Sermon and Worship Resources

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Eulogy

William Shakespeare

... Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone; Fear not slander, censure rash; Thou hast finish’d joy and moan: All lovers young, all lovers must Consign to thee, and come to dust. No exorciser harm thee! Nor no witchcraft charm thee! Ghost unlaid forbear thee! Nothing ill come near thee! Quiet consummation have; And renowned be thy grave!

202. The Wrong Gift

Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... than a little curious about the First Family of Christianity. We pick up prescient clues from the Old Testament prophecies that we recite about Jesus and theology as romantic drama, looking for more details about wedding dresses and royal ceremonies. When the marriage is consummated, we are the first on hand with Luke to view the special days of celebration in the life of the First Family of which everyone is talking. When children play "dress up" they are enacting common social rituals. Lovers dress up for ...

203. Our Father Who Art in Heaven

Luke 11:1-13

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

... so to speak, a time-arresting, time-altering event to change the course and nature of time. Woman: We further observe that in Judeo-Christian culture we speak of the coming end of time, the eschaton, when history as we know it will cease and be consummated in God's grand scheme of things. Think of the fascination with the Left Behind series by LaHaye and Jenkins. Consequently, Christians are urged to redeem the time because what we do in temporal, linear time affects our destiny in eternal time. So we can ...

There is no secret and no plan in history to be discovered. I do not believe that any future consummation could make any sense of all the irrationalities of preceding ages. If it could not explain them, still less could it justify them

G. N. Clark

205. Solomon’s Death

2 Chronicles 9:29-31

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... from Gibeon to Jerusalem’s temple forever established the temple in Jerusalem as the place where Yahweh’s name lives. The bringing of the ark of the covenant by consecrated Levites and priests to the Most Holy Place in the temple consummates a long history by which the Jerusalem cult achieves centrality. The all-important theme of the temple building probably reflects the discourse in Persian-period Judah concerning the status of the rebuilt temple. Other biblical writings of the time (such as ...

206. Peter Addresses the Crowd

Acts 2:14-41

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... was completed at Jesus’ return (cf. 3:19ff.). By citing the whole passage from Joel, Peter may in fact have been moving from Pentecost to the Parousia, with the suggestion that just as the Spirit was a sign of the new age, so was he also a pledge of its consummation (cf. 2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5; Eph. 1:14; see disc. on 1:10f.). I will pour out my Spirit (v. 17), lit., as in the LXX, “I will pour out of my Spirit” (the Hebrew is simply, “I will pour out my Spirit”): The thought of the Greek ...

207. Peter Speaks to the Onlookers

Acts 3:11-26

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... to restore all things. There is an important sense in which the renewal of all things has already begun with the coming of Jesus—or even earlier, with the coming of John the Baptist (cf. Mal. 4:5f.; Matt. 11:14; 17:11). But the thought here is of the consummation of the kingdom on Jesus’ return (see note on 1:3). This had been announced by God long ago through his holy prophets (cf. v. 18; Isa. 34:4; 51:6; 65:17; etc.). 3:22 The fulfillment of Scripture remained Peter’s theme, with a reference now to ...

208. Accusations

2 Corinthians 1:12--2:4, 2 Corinthians 2:5-11

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... Paul’s travel plans have changed according to the changing circumstances, God’s message spoken through him to the Corinthians—the basis of his whole apostolic ministry—has not changed and is still in effect. Indeed, it establishes the Corinthians in Christ until the consummation. 1:23–2:4 In 1:23–2:4 Paul gives the real reason that he changed his travel plans: to spare the Corinthians from judgment (1:23–2:2) and to write a letter that would promote reconciliation between the Corinthians and ...

209. Hearts

2 Corinthians 6:14--7:1

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... 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 Israel). Paul began his defense for his apostleship (2:14–7:4) by drawing a typological comparison between his ministry and that of Moses. In that context, Paul calls himself a “minister of the new covenant” (3:6), and his ...

210. Made Alive in Christ

Ephesians 2:1-10

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... already in the process of being fulfilled. That there is an “inauguration” of the eschatological process does not, however, eliminate the futuristic element. Paul retains the conviction that the eschatological process now begun is moving forward toward a final day of consummation. This has a significant bearing upon Paul’s theology because it places the individual in tension between the two aeons—the one begun with the coming of Christ and the one yet to come at his Parousia. The Christian occupies ...

211. The Coming of the Lord

1 Thessalonians 4:13--5:11

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... . 1:23 for the same use of syn to mark our eternal companionship with Christ). Christ is central to all the blessings that God has for us—in a sense we might say that he is those blessings—and this will never be more true than at the consummation of our salvation. The Christian’s final state of blessedness is to be with Christ (for Lord as a reference to Jesus Christ, see note on 1:1). 4:18 Therefore encourage each other with these words. The same expression appears later in 5:11 but with a different ...

212. Instructions to Timothy

1 Timothy 4:1-16

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

... of “imminence”—although it may well often have been there. Rather, living in later times has to do with a new understanding of existence. The End has already begun; believers are to be the people of the Future in the present age, even though the consummation of what has begun still lies in the Future. Thus Christian existence always belongs to the later times, already begun with the advent of the Spirit. For an overview of this framework of understanding in Paul, see, e.g., G. E. Ladd, A Theology of ...

213. Paul's Charge to Timothy

1 Timothy 6:11-21

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

... eternal life, cf. disc. on 1:16) and the nature of the metaphor, as well as the parallel in 2 Timothy 4:7–8, imply that the main thrust of the imperative is eschatological; that is, Timothy is to continue in the contest until it consummates in triumphant conclusion. But as usual in such texts, there is an inherent tension between the “already” and the “not-yet” of the believer’s eschatological existence. The imperative, take hold of, implies a present action as well. Eternal life is that life to ...

214. Personal Remarks

2 Timothy 4:9-18

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

... is simple; the Lord will save me for his own heavenly kingdom. Once again the focus of the letter is on eschatology, in the form of one of Paul’s triumphant certainties: What God has already accomplished in Christ, he will see through to final consummation; the salvation he has begun he will indeed complete. Such a note of eschatological triumph, not to mention past victories, calls for a doxology (cf. 1 Tim. 1:17; 6:15–16): To him be glory forever and ever. Amen. Both the location and the language ...

215. What Must Be Taught to Various Groups

Titus 2:1-15

Understanding Series

Gordon D. Fee

... the PE, Paul sets the Christian imperative in the context of “already/not yet” eschatology (see disc. on 1 Tim. 6:11–16; 2 Tim. 1:8–12). We are “to live godly lives in the present age,” while we also wait for its future consummation, the glorious appearing … of Jesus Christ. However, the way Paul expresses this hope in this passage has been the subject of lengthy discussion. Literally, the text reads: “awaiting the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus ...

216. The Son Superior to Angels

Hebrews 1:1-14

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... dimensions of this passage are heightened by the words God has set you above your companions by anointing you. The appropriateness of this passage, for the Son who is the Messiah was not lost upon the author or his readers. The Anointed One who is the consummation of God’s purposes is rightly addressed as God. He is thus without peer, having been set … above his companions. This last word may contain an allusion to the reality of the incarnation for it is the cognate to the verb “shared” in 2:14 ...

217. Warning to Pay Attention

Hebrews 2:1-4

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... (derived) adjective (bebaios) “true” or “valid,” applied to the law in v. 2. Salvation (sōtēria) is an important word for our author. It is at once the salvation promised in the OT, fulfilled in the present time (cf. 2:3, 10; 5:9) and to be consummated in the future (cf. 1:14; 6:9; 9:28). See W. Foerster, TDNT, vol. 7, pp. 989–1012. 2:4 The signs, wonders and various miracles referred to are those of the early apostolic age rather than those of the ministry of Jesus. These three terms (sēmeia ...

218. Melchizedek the Priest

Hebrews 7:1-10, Hebrews 7:11-28

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... next two chapters, using two almost identical words (ephapax: here, 9:12; 10:10; hapax: 9:26, 28). The completeness and finality of this one act are bound up with who it is that sacrifices and is sacrificed, and the fact that this is the consummation of God’s provision of salvation. The contrast with the repetitive futility of the levitical cultus is immediately evident and telling. See G. Stählin, TDNT, vol. 1, pp. 381–84. 7:28 The “weakness” of the levitical priests is again stressed, as it was ...

219. The Legitimacy and Superiority of Christ’s Priesthood

Hebrews 7:11-28, Hebrews 7:1-10

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

220. A Call to Persevere

Hebrews 10:19-39

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... throughout the book and at the end refers to what he has written as a “word of exhortation” (13:22). The urgency of his request is the result of the approach of the Day. For the absolute use of “day” to indicate the arrival of the future consummation of all things, see 1 Cor. 3:13 (cf. 1 Thess. 5:4). On “day,” see G. Braumann and C. Brown, NIDNTT, vol. 2, pp. 887–95. The delay of the return of Jesus became an increasingly difficult problem as Christians continued to suffer persecution (cf. vv ...

221. By Faith

Hebrews 11:1-40

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... to all the faithful from every age. We have begun to taste of its fruit already in the present—these “last days” (cf. 1:2) of the already present age to come—but we together with those faithful people of the past will yet experience the consummation of God’s purposes, which may now, all being prepared, occur at any time. The realization of “perfection,” the arrival at the telos of his purposes, will be the portion of all who through faith count upon the reality of what is hoped for and unseen ...

222. Concluding Exhortations

Hebrews 13:1-25

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... us at the right hand of God (7:25; cf. 4:14–16). It is also true, as a kind of surplus, that the future of the readers remains secure. The faithfulness of Christ in the past and present will find its counterpart in the future when he returns to consummate the saving purposes of God (9:28). The faithfulness of Jesus Christ is unchanging (cf. 7:24) and is thus something upon which the readers may depend in living the life of faith. 13:9 The constancy of Jesus Christ should in itself put the readers on guard ...

223. Nehemiah’s Prayer

Nehemiah 1:1-11

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... Full restoration from exile would not occur until these steps had been taken. Until then the exile was to continue, despite the work of restoration already accomplished. Psalms 85 and 126 poignantly state the tension of a return undertaken but not consummated with expected divine blessing, and this tension underlies Nehemiah’s prayer. As Zechariah had intimated about sixty years before, the condition for full restoration was a spiritual return to God in repentance (Zech. 1:2–6). Nehemiah strove to meet ...

224. An Invasion of Locusts

Joel 1:1-12

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... No wonder that the priests are in mourning! The call to lamentation of verse 8 is directed not only to the priests, however. The verb is feminine and is probably addressed to Jerusalem, here personified as a betrothed virgin whose marriage has not yet been consummated (cf. 2 Kgs. 19:21; Lam. 2:13). Betrothal was the first stage in marriage in biblical Israel and had the same binding commitment attached to it, although the sexual union of husband and wife did not take place until after the marriage ceremony ...

225. A Call to Return to the Lord

Zechariah 1:1-6

Understanding Series

Pamela J. Scalise

... the book, is to persuade its audience that the reliability of God’s earlier words of judgment stands as evidence that God’s promises and commands are also true. While fulfillment of salvation promises began in the early years of the reign of Darius, the consummation of God’s reign was far off. God reaches out through the prophetic word and calls every generation to return in hope and faithfulness. 1:1 Zechariah begins with a date one month before the latest date in Haggai (2:10, “the ninth month, in ...

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