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 1 to 25 of 326 results

1. The Calling of Levi

Luke 5:27-32

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... many of his friends; among them, of course, would be a large crowd of tax collectors and others. It is likely that he wishes to introduce Jesus to his guests and to make known to all his decision to follow the man from Nazareth. The call of Levi and the giving of the banquet furnish the occasion for the critical question of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law (see note below). They want to know why Jesus eats with tax collectors and “sinners” (v. 30). To eat with someone, usually referred to as ...

2. The Calling of Levi

Mark 2:13-17

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... of a tax collector and Jesus’ social association with such people. There are two incidents mentioned here, the call of Levi (vv. 13–14) and the eating with “sinners” (or outcasts; vv. 15–16), and the connection between them is that ... . It is obvious that Mark had more interest in telling his story of Jesus than in dealing with such matters. In church tradition, however, this Levi and the Matthew of 3:18 are regarded as the same man (there being others in the NT known by more than one name, e.g ...

3. Levi

1 Chronicles 6:1-30

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... and in a more specific sense referring to a particular part of the priesthood should, therefore, be kept in mind here. First Chronicles 6:16 functions as an introduction to this genealogy, with 6:17–19 as a segmented version of the descendants of each of Levi’s sons. A next, smaller subsection opens with the remark (6:19b) that these are the clans of the Levites listed according to their fathers. In 6:20–21 a linear presentation of the Gershonites is offered, followed by a section on the Kohathites (6 ...

4. Levi

1 Chron 6:1-81

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

At the center of the genealogies in Chronicles is the tribe of Levi, those responsible for the temple and its worship, which will become the dominant theme of the narrative of 1–2 Chronicles. The Chronicler traces first the Aaronide priestly ... they provided spiritual service for the tribes throughout the land. The worship of Yahweh is the core calling of the people of Israel, and so the tribe of Levi is placed at the center of this genealogical review. It is Jesus who will assume and transcend the role of ...

5. The Calling of Levi

Mark 2:13-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... occurs some fifteen times in Mark, indicates the essential role that instruction plays in Jesus’s ministry, and the large crowds that attend it indicate the public nature of the gospel. The Roman tax system functioned, in part, by renegade Jews like Levi (2:14–17) receiving a franchise to collect taxes in set regions. Whatever amount a tax collector obtained in addition to the contracted sum with Rome was his to keep. The Roman system of taxation thus attracted unscrupulous individuals and virtually ...

6. Come One, Come All

Luke 5:27-32

Sermon

James Merritt

... way we are to do it. I. We Are To Ask Everyone To Follow Jesus “After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, ‘Follow me’”. (Luke 5:27, ESV) The disciples thought they were just out taking a ... Jesus they most likely had turned their heads and refused to look at the man sitting there. We are told that Jesus saw Levi. The word “saw” is a very strong word. It means “to stare at and to focus on deliberately.” In other words, Jesus stopped ...

7. Lent 2

Luke 13:31-35

Bulletin Aid

Jack Brownlee

... looked the day the man came. It seemed like yesterday that she saw him coming up the path to tell her of the accident. Jacob and two others killed and many injured when the tower they were working on in Caesarea collapsed. Now young Jacob was working in Caesarea, and Levi was not back. How her life had changed in just a few short years. She would listen to an explanation. No, she would just let him know of her displeasure and fear at his delay. No. If she made up her mind now she knew that she would do the ...

8. The First Meal

Sermon

Robert F. Scott

... a time for good conversation and pleasant experiences. The first meal in this Gospel is a scandal, and it starts a bitter, dangerous fight. Levi was an outcast, a traitor, a scoundrel, and most probably a thief. He was no saint, no pillar of the church; in fact, the ... of God, every man or woman or child who had a vision of the goodness of God and who sought to live in that goodness. Levi made a feast in his house, but it was the presence of Jesus that made it a supper of forgiveness, a feast of healing for ...

9. A Taxing Encounter

Matthew 9:9-13, Mark 2:13-17, Luke 5:27-32

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... This toll booth would have been the customs tax booth, which collected the percentage of tax on all imports into Capernaum, and on all fish caught in the fishing industry. The percentage tax went to Rome. The man sitting in the tax booth was Matthew, Levi, or Levi son of Alphaeus according to whichever scripture you read. The name Matthew (a Greek name) means “Gift of Yahweh.” Many people in those days went by several names. Often a Jewish man would have both a Hebrew and a Greek name. The lingua franca ...

10. Leading a Friend to Jesus

Luke 5:27-32, Luke 5:17-26

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... can heal are those who come to him humbly saying, "I’m a sinner who needs a Savior. I have a problem that only you can fix." Here is the third life-lesson: AFTER CHRIST SAVES US, HE WANTS US TO BRING OUR FRIENDS TO HIM. Just like Levi did. "…Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them." (Luke 5:29) There is a tendency for new Christians to develop friendships within Sunday School classes and Bible study groups. That is fine. But ...

11. The Scandal Of Redeeming Love

Hosea 2:2-23

Sermon

Frederick C. Edwards

... other category you want to name - are offered forgiveness and entry into the kingdom. Judgment and grace operate together in this new order. Judgment declares that all have fallen short of the glory of God, and grace offers the gift of undeserved forgiveness. Jesus ate with Levi and his friends because God’s grace included all of them. When people come to church to receive the sacrament of the Lord’s supper that same idea is at work. We do not receive Christ because we deserve to do so, but because we ...

12. Blemished Sacrifices and Admonition for the Priests

Malachi 1:6-14, Malachi 2:1-9

Understanding Series

Pamela J. Scalise

... would lose God’s life-giving blessing (as in Gen. 1:28; Deut. 28:1–6). 2:4–5 As a result of this punishment the priests would know that God had sent this admonition (see also v. 1) with a purpose—that the Lord’s covenant with Levi, which the priests had “violated” (v. 8), might continue. God was not ready to abolish the priesthood but intended, by means of judgment and the prophetic word, to reform the priests. The ministry of Malachi, the prophet and the book, was to call the priests back to ...

13. Jesus Calling and Accepting the Outcasts

Mark 2:13-17

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

... same time that the leaders begin to oppose him more and more. This will culminate in 3:6, where the power brokers in Israel start to plot Jesus’s death. The crowds do not turn against Jesus until the trial in 15:1–15. 2:14 he saw Levi son of Alphaeus. This scene consists of two parts, a return to the theme of 1:16–20, where Jesus is building up his discipleship band (2:13–14), and a controversy section where Jesus answers the criticism of his opponents (2:15–17). Capernaum is on the northwest ...

14. A Zealot’s Greatest Battle

Drama

... our movement. Simon (Motioning for Matthew to leave) See you later, Matthew. (Matthew looks back a couple of times as he exits) Barabbas That guy can call himself lucky, too. I was just a fraction of a second from destroying him! Sure looks like that traitor, Levi. Say ... look at me. (Begins laughing and pounding Simon on the back) Lucky Barabbas! I should have died on that cross! I just wanted to stop by and look at it ... and thank my lucky stars. Simon You are fortunate, Barabbas! I hope you realize a ...

15. Offerings for Priests and Levites

Deuteronomy 18:1-8

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... in Israel: Priests and Prophets: After the two sections on “secular” leadership (the judge and the king 16:18–17:20), we now have two sections on the “spiritual” leadership provided by the priest and the prophet. Priests and Levites The responsibilities of the tribe of Levi were broadly twofold: the service of the sanctuary, especially the role of the priests at the altar; and the preservation and teaching of the law (cf. Lev. 10:11; Deut. 10:8; 33:10; 2 Chron. 15:3; 17:8f.; 35:3; Neh. 8:7–9 ...

16. Feasting and Fasting

Luke 5:33-39, Luke 5:27-32

Teach the Text

R.T. France

... only were his professional and social associates invited, but also Jesus’s disciples along with Jesus himself (5:30 is Luke’s first use of the term “disciple”; he will introduce the disciples more formally in 6:13–16). This looks like a deliberate attempt by Levi to introduce Jesus and his circle to a particular sector of society, with Jesus as the guest of honor. This is the first of several scenes in Luke’s Gospel set at meals. 5:30 Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners ...

17. Fresh Grilled Forgiveness

John 21:1-19

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... order of Bread and Fish. That offer empowered his life and faith to end of time. B. Let me tell you about a friend of mine, Levi. When Levi was 14 he ran away from home. He stuck his thumb out and hitchhiked to another community. He was picked up by a trucker who ... word, they loaded him into a car and took him to the airport and put him on a plane to El Paso. When the plane landed, Levi was afraid to get off. His folks had driven over 250 miles to get there. He was afraid of the reception he faced, so he just ...

18. Melchizedek the Priest

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

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... argument about Christ’s high priesthood as convincing as it can be, the author begins by establishing the great importance of Melchizedek, who resembles the Son of God in many respects and hence serves as a type of Christ. His superiority to Abraham and Levi is then made plain. This in turn leads to a discussion of the significance of his priestly order, which in recent history had found a new and definitive representative in fulfillment of the expectation in Psalm 110:4. Again the discussion is midrashic ...

19. The Legitimacy and Superiority of Christ’s Priesthood

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

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

20. Family Record of Moses and Aaron

Exodus 6:13-27

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... is to explain the importance of the clans of Levites and especially Aaron and his descendents. The motivations behind the shaping of the text in this way are obvious. First, it mentions only the first three of the twelve sons of Jacob/Israel: Reuben, Simeon, and Levi. The fourth son, Judah, will be very important as the family of the Davidic kingship, but he is conspicuous by his absence here. Reuben and Simeon were the first-and second-born of Jacob and Leah. The text mentions them and their sons simply to ...

21. The Temple Musicians

1 Chronicles 6:31-81

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... The Levitical genealogy is closely related in the literary structure to the genealogies of Judah and Benjamin. The community identity that the Chronicler fosters rests solidly upon these three pillars. This long chapter covers different aspects related to the lineage of Levi. Levi, being one of the twelve sons of Israel mentioned in 2:1–2, is credited with being the ancestor who delivered to Israel its priestly lineage. The very extensive genealogy therefore starts with the family list of the high priests ...

22. Epiphany 2

1 Corinthians 6:12-20, 1 Samuel 3:1--4:1, John 1:35-42, John 1:43-51

Sermon Aid

Russell F. Anderson

... 's Voice. Sermon Angle: The young Samuel was an apprentice minister and while he slept in the sanctuary, near the Ark of the Covenant, which symbolized God's presence, he heard God's voice. The problem was that he didn't recognize God's voice, thinking it was Levi. Levi, finally realizing that the Lord was trying to get the lad's attention, told him how to reply. Samuel learned to recognize the voice of the Lord and to listen. Outline: 1. Samuel lived in God's house but didn't know the Lord or recognize his ...

23. David Numbers the Fighting Men

1 Chronicles 21:1-22:1

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... of David’s census should be interpreted as another example of human hubris. After the military successes in which Yahweh delivered victory to David and his men, David wanted to give an account again of his own sphere of influence. Neither the omission of Levi and Benjamin from the census nor the census in itself is sinful. The census is rather an expression again (analogous to Uzzah’s touching the ark en route to Jerusalem) of David’s own attempt to establish his “house.” But David realizes his ...

24. Jacob Blesses His Sons

Genesis 49:1-28

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... First, the order of the sons of Jacob is in accord with the order of their births in Genesis 29:31–30:24 and the list in 35:22b–26. Second, Jacob curses Reuben for lying with Bilhah, his concubine (35:22). Third, Jacob curses Simeon and Levi for their brutal sack of Shechem (ch. 34). Jacob’s curses against the three oldest sons can be accounted for only in light of their blunders as reported in Genesis. Fourth, Judah’s exaltation as leader harmonizes both with his leadership role in dealing with the ...

25. Who Needs a Doctor?

Mark 2:13-17

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... we shouldn't be too quick to answer. It's a question for reflection more than to answer. Has a person been genuinely converted if he or she does not, as a result of that experience, have a desire that others be converted also? Not only was Levi celebrating the fact that he was converted, he was using that occasion to bring people together in order that they might meet Jesus also. Just think about it. How deep is your desire for others to experience what you have experienced in Jesus Christ? If that desire ...

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