East Shore Baptist Church Sermons: Recent Episodes
East Shore Baptist Church - Harrisburg, PA
Jesus is going to unpack the first and second greatest commandments from the Bible in Mark 12:28-34. Pastor Tom will help us discover that if we get the greatest commandment right, then all of the other commandments will fall into place.
Do I have a deep passion and hunger to love God more? Do I desire to experience God's love? If not, why not?
We continue our study through the Gospel of Mark in Mark 12:18-27. Last Sunday, Jesus talked about our relationship to the government here on earth. Now, He'll look at what our relationships with other people will look like in eternity. In heaven, some of our relationships will look a little different, but they will be perfect. We can have hope because our God is the God of living. What do I think heaven will be like? How do I know that?
In this sermon we talk about what Jesus thinks about the relationship between God and government from Mark 12:13-17. In this passage, Jesus uses His God-given authority to teach us what we owe God and what we owe the government that God has placed us under.
What do I owe God? What do I owe the government?
We continue our study through the Gospel of Mark in Mark 12:1-12. In this passage, Jesus uses a parable to explain that those who reject God's servants and reject His Son are not His people. Rather, God's people are those who embrace Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of our faith.
Who are God's people? How do I know if I am part of God's people?
In this sermon we talk about the concept of authority from Mark 11:27-33. Who is in charge of our lives? Are we controlled by what we want or what other people think? Or have we submitted to the authority of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?
Who is in charge of my life? Does Jesus' authority make a difference in my life?
We look at the powerful account of Jesus driving money-changers out of the temple from Mark 11:12-25. This dramatic story will teach us about the faith and worship that pleases God. He is not interested in fruitless worship that doesn't have impact on how we live. Rather, our Lord is pleased by faith that leads us to pray and trust in God alone.
How do I worship God? What does it mean to depend on God? Is that the attitude that I have when I pray?
Deacon and seminary student Josh Wines shares an encouraging reminder that God has gifted each of us to give from 1 Corinthians 1:4-9. We have been gifted to give glory to God and to enrich one another.
How has God gifted me? How can I be community-minded, rather than individually-minded?
July 2nd was our Joint Service with our Nepalese brothers and sisters. For this sermon, we continued on in our study of the Gospel of Mark by looking at Mark 11:1-11. This passage reminds us that Jesus is always in control and that He is a king worthy to be praised.
Where have I seen God's control in my life?How do I praise Jesus?
In this sermon we look at the last healing miracle in the Gospel of Mark in Mark 10:46-52. Jesus restoring the sight of a blind man named Bartimaeus gives us a chance to reflect on how we view Jesus. Do we see Jesus for who He really is? Do we understand what He came to do? Do we cry out to Him for mercy? Do we follow Him? Do we truly see?
Who do I think that Jesus is? Do I follow Him? What does that look like?
Mark 10:35-45 will show us how Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve by dying on the cross as a ransom for our sin. All people are called to respond to His work by trusting in Him. Those who know Him are also challenged to not lord authority over other people, but instead, dedicate our lives to serving others.
Why is it important that Jesus came not to be served, but to serve? How should I respond to that truth?
Jesus will encourage us with the truth that following Him is more than worth it. We may have to lose a lot in order to follow Him, but in return we gain a church family to support us in the present and eternal life for the future.
Why is it worth it to follow Christ? What benefits do I have right now because I am a Christian?
Pastor Tom preaches from Mark 10:32-34. We are going to look at Jesus' third time predicting his death. In this instance, He is quite detailed as to what is going to happen to Him. Why? Because He is encouraging His disciples to overcome their fear and to follow Him. In this sermon we are going to see how we can be paralyzed by our fears, but through the power of the Gospel, we can overcome them.
Mark 10:17-27 will confront us with the most important question in the world, "What must we do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus will explain how difficult it is to go to heaven, because we want to trust in everything other than Him. But what is impossible with man is possible with God, because He provides a way to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
What must I do to be saved? Why do I believe that?
Pastor Tom speaks about Jesus' love for children from Mark 10:13-16. In these verses, we learn why Jesus loves children, what we can learn from children, and why we, East Shore Baptist Church, should remain faithful in our children's ministry. Why does Jesus love children?What can children teach me about God?
Jesus gets personal in Mark 10:1-12. His convicting words in this passage not only teach us about His thoughts on divorce, but also show us God's design for marriage and sexual intimacy. God has created marriage and sex for His glory. We, who claim to be His people, should take what He says serious. We should live by His Word rather than our own preferences or desires.What does the world say that marriage and sex is about?What does God say?
What is the biggest/most serious/most important problem in your life? In Mark 9:38-50, Jesus will tell us what our real problem actually is: our own sin and its consequence of eternal separation from Jesus in hell. But it's not all bad news, because Jesus will also tell us what we should do about it! Do I view my sin as my biggest problem? Why or why not?What are my thoughts about hell? What does Jesus say about it?
Who is the GOAT (Greatest of All Time)? That's the question we are going to consider in this sermon from Mark 9:30-37.We like to think of ourselves as better than others, but Jesus shows us a better way. He truly is the greatest and He calls us to be servants that put others first. How do I think of myself as being better than other people?How should I think about others instead?
In this sermon, we see Jesus surrounded by people who lack faith in Him in Mark 9:14-29. Pastor Tom shares with us how each person/s in our story is dealing with a situation that could easily be resolved if they had faith in Christ. We will talk about the power of our faith in Christ and be challenged to grow our faith in Christ.What is the power of faith in Christ? How can I grow in my faith?
In this sermon, we get a small taste of Jesus' true heavenly glory by studying His Transfiguration from Mark 9:1-13. May that taste of glory lead us to continue to seek after Christ! What does is mean that Jesus is fully God? How should I respond to that truth?
We turn to Mark 8:31-38. On this Resurrection Sunday, our passage appropriately tells us what Jesus came to do: suffer, die, and rise again for us! After that, Jesus turns to what He calls us to do in response: follow Him by taking up our cross and surrendering our lives to Him. Jesus is worth following because our eternity is at stake!What did Jesus do that we are celebrating this weekend?What should I do in response?
We finally answer the question "Who is Jesus?" by looking at Mark 8:27-30. Some people say that Jesus was a great prophet or religious leader. But the truth is that He is the Christ, the Messiah, our one and only Savior! It's easy to say that Jesus is our Savior, but do we really believe it and live like it is true? Do we share that good news with others?
In my thoughts, words, and actions, who do I say that Jesus is?
Pastor Tom continues our study through the Gospel of Mark in 8:22-26. In this text Jesus will take two attempts to heal a blind man, symbolizing the Old and New Testaments.What were shadows in the Old Testament are now clearly seen in the New Testament. The key difference? Jesus has come to shed light for us to see!
In this sermon Mark 8:11-21 will tell us about two conversations Jesus had with those who were doubting Him.
Some needed to be challenged with the questions: "What more do you need to believe in Jesus?" On the other hand, His disciples needed to be challenged with the question: "What more do you need to trust Jesus?"
We'll look at both of these questions and consider our answers to them.
Do I believe in Jesus?
Do I trust Jesus? If not, what more do I need?
We look at examples of God's Surprising Grace through Mark 7:24-8:10 (focusing on 8:10). He shows grace when, where, and to those whom we do not expect. We should look for His surprising grace in our lives and in the lives of those around us.
How has God's grace surprised and challenged me?
Jesus tells us why following rules and rituals will not save us in Mark 7:14-23. Why? Because our fundamental problem is not the evil outside us, but the evil/sin that dwells in each of our hearts. The only solution is heart transformation/change that can only be brought about by Jesus Christ.
Where does my sin come from? What can I do about it?
Pastor Tom shares from Mark 7:31-37. His goal and prayer for us is to be astonished at the works of God and for us to begin begging God to display His works.
Am I astonished at the work of God?
How can I make a habit of begging God to display His works?
And we all are called to come to Jesus with humility and receive His grace. Do I believe that Jesus cares for me? How do I respond to that truth?
We continue our study of the character of Jesus Christ from Mark 7:1-13. In this passage, Jesus has a debate with the Pharisees over whether God's Word or man's traditions are more important. We will be challenged to think about whether what we do is more in line with our traditions or with the Word of God. Are the decisions I make in line with God's Word? How do I know that?
In this sermon we look at Jesus walking on water from Mark 6:45-56. This miracle challenges the disciples' understanding of who Jesus is. In the same way, we will be challenged by Jesus' power and discuss the impact a relationship with the Son of God can have in our lives. What do I really believe about Jesus Christ? What difference does that belief make in my life?
Josh Wines continues our study of the Gospel of Mark in Mark 6:30-44 by looking at the person of Jesus in the story of the feeding of the five thousand. Here we can see that Jesus is a God of compassion. He shows that compassion by meeting our intimate needs. As disciples of Jesus, we also should look for ways to serve those around us by bringing them to the One who can fully satisfy all of their needs. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself: How does Jesus meet my needs? What needs of others can I meet in a way that shows Christ's compassion?
In this sermon we talk about how Jesus sends His followers out with a difficult, but needed message. We may face rejection for this message, because we call on sinners to repent. The world needs to hear this message because it is trapped by sin and constantly devalues God's gift of life. So, we are called to the difficult task of doing good and sharing the good news, even if it costs us everything.
In this sermon we will deal with the reality that both the followers of God and their Savior are often despised and rejected by men. The world rejects the good news of the gospel because they do not like how it calls us to repent/turn from sin and come to faith in Christ. Nevertheless, we are to continue doing God's good will in the world and telling others about the good news that Jesus was rejected so that we might be accepted by God.
We return to the Gospel of Mark and examine a profound comparison in Mark 5:21-43. In this account, two individuals have an experience that forces them to trust Jesus. How each of them responded teaches us about the kind of trust that Jesus is worth. As they learn to trust Jesus, so will we.
As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself:
How much do I trust Jesus?
What does trusting Jesus look like in my life?
We start the year 2023 off with a reminder of our faith, specifically the God we worship, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, and how we can encourage one another to grow in that belief.As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself: How can I encourage other believers in 2023?
On Christmas eve, we focus on the star and the wise men's journey to find Jesus (a journey we are invited on as well). On Christmas Day, we focus on the gifts they gave Jesus (vs. 11) and the gift of salvation that He offers to us.
On Christmas eve, we focus on the star and the wise men's journey to find Jesus (a journey we are invited on as well). On Christmas Day, we focus on the gifts they gave Jesus (vs. 11) and the gift of salvation that He offers to us.
We continue our study in the Gospel of Mark in Mark 5:1-20 and marvel at how our One Lord and Savior is able to overcome many demons. We'll learn from His compassion towards one demon-possessed man and be challenged to tell others what Jesus has done for us.
As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself: If Jesus has authority over many demons, can He be relied on? Since Jesus showed compassion, what kind of compassion do I show to others?
This week we look at Jesus calming the storm. We'll marvel at His power, control, and sovereignty over all things (including the storms and trials of our own lives). And we will be forced to confront the question asked by the disciples: "Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"
We look at parables that emphasize how Christ's kingdom might look small, but it is surely and steadily growing! People from every people group and language will come to know Jesus Christ and His kingdom will reign over the entire world!
In this sermon we look at the Parable of the Sower in Mark 4:1-20. In this parable we learn that when we share the gospel, we can expect four different responses/results. We learn that Satan is looking for opportunities to snatch people away from Christ, that the world hates the gospel and pressures people away from Christ either by persecution, lusts or temptations, and if a person cannot stand through those challenges then they will not stand at the final judgment. Only those who endure, perceive, and understand the love of Christ will produce fruit and enjoy eternal life.
In this sermon we look at how different groups of people reacted to Jesus. Some were fans, who liked what He was doing, but did not follow His teaching. Some were foes, who thought He was crazy and accused Him of being in league with Satan. However, Jesus says that His family are those who do the will of God.
Pastor Tom continues our study on the Gospel of Mark in Mark 2:23-3:6. We focus on two different themes this Sunday; first, Jesus is a gracious gift giver. Jesus has given us the 4th commandment to be enjoyed, not abused, therefore let's experience God's gift of rest. Second, we are going to look at the characteristics of a hardened heart and the wickedness that flows from such corruption.
As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself: Have I thanked God for the gift of rest?What does a hardened heart look like?
We get a taste of what the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in Revelation 19 will look like. Jesus, the bridegroom is preparing His bride, the church for a wedding. It will be a wedding celebration that no one will want to miss!
In this text we will see who makes up Jesus' bride, the church, the benefits of being a part of the church, and what the church does while she waits for the marriage celebration.
We focus in on how Jesus is the divine Son of Man who has the authority to forgive sins. We should bring others to Him, because He alone has the power to save.
In our text this week, we see a contrast between pursuing popularity/notoriety and seeking to have compassion. Jesus could have enjoyed the benefits of fame/popularity, but instead, He chose to preach God's Word to those who had not heard and show compassion to those isolated and alone, like the leper. He lived to show others compassion, instead of receiving their praise and He calls us to do the same.
In this sermon, we see that Jesus has come to destroy the works of Satan and show compassion on the lost.
As the title indicates, we talk about Jesus' primary message and mission on earth. His message was: The kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel. His mission was to build that kingdom through followers who are fishers of men. We are called to respond to His message by turning from sin and trusting in Jesus. We are called to respond to His mission by following Jesus and telling others about Him.
We begin a new sermon series on the Gospel of Mark. Our focus will be on learning who Jesus is, not as the world views Him or as we'd like Him to be, but according to God's Word.
What does it mean that Jesus is God's Son?
What does that mean for my life?
We are finishing Psalm 119, and like the psalm itself, we end this series by focusing on praise. We are challenged to promise/commit to praise God and talk about what that praise looks like. Finally, we are reminded that we are able to praise God because He seeks after us.
Steve Porschet, Pastor of Youth & Family Ministries at Winfield Baptist Church, encourages us from God's Word.
We can trust and depend on God's Word, because He is righteous and always does what is right.
Inspired by this year's VBS theme verse, we'll then look at Ephesians 2:8-10 to talk about the relationship between salvation and good works. We are not saved "by" good works, but "by" God's grace and through faith in Jesus Christ. Yet, we are saved "for" good works that God has prepared ahead of time for us to do for His glory.
Do you love the Bible? That might sound like a strange question, but God calls His people to love His Word. We discover that loving God's Word impacts our thinking, changes how we live, informs what we commit to do, and it transforms our hearts.00:47:40
Pastor Tom shares from Psalm 119:81-96 about persecution and how the Scriptures can help us navigate through perilous times. The Scriptures point us toward the gospel, which gives us the motivation to endure. How do I try to get through hard times? When I struggle through challenging situations, what comfort can God’s Word give me?
When God brings challenges into our lives, He is doing it for a good purpose: that we might look more like Him.
As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, "What is God's purpose in my struggles? How is He using them for good?"
We look at Psalm 119:49-64 to discover how Scripture is a source of comfort for us when we are suffering or alone. That comfort should lead us to action as we live for our Lord every day. What comfort do I find in God’s Word? How should I respond to the Bible’s words of comfort?
We must depend on the Lord to read the Scriptures
We must depend on the Scriptures to live for the Lord.
Pastor Tom continues our new series: Summer Reading with the Word: A Study of Psalm 119. We look at Psalm 119:17-32 and learn how the Scriptures are sufficient for everything pertaining to life and godliness. They are sufficient to bring us to worship God and to provide comfort to us in difficult times. As you prepare for the message, ask yourself, “What does it mean that the Bible is sufficient? Do I view the Bible this way?”
We begin our new series: Summer Reading with the Word: A Study of Psalm 119. We will spend this summer going through Psalm 119 and learning about the value and beauty of the Word of God. For this first message on Psalm 119:1-16, we focus on obeying (i.e. walking in) God's Word which happens as we memorize (store it up in our hearts) and delight in His Word.
As you prepare for the message, ask yourself, “How do I view God’s Word? Is it a burden or a delight? Why do I feel this way?”
We finish our study through the Book of Hebrews by looking at Hebrews 13:18-25. Throughout the book, we have been discovering how Jesus is better than anything and anyone we could compare Him to. Since Jesus is better, that means that we are dependent on Him. We need to call out to Him in prayer for the help we need to live for our Lord. As you prepare for the message, ask yourself, “How does the truth that “Jesus is Better” make a difference in your life?”
In this sermon, Pastor John talked about leadership as we study Hebrews 13:7-17.
As you prepare for the message, ask yourself, “What makes a good leader? Is Jesus worth following? If so, why?”
Pastor Tom encourages us from John 5:1-17 with a message on how Jesus cleanses us and saves us from sin. As you prepare for the message, ask yourself, “Do we want to be healed, do you want to be free from your sins? Who is Jesus that He can free us from such a power? What is He doing today?”
Elder Tom challenged us with 4 warning signs that may indicate that we are drifting from God.
As you prepare for the message, ask yourself, “What does ‘drifting away’ from God look like? Am I drifting away from God?”
In this sermon we move into the practical application part of the Book of Hebrews in Hebrews 13:1-6. This passage will challenge us with the truth that worshipping Jesus means living a life that is others-focused, rather than self-focused.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “Does selfishness have a place in the Christian life? Why or why not? What should a Christian life look like?”
In an often challenging world, God encourages us with the truth that this world is not our home. We are living for a better kingdom! in this sermon we will talk about that kingdom and what it looks like to live for it from Hebrews 12:18-29. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What kingdom am I living for? Does my life reflect that kingdom?”
In this sermon we will learn from the example of hard-working mothers to talk more about the race of life in Hebrews 12:12-17. God doesn’t call us to get saved and then relax. He has a goal for His people to strive after: peace and holiness.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What is the purpose of my life? What keeps me from growing to be more like Jesus Christ?”
In this sermon, we will talk about the difficult topic of God’s discipline. Why are our lives so hard? What is God doing in them? Hebrews 12:3-11 will help us answer these questions by teaching us that God doesn’t want us to be spoiled. He wants us to be holy! As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What do you think of when you hear the word “discipline”? Why does God discipline believers in Jesus Christ?”
“Why do we come to church on Easter morning? What difference does (or should) the resurrection of Jesus make in my daily life?”
In this sermon, we are challenged by Hebrews 12:1-2 to run the race of life that God has set before us while keeping our focus on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “How are our lives like a marathon race? What does it mean to “look to” or “keep our eyes on” Jesus?”
In the sermon, we will continue discussing faith from Hebrews 11:17-40. Faith in this chapter is considering who God is and acting in obedience to what He has said in His Word. We may not be considered worthy of much here on earth, but our goal is not to have our best lives now. Jesus has something better prepared for us in eternity.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What do you need to think about in order to respond to God’s Word by faith? Why is knowing Jesus better than having your best life in the here and now?”
Pastor Tom will be sharing about how we can put our faith to use from Hebrews 11:1-16. We will learn about the faith that God has given us and how it is better than blind faith because it is secure and certain. Then we will discuss how to put our faith to action by obeying the word of God and growing in the knowledge of God. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What is the Bible talking about when it talks about “faith”? How can I grow in faith?”
In this sermon we will be encouraging one another to keep following Jesus from Hebrews 10:26-39. Even when life is hard, Jesus is better than turning back. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “Why is it important for me to stay a Christian? When life is hard, how do I persevere?”
In this sermon, we’ll be talking about how much better a relationship with Jesus is than skipping church from Hebrews 10:19-25. Through His sacrificial death, Christ has provided a way for us to draw near to God, hold on to our hope, and encourage one another by gathering together. Your presence in church on Sunday is important! Let’s talk about why! As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “Why is it important for me to be physically present at church? What am I supposed to do when I come to church?”
In this sermon we will be talking about the single, once-for-all, sacrifice of Jesus Christ from Hebrews 10:1-18. Jesus’ work is finished and our salvation is accomplished. There will not be a sequel. That’s wonderful news because it guarantees us forgiveness, peace with God, and the ability to have assurance of our salvation. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “Why is it important that Jesus died once for all my sin? Can I add to or take away from Christ’s work?”
In this sermon we will be talking about blood from Hebrews 9:15-28. Blood is unpleasant to think about, but a lot of the songs we sing in Worship Service talk about it. Why? Because Jesus shed His blood and died to save us. That makes Jesus better than any other blood donor that we could have. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What is the significance of Jesus’ blood? What difference should Jesus’ death make for my life today?”
In this sermon we will be hearing from Pastor Tom. He is going to continue our study through the book of Hebrews. He will look at Hebrews 9:1-14 and tell us how Jesus is a Better Sacrifice. He is our sacrificial lamb who changes how we relate to God. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “Why is Jesus a sacrifice for me? What difference does His sacrifice make in my life?”
This sermon was preached the day before Valentine’s Day. But instead of focusing on human relationships, we’ll be looking at the best relationship you can have: one with Jesus Christ! Hebrews 8 will show us that being in a relationship with Jesus is better than any other relationship there is.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “Do I have a relationship with Jesus? What does that relationship look like in my life?”
I this sermon we are looking at Hebrews 7:23-28 to talk about how Jesus is our eternal and perfect High Priest. But He is so much more than that! He is also a faithful advocate for us and represents us before His Heavenly Father. Truly, He is better than any lawyer we could hire here on earth. We’ll talk more about why that’s true and what it means for our lives. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “How does Jesus represent His people? Why do we need Jesus to represent us before God?”
In this sermon we turn to Hebrews 7:1-22 to talk about the best king, the best priest, and the best boss that we could ever have: Jesus Christ. Anyone else we may want to follow or support cannot compare to Him. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What makes a good boss? Why do I follow Jesus Christ?”
We live in a world that is constantly changing and often seems to be without hope. What can we turn to in a world in desperate need of hope and stability? We will discover in Hebrews 6:13-20 that the answer is found in Jesus Christ, who offers us a better promise of hope than we can find anywhere else. When we need hope for the future and an anchor for our souls in the here and now, we can trust Him. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What do I turn to in order to create or maintain stability in my life? How do (or how should) God’s promises give me hope?”
In this sermon, we will look at one of the most controversial and difficult passages of the Bible in Hebrews 6:4-12. But in this hard text, we will find an amazing truth: Jesus is better than a false hope for salvation and He is better than believing there is no hope to be saved. In other words, this week we will learn how we can know if we are truly saved. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “Has faith in Christ made a difference in my life? If so, what has changed?”
Elder Tom Toone returns to Hebrews 5:13-14 to talk about spiritual maturity.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “Am I growing spiritually? If not, why not?”
In this sermon we will talk about the importance of spiritual growth from Hebrews 5:11-6:3. Believers in Jesus are not called to be comfortable and complacent, but to grow more and more to become like their Lord and Savior.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “Am I growing spiritually? If not, why not?”
As we approach Christmas, we don’t like to think about hardship and suffering. But the reality of suffering often comes whether we like it or not. That is why we will be encouraged by considering Christ’s perfect suffering in Hebrews 5:1-10. Because He is perfect and He suffered for us, we can have confidence that our present suffering has a purpose and that one day our suffering will end.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “Do you (or someone you know) seem to have a hard time during the holidays? What comfort should we have in the fact that Christ suffered for us?”
In this sermon, we will hear a needed reminder from God’s Word that we cannot go through life alone. Fortunately, for believers, we have a Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is much better than trying to go it alone. Hebrews 4:14-16 will tell us why.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “Why is it a bad idea to try to go through life alone? How can Jesus help me in my daily life?”
In this sermon, we will talk about the wondering blessing that is the Word of God: the Bible. Hebrews 4:12-13 celebrates how God’s Word is living and active. It exposes and reveals what is really going on in our hearts.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “Is the Bible just another book? If not, what makes it different?”
In this sermon, we will “Fall Back” as Daylight Savings Time ends. So, it seems appropriate that, in the sermon, we’ll talk about rest. Hebrews 4:1-11 will explore what the Bible’s teaching on rest means for the Christian life. What is God’s rest and how can we be a part of it? Our passage will tell us.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “How do I rest? What kind of rest should I be striving for?”
In this sermon, we discuss the dangers of false faith. We may claim to be a Christian, but if we fail to persevere, we will not make it to the Promised Land. That is why Hebrews 3:7-19 tells us that Jesus is better than fake faith. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “Is my faith real or fake? How do I know that?”
I have two brothers. They’re fun to be around and I love them very much. If you have brothers, I hope you feel the same. But whether you have a brother or not, we’ll discover that Jesus is a better brother in Hebrews 2:10-18. As great as our earthly brothers may be, Jesus suffered for us, died to defeat death’s hold on us, and is available to help us every day. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “Is Jesus my brother? Why is it important that Jesus defeated death?
A sermon from ESBC Elder Daniel Long. How have you seen evidence of Him in your day today?
The Christian life is hard. Sometimes we may be tempted to give up. That’s why we’ll be in Hebrews 2:1-9 talking about why Jesus is better than giving up. The salvation He offers is better than any other alternative and He is worth following. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What keeps me in the Christian faith? Why is Jesus better than any other alternative?”
In this sermon, we’ll be in Hebrews 1:3-14. This passage is about how Jesus is better than angels, but we’re going to expand our focus and recognize that Jesus is better than any “supernatural” thing that exists or that we can imagine. Angels, demons, or even something made-up like vampires… Jesus is Better than the “Supernatural.” As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What is appealing about “supernatural” beings/creatures? How is Jesus better than that them?”
We’re going to be starting the Book of Hebrews.This is a powerful book that boldly proclaims the message that Jesus is Better! We’ll look at Hebrews 1:1-3 and talk about how the message ‘Jesus is Better’ can be a great encouragement to us.As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What do I spend my time thinking about or worrying about? How is Jesus better than that thing?
Are You a "Yeah, but..." Person or a "Yes, but..." Believer?
A sermon from ESBC Elder Tom Toone.
What is Biblical Giving? Its not just about money. A sermon from ESBC elder Daniel Long.
How we can seek and find God? As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “Am I seeking God? What truth do we find in the Bible about Jesus Christ?”
In this sermon we will finish the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah 13 reminds followers of Christ that we always need to be reforming and changing, becoming more and more like Jesus Christ. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “How am I changing to become more like Jesus? What does that change look like in my life?”
We can make our lives about many things, but for those who know God, our lives are supposed to be about worshipping Him. We do that by faithfully serving Him and praising Him. That’s what our priorities should be. We’ll talk more about that in this sermon from Nehemiah 11-12.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What is my life about? How am I serving God? Do I make it a priority to praise Him”
In this day and age, making commitments is not popular, but it is very important to God. So, we will be talking about making commitments from Nehemiah 10. In this passage, we will discover that God calls His people to be committed to Him and committed to one another. We’ll discuss what kinds of commitments we should be making in our own lives.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “ How do I feel about commitments? Am I committed to God? Is there anything else I should be committed to?”
In this sermon, we will be learning about God’s faithfulness from Nehemiah 9. Even when we fail, God remains faithful to His people.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What does God think about my failures? Do they cause Him to love me less? How should I respond to God’s faithfulness?”
In the sermon, we look at the important connection we, as God’s people, have to the Bible, God’s Word. Believers in Jesus Christ should be known as a people of God’s Word, but is that true for us? Are we committed to reading the Bible and hearing it taught? Do we teach others what God has said in His Word? Does God’s Word change us and are we responding to what it teaches us? We’ll talk more about the importance of God’s Word for believers.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What is the role of God’s Word in my life? Are we a people of God’s Word?”
We return to the book of Nehemiah (chapters 6-7). The Israelites are in their final push to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and achieve sweet victory. But, starting something is much easier than finishing something. In order to finish the wall, they will need to learn to discern, prioritize, obey, and pray. If we are going to preserve in what God has called us to do in our own lives, we need to learn the same lessons. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “Why is it harder to finish something than to start something? What do I need to do to persevere in what God has called me to do?”
Elder Tom Toone shares from Romans 13 about obeying civil authorities with the message: “I Fought the Law and the Law Won.” As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What authority figure do I struggle to obey? Who is the ultimate authority?”
Elder Dan Long shares from 1 Kings 19 about God’s words of comfort to those who are discouraged. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “When was the last time I was discouraged? How have I seen the evidence of God’s work in my life in the last week/month/year?”
In this sermon, we will be turning to Nehemiah 5 to learn what God has to say about how we handle money. Believe it or not, God cares about how we handle our money. He cares about how we get money and He cares about how we use it.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “Do I believe that God cares about how I handle money? If I do, does it make a difference in my life?
Elder Tom Toone shares with us how we can begin to share the gospel from Zechariah 3. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “Do I share the gospel? If so, how do I do it?
We’re going to talk about how to handle opposition. When we are following God and doing what He wants us to do, opposition will come. But when people mock us for following God or try to stop us or when we get discouraged, we should pray and then press on! We should keep going and press on in what God has called us to do.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What or who tries to stop me from following Christ? How have I been responding to that opposition?
In this sermon, we will hear from Jesus in Mark 10:13-16 about why we should love children and what we can learn from them about faith. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What do children teach us about how we should love God? What is my role in helping children to become disciples of Jesus Christ?
Having talked about prayer for a few weeks, it’s time to transition to action. It’s time to talk about how we can be a part of God’s Kingdom Building Project. This Sunday (5/6/21), we will be in Nehemiah 2-3 learning about how the Israelites joined together to build the wall of Jerusalem and how we can join together to build God’s kingdom here in our local community.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What is God doing in the world through His people? What is my role in building God’s kingdom?”
Times like these should remind us of the importance of prayer. In this message, we will be in Nehemiah 2:1-8 learning about how we can cry out to God in our time of need with desperate prayer. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “When I am in desperate need, do I pray? Why do I trust God to help me?”
In this sermon, we will be starting the book of Nehemiah.
Chapter 1 will teach us about the importance of humble prayer. No matter what happens in our lives, our response should be to go to God in humble prayer.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What is my response when I hear bad news? What should be my response? How do I pray? How should I pray?”
Elder Dan Long shares from Colossians 3 and encourages us to get back to the basics. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “How have you seen the evidence of God’s work in your life in the last week/month/year?”
We are looking at a very difficult passage in Ezra 10. This difficult passage reminds us how hard it is to repent/turn away from our sins and follow God. We’ll talk about how we can do that and what it looks like this week.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What makes it hard to follow God? What should repentance look like in my life?”
This Easter, we look at the resurrection account in Matthew 28:1-10 and celebrate the fact that Jesus’ body is not in the tomb because He is risen!
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What is the significance of the resurrection to my daily life?”
It seems like every week there is another story about a professed Christian or Christian leader doing something that goes completely against God’s Word. How should we respond when this happens?
In this sermon, Pastor John talks about how God’s people should respond to sin from Ezra 9.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “ How do I react when I learn that other Christians are sinning? How should I respond?”
Pastor John talks about how we should respond to what God does for us from Ezra 8. We will consider the question: “How should believers be responding to God’s good hand?” As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “How do I respond to what the Lord has done for me? How should I respond to God’s good hand?”
Elder Wade speaks about The Springs of Life from Proverbs 4:20-27 As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “What are things we hold on to that keep us apart from our Lord?”
Pastor John speaks on Ezra 7. This passage will tell us about God’s good hand and His good Word. As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “How have I seen God acting on my behalf this week? What should Christians do with the Bible?”
In this message, we will look at Ezra 5-6. This passage will tell us about how God calls us to act in faith and how God shows us His faithfulness.
As you prepare for the message, please read the passage and ask yourself, “In what area(s) of my life is God challenging me to show greater faith in Him? How should I respond when God shows me His faithfulness?”
We finally make it to Ezra 4. Our focus will be on how to persevere when someone tries to stop us from following God. In the midst of opposition, how can we stay faithful?
As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “Who or what tries to keep me from following God? How do I try to persevere?”
In this message, we will be in Ezra 3. Our focus will be on how to handle our disappointment and trust God when we feel like we have to start over.
As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “Who or what do I depend on for safety and comfort? What disappointments am I currently dealing with?”
I this sermon, we begin on a new sermon series on Ezra-Nehemiah. Like the Israelites in exile, we have experienced many events that have kept us from serving God the way we were used to. But now, how should we move forward? The books of Ezra and Nehemiah help us answer that question. We’ll start this week in Ezra 1-2 learning about how God keeps His promises.
As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “Will God keep what He has promised? How can I learn to trust Him?”
It is times like this that remind us how important it is to build our lives on the right foundation. In this sermon, we talk about that very thing.
In Matthew 7:24-29, Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount by challenging us to put what He has taught into practice. To know and obey Jesus is to build a life on a solid rock rather than shifting sands.
As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “What is my life built on? According to Jesus, how should a follower of God live?”
In this message, we will talk about an important choice we have to make this Christmas. In Matthew 7:13-23, Jesus begins to wrap up the Sermon on the Mount with a challenging application.
As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “Does Jesus know me? Does faith in Jesus make a difference in how I live?”
In this message, we will learn about a different kind of gift exchange in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 7:7-12, we discover that God gives us the gift of answered prayer and expects us to give the gift of ‘doing unto others’ in return. As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “Do I pray like I really believe that God always answers prayer? What should ‘doing unto others’ look like in my own life?”
In this message, we will see what Jesus has to say about judging others in the Sermon on the Mount. Should we judge others? If not, how do we deal with people who disagree with us?
As you prepare for the message, read Matthew 7:1-6 and ask yourself, “Am I hypercritical or judgmental? How should I approach addressing people who I disagree with?”
We will see what Jesus has to say about anxiety in the Sermon on the Mount. We live in a confusing, stressful, and anxious world. How does Jesus encourage us to respond? What hope is there for our worries and anxieties?
As you prepare for the message, read Matthew 6:25-34 and ask yourself, “What am I anxious or worried about? How does Jesus want me to view my worries and anxieties?”
We will return to the Sermon on the Mount and consider what things we treasure or value. What values control our lives? What do we live for? As you prepare for the message, read Matthew 6:19-24 and ask yourself, “Is my treasure in heaven or on earth? Who or what really controls my thoughts and actions?”
Turn on the news, look on social media, or just drive around and see all the yard signs… it seems like everyone is focused on the upcoming election. But have you thought about what will happen after the election? This Sunday, we will look at what we should do after the election. How can we prepare to respond in a God-honoring way, regardless of the outcome? Paul’s words in Colossians 4:2-6 may give us an answer.
As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “Should there be a difference between how I act before the election vs. after the election? How should Christians respond to a contentious political environment?”
We're talking about growing spiritually. Jesus expects us to grow to become more like Him through spiritual disciplines like giving, praying, and fasting. But how we actually do or practice those things is important.
As you prepare for the message, read Matthew 6:1-18 and ask yourself, “Why should I want to grow spiritually? How do I give, pray, and fast? Do I do those things?”
We're talking about loving our enemies. In Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus challenges us with some of the most radical words in the entire Bible. As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “Why is it hard to love my enemies? How can I do that in my own life?”
We're thinking about how God calls us to treat others. In Matthew 5:33-42, Jesus talks about how a citizen of God’s kingdom should view oaths and retaliation. He will call us to take an approach that is different from the rest of the world around us. As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “Is honesty important to God? How are Christians supposed to treat other people?”
n Matthew 5:31-32, Jesus talks about how a citizen of God’s kingdom should view divorce. Divorce is a painful issue and one that must be treated with care. Still, marriage is extremely important to God and Jesus has some challenging truths to teach us about marriage and divorce.
We're returning to the Sermon on the Mount. At the beginning of the year, we started looking at these words from Jesus, but our study was interrupted by the pandemic in March. Let's catch-up and review what we learned back in January, February, and early March. As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “What is the Sermon on the Mount about? How should a follower of Christ live?”
This is the the last week of our “Now What?” series.We are going to talk about moving forward. What’s next for our church? How should we live for our Lord during this time? We will listen to the words of John the Baptist in John 3:25-30 to help us answer those questions.As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “Who should get the credit for what happens in a church? Is my life supposed to be about me or someone else?”
We continue seeking the answer to the question “Now What?” How should we live in this confusing time? What should we do?
This week, we talk about justice. Many people talk about justice nowadays (or speak against a perceived lack of justice). But what does God think about justice? And what does He expect us to do about it? Isaiah chapter 1 (especially verses 16-18) will help us answer those questions.
As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “What does God think about justice? How should I respond when others cry out for justice?”
We're going to continue seeking the answer to the question “Now What?” How should we live in this confusing time? What should we do? This week, we talk about how we should respond when someone does or says something that we disagree with. Should we respond with outrage? Ignore it? Paul touches on some principles in 1 Corinthians 4:1-7 that should help us. As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “How do I respond when I disagree with another’s words or actions? Who is the ultimate judge over every person?”
We continue seeking the answer to the question “Now What?” How should we live in this confusing time? What should we do?
This week, we are going to think about what we should do when God feels distant. With all the craziness in the world today, we can sometimes wonder if God is really with us. In Psalm 19, we will discover where and how we can see God at all times.
As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “Do I feel close to God or does He seem distant? What should I do to get closer to God?”
A lot has changed in the world, our country, our community, and our church over the past 5 months. It has left many of us thinking, “Now what? What happens now? What do we do?”
What is 'restraint'? What it is not? How do we need restraint in our daily lives to best glorify God? A sermon from elder Tom Toone.
We are we will be learning about Redeeming Love in the last chapter of Ruth. We will see how God uses the redeeming love of one man to show us how to love others, to bring about a happy ending to the book, and to make us look forward to a future Redeemer.
As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “What does God’s redeeming love look like in my life? How can I show that love to others?”
This week we will be looking at the pure/respectful love and actions of Ruth and Boaz. We will compare this to how God’s love always looks after our best interests and seek how we can show that kind of pure love to others.
We’re returning to the Book of Ruth to talk about Devoted Love. Ruth Chapter 2 will show us three characters who live out devoted love for others. As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “What does it mean to show devoted love? Who I am supposed to show love to?”
We’re diving into the Book of Ruth to talk about Faithful Love.
Ruth Chapter 1 show us how God is always faithful to us even in the midst of bitterness and brokenness. That means that we should faithfully choose to love God in return.
As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “How can we see God’s love in bitter circumstances? What does it mean to faithfully love God?”
How should we get along with Christians we disagree with? The Apostle Paul looks at this issue in Romans 15:1-7. As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “How should Christians who disagree treat each other?”
We will begin a new sermon series on the Book of Ruth: Love in a Broken World. To mark the start of this new series, we are going to do something special.We received permission to use a Scripture performance video of the Book of Ruth from the ministry Piercing Word. Pastor John will introduce our new study and then we will watch the words of the Book of Ruth brought to life and tied in with the rest of the Bible.Put together we will see that Ruth is a book about how God’s love can and will save and redeem our broken world.
We will be talking about the last few verses of the book of Philippians. In Philippians 4:10-23, the Apostle Paul shares 4 secrets about the Christian life. These are 4 truths that are crucial to how we live for our Lord, but that we sometimes forget.
As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “Am I content? Who benefits when I give?”
In Philippians 4:2-9, the Apostle Paul talks about the importance of our thoughts. He encourages us to move away from thoughts of bitterness and anxiety toward trust in the Lord and thoughts that honor God. As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “Why does what we think about matter? What kinds of things should a Christian be thinking about?”
We are back in Philippians chapter 3. In this text, the Apostle Paul will talk about how believers should spend their lives pressing on as they journey to their eternal home. As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, "What does it mean to press on? Where is my true home?"
We are back in Philippians this Sunday. In chapter 3 verses 1-11, the Apostle Paul answers the most important question in the world: “What is the meaning of life?” The answer may surprise you! As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “What is life about? How can my life be a life of meaning?”
In this passage, the Apostle Paul provides two examples of the mind of Christ lived out. If we want to know what it looks like when a believer is working for the Lord and shining like a light, Paul shows us in this text. Pastor John will talk about these examples as well as some from church history that he hopes inspires all of us to live for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “What examples of faithful people have encouraged me? How can my life be an example to others?”
In the midst of a confusing time, in a confusing world, what are God’s people supposed to do? This Sunday we will look at Philippians 2:12-18. In that passage, the Apostle Paul encourages Christians to work and to shine as lights. In other words, we are to be “Working Lights.” A light that is not working is not very useful. Fortunately for us, God promises to work in His people. As in all things, we can trust Him. As you prepare for the message, read the passage and ask yourself, “What does it mean for me to work out my salvation and shine like a light? How can I do that?”
God loves you. It’s true! God loves you. Even though we are in a confusing time, we know that this is true. The best example of love that we have in the Bible is our Lord and Savior Himself, Jesus Christ. By looking at Him we can see what true love is and learn how we can show love to others.
This week we are back in Philippians talking about how we do not have to fear death (because being with Christ will be better), but in the meantime, we should live a live worthy of the gospel of Christ.
Why is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ good news? How can Christ’s resurrection give me hope today?
"Genuine spiritual progress is rooted in what God has done, is doing, and will do." - Sean McDonough
Joy is how believers who know Christ and whose futures are guaranteed by Christ respond in the context of present difficulties. -Gordon Fee
When we look at other Christians, we love them and embrace them, not because they wear our denominational label or rally behind our pet causes, but because they were bought with the same price!
"Your heavenly father knows what you need. And God not only knows and is concerned about your needs, He provides for them as well…" -Rhett Dodson
How might it change your day today if you were to cease looking for human approval and begin seeking only the approval of God?
"True faith perseveres. It does not give up at the first bump in the road but rather clings to God who made the road and trusts that even the bumps are a part of His plan." - Rhett Dodson
Sin angers God and hinders His work… Sin ignites the wrath of God. It brings defeat to the people of God. It hinders the progress of the work of God, and must, therefore, be dealt with by God.
As you think about this difficult subject, remember that God’s goal is the destruction of wickedness… not people.
A special sermon from Dr. Barry Whitworth, Executive Director of the Baptist Resource Network.
As you ponder the Bible’s words, stories, and instructions over and over again, Scripture begins to shape and mold the way you think about life. It begins to play a role in how you decide to spend your time and money. Scripture meditation paves the way for spiritual success." -Rhett Dodson
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Our mission is to glorify God by modeling Christ, extending His love, and building His Church.
"Christianity is built upon historical realities. Our faith is not based on blind hope but on the concrete reality that Jesus rose from the grave." -Nathaniel Williams
"…whenever you come into the mouth of the furnace, say to yourself, 'God has some great work for me to do and He is preparing me for it.’" -Charles Spurgeon
Fear: An uneasy feeling,a feeling of dread --- an internal alarm that goes off inside us when we are facing imminent danger, feel threatened, or feel helpless to avoid or change it.
"Our ethic should be shaped by the gospel. If anyone should care for the orphan, the weak, and the vulnerable, it should be the Christian." -Tony Merida
Any teaching that denies or contradicts the clear teachings of Scripture is a lie, the doctrine of demons, no matter how seemingly rationale, reasonable, logical… even “scientific”.
Why The Term “Ambassador”? Consider the term “ambassador” from a Christian perspective.
"Like a good shepherd Christ knows all His believing people. Their names, their families, their dwelling-places, their circumstances, their private history, their experience, their trials—with all these things Jesus is perfectly acquainted." - J. C. Ryle
A biblical theology of work hearkens back to Genesis 2:5: The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
“The Gospel creates family. It brings about family relationships that weren't there beforehand. If we can make sure that our language about church family is not just lip service but expressing the spiritual reality, that's got to be an amazing witness.” -Sam Allberry
Jesus instituted or founded only one organization: the Church, which would manifest itself in multitudes of local expressions. It is also the only institution that Jesus specifically promised to bless.
Practical Atheism: Living as there is no God. What is it that makes us different from unbelievers?
The Family's Responsibility
"…the cross informs what it means for us to be a family and… our lives in our families are meant to drive us back to the cross." - Russell Moore
Under the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit, Paul is writing in the context of his time. But we should be careful and very hesitant to make assumptions based on modern culture…. which, in fact has its own sets of problems.
Under the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit, Paul is writing in the context of his time. But we should be careful and very hesitant to make assumptions based on modern culture…. which, in fact has its own sets of problems.
Our character, our love, and our commitment to following Christ and His Word, is tested in how we follow through in caring for widows with what resources we have available. The God who says - And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19) - has also chosen His church to manifest that love and care and provision to those who are truly needy.
Truly loving one’s family means we care about the well-being of each person in that family, as well as their impact and effect on the rest of the family. What about the family of God?
Godliness is the right response and heart attitude towards God and His eternal Word; it is living out our lives in the light of His revealed truth and will, and is the heart and soul of what defines Christian character.
Apostasy Defined A total desertion of or departure from one's religion, principles, party, cause, etc.
Love without Truth leads towards liberalism; and Truth without Love leads towards legalism. Both are deadly to the church.
I. Hope of Israel [16-23] II. Different Reactions [24-28] III. Proclaim and Teach [30-31]
Our term “Deacon” comes from a word group (both noun and verb form) - diakonos, diakonia, and diakoneo - which are used more than 100 times in the NT. In almost all instances, they are referring to ministry service within the context of the church.
God allows giants in our lives: -To test our obedience. -We don’t just get handed all of God’s blessings and things of value without exercising faith. -Only when we engage in the battle do we become stronger, more seasoned and experienced, and more useful in His Kingdom work.
"The motive for such high standards of leadership lies in the fact that the church belongs not to men, but to God." -John MacArthur
The Christian life can only be fully realized, lived out, and practiced in relationship to others. It is a corporate matter, not an individual sport.
Biblically there is a direct link between the quality and character of a church, and the quality and character of those who lead it.
Men and women are very much created equal in their personhood. God does not love or favor one over the other. But… He did give us different roles. Different roles in the family, and different roles in His church.
Motive affects every aspect of our lives, and our Christianity. Do we do what we do to be like our Christ, or do we find ourselves with other motives?
Christian unity in the New Testament sense is spiritual harmony and voluntary cooperation for common ends by various groups of Christ's people.
We can do more together than alone.
What makes a church a true church of Jesus Christ? Why do churches die? If our church were to close, who in our community would miss us?
Love justice because God does. The Christian example of love is not a high-five or a pat on the back, but a bloody death.
Does Gospel praying work? Does God respond to our prayers for people to be saved? How serious are you about someone coming to faith? How serious are you about sharing your faith?
Anything that pulls people away from the Gospel must be gotten after or it will destroy the church. If we lose the Gospel… we lose everything!
Definition of Heart 1. A Muscle or Organ that pumps blood… 2. A picture or design 3. A persons disposition 4. The center 5. One’s inner most feelings, inclinations or character
What are you willing to fight for?
Is it the right thing? Are you willing to fight for biblical truth, for your brother’s and sister’s in Christ… and for those that God may save? Are you willing to fight for your Church and our church… for what Christ gave His life for?
Anything that pulls people away from the Gospel must be gotten after or it will destroy the church. If we lose the Gospel… we lose everything!
Let's stand for life consistently, holistically and with the Gospel that alone is the power of God.
"Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe." -Saint Augustine
Joy to the world, the Lord has come! Let earth receive her King Let every heart prepare Him room And Heaven and nature sing!
Regardless of what you think you believe right now, when your world crashes and burns around you, what you truly believe will ultimately determine how you will go through it.
Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure. But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness…
Trying to defend yourself is often like trying to box with someone’s shadow. It generally doesn’t work well. People get confused, and believe what they want to believe, but… God knows. Devote yourself to Him, and He will have your back.
For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God…
Do not envy wicked men, do not desire their company; for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble. By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. (Proverbs 24:1-4 NIV84)
“It's a holocaust like the world has yet to see. In fact, just to put it in perspective, Stalin was guilty of murdering 40 million of his own countrymen. Hitler, 30 million human beings. The United States, since Roe v. Wade (not globally, but the United States), has blown past both of those brothers and has made them look angelic as we have slaughtered wholesale 55 million little boys and little girls.” - Matt Chandler, 1/25/2015
Jesus told us to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us, so why would we read in this Psalm that David hates those who hate God? Perhaps it would help to understand “biblical hatred” rather than confuse it with the human variety.
On September 11th 2001, the “unthinkable” happened. But isn’t that the way of traumas, tragedies and tribulation? They have a nasty tendency to surprise and smash their way into our lives… But, is the “unthinkable” really all that “unthinkable”?
In David, the Scriptures show us a man who longed to know God more and more; who hungered and thirsted for His presence in His life. A man who took his faith seriously.
Do you?
God has given us spiritual life through Christ, but every one of us needs spiritual power if we’re to live a victorious life in Christ.
"…every man whose great objective in life is anything less than the Glory of God is really a worshipper of idols." -Charles Spurgeon
"It is because we are redeemed that we shall be saved—that is the reason why there are saints already in Heaven and why they will be there forever and ever. Redemption is the pledge of their eternal safety." -Charles Spurgeon
When the storm clouds of life come upon you; when trials, temptations, problems and difficulties arrive on your doorstep… where do you turn to… who or what do you trust in?
If you want to experience true hope and forgiveness you have to own your sin and deal with it, or it will own you.
"My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise." -Psalm 51:17 (NIV)
Guest Speaker Stan Smith The gospel is not about trying to wedge a little Jesus into our crazy lives.
"Often we think we know what our greatest need is, but really we are only focusing on our circumstances. In reality the problem you are facing today is not your spouse, children, or parents. It is not your job, boss, or coworkers. It is not your lack of resources, shortage of time, or insufficient income. Just like this young man, your greatest need is for the Messiah Himself." -Danny Akin
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:12 NLT
What are the dangers of waiting? What are the blessings of waiting? What does waiting on God look like?
"The zeal of our Lord Jesus Christ was occasioned by intense love. He loved His Father. He could not, therefore, but do His will. He loved His people. He could not, therefore, do otherwise than seek their good." - Charles Spurgeon
"Many Christians may not be able to neatly categorize their own gift because of its uniqueness, but they can be available to the Holy Spirit… and observe how He motivates and uses them in ministry." John MacArthur
God’s face speaks of His personal presence in our lives. To seek for God, to seek His face, is a mark of the genuine follower of Christ
And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, “I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my own heart, who will do all my will.” (Acts 13:22)
When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies. (Jeremiah 15:16 NLT)
“The critical question for our generation - and for every generation - is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with Heaven, if Christ was not there?” – John Piper, God is the Gospel
“After more than 700 hours of studying this subject, I have come to the conclusion that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is either one of the most wicked, vicious, heartless hoaxes ever foisted on the minds of human beings --- or it is the most remarkable fact of history.” - Josh McDowell, 'Evidence for the Resurrection'
Salvation from what? “As the Scriptures say, ‘No one is good—not even one.’ … For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (Romans 3:10,23) “The wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23)
"…Perhaps they are unkind when I try to help them; but I, too, have been spiteful to God when He has sought to help me. Perhaps they are thankless and even abuse the kindness I show them, but how many times have I been thankless and used what God has given me to serve selfish ends?" - Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer
“The Biblical Narrative: Moral truth is grounded in the character of God; it is objective and universal. This truth is known by discovering the nature of God and His ways as revealed through scripture and within nature. The Cultural Narrative: Moral truth comes from the individual; it is subjective and situational. This truth is known through choosing to believe it and through personal experience (i.e. you are the creator of your own truth).”
When God forgave us and saved us, He didn’t condone our behavior; He didn’t ignore or make light of our sin. If our sin were not really that much of an issue with God, then why would He send His Son to suffer and die for us?
Tragically, many Christians tend to associate… to connect the cross of our Christ with a life of suffering and unhappiness.
"The sufficiency of Scripture means that Scripture contained all the words of God He intended His people to have at each stage of redemptive history, and that it now contains all the words of God we need for salvation, for trusting Him perfectly, and obeying Him perfectly." - Wayne Grudem, Author of 'Systemic Theology'
Life isn’t always neat, and it isn’t always just, and frankly it isn’t really all that fair… but then what is fair… and who determines it? And who is the final determiner of justice?
Would having more money make you happier? Or would it just give you more to spend?Ultimately how we handle our money is a matter of the heart…. and does that heart listen to God?
Do we look for God the way some criminals… or simply someone who breaks the law looks for a cop?
Why do so many relationships fail? I believe it mostly comes down to this fact: most people are more concerned about what they can get than what they can give.
“Most people define leadership as the ability to achieve a position, not to get followers. Therefore, they go after a position, rank, or title and upon their arrival think they have become a leader.” – John Maxwell He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk.” – Leadership Proverb
01/01/17 What applied to the Jew of Malachi’s day, applies to us today? If we will not worship God in spirit and in truth, if we will not truly honor Him and sacrificially respond… then God will depart and go elsewhere.
Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills, and everywhere. Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
The two questions that at least some seemed to be asking in Malachi’s day were: 1. Is God capable of changing things? 2. Does He care about me?
"It is by the grace of God that a congregation is permitted to gather visibly in this world to share God’s Word... Not all Christians receive this blessing." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
We miss the mark… and we miss the point of worship, faith, and God’s love when we fall for the call of the times and take our eyes off of God’s house (i.e. God!) and put it on our house, our lives, our preferences.
The daily decisions you make to live for Christ are more important than who you vote for.
Is your faith characterized by abundant life, or are you just going through the motions? The choices we make matter.
All too often Christians have this odd sense of invulnerability, that nothing bad could ever really happen to them. But that is not the evidence of life, and that is not the teaching of Scripture.
"The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do no fear God, you fear everything else."
While it isn’t always the case in churches, and even in our own lives, our mission/purpose must always begin with God.
When asked 'Why do you not attend a church?'… #1 (74%) - No value in attending #2 (61%) - Churches have too many problems. #3 (48%) - I don’t have the time.
Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers. -Psalm 39:12
In this account, we see God’s love for lost. But there is more… All this time, God was in the process of sanctifying his servant. God never ever stops growing His children in the faith, because we do not come to fullness of maturity in Christ until this life is over and we stand before Him!
Is the story of Jonah true? Jesus said it was true. The gospels refer to Jonah three times (Matt. 12:39-41 & 16:4; and Luke 11:29-30), each time treating this account as fact.
He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church. He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption... He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.
There’s nothing like a serious crisis to expose the otherwise hidden truth of the soul; any soul… Our desperate need for God.
Is the story of Jonah true? Jesus said it was. The gospels refer to Jonah three times (Matthew 12:39-41 & 16:4; and Luke 11:29-30)
Much like us, Jude lived in uncertain times. He has warned us of the perils of false and perverse teaching - apostasy; he has described apostates by giving us examples of what they do and look like. He has even given us practical instructions on what do with it all.
Jude has not only warned us about apostates, he has also described them. But what are we to do with that information? The Christian faith isn’t just about knowing truth, it is about applying it to our everyday lives, and to our church. And here we are going apply an old adage: "The best defense is a good offense”.
Many churches today are a reflection of the culture around them. They hesitate to teach on such subjects as Hell, and judgment, because it isn’t all that popular, it is pretty offensive and cruel sounding to many, and besides… they don’t really believe it themselves. But what does God have to say?
Selected Scriptures Marriage was not born in the heart of man or the evolution of culture; it began in the mind and heart of God. Marriage is threatened today as never before, and yet seemingly one of the least spoken of threats to it, at least in churches, is what has being called a national epidemic - Domestic Violence.
Paul’s willingness to meet Onesimus’ debt to restore his relationship with Philemon is a marvelous picture of Christ’s work...
What do you think of when you hear “ritual”? What rituals do you have? Who determines how we worship? In what ways should we respect God’s holiness?
Does truth matter? More so than most seem willing to admit... or live out. It is a big deal to Scripture, and it should be to us. In the context of love, the Apostle John has much to say about it in our text this morning.
Why did Moses tell the Israelites to obey God’s commandments? Does our obedience earn us favor with God? Why or why not? What does it mean to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and might/strength? How do we practice verses 6-9 in our daily lives? Does displaying our faith through what we own or wear excuse us from sharing the gospel? Why or why not?
What does it mean to blaspheme the Holy Spirit? Can someone commit an unpardonable sin? And if so, what might that… or those sins be? And what happens if someone who professes to be a believer persists in sinful behavior?
“What do you know?” In a world of uncertainties, does what you know encourage you, comfort you, give you wisdom and strength? As John wraps up his letter, he is driving home some things God wants us to know. We will be looking at two more today.
Though we live in an uncertain world, where relativism seems to be the new normal, and deception is rampant, the Bible proclaims absolute truth. John wrote this letter we have been studying to provide his readers, including you and me, with some very important truths regarding the hope of our salvation. He now presents us with five things every believer should know. We will look at the first two this morning.
John has presented us with "birthmarks" that mark or identify the followers of Christ. In our text this morning, John is going to flesh these out with evidences that a person is authentically a child of God. Will you see enough evidence to convict yourself of being an Authentic Christian?