First Baptist Church is a loving community of believers in Jesus Christ. Our history goes back for about a century of serving Jesus in our community. We have exciting ministries for people of all ages, including youth and children. You can keep up with us here for sermons, podcasts, blogs, and events.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
A New Confidence
"Oh My God"
I heard it again and again as the events of 9/11 unfolded. It slipped out of the lips of people as they stood with their eyes glued to the TV and the estimated death tolls began to be announced. I heard it as more buildings collapsed and as the smoke cleared in New York and you could see for the first time the massive hole in the New York skyline.
A lot of times people wonder where God is in times like these. One answer is that He is on the lips of those who are in the moment. People call out, “Oh my God! Holy … whatever!” Why?
Well, you might say that it’s just an exclamation, with no more meaning at the time than “Wow” or some cuss word, and you might have a point. But the very fact that the words “God” or “holy” are used in this way tells us something, and what it tells us is this:
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Tearing Down Walls
God's plan is for the church to confront the world with the greatness of God in the same inescapable way that creation spurs both religious and scientific pursuit. But most of the time, it seems, this is true:
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Our congregations are made up of people who look, talk, and think just like we do. And it never occurs to us that this is the same type of unity the world has to offer. Even in our churches, we seem to identify ourselves more according to the corporate brands we buy and the political parties we support than with each other. (Russell D. Moore, Adopted for Life)If the church is just another human institution, it is unremarkable in this world, barely worthy of notice. But when the church emerges with the marks of God's craftsmanship, people cannot avoid the question of how this came to be. So what are these marks of craftsmanship that distinguish a work of God from human work? Ephesians 2:10-22 gives us three to look for...
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Monday, August 22, 2011
From Malaise to Masterpiece
“But…God.” These two monosyllables set against the desperate condition of fallen humankind the gracious initiative and sovereign action of God. We were the objects of his wrath, but God, out of the great love with which he loved us, had mercy on us. We were dead--and the dead do not rise--but God made us alive with Christ. We were slaves, in a situation of dishonor and powerless, but God has raised us with Christ and set us at his own right hand, in a position of honor and power. Thus God has taken action to reverse our condition in sin. It is essential to hold both parts of this contrast together, namely, what we are by nature and what we are by grace.
- John Stott
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Thursday, August 18, 2011
Stepping Into Your Destiny
There is an eternal purpose of God that began in eternity past and extends through today eternally into the future. Not only that, but this Great Story that God is working out not only involves you and involves me, we are a vital element for the Plan.
But we don't live that way. Most of the time, we wander through or struggle through each day, without any sense that our lives make any impact at all. How can we step out of the myopia of the everyday and step into our destiny? How can we be who we were made to be and do what we were created to do?
In Ephesians 1:3, Paul declares that we have been given every spiritual blessing in Christ. So what we need is not additional blessing from God but to comprehend and access the blessings that have already been lavished on us. We need to know the God who calls us and we need to know what he has given us. The prayer contained Ephesians 1:15-23 shows us how to ask God to know...
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But we don't live that way. Most of the time, we wander through or struggle through each day, without any sense that our lives make any impact at all. How can we step out of the myopia of the everyday and step into our destiny? How can we be who we were made to be and do what we were created to do?
In Ephesians 1:3, Paul declares that we have been given every spiritual blessing in Christ. So what we need is not additional blessing from God but to comprehend and access the blessings that have already been lavished on us. We need to know the God who calls us and we need to know what he has given us. The prayer contained Ephesians 1:15-23 shows us how to ask God to know...
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Monday, August 8, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Jealous
There is a certain fierceness to love, whether it is a mother's "mama bear" passion to defend her children or a man's anger that rises when someone is trying to get too cozy with his wife. God's love has a fierceness to it, too. And that burning passion is directed toward us. It drives him to fight through our sin and unfaithfulness to rescue us from death.
Watch this video as an introduction to this week's message about the fierce jealousy of God that causes us to flee from idols and embrace our One True Love.
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Note: This week's sermon post was delayed by technical difficulties. In fact, this sermon was recorded this morning, because Sunday's version didn't record.
Watch this video as an introduction to this week's message about the fierce jealousy of God that causes us to flee from idols and embrace our One True Love.
Listen to this episode
Download this episode (right click and save)
Note: This week's sermon post was delayed by technical difficulties. In fact, this sermon was recorded this morning, because Sunday's version didn't record.
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