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 1751 to 1775 of 4942 results

1751. Judah to Serve Nebuchadnezzar

Jeremiah 27:1-22

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

Jeremiah Versus the False Prophet Hananiah: In the midst of a turbulent time, Jeremiah’s message was not the only one that was being heard in Jerusalem. Other prophets with different messages were also active. Hananiah is an example of a rival prophet, and in chapter 28, these two will almost come to blows. The book of Deuteronomy anticipated the presence of false prophets. False prophets are those who are not sent by Yahweh, though they might speak in his name. Deuteronomy 13 and 18 provide the people ...

1752. How Deserted Lies the City

Lamentations 1:1-22

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

Lament for and by Jerusalem: 1:1–2 Alef/Bet. The poet does not name Jerusalem at the start, but simply speaks of the city. The name of the city does not have to be spoken; poet and readers would know the identity of the now deserted city of Jerusalem. As today there is no doubt when a New Yorker refers to “the city,” so there is no secret concerning the identity of the city among Judeans. This once bustling place (a city “closely compacted together” [Ps. 122:3]) is now eerily deserted. The poet engages the ...

1753. The Gift of the Spirit

Joel 2:28-32

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

2:28–32 The promise of abundant life and rescue from the judgment of the day of the Lord has been given out of the free grace of God (2:18–27). Joel now turns to tell of the signs that will precede the coming of the day. Thus, afterward in 2:28 refers not to events that will take place after the coming of the day, but before its imminent arrival (cf. before in v. 31). As found also in NT tradition, the day will be preceded by both cosmic and earthly signs (cf. Mark 13:7–8, 24–25 and parallels; Luke 21:20, ...

1754. Israel’s Restoration

Amos 9:11-15

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

The Last Word: These are actually two separate oracles, their beginnings marked by the standard eschatological phrases, In that day and The days are coming. Elsewhere in Amos, these phrases had specific reference to the coming day of the Lord. Here they point to an indefinite eschatological future not envisioned by the prophet himself. These two brief passages are undoubtedly the work of a later hand, and the same author is probably responsible for both. In addition, both of these oracles stem from Judah ...

1755. Man's Plans and God's

Micah 2:1-5

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

“You Shall Not Covet” (2:1-3): The arrangement of Micah’s oracles continues to show a careful logic. In chapter 1, Micah has announced that Yahweh’s judgment, which will destroy Samaria, will reach also to the gate of Jerusalem (1:9). And he has portrayed the march of a foreign conqueror who captures the towns west of Jerusalem one by one and deports their populations (1:10–16). That conqueror too comes as Yahweh’s instrument of judgment against Jerusalem (v.12), and this oracle now shows why such judgment ...

1756. Deliverance Promised

Micah 2:12-13

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

The Goal of Yahweh’s Action: The book of Micah is never content to rest with the message of one historical period or with one manifestation of Yahweh’s action. (See the introduction and the comment on 1:2–5b). The preceding oracles have dealt with the fall of Samaria (1:5c–7), with the Assyrian conquest of the Judean towns to the west of Jerusalem (1:10–16), with the threatened fall of Jerusalem (2:1–3, 10), and with the postexilic reversal of the fortunes of the oppressors and the oppressed (2:4–5). But ...

1757. The Mountain of the Lord

Micah 4:1-5

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

The Future of Zion: As was stated in the introduction (which see), the book of Micah represents Israel’s meditation over a period of at least two centuries about its God-given role in the world of nations. In this passage, that meditation with its theological wrestling centers on the future of Jerusalem and Zion. What is the place of Zion, with its temple mount, in the history of nations? In 3:12 we saw that God was bringing judgment on the holy city because of the sin of its leaders, and that therefore ...

1758. Clean Garments for the High Priest

Zechariah 3:1-10

Understanding Series

Pamela J. Scalise

Vision Report: Zechariah and Joshua in the Heavenly Court: 3:1–2 Zechariah’s next vision begins in the midst of a courtroom scene, a trial of Joshua the high priest in the heavenly court. He was standing before the angel of the LORD, and the accuser was standing at his right side to accuse him. “Satan” is not a personal name but a role. He is also a member of the heavenly court. The text does not report the charge that he has made against Joshua, but we can infer it from the rest of the report. The satan ...

1759. Jacob Loved, Esau Hated

Malachi 1:1-5

Understanding Series

Pamela J. Scalise

The Superscription (1:1): 1:1 The superscription, or extended title, of the book of Malachi has two parts. First, it is called an oracle (massaʾ). This term also heads the books of Nahum (1:1) and Habakkuk (1:1), but elsewhere it appears in the headings of shorter units of speech, such as the oracles against the nations in Isaiah 13–23 and Zechariah 9–11 and 12–14. The word does not denote any particular type of content or literary genre. The same word also means “burden,” communicating the sense of the ...

1760. The Day of the Lord

Malachi 4:1-6

Understanding Series

Pamela J. Scalise

Those Who Fear the Lord (3:17--4:3): 3:17–4:1 Malachi 3:17–4:1 addresses the concerns of Malachi’s audience directly. God promises that, “in the day when I act” (v. 17, NIV margin), you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not (v. 18). On the day of divine judgment, the arrogant will not seem to be blessed and the people who challenge God will not escape (3:14–15). The arrogant and every evildoer will be destroyed by fire until ...

1761. The First Two Days: John the Baptist’s Message

John 1:19-28, John 1:29-34

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The narrative portion of John’s Gospel begins by referring yet a third time to the message of John the Baptist (cf. vv. 6–8, 15–16). The difference between this section and the references in the prologue is that attention now focuses on a particular testimony of John the Baptist given on a particular occasion when the Jewish authorities, later designated more precisely as Pharisees (v. 24), sent a delegation of priests and Levites from Jerusalem to question him. This occasion stretches out to at least a ...

1762. Jesus Heals the Official’s Son

John 4:43-54

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

Once again the narrator provides an explanation for Jesus’ itinerary. After two days at Sychar (cf v. 4:40), Jesus leaves Samaria and continues his journey to Galilee (v. 43; cf. vv. 3–4). The reason given is Jesus’ own remark (probably made on a different occasion), A prophet has no honor in his own country. A great deal of speculation has centered on whether Jesus’ own country (Gr: patris) refers to Galilee or Judea. If it refers to Galilee, the principle seems to be contradicted right away by the ...

1763. Testimonies About Jesus

John 5:31-47

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The discourse of verses 19–47 can be divided into two parts on the basis of a change from the third to the first person at verse 30. Instead of referring to himself as “the Son,” Jesus now uses the emphatic pronoun I (vv. 30, 31, 34, 36, 43). But part two of the discourse begins like part one with the insistence that Jesus’ authority is a derived authority. He does nothing on his own but acts entirely on his Father’s instructions (v. 30; cf. v. 19). If he does what he sees his Father do (vv. 19–20), he ...

1764. Jesus the Bread of Life

John 6:25-59

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The discourse begins as a dialogue between Jesus and the crowd, and becomes more and more of a monologue as it continues. The crowd had begun following him because of the miracles he had done (cf. 6:2), but since the multiplication of the loaves, they have been pursuing him as one who can satisfy their physical hunger and (they hope) their political ambitions as well (cf. 6:15). They think they have found him, but they have not. They have been fed, yet they have not begun to receive what Jesus has to give ...

1765. Jesus Goes to the Feast of Tabernacles

John 7:1-13

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

For the third time (cf. 5:1; 6:1) a narrative begins vaguely with the words after this. The remark that Jesus went around in Galilee (v. 1) is probably intended as a summary or a general characterization of his ministry, acknowledging the truth of the synoptic witness that Galilee was indeed the location of most of Jesus’ teaching and healing activities. The narrator probably assumes that Jesus lived in Capernaum with his mother, brothers, and disciples (2:12; cf. 6:59), using that town as the base for his ...

1766. Jesus and the High Priest

John 18:15-18, John 18:25-27, John 18:19-24

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

A relatively brief interrogation of Jesus by the high priest (vv. 19–24) is framed by a two-part account of Peter’s denial (vv. 15–18, 25–27). The division of the denial into two scenes follows a precedent reflected in Mark (14:54, 66–72) and Matthew (26:58, 69–75; Luke on the other hand, puts the material in one continuous narrative, 22:54–62). As in Mark, the vivid picture of Peter warming himself by the enemy’s fire is the point at which the narrative breaks off (v. 18) and later resumes. But unlike ...

1767. The Empty Tomb and the First Appearance

John 20:1-9, John 20:10-18

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The story of the empty tomb is Mary Magdalene’s story. To this point in the Gospel, Mary has been mentioned only once, with no further identification (19:25), probably because she is presumed to be well known to the Gospel’s readers. In Mark, Matthew, and Luke she is mentioned first among the women who came to the tomb on Sunday morning, but here she seems to come alone. Only her statement that we [plural] don’t know the whereabouts of Jesus’ body (v. 2) betrays a consciousness of others present with her ...

1768. Abram Rescues Lot

Genesis 14:1-24

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Abram Rescues Lot from Captivity: This episode reveals Abram as a strong military commander. Employing shrewd battle tactics, Abram defeats a coalition of four kings from the East who have taken his nephew Lot captive. On his triumphant return Melchizedek, priest-king of Salem, comes out to meet him and blesses him. Abram in turn gives him a tithe of the spoil. This episode describes Kedorlaomer’s campaign against the cities around the Dead Sea (vv. 1–12), Abram’s defeat of these marauding troops (vv. 13– ...

1769. Isaac and Rebekah

Genesis 24:1-67

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Finding a Wife for Isaac: Abraham’s last major responsibility in light of God’s promises is to find a wife for Isaac. Otherwise the promise of numerous offspring will perish for lack of an heir. The text does not address why Abraham waited so long to fulfill this responsibility. Abraham commissions his most trusted senior servant to travel to Haran to find a wife for his son. In order to preserve the integrity of his offspring, this wife must come from the line of Terah. The servant is confident that he ...

1770. Dinah and the Shechemites

Genesis 34:1-31

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

The Rape of Dinah: A number of years after Jacob settled in the vicinity of Shechem (33:17–20), a man named Shechem, the son of Hamor, rapes Dinah, Jacob’s daughter. The approaches of the two parties to resolving this offense reveal the deep conflict between two different ways of life: shepherds in conflict with urban dwellers and worshipers of one God in conflict with polytheists. Several acrid terms in the story convey the brothers’ outrage at Shechem’s act of passion against their sister: violated (’ ...

1771. Judges

Deuteronomy 17:8-13

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Leadership in Israel: Judges and Kings: Some scholars regard the section 16:18–18:22 as related to the fifth commandment, just as the previous section (usually defined as 14:28–16:17) is based on the sabbatical rhythm of the fourth commandment. The fifth commandment focuses on the honor due to parents, who are the first form of social authority encountered in life. Parental authority, however, is a model for other forms of authority and leadership in society (as is seen in the use of “father” for various ...

1772. The Altar on Mount Ebal

Deuteronomy 27:1-8

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Covenant Renewal and Covenant Curse: Structurally, we are moving into the second half of the “inner frame.” Chapter 27 balances chapter 11, thus functioning as a framework for the detailed legislation in chapters 12–25. This is clear not only from the reference in both chapters to the ceremony at Mt. Ebal but also from the emphasis in both on covenant choice and commitment. 27:1–8 The first point in these verses is the permanence of the law. If the covenant is to endure through the generations, then the ...

1773. Blessings for Obedience

Deuteronomy 28:1-14

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Blessings and Curses: It is not hard to understand why this is perhaps the most difficult chapter in Deuteronomy for a modern reader to cope with. And yet the fact is that in its ancient context this list of blessings and the even longer list of curses would have been expected at this point. Deuteronomy is structurally modeled on the secular treaty format, and a consistent feature of those treaties is the section of blessings and curses that follows the detailed stipulations of the treaty in order to give ...

1774. The Temple’s Furnishings

1 Kings 7:13-51

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

The Temple’s Furnishings: After the important digression of 7:1–12 we return now to the temple, to hear how that project was completed and the “house of the LORD” made ready for his occupation in chapter 8. The narrative introduces a new character, whom the NIV calls Huram (vv. 13, 40, 45), but whom the MT calls by the same name as the king of chapter 5 (“Hiram”). He is brought from Tyre by Solomon to make the temple furnishings that are to be fashioned from bronze (vv. 15–47). Solomon himself, however, is ...

1775. The Ark Brought to the Temple

1 Kings 8:1-21

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

The Ark Brought to the Temple: The ark of God, the great symbol of the LORD’s presence with the people and the receptacle for the tablets of the law (Exod. 25:10–22; Deut. 10:1–5; Josh. 3–6), had hitherto remained in a tent sanctuary somewhere in the old city of David (2 Sam. 6:16–17; 7:2; 1 Kgs. 3:15)—except for the brief trip described in 2 Samuel 15:24–29. First Kings 8:1–21 recounts the circumstances of its relocation and Solomon’s speech about the significance of the event. 8:1–2 It is interesting, in ...

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