Sermon and Worship Resources

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Showing 1876 to 1900 of 2404 results

1876. Jesus Heals Many

Mark 1:29-34

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... of “messiah” carried military connotations. Second and more important, the command to silence seems to derive from Jesus’s conscious patterning of his ministry after Isaiah’s servant of the Lord, for whom hiddenness, ironically, was paramount in achieving God’s purpose. Finally and of ultimate importance, Jesus cannot be truly and fully known until his redemptive suffering on the cross. Until that time, all proclamations of him—at least from imperfectly informed humans and demonic opponents ...

1877. A Dead Girl and A Sick Woman

Mark 5:21-43

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... the girl’s death as “sleeping” is met with scorn by the professional mourners. The command talitha koum is Aramaic, meaning, “Little girl [literally ‘little lamb’], arise.” Immediately, reports Mark, the girl arises, to the amazement of all present. What does Mark achieve by sandwiching the story of the hemorrhaging woman into the story of Jairus and his daughter? Mark wants to show that Jairus, a man of reputation and respect, must learn the meaning of faith from an unnamed woman whose only ...

1878. Jesus Prays for His Disciples

John 17:6-19

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... a continuation of that prayer for glory in 17:1–5. Christ’s glory is continually manifested through the lives of his people (17:10). But this will happen only if they, like him, are holy (17:19). Three petitions of Jesus for his people will achieve this end. (1) Unity (17:11–12). Christ prays that the unity shared between him and the Father might be realized in the church. But note the prerequisite that will facilitate this in verse 11: “Keep them in thy name” (literal). Christian unity stems from ...

1879. Jesus Prays for All Believers

John 17:20-26

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 18–21). Again he asks that the Father-Son relation would be the model of this unity (John 17:21; cf. v. 11). And again it is facilitated only by a profound spiritual unity with God in Christ (17:21, 23). Unity is not merely a human achievement but flows from a mature walk with Christ. Just as we noted the importance of Jesus’s final public words (12:44–50), now we read his final private teachings for his disciples before his arrest. John 17:24–26 sweeps up subjects from the entire Farewell Discourse ...

1880. Introduction

Romans 1:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 1 Cor. 1:23). Paul is not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for salvation. Paul summarizes in 1:16–17 the following convictions about the gospel of God concerning Jesus the Messiah. (1) The gospel has power; that is, it achieves what it promises. The gospel is effective, as it is the very power of God that convinces people of the truth of the “message of the cross.” This means for Gentile believers among his readers that the emphasis on wisdom that characterizes orators is replaced ...

1881. Expel the Immoral Brother!

1 Corinthians 5:1-13

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... the man’s body and enslaved him in bondage for life] may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord” (5:5). Again, however, Paul’s mind turns back to the church (5:6–8). A body of believers that can boast of its achievements and ignore its obvious failures clearly has not yet learned that “a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” Paul employs a proverb he has used before (Gal. 5:9), and one commonly used in Jewish circles to denote the way in which any moral evil ...

1882. Questions about Marriage, Divorce, and Celibacy

1 Corinthians 7:1-40

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... . 7:1–40 · The questions to which Paul responds in 7:1–16 probably had something to do with the relative worth of marriage as compared to abstinence or celibacy. Furthermore, behind the questions probably lay the supposition that abstinence or celibacy promoted spiritual achievement.In any case, in the first two verses Paul’s words strike a balance that is characteristic of his response as a whole. “It is good for a man not to marry,” but the benefit is not one that can be enjoyed apart from ...

1883. Love

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... centered on self. On the same basis the rudeness, the pursuit of self-gain, the anger, and the vindictiveness that express themselves at the expense of others are never characteristic of love. For love cannot be identified with the enjoyment that is achieved for ourselves by such means. Its enjoyment consists in acknowledging the truth, of which our perception and interest are only a part. Such love always protects the interests of others, always trusts in their intentions, always hopes for their good, and ...

1884. Paul’s Explanation of His Conduct in Recent Matters

2 Corinthians 1:12--2:4

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... explain. It was written so that on his next return to Corinth he might not “be distressed by those who ought to make me rejoice,” in confidence and trust that such distress could be avoided so as to produce a joyful visit for all (2:3). But in order to achieve its end, Paul’s letter had first to deal openly and honestly with the source of the problem. To write such a letter was certainly not easy, for its purpose was not simply to rebuke but to share with the church the anguish of an unrequited love.

1885. Forgiveness for the Sinner

2 Corinthians 2:5-11

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The letter seems to have achieved its intent (2:9), and with reconciliation now possible, Paul hastens to make sure that it is accomplished. He urges the cessation of the punishment inflicted on the individual who opposed his authority, causing distress both for Paul and for the church, and counsels forgiveness, granting it freely himself in ...

1886. The Perspective of Paul’s Ministry

2 Corinthians 5:11--6:2

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... work, as in the creation accounts of the Old Testament, forms the decisive beginning for it. For “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ” (5:19; the order of words within this Greek clause is ambiguous and has produced a variety of translations). The achievement of the work, however, depended on Christ. For the new creation was allowed to proceed without counting the “sins” of the old only because “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us” (5:19, 21). And now the extension of the ...

1887. Treatise: The Efficacy of Grace over Law

Galatians 3:1-14

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... was the Galatian (and Judaizer) misunderstanding. In contrast, immediately upon “believing what [they] heard,” people received the very presence of the Spirit of God in their lives. While growth would still be mandated, there was no higher level left to achieve. Paul’s unstated but nevertheless implied question throughout the remainder of the letter is simply, “After receiving the Spirit of God, what more is there to receive? What more could you want?” Thus Paul launches into an elaboration as to ...

1888. Paul’s Ambition and Joy Is the Gospel of Christ

Philippians 1:12-30

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... Gospel: Confident of the Philippians’ partnership in the gospel, Paul now calls them to lead a life worthy of the gospel and sets the great example of Christ before them. Only by modeling their lives on Christ’s life can a Christian community hope to achieve true unity and proclaim the gospel in humility and righteousness. The great Christ hymn of Philippians 2:6–11 is one of the most famous passages of the New Testament, and more has been written about it than any other part of Philippians. But it ...

1889. The Letter to Smyrna

Revelation 2:8-11

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Smyrna was a large port city known for its architectural achievements and aesthetic appeal. Its coins read: “Smyrna, first in Asia . . . for its beauty and splendor.” Smyrna was known for its magnificent buildings and numerous temples (including one to the imperial cult). When viewed from a distance, Smyrna looked like a crown resting on the summit of a hill (Aelius Aristides, ...

1890. The Vindication of God and his People

Revelation 20:1-7, Revelation 20:8-10

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... believers (20:4–5), and begin a literal one-thousand-year reign of peace on earth (20:6). Postmillennialism insists that Christ’s return will happen only after the church establishes the millennium, defined as an ideal political state that the church achieves over time. The triumphal procession of Christ on a white horse (19:11–21), therefore, is a symbol of his victorious presence within the church. Proclaiming the gospel binds Satan (20:1–3). When the gospel has reached every nation (cf. John ...

1891. Today Can Be the First Day of Your New Life!

Matthew 2:13-23

Sermon

King Duncan

... elephant finally surrenders. When that happens, the hunters can take the elephant and chain it to a little iron stake in the ground. The elephant will never attempt to pull away because it still associates the chain with the banyan tree. It never realizes how easily it could achieve its freedom. (4) Without faith we are in bondage to our worries and anxieties. But with trust in God, we can be set free. For the Eskimo each new day is new life. Christ can give us new life as well. And today is the first day ...

1892. Accept His Peace

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

Sermon

King Duncan

... or another, seeking peace--peace in our hearts, peace in our marriages, peace in our relationships with other family members, peace in our work? Of course, some of us seek peace from some unusual sources. One woman said her therapist told her the way to achieve true inner peace was to finish what she started. She took the advice to heart. She said, “So far today, I have finished 2 bags of chips and a chocolate cake . . . I feel better already.” Well, they don’t call it “comfort food” for nothing ...

1893. Here's Mud In Your Eye

John 9:1-41

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

... attributed to Sergeant Joe Friday of Dragnet fame, even though it did not originate with him, goes straight to the point. Now here is another "just the facts personality": Julius Caesar was admired for his ability to make uncluttered summations of his great achievements. In a few words Caesar could lay bare the story of his accomplishments. Perhaps none of his statements is any better known than that famous terse tricolon that has followed Caesar since his quick four-hour defeat of Pharnaces II of Pontus in ...

1894. When Lazarus Leaped and Laughed

John 11:1-45

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

... was that Death would send an emissary well in advance to alert him that Death was coming closer. The deal was set. Days became weeks, weeks rolled into months that rolled into years. Finally, one dark night as the man sat alone proudly counting all his achievements and accomplishments, Death suddenly entered the man's room and tapped him on the shoulder and said that the time had come. The man was stunned and argued, "Death, I thought that we had an agreement. You are here with no prior warning. You said ...

1895. The Biggest Prayer Ever Prayed Under Heaven

John 17:1-11

Sermon

Robert Leslie Holmes

... anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. (Luke 22:41-44) He prays for God the Father to make him sufficient for this hour that now has come. Second, he prays to the Father about what he has achieved. "I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do" (v. 4). He has left his rightful place in heaven to set before the world an example of perfect living. He has not given in to Satan's temptations in the wilderness and he ...

1896. Which Parade Are You In?

Matthew 21:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... of the disciples’ feet took place at the Last Supper. Luke tells us that on the way to that sacred meal the disciples had been arguing over which of them would be the greatest in the Kingdom. The disciples thought of greatness in terms of worldly success. To achieve success was to have others serve you. They were not prepared, then, to handle Jesus’ teaching that “whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as ...

1897. Something Different

Matthew 5:1-12

Sermon

James L. Killen

... have resulted from that. But the "rich in spirit" don't care about that. They are actually convinced that they belong to a different class of people for whom the rules for living are different. In some circles, people can be found constantly scrambling to achieve that status and constantly acting as if they are more important than anyone else. But many people, even many who are financially fortunate, are wise enough to reject the idea of being "rich in spirit." And the very wise learn not to pay attention ...

1898. Falling Into Faith

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

Sermon

Charley Reeb

Woody Allen once quipped, “If there is a God, he is the ultimate under-achiever.” This statement is a stinging indictment, especially for those who have high expectations of God. Some may even find it offensive. It is unthinkable that God would want to do less than the very best for the world. However, these deflating words are not too distant from the attitude of ...

1899. The Life You've Always Wanted

Acts 5:27-32

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... and said hello to God’s mission. They could not resist the pull of ultimate meaning, purpose, and adventure. Surely, it was scary, but they were willing to take the leap of faith in order to be more than just average people, living an average life, achieving average goals. So in our text for today, we find Peter and the apostles boldly living out the adventurous call of Christ which had captured them. Sir Frances Drake’s sailors used to sit on the coasts of England and share stories of the sea with ...

1900. I Wonder if God Exists

Genesis 1:1-5

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... God exists. How can anyone believe in God when the world is as messed up as it is? I could do a better job creating and running a universe.” His words reminded me of the old line by Woody Allen, “If there is a God, he is the ultimate under-achiever.” As a pastor, many of my conversations with people about God begin in this manner. I will be on a plane or sitting in a waiting room and as soon as people discover that I am “a man of the cloth,” they express their inability to wrap their minds around ...

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