Focal Passage: Matthew 18:21-35  Love leads us to forgive. Not only that, being loved empowers and compels us to forgive. This discourse presents an incredible example of a man who had been forgiven an impossible debt, only to threaten and abuse another whose debt he would himself not forgive.  When we realize the great, infinitely immeasurable debt we owe, it is impossible for us to then withhold forgiveness from someone

By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: Romans 12:9-21 We’ve all likely heard stories of church hurt, crazy church splits and generally rowdy business meetings. It’s a shame so many are true. I’ve been in churches where you can smell the animosity in the air almost immediately.  I knew one that paid an off-duty officer to sit in just to keep the peace. Why do I tell

By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: 1 Timothy 2:1-8 Charles Spurgeon said, “No man can do me a truer kindness than to pray for me.” It is a wonderful privilege to intercede for others, standing in for them and crying out to heaven on their behalf. There are three things I’ve learned about praying for others. First, it takes intention. I can’t leave it up to

By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: I Corinthians 13:1-13  Love gives aim to our gifts and our service. Love gives not only purpose but substance to our lives. So, what does love look like?  This is a word that has been poorly defined and abundantly misused in our world today. Love is something more than affection, it is deeper than pleasure, something altogether different from infatuation. 

By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: Luke 10:25-37  An expert in the law, testing Jesus, began questioning Him about the law. This wasn’t the inquisitive questioning of a heartfelt seeker but an arrogant questioning seeking only to trap Jesus through cross examination.  This lawyer sums up the law rightly with the Great Commandment. He seems to be missing the point, though. A consuming love for God

By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: 1 Corinthians 12:4-14 The church at Corinth was truly a problem church, wouldn’t you agree? Just reading I Corinthians you can’t help but feel the frustration of Paul, trying to help this immature, divisive, selfish and sinful church to unite in submission under Christ. It’s no surprise they would ask Paul about spiritual gifts. It is likely some had begun

By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: Galatians 5:16-25 Amos 3:3 asks, “Can two walk together unless they are agreed?” As the people of God, we are to be walking in the Spirit and with the Spirit. But what does it mean to walk with the Spirit?  First, just like Amos, we must be agreed. We must agree to be going the same direction as Him. In

By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: 1 Corinthians 10:23-33 The question of the Christian’s freedom is something I’ve wrestled with since I first met Jesus. My first few years as a Christian I felt little freedom. I was bound tightly by legalistic ropes which kept my conscience in a constant shame.  No matter what sins I avoided and what good I did, at the end of

By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: Ephesians 5:8-21 Paul makes a really interesting contrast here to describe the wonder of the Spirit’s filling of the believer.  Unlike the pagans, believers are not to be drunk with wine but filled with the Spirit. Whatever fills us controls us. I’ve met people filled with pride, filled with bitterness, filled with anger, filled by addictions, and even those blessed

By Scott Brown Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly Focal Passage: Romans 8:9-17 At the moment of conversion, when we are born again, the Holy Spirit takes up residence inside us. He indwells the believer and gives them power to live for Jesus. This comes with many benefits to us. It is a constant reminder we are not left alone to stumble through the adventure of the Christian life.  GotQuestions.org lists