period between the two Testaments it became necessary when the Hebrew Scriptures were read to also give an interpretation (or paraphrase) in Aramaic. This gave rise to ...

1528. Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

Matthew 10:1-42

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... is virtually identical to the one Jesus (and John before him) has been preaching to the Jewish crowds (10:7; cf. 3:2; 4:17)—the soon-to-arrive reign of God. The instructions that follow their commission to preach and heal (10:5–15) are quite specific to the mission of the Twelve. These instructions include relying on the hospitality of those within the towns they visit (so not bringing funds or extra supplies; 10:9–10), finding worthy hosts who will welcome them and their message (10:11–15), and ...

1529. Introduction and No Other Gospel

Galatians 1:1-10

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... for the purpose of its destruction.) Paul is not venting anger from the perspective of a wounded ego; he merely states the fact that those who are found to be advocating a false view of the work of Christ are not just mistaken; they are lost. Quite simply, nothing and/or no one had the authority to override the truth of the gospel (including Paul himself or even angels; 1:8). Paul’s concern is to place the issue of authority and the discussion of apostolic origins into a proper perspective. Ultimately it ...

1530. Accept His Peace

John 4:1-26, Romans 5:1-11, Exodus 17:1-7

Sermon

King Duncan

... to complain to the Lord. If you’re dying of thirst. If your children are in danger of starving. If you have a terminal illness, you have a right to ask, “Where are you, God?” The children of Israel after an extended in the desert stay are thirsty and quite naturally they complain to Moses. Moses cries to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.” Now it’s Moses who is worried. No leader wants his people to turn against him. The Lord tells Moses to go to a ...

1531. In Remembrance

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Sermon

King Duncan

... and touching experience. It reminds us that Christ died for us. This, in turn, reminds us of just how much God loves us. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us,” says John in his first Epistle (3:1). We see that love demonstrated quite starkly on Golgotha’s cross. Inspirational writer Max Lucado in his book In the Eye of the Storm tells a story of an angel that was seeking to understand salvation. Lucado writes, “He looked around the hill and foresaw a scene. Three figures hung on three ...

1532. I Wonder if God Exists

Genesis 1:1-5

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... an unmoved mover who is independent of all moves and causes. Aquinas argued that the ultimate cause of all events and movements is God. The Moral Argument Perhaps the most obvious argument for the existence of God is the “moral argument.” This argument states quite simply that our sense of right and wrong comes from God. For example, we know that trying to save a person from drowning is right and throwing someone incapable of swimming into a lake is wrong. Right and wrong seem to be fundamental; they ...

1533. No Longer Orphans

John 14:15-21

Sermon

King Duncan

... been an elder in his home church--but after his experience in Lebanon, he no longer believes in God. When asked why, Sutherland answered, “I prayed so many times, and so hard . . . and nothing happened.” (2) That is not a rare experience. And some people never quite recover from this dark night of the soul. Their sense of abandonment overwhelms them. Bass Mitchell, a pastor in West Virginia, tells of working in his first job in a grocery store. He says that he started out as a bag boy but soon he was ...

1534. Elephants in the Room: Addiction

Romans 7:15-22

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... is there. He is me’” (Sondi Wright, “He Was Full Spectrum,” Rolling Stone, March 2005, p. 52). The elephant of addiction is quite a monster. It lives in millions of homes and destroys individuals, marriages, and families. This monster lurks in the homes of some here ... problems facing the United States *Source: SAMHSA (U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) Addiction is quite a monster! Paul Knew the Monster! You may be surprised to know that the Bible addresses the problem of ...

1535. Mission Possible!

John 1:43-51

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... asked Moses to get the ball. Moses parted the water and got the ball. This continued for about fifteen minutes. Finally, Jesus hit the ball in the water for the seventh time. “Please get my ball for me,” Jesus asked Moses. Moses said, “No, I told you to quit trying to be like Arnold Palmer so I’m not getting it this time.” Jesus walked across the water, reached down, and got his ball. While he was doing this, a couple rode by in a cart and said, “Who does he think he is, Jesus?” Moses said ...

1536. Defeating Discouragement

Mark 1:21-28

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... you are feeling. I know a lot of people who think change is the answer. If you have a bad experience at work, quit and go look for another one. If you are disappointed in your spouse, call the divorce attorney. Are you disappointed in your ... t want to be told that we are vulnerable. Several years ago pop singer Madonna did the half-time show at the Super Bowl. It was quite a spectacle. Vogue magazine gave the show rave reviews. You know why they thought the show was so good? Because, for a moment, they felt ...

1537. Pop Verses!: Philippians 4:13

Philippians 4:13

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... to find out why they are so popular and how they apply to our lives. What you might discover is that some of these verses don’t mean what you think they mean. Or you may discover these verses mean a lot more than you think they mean. You see, quite often our favorites verses, are just that – they’re verses. They’re not read in light of the passage in which they appear. This can lead to a misunderstanding about the true meaning of the verse. I believe this series is going to give you a lot of food ...

1538. Pop Verses: Romans 8:28

Romans 8:28

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... verses. We are going to find out why they are so popular and how they apply to our lives. What you might discover is that some of these verses don’t mean what you think they mean or they mean a lot more than you think they mean. You see, quite often our favorites verses are just that – they’re verses. They’re not read in light of the passage in which they appear. This can lead to a misunderstanding about the true meaning of the verse. I believe this series is going to give you a lot of food for ...

1539. John the Baptist Prepares the Way

Matthew 3:1-12

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... race or class, is the only bond that binds us to God” (Senior, p. 43). The truth is that God can take stones and make of them children for Abraham. The comparison between “stones” and “children” is strengthened by the fact that in Aramaic the two words sound quite similar. Now is not the time for empty profession and hypocrisy. The ax is already at the root of the trees (cf. Isa. 10:34; Jer. 46:22, for the metaphor), and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and burned up (v ...

1540. The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

Matthew 22:1-14

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... to bind him hand and foot and throw him out into “the darkness farthest out” (BAGD, p. 280), where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Though the punishment seems severe, it is important to bear in mind that we are dealing with a culture quite different from ours and a literary style that must be interpreted as an expression of that culture. 22:14 The two preceding paragraphs that make up this section describe the fate of those who reject God’s invitation (vv. 1–10) and those who respond to ...

1541. A Warning Against Hypocrisy

Matthew 23:1-39

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... death would not have received the scathing rebukes we find here. Accurate historical reconstruction demands that we not rewrite the past in the image of the present. Cultures are in a state of constant flux, and what may seem extreme today may well have been quite common in a former period. 23:1–12 Jesus speaks to the crowds and his disciples about the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. They are said to sit in Moses’ seat, that is, they are the authorized interpreters of Moses’ law. Moses’ seat ...

1542. Stopping the Spread of Hell

Matthew 18:15-20

Sermon

Kristin Borsgard Wee

... was almost ten years younger. One time when she and I were having a wrestling match, I held her down and said that if she didn't quit bugging me I would lick her nose. She stuck out her tongue at me, so I licked her nose. She started screaming like I had broken ... came running and I was in trouble. But from that time on, all I had to say to my sister when she was being a pest was, "Quit that or I'll lick your nose." Years later my sister said she was so grossed out by that threat that it affected her in a ...

1543. Talented People

Matthew 25:14-30

Sermon

David G. Rogne

... his life as a house painter, but his favorite thing in the world was to read the business opportunities. He wanted desperately to do something else. But he was afraid. He had a family to support. He had been through the Depression. What if he quit painting and put his meager savings into a business that failed? He always entertained the fantasy and traveled to many places looking at possible ventures, but he never took the chance, and as he got older the likelihood became more remote until the possibility ...

1544. Jesus and Beelzebub

Mark 3:20-30

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... section. In 3:20–30, Jesus is shown heavily burdened in ministry with his disciples. The location is not entirely clear (see note). Next, Jesus’ relatives (see note) set out to seize him out of concern for him. The Greek wording here is not quite as precise as the NIV translation, and it is not clear whether it is Jesus’ family themselves, or others, who express doubts about his sanity, though it is probably Jesus’ relatives. In recent years we have heard stories of other families who have attempted ...

1545. The Parable of the Sower

Mark 4:1-20

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... message fail under persecution (4:16–17). Some are so tied to materialist priorities that they cannot really surrender to the message (4:18–19). It is perhaps the first group, the ones from whom Satan takes the message, that requires some comment. These are quite probably those who never even begin to receive the message properly, those who turn against it or ignore it. The reference to Satan reflects the view that this message about the kingdom of God is an attack upon Satan and the power of evil, and ...

1546. The Healing of a Blind Man at Bethsaida

Mark 8:22-26

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... God’s final salvation. When we further note that these two stories are unique to Mark, this adds weight to the view that Mark used these events as important components in the narrative. The leading of the person away from the crowd, common to both accounts, is not quite paralleled in any other miracle story in Mark, except in the story of Jairus’ daughter (5:21–43), in which Jesus sends out the unbelieving and mocking crowd (5:40). But in 7:31–37 and 8:22–26 there is no mention of the crowd being ...

1547. John the Baptist Prepares the Way

Luke 3:1-20

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... expression is appropriate in light of v. 9. Luke has the plural “fruits” instead of “fruit” as in Matthew, probably because he is thinking of the various examples that will be given in 3:11–14. 3:11 John’s ethical commands in this verse are quite similar to those found in Isa. 58:7. 3:12–13 The paying of taxes (or tolls) frequently led to violence (e.g., the revolt of Judas the Galilean mentioned in Acts 5:37). Tax collectors were especially loathed because they were notoriously dishonest and ...

1548. The Cost of Being a Disciple

Luke 14:25-35

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... of Jesus is likened to salt, which is good as long as it retains its flavor. However, if it loses its saltiness, it is of no value and must be thrown out. This is like the person who fails to count the cost. He begins, but then quits. In the Matthean context (5:13b) the saying is applied to the influence that Jesus’ followers have upon a corrupt world. As long as his followers are “salty” (righteous) they have a beneficial influence, but if they have lost their “saltiness” then they no longer have ...

1549. The Rich Man and Lazarus

Luke 16:19-31

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... provides a reasonable explanation to the two questions raised above, for it explains why a proper name has appeared in the parable and why this name was Lazarus of all names. covered with sores: Lit. “ulcerated.” The condition of the poor man is not only serious but quite painful. 16:21 longing to eat: This phrase is identical to the lost son’s wish to fill himself with the bean pods that the swine ate (15:16). 16:22 Although the rich man is honored by burial (and with his burial ends his honor), the ...

1550. Peace and Joy

Romans 5:1-11

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... worthy. God’s love is love for the undeserving. Christ died for humanity not when it made amends or turned over a new leaf, but for humanity as rebellious sinners (v. 8) and “God’s enemies” (v. 10). This is a shocking thing to realize, indeed quite an offense to moral people who nurse the idea that their goodness is somehow responsible for God’s love. The radical news of the gospel is that Christ died for the godless, which means that God loves the godless. And to say that God loves the godless ...

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