Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1651 to 1675 of 2157 results

1651. Saints Are Awake to Life's Deepest Joy

Luke 6:20-31

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

... glimpse of God? Your answers these questions will reveal the identity of the saints you have encountered. Let us remember and give thanks for these saints today. The lectionary gospel reading for today comes from Luke 6:20-31. The opening verses are Luke's version of the Beatitudes. They differ a bit from Matthew's Beatitudes. Portions of this pericope reads, "Blessed are you who are poor… Blessed are you who are hungry now… Blessed are you who weep… Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they ...

1652. "Gotcha" Questions from Mean-Spirited People

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

... without waiting for him to say something that discredits him in the eyes of the people. It might be said at that moment those religious leaders crossed the threshold from mean-spirited to downright evil. As you know, they are successful with this final version of the plan. The week that began with the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem ends with his humiliating execution on Golgotha, the city trash heap at the edge of town. At their weekly debriefing in the temple conference room, the mean-spirited ...

1653. The Inspiration for Solitude

Jn 11:1-44

Illustration

King Duncan

It appears that this version of the story, about how Ella Wilcox wrote Solitude, is urban legend: A woman named Ella Wilcox once witnessed a woman sitting quietly by herself sobbing very noticeably in the middle of a train car. At first, Ella was a little bothered by the persistent weeping, but then she noticed ...

1654. Demons, Pigs, and the Economy

Luke 8:26-39

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

... one had to contend with demons and devils and to wrestle with "the powers of darkness of this present world," as Paul put it. It is no wonder that the early church was fascinated with this intriguing story of Jesus and the Gerasene demonic. Mark's version of the story is probably the original. Matthew names two demoniacs in place of one. Luke, the beloved physician, emphasizes the man's state of mind before and after the healing or exorcism. More than that, as the only non-Jewish writer of the New Testament ...

1655. The Good Samaritan (Revised Edition)

Luke 10:25-37

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

... open to attack either in the streets or the courts of law. We must not let the legalists, the defensive, fearful, narrow exclusivist people bind our society in fear or choke it with laws that reward the bad and penalize the good. Any such revised version of the Good Samaritan story will not do for the people of the new day. Instead, Jesus calls us to love our neighbor by being neighborly wherever we are. The gospel is not a declaration of rights, but a declaration of responsibilities. As one sociologist ...

1656. An Unforgettable Baptism

Luke 3:21-22

Sermon

King Duncan

... we have committed ourselves to walk in his footsteps as God grants us His grace. You know the basic story of Christ’s baptism. All four Gospels record this momentous occasion, which really was Christ’s coronation into his earthly ministry. Luke’s version of the account is more condensed than the other Gospel writers. He begins with a brief description of John the Baptist’s ministry. Luke tells us “the people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be ...

1657. Buying Echoes

Illustration

Michael P. Green

A man was on the practice golf course when the club pro brought another man out for a lesson. The pro watched the fellow swing several times and started making suggestions for improvement, but each time the pupil interrupted with his own version of what was wrong and how to correct it. After a few minutes of this interference, the pro began nodding his head in agreement. At the end of the lesson, the student paid the pro, congratulated him on his expertise as a teacher, and left in an obviously pleased ...

1658. The Best Translation

Illustration

Michael P. Green

The story is told of four ministers discussing the pros and cons of various Bible translations and paraphrases. Eventually each stated which version, in his opinion, is the best. The first minister said he used the King James because the Old English style is beautiful and produces the most reverent picture of the Holy Scriptures. The second said he preferred the New American Standard Bible because he felt it comes nearer to the ...

1659. Anybody and Nobody

Illustration

Michael P. Green

... counted on. Nobody visited the sick. Nobody gave liberally. Nobody shared his faith. In short, Nobody was a very faithful member. Finally the day came when Somebody left the church and took Anybody and Everybody with him. Guess who was left. Nobody! SHORTER VERSION This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to do and Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody ...

1660. Upside-down Beatitudes

Matthew 5:1-12

Illustration

J. B. Phillips

J. B. Phillips, in his book When God Was Man (Nashville: Abington, 1955), gives an upside-down version of the Beatitudes: Happy are the pushers, for they get on in the world. Happy are the hard-boiled, for they never let life hurt them. Happy are they who complain, for they get their own way in the end. Happy are the blase, for they never worry over their ...

1661. Baby Rattlesnake Legend

Illustration

Michael P. Green

... . Baby rattlesnakes, you see, are born with their full venom. And so it is with many of the sins that tempt us. They may appear harmless, even colorful, yet they contain the full venom of Satan’s poison and will destroy us if we handle them. Note: There are various versions of this story but all are doubtful. The only thing real in this story is that baby rattlesnakes can kill a human being.

1662. Word Meaning

Illustration

Michael P. Green

... word amusing meant “amazing,” and the word artificial meant “artistic.” What to our ears might sound like a devastating criticism were in that time words of measured praise. There is no doubt a lesson in that story for those who would quibble over the relative merits of the various Bible versions and translations. Shades of meaning cannot alter what God has revealed in his Word!

1663. Jehoshaphat King of Judah

2 Chronicles 17:1-19

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... , interprets this event: because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you have made (20:37). To rely on alliances means not to rely on Yahweh. The death-and-burial notices in 2 Chronicles 20:34 and 21:1 follow the Deuteronomistic versions in 1 Kings 22:45 and 22:50, with one exception. The latter refers the reader to “the book of the annals of the kings of Judah” (1 Kgs. 22:45) for further information about the king. The Chronicler instead cites the annals of Jehu son of ...

1664. Amon King of Judah

2 Chronicles 33:21-25

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... much longer) account in 2 Kings 21:19–26. Amon ruled over Judah in approximately 643/642–641/640 B.C. 33:21 The Chronicler omits the king’s mother’s name, which is given in Kings. This follows the pattern of the Chronicler’s version of the Manasseh narrative. 33:22–23 King Amon is evaluated negatively in these verses, which are taken—with some slight changes—from Kings. The Chronicler has more specific references to Manasseh, Amon’s father, and he adjusts the present narrative to fit the ...

1665. Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

Acts 1:12-26

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... hundred and twenty: lit., “a crowd of names, about a hundred and twenty,” where “names” may signify “persons” without distinction of sex (see H. Bietenhard, “onoma,” TDNT, vol. 5, p. 270), though some argue on the basis of the Syriac and Arabic versions that it means men as distinct from women. Peter’s address implies that only men were present. 1:16 Brothers: lit., “men, brothers,” a rather formal mode of address indicating a sense both of the occasion and of the respect due to those ...

1666. Peter Heals the Crippled Beggar

Acts 3:1-10

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... is focused is Peter. The narrative that begins here and runs through to 4:22 bears some similarity to the events described in 5:17–42, with their sequence of arrest, threat, defense, release, and rejoicing. This has led to speculation that these are simply different versions of the same incident, with yet another appearing later, in 12:1–9, that shares with chapter 5 a story of an escape. But in assessing a theory like this it must be remembered that the author (assuming that he was who we think he was ...

1667. Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin

Acts 4:1-22

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... Peter 2:6f. he mentions both sides (cf. also Rom. 9:33; Eph. 2:20) and the connecting link in his thought there, as perhaps here between verses 11 and 12, is Isaiah 28:16, which appears to have been interpreted of the Messiah in the Aramaic versions of the Old Testament, or targums. Peter was thinking now, not simply of the miracle of the lame man, but of what that miracle signified—generally, the whole salvation of humanity, to which “the name” was as essential as it had been in this particular case ...

1668. In Pisidian Antioch

Acts 13:13-52

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... a man after his own heart,” found in both the MT and the LXX, with words that could be rendered “a man who does [or will do] his will” (pp. 21ff.). If Wilcox is right, it would appear that the quotation was made by someone familiar with the Aramaic version, though the sermon itself was probably delivered in Greek. Not only was David a type of the Messiah, he was the Messiah’s progenitor, as God had said he would be. The promise had been that a line of kings of his own house would succeed him (2 Sam ...

1669. Paul Transferred to Caesarea

Acts 23:23-35

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... that had brought Paul into his custody. His account conforms broadly with what we already know, except that he claims to have rescued Paul knowing that he was a Roman citizen, whereas, of course, it was only later that he made that discovery (for another version, see 24:5f.). 23:28 In the Greek text, the statements of verses 27 and 28 are closely linked, as though the commander was anxious to move quickly from his rescue of Paul to the inquiry by the Sanhedrin, drawing a veil over his own conduct ...

1670. The Trial Before Festus

Acts 25:1-12

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... of a title (see also note on v. 21). 25:10 As you yourself know very well: To express the comparative adverb, the rendering “as you are getting to know better” has been suggested. This, it is said, saves us from the ungracious and unjust retort that a number of versions, including NIV, ascribe to Paul. But v. 18 seems to indicate that Festus did know better than the question of v. 9 would suggest. The note of reproach is properly retained by NIV.

1671. Hearts

2 Corinthians 6:14--7:1

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... this major section. 6:16d The first OT quote is a conflation of Leviticus 26:11–12 and Ezekiel 37:27. Paul has combined two similar passages into a single citation, for both texts refer to God’s dwelling among Israel, and both contain a version of the covenant formula. In the OT, the full, twofold covenant formula (“I will be their/your God, and they/you will be my people”) is used basically in two contexts: historical (the birth of Israel) and eschatological (the consummation of the promises to ...

1672. The Law and the Promise

Galatians 3:15-25, Galatians 3:1-14

Understanding Series

L. Ann Jervis

... Gal. 3:13). In this verse Paul gives no indication that he is quoting Scripture. We see this also at Gal. 3:11. Paul generally uses the Septuagint. When Paul diverges from the Septuagint scholars explain this as either due to his using a version of the biblical book to which we no longer have access or because he, like many other ancient authors, changed the quotation to suit his purposes. Within the Jewish tradition, reinterpretation and rewriting of Scripture was commonplace. On Paul’s use of Scripture ...

1673. Hagar and Sally

Galatians 4:21-31

Understanding Series

L. Ann Jervis

... , the Hebrew word for “playing” in Gen. 21:9 could also denote “mocking.” On the basis of this meaning later Jewish interpretive writings contain stories of Ishmael harassing Isaac. See Longenecker (Galatians, pp. 200–206) for rabbinic references. 4:30 The words “free woman” are not found in the Septuagint version of Gen. 21:10. Paul appears to have added them so as to clarify his application of the text.

1674. Unity in the Body of Christ

Ephesians 4:1-16

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... may be teaching only in a school or college rather than in a local church” (pp. 163–64). Pastoring, which includes an element of teaching, implies a long-term responsibility for the spiritual needs of people. Additional Notes 4:8 R. Rubinkeiwicz examines the targumic version of the psalm in his article, “Ps LXVII 19 (= EPH IV 8): Another Textual Tradition or Targum?” NovT 17 (1975), pp. 219–24. See also G. V. Smith, “Paul’s Use of Psalm 68:18 in Ephesians 4:8,” JETS 18 (1975), pp. 181–89 ...

1675. Thanksgiving and Prayer

Colossians 1:1-14

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... the style that Paul employs on other occasions when he freely alternates between “I” and “we” (cf. 2 Cor. 13:7ff.; 1 Thess. 1:2; 2:13; 3:9; 2 Thess. 1:3; 2:13). The prayer is to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In this expanded version of his prayer (cf. shorter forms in Rom. 1:8; 1 Cor. 1:4; Phil. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:2–3), Paul draws attention not only to God as Father—a distinctly Christian insight—but to the Lord [kyrios] Jesus Christ. This emphasis upon Christ’s exalted status as ...

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