Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1 to 25 of 1472 results

1. The Revelation Code I: DaVinci, A to Z

Revelation 1:1-20

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... he holds the seven stars, representing the seven churches. (Rev. 1:12-16) And the voice John hears sums it up: "I am the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." (Rev. 1:8) Let's be clear about the purpose of this book. The Book of Revelation is not meant to be a timeline for the future or to predict events in our day. It is not a cryptic calendar of the end of time, not a set of clues by which we are supposed to guess the date of Christ's return. People have been ...

2. The Power Of The Resurrection

Revelation 1:4-8

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

... . He wrote: Some of the know-it-alls are even doing that very thing. They see heresy and dissension and shortcomings of many kinds; they see that there are many false, many loose-living Christians... They ought to read this book [Revelation] and learn to look upon Christendom with other eyes than those of [their] reason... A Christian is even hidden from himself;he does not see his holiness and virtue, but sees in himself nothing but unholiness and vice... In a word, our holiness is in heaven where ...

3. Daniel’s Vision of a Man

Daniel 10:1--11:1

Understanding Series

William Nelson

... , vol. 6 [New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1956], p. 502). This is not convincing, because the reactions are comparable. Even if the description in ch. 10 is more dramatic, it may simply be because it falls later in the book and is part of the climactic revelation. Furthermore, it is likely that Daniel appears to need touching and strengthening more than once in ch. 10 only because the author or an editor has included doublets, not because Daniel is more overwhelmed. The statement my face turned deathly ...

4. The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Revelation 1:1-3

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

... simply a prediction of future events. The phrase “the time is near,” like “soon” in 1:1, is yet another expression of imminence (cf. Mark 1:15, where Jesus says the kingdom of God “has come near”). Theological Insights The opening paragraph of the book of Revelation is similar to some prophetic introductions in the Old Testament (e.g., Jer. 1:1–2; Ezek. 1:1–3; Hos. 1:1; Amos 1:1). Like Old Testament prophecies, the emphasis falls on proclamation of God’s plan for the present and not merely ...

5. Jesus Is Coming

Revelation 22:7-21

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

... of various traditional exhortations and literary conventions, rather loosely assembled, which together intend to summarize and focus the entire composition in a profoundly pastoral manner. Hardly pointless theologically, this material provides Revelation’s reader with an overarching perspective on the book’s importance for Christian discipleship; it is like an epilogue that rounds out the composition and makes it whole and complete. 22:6b–7 By employing an inverted parallelism, John summarizes ...

6. The End Times

Daniel 12:1-13

Understanding Series

William Nelson

... , while he would no doubt have been baffled by some elements he recorded, because what he recounted still lay in front of him in time. So, this question reminds us that even when God gives revelation, it is limited, with the result that a measure of mystery still remains (Seow, Daniel, p. 193). Certainly, if the book originated close to the sixth century B.C. (i.e., prior to the events foreseen), the level of mystery in Daniel’s understanding would have been all the greater. Another way to respond is to ...

7. The Conclusion

Revelation 22:7-21

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

... us to become intensely involved in God’s mission in this world. Crying out for Christ’s return is also crying with the Spirit for people to “come” and experience the free gift of life while there is still time. Illustrating the Text Revelation is an open, accessible book for the church. Human Experience: Every January, the forms begin coming in: W-9s, W-4s, 941s, 1040s, 1099-MISC, 9922s, W-2s. The letter-number combinations are enough to make an English major’s head explode. In our world of highly ...

8. Cracking the Code

Revelation 1:4-8

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

... persecution. That word of comfort is nothing more or less than the gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone (regardless of the way it has often been abused over the centuries in the hands the misguided), it belongs in the Bible. Most agree that the book of Revelation was written by one of Jesus' disciples, John (the one whom Jesus loved). During the last years of his life John was exiled to the island of Patmos in the Mediterranean Sea where he died as an old man. John was exiled because his enemies ...

9. Between The Parentheses

Revelation 1:4-8

Sermon

William G. Carter

... , so much as he points to the one Word in which all other words are held together. Ever since Genesis, God has spoken a lot of words. By the time we arrive at the book of Revelation, only one Word captures all God has to say, and that is the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ. John points us to Jesus as the central Word in the vocabulary of faith. This insight offers a constant reminder to the church about the integrating center of all we proclaim. In ...

10. The Final Judgment

Revelation 20:11-15

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

... great white throne judgment) are judged according to works (see the sidebar in 2:18–29). Here the wicked are held accountable for their unrighteous deeds. Second, their wicked misdeeds are confirmed by their names not being written in the book of life (see the sidebar in 3:1–6). In Revelation, the “book of life” image is used either to assure genuine believers that eternal life awaits them (3:5; 21:27) or to emphasize why the wicked are being denied such life (13:8; 17:8). 20:14–15 Then death ...

11. Boasting

2 Corinthians 11:1-15, 2 Corinthians 11:16-33, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... boast is that he has been in prison more frequently (lit., “with far more imprisonments”; cf. also 6:4–5). The book of Acts records only one imprisonment of Paul, in Philippi, before his arrest in Jerusalem (cf. Acts 16:23–30). It ... 1–8; Gal. 1:12, 16). Although his original christophany on the way to Damascus remains the pivotal encounter with the resurrected Christ, other revelations and visions should not be discounted (cf. Acts 16:9; 18:9; 22:17–18; 23:11; 27:23). The vision that Paul describes ...

12. Boasting

2 Corinthians 11:16-33, 2 Corinthians 1:1-11, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

13. The Seventy “Sevens”

Daniel 9:20-27

Understanding Series

William Nelson

... arises at the end of time (2 Thess. 2:4). Christians have to reckon with the fact that Satan is the god of this world (Matt. 4:8–9; 2 Cor. 4:4), so that sometimes evil rulers persecute the believers; such is the context of the book of Revelation, when many followers of Jesus were martyred at the hands of the Romans. The Hebrew for “abomination that causes desolation” (9:27) appears to be a wordplay on the Semitic designation for Zeus Olympios (see the Additional Note on 9:27). In this way the biblical ...

14. The Woman, the Son, and the Dragon

Revelation 12:1--13:1a

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

... death (1:9; 6:9; 11:3–7; 12:17; 20:4). The witness is holistic, meaning it includes both lifestyle and speech (cf. Jesus’s demands of discipleship in Mark 8:34–35 and elsewhere). This especially significant verse sums up much of the book of Revelation in its focus on Christ’s work and the resulting call to faithfulness. Bauckham rightly observes that “it is not a literal prediction that every faithful Christian will in fact be put to death. But it does require that every faithful Christian must be ...

15. The New Jerusalem

Revelation 21:1-27

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

... and millennial reign, after the destruction of Satan, of his evil kingdom, and finally of death itself, the vision of the eschatological city of God “may be viewed as the climax not only of the book of Revelation, but of the whole story of salvation embodied in the Bible” (Beasley-Murray, Revelation, p. 305). With typical eloquence, Caird adds that “Here is the real source of John’s prophetic certainty, for only in comparison with the new Jerusalem can the queenly splendors of Babylon be recognized ...

16. The New Heaven and New Earth

Revelation 21:1-27

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

... live with his people in the new creation. Understanding the Text The final vision of Revelation (21:1–22:5) highlights the primary goal and theme of the entire book and all of Scripture: God’s presence among his people in the new creation. From the time sin and death intruded upon God’s good creation, God purposed to defeat his enemies and live among his people in a new garden city. This final vision of Revelation represents the fulfillment of the promises to those who overcome (Rev. 2–3), the full ...

17. A Glimpse of Glory

Revelation 21:10-22 - 22:5

Sermon

Steven E. Albertin

... . Jesus reigned. Regardless of what the future held, they could wait patiently and with faith to that last day when Jesus would make is his victory visible to all. At that last day their eyes would finally get to "see the glory of the coming of the Lord." The book of Revelation also offers us a glimpse of glory. Jesus, who died, rose again, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, is already now exercising his reign over the world through the ministry of the church. Here, in this place, the vision of ...

18. Will 2012 Be the End of the World?

Revelation 7:9-17

Sermon

King Duncan

... What’s the big deal? In the meantime, we have all kinds of very real obstacles in the real world we have to face every day. The real message of Revelation is that God will be with us regardless of our circumstances. When the book of Revelation was written, Christians were suffering miserably at the hands of the civil authorities. The writer of Revelation wanted them to know this was only a temporary situation. God would not forsake them for long. And that message of hope and faith is just as real today as ...

19. The Revelation Code IV: The Fight at Frodo's Tower

Revelation 19:1-21

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... it is no surprise that his great epic speaks like a morality play. Scott Davison says: The Lord of the Rings is a story about the struggle between good and evil. We understand it immediately because it is our story, too. [1] It reads like the Book of Revelation, full of hideous monsters from the dark recesses of the earth marching as foot soldiers, and the people of Rohan heading to the security of Helm's Deep. So John uses the graphic imagery and the reminder of Armageddon to picture the force of the Roman ...

20. John’s Introductory Vision The Risen and Glorified Christ

Revelation 1:9-20

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

... Consequently, the angels identify with the churches, serve them, and represent them before God (cf. Rev. 8:3–4; 19:10; 22:9). The seven lampstands are the seven churches of Asia Minor and the intended recipients of the transforming vision that is the book of Revelation. Both the stars and the lampstands are under the sovereign protection of the Lord (Rev. 1:11–13, 16). Theological Insights There are two primary theological emphases in this passage: who Jesus is and who we are as his people. On the first ...

21. Christmas and the Condensed Bible

John 1:1-18

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

... are nothing new. We have had them for centuries. I find that even the fundamentalists who decried the Reader’s Digest Condensed Bible seemed to have their own “condensed version.” It usually consists of favorite passages from Daniel or the Book of Revelation which speak about hellfire and brimstone for those with whom they disagree. Rarely does their “condensed version” include the Sermon on the Mount or Jesus’ words about turning the other cheek and loving one’s enemies. A person claiming to ...

22. Prologue

Revelation 1:1-3

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

... the gospel, “the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Additional Notes 1:1–3 Schüssler Fiorenza is no doubt correct in commenting that “For the average Christian … Revelation has remained a book with ‘seven seals’ and an ‘esoteric revelation’—despite its claim to be the revelation of Jesus Christ for Christian communities” (Revelation, p. 35). Yet, by attending to John’s introduction of his composition in 1:1–3 the reader receives three important clues for understanding ...

23. The Revelation Code V: Cruisin' Toward the Dream

Revelation 21:1-27

Sermon

John E. Harnish

... cars throughout. The worship service included a number of African American spirituals and American gospel songs, which are quoted in the sermon. For further reading on this approach to the book of Revelation, I recommend the following books. All can be ordered from our "virtual bookstore" at www.fumcbirmingham.org. Revelation for Today by James Efrid. It is short and readable, and gives background on the growth of "dispensationalism," the approach to prophetic writing which has given rise to interpretations ...

24. Revelation 1:4-8

Revelation 1:4-8

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... is variously understood to contain prophecy, traditional apocalyptic literature, symbolism, a sneak peek into extended church history, and/or a theological view of the events encapsulating the first century church. However you eventually find the most meaning from the Book of Revelation, its symphony of symbolism attests to the author’s primary goal — to reveal the true, divine nature of Jesus as the Christ, and to disseminate the absolute conviction that Jesus Christ will return at some final time to ...

25. When The Saints Come Marching In

Revelation 7:9-17

Sermon

Robert S. Crilley

... and streets paved with gold don't pay the rent, Reverend!" Small wonder then that -- apart from those brief texts occasionally read at a funeral service or passages like this one usually reserved for All Saints' Sunday -- Revelation is often regarded as the strangest and most remote book in the entire New Testament. However, in some respects, it may also be the most modern. The Gospels, no doubt, are more familiar; the Epistles perhaps more practical. But neither begin from where we actually are: namely ...

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