By Greg Steele Pastor, First Baptist Church, Jasper Focal Passage: Matthew 2:1-11 There are some popular misconceptions about these magi. Most of us get our idea about these individuals from songs, cards and poems rather than from theologians. First, most people assume there were three because of the song, “We Three Kings,” and because they gave three gifts. But we’re never told how many there were.  There could have been

By Greg Steele Pastor, First Baptist Church, Jasper Focal Passage: Luke 2:25-35 No one likes to wait. But we wait in traffic, in car lines, in grocery stores, in drive-thru’s, for the doctor, for a spouse, for a baby, for retirement, for sermons to get over and for Jesus to return. To set the story, Jesus has been sent from heaven and entered human history.  The Promised Messiah is now

By Greg Steele Pastor, First Baptist Church, Jasper Focal Passage: Luke 2:1-14 Most people in America are familiar with this passage because every December we watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and hear Linus tell us about the true meaning of Christmas. Let’s set the scene. An angel rocks the routine of some guys who are just out doing their job, Luke 2:8. In the early pages of the Bible, shepherding

By Greg Steele Pastor, First Baptist Church, Jasper Focal Passage: Luke 1:26-38 When most people think about Mary, the mother of Jesus, they think of a peaceful, serene and virtuous woman. Now all of those are probably true characteristics, but I think she also was a very real person.  In our passage, Luke paints a portrait of Mary with real doubt, questions and faith. Where I think we see this

By Greg Steele Pastor, First Baptist Church, Jasper Focal Passage: Matthew 1:18-25 In my younger days, I was part of several plays/musicals. It was always the main roles that people desired. It wasn’t too often that you found a small role that had a great impact. However, that is not the case in the story of Joseph. There is not a lot about Joseph contained in Scripture. He is only

By Michael Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Isaiah 7:10-14; 9:6-7; 11:1-5 One of my favorite Christmas hymns is “What Child Is This?” The tune is called “Greensleeves” and was written in England about the 16th century. But it was not until 1865 while America was in the Civil War that an English poet named William Chatterton Dix, wrote a poem called, “Manger’s Throne.” This is where

By Michael Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Psalm 138:1–8 As we study Psalm 138, King David is teaching us about praise. We are to praise the one true God. David said he did this with his whole heart. That place in us where our true self is seated. Our emotions, devotion, love, intellect, all that we are is to be focused towards Him and giving thanks

By Michael Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Matthew 6:11; John 17:11–23 Praying for others is one of the greatest privileges we have as a Christian. Recently we spoke about the spiritual discipline of prayer at our church. At the end of the service we gave out prayer Bible bookmarks that had several spots to list prayer requests. This was done to help us remember how important

By Micheal Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Matthew 6:11b; Isaiah 38:1-6,15-17 One of the most difficult things in ministry, for me, is taking care of myself. One aspect of that is prayer. Praying for myself doesn’t happen as it should. I think that could be said of many of our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

By Michael Koontz Pastor, Pine Ridge Baptist Church, Harriman Focal Passage: Matthew 6:10–11; James 4:6–10; 4:13–17 In the model prayer that our Lord gave to us, it shows us that our will is not key, but our Father’s will (Matthew 6:10). Look at James 4:6-10 and we see this passage begins and ends with a word that we must embrace as we pray for the Father’s will — humble. Move