Trinity Baptist Church: Recent Episodes
This sermon honors the life and 40-year legacy of Pastor Albert N. Martin, a founding pastor of Trinity Baptist Church who recently entered the presence of his Lord. The message reflects on his unwavering biblical convictions and his deep love for Christ, the Word, and the souls of men. Listeners are exhorted to remember his example and imitate his steadfast faith as a way to glorify the God who sustained his ministry.
A clear explanation of the necessity of Jesus as prophet, priest, and king. He meets our need in our ignorance, sinfulness, and rebelliousness.
In this message the truth of God's word in James Ch 4 on the brevity of our lives is opened up and applied against the backdrop of the recent senseless murders in our day, even as Jesus exemplified in Luke 13. The brevity of our lives is set before us that our eyes and heart may be fixed on the Lord who alone is the author and sustainer of Life, and who's will should be our pursuit in life. The scriptures were applied to all hearers urging their personal and ongoing need to ensure that they are ready to meet the Lord, and to be joyfully awaiting His return, with application made to the young children as well as all who were seated under the word of God, to seek the Lord now while he may be found, for today is the day of salvation.
We all know that Thanksgiving is a holiday to give thanks - but give thanks to whom? Why do we give thanks at all? The journey and the first winter the Pilgrims experienced was fraught with danger, uncertainty, and calamity, yet they responded with gratitude and praise. When Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians, he was in prison, faced suffering and great need. Yet Paul rejoiced! How can this be? How can we rejoice in all circumstances, be content in all situations, and be grateful despite hardships?
Imprisonment, beatings, shipwrecks: all these things seem like situations that would prevent an effective ministry. But those very things are what God used to advance the gospel, even making its way to Caesar's household. Today we look at Paul's ministry, the hardships and opposition he faced and - at the same time - the opportunities he had to share Christ. How do you respond to trials in your life? Do you see them as opportunities to share the love of Christ? Or do you turn inward and wallow in self-pity? The question is really: Is the focus of your life you or Christ?
In Jonah chapter 4, Jonah, because of his rejection of the Gentiles and distaste for their participation in salvation, was displeased at God's demonstration of mercy towards the Ninevites. Jonah knew God was merciful, which is why he initially fled to Tarshish to begin with; he didn't want the Ninevites to receive the mercy that he himself had experienced. God proceeded to teach Jonah that His love and mercy for the Ninevites is far different than Jonah's indifference to their damnation, and far greater than Jonah's warped concern for a wild plant for which he played no role in causing to flourish.
Ephesians 4:11-16 outlines the gifts Christ gave to the church for its edification: apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors and teachers. These roles aim to equip believers for works of service, fostering unity, and maturity in faith. With Christ as the head, this growth leads to the whole body being joined and knit together, so that when each part is working properly, it will grow, building itself up in love.
In Matthew 10:16, Jesus warns his disciples of the peril they will face as he sends them out to preach, likening them to "sheep among wolves," and advises them to be "wise as serpents and innocent as doves," urging a blend of shrewdness and innocence in navigating a hostile world.
James 1:2-4 teaches that believers should find joy in facing various trials because these challenges test, or prove, our faith. Through this testing, the Christian will develop endurance, ultimately leading to spiritual maturity and completeness, lacking nothing essential for faith.
In Jonah chapter 3, God reissues His command for Jonah to preach to Nineveh, and this time Jonah obeys, proclaiming that the city will be overthrown in forty days. The people of Nineveh from the common folk to the king, respond with immediate and profound repentance, fasting and wearing sackcloth in hopes of averting disaster. Moved by their repentance, God "relents of the disaster that He said He would do to them, and He did not do it," demonstrating His mercy and willingness to relent from judgment when met with sincere change of heart.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, -The righteous shall live by faith.-
In the second part of this miniseries about the Gospel, we focus on its urgency. But to understand why the Gospel is so urgent, we need to ask four questions- What does it mean to be saved-- Who needs to be saved-- Who is the one who saves-- Whom will be saved-- When we understand these aspects of the gospel, we must as ourselves one final question- Have I turned and been saved--
As we conclude Pastor Tim's 18 years of ministry, what should we, as a congregation, make our focus as we move forward-- The clear answer is- The Gospel. To explore what the Gospel is and it's importance, Pastor Tim is doing a three-part mini-series on the Gospel, beginning with the what the Gospel message actually is.
There are far things harder to witness than watching someone we love self-destruct. Whether someone is addicted to drugs, alcohol, gambling, etc., it's difficult to watch those we love destroy their own lives. Yet what we often don't look at is how people spiritually wreck their lives. Today we look at the parable that culminates the Sermon on the Mount- the man who built his house on the rock and the man who built his house on the sand. What is Jesus trying to say in this parable-- What is the 'rock'-- Are there areas in your life where you are foolishly building your house on sand-- Sooner or later, storms will come- Will you be ready for them--
How does someone diagnose the health of their soul-- Jesus gives us three principles which allow us to evaluate whether we are growing closer to the world or closer to Christ. What we watch, think about, spend money on, spend time doing, can give us a good indication of what we worship. While we may think that many of these things are harmless and have no impact on our lives, Jesus says otherwise. What are we to do - discard these things-- Maybe- But first we need to seriously evaluate our hearts. Do we love the Lord more than all-- Would we be willing to let go of the things in this world--
After what is commonly called -The Parable of the Sower,- Jesus gives four more additional parables. But this time he doesn't explain them. Three of these parables are referred to as -A Lamp on a Stand,- The Parable of the Growing Seed,- and -The Parable of the Mustard Seed.- Although Jesus doesn't give us a clear explanation, Pastor Tim explains to us that he believes they are about Jesus and the importance of the Gospel in our lives and the world.
Today we come to the conclusion of the short epistle of 2 Peter. In these few verses, Peter summarizes the themes that he's be discussing throughout the rest of the letter. After three chapters, does he need to recap what he's already said-- Is there benefit to that-- There is a lot to take in from this short book, so how can we fight against the temptations, dangers, and false teachers that surround us--
Why do a dozen people who hear the exact same sermon have a dozen different responses-- It's because that there are twelve different perspectives, backgrounds, and spiritual backdrops in which each person comes to that sermon. So while one person might respond to the gospel, others may not. Today we look at what's commonly called -The Parable of the Sower- and explore the spiritual issues going on in peoples' hearts when they hear the gospel. Who is the sower-- What is the path-- What are the different types of soil-- After walking through this parable, each one of us must examine ourselves and ask, -Where am I in this parable---
Unity is not simply an abstract or theological concept- it is meant to be concrete as well. In second part of Matthew Carnagua's mini-series on Christian unity, we look at the idea of Christian liberty. What is Christian liberty-- What does it mean to practice it-- Today, we look at the area of -gray matters- - non-biblical convictions that we all have.
Unity is being discussed in our society these days, but what is unity-- The Bible explains Christian unity in different ways- not only is it compared to the Trinity, but it also explains it very pragmatically. So where do theology and practicality meet-- First, we have to understand that our knowledge of God should have a direct impact on how we live our lives. But does that mean that throughout the day, every day, we need to make -Christian- decisions-- Or does it mean something else--
What will Jesus' second coming be like-- Pop culture and popular teachings tell us one thing, but the Bible tells us that it will be a day of fire where the heavenly bodies will burn. This is a day that will be a terrifying day for unbelievers, but will be a joyful day for those who have put their hope in Christ. Are you ready for this day--
Are you afraid that you have committed the unforgivable sin-- There are a lot of thoughts and opinions as to what the -unforgivable sin- is, but we don't actually have to speculate what it is because Jesus told us what it is. In today's passage, Jesus encountered opposition from very early on in his ministry, even from his own family- In today's passage, first Jesus' family called him insane, then the scribes accused him of being possessed by a demon. Jesus responds to these accusations and then lays out what the unpardonable sin is. How does Jesus respond to these accusations-- What do Jesus' responses tell us about himself-- What is the unpardonable sin and what type of person is typically in danger of committing it--
Do you have certain habits or rituals that you regularly go through to increase your luck-- If so, then you do something that people have been doing for thousands of years. Today we look at a passage in Mark where the Pharisees and John's disciples confront Jesus regarding the practice of fasting in order to earn God's favor. But whatever we do, even if it's a good God-ordained practice, we cannot earn God's approval. Why-- Because we have already earned God's love through Christ's life, work and resurrection. So what are we to do-- Rejoice and enjoy a relationship with him- Do you love Christianity and all the things that are involved in it, or do you love Christ himself-- What do you put your hope in--
How is it that people are led astray-- Are they simply the result of their social, cultural and educational influences-- Or is there something else at play-- In contemporary times, people come up with many reasons to reject Christianity and the Word of God. Although some of those reasons may sound good and may even make sense, are they in fact legitimate-- When we look at today's passage in our Bible talk, we find that scoffers have not come up with any new reasons to not believe because, despite all the philosophical and scientific changes, the hearts of people remain the same.
Our lives are dictated by something outside of ourselves- something that drives us, that we pursue, and that we live for. So for whom or what do you live-- How can we even tell for whom we are living-- And what standard do we measure our lives against in order to know-- In this sermon, guest preacher and missionary Paul Briggs looks at Jesus words that address the heart issues that guide our lives.
Despite saying -sticks and stones may break our bones, words can never hurt me,- peoples' words have a powerful impact on your life and the lives of others. If peoples' words can have such influence, how much of an impact can God's words have- Even so, which words in the Bible are God's words-- Is all of the Bible, or just some of the Bible, God's inspired word-- What's the big deal anyway if someone believes that not all of the Bible is God's word-- What reasons are there to believe that all of the Bible -not just some of it- is from God-- These questions, and many more, are what Pastor Tim explores and discusses in his sermon today.
Did the apostle Peter actually write 2 Peter-- Why do people reject God and the Bible-- Though Pastor Tim has discussed the authorship of this epistle before, he explores it even deeper. And then he discusses what Peter says is the true reason why people reject God and the gospel.
The American society continues to redefine marriage and sexuality, yet at the same time the damaging results of this change and the results of fatherlessness are widely recognized in secular sociology. All this points to the fact that God did not make a mistake when he included a father within the family. So what is a father-- What does it look like to be a father-- What are God's expectations for fathers-- Pastor Tim elaborates on four duties of fatherhood -though there are many more-. As we examine this role, we see that being a father can be overwhelming- so where do they get the strength to do what God calls them to do--
As we come to the end of chapter 2, Peter is still discussing false teachers. In this section he highlights the end that all false teachers face- eternal torment in hell. Not only that, but their guilt and punishment will be all the worse because they have been exposed to the gospel of Christ, let they've rejected it and twisted it for their own benefit. How should we react to these false teachers and how do we interact with individuals who are exposed to them--
What do you wish for those you love-- Is it good health-- Financial prosperity-- Or something else-- When you pray for them, what do you pray for-- Do you pray that they would glorify God in their lives-- As Christians, we all would like to see those whom we love glorify and worship God- but how do we pray that-- Before we can better answer that question, we need to know exactly what it means to love others. This is what Pastor Tim addresses in this sermon.
Today we look at a harsh rebuke toward false teachers. This may seem odd when the Bible speaks so much of love, compassion, and mercy. So is it appropriate for the Bible to talk in such a condemning way-- When we consider what the result of false teaching is -leading people to hell-, then we realize that this talk is very appropriate because spiritually speaking, false preaching is soul murder.
Last week we asked if people can change. From what we see in contemporary research, we are indeed changing- but we're changing for the worst, not for the better. As our culture rejects God and tries to find their identity and purpose elsewhere, our culture's mental health issues increase. Even as believers, positive change doesn't come easily. While this change is a work of God, we have the ability to help or hinder this change. How can we allow the Lord to change our hearts-- What can we do about it--
Are you satisfied with who you are or are there areas where you'd like change-- If we do want to change, can we in fact change-- Many people say that we can't, but the says we can. How-- The Bible refers the process of change as -sanctification.- As we near the end of the book of Thessalonians, we come across this doctrine that, in order to better understand, we need to take some time and explain. What is sanctification-- What does it mean and how is it practical for us now--
Last week we left off without discussing in length verse 4. Today we come back to verse 4 and discuss what that might mean. The other examples that Peter gives are from the early chapters of Genesis, so it seems reasonable verse 4 alludes to an early-Genesis event as well. This verse has a lot of different interpretations, and while Pastor Tim discusses some of them, he elaborates what he believes 2 Peter 2-4 is referring to. Despite how it is interpreted, we must not miss the point of this passage- God judges the wicked and rescues the righteous.
God judges wickedness, and Peter gives four examples from the past of God's judgment. Why-- Not only to explain that God will judge the wicked of today, but to show that God also show that God knows how to rescue the righteous. Today we walk through three of those four examples -we'll look at the fourth example next week- and explore how they apply to us today.
There are certain things in life that are so unimportant that we neglect them to the point of forgetting them. But, there are other things that are essential, but are still neglected. The Ascension is an event that might fall into that category- it is a Christian doctrine and an important event in the life of Christ, yet is rarely spoken about or preached on. Perhaps we don't discuss it because we don't actually realize how the ascension affects us today. So what impact should the ascension of Christ have on our lives--
Have you ever been misrepresented or had your words taken out of context-- Every single day, people claim to speak for God, but their words blatantly contradict Scripture. But how can we actually know whether or not someone is speaking on God's behalf-- To answer that question, we first need to ask- Are there still prophets today-- Our answer to that question will drastically impact our lives, our relationships, and our worship. In this sermon, we discover that it is actually much better for us if there are not currently prophets.
Psalm 32 is a psalm of repentance. David is confronted with the guilt of his sin with Bathsheba -cf. 2 Samuel 11-. While we all may not experience the same sin as David, we all still sin against our Heavenly Father and need to be restored in our relationship with Him. There's not a day that goes by that we walk in a perfect relationship with God. So when we do sin, what do we need to do- And what does God promise to do-
Likely the most familiar, most quoted, and most memorized chapter in the psalter. As such, it's likely also the most misused, misinterpreted, and misconstrued. But only when we understand this psalm properly and in its context can we apply it properly. While there's a lot to unravel in these six verses, Pastor Tim seeks to give us some helpful insight so we may walk with the Lord better and closer than ever.
Unlike how we tend to think, Paul wasn't a lone ranger on his missionary journeys. Instead, he was a part of a team. And as Tim looks at the introduction of this epistle, we see just how Paul and his ministry team praise the Thessalonian church for their spiritually growth and godliness, and how we should work to better commend those around us.
Most of us are familiar with the Psalm 22, or at least part of it. But although David wrote it, it foreshadows Jesus' crucifixion perfectly and alludes to the church age as well as the future. Additionally, the fact that this psalm is written 1000 years before Jesus' life affirms the truthfulness of the Bible and points to its divine inspiration. So how should we, who live after David and Jesus but before Jesus' second coming, read it today-