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 Kevin Shrum Pastor, Inglewood Baptist Church, Nashville Focal Passage: Ezekiel 11:2-4, 14-21 In 1898 Priscilla Jane Owens wrote a song that would become famous and well used in the Church. The first title of the song was, “We Have Heard the Joyful Sound.” Later it became better known by a phrase out of the chorus line of the song, “Jesus Saves, Jesus Saves.” Owens initially wrote the song
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 Kevin Shrum Pastor, Inglewood Baptist Church, Nashville Focal Passage: Ezekiel 3:8-21 When God gets ready to do something He commissions His people. Like a military General commanding his troops, God calls and commissions His people to do His will His way, executing the battle plan according to His purposes. The Great Commission of Matthew 28:16-20 is just one of many commissions in Scripture. The Prophets of the Old Testament
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 Mike Dawson Pastor Emeritus, First Baptist Church, Columbia Focal Passage: Philemon 8-21 Two ‘work crews’ can be observed in many churches. One is the demolition crew; they’re skilled at tearing down, ripping out, crushing, and trashing. They find fault, criticize, gossip and can pretty well wreck the place. On the other hand there’s the restoration crew. These faithful souls seek to unite, make peace, and help restore broken
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 Mike Dawson Pastor Emeritus, First Baptist Church, Columbia Focal Passage: Colossians 3:18-4:6 Sometimes I teach an old yet fun way to remember the order of four New Testament books, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. Using the first letter of each book, G, E, P, C, I say the phrase “Gentiles Eat Pork Chops.” You may know a couple of other phrases to help us recall the order; but all of them are equally silly!
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
By Mike Dawson Pastor Emeritus, First Baptist Church, Columbia Focal Passage: Colossians 3:1-17 Johnny Mercer wrote a song in 1944 that became very popular while Americans struggled under the burden of World War II. Mercer’s novelty song lifted our country’s sagging spirits. The refrain actually came from a sermon — and was delivered like a sermon: “You’ve got to accentuate the positive, Eliminate the negative, Latch on to the affirmative, Don’t
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
By Kevin Shrum Pastor, Inglewood Baptist Church, Nashville Focal Passage: Ezekiel 11:2-4, 14-21 In 1898 Priscilla Jane Owens wrote a song that would become
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
By Kevin Shrum Pastor, Inglewood Baptist Church, Nashville Focal Passage: Ezekiel 3:8-21 When God gets ready to do something He commissions His people. Like a
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
By Mike Dawson Pastor Emeritus, First Baptist Church, Columbia Focal Passage: Philemon 8-21 Two ‘work crews’ can be observed in many churches. One is
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
By Mike Dawson Pastor Emeritus, First Baptist Church, Columbia Focal Passage: Colossians 3:18-4:6 Sometimes I teach an old yet fun way to remember the order
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
By Mike Dawson Pastor Emeritus, First Baptist Church, Columbia Focal Passage: Colossians 3:1-17 Johnny Mercer wrote a song in 1944 that became very popular
