Henderson Baptist Church: Recent Episodes
Henderson Baptist Church
Listen to sermons and other audio from Henderson Baptist Church, a Southern Baptist church in Pike County, AL, near Troy and Goshen.
The most important things we have received from those who came before us, and the most important things we will entrust to those we leave behind are not genetic or material. It is what the apostle Paul calls “the good deposit.” Today we consider the power and gift of leaving a gospel legacy. This sermon […]
Would God ever oppose His own people? Of course, we’re inclined to answer that question with a resounding NO. Think of all the times that the Bible encourages us by telling us that God is for us. But it is precisely BECAUSE God is eternally for His people that He temporarily opposes them. Today we […]
The prophet Amos begins his ministry by telling Israel that God is roaring like a lion. The question is, “At whom is God roaring? Is He like a lion tucked safely away, or is it possible that He could be roaring at His people?” As it turns out, there is a temptation in every generation to […]
In the midst of the spiritual war being waged around us, God calls us to arm ourselves with the gospel of peace. This is crucial to our preparation. We are not at war with other people. Instead, our aim should be to tell them the good news of what God has done to set aside […]
The basis of our hope in Christ is not only what He did for us in the past, but what He continues to do on our behalf today. He died and was raised, and He always lives to intercede for those who trust in Him. But how do we know that our hope is truly […]
There is nothing more consequential than whether or not Jesus was really raised from the dead, which is why all four Gospel-writers give so many pieces of evidence to assure us of its truthfulness. Today we look at John’s account and learn why it is significant that the testimony of the earliest Christians was not […]
The crucifixion and resurrection were not events into which Jesus stumbled accidentally. They were events toward which He walked with clear-eyed determination. That’s one of the lessons that Palm Sunday teaches us. And this same Jesus calls us to follow Him. So what does that mean for our lives? This sermon was preached on March […]
When it comes to spiritual warfare, God urges us to be prepared before we find ourselves staring down one of Satan’s schemes. So it’s helpful to know the kinds of tactics the enemy tends to use. Many of Satan’s weapons involve some form of temptation and/or accusation. And, as it turns out, God has given […]
All humans instinctively have a sense of the need for justice, and of the need for grace. But how do we handle the desire for both? Human history is filled with an aching for justice, and God has appointed a day when He will judge the world in righteousness. The important thing is knowing that […]
What is truth? That’s a question Pilate posed to Jesus after Jesus told him, “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” We are constantly bombarded with information, but it can sometimes […]
If God truly guides all of our life, that means He is behind both the difficult, and the pleasant circumstances. The good news is that nothing is wasted. If we are in Christ, we have every reason to be glad and rejoice in the Lord because He provides for us, He guides our lives, and […]
We all know instinctively that life is a struggle filled with battles and difficulties. But the Bible makes it clear that these battles do not simply arise from accidents. There is someone behind them. Followers of Christ have an Enemy who wants to distract and deceive them. He wants to undermine our unity and derail […]
The prophet Joel warned his generation that a so-called “day of the Lord” had come upon them, yet he also indicated that the day of the Lord was something still to come in the future. What is this day? And what does it have to do with us? This sermon was preached on March 7, […]
I hope that over the past 8 weeks you have been challenged and encouraged by this podcast to practice the spiritual disciplines in your own lives. As you practice these Biblically commanded, spirit-enabled, and grace-motivated disciplines, you will inevitably be growing in your relationship with God. And as you are growing, I want to encourage […]
Every one of us experiences life events that leave us feeling disoriented and overwhelmed. And our temptation is often to hunker down, hoping for things to go back to normal. But what if God wants more for us than simply waiting until the trouble passes? What if He is wanting to teach us something and […]
If a survey was taken among modern Christians in which they were asked to list the spiritual disciplines, how many would think to include evangelism as one of them? Not many most likely. Why is this? Do we, as Christians, think of evangelism as something that each and every believer ought to discipline themselves to […]
The life of a Christian is one of repentance. Spiritual life begins when we, by God’s grace and help, turn from sin and turn to the Lord. And repentance then becomes a lifelong pattern of returning to the Lord by His help. God is always inviting us to come home, to return to the paths […]
How often in our busy lives do we find ourselves alone and in silence? Not very often. And many advancements of technology, as helpful as they may be, seem to make this even more difficult. We have grown accustomed to the constant noise, communication, and entertainment that technology has to offer. In this podcast, we […]
Just because we call out to the Lord and worship Him does not mean that we really do so from the heart. So how can we tell if our repentance is genuine or false? And how much should we strive for authentic repentance? This sermon was preached on February 14, 2021.
In this week’s podcast, we will look at the spiritual discipline of fasting. Of all the disciplines that we have studied so far, fasting is the one that I expect most Christians will be most reluctant to embrace. Perhaps this is because we live in such a food driven society, but I suspect that the […]
Sin is not just rebellious and wicked. It is also foolish and self-destructive. When we rely on our own wisdom and strength, we are inherently not trusting in the wisdom and strength of God. So anything He allows that helps us see our own weakness is His grace to us. This sermon was preached on […]
In this podcast, we are going to study the spiritual discipline of worship. We tend to only think of worship as a particular activity (singing) at a particular place (church); however, genuine worship is much more than that. Furthermore, Jesus warns us that it is possible for us to worship God externally without our heart […]
What does it mean to truly know the Lord? Is it possible that there are many people who profess to know Him, but do not actually know Him? Today we hear some hard truths about the dangers of sin, how unrepentance dulls our conscience and makes it more difficult to return to God. And we […]
In this podcast, we will study the spiritual discipline of prayer. While prayer should be one of the most natural spiritual disciplines, we may sometimes struggle with praying faithfully. In this podcast, we will study a Biblical basis for prayer and then talk through some prayer strategies that will help us develop and grow in […]
Can you imagine pressing charges against someone you love? Would you believe that God once did that to His people? It’s easier to imagine God lovingly providing, protecting, and caring for His people. But today we consider what it looks like when God lovingly accuses and judges His people. It is better to endure the […]
In last week’s podcast, we asked the question, “Why should we read the Bible?” This week we ask the question, “How do we read the Bible?” In doing so, we will see that there are many ways we can and should practice the spiritual discipline of Bible intake. One of the most difficult things about […]
Through Hosea’s story, God shows us our story. He endlessly pursues His sinful people with His unfailing grace. But God pursues His people in surprising ways–by exposing their sin and by revoking His blessings. Yet all of this serves to call His people to repentance so that He can restore us. This sermon was preached […]
The most important way that a Christian can grow in godliness is by reading God’s Word. Because in His Word, God has given us all that we need to know to live lives that are holy and pleasing to Him. And in today’s time we have more access to the Bible than any other generation in […]
Sometimes God has to tell us hard truths to awaken us to our need for repentance so that we can be restored to Him. Today we begin the story of Hosea, seeing how God is jealous for His people and how easy it is for us to commit spiritual adultery. Will we divide our loyalties […]
This is the time of year when people make New Year’s Resolutions, hoping that this one will be better than the last. Some people even superstitiously eat greens and beans for money and luck. But every resolution has to be backed up with discipline. Resolutions are goals that we hope to accomplish by our efforts […]
Today we begin a new series by exploring what the Old Testament prophets have in common. We sequence prophetic DNA, if you will. And it turns out that what God said through those prophets so long ago is very similar to what He said through the apostles in the New Testament and what He continues […]
Jesus did not come into the world as a fully grown man ready to go straight to the cross. There was a period of preparation between His birth and His death and resurrection. And this was necessary for our salvation. This sermon was preached on December 27, 2020.
Sometimes when we’re overly familiar with a story, we can grow numb to how great the story is. When Luke tells us his account of Jesus’ birth, he uses irony to open our eyes to the wonder of what God did in sending Jesus. And all are invited to witness and celebrate this birth, if […]
This is just a quick update to say thank you for listening to our podcast this year. We’re taking a break, and we’ll return with more episodes of Plain Truth in 2021. You can catch up on previous episodes on our Facebook page, YouTube channel, podcast feed, or our website. If you have an episode […]
Jesus was born to redeem, but that redemption is never for our own sake. If you have been set free, you have been freed to serve God and others. This sermon was preached on December 13, 2020.
At Christmas, we celebrate the truth that God the Son, who has always been fully God, became also fully human. But what exactly does it mean to be human? What are we affirming when we say that Jesus “for whom and by whom all things exist” partook of humanity just as we have? In today’s […]
While we don’t need to give Mary too much credit, there are some important truths we can learn by glancing at the mother of Jesus. We can see the humility that God blesses and the joy we can have by trusting in God’s promises even when we can’t yet see them fulfilled. This blessing is […]
Angels are everywhere in Christmas stories, decorations, and songs. And they show up many places in pop culture. But do we actually think about angels in ways that are accurate according to the Bible? Or could it be that we’re guilty of thinking about them too little? In this podcast episode, we explore what the […]
Maybe you’re familiar with the primary beats of the Christmas story–Mary and Joseph, Bethlehem, the manger… that sort of thing. But when Luke set out to tell us this story, that’s not where he began. Instead, he started in Jerusalem, in the temple, with a man named Zechariah. What does this story tell us about […]
This is a time of year when we stop to thank God for all the ways He has blessed us. While this has been a difficult year for so many, there are surely many reasons for us to give thanks. But is it possible that we would give thanks in a self-centered way rather than […]
The people and things that we enjoy and trust reveal a lot about us. And they shape us. We become like what we admire. So we have to guard our hearts against giving our highest praise and trust to people and things who are not worthy of it. Only God can bear that weight.
We all have to wait; it’s a natural part of life. And we’re waiting as well for the return of Christ and the renewal of all things. But it matters how we wait. Our waiting is not passive, but active. So what do we do while we wait? This sermon was preached on November 15, […]
God has made it very clear that none of us know when Christ will return, but that doesn’t mean we should never think about His return and the end of all things. It ought to make a big difference in how we live our lives today. God is not being slow about keeping His promises. […]
The word “good” is one of those flexible words that we use to mean all sorts of things. A burrito, a person, a decision, a pet–all of these things and more can be described as “good.” So just what does God mean when He speaks of goodness in His Word? What does it mean that […]
Do you ever feel forgetful? According to the Bible, we’re all spiritually forgetful–not just about what we had for breakfast, but about what God has done in our lives. So what does it mean to remember? And how do we do it? This sermon was preached on November 1, 2020.
We know that not all people have a saving relationship with the Lord, but in what way does God relate to unbelievers? They still live and eat and breathe just like believers, right? They can enjoy many good things about creation, they can know genuine truth, and they can even do good to others. And […]
Everybody wants to be free, but what does it mean to be truly free? It’s not just being able to do whatever we please. It’s being free from the power of sin and free to live as a disciple of Jesus. This sermon was preached on October 25, 2020.
All things and all creatures, great and small, are like letters in a book that reveal to us the glory, wisdom, power, and justice of God. But nothing can compare to the words God Himself has spoken in the Bible. There’s a lot we can learn about Him from creation, but the only way for […]
God’s Word is very clear about the certainty that the ungodly will be judged and the godly will be rescued from judgment. But how should we respond to that truth? This sermon was preached on October 18, 2020.
There are plenty of ideas floating around in the world, and they don’t all agree with one another. So who determines what is right and wrong? The Bible should have the final word in every area to which it speaks. But while it’s easy to say that, it’s not as easy to live like we […]
The Bible reserves some of its gravest warnings for false teachers. So how do we watch out for them? Today we look for some characteristics of false teachings and consider why they’re so destructive. This sermon was preached on October 11, 2020. NOTE: Due to a technical issue, the first two minutes of the sermon […]
R. C. Sproul once asked, “What kind of God would reveal his love and redemption in terms so technical and concepts so profound that only an elite corps of professional scholars could understand them?” God is a Father who invites us into a relationship with Him, and He speaks to us in language we can […]
What do you think about the end of the world? Is it something you rarely think about? Is it something you’re obsessed with? Or is it something you think only matters for people who are really bad sinners? Do we really believe that one day we will all have to stand before Jesus and give […]
Is it actually realistic for us to expect the Bible–which was written such a long time ago–to be relevant for our lives today? What about all the questions we have that the Bible simply does not seem to answer? Today we explore the sufficiency of Scripture, that the Bible is enough for us know God […]
The dangers that threaten the church do not only come from external pressure, but also from internal impurity. For the sake of our own assurance, for the sake of the church, and for the sake of our witness to the world, we must cling to the truth and pursue godliness. We must strive to show […]
The Bible is an important literary work and incredibly meaningful to millions of people around the world. But surely in the 21st century, we should not take it at face value, right? Can we really trust a book that makes such claims about miracles and the like? And what do we make of the apparent […]
The Lord’s Supper is God’s invitation to look to His grace in the past, present, and future. This sermon was preached on September, 20, 2020.
The Bible was written a long time ago. By different authors. In different languages. So surely it experienced some corruption on its way to us, right? Can we really trust that the Bibles we read today are the same as when it was written? Today we explore the question of how Scripture was transmitted from […]
When God welcomes someone into His family, He calls them to be like Him. And all of that is His grace. Today we explore true grace versus its many counterfeits. This sermon was preached on September 13, 2020.
From where do trials come? From Satan, or do they come from God’s hand? The way we answer that question will greatly impact how we respond to those trials. We must rest in God’s powerful care and resist Satan’s hateful schemes. This sermon was preached on September 6, 2020. NOTE: Due to a technical error, […]
Faithful Christians are often called “Bible-believing” Christians. We affirm that the Bible is the inerrant, infallible Word of God, but what do we believe about the origin of the Bible? In this episode of Plain Truth we consider some of the criteria that was used to recognize which texts were God-breathed Scripture. And in doing […]
One thing that God makes abundantly clear is that His people will have to endure times of trouble. It’s one reason the church is so important. God does not want us to persevere on our own. He wants us to belong to a flock. But it’s also true that God entrusts those flocks to human […]
Does it matter if we know in what order certain biblical events took place? Well, as it turns out, it can sometimes matter an awful lot. That’s what we consider together in today’s episode of Plain Truth.
If anyone could possibly make it through the first Nine Commandments, having deceived themselves into thinking that they are righteous, the Tenth Commandment cuts straight to the heart and removes any doubts. God is not only concerned with what we do outwardly, but with what we think and feel inwardly because our inner life inevitably […]
What would you do if you knew the world was coming to an end? And what do you think God would want you to do? That is a question the Bible answers for us. And while we might think God would want us to do something extraordinary, it turns out that what He actually urges […]
Most people think of the Ninth Commandment as if it said, “You shall not lie.” But what’s the difference between that and, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Is it always wrong to say something untruthful? And can we simply withhold the truth? These are questions we explore in this episode of […]
We’re always engaged in a spiritual battle, but it matters what weapons we use in this struggle. In 1 Peter 4:1-6 we learn how crucial it is that we have a God-centered perspective as we go through life. This sermon was preached on August 9, 2020.
This episode is a supplement to the sermon from 1 Peter 3:18-22, preached on Sunday morning, August 2nd. We dive deeper into some of the questions raised in that passage, particularly the phrase “He went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison.” We also explore some biblical principles for how to handle passages that we […]
Through His righteous suffering, Jesus did not only overcome the guilt of sin, but also the power of sin and death and every evil force. Those who are in Him are no longer slaves to sin. What, then, should our posture be toward the world around us? This sermon from 1 Peter 3:18-22 was preached […]
The Ten Commandments are like slogans; they may be short and catchy, but they should make us think deeply. The Eighth Commandment invites us to think deeply about our own possessions and those of our neighbor. What we do with what God has entrusted to us and to others reveals a lot about our hearts.
Some people have described the Christian life as being lived “coram Deo” (before the face of God). What does that mean, and how does it impact the way we relate to God and to the world? Today we use this old phrase to help us think through what Peter means when he tells us that […]
The gospel does not only produce salvation for an individual; it produces a community of people who have fellowship with one another because they have fellowship with God. When God makes us His children, He brings us into His family. If you want to give to the offering for Multiply Community Church, you can […]
NOTE: Due to a technical error, we were delayed in uploading the sermon this week. We also do not have audio from the sermon introduction, so the podcast begins after the reading of the text. To prepare yourself, you may find it helpful to read the text in advance — 1 Peter 3:8-12. This sermon […]
“You shall not murder.” It’s one of the most universally agreed-upon principles in the world, among all kinds of people. But just what does the Bible mean when it prohibits “murder”? And if we’ve never taken someone’s life, does that mean we have truly obeyed the Sixth Commandment? Those are some questions with which we […]
“Honor your father and mother.” That’s a command for small children to obey, right? How does it apply to the rest of us? And why is it just as serious as murder? Today we explore the Fifth Commandment.
God designed us to need rest, and He commands us to take rest. But how does the Sabbath command apply to us today? Today we explore the Fourth Commandment and what it means for us to remember the Sabbath day.
What’s in a name? And why is God concerned with what we do with His name? Today we explore the Third Commandment and what it means to take the Lord’s name in vain.
If we have been saved, our salvation is neither from us, nor for us. God does not save us for ourselves, but because He has a purpose for us. God gives us new life through His Word so that we will love one another.
Even if you’ve never crafted a physical idol, you have probably crafted a mental idol. That’s because idolatry is not just about who we worship, but about how we worship. It’s not just about what we do. It’s about what we think about God. In this episode, we explore the Second Commandment and find that […]
Is the Christian life just a series of experiences that make us feel a certain way? What role does our mind play in it all? In today’s sermon, we find that what we think—about God and about ourselves—is actually quite important to our hope. When we grasp God’s mercy, we will strive to be holy.
Is there a reason that the First Commandment is the first commandment? And why is it good and right for God to demand such exclusive loyalty from us? When God commands us, “You shall have no other gods before me,” it is not the pleading of an emotionally needy person. It is the loving invitation […]
The Bible is clear that Christians should expect suffering in their life. It’s equally clear that suffering leads to something that will make it all worth it. In today’s message from 1 Peter 1:6-12, we’re reminded about what trials lead to and why we can be encouraged during difficult times.
The Ten Commandments are foundational not only to the Christian faith, but in many ways to Western society. But how many of them can you name? And how do they begin? Today we start a series in which we walk through these Ten Commandments. We begin by asking why we should care about them and […]
The phrase “born again” is one that can get thrown around and have many different meanings, depending on who’s using it. But what does the Bible mean when it says that God “has caused [His children] to be born again”? What is the origin of that new life, and what is its goal? Just as […]
What should Christians think about suffering and pain in this world? Is it to be expected or does it indicate something wrong with our faith? And what if our troubles are so severe they make us doubt God’s goodness toward us? In this episode, we look at Psalm 77 and find what to do when […]
God is not a hostile party whose arm we have to twist. At the same time, He is not obligated to do everything we ask. On the contrary, He helps us know the right things to ask Him for. It’s all part of His infinite wisdom, love, and goodness as our Father in heaven and […]
God’s people have always been scattered in the world. This is not accidental; it’s part of His design for the church and for the world. And even when they are scattered, God’s people are always secure in His love. In this sermon, we kick off a new series called “Letters to a Scattered Flock” in […]
Do you ever feel like your prayer life is stuck? Like you don’t pray enough? And when you do, you’re not really sure what to say? Thankfully, God knows how much help we need. The Bible is filled with helps for prayer because God loves us and wants us to bring our cares to Him. […]
Years before it actually happened, Jesus declared that He would die and be raised from the dead. And the way He predicted it helps us to understand even better the significance of His death and resurrection for us. Today we look at John 2:13-22 and Jesus’ promise, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I […]
What happened in Jerusalem during Holy Week was not a surprise to Jesus. It did not catch Him off guard, and that makes His willingness to go there all the more compelling. Today we look at Luke 9:51 and how it opens our eyes to Jesus’ clear-eyed determination to go to Jerusalem.
What do we do when our work is difficult, yet obscure? When we feel like no one else sees or notices? We explore those questions and find answers from Psalm 134 in this episode of Plain Truth.
What truth can we learn by paying attention to details as simple as where Jesus was laid? We explore that question in this sermon from John 19:28-42. In today’s sermon, we consider the importance of the time BETWEEN the death of Jesus on Friday and His resurrection on Sunday.
Good Friday. Holy Saturday. Resurrection Sunday. In this series around Easter 2020, we will explore three days that changed the world.
Enter a description for your podcast here and then fill out the details below. Upload either Video or Audio or both.