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Showing 201 to 225 of 2844 results

201. Letting Go and New Beginnings

Mark 9:2-9

Sermon

Richard Gribble

It had been an exhausting climb up the mountain. The blue sky and the shimmering hot sun were beautiful, but they had made the climb more difficult as sweat trickled down his back and into his eyes. The baggage he carried on the climb was becoming a great hardship; in fact its weight forced him to stop. He could climb no further. Overwhelmed with the task, the weary traveler placed the baggage aside and rested. After easing the baggage to the ground he rested against the side of a tree, allowing the cool ...

202. Mark 11:1-11

Mark 11:1-11

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

All four of the gospels give some version of Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem before the passion scenarios begin to play themselves out. While the basic thrust of the story presented by each gospel writer is the same, each narrative embellishes, tones down and picks up on different currents that ripple under the main flow of the outline. It is ironic and as such, ultimately helpful to Mark's presentation that this unit is listed under the heading "Jesus' Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem." In Mark, despite his ...

203. Ministering When You Are Not Welcome

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Sermon

David R. Cartwright

Jesus knew what to do all the time, and he knew how to go about it. He knew how to serve God in good times and in bad. In these scriptures from Luke, we continue to follow Jesus on the way to Jerusalem. But for now, the apparent destination of the trip has receded to the background. Something else has caught our attention. For one thing, Jesus' message of announcing the coming of the kingdom of God is being met with increasing curiosity. There is, at the same time, growing hostility to what Jesus has to ...

204. Red, White and Pink

Luke 24:36-49

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

Have you done time in the “pink aisle”? If you’ve been there, you know what I mean. It’s that entire section in Target or Toys’R’Us or wherever you shop, that glows with a Pepto-Bismol-bright pink haze. The corridor you trundle your shopping cart down is awash in pinks . . . there is Barbie and all her accessories, there are dolls of lesser nobility and parentage, there are fingerpaints, Frisbees, . .. Whatever sits on those shelves, they all give off a ghastly pink glow. Stores really should provide ...

205. The Lost Five Commandments

Mark 12:35-40

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

When Moses descended from the heights of Mount Sinai, he juggled in his arms not two but three Tablets of the Covenant, with five commandments inscribed on each. At least that’s how Mel Brooks tells it in his classic comedy “History of the World, Part I.” ‘Hear me, o hear me! All pay heed!’ the movie Moses proclaims. ‘The Lord, the Lord Jehovah, has given unto you these fifteen . . . [One stone tablet drops and shatters. A perplexed Moses looks down and mutters ‘Oy!’] . . . ten, TEN commandments for all to ...

206. Formula for Eternal Life

1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50

Sermon

Richard Gribble

George lives in FortPortal, a town on the western front of Uganda, some fifty miles from the Congo. Like the RwenzoriMountains (the Mountains of the Moon) that surround the town, George is a beautiful man in many ways. He works as a cook, among many other tasks, for a local school. There is actually little that George does not do. He is the one who washes, irons, and mends the students' clothes, cleans the dormitory, fixes what is broken, does the grocery shopping, and takes care of the outside yard. In ...

207. Getting out of the Doldrums

Luke 6:17-26

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

The classic children’s book, The Phantom Tollbooth (1961), tells the story of a young boy named Milo. One dull, rainy afternoon Milo receives the anonymous gift of a cardboard fold-and-cut tollbooth. Bored Milo builds the tollbooth and “drives through” it with his toy car. Immediately Milo disappears from his room and finds himself traveling along a strange road in a new land. But despite this miraculous relocation, as the road continues on and on, and the countryside rolls by and by, Milo begins to grow ...

208. Paul's Concern for the Corinthians

2 Corinthians 12:11-21

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

The third and last section of 2 Corinthians 10–13 prepares the way for Paul’s third visit to Corinth. His first visit was to found the church (Acts 18); his second visit was to check the church (2 Cor. 2:1); and now his third visit will be to judge the church. If Paul’s ministry of the Spirit is convincing evidence for the legitimacy of his apostolic authority and ministry, a ministry that he attributes directly to God (cf. 2:14, 17; 3:5–6; 10:17), then the Corinthians’ decision to reject that ministry ...

209. Prophecy of Scripture

2 Peter 1:12-21

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

The Need to Remember 1:12 Peter now comes to the purpose of his letter. So, in view of all that I have outlined and because so much is at stake for your spiritual welfare, I will always remind you of these things. Here speaks the true preacher. Often a preacher is simply reminding listeners of Christian truths of faith and works they already know, as a spur to follow Christ more perfectly. But Peter is well aware, as have been all who have spoken in God’s name down through the ages, of the fallibility of ...

210. Egypt

Ezekiel 29:1-21, Ezekiel 30:1-26, Ezekiel 31:1-18, Ezekiel 32:1-32

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

The last four chapters of Ezekiel’s oracles against the nations consist of a loose collection of seven prophecies, all concerned with Egypt: an allegorical oracle depicting Pharaoh as a dragon in the Nile (29:1–16); a late appendix to the book promising Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar (29:17–21); a lament over Egypt (30:1–19); a second oracle against the Pharaoh (30:20–26); an allegory depicting Egypt as the World Tree (31:1–18); a lament over Pharaoh, recapitulating the dragon allegory (32:1–16); and a funeral ...

211. Prologue to the Law of the Temple: The Lord Comes Home

Ezekiel 40:1--43:12

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

The Law of the Temple – Intro to Ezek. 40–48: The book of Ezekiel ends as it began: with a vision of the Glory of the Lord. Like all four visions in the book, this one begins with Ezekiel’s favorite expression for entry into the visionary state, “the hand of the LORD was upon me” (40:1; see the discussion of 1:3, and compare 3:14, 22; 8:1; 37:1). However, chapters 40–48 are linked particularly with chapters 1–3 and 8–11, the other two visions of the Lord’s Glory. Not only theme, but also structure join ...

212. Jesus’ Compassion and Authority to Feed and Heal

Matthew 15:21-28, Matthew 15:29-39

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

Big Idea: Matthew demonstrates Jesus’ compassion and authority in a miraculous feeding and in healing that extends even to a Gentile, indicating that trust is the right response to Jesus. Understanding the Text For a third time in Matthew, Jesus withdraws from controversy (15:21; see also 12:15; 14:13) to minister with healing to the crowds (15:22, 30–31). Given that Matthew focuses almost exclusively on Jesus’ ministry to Israel (10:5–6), it is significant that the story of the healing of a Canaanite ...

213. A Call to Servanthood and Suffering

Mark 10:46-52, Mark 10:35-45, Mark 10:32-34

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

Big Idea: Once more the disciples fail by seeking greatness rather than servanthood, and the right “path” is shown by Bartimaeus, who centers entirely on Jesus and “follows” him “along the road.” Jesus is central, and here he reveals that his way of suffering is redemptive, providing a “ransom for many,” and ends his public ministry with a call to discipleship. Understanding the Text This is the final set of events in Jesus’s public ministry, as the rest of Mark will cover the passion week, crucifixion, ...

214. The First Disciples

Luke 5:1-11

Teach the Text

R.T. France

Big Idea: Being a disciple of Jesus means recognizing our own unworthiness before a sovereign God, having a willingness to leave all to follow him, and recruiting others for the task of discipleship (“fishing for people”). Understanding the Text Luke’s account has hitherto depicted Jesus acting alone, though the unexplained mention of Simon in 4:38 has hinted that others are already associated with him. Now Luke fills in the background to that mention by telling of the recruitment of the first and closest ...

215. The Vision of the Great Prostitute

Revelation 17:1-18

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: John is astonished when he receives the vision of Babylon the Great, the mother of the prostitutes, in all her power, opulence, and adulterous depravity. Understanding the Text At the conclusion of the bowl judgments, Babylon the Great is split into three parts and is made to drink the full cup of God’s wrath (16:19). Now one of the seven angels from chapter 16 invites John to witness in greater detail the judgment God will bring on the harlot. As a result, the judgment of Babylon the Great in 17 ...

216. A Failure of Leadership

Num 20:14-29

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

Big Idea: Leaders’ plans fail and leaders die, but God’s work goes on. Understanding the Text Three things form obstacles to the goal of progress toward the promised land in Numbers 20: death, rebellion, and opposition. Numbers 20:1–13 shows that not only are there still voices of discontent and rebellion against Moses and Aaron, but also that Moses and Aaron themselves are not immune to falling into sin. As a result of their sin, they are told that neither of them will live to enter the land of promise. ...

217. The Kohathites

Numbers 4:1-20

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

The Service of the Levites: Chapter 4 builds on chapter 3 in detailing the duties of the three Levitical groups (Gershon, Kohath, and Merari), who care for the tabernacle under the priests’ supervision. 4:1–3 The chapter begins with a divine instruction to Moses and Aaron: Take a census of the Kohathite group. The census is of men between thirty and fifty years of age, the time of service in caring for the tabernacle. The purpose of all this numbering is again to organize the people, especially for the ...

218. The Gershonites

Numbers 4:21-28

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

219. The Merarites

Numbers 4:29-33

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

220. The Numbering of the Levite Clans

Numbers 4:34-49

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

221. Visit

2 Corinthians 13:1-10, 2 Corinthians 13:11-14

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

222. Fox in the Henhouse

Luke 13:31-35

Sermon

Lori Wagner

Everyone has probably heard of Aesop’s fables. No doubt you’ve read a few of them when you were young. Written by a Greek slave who lived in the 6th century BCE on the island of Samos, the fables taught valuable lessons about desirable moral and social behavior.[1] Likewise, the ancient Jewish faith highly valued parables, moral behavior, and laws concerning how to live well personally, in harmony with God, and in community with others (halakhah). Judaism with its many “mitzvot” continues to cherish ...

223. God Is Not Yet Finished With You

Genesis 1:1-2:3

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." On a pastor’s desk was a sign, "Be patient with me, for God is not yet finished with me." It was a humorous way of telling his people that he was not yet perfect as a Christian. It is a fact that God is not finished creating his universe or his people. Contrary to popular opinion, God has not finished his creation, for scientists claim that our universe is expanding at the rate of twenty-six million miles per hour. Likewise, the creation of ...

224. The Glory of the New Covenant

2 Corinthians 3:7-17; 4:1-6

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

In contrast to the death that the law brings because of the people’s inability to obey, Paul affirms that the Spirit gives life. According to Ezekiel, the life-giving Spirit is the central feature of the prophetic expectation of the restoration from exile. After the people have been punished and purged and brought again through the wilderness in a “new exodus,” they will be given a new Spirit that will reanimate the nation dead in its trespasses and sins (cf. Ezek. 11:19; 18:31; 36:26). The Vision of the ...

225. Freedom From Human Regulations Through Life With Christ

Colossians 2:6-23

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

A Summons to Steadfastness 2:6 The Greek text begins with “therefore,” indicating that what the apostle is about to say is linked with his preceding discussion on the content of the mystery which is Christ himself. As someone has said, “Whenever you see a therefore in Scripture, go back to see what it is there for!” To stand firm does not mean to stand still. Paul is aware that the best defense is a good offense. Consequently, he admonishes his readers to continue in their faith. By receiving the gospel ...

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