By Kenny Bruce Pastor Emeritus, Leawood East Baptist Church, Memphis Focal Passage: Genesis 37:1-5, 19-24, 26-27  Joseph was loved and hated, favored and abused, abased and exalted. He truly was a man of God.  (1) Joseph’s boyhood (vv. 1-5). Joseph is introduced to us as a young man 17 years of age. Jacob loved Joseph more than his other eleven sons and made him a coat of many colors.  After

By Kenny Bruce Pastor Emeritus, Leawood East Baptist Church, Memphis Focal Passage: Obadiah 1-4, 10-17 Though Obadiah is the most obscure of all the prophets, his message is potent and relevant.  1. The sin of all sins (vv. 1-4). Edomites were the descendants of Esau. Edom was bordered on the east by the desert and on the north by a deep canyon. The central area was characterized by cliffs that

By Kevin Shrum Pastor, Inglewood Baptist Church, Nashville Focal Passage: Ezekiel 37:1-14 Someone once took each letters of the word GOSPEL to define the gospel — God Offers Sinful (Dead) People Eternal Life. But this is only the beginning of what the good news means. The phrase — “Jesus did not come to make good men better, He came to make dead men live!” — is true. God’s offer of

By Kenny Bruce Pastor Emeritus, Leawood East Baptist Church, Memphis Focal Passage: Luke 2:22-35 Just as the Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that the baby Jesus was the Messiah, He reveals to us the mind of God.  The dedication of the parents (v. 27b). When Jesus was forty days old, Joseph and Mary went to the temple because she was required by Old Testament law to go there for purification

By Kenny Bruce Pastor Emeritus, Leawood East Baptist Church, Memphis Focal Passage: Isaiah 9:6-7; Luke 1:26-33 Lela B. Long wrote a chorus in the Baptist Hymnal entitled “Jesus Is the Sweetest Name I Know.” I agree.  The majesty of His name (Isaiah 9:6-7). Isaiah predicted the birth of Jesus, then stated that the government would rest on His shoulders (v. 6). All the governments of the world are on His

By Kenny Bruce Pastor Emeritus, Leawood East Baptist Church, Memphis Focal Passage: Luke 2:4-12, 16-20  The birth of Jesus is the greatest event in the history of the world.  I. THE PROBLEMATIC ARRIVAL IN BETHLEHEM (vv. 4-7) God moved on Caesar Augustus to order a census of all the earth for the purpose of taxation. Joseph and Mary went to the city of David, Bethlehem, to register and for Mary

By Kenny Bruce Pastor Emeritus, Leawood East Baptist Church, Memphis Focal Passage: Isaiah 9:1-3; John 1:1-9 John’s gospel does not begin in time, but in eternity. You find Jesus coming into this world as Light from a heavenly perspective. I. THE PROPHECY OF THE LIGHT (Isaiah 9:1-3) Because Israel was worshiping false gods, God sent Tiglath-Pilesar from Assyria in 733 BC to conquer the “land of Zebulun” and the “land

By Kenny Bruce Pastor Emeritus, Leawood East Baptist Church, Memphis Focal Passage: Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25  The incarnation is the central fact of Christianity. Only through the virgin birth could Jesus be fully God and fully man.  I. JOSEPH’S DILEMMA (vv. 18-19) Joseph was betrothed to Mary. A betrothal was more binding than our modern engagement. A contract was sealed by a payment made by the groom or his family to

By Kenny Bruce Pastor Emeritus, Leawood East Baptist Church, Memphis Focal Passage: Genesis 22:1-14 The provision of a substitute for Isaac is a symbolic picture of the greatest sacrifice of all time: God’s providing His Son on the cross as our substitutionary sacrifice.  I. FAITH IN CRISIS (vv. 1-3) God tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice his only son Isaac as a burnt offering on Mount Moriah. This

By Kenny Bruce Pastor emeritus, Leawood East Baptist Church, Cordova Focal Passage: Psalm 100:1-5  Psalm 100 reveals to every Christian a protocol to follow when entering into God’s presence.  I. APPROACHING GOD (vv. 1-2) God invites the whole earth to shout triumphantly to Him. When we enter the presence of God, we are to raise our voices to Him. It would be akin to raising our voice to get someone’s