FBC Benbrook Sermons: Recent Episodes
Todd Pylant
How big is our God? Is God big enough to reveal to the prophet Isaiah the name of the king of a kingdom that wouldn’t exist for another 70 years, to name the king by name 130 years before he took the throne, to claim that God would cause this kingdom to become the largest the world had ever known, and to claim that this king would accomplish His purpose whether he wanted to or not? That is exactly the point of Isaiah 45, and this picture of a big God increases our faith in Him as we face the trials and toils of life. (Isaiah 44.24-45.13) January 23, 2022
In the words of the apostle John, followers of Christ are to “keep ourselves from idols.” But is idol worship really a sin that modern day Christians who live in a western, scientific world really need to concern ourselves with? What we can we learn from the prophet Isaiah and the apostle Paul about idol worship? What does modern day idolatry look like? (Isaiah 44.6-20) January 16, 2022
We take for granted the truth that God loves us, but when life gets real and painful, we often doubt His love. Isaiah 43 reminds us of God’s steadfast love, that we are precious to Him because He created us, formed us, called us, and redeemed us. God’s love for us is not based upon our worthiness but upon His eternal character, and the cross is the “once and for all” definite statement of His love. (Isaiah 43.1-7) January 9, 2022
One of our favorite Christmas songs, O Holy Night, features the line, “a thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices.” Isaiah prophesied that a child would be born, and the angel confirmed to Mary that Jesus was in fact that child. His birth was, and is, good news of great joy, for He is the Prince of Peace and of the increase of His peace there will be no end. But how can we experience this peace today in a world that remains so weary? Is it possible for the weary world to continue to rejoice? (Isaiah 9.1-7) December 12, 2021
When the gospel of Matthew tells the Christmas story, it presents the virgin conception as the fulfillment of a prophecy of Isaiah. However, it also says that His name should be called “Immanuel.” What does it mean to call Jesus “Immanuel”? By looking at the context of the original prophecy, we hear that calling Jesus “Immanuel” is a confession that we believe Jesus is God in flesh, a testimony that God is with us through the indwelling Holy Spirit, and an encouragement to trust Him because our Good Shepherd is with us in the valley of shadows. (Isaiah 7.14) December 5, 2021
The first section of the book of Isaiah is all about trusting the Lord. This section ends with the story of Hezekiah, a king who was challenged to trust the Lord to deliver Judah from the Assyrian army. But the story is complex, and serves as a reminder to us that we should keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, give God the glory when given the opportunity, and be more concerned about the nations coming to know Jesus as Lord than our own prosperity and security (Isaiah 36-39) November 28, 2021
As we prepare for a week of thanksgiving, we spend some time reflecting on why it is good to be a child of the king. (Isaiah 35.1-10) November 21, 2021
When the king of Judah found himself in a difficult situation, facing a much more powerful nation, he naturally thought of making an alliance with another nation to help him in the fight. But the Lord was adamant that they should not go down to Egypt. The prophet explained why the Lord did not want them to go down to Egypt: (1) because God had already told them to never return to Egypt, (2) because it demonstrates that Judah didn’t really care about God’s counsel or will, (3) because they didn’t really trust the Lord to be able to deliver them, and (4) because His people had lost sight of the bigger picture of being a people for His own possession. As new covenant followers of Christ, we are challenged to consider what it means for us to trust the Lord as we face our own “bread of adversity and water of affliction.” (Isaiah 30.1-7) November 14, 2021
One of the great promises in all of Scripture is found in Isaiah 26. God will keep us in perfect peace when our mind is stayed on Him and we trust in Him. This is possible because of who God is, how God has worked in the past, the testimony of how God is working in our own lives, and His promises to us for the future. In this sermon, we see how the testimony of David in Psalm 3 illustrates this promise, and leads us in our celebration of the Lord’s Supper. (Isaiah 26.3-9) November 7, 2021
The only place in the Bible where “Lucifer” as a name for Satan appears is in Isaiah 14. Or is it? A look at the text and the context makes it clear that the prophet was speaking about the king of Babylon and not Satan. However, we should not dismiss this text as something unrelated to us. The reason Isaiah 14 sounds so much like the fall of Satan is because the king of Babylon joined Satan’s rebellion against God. And Christians would do well to remember that Satan continues to entice people to join his rebellion against the Most High God. (Isaiah 14.3-22) October 31, 2021
Isaiah chapter 13 begins the Oracle Against the Nations, which is the pronouncement of judgment upon eight nations that surrounded Judah in addition to Judah itself. This section, which is thirteen chapters long, is a difficult section to read, and forces believers to wrestle with how this passage of Scripture if profitable to new covenant believers. But there is a gospel truth in this section that calls us to repentance and to the struggle of faith. (Isaiah 13.9-22) October 17, 2021
Will heaven be boring? Will the boredom of heaven be worse that the tortures of hell? These are questions that unbelievers ask, but the truth is that our imaginations of heaven are often trite or even unbiblical. The prophet Isaiah paints a picture of what heaven looks like when God makes all things new, when the old order of things passes away. But the reason the prophet paints a glorious picture of eternity is to remind God’s people of how powerful and loving God really is. The point is that the King of Heaven is also the King of today which is why we can trust Him and rest under His sovereign care. (Isaiah 11.1-10) October 3, 2021.
After Isaiah had been speaking the Word of the Lord to the people in Judah, God encouraged the prophet and renewed his calling with an incredible vision. This vision not only foreshadows the atoning death of Christ, but it also speaks to the danger of hardening our heart when we hear the Word of the Lord. Twice Jesus quoted the tough words spoken to Isaiah, and the writer of Hebrews echoes the same theme. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart. (Isaiah 6.1-10) September 26, 2021
Jesus was a great storyteller, and many of His parables used the image of the vineyard. One such parable was a retelling of the Parable of the Vineyard told by the prophet Isaiah. The fact that Jesus retold this same parable should cause the people of God to pay special attention to these words from the prophet. The parable makes it very clear that God is looking to find the fruit of justice and righteousness among His people. Isaiah helps us to understand that biblical justice is an overflow of gospel righteousness. (Isaiah 5.1-7) September 19, 2021
For the Old Testament prophets, “the Day of the Lord” refers to anytime the Lord dramatically intervenes in human history, but the people of Isaiah’s day assumed that God would act to defeat their enemies. They could not conceive of the truth that they would be on God’s enemy’s list. The prophet Isaiah made it clear: “The Lord has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up, and it shall be brought low.” God has always been opposed to the proud, especially when the lofty pride of mankind infiltrates His people. Essentially, human pride is exalting ourselves and minimizing God, whereas God calls us to humble ourselves and exalt the Lord. May the Spirit of God shine His light into the darkness of our pride. (Isaiah 2.6-12) September 12, 2021
When the Old Testament prophets spoke of “the latter days,” they could be speaking of the restoration of Jerusalem after the exile, or the first coming of the Messiah, or the second coming of the Messiah, or even the eternal heaven. And it does make reading great passages like Isaiah 2 a challenge, but this prophecy does remind us that because of the grace of God to be revealed during “the latter days,” it changes how we live today. As the prophet said, we should walk in the light of the Lord and His latter day grace by having no other gods before Him, by walking in His ways, words, and promises, by welcoming the nations to the gospel table, by doing all we can to be peacemakers, and by setting our hope fully on the eternal grace of the latter days. (Isaiah 2.1-5) September 5, 2021
After the prophet Isaiah described the people of God as “a people laden with iniquity,” we can almost hear the crowd rejecting this message. “Look at how religious we are! Look at all the offerings, solemn assemblies, and Sabbath rules we obey to the letter!” But the Lord was not pleased with their worship. In fact, the Lord called their huge outpourings of religious activity an “abomination” and “vain worship.” And the people of Isaiah’s day were not alone, for Jesus even called out the religious leaders of his day for their vain worship. How do we make sure that our worship is God pleasing instead of offensive? (Isaiah 1.10-20) August 29, 2021
The prophet Isaiah speaks with the conviction that God is present and active in this world, both as a Loving Father and as a Righteous Judge. Not only was this message confronting to the people of Isaiah’s day, but it remains so today for most Americans have no room for the present and active wrath of God in their conception of God. But the wrath of God, rightly understood, does not drive us away from the Righteous Judge. In fact, it draws us deep into the fellowship with a Loving Father. What assumptions about the wrath of God need to change for us to be able to see this? (Isaiah 1.1-9) August 22, 2021
Jesus commissioned His disciples with the assignment to go to all the nations to preach the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. But the gospel of Matthew ends with the unique commission to go and make disciples of all nations. For the last 100 years, the church in America has put much effort into the “go” of this commission, and all over the world the gospel is growing and bearing fruit. However, in that same time period, the American church has lost focus of the “make disciples” element of the Great Commission. As a result, the global gospel map has shifted. We must rediscover what it means to both “be a disciple” and to be a “disciple who makes disciples.” (Matthew 28.16-20) August 15, 2021
Why did Jesus invite the disciples to watch Him ascend into heaven? One of the reasons is that they needed to see Jesus as no longer the “humbled, obedient to the point of death” Jesus but the “exalted at the right hand of God with authority over all things” Jesus. Seeing the exalted Jesus was and is essential to the church fulfilling the Great Commission. In addition to the many things the exalted Jesus is doing right now, He is sending the Spirit and exercising authority over all powers. (Acts 1.1-11) August 8, 2021
We have forever defined one follower of Jesus by his weakest moment. We even call him by that name, “Doubting Thomas.” But instead of being critical of Thomas, perhaps he is a good example of how to journey through our doubts and into faith. The truth is that doubts and questions are part of the journey towards genuine faith, but there are forks in the road where we must choose to view God through the lens of our doubts or view our doubts through the lens of our God. This is why we must deal honestly with our doubts, but also expand our understanding of the beauty and greatness of God. (John 20.24-29) July 25, 2021.
After His resurrection, Jesus appeared in many ways and to many people demonstrating the proof of His resurrection. In one of these post resurrection appearances, Jesus walked with two disciples as they were returning to the little village of Emmaus. And in that conversation, we see some of the common elements that God uses to help us make sense of the Jesus story. God uses the miracles and teachings of Jesus, our hope for deliverance, the meaning of the crucifixion and resurrection, the Scriptures, the communion of the saints, and even the work of the Spirit in our journey towards saving faith. (Luke 24.13-35) July 11, 2021.
The fact that Jesus was buried after He was crucified was an essential element to the early gospel story. But what is the significance of that fact for believers today? In Romans 6, the Bible tells us that we were buried with Him by baptism into death. This means that when we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we were immersed in Him, an immersion that produced an irreversible change. Unfortunately, the good news of being buried with Him is often hidden by gospel imitations. (Matthew 27.57-61) July 4, 2021
According to the gospel of Matthew, at the death of Jesus, the earth shook, the rocks split, and the tombs opened. And after His resurrection, many of the saints who had died were raised and appeared to many in Jerusalem. While we have many questions surrounding this event, one major question is “why?” Why would the Father raise many saints after the resurrection of Jesus and have them appear to many in Jerusalem? A few of the answers to that question include: (1) to call many to saving faith and to birth the church, (2) to demonstrate that God alone is the Giver of Life and has authority over death, and (3) to demonstrate the hope of the resurrection to come. (Matthew 27.50-56) June 27, 2021.
Before Jesus was crucified, He endured the horror of a scourging. While the gospels don’t give much detail to it, it was important enough for the prophet Isaiah to foretell it hundreds of years before it happened. The gospels don’t reflect on the pain of the scourging, and Peter helps us understand how we should react to this horrible event in the life of our Savior. It is by His scourging that we are healed, so that we can return to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. (Matthew 27.26-31) May 30, 2021
Some Bible scholars want to dismiss events during the trial of Jesus as swarming with impossibilities, improbabilities, and inconsistencies, suggesting these events should be nicely ignored. But the witness of Matthew and the other gospel writers are historically dependable. And despite the critic’s efforts to dismiss the reality of the passion of Jesus, it cannot dismiss the beautiful gospel picture of the guilt of Barabbas being transferred to the innocent Jesus. God made Him who knew no sin to become sin for us. (Matthew 27.15-23) May 23, 2021.
When Pilate confronted Jesus with the question, “Are you the King of Jews,” the answer Jesus gave continues to challenge His followers today. Indeed, Jesus is the King of a Kingdom, but His Kingdom is not of this world nor from this world. How do we know when we have crossed that line from being “in the world” to becoming “of the world”? It comes down to Jesus being the way, the truth, and the life. (John 18.33-38) May 16, 2021
After Jesus was arrested, they brought Him before the high priest and the Jewish ruling council to determine whether or not He was worthy of death. And in this moment, Jesus fully revealed Himself for the first time in His public ministry. Who is Jesus? Jesus is the Christ. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is the Son of Man. Jesus is at the right hand of God. How do these simple phrases shine a light into our daily lives? (Matthew 26.57-68) May 9, 2021
When Jesus was arrested in the Garden, Peter pulled out a sword and made a weak attempt at protecting Jesus. Jesus rebuked him by saying, “All who take the sword will perish by the sword.” As the apostle reflected on that moment, Peter understood the way Jesus responded to the suffering of His passion was an example for us to follow. How do we follow this example in a world where it feels more right to fight against injustice than to follow the example of Jesus? (Matthew 26.47-56) May 2, 2021.
The writer of Hebrews connects the Garden prayer of Jesus on the night of His arrest with the making of Jesus as the Great High Priest. But more importantly, something happened in the Garden that gives us the confidence to draw near to the throne of grace in a time of need. By looking at the prayer of Jesus in the Garden (Matthew 26.36-46) through the lens of Hebrews 4.14-5.10, we come to see where our confidence in prayer comes from. We can confidently expect to receive mercy from the Father because the Son chose to drink the cup of God’s wrath so that we don’t have to. We can confidently expect to receive grace from the Father because He appointed the Son to be the Great High Priest to intercede for us. We can confidently expect to receive help in time of need because Jesus is both Priest and King of Kings with authority over all things. (Matthew 26.36-46) April 25, 2021.
Most of us know the story of Peter denying Jesus, but few of us connect Peter's personal testimony of God's faithfulness to preserve our faith during times of testing and suffering. Peter knew that the God of all grace would restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish us as we stand firm in our faith and endure the trials that might cause us to stumble in our faith. (Matthew 26.69-75) April 18, 2021
In Part 4 of the Story of the Cross, we take a look at the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. The legacy of Judas is a vivid reminder that there always have been and always will be wolves among the flock of God's people, that betraying motives still exist, that Satan still works to plant seeds of betrayal, and that remorse is not the same as reconciliation (Matthew 27.3-10) April 11, 2021
What does one do when they see the tomb is empty and that Jesus is alive? We either must declare Him to be an imposter or grab hold of His feet and worship Him. The gospel of Matthew reminds us why Jesus is worthy of our worship: Jesus died on the cross for our sins, Jesus has all authority, Jesus is God, Jesus commands us to obey Him, and Jesus dwells within us. (Matthew 27.62-28.20) April 4, 2021
When Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last week of His life on earth, on what we call Palm Sunday, there was one question hanging over that moment: "Who is this?" Those who had been following Jesus answered it one way, the crowds in Jerusalem answered it another. But the gospel writer helps us to see this entire moment through the lens of Psalm 24. Who is this? The King of Glory. (Matthew 21.1-11) March 28, 2021
What is "work"? Is work something we should seek to avoid? Is there something about being a follower of Christ that changes how we view work? What is a gospel understanding of this thing called "work"? (2 Thessalonians 3.6-15) March 21, 2021
The apostle Paul asked the church to pray for him that the word of the Lord would spread rapidly and that God would deliver him from wicked and evil men. Did their prayers make a difference? Paul's testimony is that they did, and it encourages us to pray for in others with biblical depth and expectancy. (2 Thessalonians 3.1-5) March 14, 2021
There was a rumor going around in the city of Thessalonica that Jesus had already returned. The apostle Paul helped the church to understand that before Jesus returns, two things must happen: the rebellion must come and the man of lawlessness must be revealed. And in light of these two realities, the church must stand firm in their faith. (2 Thessalonians 2.1-17) March 7, 2021
The apostle Paul urged the church in Thessalonica to "not despise prophecy." As we think about the spiritual gift of prophecy, we are reminded of how this gift is really an expression of God's love for us. Join us as the explore four biblical truths about the spiritual gift of prophecy (1 Thessalonians 5.12-22) February 21, 2021.
We all want to know when Jesus is coming back, but the apostle Paul reminds us of four gospel truths about His return: (1) we are in the middle of the gospel story, (2) the Day of the Lord will come both suddenly and after certain signs, (3) our hope is that we will be saved by grace through faith from the coming wrath of God, (4) and the reality of the second coming changes how we live today because we belong to the Day. (1 Thessalonians 5.1-11) February 14m 2021
There is an important meeting in the future, a meeting where the followers of Christ will be caught up with the Lord Jesus Christ when He returns. The dead in Christ will be there. Those who are alive at His coming will be there. Will you be there? (1 Thessalonians 4.13-18) February 7, 2021 - Steve Hammond, Guest Preacher
When the grace of God came to Thessalonica and brought many of them to salvation, the same grace called them to renounce ungodliness and to live godly lives in their present age. In short, God’s will for them was their sanctification, their complete sanctification, mind and soul and even body. Which meant, God’s will for them was, and His will for us still is, to abstain from sexual immorality. (1 Thessalonians 4.1-8) January 31, 2021
Prayer is an invitation to participate in God's gracious work in this world. It is full of mystery and wonder, but it is a glorious invitation. Most believers struggle with prayer on many levels, which is why Paul's example and testimony of prayer in 1 Thessalonians is so helpful. How can the Lord teach us to pray through Paul's experience in prayer? (1 Thessalonians 3.9-13) January 24, 2021
Paul was deeply concerned that the Christians in Thessalonica might fall to the tempter under the duress of afflictions, but he rejoiced when he learned they were standing firm in their faith. In our struggle against the spiritual forces of darkness, we see the importance of three words: faith, love, and theodicy. (1 Thessalonians 2.17-3.10) January 17, 2021.
The apostle Paul shares his experience of bringing the gospel to the great city of Thessalonica, and we can learn from his example about how to be an ambassador for Christ. As ambassadors for Christ, believers should actively pursue holiness, check our motives, check our methods, accurately understand the gospel, and expect opposition. (1 Thessalonians 2.1-16) January 10, 2021
As we wait for the return of the Son, how should we live? What should we be doing as we wait? The Scriptures encourage us to do the work of faith, to learn how to love, to be steadfast in our hope in Christ, and to serve the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 1.1-10) January 3, 2021
The apostle John tells the story of Jesus in a unique way. He chose seven signs that Jesus did, what we might call miracles, and structured the entire gospel around those seven signs. At the end of the gospel, John explains why he chose those seven signs. He wanted his readers, and us, to believe that Jesus was the Christ, to understand that to call Jesus "the Christ" meant to believe He is the Son of God, and that we can have abundant life in His name by faith. (John 20.30-31) December 27, 2020.
The angel visited Mary to announce the impending birth of Jesus. Speaking of the child, the angel promised that God would give to Him the throne of His father David. Jesus will be the King of Israel forever. The Kingdom of God has come and Jesus is King. (Luke 1.30-33) December 20, 2020
Our confession during the Christmas season is that the baby born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago is "the Christ." But what does that mean, and how does it turn our world upside down? The gospel of Matthew helps us to see that to call Jesus "the Christ" means to confess that Jesus is God in flesh, that He humbled Himself in the incarnation, and that to follow Him means that we have to humble ourselves and take on the mind of Christ. (Matthew 2.1-6) December 13, 2020.
In the season of Christmas, we make this bold confession that we believe the baby born to Mary in Bethlehem was the messiah, promised by the Old Testament prophets and hoped for by the Jewish people for years. This proclamation has been turning the world upside down, both within the Jewish community and without, for over 2000 years. But what exactly does it mean for us today to call Jesus "the Christ"? Today, we see how the gospel of Mark presents the suffering messiah as King. And we learn that to call Jesus "the Christ" means that Jesus had to suffer for my sins, that to follow Jesus means to take up our cross, and that we must call Jesus our king. (Mark 8.27-33) December 6, 2020
The Joseph Story teaches us that difficult circumstances often bring us to the breaking point of our faith, but nothing can stop God from accomplishing His plan for blessing His people. We move beyond the breaking point of our faith when we trade our fear for faith and trust that God is working out the details of our life for good. (Genesis 50.15-21) November 29, 202. Michael Postell, Guest Preacher
The Prodigal Son, and its mirror opposite, the story of Joseph, help us to see the beauty and greatness of the gospel in three words: revenge, repentance, and reconciliaion. (Genesis 44.30-34) November 22, 2020
Dreams permeate the Joseph story. Joseph had two dreams. The cupbearer and baker had dreams, and Joseph interpreted them. Even the king of Egypt had two dreams which Joseph interpreted. Does God still speak to His people through dreams? And if so, how do we biblically think about dreams? (Genesis 41.1-36) November 15, 2020
The story of Joseph helps us to see what it means to be faithful in the hard places of life. Through this story, we learn to be good stewards of the hard places and to hold on to the promises of God through the confusing struggles of life (Genesis 39-40) November 8, 2020.
The Joseph story is one of the greatest short stories ever told, but it begins with a very broken world. When we read the backgrounds of Joseph and Tamar in Genesis 37-38, we understand the words of Psalm 188.5-8 even more. We can trust God in a broken world because God has promised to be with us, because God is at work even when we cannot see it, because God is always writing His victory story, and because He is still our best hope (Genesis 37-38). November 1, 2020.
What was God doing before creation? This question goes to the essential nature of who God is. Through 1 John 4.7-21, we learn that the fundamental nature of the eternal triune God is love, that God's love did not remain within the Trinity but overflowed to sinners like us, and that since God abides in us, we CAN love others. (October 25, 2020).
How does the truth of the Trinity impact our daily lives? One of the most basic commandments is to love God and obey His commands. The eternal triune God makes this possible. God the Father provides the standard to obey. God the Son provides the example to follow. God the Spirit helps us obey the commands. (John 14.15-17) October 18, 2020. Guest preacher is Tim Tucker.
We are servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. And one of those great mysteries is the Trinity. Our struggle to discover an analogy that is accurate and complete is only an indication of the beauty and greatness of God. The heresies of Modalism, Tri-theism, and Partialism all help us to see the beauty of the eternal triune God. (1 Corinthians 4.1) October 11, 2020.
Why is the Trinity good news? The Doctrine of the Trinity is more than just an irrelevant truth that we don't understand. The eternal triune God displays the fullness of God's beauty and greatness. Today, we read Ephesians 1.3-14 which demonstrates how the eternal triune God was and is at work in our salvation. (Ephesians 1.3-14) October 3, 2020. (Week 1 of a Four Week Series).
In preparation to observe the Lord’s Supper, we allow the apostle Jude to prepare our hearts and minds for the Table. In light of the danger of false teachers, Jude urges Christians to build themselves up in their most holy faith, to pray in the Holy Spirit, to keep themselves in the love of God, to wait expectantly for the mercy to be given them when Christ returns, and to rescue those who fall prey to these false teachers. In light of these words, we approach the Table meditating on the mercy of God given to us through His Son and in responding to the Word of God as obedient followers of Christ. (Jude 17-23) September 27, 2020.
The main section of Jude's letter is a comparison of the ways God treated those who abused His grace and resisted His Lordship in Old Testament history to the "certain people who had crept in unaware." Jude's main point gets clearer: those who pervert the grace of God have always been under God's just condemnation, as is true of these false teachers. We begin to see the real danger of "hidden reefs" and consider what these hidden reefs might look today.
The second phase of Bible study is Interpretation, or determining what the Bible means. As we read Jude 11-16, we also consider six key principles of interpretation to guide our understanding of Scripture: (1) let the author speak, (2) keep it in context, (3) read the Bible literally while allowing for figurative language, (4) let Scripture interpret Scripture, (5) let the clear guide the unclear, and (6) read the Bible in Christian community.
How to Study the Bible (Part 2) - The apostle Jude urges believers to contend for the faith once and for delivered to the saints, but the only way we know the faith is through the Scriptures. Therefore, we must rightly handle the Word of God in order to contend for the faith. As we continue to read through Jude this month, we also consider the principles of observation so that we can understand what the text says. (Jude 5-10) September 13, 2020.
In this short letter, the apostle Jude urges believers to contend for the faith once and for all delivered to the saints. In order for the saints to "contend for the gospel," we must rightly handle the Word of truth, where the once for all faith is revealed. Therefore, we need to read the Word and study the Word so that we will not pervert the grace of Christ nor deny Jesus as our Lord and Master. But how do we go about studying the Bible? (Jude 1-4) September 6, 2020.
The Ezra Nehemiah story ends in a very unsatisfying way, and for good reason. Every commitment the people made in chapter 10 to obey all the commands of Moses were abandoned by chapter 13. In fact, the people of God have always been faithless to follow the Lord. The story leaves us wanting more, wanting for God to do something for us and in us that we can never do for ourselves or by ourselves. The story leaves us wanting for the Cross and for the Gift of the Holy Spirit. (Nehemiah 13.4-31) August 30, 2020
The joy of the Lord is my strength. But what does that mean? Does it mean that my joy in the Lord is the strength that moves me from weeping to joy? Or does it mean that the Lord's joy in me is a refuge from my fears and doubts? (Nehemiah 8.1-12) August 23, 2020
When God puts something in our hearts to do, we should expect opposition, both from within and from without. From the example of Nehemiah, we learn that when we face this opposition, it helps to remember the calling and God's promises, to practice the prayers of lament, to pray for discernment, and to act in faith. (Nehemiah 2-6) August 16, 2020
The calling of Nehemiah is a story about God moving in a great way. Through this story, we see that when God moves in a great way, we see small groups of people praying for extended periods of time. When God moves in a great way, we see a divine sense of timing. When God moves in a great way, we see chosen and anointed and unlikely individuals being used by God in significant ways. And when God moves in a great way, we see God doing what only God can do. (Nehemiah 1.1-2.8) August 2, 2020
What does it mean to be a follower of Christ, to renounce everything to be His disciple? In the story of Ezra, we discover that our commitment to Christ supersedes even our family commitments, as all must come under the Lordship of Christ. (Ezra 10.1-3) July 26, 2020.
Do we pray for the Providential care of God, or do we merely assume it? Through the testimony of Ezra, we learn that when we pray for the Hand of God upon our life, we see God's Hand everywhere, we align our hearts and minds with God's heart and mind, and God acts in response to our prayers. (Ezra 8.21-23) July 12, 2020
Why do we need to intentionally incorporate prayers of confession in our regular prayer life? As we allow Ezra to model how to confess our sins in prayer to the Lord, we discover that the prayer of confession is the only vaccine to protect us from the virus of self-righteousness. (Ezra 9) July 19, 2020
When the people of God finished rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem, the first thing they did was to keep the Passover. It was more than just a ceremony. It was a faith opportunity to separate themselves from the uncleanness of the land, to choose to worship the One True God only, and to delight in His gracious good works. (Ezra 6.19-22) June 28, 2020
God's divine eternal plan is to build one household of faith, fellow citizens from all people groups. But when we neglect God's house and focus only on our house, we do so at our own peril. (Ezra 5.1-2) June 14, 2020
The Ezra-Nehemiah story is a fascinating, historical reminder of God's steadfast love for His people. It reminds us that God is a promise keeping God, that God is a restoring God, and that God is in control of history, even our own story. (Ezra 1.1-8) June 7, 2020
What does it mean to walk in the fear of the Lord? Does it mean to fear His judgment? Does it mean to be in awe of His impressive beauty and greatness? Or does it mean to walk in His ways, trust Him, and rest in Him? (Ecclesiastes 12.13-14) May 31, 2020
The writer of Ecclesiastes wrote about the frustrations of government that we all feel, but in Christ, we are not left stuck in this frustration. Because we are children of God, we are gloriously free to honor the King and to pray for those in authority over us (Ecclesiastes 10.16-18) May 17, 2020.
Because humans are created in the image of God, we long for justice, just like our Creator. And when we experience injustice, it is so painful. But we know that God loves justice, that God is with us, and that God is at work bringing justice like the noonday. (Ecclesiastes 3.16, Psalm 37, Romans 12.14-21) May 10, 2020.
The writer of Ecclesiastes struggled with the reality of death because it made everything done in this life meaningless. But because there will be a resurrection to come, the light of the gospel means that our life is not in vain. (Eccelsiastes 2.16-22) May 3, 2020
The gospel of Jesus Christ shines light on the meaninglessness of life (Ecclesiastes 1) April 26, 2020
Thirty minutes after we die, where are we? What actually happens after we die? Though the Bible may not answer all the questions we have about this issue, it does teach us clear truth to encourage our souls and to give us hope. (1 Corinthians 15.20-28) April 19, 2020
On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And on this Easter Sunday, we celebrate the hope that believers in Christ will share in a resurrection like His. Our perishable, mortal, weak, natural bodies will be raised immortal, imperishable, glorious, powerful, and Spirit empowered resurrected bodies. (April 12, 2020) 1 Corinthians 15.35-54
What happens after we die? Will the saints be nothing more than disembodied spirits floating on the clouds, playing harps for eternity? Or is there a resurrection to come that gives us gospel hope for today? (1 Corinthians 15.1-19) April 5, 2020
Praying for others is ongoing hard work, specific, spiritual warfare, and essential. What can we learn about praying from others through the testimony of Epaphras? (Colossians 4.12-13) March 29, 2020
For many Christians, prayer is something we either feel we ought to do more, something that carries a great deal of guilt and fear. But prayer is a grand invitation to ask for God's help. How should we pray? What should we pray for? (Colossians 4.2-6) March 22, 2020
"Come, let's sing the 46th Psalm and let them do their worst!" These were the words of Martin Luther, who certainly knew of times of trouble. Like many others, he stood on the truth of this great psalm to remind his soul why he did not need to fear in times of trouble because the Lord is with us! (March 15, 2020)
Is the danger of apostasy real? The Scriptures urge us to “continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel.” Why is this important for believers to hear this exhortation? (Colossians 1.19-23) January 26, 2020
The greatest verbal portrait of who Jesus was, and is, and forever will be is found in Paul’s letter to the Christians who lived in the little town of Colossae. Among the marvelous description of King Jesus is the statement that Jesus is the “firstborn of all creation.” What does that mean? And how is that statement connected to the reality that Jesus is preeminent in all things? And why should that make us calm and confident? (Colossians 1.15-20) January 16, 2020
Do you believe in a BIG God who can do BIG things? Are you so convinced that you pray, asking this BIG God to do BIG things in your life and in the life of people you know? And if so, what do you pray for? Paul’s prayer for the Christians in Colossae not only teaches us what to pray but reminds us of the great reason why we can and should ask for a BIG God to do BIG things. (Colossians 1.9-14) January 12, 2020
The trendy way of thinking in the ancient city of Colossae was for people to be obsessed with spirituality but rather unimpressed with Jesus. The culture in which we live today is not much different. And to our times, the apostle Paul wrote this letter to prevent us from becoming captives of our age, but rather to be obsessed with Jesus and unimpressed with spirituality. (Colossians 1.1-8) January 5, 2020.
The story of Christmas is rather hard to believe, that the eternal Word of God became flesh. In fact, most of the world and even God's chosen people did not believe the story. So, who do some believe when so many do not? (John 1.10-13) December 15, 2019
What is Christmas all about? The apostle John answers that question by going back to the beginning, not just the beginning of Jesus’ life on earth, but back to the very beginning. In John’s introduction to the story of Jesus, we discover that Jesus is the eternal Word of God, the creator of all things, the one who has authority over all things, the giver of life, and the Light who shines in the darkness. (John 1.1-5) December 8, 2019.
Christ calls us to both be disciples and to make disciples. A true disciple has his heart searched by the Word of God, believes that Jesus can release him from his sins, has become a Christian in all parts of his life, and has reached the point of no turning back. A disciple then makes disciples by sharing the Word, showing the Word, teaching the Word, and serving the world. (Matthew 28.18-20) December 1, 2019. Guest preacher is Ryan Tucker.
Esther found herself in a familiar situation: a situation she did not choose, a painful circumstance, where God seemed absent, and where she was powerless to do anything about it. Mordecai challenged her to put her faith into action, and when she did, it completely changed her. What can we learn from Esther when we are in our "such a time as this?" (Esther 4.8-17) November 17, 2019
The story of Esther calls us to ask such fascination questions. Throughout the story, God seems to be hidden, or at best, to be working behind the scenes. But the story reminds us that just because we can't see God at work does not mean that He is not working. There is hope when God seems silent. (Esther 4) November 10, 2019 - Guest Preacher is Tim Tucker.
The biblical story of Esther is an invitation to Christians to consider how to live as exiles in a culture that rejects Jesus. The story is far more complex and mysterious and enriching than a simple overview can supply. This month, we wrestle with some of the great faith questions that this story challenges us with. The first question we ask is, “Was Esther right or wrong to conceal her Jewish identity?” (Esther 2.5-11) November 3, 2019.
Not only is the Bible the inspired Word of God and truth without any mixture of error, the Bible is also highly beneficial and useful to our lives. The apostle Paul and David both describe, in great detail, the many benefits of Scripture. (2 Timothy 3.16-17 and Psalm 19.7-11). October 27, 2019
Even if we believe Scripture to be the inspired Word of God and truthful without any mixture of error, why must we submit our lives to its teachings? Why should we treat the Bible as an authority in our lives? (Matthew 8.5-13) - Guest preacher is Rami Ibrahim.
Is the Bible “truthful without any mixture of error” or is the Bible a “mixture of truth and error”? This question becomes even more difficult to answer when we come to passages in the Bible that are hard to understand, hard to accept, or hard to obey. But to twist the Scripture is to bring destruction upon ourselves. Why should we believe the Bible is faithful and true? (2 Peter 3.14-18) – October 13, 2019.
How is the Bible unique from all other religious books? Why should we believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God? (2 Peter 1.16-21) - October 6, 2019
How does God’s divine eternal plan to create one household of faith impact how we think and feel about immigration? How do we think biblically about this important and divisive topic? Through Leviticus 19.33-34, we learn that the gospel is an immigration story, that God commands us to love the immigrant as ourselves, and that God is growing the church through immigration. (Leviticus 19.33-34) – September 29, 2019.
God is a God who practices steadfast love and justice in the earth, and He calls His people to work to loose the bonds of wickedness. Today, we take a look at the global bonds of wickedness, specifically, the darkness of modern day slavery and the soil in which it grows. And while these bonds look dark, there is a light rising in the darkness. And the people of God can and should be part of this rising light. (Isaiah 58.1-10) September 22, 2019
As hard as it is to confess, the white church in America has failed to embrace our black brothers and sisters in Christ as fellow citizens and members of the household of faith. Historically, we have built up the dividing wall of racism that Christ came to tear down. This morning, we try to do what Daniel did in his prayer, to confess the sins of our fathers. In doing so, we discover that racism is endemic to our sin nature, to have sympathy for the lasting impact of racism, to have a caring ear to the concerns of others, and to develop courage that the white church has historically lacked. (Daniel 9.3-8) September 15, 2019.
Racism has been the dividing wall of hostility among humanity since the fall of mankind in the Garden. But the good news of the gospel is that Jesus Christ has come to destroy that dividing wall and create one household of faith. However, this truth has always been hard for the church to fully embrace. Why is it so hard to rightly understand and rightly apply the gospel? (Galatians 2.1-16) September 8, 2019.
God’s divine eternal plan is to build one household of faith from every nation, every tribe, every people group, and every language through the atoning death of Jesus Christ on the Cross. But what is God’s strategy to get the message of the Cross to those who are far away from God? (Ephesians 2.11-22 and Romans 10.8-17) September 1, 2019
The Book of Kings ends in a weird way. After telling the story of the Fall of Jerusalem, the Book of Kings tells us about one insignificant king who only reigned for 3 months and wasn’t even the last king. But he was shown grace 37 years after his exile. This strange ending is meant to cause us to long for something more, something better? But who, or what, are we left longing for? (2 Kings 25.27-30) August 25, 2019
King Josiah was perhaps the most righteous king since King David, and he walked in the ways of David, sharing David’s love for the Law of the Lord. And it was because Josiah’s heart was responsive to the Word of God that God blessed him. Through the story of Josiah, we are reminded that to neglect the Word of the Lord brings self-destruction, and that we need to handle the Word properly in order for it to transform our lives. (2 Kings 22.8-23.3) August 18, 2019
Manasseh was both the most evil king to ever sit on the throne of Judah and also the poster child for God’s great mercy. Through this story, we learn that we cannot out sin God’s grace, that God’s mercy is creative and redemptive, that genuine repentance bears fruit, and that there is a great danger in delaying when God calls us to repentance. (2 Kings 21) August 11, 2019
The writer of Kings summarizes King Hezekiah's life with a unique phrase: he trusted in the Lord. The life story of Hezekiah demonstrates what it means to trust in the Lord and why this is such hard faith work. (2 Kings 18-20) August 4, 2019
God removed Israel from the land of promise because they failed to be a people for His own possession and a kingdom of priests. And just like Israel, we find ourselves living in a diverse culture with many worldviews and religions. But followers of Christ are still called to be a people for His own possession and Ambassadors for Christ. (2 Kings 17) July 28, 2019
The example of King Jehu reminds us that our longing for justice is part of what it means to be created in the image of God, that often God calls us to be His agents of justice, that justice in this world is always imperfect, and that our longings for justice will be perfectly fulfilled in the coming Kingdom of God (2 Kings 9.1-13) June 30, 2019
Guest preacher Blake Theiss considers the example of King Jehoshaphat as we see the danger of co-existing. (June 23, 2019) 2 Chronicles 18.
The reign of the evil king Ahab intersects with the great prophet Elijah. The question that confronts both Ahab and Elijah, and us today, is who or what has the power to give life to the dead and to bring something from nothing? Answering that question is even more difficult when we are forced to face the Jezebels of our lives. (1 Kings 16.30-33) June 16, 2019.
King Abijam is the classic story of a God follower in name only. Through his story, we see what Nominal Christianity really looks like so that our heart can be fully devoted to the Lord. (1 Kings 15.1-8) June 9, 2019
The story of King Jeroboam was written down for our instruction, as an example that we might not do what he did. Jeroboam wanted God's blessings but didn't want to walk in His ways. While we see that clearly in his life, we often the need the work of the Holy Spirit to see it in our own lives. (1 Kings 11-14) - June 2, 2019
Almost everyone agrees that forgiveness is a good thing, but the Cross re-shapes forgiveness for the followers of Jesus. How? As we read from Matthew 18, we learn that the cross re-shapes forgiveness in the following ways. (1) We are to forgive those who wrong us, (2) We are to forgive as Christ forgave us, (3) The cross calls us to respond to God's grace by giving grace, (4) The grace of the cross empowers forgiveness, (5) Forgiveness is not dependent upon repentance of the one who wronged us, (6) Forgiveness and reconciliation are not the same thing, (7) Forgiveness and reconciliation may require the help of others, and (8) Forgiveness is healing to the soul. (May 26, 2019) - Matthew 18.15-35.
Deuteronomy 4.9-10 teaches grandparents to make the faith known to their children and their grandchildren. The American experience of grandparenting has changed quite a bit over the last 100 years, but it is easy to lose sight of the disciple making call upon grandparents. (May 19, 2019).
The Cross reshapes marriage into a beautiful reflection of the harmony of the Kingdom of God. (Ephesians 5.22-33) May 12, 2019
As we read Ephesians 5, we learn... Husbands and wives are to love each other the way Christ loves us. Husbands and wives are to submit to each other out of reverence for Christ. The cross reshapes our understanding of headship and authority. Husbands and wives are members of the one body of Christ. Like the cross, marriage can be painful at times. Marriage should not be entered into unadvisedly or lightly. Marriage declares the mystery of the cross.
In a world that is quickly rejecting the biblical idea of family, we must continue to preach "Kingdom First, Then Family." (Matthew 10.34-39)
The cross is the wisdom of God and the power of God. On the cross, Jesus substituted Himself for our sins so that we could be reconciled to God. (1 Corinthians 1.18-25) April 21, 2019.
Why is forgiveness so hard for God? Why can't He simply forgive us like Grandma does, out of His love for us? Why did Jesus HAVE to die on the cross in order for God to be able to forgive sinners? (Romans 5.6-11) April 14, 2019.
Dr David Allen, the Dean of the School of Preaching at SWBTS, kicks off a four part series on the Atonement as we ask the question, "Why did Jesus have to die for our sins?" (2 Corinthians 5.14-21) April 7, 2019
In the longest passage in the entire Bible about praying for the sick, James both encourages us to pray and challenges us to pray. (James 5.13-20) March 31, 2019
Envy is the temptation to feel bitter because others have it better. But James reminds us that "God gives more grace." (James 3.13-4.10) March 24, 2019
The Bible teaches us that religion that is unable to tame the tongue is worthless. But it also says that no one is able to tame the tongue. How can both of these be true? (James 3.1-12) March 17, 2019
James explains in great detail why the sin of partiality is completely incompatible with the gospel and has no place in the church. (James 3.1-13) March 10, 2019.
Is your faith dead or alive? Does your faith show in the way you actually live your life? Join us as we examine James 2.14-26. (March 3, 2019). Preacher is Tim Tucker.
Does God have a specific will for our lives, and if so, how do we go about finding it? (James 1.18 and James 4.15) February 24, 2019
Pastor James encouraged the poor to boast in the coming exaltation and for the rich to boast in the coming humiliation. What does that mean for us today? (James 1.9-11) February 17, 2019
The wisdom from above is not just information to make a decision but an understanding of how God wants us to live and relate to others. Wisdom is a path of life, and God gives it to all who ask in faith. (James 1.5-8) February 10, 2019
James, the brother of Jesus and pastor of the church in Jerusalem, wrote a letter to his congregation who had fled the city under great persecution. He told them to count it all joy when they experienced trials. Why would James believe that to be true? (James 1.2-4) February 3, 2019
The apostle Paul, no stranger to intense trials and suffering, wrote much about the power of the Holy Spirit in our suffering. Despite dying for Jesus every day, we can be renewed by the Spirit in our inner being, so we don't lose heart. (2 Corinthians 4.7-18 and Romans 8.16-31) - January 27, 2019
How does the hope of the Bible differ from the hope of positive psychology? (Romans 15.13) January 20, 2019
The Holy Spirit came to give us power to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. Some days we don't feel up to the task. The great news is that it is not by our own power we do His work, but by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1.1-9) January 13, 2019
In Ephesians 3 Paul prays that the church in Ephesus will "be filled with all the fullness of God". The Spirit is the wind in ours sails. Are you filled with fullness of God?
Why ruin a good love story with gratuitous violence? Why does Matthew tell us about the "slaughter of the innocents"? This story reminds us that Jesus came to be the King of a Kingdom and to follow this King means that we will not be at home in this world. (Matthew 2.13-21) December 30, 2018
Though Simeon and Anna are not invited to most of our Manger Scenes, they got to see baby Jesus just a few weeks after He was born. Both of them had been waiting on Jesus for a long time. What can we learn about waiting on God from Simeon and Anna? (Luke 2.21-40) December 23, 2018
Why did God want the Magi to worship the new born King of the Jews in Bethlehem? How did this moment fit into the greater historical drama about the Kingdom of God? (Matthew 2.1-12) December 16, 2018
Why did the angels announce the birth of Jesus to the shepherds? Were they just the only people awake in Bethlehem that night? Or was there some greater divine purpose? (Luke 2.1-20) December 9, 2018
This Christmas season, we take a look at the Cast of Christmas, the people to whom and through whom the Word became flesh. And the story begins with priest and his wife. (Luke 1.1-25) - November 25, 2018. Guest Preacher is Tim Tucker.
Asaph, the worship leader of Jerusalem and writer of Psalm 50, continues to help us understand the kind of worship God wants. (November 18, 2018)
What makes the God of the Bible unique among all other religions, worldviews, or philosophies of life? The prophet Micah answers that question in Micah 7.18-20 (November 11, 2018)
The prophet Micah played a key role in one of the greatest spiritual awakenings in Old Testament history. What can we learn about praying for Spiritual Awakening in our own time? (Micah 3.12) November 4, 2018.
The vision given to John in Revelation describes a 1000 year reign of Christ on earth. As Christ rules the nations, Satan is bound and unable to deceive the nations. After this earthly reign of Christ, Satan is released and then rallies the nations against the Christ. Satan is then defeated, the day of judgment follows, and then all things are made new in the New Heavens and New Earth. But what would an earthly reign of Christ look like? It might look alot like Micah 4. (Micah 4.1-5.4) - October 28, 2018
The prophet Micah had strong words for those who used their power, position, or influence in ways contrary to how God uses His power, position, and influence. (Micah 3.9-12) - October 21, 2018
Everyone is talking about justice today, and the Minor Prophets spoke about justice too. But the prophet Micah speaks about the root of biblical justice (Micah 6.1-8) - October 14, 2018
God sent the prophet Micah with a message: God was coming to judge His people for their sins. How does the wrath of God display the glory of God? How can sinners like us escape the wrath of God? (Micah 1.1-9) October 7, 2018
Like the widow woman who gave two small copper coins, all she had to live on, sometimes God calls us to give to Him out of our poverty--a poverty of money, time, ability, influence, giftedness, etc. The only way to give like that is to cross the line. (Luke 21.1-4) September 30, 2018. Our guest preacher this morning is Dr. Jeff Steed.
We were created by God to contribute, not just to consume. What does it mean to bear fruit in every good work? (Colossians 1.9-14) September 23, 2018
Jesus commissioned His disciples to go and make disciples, not just to go and be a disciple. What does it mean to be a disciple maker? Why is this so important to the gospel? (Matthew 28.16-20) - September 16, 2018 - Tim Tucker, Contemporary Worship Leader
We were not just born again. We were born again into the family of God, and God's plan for redemption is for His children to live as members of each other in the household of God (Colossians 3.12-17) - September 9, 2018
God asks for our worship, but will He be happy with a "worship substitute"? What is God honoring worship? What is the next step for you as you continue to mature as a follower of Christ? (Isaiah 1.10-20) - September 2, 2018
Paul was convinced that God makes everything work out according to His plan. So, on a ship in the middle of a deadly storm, he encouraged his friend to set their eyes on God instead of the storm. (Acts 27.21-26) August 26, 2018
When the apostle Paul talked about faith in Christ to Governor Felix, the man who held the keys to his prison door, how did he share the gospel? (Acts 24.1-27) - August 19, 2018
The Lord calls us all to reach our Ephesus, the area of greatest influence in our lives, for the gospel. But to do that, we must renew our passion, renew our understanding,and renew our vision. (Acts 19.1-19) August 12, 2018. Guest Preacher is Rami Ibrahim.
Was the gospel of Jesus relevant 2000 years ago? What can we learn about how Paul proclaimed the gospel in the great city of Athens? (Acts 17.15-34) August 5, 2018
In the book of Acts, we see a world changing church: they prioritized the teaching of the gospel, they had multinational membership and leadership, and they had Spirit called and church sent missionaries (Acts 13.1-12, July 29, 2018)
The powerful promise of Philippians 1.6 essentially means that God finishes what He starts. What does that look like in the lives of real people, like Paul and Peter and James? How does that promise play out in our lives? (Acts 12.1-5, July 22, 2018)
God's plan for eternity is for all of the redeemed from all nations, tribes, people groups, and languages to form one household of God around the throne. Through the cross, God abolished the dividing wall of hostility to create the one family of God. But our sin natures are constantly building dividing walls of hostility. How does God get us to live into His dream? He takes us through Joppa (Acts 10, July 15, 2018)
Everything Saul thought he knew to be true about Jesus was wrecked when the resurrected and glorified Jesus met him on the road to Damascus. In the conversion of Saul, we see God's perfect patience to sinners on display. (Acts 9.1-22, July 8, 2018)
The Holy Spirit led Philip to share the gospel to the Ethiopian official, but Philip had to obey the Spirit and open his mouth. (Acts 8.26-40) July 1, 2018 (Guest Preacher Blake Theiss)
As part of VBS Celebration Sunday, Pastor Todd Pylant preaches on the VBS theme verse, 2 Peter 1.3-4, looking at the hope of the gospel to escape the corruption of this world. (2 Peter 1.3-4, June 24, 2018)
Stephen was the first Christian martyr, but his death was about more than just believing in Jesus as the promised Messiah. Stephen truly understood grace. (Acts 7.51, June 17, 2018)
The apostles could not stop speaking of what they had seen and heard because they were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4.1-21) - June 10, 2018
Jesus told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father, to be baptized by the Holy Spirit, and for the Holy Spirit to come upon them. What do we learn about the Holy Spirit through the way the Father fulfilled His promise? (Acts 2.1-4) - June 3, 2018
The early church was devoted to praying together, united in one mind, and fervent. What is the church missing today as corporate prayer is neglected? (Acts 1.12-14) - May 27, 2018
The lament psalms teach us how to pray honestly, imperfectly, but hopefully when we are in the valley of tears (Psalm 13, May 20, 2018).
One of the great privileges of being a follower of Christ is the invitation to pray for others, but does praying for others really make a difference? (Romans 15.30-32, May 13, 2017)
When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, He taught them a prayer, told them a story, made a point, and it all leaves believers in quite a predicament. (May 6, 2018) - Luke 11.1-13
When the disciples asked Jesus about the sign of His coming and of the end of the age, Jesus talked a lot about the judgment to come at His return. Why did He want them (and us) to know this? (Matthew 25, April 29, 2018)
What will it look like when Jesus returns? In Matthew 24, Jesus describes His coming in His own words (Matthew 24.29-51) - April 22, 2018
Before Jesus Christ returns, there will be a great tribulation. What does Jesus want us to know about this and what does He want us to do with it? (April 15, 2018) - Matthew 24.25-28
The disciples asked Jesus, "What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age." This four week sermon series takes an in-depth look at the answer Jesus gave as recorded in Matthew 24-25. Today's message looks at Matthew 24.1-14 (April 8, 2018)
The burnt offerings of Leviticus help us to understand the crucifixion of Jesus (Leviticus 1.1-7). This sermon was delivered at the 2018 Tenebrae service on March 29, 2018.
Why do we still believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Because God has caused us to be born again to a living hope! (1 Peter 1.3-5, April 1, 2018)
Why is the Kingdom of God better than the "coming kingdom of David?" How does any sinner like me get into such a great Kingdom? (Mark 11.8-10, March 25, 2018)
What does it mean that human beings are created "male and female" in the image of God? (Genesis 1.27, March 18, 2018)
The biblical truth that human beings are created in the image of God has made the world a better place to live. Here are just a few examples. (Genesis 9.6) - March 11, 2018
What does it mean that humans are created in the image and likeness of God? (Genesis 1.26-28) - March 4, 2018
Jesus gave His followers a "new normal" in that we should love our enemies. But why "should" we love our enemies? (Matthew 5.43-48, February 25, 2018)
We all know that we are to love others, but what does love really look like? Can it be defined? The Bible helps us to understand what love really looks in the well known "love chapter." (1 Corinthians 13.4-7, February 18, 2018)
Matthew 22.37 (Week 2 of the sermon series, "Greatest Commandment) - What does it mean to say that we love God with all of our heart?
Proverbs 21.1 (January 28, 2018). The heart of the governing authorities are like streams of water in the hands of the Lord, and He directs it wherever He wills. Not only does this give us hope for today, but it empowers us to pray for all those who are in high positions of authority.
What does the story of Miriam have to do with the Lord's Supper? (Numbers 12, October 29, 2017)
Jorge Sedaca with Chosen People Ministries helps us to understand the Feast of Tabernacles from Leviticus 23.33-43.
Ephesians 1.3-14 (October 1, 2017) - God is up to something bigger and He wants us to be a part of it!
Romans 6.5-14 (September 24, 2017) - Final week of the sermon series "Sin: What's Wrong with Us?"
Romans 6.15-23 (September 10, 2017) - "The wages of sin is death," but what exactly does that mean?
John 17.15-26. As Jesus prays to the Father, we see His plan to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth, how the world will come to believe that He is the Son of God sent to be the Savior of the world. (August 27, 2017)
John 14.15-23 (August 20, 2017) - Week 3 of the Sermon Series "The Helper from John 14-17
Proverbs 11 (July 16, 2017) - Week 3 of the sermon series, "Better Than Gold." What the financial experts won't tell you about money but the book of Proverbs will.
2 Peter 2 (June 11, 2017) - Week 2 of the sermon series, "An Eyewitness to His Majesty"
2 Peter 1.1-15 (June 4, 2017) - Week 1 of the sermon series "An Eyewitness to His Majesty"
Luke 11 and Luke 18 (April 2, 2017) - Week 4 of the Sermon Series "The Greatest Stories Ever Told"
Hebrews 4.14-16 (December 11, 2016) - Week 2 of the sermon series, "The Radiant Beauty of the Son of God"
Let us magnify the Lord with thanksgiving instead of minimizing Him with appreciation. (Psalm 69.30, November 20, 2016)
"Do not grow weary in doing good," the apostle wrote. But most of us do along the way. How do we keep pressing on? (Galatians 6.7-10, November 13, 2016)
The church rises and falls upon this one doctrine, the doctrine of justification by faith in Christ alone. What does it mean? Why is it essential to the Gospel message? (Galatians 2.15-21, October 16, 2016).
Reflections on the Fifteenth Anniversary of 9/11. Reading from Daniel 9.1-19 with the key verse being Daniel 9.13. (September 11, 2016)
God still calls His people to be separate and holy, a people for His own possession (Levticus 20.22-26, August 28, 2016)
The Apostle Paul spent two years in Ephesus, preaching the gospel in such a way that so many people became followers of Christ that it rocked the social and economic foundations of the second most significant city in the Roman Empire. How did he preach the gospel? (Ephesians 1.3-14, June 5, 2016)
How does character transformation take place? How does God mold us into the image of Christ? (Colossians 3.5-14, May 29,2016)
What does it mean to be the people of God? It is a call to love others the way that Christ loves us. This is so radically different that others will know that we are Jesus People. (John 13.34-35, May 8, 2016)
Why has Satan set his sights on destroying marriage? What does he know about marriage that we don't? He understands the critical gospel value of marriage. (Matthew 19.4-6, May 1, 2016)
What is the eternal state of those who do not believe in Jesus and who are not born again? The biblical truth is clear, even though unpopular. But eternal punishment for those who do not know God is God's sovereign plan. (2 Thessalonians 1.3-12, April 17, 2016)
What will we do in heaven? Will we float on clouds and play harps? Is there nothing to do forever and ever? (Revelation 21, April 10, 2016)
Two minutes after you die, what happens? What does the Bible say about death and our life in Christ after our time on this earth is over? (2 Corinthians 4.16-5.10, April 3, 2016)
Looking through the lens of the Day of Atonement, we can see a very important side of the gospel through the Jesus and Barabbas story: We need a Savior but we prefer scapegoats. (Mark 15.6-15, March 13, 2016)
When Jesus spoke about the events of the end times, He focused the attention of the disciples away from the timing of the events and on to being prepared to live through the times. (Mark 13, February 21, 2016)
We know that God loves a cheerful giver, but how do we know how much to be giving? What should we be giving to? (2 Corinthians 9.7, February 7, 2016)
We discover by reading 2 Corinthians 9.7 that joy driven given delights the heart of God. (January 31, 2016)
The reason we can excel in the grace of giving is because God's Grace empowers our giving. (2 Corinthians 9.6-15, January 24, 2016)
The Bible urges us to excel in the grace of giving. Why is giving an act of grace? (2 Corinthians 8.1-7, January 10, 2016)
God has caused us to be born again to a living hope, but we often hope in the lesser things of this world. (1 Peter 1.3-12, January 3, 2016)
The Holy Spirit is God's gift to His children as we live through difficult days to rest in His Fatherly love and care. (Galatians 4.4-7, December 27, 2015)
What did God hope to accomplish through the Christmas story? (Galatians 4.5, December 20, 2015)
The Bible tells us that God sent forth His Son, "born of a woman." The majesty of the incarnation is that Jesus did not enter His Creation as He should have but as a child, thus demonstrating His great love for us. (Galatians 4.4, December 13, 2015)
Why is there a Christmas story to celebrate? Why did God become flesh? We explore Galatians 4.1-7 to discover the problem that God solved through the Christmas story. (December 6, 2015)
Our guest preacher, Dr. Vern Charette, Professor of Preaching at SWBTS, brings a message from Mark 8.27-35 (November 29, 2015)
As followers of Christ, we need thanksgiving to combat our sinful, selfish, and independent sin natures. And as we grow in our understanding and practice of thanksgiving, we learn that we can multiply our thanksgiving by living our lives in such a way that we cause others to give thanks to God. (2 Corinthians 4.15 and 2 Corinthians 9.11-13, November 22, 2015)
While parents are the primary faith shapers in the life of a child, the church has a vital role to play. And each member of the body of Christ is called by God to pass the faith to the generations yet to be born. (Psalm 78.1-8, November 15, 2015)
Our sinful nature desires to use our authority to rule over others for selfish gain. But God calls His people to something very different. What has God give to you for you to use to serve others for His glory? (Mark 12.13-17, November 8, 2015)
God's people have always been tempted to presume upon God's favor which is a dangerous thing to do. We would do well to hear the Parable of the Tenants (Mark 12.1-12, November 1, 2015)
With almost seven billion people on the planet, is it really possible that each one of us can know and relate to God personally? (1 Corinthians 1.4-9 and Jeremiah 9.23-24, October 25, 2015)
In such a diverse age, with so many different opinions about religion, can we still cling to the Bible as the inspired Word of God? Is there any reason we should believe it to be more than just another book? (2 Timothy 3, October 18, 2015)
The central claim of the gospel if that Jesus is God who became flesh and who died on the cross for our sins. How can we know that Jesus is God? (John 5.18-29, October 11, 2015)
In a culture where the cardinal virtue is tolerance, isn't arrogant for one religion to claim their way is the only way? Is the Christian gospel too narrow? Can Jesus really be the only way? (John 14.6, October 4, 2015)
Is there any reason why a good and loving and all powerful God would just sit there and watch people suffer and do nothing to stop it? If God does exist, why does He allow pain and suffering to continue? (Romans 8.18-25, September 27, 2015)
One of the most basic questions we can ask about faith is whether or not there really is a divine being? Is it possible to know the answer to that question? Where do we look? Is there a God? (Romans 1.19-20, September 20, 2015)
It seems that universal to the human experience is to ask this penetrating question. Why am I here? What is the meaning to life? Does life have a purpose? (Ecclesiastes 1.16-2.11, September 13, 2015)
Jesus said some very challenging things about our willingness to forgive others. (Mark 11.24, September 6, 2015)
Jesus spoke some audacious words about prayer, and if they are true, and if we understand them correctly, should invite us to ask God to do great things for His glory and our good.
Why did Jesus curse the fig tree and then cleansed the Temple? And what does it have to do with us today? (Mark 11.11-21, August 23, 2015)
"ExploreGOD" launches in the DFW Metroplex in September. What is ExploreGOD? What can it be? And what is our role as a church and as a follower of Christ who lives in the DFW Metroplex? (1 Peter 3.8-17, August 16, 2015)
When Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last week of His life on earth, the crowds shouted, "Blessed is the coming kingdom of our Father David!" In what way has the Kingdom of God come? In what way is the Kingdom of God still yet to come? (Mark 11.1-11, August 9, 2015)
In the gospel of Mark, Bartimaeus is the last person healed and the last to confess faith in Jesus as the Christ. How did his faith save him? What kind of faith did he have? (Mark 10.46-52, August 2, 2015)
There are things that only the local church can BE and things that only the local church can DO. (1 John 1.7, July 26, 2015)
When we think of a ransom payment, we think of kidnappers or pirates, but Jesus had something totally different in mind when He said that He came to give His life as a ransom. And it shows us the depth of His mercy! (Mark 10.35-45, July 19, 2015)
Missionary in Residence Harry Brittan shares about the role of the shepherd from the eyes of a goat farmer in Thailand. (Psalm 23, July 12, 2015)
Politicians often end speeches with the words, "God bless America," but we forget that God has revealed a path to that blessing. And the people of God have a key role to play. (2 Chronicles 7.11-22, July 5, 2015)
The Spirit will glorify the Son, so we join the Spirit in declaring the beauty and greatness of who Jesus is and what Jesus does. (John 16.14, Colossians 1.13-20)
Sometimes the Spirit of God moves in extraordinary ways. One example is the Great Awakening in the American colonies in the 18th Century. We often pray for revival, but it is worth the time to ask, "Do we really want another Spiritual Awakening?" (June 7, 2015)
How does the Holy Spirit work within the life of the believer? What kind of miraculous things does the Spirit do? (Part 2). May 24, 2015
What does the Gift of the Holy Spirit have to do with Mother's Day? (Galatians 5 and I John 4)
Those who call upon the Lord to be saved will receive an amazing gift, the gift of the Holy Spirit. So, what exactly does the Holy Spirit do in our lives? (April 19, 2015)
As we begin a new sermon series on the Gift of the Holy Spirit, this simple but important question is the best place to start: "Who is the Holy Spirit?" (April 12, 2015)
The resurrection of Christ is more than a story to be enjoyed; it demands a response. What does it mean to live in the light of the full Easter story?
The Sanctuary Choir presented the Easter Musical, “The Sacrifice.” After experiencing the glory of the gospel story, we took a short look at Colossians 2.13-15 to see what exactly just happened at the Cross and the Empty Tomb.
Upon meeting the Rich Young Ruler, Jesus observed how difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God? Why is that the truth? (Mark 10.17-31, March 22, 2015)
Jesus wants us to receive the Kingdom of God like a child? What does this mean? And how does Jesus lay hands on us today to bless us? (Mark 10.13-16, March 15, 2015)
God’s plan for marriage is “one man, one woman, one lifetime,” and His plan is wise. As sinners, we fall short of God’s plan and need God’s forgiveness and redemption. As followers of Christ, we both exalt His plan and submit to His plan. (Mark 10.1-12, March 8, 2015)
One of the greatest opportunities, and greatest challenges, for Christian parents is to pass the faith to their children. (Joshua 24.14-24 and Deuteronomy 6.1-9, March 1, 2015) Guest Preacher: Aron Adalian
Jesus clearly taught that we will either spend eternity with God in heaven or spend eternity separate from God in hell. The reality of hell should motivate us to put our faith in Christ, should lead us to worship Christ for rescuing us from hell, and should encourage us to share the good news with unbelievers in our circle of influence. (Mark 9.42-48, February 22, 2015)
Jesus spoke some very harsh words about Christians who live their lives in such a way as to influence others away from the gospel instead of drawing others towards Christ. It would be wise for us to ask the Lord whether or not we are a stumbling block. (Mark 9.42-50, February 15, 2015)
Scripture memory is of great value, for as we meditate on Scripture it is profitable to us because it teaches us, encourages us, empowers us to endure, and gives us hope. For example, Psalm 121 teaches us that the LORD is our keeper and empowers us to hope in His watch care over our lives. (Psalm 121, February 8, 2015)
According to Christ, the way to greatness in the Kingdom of God is to be last of all and to be a servant of all. This does not mean to serve “some” and to put “some” before us. But Christ is clear, the “all” includes even those whom we assume are behind us in line or should be behind us in line. Very soon, the Lord will give us an opportunity to practice Christ’s way to greatness by serving all and being last of all. May we be ready and obedient. (Mark 9.33-37, February 1, 2015)
The battle to understand the gospel is a spiritual battle, and as ambassadors for Christ, we must struggle to make the mystery of the gospel clear to a culture that is under attack to accept the assumption of a naturalistic worldview. But there are some simple and effective ways that we can help our unbelieving friends to question the lies of the enemy and to become open to the gospel. (Mark 9.30-32, January 25, 2015)
Prayer, the fact that we can draw near to the presence of God and submit our request, is an amazing gift.And in Mark 9, Jesus speaks those powerful words that "all things are possible for the one who believes." What might the Lord say to us through the Scriptures about prayer? (Mark 9.14-29, January 18, 2015)
Peter was one of the three fortunate disciples chosen to witness the moment when Jesus was transfigured on the mountain. But as awesome as that moment was, and it must have been life changing for Peter, we have something greater still? What could possibly be greater than seeing Jesus transformed before our very eyes? (Mark 9.1-13, January 11, 2015)
Jesus sure didn't make it easy to join His team! For those who want to apply to be one of His followers, Jesus set the bar very high and very deep: self denial, the pain of death, the loss of life. Jesus certainly came to bring life, and life eternal, but His grace is not cheap. No wonder the gate is narrow and few are those who find the way. Join us as we explore the truths of what it means to be a follower of Christ. (Mark 8.31-38; January 4, 2015)
One of the most familiar elements in the story of the birth of Christ is the visit of the "wise men" who brought gifts for the newborn king. But the fact that God led this particular group of people to Bethlehem is quite remarkable, and it tells us much about the God who sent His Son to be our Savior. (Matthew 2.1-12, December 21, 2014)
The Lord chose to publicly the announce the birth of the Messiah to an unlikely group, to a group of shepherds. And while one angel was good enough to visit Mary, and one angel was good enough to visit Joseph, the Lord sent a "heavenly host" to visit the shepherds. Why did an angel army announce that God was bringing "peace on earth" with the advent of the messiah? (Luke 2.8-20, December 14,2014)
An often overlooked chapter of the story of our Savior is the visit of the angel to Joseph, the husband of Mary. What did the angel communicate to Joseph about this child? How awesome was it that he received it in faith and obeyed? And how does this story continue to speak to us today? (Matthew 1.18-25, December 7, 2014)
During the four weeks of Advent, we will examine the Story of Our Savior. Today, Ryan Henson, Minister to Students at FBC Benbrook, leads us to take a look at when the angel visited Mary. (Luke 1.26-38, November 30, 2014)
Thanks, according to the dictionary, is a good feeling that I have when someone helps me. And being thankful is a universal virtue, good for all humans. But is there anything distinctively Christian about thanksgiving, any difference for a disciple of Christ? (Psalm 7, November 23,2014)
Jesus once asked His disciples a question, "Who do you say that I am?" That question hangs before every person, but what does it mean to call Jesus "the Christ"? (Mark 8.27-30, November 16, 2014)
Being a disciple of Christ means participating in the mission of Christ, and part of that mission is to mature in using grace gifts to serve others for the glory of God (1 Peter 4.7-11, November 2, 2014)
The miracle of the Feeding of the Four Thousand is often overlooked in the Gospel of Mark. Although it is similar to the Feeding of the Five Thousand, it is a distinct historical event. And the message Jesus wanted His disciples to understand, and us too, might be hard to understand but it is very important. To those who were closest to the Savior, He said, "Watch out for these dangers." (Mark 8.1-12, October 26, 2014)
The Syrophoenician woman brought a specific request to Jesus, but He wanted to give her more grace. What do we do when we bring a need to Jesus but He wants to do more than what we ask for? (Mark 7.24-30, October 19, 2014)
Former pastor Ronnie Beams helps us celebrate our 60th Anniversary with a sermon from Psalm 116.12-14. (October 12, 2014)
Psalm 113 teaches the people of God to praise the name of the Lord. But it comes to life when we realize it has a prequel, a sequel, a finale, and a "this time forth." (Psalm 113, September 21, 2014)
What's this "Jesus thing" all about? John summarizes it for us in one sentence: we can become children of God. (John 1.12, September 7, 2014)
One effective tool in the ministry of reconciliation is to invite our friends to "come and see" Jesus by coming to church with us. (John 1.35-51, August 31, 2014)
For some people , religious people seem to be more comfortable with condemning sinners rather than hanging out with them. But our Savior was known for being a friend of sinners. And when the religious people questioned why, He shared three insights that will help us become more like Christ (Matthew 9.9-13, August 17, 2014)
This sermon is the second sermon in the "i5: Evangelism for the Rest of Us." In this sermon, we explore why we must pray for unbelievers.
Through the month of August, we explore a strategy of evangelism for the "rest of us," those who are not bold extroverts but who want to be ambassadors for Christ. Today's sermon is the first part of a five part series, "i5: Evangelism for the Rest of Us." (2 Corinthians 5.17-6.10, August 3, 2014)
Ryan Henson, Student Minister at FBC Benbrook, explores the reason why God lavished His great grace upon us. (Ephesians 2.1-10/July 29, 2014).
When Mark told the famous story of Jesus feeding 5000 people with just five loaves and two fish, he cast the story in such a way so that we would see the beauty and greatness of the Savior anew. Listen to the story, and consider what it means to call Jesus your "Good Shepherd." (Mark 6.30-52, July 20, 2014)
Why did the gospel writer Mark think it was important to tell us of John's death? Why did he frame the story within the story of the sending of the 12?
The apostle Paul describes the radical, soul altering love of Christ and how it drove him to no longer live for himself but for Him who died in His place. (2 Corinthians 5.14-15, July 6, 2014)
The two hardest things a father can do, and must do, is to love his wife the way Christ loved the church and to bring his children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord without provoking them to anger. (Ephesians 5.25-6.4, June 15, 2014)
When Jesus spoke in the synagogue, the people's minds were blown away by His authority, His power, and His humanity. Even today, these remain three tripping points towards faith, for unbelievers and believers (Mark 6.1-6, June 8, 2014)
When Jairus was caught in a "faith vortex," not knowing where to stand or how to act, Jesus helped build his faith in three ways, the same ways that He helps to build our faith today. (Mark 5.21-43, June 1, 2014)
The redeeming love of God caused Jesus to seek after the man held in horrible bondage to demons in the region of the Gerasenes. But that same redeeming love of God caused Jesus to send the man back home to tell his story to his friends. (Mark 5.1-20; May 25, 2014)
Praying to a disciple is like breathing to a human: it is essential to survival. And yet, many of us know that we have much room to grow in our practice of prayer. This sermon will challenge you to become intentional in your practice of family prayer. (Colossians 4.2, May 18, 2014)
What does it mean to "honor our mothers"? And what is the connection between honoring mothers and "living long in the land in which God gives to us"? Could it be that honoring motherhood itself is vital to our nation's survival? (Exodus 20.12)
The disciples found themselves caught in a storm with a Jesus who was asleep in the back of the boat, seemingly not even caring that His friends were in trouble. Upon waking up, He chastised them for their lack of faith, but how can we be expected to faith in God during a storm if it appears that He is asleep at the wheel?
God demonstrates His love towards us in the Easter Story, but His love is more than a story to understand. God wants us to be rooted and grounded in His love, but what does that mean and how can we experience it? (Ephesians 3.14-21, April 27, 2014)
It's because of God's great love for us that there even is an Easter story to tell. But what is the quality of that love? How does God love us? (1 John 3.1-10, April 20, 2014)
One of the most shocking statements that one human could make to another is this: "God loves you." Doesn't sound all that shocking? It will after you read Ephesians 2.1-7. (April 6, 2014)
One of the most shocking statements that one human could make to another is this: "God loves you." Doesn't sound all that shocking? It will after you read Ephesians 2.1-7. (April 6, 2014)
Why should believers want to give gifts to God that will make Him smile? What kind of gifts do we give? And how do we give these gifts to God? (March 30, 2014)
God's people have always been compelled to give gifts to God, but not all gifts make God smile. What does it mean to give a gift to God that makes Him smile? (Genesis 4.1-7, March 16, 2014)
We often read the Parable of the Sower and hear it as a challenge to examine ourselves as to what type of soil we might be. But the Parable is also an encouraging word to those who are working alongside the Master Sower to sow the word. (Mark 4.1-34, March 9, 2014)
to be part of God's family means to "do the will of God." But what exactly does that mean? How can I discover God's will for my life? (Mark 3.31-35, March 2, 1014)
What is the "unforgivable sin"? What does it mean to "blaspheme the Holy Spirit"? (Mark 3.22-30, February 23, 2014)
Jesus chose the apostles for a special task: to be with Him, to send them to preach, and to give them authority over the demons. But what about us? Does God have anything special for us to do? (Mark 3.13-21, February 16, 2014)
When we celebrate the Lord's Supper, we worship Christ for saving us from our sins. But Psalm 3 helps us to continue to worship God as our Savior. (Psalm 3, February 9, 2014)
How is God happy with me? Is it because of the good that I do and the bad that I don't do? Or is it because of His grace? And what does it mean to have faith in His grace? And why should I even care about asking this question? (Mark 2.18-22, February 2, 2014)
The question seems self-evident, but the religious leaders of Jesus' time had a very different point of view. How should followers of Jesus relate to those who are not followers of Jesus? Are they criminals to be avoided or sick persons in need of the Great Physician? And what difference does that make? (Mark 2.13-17, January 26, 2014)
The gospel, in a nutshell, is "Christ died for our sins." But perhaps we should ask the very simple question, "Why do I need forgiveness from God?" (Mark 2.1-12, January 19, 2014)
The leper who met Jesus said, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Of course, Jesus was willing and made him clean. But what about us? When we are sick, and ask God to heal us, what should we expect? (Mark 1.40-46, January 12, 2014)
Elijah was a human being, just like the rest of us, and sometimes fear jumped all over him like it sometime jumps over us. His story of restoration and deliverance is helpful to us for it shows us the way out of our own valleys of discouragement. (1 Kings 19.1-18, January 5, 2014)
Why is there a wedding love song in Scripture? Because it celebrates the King's love for the church. (Psalm 45, December 29, 2013)
The Old Testament passage that the New Testament quotes the most is Psalm 110, and it is from this psalm that we understand who Christ was, is, and is to come. And from this psalm, we are equipped to worship the Christ who became flesh to save us from our sins before He came as King to conquer His enemies. (Psalm 110, December 22, 2013)
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. That's the story of the Magi, and that's our story. Consider the testimony of the "magos." (Matthew 2.1-12, December 15, 2013)
In a culture of ingratitude and complaining, God commands us to give thanks and to do all things without grumbling. Why would He want us to do that? (1 Thessalonians 5.18, Philippians 2.14, November 24, 2013)
Jesus was fully human and fully divine when God became flesh and dwelt among us. Since Jesus was a man of prayer, what do we learn about prayer from His prayer life? What action step can we take this week to prayer more like Jesus? (Mark 1.35-39, November 17, 2013)
The life and ministry of Jesus demonstrates that the spiritual forces of darkness are very real, very defeated, and yet still a very real struggle for believers today. (Mark 1.19-34, November 10, 2013)
What does Jesus want from us? His call has two parts, but we often forget the second. What is the full call of a disciple of Christ? (Mark 1.16-20, November 3, 2013)
What exactly happened in the wilderness when Jesus was tempted by Satan? More than our souls can ever comprehend. (Mark 1.12-13, September 22, 2013)
Mark begins the gospel story with John the Baptist preaching that Jesus would come to "baptize" us with the Holy Spirit. What exactly does that mean? (Mark 1.1-8, September 8, 2013)
The God inspired author of the Gospel of Mark has a powerful testimony of God's grace and redemption. (Mark 1.1, September 1, 2013)
Jeremiah's prophecies concerning God's judgment of Babylon were not fulfilled when Babylon fell to Persia. This means that the prophecies concern events still yet to happen. How does this inform our reading of Revelation 17-18? (Jeremiah 50.1-10, August 11, 2013)
Hear two testimonies from those who went on the Family Mission Trip to Penitas, Texas. And then consider Colossians 1 where we consider the missionary, evangelistic, and discipleship ministry of Epaphras. How might the Lord challenge and encourage through his life and ministry? (August 4, 2013, Colossians 1.1-14)
Internalizing the Values of Our King (Luke 13.18-21). Guest Preacher: Jeff Christopherson, Vice President of the North American Mission Board (July 28, 2013)
On 'Youth Camp Sunday," listen as three of our students share how God is at work in their lives, as well as a sermon from John 4 (July 21, 2013, John 4.13-14)
The First Commandment was given to God's people, the people who should have known that YWHW alone was the one who brought them out of Egypt. But we have always pursued other gods, and the "3 p's" are the reason why. (Jeremiah 44.15-18, July 7, 2013)
"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart," wisdom given in times of fear and risk. Leaning not on our own understanding is easier said than done. Just ask Johanan. (Jeremiah 42, June 30, 2013)
Father's are called to nurture and admonish our children in the ways of the Lord. Our children desperately need to the wisdom of Galatians 6.7-9. (Galatians 6.7-9, Jun 16, 2013)
Satan has been scheming through history to destroy Scripture, but he is very crafty. No longer is the threat to burn Bibles, but to philosophically pervert Scripture. Will we be a Jehoiakim or a Micaiah? (Jeremiah 36, June 9, 2013)
What does it take to remain faithful in a time when so many are running away from the Lord? And what are the blessings and rewards of doing so? Consider the story of the Rechabites. (Jeremiah 35, June 2, 2013)
We make light of "foxhole religion," but the prophet Jeremiah makes it very clear that God regards such disregarded covenants nothing less than profaning His holy name. (Jeremiah 34.8-22, May 26, 2013)
When the Messiah comes again, He will execute justice and righteousness. But what does that mean for us as we wait for His return? (Jeremiah 33.14-16, May 19, 2013)
Some mothers know "no greater joy," but what about those who know "no greater anguish"? (Jeremiah 33.1-9 - May 12, 2013)
From the prayer journal of the prophet Jeremiah: is anything too difficult for God? And what exactly am I asking? (Jeremiah 32.16-25, May 5, 2013)
What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus? (Part 4 of 4) - Matthew 28.19-20 (April 28, 2013)
What does it mean to be a follower of Christ? It means that we are pursuing being transformed into the image of Christ by the work of the Spirit. (Ephesians 4.17-32, Part 3 of 4).
What does it mean to follow Christ? It means that we obey His commands. (1 John 2.3-6, April 14, 2013)
Is Easter a big deal only because God brought a dead man back to life? Or is there something more? (Romans 4.24-25, March 31, 2013)
No matter how many times you have heard the story of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, it always moves the soul. But there is nothing like hearing it when the Spirit is calling you to salvation. (Acts 2.22-41)
Only once did the Old Testament use the phrase, "new covenant." In Jeremiah 31, the prophet Jeremiah foresaw the glorious work of Christ and how it would change the relationship between God and His people.
For those who have wandered away from the Lord and wondering how to get back home, the prophet Jeremiah encourages us to hear the voice of Ephraim (Jeremiah 31.15-22, March 10, 2013)
God love us how much? Or, perhaps a better question is, "God has loved us for how long?" And what difference does it make that God has loved us with an everlasting love? (Jeremiah 31.1-6, March 3, 2013)
One of the great Bible promises is Jeremiah 29:11, and it looks great in Christian art. But what does it really mean? And how does Jeremiah 29 help us to understand and apply it? (Jeremiah 29.1-14, February 24, 2013)
Jeremiah 29:11 is one of our most favorite Bible promises, but do we really know what it says? It looks great in Christian art, but what does it look like in the context of Jeremiah 29? (Jeremiah 29.1-14, February 24, 2013)
What is it like to read the Bible? Daniel gives us a great example, and a grand invitation, to read Scripture as the Word of the Lord in a life changing way. (Jeremiah 25.8-14, February 17, 2013)
What is the greatest miracle described in the Bible? Parting of the Red Sea? Feeding of the 5000? Not even close. (Acts 2.47-41, February 10, 2013)
In one of the few times that the prophet Jeremiah speaks about Jesus, He states the gospel with only five words: The Lord is Our Righteousness. (Jeremiah 23.1-8, February 3, 2013)
Long before God brought His people into the Land of Promise, He set before them two paths, one that leads to life and the other that leads to destruction. The same offer and warning of grace lays before us today. (Jeremiah 21.1-10, January 27, 2013)
In his last recorded lament, the prophet Jeremiah wrestles with God in prayer, embracing both his calling and the misery associated with it. This gut level honest prayer teaches followers of Christ much about what it means to take up our cross and follow Jesus.(Jeremiah 20, January 20, 2013)
Does God really do anything when one of His children walk away and run towards evil instead of away from it? It it really all that terrifying to fall into the hands of the Living God? (Jeremiah 18.1-12, January 13, 2013)
Do you want a blessed life? Would you like to be like a tree planted by the stream who does not fear when the heat comes? Then trust the Lord in all that you do. But what does that mean? Are those just empty churchy words? (Jeremiah 17.1-13, January 6, 2013)
The season of Christmas has a tendency to "freeze" Jesus in time as a little baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. But this is hardly the picture of the King of Kings. We need an updated family portrait. (Revelation 19.11-16, December 30, 2012)
The story of Christmas can be told in three words: God Became Flesh. If Colossians 1 helps us celebrate the GOD who became flesh, then Hebrews 2 helps us to worship the God who became FLESH. (Hebrews 2.10-18, December 9, 2012)
Celebrating the "birth" of Jesus is much different than celebrating any other birthday. For one thing, Jesus pre-existed His birthday. He did not come into existence on Christmas morn. Discover who Jesus was before the manger through the great Christological Hymn of Colossians 1. (Colossians 1.15-23, December 2, 2012)
On this unique Sunday, sandwiched between Thanksgiving weekend and the Christmas season, we think about how to prepare ourselves to celebrate the birth of the Savior, and the unique challenges of trying to do that in our culture. (Isaiah 40.1-5, November 25, 2012)
How easy it is to feel happy about the good things in our lives, but does this kind of "gratitude" really magnify the Lord? Psalm 9 challenges us to develop a faith based gratitude. (November 18, 2012)
In the midst of a lament, Jeremiah declares his delight in the words of the Lord. In light of Psalm 19, what can we learn about what it means to delight in the words of the Lord? (Jeremiah 15.15-21, November 11, 2012)
The prophet Jeremiah laid the blame for the exile upon one man, the wicked king Manasseh. Manasseh's story is a complex one, but it stands as a stark reminder of the importance of being a good steward of the influence God gives to us (Jeremiah 15.1-4, November 4, 2012)
Jeremiah struggled against the false prophets, those who claim to speak for the Lord but really speak lying visions, delusions of their own mind, or worse, words of divination. But the New Testament is very clear, just as false prophets were among the people of God in times past, so they will be among us today. (Jeremiah 14.13-16, October 28, 2012)
Do we really need the Old Testament prophets? Indeed. Even though Jeremiah spoke 600 years before the birth of Christ, he understood the essence of the gospel better than most today. (Jeremiah 13.22-27 - October 21, 2012)
In one of the great prophetic parables of Jeremiah's ministry, the Lord used the prophet to demonstrate His intentions for the people of God: to cling to Him. (Jeremiah 13.1-11 - October 14, 2012)
When the prophet Jeremiah was in deep despair, how did the Lord encourage him? By hitting the reset button on his soul. (Jeremiah 12.1-6, October 7, 2012)
Jeremiah lived in a land with two competing worldviews, one which embraced a Creator who was the Moral Ruler of the Universe and one which denied it. And standing in that land, he cried out, "Learn not the way of the nations." His cry still echoes in our current day. (Jeremiah 10.1-12, September 30, 2012)
There are so many false, hollow, and empty pursuits held out before us as we run the race of life. The prophet Jeremiah offers us words of life, words to direct our pursuits to the One who is Worthy of our boasting. (Jeremiah 9.23-24, September 23, 2012)
The heart cry of the prophet Jeremiah (Is there no balm in Gilead) was turned into a statement by the hymn writer (There is a balm in Gilead). And the glory of the Gospel lies between the difference between the question and the statement. (Jeremiah 8.18-9.1,September 16, 2012)
We don't normally think of the prophets as people of prayer, but the prophets were called to intercede through prayer for the people God sent them to. What can we learn about prayer by studying the prayer life of Jeremiah? (Jeremiah 7.16-20, September 9, 2012)
After almost 20 years of prophetic ministry, Jeremiah stepped into the Temple and delivered his greatest, and most despised message. Consider Shiloh... (Jeremiah 7.1-15, September 2, 2012)
The biblical view of history is that God is not only the God of history, directing creation to His desired end, but also the God in history who acts through nature and human agents to accomplish His will. How do we submit to and cooperate with the God in history? (Jeremiah 5.11-17, August 26, 2012)
The essence of the gospel invitation is to return to the Lord, to repent. But sinners are tempted to return in "pretense' and not with our whole heart. What does it mean to fully return to the Lord? (Jeremiah 3.12-14, August 19, 2012)
In spite of King Josiah's incredible revival efforts, the Lord still put words of judgment on Jeremiah's lips. Find out why.
Our students share testimonies of how Christ spoke to them during Youth Camp, and the pastor shares a brief message from 1 John 4 to illustrate the importance of learning to hear from God ourselves. (July 8, 2012)
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. But what does it mean for a nation founded on religious liberty to claim the Lord as its God and why are our blessings dependent upon our preference for the Christian faith? (Jeremiah 2.1-13, July 1, 2012)
One of the great blessings of the gospel is knowing a God who knows me better than I know myself. But there are some faith challenges to only knowing "in part." How do we handle those faith challenges, especially as we share the gospel with other?
One of God's first creations was the institution of marriage. In His wisdom, He created the building block of society where a man and a woman are united together into "one flesh." But more and more, our culture sees marriage as unnecessary and un-beneficial. Why is marriage such a good deal? And how will our nation suffer if marriage is replaced by cohabiting?
After Christ became for us so that we might be reconciled with Him, what was God's plan to spread the good news? He took a great risk by entrusting the message with His followers. Are we up to the trust?
As ambassadors for Christ, the Bible teaches us to always be prepared to share the reason we have such great hope in Christ. Do you know your hope story? Are you prepared to share it? (1 Peter 3.8-17, June 3, 2012)
If we are reconciled with Christ, then God has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. He has called us alongside unbelievers so that He can make His appeal to them through us. Knowing this, what's the first thing we should do? Pray, pray, pray. (2 Corinthians 5.17-21, May 27, 2012)
Is evangelism only for introverts? Must we all work to be "that guy," you know, the pushy, confrontational guy? Or, does God entrust the ministry of reconciliation to introverts, too? (2 Corinthians 5.10-6.2, May 20, 2012(
Sharing in the sufferings of Christ is not only the inevitable reality for a Christ follower, but the New Testament calls it a blessing. Why would anyone rejoice at the prospect of suffering for Jesus? (April 29, 2012 - 1 Peter 4.12-19)
The apostle Paul not only suffered the loss of all things because of his commitment to Christ, but his attitude towards his loss was radical. He viewed it all as rubbish. Why is that important and what does it say about what it means to know Christ and to experience the power of His resurrection?
Prayer is such an amazing gift, that we can approach the throne of grace and make our request known. In Mark 11, Jesus taught His disciples some very basic principles about prayer, principles that still guide us as we ask anything in prayer.
Twice in history, God cast out the house that bore His name and uprooted His people from the land of promise. What would the judgment of God look like upon the new covenant temple today? (Mark 11.11-21, March 18, 2012 AM)
What appears to be little more than a list of names is really an incredible picture of the body of Christ united in the Lord. (Romans 16.21-23, February 26, 2012)
We are to be careful to partake of the Lord's Supper in a worthy manner, but what exactly does that mean? And what is the danger of not "discerning the body" as we celebrate the Supper? (1 Corinthians 11.17-34, February 19, 2012 AM)
Satan may be the ruler of this world, and we may wrestle with the spiritual forces of darkness, but believers battle with a precious promise: God will soon crush Satan under our feet. But how soon is soon, and how much of Satan's work will God leave uncrushed until He comes? (Romans 16.20, February 12, 2012)
Paul warns us the watch out for those who deceive us to pursue our own appetites instead of serving Jesus Christ. One such distortion of the true gospel is the "man centered gospel" so prevalent in the American church. Find out what a "trap stick" it really is.
While sometimes skip over the portions of Scripture that appear to be little more than just a list of names, we should remember that behind every name is a story. And God never wastes a story.
Paul asked the church to pray for two things, and God answered their prayers in amazing ways (read Acts 21 to see how). But Paul didn't ask the church just to pray but to strive in prayer. What does it mean to strive in prayer? (Romans 15.30-33, January 22, 2012)
One of the animals missing from the manger scene is a white horse. Discover how John's vision of a white horse helps up to know the Jesus of Christmas Day. (Revelation 19.11-16 - December 25, 2011)
As we consider the second coming of our Lord and Savior, we think deeply about how the rise and fall of the antichrist is part of the good news of the Christmas story (2 Thessalonians 2.3-12 - December 11, 2011)
Before our Lord and Savior returns to make all things new, the "rebellion" must take place first. What will the rebellion look like, and what kind of faith must we have to endure it? (2 Thessalonians 2.3 - December 4, 2011)
Christians are to give thanks to God for every gift, but is God really responsible for every good gift that comes our way? (Romans 1.21 - November 20, 2011)
Jesus Christ radically altered the meaning of the Passover meal by declaring that the bread and cup were His body and blood for the new covenant. As often as we partake of the table, we are to proclaim His death "until He comes." What does it mean to observe the Lord's Supper "until He comes"? (1 Corinthians 11.26 - November 13, 2011)
Certain things must happen before our Lord returns, events like the Rebellion and the rise of the Man of Lawlessness. Do we have the kind of faith that will endure to the end? (2 Thessalonians 2.1-12 - November 6, 2011)
Should we preach the gospel by word and deed with signs and wonders like the apostle Paul? (Romans 15.14-21, October 30, 2011)
Harmony in the body of Christ is more than a good idea. It is essential to the proclamation of the gospel. And God will not suffer long those believers who sow seeds of discord. (Romans 15.1-7 | October 16, 2011)
The essential elements of the Kingdom of God are righteousness, peace, and joy, but what does this mean in light of the larger discussion about unity and diversity in the body of Christ? (Romans 14.13-19, October 9, 2011).
All believers will stand at the judgment seat of Christ. What will happen? What does it mean to give an accounting to God? Will there be rewards? Romans 14.10-12, and other Scriptures, guide us into the truth. (October 2, 2011)
Romans 14 - September 25, 2011 AM Sunday morning sermons are also available as a podcast via iTunes. Search for "FBC Benbrook Sermons."
Romans 13.11-14 - September 18, 2011 AM Sunday morning sermons are also available via podcast through iTunes. Look for "FBC Benbrook Sermons."
Psalm 11 - September 11, 2011 A sermon on the 10th Anniversary of 9/11. Sunday morning sermons are also available via podcast through iTunes under "FBC Benbrook Sermons"
Romans 13.8-10 - September 4, 2011 AM Sunday morning sermons at the First Baptist Church of Benbrook are also available via podcast at iTunes. Search for "FBC Benbrook Sermons".
Psalm 51 - August 28, 2011 AM Sunday morning sermons at the First Baptist Church of Benbrook, Texas are also available via podcast at iTunes. Search for "FBC Benbrook Sermons"
1 Kings 11.1-11 - August 21, 2011 AM Sunday morning sermons from the First Baptist Church of Benbrook are available via podcast at iTunes under "FBC Benbrook Sermons"
Jonah 1-4 - August 14, 2011 Sunday morning sermons at FBC Benbrook are also available as a podcast via iTunes. Search for " FBC Benbrook Sermons"
Genesis 37-50 - July 31, 2011 Sunday morning sermons at the First Baptist Church of Benbrook can also be accessed through iTunes as a podcast. Look for FBC Benbrook Sermons.
Romans 13.1-7 - June 26, 2011 AM Podcast all Sunday morning sermons through iTunes under "FBC Benbrook Sermons"
2 Thessalonians 1.5-12 - February 6, 2011 AM The third sermon of the "One2One Vision Series"