Introduction: Standing on the promises that cannot fail!When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,by the living Word of God I shall prevail,standing on the promises of God. -Standing on the promises Russell Kelso Carter reminds us of an important truth. In his hymn: ‘Standing on the Promises’, each verse and refrain points to a hope that we have…
Introduction: Reprimand To A Naïve Deity I will not advertiseThis crazy schemeof Yours God, what a farcethat men should sin and findescape. I mean, of course,not mebut all our mutualantagonists. Dear God, kind God, don’t listenTo their prayers. ~Thomas John Carlisle (You! Jonah!) The poem above is part of a collection from the poet and minister Thomas John Carlisle (1913-1992)…
Not long ago, a decision was made to move from having two very different worship services at First Baptist to having just one. I was tasked with overseeing the transition and the execution of future services. I remember thinking, in the time between the decision and the announced date for the first combined service, “I have no idea how this…
Over the last 2–3 years, I’ve referenced the Shema prayer in Deuteronomy 6:4–5 and its New Testament counterpart in Mark 12:29–30 quite a bit—because I see them as definitions of worship. Deuteronomy 6:4–5 4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your…
Scripture references: 2 Samuel 8:1a, 8:15, 15:18-21, Ruth 1:8-10, 14-18, 4:18-22 and Isaiah 55:8-9. Introduction: Loyalty can come from unexpected places. Professions of faith can come from unexpected people. As we approach another Baptism Sunday, I am often challenged with the question that Pastor Chuck asks at the end of each Baptism service: “Who will be in these waters next…
Every time I have to get under my car to change the oil or inspect something that needs fixing, there’s always a part of me that worries the car will come crashing down on me. Even though it never has, I still can’t fully trust that my car will stay up like it’s supposed to. Another way to put it…
Scripture references: 1 Samuel 17:45-47, Psalm 71:10-16, 18 Introduction: ‘Kiddush Hashem’ The Hebrew term above is a significant concept in Jewish thought which finds its roots throughout Scripture. The term means: ‘Sanctification of the Name’. Being made in the image of God, we are called to represent God’s Name as Holy…set apart from all else. To proclaim His great Name.…
In John 21, we read about Jesus’ third appearance to His disciples. These verses primarily focus on the interaction between Jesus and Peter. However, the lesson wasn’t simply for Peter—it was for all the disciples, and for us. On Sunday, we are going to talk about how the restorative grace of Christ leads to what Warren Wiersbe calls “Dynamic Faith”…
Scripture references: Psalm 22:1, 7, 8, 16, 18, 30-31. Matthew 27:33, 35, 39, 46. Matthew 26:39, John 19:30, Colossians 2:11-15 Introduction: I came across a video this week that caught my attention. In this video, a street preacher was having a discussion with a man passing by. The man challenged the preacher on Jesus, arguing that Jesus made mistakes. He…
Back in my youth ministry days, a great icebreaker—and a fun way to kill time during some downtime—was to toss out a riddle, a brain teaser, or occasionally spark a debate with a ridiculous question. Some of my favorites were “Is water wet?” and “Is a hotdog a sandwich?” These are silly, lighthearted questions that masquerade as riddles because they…