Baptists Preaching is a column from the Baptist Standard. It is not an effort to advance any one theology or style but to present what a collection of Baptists considers a word from God. Likewise, Baptists Preaching offers a repository of Baptist preaching for future study and research. To recommend a sermon to be featured in Baptists Preaching, please contact eric.black@baptiststandard.com.

Jeb Barr: What Consumes Your Mind Controls Your Life (2 Samuel 13)

Jeb Barr, pastor of First Baptist Church in Elm Mott, likens the danger of target fixation—what can result in a pilot flying into the ground—to desires other than God that occupy our mind. Desires not submitted to God can become dangerous.

The story of Amnon and Tamar is a tragic example. Amnon became consumed with his desire for Tamar—his sister—raped her and then despised her. His consumption resulted in her desolation and the fracturing of the family.

Barr suggests diagnostic questions for self-examination. With regard to desire: Is this desire from God? Is this desire for God? Have I forgotten what he has already given me? With regard to fear, anger and hate: Is my fear, anger or hate justified? If so, is their place in my mind compatible with a close walk with God? Is my response to them honoring God?

This sermon was delivered Sun., Feb. 28, 2021, for the morning worship service of First Baptist Church in Elm Mott. It is part of a series on 1 and 2 Samuel titled “Learning to Be Led by God.”

https://baptiststandard.com/wp-content/uploads/BP_Jeb-Barr.mp3

Baptists Preaching is a column from the Baptist Standard. It is not an effort to advance any one theology or style but to present what a collection of Baptists considers a word from God. Likewise, Baptists Preaching offers a repository of Baptist preaching for future study and research. To recommend a sermon to be featured in Baptists Preaching, please contact eric.black@baptiststandard.com.

Jody Hickman: The Joy of Your Salvation (Psalm 51)

Jody Hickman, pastor of First Baptist Church in Rosebud, compares the world to a person who seeks God. The world sees problems as someone else’s responsibility to fix. The person who seeks God sees the problem in themselves, acknowledges their sinfulness and repents.

David provides an example in Psalm 51 of one who acknowledges his sin and seeks God’s cleansing. He asks God to teach him how to be in right relationship with God. This, in turn, is expressed through seeking to be in right relationship with others.

This sermon was delivered Sun., May 2, 2021, for the morning worship service of First Baptist Church in Rosebud. It also was recorded separately before the service and shared with those members unable to attend worship in person during the COVID-19 pandemic due to significant health concerns.

A sermon outline is available here.

Baptists Preaching is a column from the Baptist Standard. It is not an effort to advance any one theology or style but to present what a collection of Baptists considers a word from God. Likewise, Baptists Preaching offers a repository of Baptist preaching for future study and research. To recommend a sermon to be featured in Baptists Preaching, please contact eric.black@baptiststandard.com.

Jorge Vásquez: Confiado en lo que Dios cumple (Filipenses 1)/Trusting in what God accomplishes (Philippians 1)

Jorge Vásquez, pastor de la Iglesia Bautista Ágape, inicia el mensaje con una gran ayuda visual de una silla y cómo tenemos confianza en la silla para evitar que caigamos al suelo. De la misma manera, el pastor Vásquez quiere que entendamos que, como cristianos, encontramos confianza a través de nuestra fe en Jesucristo. Nos explica y nos aconseja que nuestro sufrimiento debe reflejar la actitud de Pablo en su sufrimiento y encarcelamiento.

Este sermón se pronunció el domingo de Pascua, el 4 de abril de 2021, durante el servicio de adoración matutino de la Iglesia Bautista Ágape en San Antonio, como parte de una serie de sermones titulada “Cristianismo certero”.

Jorge Vásquez, pastor of Agape Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas, starts the message with a great visual aid of a chair and how we are confident in the chair to keep us from falling to the ground. In the same manner, Pastor Vasquez is wanting us to understand that as Christians we find confidence through our faith in Jesus Christ. He takes us through and advises that our suffering should parallel the attitude of Paul’s attitude in his suffering and imprisonment.

This sermon was delivered on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021, during the morning worship service at Agape Baptist Church in San Antonio, as part of a series of sermons titled “True Christianity.”

Baptists Preaching is a column from the Baptist Standard. It is not an effort to advance any one theology or style but to present what a collection of Baptists considers a word from God. Likewise, Baptists Preaching offers a repository of Baptist preaching for future study and research. To recommend a sermon to be featured in Baptists Preaching, please contact eric.black@baptiststandard.com.

Joe Bailey: Entrance Talk (Luke 13:22-30)

Joe Bailey, pastor of Speegleville Baptist Church, asked his congregation to imagine two scenarios: a party they weren’t invited to, and a party they invited many people to but to which only a few came. How would they feel?

In the sermon Scripture passage, a questioner asked Jesus if only a few people would be saved. Three words feature prominently in the story: effort, limited and everyone. Bailey explains what these three words entail. He emphasizes the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ is available to all who will follow him as their Lord and Savior.

This sermon was delivered online Sunday, Mar. 21, 2021, for the morning worship service of Speegleville Baptist Church as the second of a two-part series titled “Journey to Jerusalem.”

Baptists Preaching is a column from the Baptist Standard. It is not an effort to advance any one theology or style but to present what a collection of Baptists considers a word from God. Likewise, Baptists Preaching offers a repository of Baptist preaching for future study and research. To recommend a sermon to be featured in Baptists Preaching, please contact eric.black@baptiststandard.com.

Darin Wood: I Am Forgiven and Redeemed (Romans 5:6-8)

Darin Wood, pastor of First Baptist Church in Midland, Texas, expressed disappointment in Christians identifying themselves in ways outside Christ, citing this as the reason for his sermon series on identity. He defined forgiveness and redemption, noting they are foundational to a Christian’s identity.

Forgiveness is release from debt that must be received to be effectual and is to be offered to others. Redemption is a change of ownership that promises a great future. Both are gifts of grace available in and because of Jesus.

This sermon was delivered on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, during the morning worship services of First Baptist Church in Midland as part of a series titled “Who Am I?”

Baptists Preaching is a column from the Baptist Standard. It is not an effort to advance any one theology or style but to present what a collection of Baptists considers a word from God. Likewise, Baptists Preaching offers a repository of Baptist preaching for future study and research. To recommend a sermon to be featured in Baptists Preaching, please contact eric.black@baptiststandard.com.

Bobby Bressman: Falling in Love with Jesus (Luke 7:36-50)

Bobby Bressman, pastor of First Baptist Church in Center, opened with a vulnerable story about his health. Given the unpredictability of life, he wants to give gifts to his children that will last longer than traditional kinds of gifts. He wants his children not to be religious, but to fall in love with Jesus. The story of the woman who washed and anointed Jesus’ feet, scandalizing the religious leaders, illustrates the kind of love of Jesus Bressman wants his children to have.

This sermon was delivered on Easter Sunday, Apr. 4, 2021, during the morning worship service of First Baptist Church in Center, as part of a sermon series titled “Gifts I’d Give My Kids and God Wants to Give His.”

A sermon outline is available here.

Baptists Preaching is a column from the Baptist Standard. It is not an effort to advance any one theology or style but to present what a collection of Baptists considers a word from God. Likewise, Baptists Preaching offers a repository of Baptist preaching for future study and research. To recommend a sermon to be featured in Baptists Preaching, please contact eric.black@baptiststandard.com.

Autumn Seacat: Up or Out (Genesis 11:1-9, 12:1-4a; Acts 2:14-21)

Autumn Seacat, associate college minister at Highland Baptist Church in Waco and student at Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary, asks if Christians are building towers or blessing nations. “How do we live a life that matters?” she asked. People have a choice of paths; the story of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11) illustrates a wrong path.

Seacat outlines the failures of those who built the Tower of Babel—self-reliance, self-security and self-importance—and how those failures are echoed today. God’s call of Abram (Genesis 12) depicts the path of promise and blessing for oneself and the world. The key differences between the two paths are obedience and being filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). She includes practical counsel for walking the path of obedience.

This sermon was delivered on Mar. 23, 2021, for College Night at Highland Baptist Church in Waco. The sermon is designed for conversation, stopping at points to allow listeners to discuss questions at their tables.

A sermon script is available here.

Baptists Preaching is a column from the Baptist Standard. It is not an effort to advance any one theology or style but to present what a collection of Baptists considers a word from God. Likewise, Baptists Preaching offers a repository of Baptist preaching for future study and research. To recommend a sermon to be featured in Baptists Preaching, please contact eric.black@baptiststandard.com.

Josh Vaughan: Time for Healing (Luke 13:10-17)

Josh Vaughan, senior pastor of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Waco and a graduate of Houston Baptist University, used a painting by French artist James Jacques Tissot to help his congregation visualize and think through Jesus’ healing of a woman on the Sabbath—The Woman with an Infirmity of Eighteen Years. Vaughan turned to the creation account in Genesis 1-2 to explain the scandal of Jesus healing on the Sabbath. The Sabbath marked the completion of God’s work at creation and therefore was to be a day of rest, not work. 

Vaughan describes the good news of the Sabbath, calling his hearers to a right understanding of it.

This sermon was delivered on Mar. 14, 2021, during the traditional morning worship service of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Waco, as part of a sermon series titled “What Time is It?” The series is a study of Luke 12:29-14:24 and is part of a larger survey of the Gospel of Luke.

A sermon transcript is available here.

Baptists Preaching is a column from the Baptist Standard. It is not an effort to advance any one theology or style but to present what a collection of Baptists considers a word from God. Likewise, Baptists Preaching offers a repository of Baptist preaching for future study and research. To recommend a sermon to be featured in Baptists Preaching, please contact eric.black@baptiststandard.com.

Rev. Dr. Darrin Moore: Coping with Spiritual Plateaus (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Rev. Dr. Darrin Moore, senior pastor of Truevine Missionary Baptist Church in Spring, finds spiritual significance in understanding the natural geologic formation known as a plateau. He notes plateaus are part of God’s creation.

Metaphorically, plateaus are places or periods of stability and are “natural and normal and necessary” as part of “God’s scenery of the Christian life.” Moore lists three benefits of plateaus in one’s spiritual life. He also points out that being on a spiritual plateau is a luxury of comfortable people.

Moore begins to examine three biblical principles for coping with spiritual plateaus—referencing Romans 8:29 and 2 Corinthians 3:18—and describes the less-than-glorious process of becoming like Christ.

Part 2, Living on a Spiritual Plateau, is available here.

This sermon arose in response to an invitation by the North American Mission Board and the pastors and elders of New Life Reformed Church in Spring to address the topic of spiritual plateaus. It was posted online Aug. 6, 2020, and was shared with Truevine Missionary Baptist Church in Spring Aug. 16, 2020.

Baptists Preaching is a column from the Baptist Standard. It is not an effort to advance any one theology or style but to present what a collection of Baptists considers a word from God. Likewise, Baptists Preaching offers a repository of Baptist preaching for future study and research. To recommend a sermon to be featured in Baptists Preaching, please contact eric.black@baptiststandard.com.

Rev. Oliver Martinez: Why Do You Need to be Part of the Family of God? / ¿Por Qué Necesitas Ser Parte de la Familia de Dios? (James 2:1, 8-9/ Santiago 2:1, 8-9)

Rev. Oliver Martinez, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Getsemani in Fort Worth, and a graduate of Baptist University of the Américas, asserted God hates prejudice and listed four reasons. Prejudice questions and rejects God’s creation. Prejudice is a sign of ignorance of God’s plan. Prejudice disobeys the great commandment to love one’s neighbor as oneself. Prejudice is a very serious sin, an injustice not tolerated by God. The remedy is to see people the way God does.

People need to be part of the church—the family of God—because it is God’s plan to bring people together. The church is to model unity, reconciliation and fellowship. “When the world is divided … it’s because the church is not doing a very good job,” Martinez said.

People need the church because they are not complete by themselves, they cannot practice reconciliation alone, and their identity is found in relationships. Their chief source of identity is in Jesus Christ.

This sermon was delivered in English and Spanish on Jan. 24, 2021, during the morning worship service of Iglesia Bautista Getsemani. It was part of a series titled “Living by Faith: A Series on the Book of James.”

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El reverendo Oliver Martínez, pastor de la Iglesia Bautista Getsemani en Fort Worth y graduado de la Universidad Bautista de las Américas, afirmó que Dios odia los prejuicios y enumeró cuatro razones. El prejuicio cuestiona y rechaza la creación de Dios. El prejuicio es una señal de ignorancia del plan de Dios. El prejuicio desobedece el gran mandamiento de amar al prójimo como a uno mismo. El prejuicio es un pecado muy grave, una injusticia que Dios no tolera. El remedio es ver a las personas como las ve Dios.

Las personas necesitan ser parte de la iglesia—la familia de Dios—porque el plan de Dios es unir a las personas. La iglesia debe modelar la unidad, la reconciliación y el compañerismo. “Cuando el mundo está dividido … es porque la iglesia no está haciendo un buen trabajo”, dijo Martínez.

Las personas necesitan la iglesia porque no están completas por sí mismas, no pueden practicar la reconciliación solas y su identidad se encuentra en las relaciones. Su principal fuente de identidad está en Jesucristo.

Este sermón se pronunció en inglés y español el 24 de enero de 2021, durante el servicio de adoración matutino de la Iglesia Bautista Getsemani. Formaba parte de una serie titulada “Vivir por fe: Una serie sobre el libro de Santiago”.

Baptists Preaching is a column from the Baptist Standard. It is not an effort to advance any one theology or style but to present what a collection of Baptists considers a word from God. Likewise, Baptists Preaching offers a repository of Baptist preaching for future study and research. To recommend a sermon to be featured in Baptists Preaching, please contact eric.black@baptiststandard.com.

Scott Venable: Indescribable Compassion (Mark 2:1-12)

Scott Venable, lead pastor of Northwood Church in Keller and a graduate of Howard Payne University, examines Episode 6 of the TV series “The Chosen.” He emphasized the significance and sufficiency of Jesus and his word. He also calls for an attachment to and obsession with Jesus, not places and programs.

Breakthrough from sin to forgiveness is in Jesus, who isn’t confined by religious boxes. “God doesn’t just have a breakthrough for your sins; God has a breakthrough for your life,” Venable asserted. Such breakthroughs testify to the world about God’s authority over all of life.

This sermon was delivered on Mar. 14, 2021, during the morning worship services of Northwood Church in Keller, as part of a sermon series titled “The Chosen,” which keys off of the TV series by the same name.

A clip from Episode 6 of “The Chosen” is part of the original sermon video and has been edited out here due to copyright and licensing limitations.

A sermon outline is available here.

Baptists Preaching is a column from the Baptist Standard. It is not an effort to advance any one theology or style but to present what a collection of Baptists considers a word from God. Likewise, Baptists Preaching offers a repository of Baptist preaching for future study and research. To recommend a sermon to be featured in Baptists Preaching, please contact eric.black@baptiststandard.com.

Duane Brooks: Our Reason to Live (1 Corinthians 15:1-8, 2 Corinthians 5:14-17)

Duane Brooks, the senior pastor of Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston, supposes Saul of Tarsus was as surprised as anyone to see Jesus resurrected. Saul—later called Paul—wrote the first written account of Jesus’ resurrection and its witnesses. Paul offers his list of witnesses—including the change in his own life—as sufficient proof that Jesus rose from the dead.

In light of Jesus’ resurrection, Brooks challenged his hearers to be so transformed by Jesus that they would die to sin and self so they may live in Christ. Christ becomes, then, the center and purpose of a person’s life.

This sermon was delivered on Apr. 4, 2021, in celebration of Easter—or Resurrection Sunday—during the morning worship services of Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston. This was the first Sunday of Eastertide—a seven-week, 50-day period focused on the resurrection of Jesus and concludes with Pentecost.