FBC Eugene: Recent Episodes
First Baptist Church of Eugene
Our incoming Lead Teaching Pastor, Dr. Daryl Molyneaux, preaches on Encountering Our Living Savior and shares a list of Jesus in Every Book of the Bible originally written by Dr. Philip Nation:
Genesis – Creator & promised Redeemer
Exodus – the Passover Lamb
Leviticus – High Priest
Numbers – water in the desert
Deuteronomy – He becomes the curse for us
Joshua – Commander of the army of the Lord
Judges – delivers us from injustice
Ruth – our Kinsman-Redeemer
1 Samuel – all in one, He is the Prophet/Priest/King
2 Samuel – King of grace & love
1 Kings – a Ruler greater than Solomon
2 Kings – the powerful prophet
1 Chronicles – Son of David that is coming to rule
2 Chronicles – the King who reigns eternally
Ezra – Priest proclaiming freedom
Nehemiah – the One who restores what is broken down
Esther – Protector of his people
Job – Mediator between God and man
Psalms – our song in the morning and in the night
Proverbs – our wisdom
Ecclesiastes – our meaning for life
Song of Solomon – Author of faithful love
Isaiah – Suffering Servant
Jeremiah – the weeping Messiah
Lamentations – He assumes God’s wrath for us
Ezekiel – Son of Man
Daniel – the stranger in the fire with us
Hosea – faithful husband even when we run away
Joel – He is sending His Spirit to His people
Amos – delivers justice to the oppressed
Obadiah – Judge of those who do evil
Jonah – the greatest missionary
Micah – He casts our sin into the sea of forgetfulness
Nahum – proclaims future world peace we cannot even imagine
Habakkuk – crushes injustice
Zephaniah – the Warrior who saves
Haggai – restores our worship
Zechariah – prophesies a Messiah pierced for us
Malachi – sun of righteousness who brings healing
Matthew – the Messiah who is King
Mark – the Messiah who is a Servant
Luke – the Messiah who is a Deliverer
John – the Messiah who is a God in the flesh
Acts – the Spirit who dwells in His people
Romans – the righteousness of God
1 Corinthians – the power and love of God
2 Corinthians – He is the down payment of what’s to come
Galatians – He is our very life
Ephesians – the unity of our church
Philippians – the joy of our life
Colossians – holds the supreme position in all things
1 Thessalonians – our comfort in the last days
2 Thessalonians – our returning King
1 Timothy – Savior of the worst sinners
2 Timothy – leader of the leaders
Titus – foundation of truth
Philemon – our Mediator
Hebrews – our High Priest
James – He matures our faith
1 Peter – our hope in times of suffering
2 Peter – the One who guards us from false teaching
1 John – source of all fellowship
2 John – God in the flesh
3 John – source of all truth
Jude – protects us from stumbling
Revelation – King of Kings and Lord of Lords,
The Alpha and the Omega,
The Beginning and the End, and
He is coming again and the One who makes all things new.
Keith Potter continues our Life in Between series with the story of the woman who touches the hem of Jesus' garment.
Keith Potter continues our Life in Between series with the story of Jesus calling His disciples to move from being known and called as fishers of fish to becoming fishers of humanity.
Keith Potter continues our Life in Between series with the story of the Woman at the Well from John 4.
Keith Potter begins serving as our Interim Teaching Pastor in this sermon, and we start a new sermon series called, "Life in Between."
When was the first time you experienced the sensation of being free and what were you doing? Everyone experiences freedom differently but the feeling is universal. And elusive. In fact, many things in this world try to imitate freedom but they actually enslave us. Join us as Corey Rose teaches what true freedom is and isn't and brings the message that no one wants us to experience true freedom more than God.
The Children of Israel were in the same kind of change that First B is experiencing. In this message, Elder Bill Wilson will be sharing key principles from the Book of Deuteronomy that challenged the new generation of Israelites to reaffirm their relationship with their God.
Pastor Matt Erdmann brings the church a timely message on the value of fellowship from Hebrews 10:19-25, Acts 2:42, and 1 John 1.
Worship keeps our eyes turned upon Jesus and as we practice that spiritual discipline, we will see God supernaturally shift our perspective so that the things of Earth do truly dim which will then more fully reveal his glory and grace.
Suffering. It’s something that no one wants. We instinctually look to avoid it if we can or numb it if we can’t. But what if suffering wasn’t a curse to ruin our lives but something with a supernatural purpose? What if suffering wasn’t a circumstance to avoid but a discipline to be mastered? Listen in as we continue our series on the spiritual disciplines when Pastor Michael DiMarco will bring a challenging message filled with practical coaching and supernatural hope!
When we receive a gift, we have the opportunity to express our gratitude and communicate our appreciation and thanks for what we have been given. Our response often reveals the reality of how special, meaningful, or important the gift (and the giver) is to us personally. And when we give a gift it is often a moment for us to show how much we care about someone and how important they are to us. The same is true in our relationship with Jesus. We have been given so much by God and we get the chance to show Him a heart of gratitude, generosity, and desire to give back and be a part of His plans, purposes, and priorities. Please read 2 Corinthians 9, in preparation for our time together in the Word, in this sermon.
In a world that seems to keep moving faster and quicker with more options, more personalization, and instant gratification, does it seem like we're growing more anxious and less satisfied? What if the solution isn't more, but less? What if the solution is rest?
In this sermon Pastor Dan Collins will be speaking from Psalm 62 and the rhythms of rest God gives us to remember and recenter our lives on Him.
What does good leadership look like in the business world and what is its ultimate purpose? And what exactly is spiritual leadership and why do some consider it a spiritual discipline? This Sunday, come hear Pastor Michael DiMarco preach from God’s Word on how we tend to get spiritual leadership backwards and that every one of us, from seasoned believer to new follower of Jesus, needs to embrace how God leads while not giving in to the natural gravitational pull into the world’s systems and motivations of leadership. Since most of us are not always leaders, it's of great importance to learn the discipline of how to choose who to follow, how to follow, and what's in it for us when we follow the right Person.
When you think of the word “confession,” what emotions and thoughts stir in your heart and mind? Confession, like other spiritual disciplines can become misunderstood and misconstrued and seen more as a burden than a gift, something to be feared rather than celebrated and embraced. Listen in as we take a deeper look at the spiritual discipline of confession; an invitation to allow it to truly be the gift that it is meant to be.
Good customer service. Companies thrive when they place a high value on serving their customers. It also requires a heart to be humble, assist, and provide the necessary level of presence to make sure a customer feels valued and known. In John 13, Jesus demonstrates a level of servanthood to his disciples that was unprecedented and then He challenged them to follow His example and do the same. In this sermon, we will examine the spiritual discipline of service and look at why Jesus is calling us to live a life of service. Read John 13:1-17, to be prepared for our time together in the Word.
It's always amazing to watch someone solve a Rubik’s Cube. Maybe it’s because we've never learned to do it or maybe because it’s so fascinating to watch something so mixed up and complex become something so clean and simple. Prayer isn’t complex. It’s simple. It’s relational. It’s powerful. Jesus wants us to pray because he wants to remain in conversation with us. Join us this Sunday as we continue our series through the spiritual disciplines with a message on Prayer. Read Matthew 6 and John 15 in preparation.
Do you find the Bible to be hard to understand or simply that you don't open it that often? Do you struggle to know if or how God is speaking to you? Listen in as Pastor Michael DiMarco brings a message from God's Word about the spiritual discipline of reading (and understanding) God's Word.
We all have a daily rhythm, routine, and rule of life. We get up, we get moving, and we walk through each day with priorities and plans that determine our management of time and where we focus our energy and efforts. A lot of things grab our attention on a daily basis, and it can be challenging to find moments of opportunity to invest in our relationship with Jesus. Yet the value of practicing our faith and developing habits of regular interaction with Him is vitally important. Listen in as we begin a journey together practicing the ways of Jesus and learn how to create spiritual habits that will help you know Jesus more and live out His purposes for your life. Consider reading 2 Peter 1:1-11 to prepare your heart for this sermon.
Mother’s Day is a day of celebration, honor and love for the women in our lives who have nurtured, supported and cared for us physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Mother’s Day is also a day full of reminders of unfulfilled dreams, fractured or absent relationships and grief and loss. Jesus understands the heartache that comes with motherhood. In his final act of love and care for his own grieving mother as he hung on the cross, he looked at the disciple John and declared that he would now be her son and she would be his mother. John 19:27 says, “And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.” 1 Peter 1:3-9 reminds us that though we may experience various trials, we can walk in his joy because of the blessed hope we have in our resurrected Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the one who comforts us in all of our troubles. Join us for a message of supernatural hope that springs eternal; the joy of our blessed hope!
The first Sunday of every month, our church observes the Lord’s Supper; we take communion together as a congregation. Most of those Sundays, it’s inserted as a part of the worship service but for this service, join us for a whole service where we participate in this church ordinance through special music, message, and practice. You won't want to miss it!
What is something that you do when you are tired and weary? What kind of people do you surround yourself with (or avoid?) Take the temperature of world events, news, and social media and the diagnosis is clear: the world is weary. If you could prescribe one thing to treat the weariness of the world, what would it be? Would that prescription involve you? Listen in as Communications Pastor Michael DiMarco preaches from Acts chapter one and challenges us to be a part of God's prescription for a weary world!
He is Risen! These messages were brought by our pastoral teaching team (in order of appearance): Sandy Park, Michael DiMarco, Matt Erdmann, and Dan Collins. We pray you'll be blessed by the variety messages, all pointing to our Risen King Jesus!
Everyone loves the energy, excitement, expectation and enthusiasm of a parade. People gather, there's a festive atmosphere, community is created and people are celebrating the joy and fun of the floats, the marching bands, the drill teams, celebrities and all the other aspects of what a parade represents, reminds us about, and recognizes on certain important days of the year. We gather on parade days to commemorate, acknowledge, and be involved in a shared experience of being together and anticipating "who's coming down the parade route" in grand procession.
On this Palm Sunday, we are going to look at an amazing and phenomenal parade that took place at the beginning of the final week of Jesus' life here on earth. We will gather as a congregation with excitement, enthusiasm and expectation of what that Triumphal Entry meant for those who were there and what it means for us today as we seek to commemorate, acknowledge and experience together "A Picture of Peace on Parade." Please read John 12:9-22 in preparation for this sermon and come ready to join together in community and proclaim, "Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!!!"
Children can listen to the same story again and again and be just as fascinated the 50th time as they were the 1st. They retell stories during their play times. They live out life through the stories they’ve been told. Stories are what we use to make sense of the world around us. But what if our stories are partial stories, incomplete stories, broken stories? How would God change a broken story into a new story? Listen to the story of Jesus and Lazarus, and hear how God uses a holy disruption to tell a new story. Read John 11:1-45 to prepare.
Not everyone within the borders of a country is a true and loyal citizen. The same can be true within the church. The Bible teaches that Christians are citizens of heaven, which means that we must learn not only how to speak with heavenly words, but also to walk in a heavenly way. Visiting pastor Jon Sanné will share four things that are true of every maturing citizen of heaven. Please read Philippians 3:17-21 to prepare.
What does it mean to be detached or adrift? While feelings of independence can be good, it's also easy to feel isolated or lost without dependence and a greater guiding and providing force. Join us this Sunday as guest preacher Tony Scarcello brings a message from John 15. As always, you can read the chapter in preparation for the message.
Do you consider yourself a confident person or is your confidence easily shaken? Are there certain instances in life where you feel exposed and vulnerable? Listen in as guest preacher Dr. A.J. Swoboda from Bushnell University shares where the power of confidence comes from! You can read Psalm 27 in preparation for this message.
When is the last time you felt like you fell short? Sometime failure feels final; that there's no way back. For this sermon, get ready to hear a message on how God redeems our failure instead of ignoring it. It is painful, but the way forward is back – to Jesus. You can read John 21:1-19 to prepare your heart.
"Lord, teach us how to pray." This was one of the most direct requests of the disciples when Jesus walked the earth. Join us for this sermon while Steve Buss from One Hope shares a message on how you can pray how Jesus taught for God's will to be done. We hope you'll join us!
Dr. Shane Garrison is brought to us this message that focuses on humility and pride, and the difference between glorifying ourselves versus coming humbly before a Holy God. Two very different guys are explained in Jesus’ parable. Which one is more representative of your life? Which one is more representative of the life we are called to live as followers of Jesus? Please read Luke 18:9-14 to prepare for this message.
Wouldn't it be great to be great? Where there would be no one better than you at your favorite activity, sport, or business pursuit? Yet being the best and brightest in our society is a very different thing than being great in God's kingdom. Listen in as guest preacher Dr. Scott Wigginton comes to us from Kentucky to share the one big secret to Kingdom greatness!
What are some of the most defining moments of your life? We all have these life mileposts individually and corporately. In fact, the Bible is full of defining moments between God and the lives of His people. Joining us this first Sunday in February was Dr. Keith Potter from Bushnell University who shared a message from God’s Word regarding these defining moments in life and leadership. In preparation, read 1 Samuel 17:38-40 and Acts 15:39-41.
Pastor Ben Cross's first words to you as your pastor will be his last in this sermon. Please read Isaiah 61:1-4 to prepare for this message.
THE defining moment in our lives will be when we stand before Jesus as our Judge. There is nothing more crucial than being ready for that moment and helping others be ready as well. That moment means everything.
In Luke 19:11-27, Jesus told a parable that captures the full meaning of this moment for every person in history. The pressing question we must ask ourselves is, “Are we ready?”
There are times when every believer feels disappointment with God. Even though we haven’t lost our faith, in our most honest moments, we are willing to admit that it’s hard to pray. It’s hard to talk with someone who has dashed our expectations, including God. So, we are tempted to ask the honest question, “Why pray?”
In this Sermon, Pastor Ben returns to the pulpit to continue our study of Jesus’ parables in Luke 11:1-13 and 18:1-8, where the Lord teaches us why we should always pray and not give up.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15 is one of Jesus’ most famous illustrations of the Father’s love for rebellious children. Yet, the parable is really about the Father’s two sons. If we look close, we might just see ourselves in both sons’ attitudes and actions. Join us this Sunday as Michael DiMarco continues the sermon series, “The Parables of Jesus.”
With a new year, we often make "New Year's Resolutions" as a way of adjusting our patterns and habits from what they were in the past year to something different for the year ahead. The idea of new patterns becomes more exciting after living through the disorienting times of the past year or two, or maybe a stormy holiday season. As we anticipate the year ahead, let's gather and start the year right - with our hearts resolutely facing toward Jesus, making it our pattern to trust in Him as we weather the storms of life.
How do you define a gift? From our childhood to this Christmas weekend, even if only in our minds, we will be judging what is a good gift or a lousy one. After receiving a pair of ugly boxers or stale fruitcake, what do we do with these unwanted gifts? Moreover, as we move from 2021 into a new year, how do we process the unwanted “gifts” of change, uncertainty, and loss? Listen in on this sermon as Michael DiMarco shares from his life and God’s Word how unwanted gifts help us grow to be more like the reason for the season, Jesus.
Our theme for this Christmas Eve service was hope. You may have heard a hundred sermons on hope over the years, but we will take a step further and consider how to move beyond biblical information about hope toward personal transformation through hope.
My wife, Mary, will assist me in sharing the message. She will paint while I preach.
Join us, as we learn together what it takes for the hope of Christmas to sustain us every day of our lives.
At every turn in the Christmas event, people were struck with fear—Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, the shepherds. In each case, they were told, “Fear not,” because, as the angels announced on Christmas night, with Jesus’ coming there is peace on earth.
But honestly, this declaration of peace doesn’t ring true to life. History, before and after Jesus’ coming, is inundated with war. Jesus’ own life was scarred by conflict, hatred, and deadly violence. Someone has said, “Peace is that brief, glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading.”
So, in what way(s) did Jesus bring peace on earth at Christmas? Join us in this sermon as we find the answer in the Scripture.
Over the past two years, we have been traumatized by disease, disorder, disinformation, despair, and division—all potential joy-killers.
Many of us can identify with King David, when he cried: “Oh God…restore to me the joy of your salvation.” (Psalm 51:12)
Over the past two years, we have been traumatized by disease, disorder, disinformation, despair, and division—all potential joy-killers.
Many of us can identify with King David, when he cried: “Oh God…restore to me the joy of your salvation.” (Psalm 51:12)
Joy is central to what God is all about. He is the most joyful Being in all the universe, and his desire for us to know his joy is so strong, the Bible puts it in the category of a life essential. Like no other time of year, Christmas can restore our joy. Join us in this sermon as we pursue God’s joy! Read the Christmas story in Luke and Matthew to prepare.
God's provision and plan was packaged in the birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And because of Jesus we have the ability to experience the riches of our Heavenly Father and to take those riches and be a blessing to others and to live a life of response that leaves a lasting legacy of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and more! In Luke 12:13-21, Jesus shares a story about a man who missed those moments, who measured life by materialism, and made mistakes that left his life marked by earthly endeavors rather than eternal expectations. This Sunday we will be challenged, encouraged, and inspired to be people who are blessed, by God, to be a blessing and called to live a life of lasting legacy.
This parable is not often categorized as such, it appears more like a common riddle, see if you can catch and discern it when you read Matthew 15:1-20. Jesus, in this quick sentence about the mouth, upends the Pharisees purity traditions built around the Old Testament Law.
Two ideas are intertwined in this passage—external religious traditions and internal purity. The first idea plays out in vv. 1–9, what goes into the mouth, the second central to vv. 10–20, what comes out of the mouth. Both combine into a theme crucial for the life of a Jesus follower, one must be controlled not so much by external codes of conduct forced from without but by the heart that proceeds from within. Therefore, you will need more than mouthwash!
When Jesus told the parable of the shrewd manager in Luke 16, I can imagine Peter leaning over to James and John and asking, “Did he just say what I thought he said?” This parable is one of Jesus’ most fascinating, if not bizarre.
Why would our Lord tell a story that seems to commend scurrilous behavior? Find out in this Sermon, and be ready to be both challenged and inspired. Read Luke 16:1-13 to prepare.
The parable of the Good Samaritan is one of the most beloved, and yet most heart-searching, teachings of Jesus. The lesson is as relevant today as it was the moment Jesus spoke it.
We will learn how the lawyer’s technicality question, “Who is my neighbor?” completely misses the mark and how Jesus turned the norms of that day, reflected in his question, on their head.
Jesus reveals what love looks like for those whose names are written in heaven and have inherited eternal life. Read Luke 10:25-37 to prepare.
After serving 16 years as a missionary in India, 22 years as a pastor, and several years as a seminary professor, David Seamands made this observation: "Many years ago I was driven to the conclusion that the two major causes of most emotional problems among evangelical Christians are these: the failure to understand, receive, and live out God’s unconditional grace and forgiveness; and the failure to give out that unconditional love, forgiveness, and grace to other people…The good news of the gospel of grace has not penetrated the level of our emotions."
In this Sermon, through a parable of Jesus, we will seek to better understand, receive, and live out God’s unconditional grace and forgiveness. We will conclude with a time of Communion. Read Luke 7:36-50 to prepare.
The parable of the ten virgins. All went out to meet the bridegroom. All had lamps with them. All fell asleep as they waited. But only five were wise. What separated the wise from the foolish? Join us this in this sermon as we unpack this parable of Jesus found in Matthew 25:1-13.
One of the great measures of Christian character is how we deal with those who hurt us. Some would say, “Don’t get mad, get even.” The Kingdom of God turns this on its head. Jesus would say, “It’s okay to be mad, but don’t get even!” “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” (Ephesians 4:26).
Matthew 18:21 reports, “Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus’ answer, and the parable that follows, must have left the disciples as slack-jawed as it does me. Read Matthew 18 to prepare for this message.
Jesus told many parables about what "the Kingdom of heaven is like," but none more important than those in Matthew 13, the first of which, Jesus said is the key to understanding all his parables.
In Matthew 13, Jesus shares seven parables that reveal the Kingdom of heaven on earth from now to the end of time. Nothing is more important than becoming a member of this Kingdom and being ready for the return of the King.
In this sermon, we will survey all seven parables, so it is especially important to prepare by reading Matthew 13 before we gather together.
The warm, familiar, idyllic images of Jesus’ parables are a favorite part of the Bible for many, and for good reason. They reveal profound insights about God's kingdom on earth with the coming of Jesus.
But these very same parables are much like that cuddly looking kitten you tried picking up and it bit you; Jesus’ parables come with a bite. For those who refuse him as their King, that bite can be deadly deep.
In this sermon, we begin a new series on selected parables from the Gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke. It’s going to be quite a ride.
We need the Holy Spirit to reveal to our hearts the absolute supremacy of Christ over every power and authority in the universe and how our heavenly Father has graciously made us alive, raised us up and seated us in Christ with him in glory!
What are the first words that go through your mind when you rise every morning? A lot of people give themselves daily affirmations to start the day. The fictional comedy character Stuart Smalley would recite, in his mirror, “I’m good enough, I'm smart enough, and, doggone it, people like me!”
In this message, “First Words,” new Communications Pastor Michael DiMarco will follow up Pastor Ben’s closing last words of Joshua last week with wisdom from the Book of Proverbs, both for those about to take their first steps with Jesus and those that have been walking with Him for decades.
Richard Baxter, a renowned Reformed pastor from the 1600’s, captured, in his own experience, Joshua’s urgency at the end of his life. He said, “I preached as never sure to preach again, and as a dying man to dying men.”
In chapter 24, Joshua challenges Israel, after all Yahweh their Elohim had done for them, to repent of their half-hearted loyalty and choose to be fully devoted to him.
What Joshua confronted in Israel that day is a common delinquency found in God’s people in both the Old and New Testaments, including our own times, maybe even in our own lives. Read Joshua 24 to prepare.
A person’s last words are typically their most significant and the most important to remember. Maybe the last words of a loved one are a treasure you hold dear in your heart.
Last words matter. In the final two chapters of Joshua, he shares his own, first to his fellow leaders (chapter 23) and then to the nation as a whole (chapter 24).
Joshua’s last words are a treasure we can hold dear in our hearts. They reveal the secret to overcoming spiritual strongholds in and around us, which will lead us into a time of Communion, where we remember Jesus and all he has done for us.
Please read Joshua 23 to prepare.
The topic of this Sunday’s message is the danger of assumptions—how civil war nearly broke out in Israel because of wrong assumptions. Mexican author, Miguel Ruiz, wrote: We make all sorts of assumptions, because we don’t have the courage to ask questions.
Without asking a question, I’m going to go out on a limb. I think it’s safe to assume that everyone reading this has experienced conflict with someone—a spouse, friend, relative, classmate, neighbor, or work colleague—over an issue you later discovered was completely unnecessary, because it was based on a wrong assumption.
Israel’s story in Joshua 22 reveals important insights for the division and strife in our own times and how to deal with the danger of assumptions.
Romans 15:4 reminds us how important the Old Testament is to New Testament believers: For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
Israel’s story in Joshua helps us better understand our own story in Christ. This Sunday, we will explore four important insights from Israel’s inheritance of the Promised Land that encourage us to endure with hope in taking possession of our own inheritance in Christ.
Read Joshua chapters 13, 14, 20 and 21 to prepare. You get extra credit, if you read chapters 15-19 about tribal allotments.
We are living in the last days. The King has come! However, he only inaugurated his kingdom. Satan is defeated, but not yet dumb and destroyed. He still has his voice. He's still looking for victims.
The consummation of God’s kingdom is yet to happen. Our promised inheritance in Christ is ALREADY ours in heaven, BUT NOT YET in its fullness on earth. We are living between two ages.
That’s why, though redeemed in Christ, we still struggle with sin. That’s why people still rebel against the King, persecute his people, and commit all kinds of evil and appear to be getting away with it.
Israel’s story, in Joshua 10:16-13:7, illustrates the times in which we live.
Joshua 10 ranks as one of the most frequently invoked passages for discrediting the Bible in the world of rationalism and science. A literal interpretation raises issues concerning the veracity of Scripture and God’s ability to do whatever he chooses.
What actually happened at Gibeon on this day that the Bible claims to be unique in all of history? Did God actually stop the rotation of the earth and the revolution of the moon, so the sun and moon stood still in the sky for an entire day?
Come, let’s reason together.
The Bible says the devil’s schemes come in two basic forms: 1) like a roaring lion to frighten and intimidate us and 2) like a mesmerizing angel of light to deceive and swindle us. With both, he uses human instruments in an attempt to defeat and devour us.
In Joshua 9, we see both schemes at work at the same time! It’s a graphic picture of the Christian life dressed in the ancient garb of Israel’s experience. The good news is, even when we foolishly succumb to the devil’s devices, as Israel did, God leverages our short-term losses into long-term wins. God plays the long game, turning stupid into splendid.
Read Joshua 9 to prepare for this message.
If you’ve ever attended a football game at Autzen Stadium, you may have witnessed the cheerleaders leading 50,000 enthusiastic Duck fans in an antiphonal call-and-response. The fans on one side of the stadium scream, “Go!” The fans on the other side answer by screaming back, “Ducks!” This volley goes on for several minutes. It’s pretty cool.
Now, imagine 2,000,000 enthusiastic God fans in an antiphonal call-and-response, a million at a time screaming “Amen!” back and forth to each other, after each verse Joshua reads from the Scripture. That’s beyond cool!
That’s the scene in Joshua 8, after Israel’s victory at Ai. More than an epic moment in Israel’s history, it teaches us a profound lesson about our relationship with God today. Read the entire chapter to prepare.
This Sermon we return to Joshua 7 to finish the tragic story of Achan’s family and the trouble they brought on an entire nation. The violation was so serious, God threatened to leave Israel, which begs the question: Why would an entire nation suffer the consequences of one family’s sin? The answer is a profound biblical truth, one that runs counter to the individualism that dominates our culture today.
Read Joshua 7 to prepare.
You know that feeling you get after doing something really well and walk away feeling so confident, but suddenly trip on your own feet? Overconfidence can sometimes be painful. Do you know that feeling when you see an advertisement, and suddenly you want something you didn’t even know you’d wanted before? It’s sometimes hard to say no.
This Sermon we’re back in the book of Joshua as Israel moves from crossing the Jordan river and conquering Jericho to the small little town called Ai. Israel’s confidence and covenant to God quickly changed into overconfidence and disobedience with disastrous results. But just as Israel learned from failure and God’s grace, we can learn too.
You can read the story in Joshua 7:1-13.
Hello FBC family & friends! This sermon is from the July 4th, 2021. We celebrate the principles and ideals that this day represents, knowing that in times and seasons where our nation has fallen short, we have and will continue to contend for the good principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for one and for all. And as followers of Jesus, we do not grow weary for we know that our ultimate hope and freedom comes through Jesus Christ our Lord. John 8:36 says, "If the Son has set you free, you are free indeed." Join us this Sunday as we remember and give thanks for the true independence that we have in Jesus, empowering us to live, love and lead like him.
This Sermon, in Joshua 6, we face a deeply troubling issue. Under God’s command, every living creature in Jericho was “devoted to destruction"--men and women, young and old, all the animals. Is God condoning genocide, here? How does God declaring all-out war on a people square with Jesus’ command to love our enemies?
I asked Pastor Frank to take this passage; he opted out.
Come! Let’s work through this passage together. There are vital lessons for us to learn, and afterward we will celebrate the baptism of many.
A favorite quote from a favorite movie is by an ex-con named Brooks in The Shawshank Redemption. Brooks spent most of his life in prison, finally making parole as a gentled old man.
Dropped into the outside world in the mid-1960’s, he felt lost and overwhelmed. He wrote to his buddies back in prison, “The world got itself in a big damn hurry.” I smile every time I hear that line. I have to wonder what old Brooks would say about the pace of life today. We live in a culture of speed and immediacy.
Joshua 5 reminds us that God’s pace is radically different from ours. Just when it made complete sense for Israel to rush ahead, God hit the pause button. The purpose for that pause is life-changing.
We all suffer from spiritual amnesia. In the busy flow of life, we forget the realities on which our relationship with God is grounded. We constantly need to be reminded of the God who saves his people through mighty acts of deliverance. All our hope is founded on what these acts are and why they happened.
In Joshua 4, we learn that remembering is an essential part of making disciples of Jesus Christ—both in terms of evangelizing the nations and edifying the Church—especially our children, whether biological or spiritual.
Would you like God to do something astounding in your life? Are there “strongholds,” whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, keeping you from experiencing the kind of abundant life and personal transformation Jesus offers you?
By way of illustration, the account of Israel in Joshua 3 reveals several key insights for entering the blessings of our inheritance in Christ. This will be a special Communion service. You don’t want to miss it.
There are some accounts in God’s Word that reveal the depths of his grace in ways that leave you slack-jawed. The account in Joshua 2 is one of them.
To the moralist, a grace like this seems scandalous, offering a free pass to those who deserve nothing more than judgment and death. To the immoral, a grace like this seems too good to be true.
This Sermon we will see scandalous grace and saving faith on full display. Bring a friend who needs both.
Society, today, languishes for credible Christian leaders. We need leaders in our homes, churches, businesses, schools and government who serve with the mind of Christ. The question is, what does that look like? What’s the right stuff of credible spiritual leadership? Joshua 1 provides us with a basic profile.
This past decade has seen change at an alarming rate. Then, the pandemic hit and change accelerated exponentially. Many feel that, post-Covid, things will never be the same again.
However, our situation is not unprecedented. Deuteronomy 34 records one of the most definitive change moments in the history of God’s people. Like our own day, Deuteronomy ends on a note of emotional uncertainty. However, in God’s kingdom, Joshua 1s always follow Deuteronomy 34s.
In this introductory message to the book of Joshua, we are reminded of what never changes in times of epoch change. Read Deuteronomy 34:5—Joshua 1:6 to prepare.
In this Sermon, Life Groups Pastor Danielle Henry will be speaking. Here's a glimpse of the Sermon.
Life is full of expectations - whether they are put on us, or we create them for our own lives. This Sunday, we are going to look at and learn from the examples of a handful of Biblical characters regarding living with our expectations set upon the enduring word of God. After all, we can expect God to be faithful, because He always keeps his promises.
Take a look at Luke Chapters 1 and 2 to be ready.
In the last Sermon, we finished 1 Peter...well, almost. This Sermon, Pastor Ben will present “an addendum" by focusing on two important issues Peter only mentions in his closing remarks, likely, because the original readers didn't need further explanation.
We do.
Peter mentions "the devil" and uses the term "Babylon" to refer to Rome. Both topics span the whole of Scripture, and understanding their significance is helpful in understanding God's word from cover-to-cover.
Prayerfully prepare your mind and heart for this message.
This Sermon, Peter concludes his teaching on the believer's life in exile in this world with a loving kiss--really! In 1 Peter 5:6-14, he re-captures the dominant themes of his letter, taking us deeper into the realities behind Christian suffering that should comfort us and give us hope in even the most painful of times.
In this Sermon, Pastor Ben will share a report on his recent ministry to missionaries in Kenya, Africa.
We will also take a brief look at 1 Peter 5:1-5 and the vital role elders play in the local church, especially in times of crisis and suffering. This passage presents a timely opportunity for us to commission the four new elders our church family recently affirmed.
Please join us for this important moment in our church's life.
Have you ever received a gift you didn’t want? Maybe it was practical, but not exactly enjoyable. You wanted fun, but you got functional.
Suffering is the gift no one wants, but it is one of the most important ways God prepares us for blessing in this world and glory in the world to come.
In 1 Peter 4:12-19, we not only learn what Christian suffering is and the benefits it brings, but also how to respond to suffering and experience God’s best.
We live in a time of heightened uncertainty. Articles abound suggesting ways to cope with these uncertainties, even to embrace them with a stiff upper lip as part of the evolutionary process. After all, that’s what the fittest do to survive, right?
The Gospel provides an entirely different way to deal with life’s uncertainties—by embracing the absolute certainties afforded us through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In this sermon, we will explore five such certainties that offer us peace, rest, hope, power, and enthusiasm in uncertain times.
“The end of the world is coming soon.” Did that get your attention?
In light of the inevitable reality that the future of the world will end, our focus needs to be on how we are living today and on the needs of those around us and ultimately bringing praise, honor, and glory to God because of our relationship with Jesus. Peter, was fully aware that, at some point, the world would be no more, so he takes the opportunity to challenge his readers to continue living their lives with a “last days” perspective, and staying committed to the things that matter most and making the most difference in the midst of the “now”, with an eye and heart towards the “later.”
Read 1 Peter 4:7-11 as we examine this passage and learn how to live a “Last Days” life.
Several years ago, renown author Lee Strobel commissioned a national survey and asked people what question they’d ask if they could only ask God one thing. The number one response was “Why is there suffering in the world?”
Though there are no easy answers to that question, in this sermon, as we continue our study in the book of 1 Peter, may we find encouragement and hope in seeing God's divine purpose in suffering even as we grapple and struggle with the "why".
Read 1 Peter 4:1-6 to prepare.
A vivid memory, growing up in rural Montana, was a time when my Dad was unfairly treated. It really troubled me, but with a slight smile he said, “It’s okay, Ben. My day is coming.” And sure enough, Dad was vindicated. Those who wrongly treated him were exposed.
In a far more profound way, Jesus was vindicated, after being mistreated and murdered. The good news is, those who know him and are treated like him, will be vindicated as well.
Peter reminds us that our day is coming in 1 Peter 3:18-22, one of the most fascinating passages in all the Bible.
Life is hard. Hurt can run deep, especially when it’s intentionally inflicted by another person.
Suffering plays a central role in the life of a Christian. It’s essential to our spiritual development as followers of Jesus and can be the source of great blessing for us and others.
In our text in this sermon, Peter shares several insights that reveal how we can have a blessed life, no matter how much it may hurt.
Read 1 Peter 3:13-18 to prepare.
Pew Research surveyed 10,000 American adults over a 20-year period (1997-2017) and found that the polarization of our society in 2017 was at a 20-year high. The division is even greater today.
Jesus called his people to be peacemakers—to stand in the gap of conflict. Today, Christians have an unprecedented opportunity to bless one another and their host communities (as spiritual aliens and exiles) with a clear and compelling picture of what Jesus' love looks like, in the midst of intense conflict.
Please read 1 Peter 3:8-12 to prepare for this sermon.
Listen in on this sermon as Josh Bidwell gives a message about being a Faith Filled Follower to reset our minds and our hearts - less on the details of our lives, and more on the Savior OF our souls!
It’s not surprising that the most primal human relationship in God’s creation—the loving, life-long, one-flesh union of one man and one woman in the sacred bond of marriage—is the source of such dehumanizing pain.
The world, our flesh, and the devil have so badly misconstrued the majesty of marriage, we cannot read Peter’s instruction about godly submission in marriage without it raising our hackles.
Ironically, this sermon was preached on Valentine’s Day, and, once again, we will see what Peter does and does NOT teach about Christ-like submission in a broken world.
Please read 1 Peter 2:21-3:7 to prepare
Peter’s next point on Christian submission to authority is especially difficult, not because of what he says, but because of what he doesn’t say. If we are honest, we would have to admit that a passages like 1 Peter 2:18-20 is confusing, if not embarrassing.
We believe the Bible is God’s word, so why doesn’t Peter emphatically denounce slavery as an insidious evil? Good question. In pre-civil war days, pastors in the south preached from passages like this to justify the enslavement of Africans—a very dark and heinous time in American history.
In this sermon, we will answer this troubling question and see what Peter is and is NOT saying in this passage.
There are parts of the Bible a preacher would just as soon skip. This next section in 1 Peter (2:13-3:7) qualifies.
He starts with submission to political leaders, even the ungodly ones, then slaves submitting to their masters, even the harsh ones, and finally wives submitting to their husbands, even the disobedient ones. All kinds of hot buttons, here!
As a 22-year-old pastor in my first church, I will never forget the elderly lady who walked up to me after a service. I could tell she wasn’t happy. She said, “Young man, I enjoyed your message, until you got to meddlin’.
Peter begins meddlin’ with us in his letter. In this sermon, we will focus on submitting to governmental authorities in 2:13-17. Oh boy…
Those who know and follow Jesus, are an enigma to those who don’t.
We are God’s children with his very life in us. We are God’s holy priests capable of offering up spiritual sacrifices pleasing to him. Yet, we are still at war with sinful desires within us and capable of committing great evil. At best, we are a mixed bag.
What is more, even at our best, we will be repudiated by the world which is unable to make sense of us spiritually. Yet, some who initially repudiate us may be drawn through our good deeds to faith in Christ. But this conflicting response to us is not surprising, because Jesus himself was an enigma.
In this Sermon, while reading in 1 Peter 2:11-12 and 20b-25, we will learn a central truth about following Christ’s example that helps us respond well to hostile authorities, a difficult marriage, and society in general over the next two chapters.
Please meditate on these two passages in preparation for the message.
From the beginning, God wanted all of humanity to be holy priests serving him on earth. Adam and Eve were commissioned to care for and keep the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:15), terms used later of the holy work of priests at the temple.
After humanity fell in sin, God chose Israel to be a nation of priests (Exodus 19:5-6), but they refused. So, the sacred privilege was bestowed on a single tribe within Israel—Levi.
Through Jesus Christ, God’s original plan for the priesthood of all believers is being realized in the Church (1 Peter 2:9).
In this sermon, we will explore the honor and privileges we bear as holy priests in God’s kingdom and how the local church should be the most safe, healthy, and personally esteeming community on earth.
To prepare, please read 1 Peter 2:1-10.
One of the most well-researched human motives is our need to belong. God hard-wired us to form and maintain positive, stable interpersonal relationships.
When a sense of belonging is threatened, it can lead to destructive emotions, such as anxiety, depression, and jealousy, which only further isolate a person from others. As God’s elect exiles in a world to which we no longer belong, we are not exempt from being enslaved by these destructive emotions that erode our individual lives as well as the unity and fellowship of a church family.
In his first epistle, the apostle Peter reveals how we can enjoy a deep sense of belonging even as resident aliens in a society where we are marginalized and viewed with contempt. As God’s redeemed people, we have implanted within us a capacity to grow in a love that enables us to not only survive but to thrive as spiritual exiles.
Please prepare by reading 1 Peter 1:17-2:3.
Have you ever stopped to think about how many words we hear, read and share during any given day? And how each day there seems to be more words swirling around us than the day before?
With smartphones, media and constant connectivity, our daily lives are filled with more and more information; however, increased information doesn't always mean increased wisdom. The complexity of figuring out what and who to listen to can be confusing. The challenge of living out the words we believe in, can make the world we live in feel overwhelming.
God knows life can be complex and confusing so He gives a solution, a way to simplify the complexity through His words. As we reset in this new year, let's reset our focus on God's words as we return to the book of 1 Peter.
Peter reminds us that the words we live in determine the life and love we live out. So let's choose our words wisely.
You can read 1 Peter 1:17-25 as we get ready for this sermon.
Merry Christmas! We hope with your friends and family you were able to form new holiday memories, even with the changes and health precautions of 2020.
In this sermon we’re looking at journeys and the faith of sojourners. Journeys were a central part of the Christmas story. Before Jesus was born, his parents journeyed 90 miles or 150 kilometers from Nazareth to Bethlehem. And when Jesus turned one, his parents fled Bethlehem to the country of Egypt where they waited until it was safe, and then journeyed back to Galilee in Nazareth where Jesus grew up.
Every year is really a journey by faith, with things to remember, things to forget, and things to anticipate in the year to come. So as we journey from 2020 to 2021, we’re going to look at Abraham’s journey of faith, how he found identity and perspective in God’s promises.
Read Hebrews 11:1-16 as we get ready for this sermon!
Thus far, in our Advent series, we have learned that, because of Christmas (God becoming one of us forever in Christ), we gain a shared identity with Jesus, which qualifies us to participate in a shared mission with Jesus. All of this, then, leads to a third shocking truth: We enjoy a shared glory with Jesus!
One of the ways God reveals his glory in this world and to the spirit realm is by giving his people glory so that we can glorify him. In this sermon, we will conclude our series by exploring how Christmas is our hope of glory, both now and forever.
Read Luke 2:1-20, Psalm 8, Hebrews 2:5-18, John 12:20-43, and John 17:18-24 to prepare. Yes, they all tie together!
In the last sermon, we began this year’s Advent series by exploring what it means that eternal God became one of us in the person of Jesus Christ. Because of Christmas, we enjoy a shared-identity with our Creator and Savior. In Jesus Christ, we have become sons and daughters of the living God. What this means for our present lives and future glory is nothing short of bewildering.
Our shared identity with Jesus is only the beginning. As his followers, we also enjoy a shared-mission with him. Once we come to Jesus, we are called to go with Jesus. In this sermon, which was woven within our special Christmas Celebration services, we will consider our great privilege to partner with Jesus in being the light of the world.
In this sermon, and for the two sermon's following, we will step away from our study of 1 Peter to focus on Christmas.
I enjoy Silver Bells, Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire, and White Christmas as much as anyone, but to immerse ourselves in the true wonder of Christmas, we must immerse ourselves in the wonder that eternal God has, forever, become one of us. Without question, the Incarnation of God, in the person of Jesus Christ, is the most magnificent, peace-infusing miracle ever.
In this sermon, we will explore the true wonder of Christmas and what it means for our lives now and our glory forever.
We will also share Communion together, so please have the elements ready. Read John 1:1-18 to prepare.
What motivates you to live the Christian life? To avoid guilt or shame? A creature of habit? To honor tradition? To keep your wife or mother happy? (I know; that’s sexist, but I’m going with the odds, here.)
God understands that living as spiritual exiles in this world is a tough assignment. So, he makes a point of emphasizing what should motivate us to stay the course and follow Jesus. In fact, in the Bible, God never commands us with the “what” of obedience without, first, giving us the “why” of obedience, and in a single phrase, the why is his grace in the Gospel—both his past grace and future grace.
In this sermon, we will see the power of God’s past grace in wooing and winning our hearts to love him above all else. We will begin with one of the great love stories of all time—the troubled marriage of the prophet Hosea. Hosea’s story illustrates and serves as a touching backdrop to the words of gospel grace in 1 Peter 1:17-21. In addition to these verses, read Hosea 1:1-3:3 to prepare.
A few years ago, U.S. News and World Report published an article titled with an intriguing question: "Why are people religious?" Their conclusion? "People need superhuman instruments to cope with human tragedy such as cancer, earthquakes, auto accidents and terrorism." Sigmund Freud, the father of modern psychiatry, surmised that people invent religion, or God, out of a fear of nature.
This may be true for religion in general, but it’s absurd to say such a thing about the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. There is a quality about our God that no person in his or right mind, in an attempt to escape fear, would ever invent him. That one quality of God makes Freud’s theory and the conclusion of that magazine article crumble into dust.
This sermon, we will look at this all-important dimension of God’s glory and how it shapes every aspect of our lives as his children. Read 1 Peter 1:13-21. to prepare.
Hopelessness has a deadly effect on the human soul. Without some kind of future goal, we wither and die. This is what makes the Gospel of Christ the best news imaginable.
Our hope in Christ is not based on wishful thinking or naïve optimism. Gospel hope is anchored in the historical reality of Jesus’ physical resurrection from the dead. It is the confident assurance, expectation, and conviction of God’s ultimate triumph through his Son and our Savior.
This is what 1 Peter is all about—restoring hope to discouraged Christians. In our passage this sermon, Peter teaches us what is required to live each day in light of our hope—our eternal reward and deliverance from exile.
To prepare, please meditate on 1 Peter 1:13-21
This Fall, we are in 1 Peter. We are learning that the order of our salvation, from eternity past to eternity future, is the reason we can know joy beyond human expression in even the hardest of times. The Father’s sovereign plan and care for us supersedes anything we may encounter in life. When we suffer in this world, our heavenly Father uses it to refine our faith and prepare us for glory in the world to come. In following the pattern of our Master, the cross precedes the crown.
This message, we will see how our confidence in the order of our salvation, so critical to handling hardships with joy, is inseparably connected to our confidence in the written word of God. The Bible reveals the order of our salvation. If the Bible is not trustworthy, then neither is our salvation. Come and learn why we can have full confidence in the divine inspiration of Scripture, that it is not the clever invention of man, but God-breathed truth revealed in human language.
Please read 1 Peter 1:10-12 for this sermon
No one is exempt from hurts and hardships in life, The apostle Peter reminds us that this is especially true for God's people. Followers of Jesus can feel life's pain more deeply than others do, and there's good reason for this. Peter also reminds us that, although we may be sadder, we are, at the same time, happier. And there's, definitely, good reason for that!
This Sermon, we will learn that hard trials and deep joy are inextricably joined together in the Christian walk. We will also learn how, in even the most painful of times, how to experience a joy that surpasses human description.
Please read 1 Peter 1:1-9 as you prepare for this message
This sermon we begin our study of 1 Peter. We will focus on the opening two verses (Peter’s salutation) and some of the most soul-securing truths imaginable for Christ-followers who are hurting, disappointed, frightened, and even angry with the way things are at this time.
To augment our study, we will be viewing two outstanding videos from The Bible Project. The first provides an excellent review of what we’ve learned in the past two week about “life in exile” as God’s people. The second is an overview of 1 Peter in visual form. You won’t want to miss them!
Please read 1 Peter 1:1-2 for this message
Over the past 60 years, we have seen a radical shift in American culture. Now, more than ever, the Church needs to have the spiritual discernment of the men of Issachar, “who knew the times and understood what Israel should do.” (1 Chronicles 12:32)
This sermon, we will find that the challenges we face in our present cultural moment is not a new moment at all. It may feel new to us, but what we are facing God’s people have faced, and far worse, for millennia.The prophet Daniel, who was exiled to Babylon, provides an excellent example for how to remain faithful to God and at the same time remain redemptive in one’s impact on a society that is far from God. Daniel demonstrates how we can be like Jesus, people of both grace and truth, as he both blessed and resisted Babylonian culture.
Please join us in this second of two messages that prepare us for an extended study of 1 Peter, who opens his epistle addressing Christ-followers as exiles and resident aliens in this world.
We are the people of God living in the city of man. The Bible describes us as aliens and strangers exiled in a foreign land. The question is, what does it mean to be the people of God in our time and this place? What does it mean to follow Jesus faithfully in a world that is increasingly hostile to our faith?
These are questions addressed in the epistle of 1 Peter. To help prepare our hearts and minds for an extended study of this New Testament book, this message, we will explore the nature of our times and the special challenges and opportunities we face as the Church. This is a hopeful moment for us, but it’s also a refining moment. Join us, as we seek the mind of Christ to navigate through this defining moment in history.
Our speaker for this sermon is Ron Whisler, who, with his wife Jacqui, serve as Wycliffe Bible Translators in Indonesia. Ron will be sharing with us a great message about empowerment through discipleship. Here's a preview:
Jesus was very intentional in calling the twelve disciples. He called them into relationship, creating a community where the disciples could be a part of Jesus’ mobile ministry team. Within this group, Jesus frequently quoted scripture and prayed with many different people. Jesus was a master at training twelve ordinary men, preparing them to be sent out, to lead their own ministry team. They too would quote scripture, pray for those around them, and be a part of God’s redemptive plan to reach all nations with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Within Jesus’ group, there was a sense of accountability and also comradery – a culture for learning, growing and changing the world.
This message we'll be hearing from Pastor Paul and the College Ministry.
We will be picking our Questions of Jesus series up for one last sermon in honor of the college students, and focusing on the pivotal question asked of Saul, at a pivotal moment, in his pivotal life. Saul, known now by many as Paul, was asked by Jesus as to why he was 'persecuting him?' This question deserves our attention as it brings to the forefront the unique union between Christ and his people, the church.
Please read Acts 9:3-5 for this message
If God is all-knowing, all-powerful, all-present, and all-loving, then why do bad and evil things happen in his world? In our present crisis, many are likely wrestling with this question on several levels, and for good reason.
The good news is, the Bible does not dodge this thorny issue; it deals with it head on. Genesis, the first book of the Bible, lays the foundation for understanding the problem of evil. In fact, the story of Joseph, covering the entire last half of Genesis, brings the problem of evil to a climactic point of focus that zeniths in the final chapter. This message will not say all that needs to be said about the problem of evil, but it’s foundational to all that can be said.
Your heart will be both challenged and encouraged with what may be the most important insight about God and life we can know this side of heaven.
Read Genesis 50:20 for this message.
As followers of Christ, we need not lose heart. Regardless of where this crazy year fits into the larger scheme of history, we can prevail through these difficult times by keeping an eternal perspective in the present mess. This message from Genesis will help us develop this kind of faith that joyfully endures.
Read Genesis Chapters 46-50 this message.
The subject of this message is one we can all relate to—how to forgive those who have hurt us. Jacob’s 11th son, Joseph, provides an unforgettable model for us to follow, and the dramatic transformation of his brother, Judah, who was the most aggressive in betraying Joseph, reveals the depths and power of God’s grace for even the most severely broken.
The story of Joseph’s reconciliation with his brothers is both insightful and heart-warming. In a time inundated with bad news, this message is a welcome relief and encouragement.
This sermon, Pastor Ben returns to the pulpit after his summer study month and vacation. He will begin a four-week series from the book of Genesis that reveals how God worked faithfully and graciously in the lives of his people during a global pandemic. In this brief series, we will learn several important faith lessons and why we can know peace and comfort during these difficult and uncertain days of pandemic in our own time.
This message, we'll be hearing from Corey once more before he retires after several wonderful and blessed years with FBC. He'll be continuing his message about choosing to follow Jesus as well as sharing his personal story with us.
Make sure and read Eph. 3:14-21 for this message
For this message, we'll be hearing from Corey who will be sharing next week as well before he retires after several wonderful and blessed years with FBC. Here's a preview from Pastor Corey for this sermon:
In life, we all follow someone, something. And it doesn’t help that every day a multitude of voices beckon us to follow after them. Throughout His ministry, Jesus invited people, all kinds of people, to follow Him. And He is still inviting all people to follow Him today, regardless of our age, gender, ethnicity, past sin, present status in society, or any other identifying feature. Join us this Sunday as we explore His incredible invitation to each of us to follow Him.
This message, Josh Bidwell will be speaking about the Gospel, specifically asking and exploring if there are times when we lose focus of the Gospel and how important and crucial it truly is.
Read 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 for this message.
Last sermon we got to hear from Pastor Matt about the rich young man who was challenged by Jesus, asking him the question, "Why do you ask me about what is good?"
This sermon we'll be hearing from a special quest speaker, Dr. Agam Iheanyi-Igwe. Dr. Agam is the Associate Dean of Bible and World Christianity at Bushnell University, speaking about the question the disciples asked the Lord before he ascended into heaven: "Lord, is it time to restore our kingdom?"
Read Acts 1:1-9 for this message
Last sermon we had an awesome opportunity to be challenged by Pastor Danielle, from Matthew 26:6-13. Danielle talked about the value of "costly love" and asked a fantastic question... "Am I willing to love Jesus with what is most valuable to me?"
This sermon we get the chance to look at a question Jesus asked in response to a question that was asked of him. A young man asked... "What good deed must I do to have eternal life?" And Jesus responds with... "Why ask me about what is good?"
Jesus was seeking to define terms, create clarity, and help this guy realize what really matters most in the big scheme of life.
Check out Matthew 19:16-30 and let's discover together the answer to this man's question and find out what "good" is all about.
Last message, Dan talked to us about Jesus' heart question to Martha, "Do you believe this?"
This message, we are continuing our study of the heart searching questions of Jesus by looking at a moment from Martha's sister, Mary, and how she acted on her belief in Jesus.
In the midst of a dinner, Mary expressed her love and worship of Jesus with an act of devotion that was criticized by the disciples. Jesus asks them a heart searching question about their response.
Mary's example, the response of the disciples, and Jesus' words hold lessons and truths for all of us.
Read Matthew 26:6-13 to get ready for this sermon.
Last sermon we looked at Martha's question to Jesus, "Lord, don't you care?"
Jesus addressed worry as a symptom and rest that leads to worship.
This week we come to part two of the story with Jesus and Martha.
Jesus gets right at the heart with a single question "Do you believe this?"
We see Jesus as human and divine, filled with love and life-giving power.
We also see Jesus break down and weep. Pretty significant.
Read John 11:17-37 for this sermon.
This sermon, we’ll look at a question that Martha actually asked to Jesus:
Lord, don’t you care???
Martha’s question is one many of us have probably wondered at different points in life. God, do you care? Some of us may even be wondering this right now.
As applicable as Martha’s question is, Jesus’ response is absolutely stunning.
Jesus goes right to the heart and addresses the real issue — worry.
In this passage, we’ll see how Jesus disarms worry and teaches us how to live a life free from worry because of the confidence we have in him.
Read Luke 10:38-42
Last sermon, we finished our series on the book of Philippians. As we get into Summer, we’ll continue a series we began last summer on the heart searching questions of Jesus.
Jesus is a master teacher and communicator, and some of his most personal and convicting lessons came from the direct questions he asked.
We’re going to start this sermon with a question Jesus asked his disciples:
Who do you say I am?
As we’ll see this message, how you and I answer that question has a huge impact on the way we live.
Read Matthew 16:13-17 for this message
This sermon, our message from Philippians will be about Christ-centered friendship.
Especially now more than ever right now, friendships and relationships are something we can’t take for granted. In times of difficulty, friends can make all the difference.
We see that in Paul’s life throughout the many trials he experienced. We’ll see in Philippians that Paul's friendships were a huge part of his ability to thrive in trials and were core to his effectiveness in ministry.
Read Philippians 4:10-23 for this message
This message we’ll continue in our study of Philippians. The big idea of this whole book is Paul encouraging us to stand firm, even when things around us are uncertain. What a perfect book for us to be studying in 2020!
We’re starting into Chapter 4 of Philippians this sermon, in which we learn that as Christians we have everything we need to stand firm in an uncertain world because of knowing Christ and being found in Him.
Read Philippians 4:1-9 for this sermon
This sermon in Philippians is all about perseverance.
It’s amazing how the Bible is so timeless and relevant to life today, in ways we couldn’t have even pictured when we planned this series on Philippians.
As we finish chapter 3 of Philippians, Paul reminds us to follow his example. He reminds us that we are citizens of heaven, and we have a place with God beyond this life. It’s living with this perspective that allows us to persevere with our eyes fixed on God….no matter what comes our way.
Read Philippians 3:15-4:1 to be ready for this message.
We’re continuing our study in Philippians that has been full of timeless principles and insights for our situation today.
This message, we’ll look at how Paul encourages his readers to press on and continue to live for God.
He encourages us to keep our eyes focused on our calling and our citizenship in heaven.
Read Philippians 3:10-16 for this message.
This message, we’ll be continuing in our study of Philippians.
As we start Chapter 3, it’s all about how our confidence must be anchored in Jesus. Paul describes all the privileges and advantages he had in life, and how even if you take those all away, he can still rejoice in Jesus.
It’s certainly a timely passage for right now, as we are learning to live without so many things we're used to. And when only the essential things remain, it allows us to see where we truly place our hope and our confidence.
We’ve also seen many people place their trust in Jesus in these last few weeks, and when all that is normal is pulled away, we can so clearly see the importance of where we put our confidence and our trust.
Read Philippians 3:1-9 for this message.
This message, we’ll explore a passage about how God’s work in our lives is not finished yet. We are chosen, made in his image, and the work he is doing in your life he will not stop until it is completed.
We’ll learn more about our confident hope we can have in God during these unprecedented times.
Read Philippians 1:6 for this sermon.
This message, as we continue in Philippians we’ll be looking at how to lead with Christ-centered leadership.
When we talk about leadership, too often people don’t see themselves as leaders, but the reality is that we are all responsible to lead ourselves. You might be responsible for leadership at work, and leadership also matters at home and in your social circles.
In this message, we’ll see several examples of leaders who honored God well. We’ll see several leadership lessons that apply, no matter where you lead. We’ll also see the tremendous impact that one person can have when they choose to lead in a way that honors God.
Read Philippians 2:19-30 for this sermon.
This message we'll be continuing in our series on Philippians.
We'll be continuing on chapter 2, and specifically learning about the importance of our obedience to Christ.
We'll see how as Christians, our obedience to God is an integral part of developing our faith. We'll also see several insights from this passage that are very practical for this season of life today.
Read Philippians 2:12-18 for this message.
This sermon, we're back in our series from Philippians. Pastor Ben will be teaching about living for Jesus with a humility that puts God and others first.
Read Philippians 2:1-11 for this Sunday.
Pastor Ben will be sharing a Gospel message and will invite people to trust Christ, right in their own living rooms for Easter.
It’s a time that we need hope and encouragement more than ever, and we are praying that God will do a work through his church during this Easter weekend.
This message, we’re going to continue in our series on the book of Philippians.
It’s times like these, when we are especially reminded of the importance of community. Even when we can’t be together, Zoom calls, FaceTime, a text, or even a phone call means so much. And this is especially true for the local church.
Without unity we not only lack the necessary courage to endure the crisis with joy and hope, but we badly compromise our mission to the world. For God's people, unity in Christ is everything.
This sermon we will explore the importance of building a strong sense of unity in our church family, even in these days ahead and how this is vital to our relationship with Jesus.
Read Philippians 1:27-30 for this message.
This sermon, we are taking a break from our study Philippians and Pastor Ben will directly speak to what the Bible teaches about evil and suffering and how that applies to this present global pandemic.
The problem of evil is a massive subject that cannot be completely covered in a single message, but we can at least get a basic grasp of the issues and find comfort and courage in these uncertain times.
We will learn why, in times of crisis, our faith can be strengthened and refined, not diminished or destroyed.
This sermon, we'll continue our series through the book of Philippians.
In some ways, Paul’s situation in Rome, while writing his letter to the church in Philippi, parallels what is happening to us in this pandemic. He’s confined to his residence under the threat of death, with no freedom to be out and about. He’s under house arrest in iron chains with a trained killer on the other end—an elite Roman guard.
Paul’s chains are a kind of metaphor for our own pandemic "chains" with a killer on the other end—COVID-19.
Last message, we learned why Paul rejoiced in his troubles. The core passion of his life was happening--the gospel was advancing through his faith story and through fellow believers who were emboldened by his example to share Christ more openly with their neighbors.
This sermon, Paul looks to the uncertain future and we'll see why he is confident to continue to rejoicing even in his chains. Paul's example provides real and relevant wisdom for us as we navigate through this pandemic.
Last week we started a new series on the book of Philippians.
Paul was writing to his dear friends in the city of Philippi while he was under arrest in Rome.
In his letter, Paul describes how every setback and challenge in his life was an opportunity to live for Christ. Paul’s words were more than just mere theory, he wrote this letter while chained to Roman guards.
This message, as we study Philippians, we’ll learn about how to keep a Christ-centered perspective in everyday life.
Read Philippians 1:12-26 for this message.
This message, we will start a new series on the New Testament book of Philippians. In this brief, but powerful letter, the apostle Paul teaches his close friends how to live anxiety-free, joy-filled lives, even in the middle of life’s most difficult times.
Read Philippians 1:1-11 for this message.
This message we're on the final beatitude from our sermon series, where Jesus makes a surprising statement. He says blessed are those who face persecution and opposition for their faith!
We wouldn’t normally think persecution as a blessing, but when Jesus said those words to his followers, that was their reality. Even today, there are places in the world where persecution for following Jesus is the norm.
Although we live in a time and place where opposition for faith in Christ rarely if ever, comes to the level of physical persecution, there are more subtle ways we can suffer for our faith in America today.
As we unpack this beatitude, we’ll learn about why Jesus said persecution truly can be seen as a blessing, and we’ll also get to see how our church can be a blessing to people in areas of the world who risk immensely and suffer personally for their decision to follow Jesus.
You can read all eight beatitudes here in Matthew 5:1-12
This message, we’re on beatitude number seven: “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
In a world of a conflict and division, learning to live as peacemakers is so unique and valuable. Jesus even said those who are peacemakers will be called “sons of God.”
As we'll see this sermon, becoming a peacemaker not only requires courage but also teaches us something about the heart of God.
Throughout this series, we’ve learned about what it means to be poor in spirit, to mourn, and see ourselves humbly before God. To live as a peacemakers requires all the skills of the beatitudes put into practice.
In these last two weeks on the beatitudes, we’ll look at how to be peacemakers and then the following message we’ll close our series with learning how to live in the face of persecution.
Read all eight Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12
This sermon, we’ll focus on what it means to be pure in heart before God.
Being pure in heart means that we are honest with ourselves about who we really are before God. Often Christians feel a need to project an image that everything is polished and put together, even when that is far from reality.
This message, we’ll learn about how to live honestly, so that the way we see ourselves, and how we present ourselves to others is in line with the reality of how God sees us.
In these last few weeks of our beatitudes series, we’ll see how each of the beatitudes come together to build upon one another.
In order to see ourselves accurately before God, we need humility and meekness. As we pursue righteousness, we also recognize the mercy that we have already received. This message, we’ll learn how to live as people with pure hearts before God.
You can read all eight beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12
We’re on the week 5 of our 8 week series on the Beatitudes, and this message is all about mercy.
Jesus says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
We have received such incredible mercy from God, and that should affect how we respond to others. Because of God’s mercy toward us, we can be people of mercy to those around us, pointing them back to our merciful God.
Read Matthew 5:1-12 to read all eight Beatitudes.
For this sermon we are on the fourth beatitude, "blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness."
We'll learn about what it looks like to pursue a life of righteousness that pleases God.
When we place our trust in Jesus, God credits us with Christ's righteousness. Because of Jesus, we stand fully righteous before God.
God also put his righteousness in us. He gave us a new heart, fashioned after his own righteous heart. If that wasn't enough, we also have God's Holy Spirit in us to enlighten and empower us to become more righteous like Jesus.
This message, we’ll explore what it means to hunger and thirst for righteousness, not only personally, but publicly as well.
Read the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12
As we continue studying the Beatitudes, this sermon is on the statement, “Blessed are the meek.”
Jesus said that the meek inherit the earth, which sounds great, but what exactly does that mean? And what does it look like to be meek?
Meekness probably doesn’t rank very highly on the list of the top habits of highly successful people. It’s counter-intuitive like most of the beatitudes, but there’s something powerful we find in the way of meekness that Jesus lived and taught.
Learn what it really means to be meek, according to the Bible, as we continue to grow in living like Jesus this year.
If you want to read the Beatitudes for this sermon, you can find them in Matthew 5:1-12.
When we think church, we probably picture worship music, inspiring Bible teaching, and being with other Christians. For most of us, mourning wouldn't be on the top of our list.
Aside from funerals, we don’t typically experience mourning in church. In fact, just the opposite. Celebration is at the core of our biggest days of the year. At Christmas, we celebrate Jesus’ birth, and at Easter, we celebrate his victory over death.
So when Jesus says, “blessed are those who mourn,” we don’t always know how to take that. We experience all sorts of loss and grief in life, but what Jesus is talking about here goes beyond natural grief.
Learning how to mourn and lament probably isn’t a topic that most of us would be excited to learn about, but Jesus includes it in his sermon about kingdom values for a reason. As we’ll explore in this message, there’s something about mourning that is unavoidable in a life that is honest and humble before God.
You can read the Beatitudes Matthew 5:1-12, and this message, we’ll focus on verse 4.
Last message, we started a new teaching series on the Beatitudes.
Pastor Ben taught an overview of the Beatitudes, which from the introduction to one of Jesus’s most famous teachings, the Sermon on the Mount.
In the Beatitudes, we find a series eight statements describing the values of living in God’s Kingdom. Over the next few weeks, we’ll unpack each statement, one week at a time.
These eight statements from Jesus are surprisingly simple but often convicting as we pursue God’s values and allow them to impact our hearts in this study.
The Beatitudes are found in Matthew 5:1-12, and this message we will study “Blessed are the poor in spirit...”
We’re starting this new year with a 9 week series from Jesus’ teaching on the Beatitudes.
The Beatitudes is a section from one of Jesus’ most famous sermons, where Jesus talks about the values of kingdom living. This message, we’ll do an overview, and then for the next few weeks, we’ll do a deep dive on each of the beatitudes.
This series will be a great way to start the new year and center ourselves on living like Jesus.
Take a look at Matthew 5:1-12 for this Sunday.
In this sermon, we’ll consider how God makes all things new. Whether 2019 was a great year for you or a year of challenge and difficulty, we’ll explore how God uses all things for our good. We’ll look at the conversation that Jesus had with a man named Nicodemus, who got to hear firsthand from Jesus how God makes all things new.
Take a look at John 3 for this message.
This sermon at First B, Pastor Ben continues our series of advent messages around different themes of the Christmas season. Take a look at Romans 5:3-5 and John 13-17 for this message.
This message is our choir, orchestra, and kids choir Christmas celebration!
Pastor Ben shares a short message on joy, as we continue in our advent teaching series throughout the season of Christmas.
For the next few weeks, we’re going to do an advent sermon series through the Christmas season about faith, hope, and love. We’ll start with this sermon, with a message all about our immovable hope that is found in Jesus.
This message is our final message in the Real Royals series. We’ll look at how God created us to proclaim him to others.
As Christians, each one of us is a priest in God’s kingdom, and part of our role as priests is to share with others the truth God has taught us about himself as revealed in the Scriptures and supremely in the person of Christ.
For many of us, thinking about sharing God's word with others, whether to another believer or an unbeliever, can be fearful and intimidating. This is especially the case with those closest to us, and even more so with family. That’s why, this message, we will unpack what it means for us to grow in our ability to speak God's truth in love.
As we go into the season of Christmas, and celebration, and family, it’s a perfect time to ask ourselves how God would use us to be priests to one another and to those who do not yet know him.
Read 1 Peter 2:9 & Romans 15:14-16 for this message.
For the past few weeks, we've been talking about our destiny and privilege as God's people. We've been looking at our role as royalty and priests, and how that affects everything in life. Including our money. 💰
A lot of people are uncomfortable talking about money in church, and that makes sense, but we have to remember that Jesus talked about money more than faith and prayer combined, and then times two!
The way we use our money shows what we value and where we place our priorities, and as God's people in training to be more like Jesus, the Gospel affects everything, including how we think about money.
This message won't be a comfortable sermon! We'll explore how God's people are to think about and handle their money! We'll take an honest look at that area of our lives that is so private and yet so revealing to what we truly value the most.
Read Hebrews 13:16 and Philippians 4:18 for this message.
For the past few weeks, we've been looking at our role in God's kingdom as prophets, priests, and royalty.
This message, we'll look in-depth at our role as priests. As priests, we are created to bless God as well as bless those around us. This message, we'll look at the role and responsibility we have to encourage one another, comfort, and care, and sometimes, even confront one another.
The amazing thing about God's kingdom is that all Christians are called to be priests, not just the pastors or ministry leaders.
As priests, we each have the ability to care for those around us, and also receive care when we need it (which sometimes is even harder to do!)
Join us the message as we unpack the role each of us has as priests in God's kingdom and see the influence and care God designed us to have for each other.
In our teaching series called the Real Royals, we’ve been looking at our status and privilege as part of God’s kingdom.
Last message, we looked at the power of our prayers, and this message we’ll learn about how God created us to serve.
God has created us to do good, and he has things planned for us to do. The Bible describes that we are his craftsmanship, and we are gifted and equipped for the service he has prepared for us.
Sometimes we forget that God has wired us uniquely to be able to participate in his kingdom work. Some roles are more obvious or look more spiritual, like a pastor on a stage or even a musician singing, but in reality each of us has a part to play in the work of God’s rule and reign being established on earth.
Read Hebrews 13:16 & Matthew 5:14-16
What does fervent prayer look like?
How does prayer work?
This message we're doing a deep dive on prayer and the privilege we have as Christians.
The past few weeks we've been in a teaching series called the Real Royals, where we've been looking at our status as prophets, priests, and royalty in God's kingdom.
This message, as we explore the subject of prayer as taught by Jesus, you will learn the incredible way God allows and invites us to engage with him in prayer.
Read Matthew 6:9-10 and Revelation 5:8 & 8:3-4 for this message.
This message, we’re going to learn how Christians are priests in God’s kingdom.
As we continue our series called the Real Royals, we've covered our status as royalty, and now we will move to our role as priests.
We’ll look at a moment from the Old Testament where Isaiah has a face to face encounter with God. We’ll also explore the book of Revelation, where we see a glimpse into the future of what worship in heaven looks like.
In worship, we get a right perspective of who God is. And when we see God more clearly, then we can see ourselves as God sees us.
Read Isaiah 6:1-8 for this message.
Last week we started a new series called The Real Royals. We learned about our source, purpose and destiny as God's image bearers assigned to represent God on earth as his royal priests and prophets.
This message we'll see how God created us to reign as royalty over his creation and how this original plan was radically altered in the aftermath of humanity's Fall in sin and the emergence of evil into God's good creation.
We will see how suffering is necessary in defeating and ultimately destroying evil on earth. God made this clear from the very beginning and it was revealed fully in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who suffered and died unjustly to provide salvation for the world.
As God's royal people, serving under King Jesus, we are called to join him in suffering to overcome evil with good, not only in the world, but in ourselves!
Listen to learn how God is preparing us, even through suffering, to reign with Christ over the new heavens and earth forever.
Read Romans 8:16-25, Revelation 20:4-6, & 22:1-5
In the hours before the cross, when Jesus could have been uptight, self-absorbed, and stressed out, he was still focused on loving and serving those around him.
So often, when we are under stress and pressure, it is difficult to keep living like Jesus. Sometimes we can even become quite the opposite!
How do we stay focused on God when life becomes challenging, even overwhelming?
We're starting a new series all about learning to see the big picture.
We’re going to look at our source, purpose, and destiny with God. When we can see these things clearly, we can see the big picture that allows us to live like Jesus in the everyday stuff of life.
Read 1 Peter 2:9 for this message.
This sermon, Pastor Ben will share more about how leadership in the New Testament church functioned and the importance of doing God's kingdom work through team work.
Throughout recent church history, the idea of relying on an omni-competent, senior leader operating like a CEO, has been a traditional element of church leadership.
As Pastor Ben will share this message, although the Scriptures allow for great flexibility in the way the leadership of a local church is organized, no such CEO type role is found. The way we do church cannot be designed to operate around a single individual, but rather we are most effective when the spiritual leaders of a local church are recognized as and function as a team.
Read 1 Peter 5:1-2, Titus 1:5-9, and Hebrews 13:17 for this message.
This message, Pastor Ben will make two very important announcements, one regarding some exciting developments in the plan for a new lodge at Camp Harlow, and a second regarding a major change in the leadership structure of our pastoral staff proposed by the Board of Elders.
In addition to these announcements, we will also look to the future and some of the ways we hope to develop all of the open property God has entrusted to us, so we can maximize our mission to serve as salt and light to our community. We believe God is leading us to continue in new ways of ministry to bless our community to draw people to himself, and we believe that what we can see today is just the beginning.
Pastor Ben will share some of these plans this message, as we start a new ministry year and continue to seek to be on mission together and be the most effective church we can be to reach more people for God's kingdom.
We’ve got one last sermon from our series on the heart-searching questions of Jesus.
In this passage, Jesus confronts the religious leaders for honoring tradition above obedience to God.
Throughout church history, there have been times and people who have called out the church when tradition usurps its proper role. Tradition can be wonderfully helpful and guiding, but it can also quickly turn to legalism.
As a church, we have an incredible history and legacy, and we must be relentless that our message is absolutely unchanging, while methods and strategy must change and improve.
Sometimes even the success of the past can become tradition that limits in the future. As we’ll see this Sunday, we must remain diligent to continually seek God to be the most effective for God’s mission here in this time and place.
Read Matthew 15:1-20 for this sermon.
In this message, we are doing our annual Community Prayer Sunday, where we hear from leaders in different sectors of our community.
Our goal is to understand how we can pray specifically for different parts of our community.
We'll have several guests sharing in this message about the needs for prayer they have in their area of leadership and influence. Our goal is to be an effective church on mission in Eugene, Springfield and beyond. Jesus said that apart from him, we can do nothing, so we believe it all starts with prayer.
Join us in this message to learn how you can be praying for different areas of our community.
This message, we’re looking at a question of Jesus which, at face value, makes no sense at all.
Jesus approaches a sick man and asks him, “Do you want to be healed?"
Why would Jesus ask this? This man was obviously struggling and in need of help. But Jesus asks him if he wants to be healed.
As we unpack this question this message, we’ll see that there’s more to it than you might think.
In a simple question, Jesus removes all barriers, motivations, and excuses, when he simply asks: "do you want to be made well?"
We’ll see how this physical example demonstrates a spiritual truth that Jesus brings healing and wholeness. And the question for us is: do we really want Jesus to heal all of us and to go there?
Read John 5:1-18 for this sermon.
In this message, we're looking at a passage where God challenges his people to go back to where they first began their relationship with Him.
We'll look at the life of Abraham to see how to respond to God's call, to re-center our lives on him as we begin this new school year.
We'll also look at how to respond to God's call by personally spending time with God, through His Word. Time with God in his Word is the fuel Christians need to grow, but for many the spiritual fuel gauge is on empty.
There are all sorts of reasons why people don’t read the Bible. The Bible can be intimidating, confusing, and overwhelming. Or maybe the intention and desire are there, but time keeps slipping away.
In this message, we'll learn about re-centering our lives on God's call and look at how to study God’s Word for yourself to be empowered to grow in your walk with God.
This message continues our series on the questions of Jesus.
People were not afraid to ask Jesus a lot of different questions throughout the Gospels. And Jesus was not shy about asking questions right back.
In this message we'll look at a familiar story in the Bible that is sparked when a lawyer asks Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?"
Jesus' surprising response to this expert in Old Testament law is nothing short of mind-stretching, heart-penetrating, life-changing truth. In fact, this seemingly simple, childlike story about a Good Samaritan changes the way we see, respond, and love the neighbors in everyday life.
This message is the second and final part of Vision Sunday. Pastor Ben shares about this upcoming year as well as what might be on the horizon in the more distant future.
We believe our best days as a church are ahead of us! Jesus said that he would build his church, and power of death could not stop it.
We absolutely believe what Jesus said, and we continue to seek, pray, and plan to make the biggest possible impact for God's glory.
It is crucial for us to diligently seek God and ask his direction for our church, so we don’t become comfortable and miss what he is doing.
We want to be a church that closely follows God’s lead and is always pursuing the next wave of uncharted ministry on the horizon.
We believe that God has great plans for his people, that he is building his church, and that all of us have a part to make a difference for his kingdom.
In this message, Pastor Ben shares some exciting and encouraging news about the state of our church as well as some of what we are planning for this coming year.
In Part Two, we will look forward in greater detail, to the near and distant future of what God has for us as we think strategically about how to reach as many people as possible for Jesus.
Did you know that Jesus talked about worry and anxiety?
So many people, including Christians, battle with fear and anxiety. We're especially seeing young people affected by anxiety, which can accompanied by loneliness, isolation, as well as depression.
I think you'd be hard pressed to find a more relevant topic for today than anxiety.
In this message we'll look at what Jesus said about worry and anxiety, and learn how to live as God's people in the midst of the fears we face today.
In this message, we'll look at a question Jesus posed in one of his most famous sermons, known as the Sermon on the Mount.
It's a question that addresses those times in life when we as Christians drift from our purpose and lose touch with God's values.
As we explore this question we will be able to re-center our priorities and ask God to shape our values to become more like his.
Last week in our Heart Check series, Pastor Sandy Park taught on the question, Who do you say that I am?
Just a few verses later, Jesus asked another revealing question: What good will it do to gain the whole world and lose your own soul?
It's a question that goes against the grain of all our instincts and natural reactions. It is so much easier to see the things we are chasing and forget about the condition of our soul.
In this message we'll take an honest look at the condition of our soul before God, and understand the incredible gain we can experience by choosing to give our life completely to following God.
This question is so big, that Jesus first started with a warm-up question. He asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”
After all, Jesus had quite a reputation in Israel, and the disciples gave all sorts of answers.
Then Jesus followed that question with THE Question: Who do YOU say that I am?
For the disciples and for us today, that question, who do we say that Jesus is absolutely defines everything.
After denying him multiple times, Peter is face to face with Jesus who asks him this question: "Peter, do you love me?"
I can’t imagine how Peter must have felt in that moment. He had completely failed and let Jesus down.
And here Jesus is asking, "Do you love me?"
This question must have been a significant moment for Peter, and it’s applicable to each of us today. Do we truly love Jesus?
Jesus asked the crowds who were listening to him “Why do you call me Lord, but don’t do what I say?” It’s a question that isn’t just for those who were listening, but is also relevant for us today. Why do we hear the words of Jesus but choose not to obey?
When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he told his disciples that Jesus was even greater and some of them went to follow Jesus. In response, Jesus asks a surprising question that reveals their inner motives. It’s a question that is still relevant today and causes us to consider how we would respond to Jesus.
As God's people we can have absolute certainty. Our hope in God is not a wish or a maybe; our hope is anchored in nothing less than God’s integrity.
In this message we’ll look at a song David wrote that reveals great insights about the incredible hope we have in God.
This Sunday we'll see a sort of highlight reel that reveals the backstory of some of the warriors who had been with David and supported him on his journey.
These men were an elite task force who accomplished incredible victories for David and the kingdom.
As we learn about these men, we’ll see some interesting parallels and insights about the true heroes of God’s kingdom.
We’ll also learn how God, who is all-powerful, chooses to allow us to participate with him in his work and be a part of his kingdom work here on earth.
We believe God loves us and has good intentions for us, so why does he allow evil?
This Sunday, we’ll unpack this exact question about God as we see a specific example from the life of David. We’ll see the timeless truth of Scripture as we learn from David's story in ways that impact how we live today.
The conclusion of 2 Samuel is just as messy and complex as the rest of David’s journey has been. In fact, these raise some of the most messy and complex questions in the entire Bible.
Yet, it's in the trauma of David experience that God revealed some of the most profound insights about what Jesus would do a thousand years later for us all. It's really quite amazing.
As the story continues to unfold, we’ll see that David's life, family, and kingdom will never be the same again. The ideal picture presented in 2 Samuel 8:15 is forever ruined. However, David's example in the aftermath of so much permanent loss, is an encouraging reminder of how sin's consequences need not define the rest of our lives.
This Sunday we’ll have a special message for Mother’s Day honoring women in our church family.
We’ll recognize the incredible impact of mothers as well as the spiritual impact and legacy of women who mentor and disciple others to affect people’s lives beyond even their own family.
Together we'll learn how key attributes of Jesus' character, faithfulness and whole-hearted surrender to God, are lived out powerfully in the example of women.
In this Sunday’s episode of 2 Samuel, David continues his emergency exit from Jerusalem and encounters three enemies trying to harm him.
Worst of all, one of these three was a close friend and adviser who turned against him.
We’ll see how David handles this ongoing crisis, and how you and I can respond well as Christians in the face of opposition.
This Sunday, we’re back in 2 Samuel, and the story of David’s family continues to unfold.
David’s son Absalom undermines his father and attempts a coup, forcing David on the run for his life.
As we’ll learn this Sunday, God is gracious and forgiving, but that doesn’t automatically erase the consequences for our sin.
David had created and caused many of the problems he now faces, but rather than run from God, he shows us how to remain confident in God, even in the midst of sin's consequences.
This Sunday, the chaos in David’s family continues as another son, Absalom undermines David’s authority and launches a coup to take over the throne.
Where is God in all of this mess? In this family? Especially in the family of a prominent spiritual leader and figure in the Bible?
After David’s moral failure with Bathsheba, a wave of chaos and wicked behavior continues in his family.
The Bible is open and honest about these devastating failures and records a gut-wrenching account of rape committed within David’s family.
So many people are affected by the evils of sexual violence, and as we process this passage on Sunday, we’ll look at how to face some of life’s most difficult challenges that cause us to grieve, act, and learn more how to demonstrate compassion and receive the restoration that only God can bring.
This Sunday, as the story continues, we’ll see how the effects of David’s sin continue to play out. David confesses his sin and receives God’s forgiveness, but there was still permanent damage and chaos from his decisions.
Temptation affects each of us, and when we sin, shame and guilt can haunt us, telling us we that are unworthy and that God no longer loves us.
In this Sunday's sermon, we'll learn how God can take our greatest failures and turn them into the greatest good, if we return to him and allow him to restore us in our relationship with Him.
In the last sermon, we saw David’s colossal failure with Bathsheba. He abused his power, broke commandments, and took advantage of her.
In this sermon, David is confronted by his sin, and we’ll see how he responds.
We’ll study Psalm 51, where David actually records for us his process of coming to terms with what he did and we see his prayer of confession to God.
When we sin, so often our response is to avoid God and distance ourselves from him.
In this sermon, we’ll learn about how to return and respond to God even after our worst sins and greatest failures. We’ll learn how to confess, repent and draw near to be restored to God again.
As we've seen in 1 & 2 Samuel, David has been on an escalator rise to power, from shepherd boy to national hero to now finally, to king of Israel.
Now, at the top of his game, his troops are out to war while David stays behind. Maybe he felt he deserved a break, maybe he was getting lazy, or maybe he was exhausted from years on the run. You can imagine the intensity of what he had been through–perhaps even PTSD from years of combat–and his adrenaline glands were probably shot from so many close calls of life and death moments.
As he looks out over his kingdom, David sees an attractive woman bathing and decides to take her. David abuses his authority and begins a series of despicable sinful acts that create chaos for him, his family, and eventually the kingdom.
We all face temptations of many kinds–and when we’re worn out, low, depressed, exhausted, or simply unwise and unguarded, we’re capable of things we never imagined possible.
The temptation that David faced is alive and well in our own times today, and this Sunday we’ll look at how to respond to temptation and how to win with God’s help.
In the latest episode from 2 Samuel, King David's reign is becoming more established, but all is not well in the kingdom.
One of the life principles we learned on Sunday is that major moral failures often follow a series of smaller compromises, and King David is no exception.
Even during a time of blessing and security, God's people failed to uphold justice and righteousness, and it led to their eventual demise.
This episode of 2 Samuel is all about how David’s kingdom reflects the kingdom of God.
We see David continue to have victory at every turn and see God’s promises come to pass as David’s enemies are defeated with God’s help
This chapter reminds us that God’s enemies must be defeated for God’s kingdom promises to be fulfilled and established. Our God is more than able to accomplish what he said and save his people from every enemy that threatens them.
In the busyness of life, it can be so easy to forget God and his goodness.
We have so many reasons to trust him and his promises, but how often do we actually stop to remember his goodness?
That’s exactly what David did in this week’s passage from 2 Samuel. After coming to power as the king of Israel, David takes time to stop, sit back and reflect on how great God is and how much God had done for him.
As a Christian, you have the incredible benefit of experiencing God’s peace and presence, just like David did. This Sunday, we’ll learn about slowing down to intentionally pause so we can experience God’s peace and presence in our everyday lives.
Can you imagine what it would be like for God to speak directly to you? And even more than that, for God to make specific promises about your future?
That’s exactly what happens to David in this episode of 2 Samuel. God gives David assurance and confidence by promising his love and ongoing care for his future.
The amazing thing is that these promises made to David actually benefit you and me today! Because of Jesus, we inherit God's promises as well.
God assured David that no sin can destroy, death cannot break, and time will never exhaust the promises of God.
Listen to hear how we can have absolute confidence in our God like David because of God’s promises.
This Sunday in 2 Samuel, we looked at two episodes of God’s power breaking through. We also heard a testimony from someone who will share how God’s power broke through in their own life.
In the first scene from 2 Samuel, God breaks through against David’s enemies, and in the second scene God breaks through with disciplines on his people, building on the themes from last week's message.
This Sunday’s passage also includes David’s exuberant worship of God where he dances like no one is watching!
Now I know what you’re thinking, you probably don’t expect to see worship like that on a typical Sunday morning, but as we look at this passage in detail, you'll learn about worship in ways you might find surprising.
Betrayal, backstabbing, and deception are all part of this Sunday's episode from 2 Samuel.
We'll look at three back-to-back stories, that together, form a grander narrative about God and his kingdom.
As we read these plots and betrayals against David, you'll begin to see how they also reveal truths about a greater king with a greater kingdom, unstoppable by any human scheme.
Last week we started a new teaching series on 2 Samuel. The book begins by building on the closing of 1 Samuel and the death of King Saul.
The Bible records David’s grief in this raw moment, and has timeless wisdom for us to learn about how to deal with grieving, loss, and pain.
Grief and loss are an unavoidable and all-too-common part of life on earth and in this message we’ll look at David's experience and how he walked with God in these challenging times.
In this first episode from 2 Samuel we'll unpack how God is completely aware of our thoughts, motives, and intentions. Nothing is secret from him. When we begin to actively recognize God's complete rule and reign, even over the hidden parts of our lives, it causes us to live with an awareness of him in light of his authority.
This Sunday, we completed our series on the book of James.
In this last message from the book of James, we looked at the power of community for growing in our faith and we'll examine the four necessary ingredients of biblical community.
We also learned about the power of prayer, and how radical confession and accountability in community can help us live in freedom.
We continued in James this Sunday, and we explored a topic that quickly reveals our focus, priorities, and values...money.
Money can be a sensitive topic, and James pulls no punches as he describes the consequences of misusing and mishandling wealth as well as how to honor God with money.
The start of the new year is a perfect time to look at how we deal with money, and James has timeless wisdom that will help you handle your finances in a way that honors God in 2019.
This Sunday, we continued in the book of James, and this passage is all about how to live with patience in the middle of suffering.
James writes to a people where the idea of suffering wasn't just theological or theoretical, it was their life. As we'll learn in this message, James teaches about how to live in the face of suffering with a confidence and centeredness that only comes from knowing God.
This Sunday, we learned about joy as Christians, and not just the mercy God gives us, but the grace of salvation.
This Sunday, we continued in the book of James and looked at three ways we can start to play God... sometimes without even realizing it.
In just two short verses, James uses the word "judge" six times as he confronts the way we typically judge others. James pulls off the mask of superiority and religiosity and goes right to the heart in a convicting and compelling way.
We’ll also look at the intersection between pride and planning. We’ll learn how to plan in life in a way that honors God and lives with humility before him.
In this Sermon, the challenge continues, as James confronts our pride and describes that our passions are battling within us.
We'll learn about three deadly enemies that are warring against Christians, and how to oppose them with God's grace.
In this message we will learn about how to grow in our faith and become spiritually mature.
Earlier in our study in James, we learned about asking for God’s wisdom, in this sermon, we'll learn more about how God’s wisdom causes us to be rooted in Christ.
We’ll look at the role that Biblical wisdom plays in our spiritual development and how to put God’s wisdom into action in everyday life situations.
We've probably all experienced the power that words can carry to affect us, either for better or for worse.
While it may sound tough when it's yelled across the playground, the sing-song rhyme of sticks and stones doesn't hold up to the reality of life.
Words do affect us. And this Sunday, our study of James confronted us with reality checks about the power of our words.
Destructive words were a problem in Jame's day, and as we look at our world today not much has changed.
As we'll see in this message, the Bible has timeless truths that speak honestly and directly in ways that impact our own lives today.
This Sunday, we explored the theology of faith and works.
James responds to the hypothetical example of someone who claims to know Jesus, doesn't live out their beliefs. He unpacks the disconnect that can so often happen between our faith and our actions.
We unpacked this Sunday, how the Gospel impacts the way we live, and how we can actively live out our faith as we grow to be more like Jesus.
We don’t always live out the mercy that we’d like to receive.
We’re now in chapter 2 of James, and our idea of Christian living continues to be challenged as we unpack how mercy triumphs over judgment.
Last Sunday we saw how our sin leads to death and this week we saw how God’s word leads to life.
The book of James continues to confront and challenge us, and there’s this great line in Sunday’s passage which says that our anger doesn’t lead to the kind of right living that God desires.
Instead, we saw how God’s word has the power to bring life. We looked at how this applies to everyday life and how to live as both hearers and doers of God's word.
A few weeks ago, we started a new sermon series on the book of James. We'll be in this series through Christmas, and so far we've learned about how facing suffering and trial in a way that grows our faith.
This Sunday's passage builds on that theme and focuses on how to deal (and how not to deal!) with temptation.
It's a challenging passage that confronts us with the reality of who we are and shows us the grace that God gives to people in the struggle.
We explored how to face temptation well this Sunday, with an even better view of our of our consistent and unchanging God.
This Sunday, we continued in James Chapter 1, which goes right into a very personal subject…money.
In the early church there was a mix of rich and poor, and James addresses them both.
To the rich, he explains that wealth does not bring the impenetrable security we tend to believe. Our trials become necessary to reveal this and keep our eyes fixed on God.
To the poor, James explains that our significance, our strength comes not from status or bank account, but from our place of eternal security in God’s kingdom.
Whether rich or poor, we are in desperate need of God. That’s why James goes right to a key source we tend to lean on for identity–our finances–to show us that God is the one who brings the ultimate strength and significance to life.
The book of James is all about how to walk with God in turbulent times. As you'll discover, it's timeless and applicable for life today as Christians.
You'll get to hear the backstory this Sunday of the book of James, and we're going to get right after it and teach through the first eight verses.
This new series will run all the way until Christmas.
Now that we've completed our Foundations series, this Sunday we looked at how these essential truths transform the way we live.
Sometimes we can read the Bible and simply move on with our day, or come to church and hear a sermon, and then leave unchanged. This Sunday, we unpacked how we can put into practice the things we've learned about the foundations of Christian faith.
We want to be people who are transformed by God's word as we become more and more like his Jesus.
Your prayers matter.
The book of James says that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Prayer is one of the primary weapons a Christian has to see heaven break through. God invites us to approach him and ask to move his hand.
That’s why this Sunday we invited leaders from our cities to share how we can be praying in very specific ways for our community.
You’ll get to hear from the mayors of Springfield and Eugene, the new Eugene Chief of Police, and other community leaders who will share insight for us to be praying about.
As we kick off Fall here at First B, we want to start the season in prayer and with a continued outward focus towards our cities.
This was a bit of a different type of Sunday, as we heard from these local leaders and we dedicate a bulk of our normal teaching time to give our attention to learn how we can pray this year.
How do rewards in heaven work?
Does everyone get a participation ribbon, or do some people get more than others?
How can there be different rewards without selfishness our jealousy in heaven?
This Sunday will be our last sermon in the Foundations series, and we'll end the series with a deep-dive into the biblical teaching of rewards.
You’ll learn what Jesus said and didn’t say about rewards in heaven, and how Jesus motivated us to live in a way right now on earth that impacts our forever.
One of the major themes throughout the Bible is God’s glory.
After he would meet with God, Moses’ face would literally glow. It scared people so much that he had to cover his face after being in God's presence.
Jesus preached about God’s glory, and here at First B, we often say everything we do is for God’s glory.
But what exactly is God’s glory?
This Sunday as we continue our Foundations series, we unpacked this question and see how God’s glory gives us purpose for our lives today.
Did you know you are a holy priest in God’s kingdom?
You may have never been to Bible school, and the thought of seeing a Greek verb might make you feel like an undergrad at a rocket science convention. 🚀
But if you are a Christian, God has chosen you.
As a follower of Jesus, you have incredible status, perhaps even more than you know!
In this sermon, we’re going to explore how God has made you as a priest, prophet, and as royalty in his kingdom. You might be surprised at the authority we have as God’s people, and you’ll get to see how this practically affects the way we live today.
As you read the Gospels, you can’t help but notice the disciples arguing about who was the greatest.
Who was the most important?
Who had the most power and influence?
Who got the best seat next to Jesus?
Sound familiar? Sound like anything you've experienced before at work, school, or even at home?
Jesus responded to these "discussions" by teaching about true greatness.
He showed an example of humble service and gave a new commandment to follow. It’s a commandment so foundational you can't live the Christian life successfully without it.
Last week, we heard Part 3 of our Foundations series and learned about the incredible gift of the Holy Spirit and how through His power believers are given new life and a new desire to please God.
There was so much ground to cover last week that we're continuing the conversation in this sermon!
Listen to learn more about the power of the Holy Spirit and the freedom that comes from our new covenant with God through Jesus Christ.
Have you ever wondered how the Holy Spirit works? Or what it takes for you to experience his power in your life?
The Holy Spirit's presence and power in a believer is one of the most misunderstood and neglected benefits of the Christian life.
In fact, some have even referred to the Holy Spirit as "the forgotten God." But if we want to live like Jesus, the Spirit's empowerment is absolutely essential.
In this message, you'll learn how the Holy Spirit works in the life of a believer and how He makes it possible for us to enjoy the fullness of our salvation through his empowering presence. You don't want to miss this.
In this sermon, we’re going to look at two more benefits of our new life in Christ.
When God saved you, he also adopted you into his family. You have a distinct privilege that God is not only your king, he’s also your welcoming father.
We’ll also look at the union you enjoy in Christ. You’ll learn how our union in Christ affects our past, matters in our present time right now, and it also secures your future destiny.
Watch this message as we unpack the rich theology of these benefits for followers of Jesus.
We’re kicking off a brand new series on the foundations of new life in Christ. We want to be able to anchor brand new believers in the truth of the Gospel, and if you’ve been following Jesus for any amount of time, this series will bring great insights as we look at the benefits of the Gospel.
This Sunday we unpacked God’s acceptance and his approval. When you trusted Christ, your salvation was not an accident, an afterthought, or a surprise. God determined to save you and draw you to himself. In this message, you'll learn more about God’s acceptance and approval, and what that means in your life.
This Sunday, we looked at the purpose of gathering as the church.
We looked at the example of the early church as we unpack the priorities and values of our own gatherings.
Did you know that Jesus had a life verse?
Early in his ministry, he stood up in the local synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth and read a passage from the Bible that captured his passion and purpose in life.
If you’ve been around First B for a while, you know that this verse that defined Jesus’ life is a key to our model for discipleship.
In this sermon, we look at this passage of Scripture and see how the driving passion of Jesus’ life gives us purpose today.
You can imagine that some of the most embarrassing moments for the twelve disciples happened when Jesus called them out for their lack of faith.
Like the time Jesus said to Philip, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip?”
How do we face God when our faith is too small and our doubts are so many and so big? How do we deal with the frustration, disappointment, and even anger we can experience when God calls out our lack of faith in Him?
What should we expect of God when we struggle to trust Him? And just as importantly, what does He expect of us?
You might be surprised what the Bible has to say and how God can use our struggle to show us more of who He truly is.
Listen as Pastor Ben shares about the direction in which our church is headed, as well as clarify the elders statement from last Sunday.
How do you stay full of hope?
With all the frustration life can bring and all the challenges in our world, how do you stay hopeful?
Hope is a huge benefit of living for God. But even as Christians, it can be easy to miss. We can even be hope-filled for a time and then it fades like the slow leak of a sinking balloon.
In this message, we'll look at what causes hope to fade. It's so common to lose hope from insecurities, tragic events, or even despair. You might be experiencing that right now or know someone who is. We'll unpack this from the Bible's perspective and look at how we can live with a consistent hope.
You'll want to listen, as we look at what God has to say and we reignite a sense of hope in the way we live.
The power of a father is incredible.
Whether your father was a great and positive force in your life or not, the influence of a father is undeniable.
This Sunday, we looked at biblical fatherhood and saw how a father can have an unforgettable influence on his family. You'll learn how a father can lead in a way that leaves a legacy in a family for generations to come.
You'll also learn how a man can make a difference in the lives of people who aren't his own children. You’ll hear the inspiring story of one man's story and how his mentor shaped the course of his life.
For men without children, you'll see a snapshot of the difference you can make in someone's life. And for fathers, you'll get a glimpse of the incredible impact you can have to shape your family's story.
Jesus was abundantly clear that the purpose of every Christian is to share the gospel and make disciples.
But this clear command is often one of our greatest weaknesses.
In this message, we'll unpack different ways to share the Gospel and bust some myths about what it has to look like. To be effective, we must develop this essential practice that Jesus prioritized.
You'll never regret obeying Jesus, and there is nothing like the joy of seeing someone trust Christ because you were faithful in your part.
Listen to learn how you can improve at sharing the Gospel.
Jesus had a reputation for being friends with sinners. He was known for being close with some of the least spiritual people in town.
In fact, one of the attacks against Jesus was that he MUST not be God because of the people he was hanging out with. If he knew who his friends really were, he would never be associated with them.
And yet, Jesus was incredibly effective at attracting lost people and drawing them back to God. How did he do that?
This passage, we’re going to explore a theme that might be surprising to hear in church: God loves a good party. In fact, a celebratory spirit is deeply connected with the Gospel and reaching lost people and is modeled for us in the life of Jesus.
This idea is also found in Jesus' life verse from Isaiah 61, a bedrock chapter for our church's disciple-making strategy.
As Jesus led, he had twelve apostles and an inner circle of three. It was Peter–one of his inner circle–who repeatedly denied him and swore that he never met Jesus.
After Jesus rose from the dead, the Gospels record a personal interaction between Peter and Jesus. I can’t imagine what it must have felt like to be Peter at this moment. We get to be a fly on the wall as Jesus and Peter talk, and it’s clear that later when he wrote the book of 1 Peter, he has this moment with Jesus in mind.
When it comes to leadership, often people feel that it’s something reserved for the elite or specially-gifted. As we’ll see from Peter’s example, God uses everyday people to do extraordinary things when we are willing to say “yes” to him.
In fact, as Christians, we all have marching orders from Jesus. In his final instructions before returning to heaven, Jesus commanded his followers to do the essential task of making disciples. (Matthew 28:18-20)
To make a disciple means to help someone know and follow Jesus, and to do this requires leadership! That’s why this sermon will be tremendously helpful to you as we learn how to lead like Jesus.
What does it look like to be a missional community that is real with each other and active on God’s mission? That’s what this sermon is all about.
You can't play a match of ping pong on your own. A quarterback without anyone to throw the ball to wouldn’t get many touchdowns. A soccer player with no goalie is sunk. A Christian without community is the same way. Following Jesus is not an individual sport, and in fact the gospel is powerfully communicated through community.
We explore the book of Hebrews, and you'll see how gathering together in community is critical to the Christian life.
From the very beginning of time, women have made enormous contributions to God's kingdom. In the Bible we see women working both behind the scenes in quiet ways and as outstanding leaders shaping the very course of gospel history.
This is one of our most requested sermons and reflects our pursuit to see every single person fully equipped as a disciple of Jesus.
You’ll rarely get a chance here at First B to hear the same message, but for this Mother’s Day, we’ve asked Pastor Ben if he would bring this message to us again.
It will be an impactful morning to learn about the unique attributes of God's image expressed in women, as we appreciate moms and honor every single woman in our church.
After Saul’s horrendous decision to go to a witch for help, the wheels absolutely fall off.
In this Sunday’s passage, the book of 1 Samuel closes with a gruesome scene that is anything but a happy ending.
The army of Israel faces massive loss. King Saul and his sons are dead. The enemy has won, taking over major ground.
Worst of all, God’s name and his reputation are diminished as pagan gods are worshipped and elevated for the conquering of God’s people.
As we learn in this passage, the defeat of God’s people has a connection to God’s glory, which directly affects how we live today. When we fail to live in the freedom Jesus bought for us remain enslaved to sin, it not only affects our own life, but it also impacts God’s reputation.
But even in this defeat, God is up to something. You can't see it at the end of 1 Samuel, but as we'll see next Fall in 2 Samuel, God is always at work for his people.
In this week’s episode of 1 Samuel, King Saul is in a terrible predicament. The Philistines are gearing up for war against him–David is with them–and God is not answering.
Last week we looked at David’s response to pressure, and this Sunday we see how Saul reacts to a crisis of his own.
At first, Saul seeks God’s guidance. But when God is silent, Saul comes up with a shocking plan:
Saul disguises himself and goes undercover to a witch for help.
In this strange passage of Scripture, Saul shows his total disregard for God and completely shatters his reign as king.
As Saul spirals, we see how God rescues David from fighting for the Philistines and prepares him to return, as God continues to work in and through his flawed people.
You know that moment that can happen in a conversation when you say something that just comes out wrong?
And the more you try to explain, you find yourself digging deeper and deeper into a hole!
In this week’s episode of 1 Samuel, David finds himself digging a hole that gets way deeper than he could have expected.
After being continually hunted by Saul, David loses heart and decides to leave his country and his future kingdom behind.
At first his plan seems to work, but as the chapter unfolds, things get ugly.
As we look at David’s life and the mess he landed in, we’ll learn how to stay the course with God and how to keep a Gospel-centered vision for our lives
After an extremely close call where David almost flew off the handle because of Nabal's insult, in this passage we see David in another crucial moment.
King Saul continues to pursue David, trying to break him. In the middle of the night, David sneaks into Saul's military camp, creeping right up next to Saul as he was sleeping. David has the perfect opportunity to take out Saul once and for all. Instead, he leaves Saul unharmed and takes Saul's spear as proof.
As he returns to his hideout, David calls out to Saul's general, waking up the entire camp. He even has a bit of swagger, showing off Saul's spear and announcing that God is greater than any army. Just like his face-off with Goliath, David is the picture of confidence in this moment.
In this sermon, you'll learn how to have Gospel-centered, even audacious confidence. As we learn from this scripture, we'll see how confident we can be as Christians because of Jesus Christ.