Sermon and Worship Resources

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James 4:1-12

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

... impulse to sin may be internal; to give in to that impulse is to yield to the devil. The Gospels are clear on this point (e.g., Matt. 4:1–11; Mark 8:28–34; Luke 22:31; John 13:2, 27). But the devil has no power over the Christian except the power of ... that is proud enough to believe that in some cases it can correct God’s rules. 4:12 James underlines his point by stating bluntly, There is only one Lawgiver and Judge. Jesus taught that God alone had authority to judge (John 5:22–23, 30), and every Jew ...

2. The Living Stone and a Chosen People

1 Peter 2:4-12

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... recollecting some words of the Baptist? John had bluntly warned the Pharisees and Sadducees that salvation was not a matter of having the right family tree: “I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham” (Matt. 3:9). The house is to be no ... to false teaching (2 Pet. 2:17; Jude 13). The change from unbelief to faith is often pictured in the NT as a change from darkness to light (Matt. 4:16; 6:22–23; Luke 1:79; Acts 26:18; 2 Cor. 4:6; 6:14; Eph. 5:8; Col. 1:12; 1 Thess. 5:4; 1 ...

3. Be Holy

1 Peter 1:13-2:3

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... is used. New Life Must Grow 2:1 As a realist, Peter is well aware of the human condition. So he speaks bluntly. The believer’s new life in Christ has no place for any sort of misconduct, such as all malice and all deceit, ... of God (1:23–25). Peter and his readers would be familiar with the biblical notion that the spiritual food provided by the Scriptures (Deut. 8:3; Matt. 4:4) is pure (Ps. 12:6; 119:140; Prov. 30:5), and they appropriately likened it to milk for its life-promoting quality (Ps. 119:50 ...

4. Jesus’ Love and the World’s Hatred

John 15:1-17

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... represented in variant forms in John 13:16 and in Matthew 10:24–25 (the “if” clauses with which v. 20 concludes find their parallel in Matt. 10:24b). Jesus’ point is therefore not the same as in 13:20 or in Matthew 10:40 or Luke 10:16. His mission is seen ... 26; 13:36–38), and now Jesus refers explicitly to the danger of being killed for his sake (v. 2)—even as he had bluntly charged his enemies all along with trying to kill him (7:19; 8:37, 40). The thrust of Jesus’ prophetic vision is that all ...

5. The World Hates the Disciples

John 15:18--16:4

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

6. God's Righteous Judgment

Romans 2:1-16

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... who you know that counts; Paul would have said that it is not what you know but what you do that counts. He says bluntly, you who pass judgment … do the same things. Such a statement rankles those who consider themselves “good people,” for they, like the Pharisee in ... Gerechtigkeit, p. 78. References to divine judgment of works occur in Ps. 62:12; Prov. 24:12; Isa. 3:10f.; Jer 17:10; Hos. 12:2; Matt. 7:21; John 5:28ff.; 2 Cor. 5:10; Gal. 6:7–9; 1 Pet. 1:17; Rev. 2:23. 2:12–16 Not uncommonly Rom. ...

7. The Apostles Persecuted

Acts 5:17-42

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

... to have questioned the apostles’ means of escape. One wonders whether they feared to have further evidence of the supernatural made public (cf. Matt. 28:11–15). But of course Luke does not give all the details, and questions may have been asked. 5:21 Obedient to ... Jesus’ death and suspecting that the apostles were deliberately attempting to bring them into public disrepute, they heard this blunt accusation (v. 30) only as confirmation of their suspicions, and it inflamed them all the more against the ...

8. Pilate and the Condemnation of Jesus

John 18:28-40, John 19:1-16

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... the Jews? is found in all four Gospels, and in each of the Synoptics Jesus’ answer is noncommittal (lit., “so you say,” Mark 15:2/Matt. 27:11/Luke 23:3), the equivalent of no answer at all. In this Gospel, however, the question is asked twice (vv. 33, 37a); in ... a reward for faithful service) would be in jeopardy—so would his official position, and perhaps his very life. The blunt personal threat had an immediate and remarkable effect on Pilate. He brought Jesus outside the palace for one last time ...

9. The Jews and the Law

Romans 2:17-29

Understanding Series

James R. Edwards

... who then went out and grabbed a fellow debtor by the throat and threw him into jail until he paid back a hundred denarii (Matt. 18:23–30). Jews may be Exhibit A of human righteousness, yet even they cannot withstand the straightedge of the law. 2:25–29 ... circumcision of the heart” in verses 28–29 as a reference to the new covenant foreseen by Jeremiah (31:31–34). But this blunts the edge of the verse. As we noted in 2:13–15, it is doubtful that Paul intends Christian Gentiles here. His argument ...

10. Jesus Sentenced to be Crucified

John 19:1-16, John 18:28-40

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

11. Only a Carpenter

Mark 6:1-6

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

... of us are called to be full-time Christians wherever we are and at whatever trade we find ourselves engaged. II. “HE COULD DO NO MIGHTY WORK THERE,” Mark says about Jesus in His own hometown. Those are blunt words. Too blunt for Matthew, who softens them into “he did not do many mighty works there.” (Matt. 13:58) But Mark is probably right. Even he shrinks back from such a blanket, sweeping statement, and adds an “except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them.” (6:5a.) It ...

12. Christ Shall Return

Acts 1:1-11

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds..." (Matt. 24:30-31) In both the Nicene and Apostles Creeds we affirm that "Christ shall come again with glory to judge both the ... FIRST TRUTH I DECLARE TODAY IS THAT CHRIST SHALL RETURN. Pierce Harris, that colorful Atlanta preacher, used to remind his hearers bluntly about the end-time. "Someday," he would say, "you will look up and see the Divine Storekeeper coming down the long stairway ...

13. The Privilege and the Price

Matthew 5:13-16

Sermon

Phil Thrailkill

... doing so. It is the devil’s delight since he is the chief accuser, but God uses it. As a tool it is a blunt instrument. Before God exposes his church to public shame and ridicule, there are many warnings, often over years. And if there is no change ... a strip club in relation to a re-zoning ordinance. The panel moderator, a news lady named Katina Rankin, looked at me and asked, ‘Matt, whose fault is all of this?’ Suddenly, I became agitated. I prepared to tell her in dramatic fashion that we are a nation ...

14. Freedom From Human Regulations Through Life With Christ

Colossians 2:6-23

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... context ‘putting (or stripping) off the body of flesh’ is most plausibly contrasted with the minor operation in circumcision: bluntly it appears to say that instead of stripping off a little piece of flesh, as in circumcision, the Christian ... honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men’ ” (Matt. 15:7–9; cf. Mark 7:7). A similar concern occurs in Titus 1:13–14, where Paul appeals to them to be “sound in the ...

15. Jesus Teaches at the Feast

John 7:14-24

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... the principle to immediately life-threatening situations, while Jesus applied it on behalf of anyone in need of help or healing (cf., e.g., Matt. 12:1–8, 9–14; Luke 13:10–17; 14:1–6). The implication of all this for the hearers is inescapable. If ... man, though “no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the Jews” (7:13). Why then the surprise at Jesus’ blunt charge in verse 19 that his hearers wanted to kill him? Are they hiding their true intentions? Or is a distinction to be ...

16. The Impending Departure II

John 16:5-16, John 16:17-33

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... Jesus’ statement in verse 27 that the disciples have believed that I came from God; and (4) its force seems blunted by Jesus’ skeptical-sounding reply (v. 31) and his immediate prediction that the disciples will be scattered, each to his ... ominous prediction that the disciples will be scattered (v. 32) and will desert Jesus in his time of need (cf. Mark 14:27/Matt. 26:31). Where the first discourse had glanced momentarily at Peter’s individual “scandal” of denying his Lord (13:38), the second (as ...

17. The Disciples' Grief Will Turn to Joy

John 16:17-33, John 16:5-16

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

18. The Devil Is a Liar

John 8:42-47

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

... , the prophets proclaimed that God’s spouse, God’s people, were not always faithful to that relationship. In blunt language they accused their people of “whoring after other gods.” Israel had forsaken their one true God and ... the devil, but Jesus knew better. He said, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ “ (Matt. 4:10) How do you deal with the devil? As an already defeated foe! Luther said that the best weapon against the devil is to laugh at ...

19. Putting Mom in Heartbreak Hotel

1 Kings 2:5-6

Sermon

James Merritt

... he is." Now to understand how this came to be, think of two parts of Joab's life. I. Joab's Pretended Loyalty To put it bluntly, Joab was not on the inside what he pretended to be on the outside. Oh, he had a pretended loyalty to David. In fact, his loyalty ... your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matt. 6:14-15) You know why that is true? If a man will not forgive others it is proof positive he has never ...

20. When God Speaks You Better Listen

Jonah 1:1-17

Sermon

James Merritt

... a story of truth that sounds like fiction. One reason I know it is true is because Jesus Christ believed it was true. He said in Matt. 12:40-41: "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be ... it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord." (1:3) Now why did Jonah disobey God? Well, to put it bluntly Jonah was a racist. The ninevites were among the most hated enemies of Israel, and Jonah was afraid that their rebellion might turn into ...

21. Are You Better at Wearing or Bearing Crosses?

Mark 1:14-20

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." So says Jesus in Matthew 6:33. You can’t get more blunt than that: “seek first the kingdom.” But here’s the problem: Jesus never defined the kingdom. Jesus never gave us a clear and ... church father Origen (c.185-254) called Jesus “the kingdom in person” or more technically, the “auto-basileia.” (See Origen In Matt.24:7; on Matthew 18:23.) So where does that put the kingdom of God today? Jesus’ first act in public ministry ...

22. A Guide to a Rich and a Joyous Life

Exodus 20:1-21

Sermon

King Duncan

... all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matt. 22:37-39). Love for God and love for neighbor tells us everything we need to know about the Ten Commandments and ... in helping people to improve their mental and emotional health? The bishop took the question very seriously and gave a typically blunt answer. “Well,” he said, “I just ask them questions until I figure out which commandment they are breaking, and then I ...

23. Paul’s Request for Onesimus

Philemon 1:8-25

Understanding Series

Arthur G. Patzia

... of the unforgiving servant, in which the Lord faults a servant who was forgiven of a large debt by the king but who, in return, would not forgive a fellow servant a small debt (Matt. 18:21–35). 20 The intimacy between Paul and Philemon is reinforced by the term brother (cf. v. 7). This enables Paul to state quite bluntly that Philemon should honor his request in the Lord—literally, “may I have joy, profit, or help from you in the Lord.” The Greek word for benefit is oninēmi, which closely resembles ...

24. The Death of Lazarus

John 11:1-16, John 11:17-37

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... us go (vv. 7, 15, 16), the scene is curiously reminiscent of Jesus’ summons to his sleeping disciples at Gethsemane (Mark 14:42/Matt. 26:46). Like that scene, it is a summons to the Passion, a challenge to stand with Jesus in his impending hour of ... different. He tells his disciples, For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe (v. 15). The blunt question arises, did Jesus wait deliberately until Lazarus was dead so that he might have opportunity to perform a greater miracle? It is not ...

25. Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial

John 13:31-38

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... , do quickly” v. 27). Jesus adds, My children, I will be with you only a little longer (Gr.: eti mikron), and speaks bluntly to his disciples of what his glorification will mean for them. For them it is not a source of joy or consolation ... is John’s equivalent of the “new covenant” mentioned by Luke and Paul (Luke 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25; cf. Mark 14:24; Matt. 26:28). All our literary witnesses agree that something decisive happened at Jesus’ last meal with his disciples, but Paul and the synoptic ...

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