Hope – First Baptist Church Dunkirk NY: Recent Episodes
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Scripture: John 15SeriesOur current sermon series is based on Jesus’ final instructions to His disciples. His three-year earthly ministry was coming to a close, and He knew that his death, burial, and resurrection were imminent. He wanted to prepare His disciples for what was coming next and for how they should continue His ministry.John 13-16 is the basics of being His follower – like a 101 Intro Class at school. These were the last most important things Jesus wanted to share with his disciples, so I want to share them with you.
In today’s message from John 15 and 16, Jesus warns his disciples that the road ahead would not be an easy one, but he also promised peace in the midst of those trials. We all experience times of struggles and we look forward to times of peace. Let’s see what Jesus had to say.
You will be Hated“World” means unbelievers and what Satan currently “rules over”
Disciples are not “of this world”
Hated because they hated Jesus
Hated because your holiness condemns their sin
You will StruggleSorrow and struggles like childbirth
You will have tribulation
It won’t be easy
The Bible does not say you will be healthy and wealthy
Promises of Peace & MoreJesus will abide (stay) with you
You will glorify God and bear fruit
God – the Father and Son love you
Your joy will be full
Holy Spirit will guide you in truth
Sorrow will become joyJesus will bring us to heaven
The Father’s love is forever
I will be your source of peace
Jesus overcame the world (sin)
God has mercy on sinners and offers us forgiveness, peace, and eternal lifeTake AwaysHave you confessed your sin and asked God to forgive you?
- Have you taken the step of being baptized?
- How do you handle suffering?
- Do you have a church family?
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:35-49SeriesWe are continuing our series in 1 Corinthians called Living in Light of Eternity. We have heard the Apostle Paul’s words to the church in Corinth about some very serious problems they were dealing with like divisions, fighting, sexual morality, marriage, and singleness. Then he taught about using their spiritual gifts humbly and properly, and the need for everything to be done in love. Paul ends his letter by giving the church encouragement about the resurrection of Jesus Christ and our future resurrection as believers.That’s where the series title “Living in Light of Eternity” comes from. With our view of eternity, knowing that our souls will go on forever and ever, knowing that God will judge our behavior, and knowing that His Son Jesus died so that we can spend eternity with God – how should we think, live, and act today?The Focus of chapter 15 is the resurrection – its centrality and vitality in the Gospel, the hope it gives us in this life and eternity, what resurrected bodies are like, and finally the victory we find in Christ.
What Kind of Body?Verses 35-41Paul’s explanation comes directly from Jesus’ own teaching inJohn 12 Paul answers the question four ways. First with an illustration from nature. Second with a description of resurrection bodies. Third, he contrasts the difference betwen earthly and resurrection bodies, and finally he points us back to the firstfruits of the resurrection – Jesus himself.
Verses 36-38 give the examples from nature and he compares dying and being buried to a seed being sown or planted in the soil. The seed first has to die before it can come back to new life.All of these illustrations point to the fact that God created different kinds of bodies. Our earthly bodies will die and be raised as new heavenly bodies that are what we were ultimately meant to be.
Raised in PowerVerses 42-44Our earthly bodies are sown or planted in the earth when we die and they are perishable. This means they will decay and decompose. God explained this principle to Adam and Eve as a result of their sin in
Genesis 3:19 “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”” This reality exists for almost all of humankind. There were just a few exceptions – Enoch, who walked with God did not die – he was taken directly to heaven. The prophet Elijah was taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot.
Psalm 16:10 prophesied that the Messiah, the Holy One, would not see corruption. Jesus was resurrected and his body did not decay. The last group of people whose bodies will not perish are the believers who are taken up to meet Jesus in the clouds in the Rapture of the church. This is the next event that will happen in the last days time line. The body that we have in resurrection will not be perishable, it will be imperishable or eternal. Sickness and death will have no effect on our new bodies.
Image of ChristVerses 45-49The Christian life is one of becoming more and more like Jesus and less and less like Adam. The miraculous transformation of sanctification is complete when we are raised with our new resurrected bodies.Followers of Jesus should care for the bodies we have here on earth. While we know that they will not last forever, we should steward what we have so that we can be useful instruments in the Redeemer’s hands. And when our bodies wear out or are facing fatal illness, we are not hopeless. We don’t need to cling to this life as though it is all there is. We have a better home and a better body waiting for us. We can face our own death with confidence, and we can lovingly let our loved ones go to heaven without prolonging the days or years.Notice all the things Paul didn’t say. What these bodies look like. What age they will be. What our powers and abilities will be. Those are mysteries that will remain unanswered until we reach heaven. But Paul told us what is most important. Our resurrected bodies will be imperishable, glorified, powerful and spiritual. We will finally be free of the curse of sin and will bear the image of Christ. I can’t wait!Take AwaysMemorial Day honors those who were willing to give up their lives fighting for freedom showed great love and care for others. The Good News is that Jesus, the Son of God, was willing to do that for you and for the sins of the whole world.Have you confessed your sins and accepted Jesus’ death on the cross for your forgiveness and new life? Being a Christian is not about just going to church or following a bunch of rules. It is about peace with God; new life in Jesus; and an eternal home in heaven. If this sounds new, please come talk to me.Are you tired of your body and can’t wait for a new one? If you’ve trusted Jesus as your Savior, be patient. It’s coming. The Bible ends with Jesus saying “Surely I am coming soon.” And we say “Come Lord Jesus!”
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:12–34No Resurrection?If there is no resurrection then..
Christ was not raised
Our preaching is pointless
We are lying about God
Your faith is useless
You are still dead in sin
Those who died have perished
Alive in ChristBut Christ has been raised from the dead…
He was the firstfruits of those who died
Resurrection of dead who are in Christ
Believers are alive in Christ
Death is destroyed
All are subject to Christ
Christ is still subject to God
Wake Up!Why be baptized to new life if we are still dead?
Why risk danger daily?
Why not live it up?
Avoid “Bad Company” – unbelievers
Wake up & stop sinning
Take AwaysDo you know and believe the Gospel? Say it with me: Jesus Christ crucified for our sins, buried, and in three days raise again. Scripture says knowing and believing that truth will cause a person to be convicted of their sins, will want to confess them to God, asking for forgiveness and new life in Jesus Christ. If you have never confessed your sin and accepted Jesus as your Savior, please come talk to me.Are you convinced of the resurrection? Not only of Jesus, but of believers? Are you living in light of eternity? Are you living it up for yourself or living for Christ?Are there people in your life who will not listen to the Gospel, but continue to have an impact on you – keeping you from living for Jesus?If someone asked you why you have real hope – what would you say? Are you telling others the Good News?
Scripture: Isaiah 9:2-7; Matthew 1:22-23; Romans 15:4DARKNESS THREATENS OUR HOPEThe center of the Christmas story is focused squarely on the birth of Jesus. He is the fulfillment of Israel’s hope that God would push back the darkness and shine a bright light into the world.
One of the reasons Christmas resonates in our hearts is because we, too, live in a world that is similar to Israel. Our world is dark and corrupt because of the sin in every corner of the globe. There is war, disease, conflict, and oppression all around us. We, too, are in need of the Messiah, the Christ to bring light to push back the darkness around us. If all our focus is on the world’s darkness we will live in constant fear and anxiety. We may even lose hope.
Christmas is a reminder that whatever it is we hope for in our lives—healing, restoration, forgiveness, or a fresh start—it is available to us through Immanuel – God with us. Hope does not come because we have it all figured out. Hope does not come from other people or even from scientific advancement. Those things we hope for may be resolved here and now or it be later in heaven. All true hope is a result of the presence of God. And because God is trustworthy and keeps all his promises our hope in Him is sure and steady.
GOD’S PRESENCE GIVES US HOPEThe hard part about hope is that it often takes longer than we would like to be fulfilled. Like the Jewish people experienced, hope requires patience.
How many enjoy waiting for things? Next day delivery has kind of taken away our need for patience. We order things and they show up in a day or two. And if they don’t we are tracking the package around town on our delivery app. It’s not like the old days when shipping was typically 6-8 weeks. We would almost forget something in that time and then be so excited and surprised when the package showed up two months later. Can you imagine?
Paul said everything that had been written in the past — all of the prophecy and fulfillment —is meant to teach us how to hold onto faith in God to answer our prayers. What has been written gives us endurance and encouragement that we might have hope. It is important that we revisit the prophetic words of the Old Testament and the fulfillment that comes through the birth of Jesus because it reminds us that God can be trusted to come through and meet us in our greatest times of need.
THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS IS HOPEThough there are many distractions during the Christmas season, this message is a reminder that hope is offered to us through Jesus’s arrival in the manger. The hoped for Messiah finally arrived right on time.
Our God is always right on time. He knows exactly what we need and when we need it. He can be trusted to reveal the light of Christ in order to push back the darkness in our lives. In a land full of deep darkness, the light has truly dawned. And each Christmas as we remember the hope that came with Immanuel, God with us, we can be encouraged to look to that hope that Christ will return, bring us home to heaven, and set all things right again. God will fully restore His creation.
SummaryThrough the ages people have placed all their hope in a wise leader, or in a larger army, or in science and medicine. But after several global wars, many horrific acts of hatred and terrorism, changing weather patterns, many people lost hope. Children have lost hope as parents abandoned them and spouses lost hope as marriages dissolved. Even trusting solely in your own knowledge and abilities will lead you to hopelessness.
We were created by God to know Him and to be known and loved by Him. Without that connection to your creator, your heavenly Father there is no lasting hope for this life or the next. The good news that we celebrate at Christmas time, is that God the Father sent His son into the world to offer forgiveness of sin, redemption, peace with God, and eternal life. You can find real hope only in a relationship with Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Take HomesAre you looking to people, government leaders, science, or a really big retirement account to bring you hope? Your faith and hope belong in God.
Have you confessed your sin to God, and trusted Jesus as your Savior? Put your hope in God alone. Contact Pastor Mark if you want to talk more about this.
You can find real hope at the heart of Christmas.
Modified from an Original Series Written by Trevor Miller. Published by OUTREACH. © 2022 OUTREACH All Rights Reserved.
Scripture: Genesis 11-23; 1 Peter 3:1-7; Hebrews 11:11-16Genesis Origins sermon series: https://dunkirkbaptist.org/sermon-series/genesis-origins/
Sarai – My PrincessHer given name, Sarai, means “my princess.” She was known as an extremely beautiful woman and maybe something of a pampered prima donna. And she could be impatient, temperamental, conniving, cantankerous, cruel, flighty, pouty, jealous, erratic, unreasonable, a whiner and complainer, and even a nag. Happy Mother’s Day Sarai! These are not the things you want written in your greeting card.
Sarah – God’s PrincessIn Gen. 17, God reconfirmed his covenant with Abram who was now ninety-nine and gave him a new name – Abraham – the father of a multitude of nations. God also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah which means princess without the possessive “my”. She was no longer Abraham’s princess, she was God’s princeess.
Hope in GodThe New Testament gives us more insight into Sarah’s character and faith with the Holy Spirit’s benefit of insight into the soul.
In 1 Peter 3:6, Sarah is celebrated as the spiritual matriarch of God’s people and lifted up as an example of a godly wife, in spite of her short-comings.
READ Hebrews 11:11-16
Sarah had faith and hope in God keeping His promises. God gave her the power to conceive in her old age when she was past normal physical ability to have children. She believed God and her faith saved her. She was not only looking forward to having a son but she had faith in the promised descendent who would bless all the world. That was the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Take AwaysFirst to the women here, whether you are single, married, with children or not – is your focus on your inner beauty or your outer beauty? Do you spend as much time in God’s Word and prayer working on your heart as you do working on your physical appearance? Is your desire for children greater than your desire to glorify God in everything else?
If you are married, do you submit to your husband with a gentle and quiet spirit?
If you are a mother or grandmother – do you teach and model God’s Word for your family all throughout the day – when you rise up, when you sit down, when you are out and about? Deuteronomy 6 calls us to share our faith with the next generations.
Kids – do you obey and honor your mother like God commands you to? God promises that your life will go better and you will live longer if you do. Some mother love gifts flowers and crafts that you make, but all of them would prefer your love, honor and obedience more than anything else.
Husbands – do you honor your wife? Do you provide for her and protect her above yourself? Do you speak well of her in front of your children and others? Do you encourage her in her faith and lead your family spiritually?
Anyone else – now that the Messiah has come, God sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for our sins through his death on the cross and offer us eternal life as he overcame the grave. If you have never confessed your sin and placed your faith in Jesus alone to save you – I invite you to do that today.
Scripture: John 13-17Our Mission
The mission of First Baptist Church is to develop missionary disciples who worship God, grow spiritually, and share the Gospel and their spiritual gifts.
WORSHIP – Our lives are made to glorify God and recognize Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We love God by glorifying him through obedience and showing others what Jesus is like in our words and actions. (Luke 10:27)
GROW – Developing Disciples, Spiritual Growth & Maturity, Fellowship. We love each other as we mature to become more like Jesus and we help disciple each other to grow and mature spiritually. We do this through intentional fellowship and living life involved in each other’s lives. (1 Thessalonians 4:3 and Ephesians 4:13)
SHARE – Called to share the Good News of the Gospel and God’s love with our community & the world and to share our spiritual gifts and abilities. We love our local community and communities around the world by serving them and sharing the Gospel with them. God places believers together in local churches to be part of a living body each doing one or more parts. (Matthew 28:19-20 and Ephesians 4:15-16)
Series: Mission 2023Our three-week series will be looking more closely at how we put this into actions of love – again individually and together as a church family. Worship and Love God. Grow and Love each other. Share and Love our community.
Today we will look at the third command: Share or Love Our Community
Share the GospelFirst we are called to share the Gospel. We love our community by sharing the life-giving message of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection with them.
Divine Love – John 13:1When we love our neighbors and people in our community, we show them God’s divine love.
Sacrificial Love – John 13:14When we are willing to sacrifice our pride or even giving something up for the people in our community, they will see and better understand Jesus’ sacrificial love on the cross.
Exemplary Love – John 13:34-35People will know you are my disciples when they see your love. What is First Baptist known for in our community? A nice building. A small but caring school? Are we known for love?
Expectant Love – John 14:1-2People won’t come ask for help or see answers when all they see is anger, pride, self-righteousness, or despair and loss of hope for the world. But they just might come when they experience first-hand God’s love through you.
Supernatural Love – John 14:16; John 15:8-9We cannot love our community in our own strength, but when we experience God’s grace and forgive love, He will be glorified as we live and love others.
Obedient Love – John 14:15To keep loving even when they don’t love back. We love our community because Jesus commanded us to.
Realistic Love – John 15:18We don’t love our communities because we want them to love us. We love our neighbors and the people in our community because God loves them and we hope that they will over time come to know Jesus as Savior, and better understand and love God themselves.
Anticipatory Love – John 17:15, 20We love our community anticipating that souls will be saved as we show God’s love and His glory to the people around us.
Challenges to Loving Our Community1. Hatred 2. Apathy 3. Self-Righteousness
Share your spiritual gifts and abilitiesIn addition to sharing the gospel and God’s love we are called to share our spiritual gifts and abilities within the local church and our community. As we are each unique parts of the body of Christ, we have been supernaturally equipped for one or more areas of service.
“The Bible’s story is about a God of love invading the world in the person of his Son of love to establish his kingdom of love by a radical sacrifice of love, to forgive us in love and draw us into his family of love, and to send us out as ambassadors of the very same love.”– Paul Tripp, New Morning Mercies
Take Homes* Do you fully know and accept God’s unconditional love for you? Have you repented of your sins and trusted in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation? * Do you really know and appreciate God’s grace in your own life? It’s hard to show others grace when you don’t see it first hand. * How is our church doing on a scale of 1 to 10 in loving our community? * What could we be doing better? * Where would you like to be involved personally? * Where could you be serving in our church? Turn in your “Share” form at the Welcome Center.
Four QuestionsWhat is God Like?
Why Do You Need God?
How Did God Come?
How Did God Do It?
Thin IceIt’s not just a matter of more faith
The object of your faith matters most
God’s Gift to You
The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
– Romans 6:23
Once in Royal David’s CityBegins with history
Clearly states Jesus’ divinity
He entered history as a human
Jesus’ is destined for majesty
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-22 About our Guest Speaker: James Woodward James Woodward is a retired police investigator from the Rochester, NY Police Department (1988-2020). He is a chaplain with the Flower City Chaplain Corps, which is a ministry to law enforcement in the Rochester area. He is available to active and retired police officers for […]
Scripture POINT #1 – Hope In God’s Plan For Your Life Jeremiah 29:11-13 Wherever you find yourself today, I want to encourage you that God has a plan for your life. When you begin to know God through His Son Jesus Christ, and you live your life according to his Word, your steps start to […]
Scripture: Mark 12:18-27 Intro We here a lot about science today. Trust the science. I only believe what I can see and prove. The Bible and the Christian faith are often discounted as wishful thinking or fuzzy nice thinking, but unproveable. For all of those criticisms, there are sure a lot of people who believe […]
Scripture: John 20 HOPE APPEARS WHEN WE LEAST EXPECT IT READ John 20:11-14 EASTER COMES AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME READ John 20:15-18 READ Genesis 3:8-10 THE RESURRECTION IS VICTORY OVER DEATH READ John 11:25 TAKE HOMES Knowing Jesus as Savior is not only hope for eternal life, it’s hope in all of life’s hardest […]
Hope The result of hope in your life should be praising and thanking God and then encouraging others with that same hope. Peace When the shepherds heard this message of peace they ran to see the newly born Messiah and left glorifying and praising God telling everyone they met about Jesus. Do you take credit […]
Scripture: Luke 2:25–35; Isaiah 9:2; 1 Peter 1:13 1. HOPE IS A CERTAINTY ABOUT THE FUTURE THAT IMPACTS THE PRESENT Simeon’s day-to-day life was filled with hope because he believed God would keep His promise of a Savior, the Messiah. 2. HOPE IS BORN OUT OF DEEP LONGINGS AND DESPERATE NEED “The only ones who […]
Intro Today is Back to Church Sunday and I am so glad you chose to be here with us today. How many came today because someone invited you? Thank you for coming and thank you for inviting them! How many are here because you saw something on facebook or in the newspaper? Welcome! How many […]
Scripture: Hosea 13-14 Major Themes Israel’s rebellion Just consequences God’s relentless love and mercy Hope for redemption & restoration God’s Anger Revealed God recounts their sins Worshipping false idols & offering up their children Persistent unfaithfulness Coming judgment Hope Still Remains Return to God Hope if there is true repentance True Repentance Admit & confess […]
Scripture: Hosea 11-12 Major Themes of Hosea Israel’s rebellion Just consequences God’s relentless love and mercy Hope for redemption & restoration God’s Patient Kindness Loves like a father & son Matthew 2:13-15 – Messianic reference Love like a farmer & animal God’s Relentless Love God wrestles between love and judgment God’s loving judgment Hebrews 12:5-12 […]
Scripture: Hosea 1 Major Themes of Hosea Israel has rebelled God will bring consequences for their sin and idolatry God’s relentless love and mercy Hope for redemption God’s Unbelievable Command Go marry a whore Marriage is God’s idea Hosea’s Immediate Response He married Gomer and took her to be his wife Hosea obeyed God without […]
Scripture: Job Observations: Job was blameless, upright, feared God and shunned evil. (Job 1:1) Job was very wealthy. (Job 1:2-4) Job loved his family. (Job 1:5) We find a very unique look into the spiritual realm. (Job 1:6-12) Job loses everything. (Job 1:13-21) Job suffers physical pain and anguish. (Job […]
Scripture: 1 John 5:1-5 Test for True Followers of Jesus Christ. Believe Jesus is the Christ – the Messiah Spiritually born again (of God) Love Love the Father Love His children Obey Keep His Commandments Vertical: towards God Horizontal: towards others Not a burden God’s grace sufficient Overcome the World We are 0vercomers Nike: Victor […]
Hope in Christ Heritage Optimism Patience Eternal Life Peace in Christ Peace with God Peace with others Be a peacemaker Joy in Christ God is the source of joy, not my situation Bringing glory to God Choose joy! Love in Christ God’s love is unconditional God makes the first move God’s love flows from us […]
“The response of joy, gladness, or happiness is not only a deep inward feeling, but is expressed in celebration when God’s people gather together.”
C. E. Arnold, Joy
Joy takes on two different aspects in the Bible as God’s redemption story was unfolding. In the OT, the people of God found joy when they were delivered by God or when they anticipated the salvation of the coming Messiah. In the NT, the arrival of the Messiah, who delivers his people and brings salvation became the basis for rejoicing. And for Christ followers, their joy is found in becoming more like Jesus and looking forward His return. But throughout Scripture, joy comes from what God is doing not our immediate circumstances or trials.
God is the source of our joy God fills us with joy and peace when our hope is in Him. Our hope comes from the Holy Spirit who is always with us reminding us of God’s faithfulness and His presence with us. We are never alone. We cannot will ourselves to experience joy. Thinking “happy thoughts” or sending someone “good vibes” does not bring joy. Joy comes from God alone.
Experiencing Joy Just was we saw last week with peace, joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. When we let our flesh and sinful passions and selfish desires die, we experience life in Jesus Christ.
We experience more joy when we spend time with God. We have to keep in mind that joy only comes from God, but when we spend more time with him, we allow him to fill us with it.
Choosing Joy As we choose to obey God’s Word we will live and walk in the love and righteous acceptance of God. Jesus said His joy in glorifying the Father would be in us and our joy would be complete. Again our focus is on glorifying God and finding everything we need in Him.
Count or consider your trials as joy instead of pain and heartache. When trials and tests of faith come, rejoice because God is at work in your life to produce steadfastness or sure faith. And when that is complete you will be more and more like Jesus Christ – perfect and lacking nothing. This is the ultimate goal for us as followers of Jesus. To be His disciple means to model your life after Him. To become Christlike. This is a conscious choice – counting our trials as joy for what God will accomplish through them instead of complaining and worrying about what is happening.
Joy can’t be taken Joy is given to us by God himself, no one has the ability to rob us of our joy. No matter what circumstances we encounter, no one can take this away.
Take Aways Rejoice in the hope you have in Jesus Christ — a hope that extends beyond circumstances.
Each one of us is probably facing a trial of some kind or another right now. Maybe it’s still dealing with the effects of COVID. Maybe a job loss or reduced hours. Upcoming surgery or long-term illness for you or a family member. Paying the Christmas bills. Relationship issues. You may be tempted to despair, thinking there is no hope in your circumstances. But in Jesus Christ, we have a great treasure and joy that does not fail under pressure or any trial. Going against your feelings or against your friend’s advice, you can still praise God for your trial because of what God is doing in your life and others. Even with deaths and restrictions, good things have come out of COVID – like more family time and causing our church and others to focus on what is most important. God is challenging our comfort and traditions to see what we value most. God is working for your good.
Or maybe you need to take this time to reformulate your goals in life.
If you were honest with yourself – before the past several months, what would you say was your main goal in life? Comfort, ease, or maybe a little appreciation from others? Security? Early retirement? How about personal holiness for the sake of God’s glory? This moment provides us an opportunity to reflect on what we really value. Because the reason God gives us for choosing joy in trial is not the promise of things getting better again. Instead, He promises us the ability to endure more trials and the resultant sanctification – becoming more like Jesus. Does this thought bring you joy? Are you willing to squeeze out every bit of sanctification God promises you in this trial? Maybe it’s time to “let steadfastness have its full effect” as you endure trials instead trying to escape them.