First Baptist Bolingbrook Sermon Podcast
by Vaughn Sanders
Welcome to the weekly podcast of First Baptist Church of Bolingbrook, IL with Lead Teaching Pastor, Vaughn Sanders. To learn more about how you can begin or deepen your relationship with Jesus Christ, visit us at FirstBaptistBolingbrook.com
Episodes
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The Sign at Cana - John 2:1-11
Why did Jesus turn water into wine? This sermon on John 2:1-11 explores the wedding at Cana, the first miracle of Jesus in the Gospel of John, and what it reveals about who he is.John calls this moment a sign, and every sign points somewhere. Guest speaker Robin Boyce unpacks the meaning of the…
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What Does "God-Breathed" Really Mean? - 2 Timothy 3:16-17
The masks drop, and suddenly the safety demo nobody watched is the most important thing on the plane. What if that's how we've been treating the Bible?In this message from 2 Timothy 3:16-17, we walk through:- What "God-breathed" means and why the direction of that breath matters- How the human...
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You Don't Have to Interview for God's Attention - Matthew 6:5-15
Ever feel like prayer is a job interview? You rehearse your words, polish how you sound, and hope you're good enough to get through to God.In Matthew 6:5-15, Jesus shuts the door on all of that. He warns against praying for an audience, frees us from piling up empty words, and hands us a model...
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How to Stop Anxiety at Night: What Philippians 4:6-7 Teaches About Prayer and Peace
It's 3 a.m., and your mind just clocked in for the night shift. Philippians 4:4-7 shows who is really watching the door, and how you hand him the shift.Anxiety keeps a lot of us on watch long after everyone else is asleep. Paul wrote Philippians while he was under guard, and he tells the church...
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What Is Prayer? How to Pour Out Your Heart to God When Life Gets Loud - Psalm 62:1-8
What is prayer? Psalm 62:8 says it's pouring out your heart to God. If life has been shaking you and you're holding it all in, this sermon shows you where the pressure should go.In this message from Psalm 62:8, we walk through what it means to trust God at all times, how to pour out your heart to...
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Borrowed strength for a real battle - Ephesians 6:10-20
Every soldier who's worn body armor has one thing in common. He didn't make it. Somebody handed it to him and sent him out, and on the worst day of his life the thing that kept him breathing was something his own hands never touched.Most of us live the other way around. We build a career and call...
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Never Alone: The Promise of the Spirit - John 14:15-17
Jesus promised His disciples they'd never be left alone, and He meant it literally. This message unpacks John 14:15-17 and what it means that the Holy Spirit is your Helper, permanently.The disciples had just heard Jesus say He was leaving them. Fear like that is familiar. Most of us have learned...
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Called by Name - 1 Peter 2:9-12
Most of us go through life waiting to see if we measure up, wondering whether we're the one who gets picked or the one left over. Peter's letter meets that fear head on.In this sermon on 1 Peter 2:9-12 you'll see what it means to be called a chosen race, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation, why...
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Right Standing, Not Right Performance - Galatians 2:15-16
You can't earn right standing with God by trying harder. Galatians 2:16 shows the only way anyone is justified: faith in Christ, not performance.Most of us run an internal ledger with God, weighing our good days against our bad ones and hoping we come out ahead. That's not how it works, and Paul...
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The Apostles' Creed Explained: Why This Ancient Confession Still Anchors Us Today
Why do Christians all over the world, across every era, still stand up and say the same ancient words together? The Apostles' Creed isn't Scripture, but every line of it comes straight from Scripture. In this message, we break down what this ancient confession actually says about God the Father,...
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You Can't Earn Your Way to God - Ephesians 2:8-10
You can't earn your way to God. Not through good behavior, not through religious effort, not through a résumé you've spent years polishing. If that's true, what's actually left for you to do?In this message from Ephesians 2:8-10, we look at why grace only works as a gift and not a wage, how faith...
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The Verdict the Light Brings - John 3:16-21
God didn't send Jesus to hand down a sentence. He sent him to save a world already standing under one. This message walks through John 3:16-21 and asks a question most of us avoid: What does it mean that the verdict on your life may already be settled?In this message, we look at three things...
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Two Reigns - Romans 5:17-19
Every person alive is living under one of two reigns, whether they've noticed it or not. Adam's reign of death took over before any of us had a say. Christ's reign of grace broke in strong enough to overthrow it. Romans 5:17-19 lays out the two men, the two reigns, and the faith that transfers…
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The Crack That Gleams - Colossians 1:19-20
Reconciliation with God isn't something you earn. It was purchased. Colossians 1:19-20 explains what that cost and why it changes everything.There's a Japanese art form called kintsugi where broken pottery is repaired with gold dust. The bowl doesn't hide its cracks. They gleam. That image runs...
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Not Too Far Gone - 2 Corinthians 5:19
Have you ever felt too far gone to be found? Maybe you've been away from church for years and assume the door is closed. Maybe you're sitting in the pew every week still feeling like a fraud, certain that if God really knew everything about you, He'd stop looking.In this message, we look at 2...
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A Better Declaration - Colossians 1:21-22
We just celebrated 250 years of American independence, a declaration signed with ink and sealed with wax. But there's a distance no revolution could ever close: the gap between a human heart and a holy God.In this message, we look at Colossians 1:21-22 and discover that God didn't wait for us to...
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He Became Like Us So We Could Become Like Him - Hebrews 2:14-18
Why did the eternal Son of God take on human flesh? Why would the one who holds the universe together choose to bleed?In this sermon from Hebrews 2:14–18, we explore one of the most profound truths in all of Scripture: Jesus didn't manage our salvation from a distance. He entered the full weight…
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Born for Us, Given For Us - Isaiah 9:6
The world feels heavy. The news is dark. People are exhausted. And most of us are carrying burdens we were never built to hold.Isaiah 9:6 is one of the most beloved verses in the Bible but it's more than a Christmas card. It's a rescue announcement. God didn't send advice. He didn't send a...
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The Wage You Never Wanted and the Gift You'll Never Earn - Romans 6:23
Romans 6:23 is one of the most direct verses in the Bible. A wage. A gift. Two outcomes that couldn't be more different. In this sermon, we walk through what sin actually earns, why God's response is a gift and not a reward, and why that gift is only found in one specific person. If you've been...
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Trading Glory for Nothing - Romans 1:21-25
The algorithm doesn't create your desires. It just follows them. And over time, the feed becomes a mirror of whatever your heart has been reaching for.In Romans 1:21–25, the Apostle Paul traces the same pattern. Showing what happens when a heart consistently reaches for everything except God. The...
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Sin Entered Through One Man - Romans 5:12-13
Have you ever inherited something you didn't ask for?In Romans 5:12–13, the Apostle Paul traces the origin of sin and death all the way back to one man... Adam. His one act of disobedience set something in motion that no human being has been able to stop, fix, or outrun. And every person born…
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Off Course: Why We Need More Than a Better Route (Romans 3:10-12)
Most of us think we're basically headed in the right direction. We compare ourselves to others, count up our good deeds, and assume we're close enough. But Romans 3:10-12 tells a different story.In this message, we open up one of the most honest passages in all of Scripture. The Apostle Paul…
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What God Wants From Your Relationships - Exodus 20:12-17
Most of us want to love the people around us well. But if we're honest, the people we love most are also the people we hurt most often.In this message from Exodus 20:12–17, we walk through the final six of the Ten Commandments. The commands God gave to show His people how to love their neighbors,...
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Remember to Rest - Exodus 20:8-11
When was the last time you actually stopped? Not slowed down. Not pivoted to something less demanding. Actually stopped? We live in a 24/7 culture that has monetized every hour and turned busyness into a virtue. Most of us don't stop until something forces us to like a health scare, a breakdown…
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The God Who Rescues and Rules - Exodus 20:1-7
Most people hear the Ten Commandments and feel one thing: guilt. Like God is standing over them with a checklist, waiting to mark them down. But there's one verse almost everyone skips and it changes everything.Before God gives a single command in Exodus 20, He says this: "I am the Lord your God,...
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Be Still: Psalm 46:1-11 (Guest Preacher: Ruben Gonzalez)
Finding Peace in the Chaos: The Power of Being Still In a world that constantly demands our attention, where chaos seems to reign and uncertainty clouds our vision, there exists a profound truth that can anchor our souls: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. This…
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Good News That Actually Means Something - I Corinthians 15:1-11
We're all looking for something solid to stand on. The economy shifts. Relationships fall apart. A diagnosis comes in and suddenly tomorrow feels uncertain. And most of what the world offers us as hope turns out to be ground that doesn't hold. In this Easter message, we open up 1 Corinthians...
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The Greatest Commandment: Love that Changes Everything - Matthew 22:37-40
What's the most important thing God asks of you? Jesus answers that question directly in Matthew 22:37-40 and His answer is simpler than you'd expect, and harder than you think.In this message, we look at what Jesus calls the greatest commandment: love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and...
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Praise Can't Be Stopped - Luke 19:35-40
What happens when someone tries to silence the praise of God's people?In Luke 19:35–40, the Pharisees told Jesus to make His disciples stop and Jesus said something nobody expected: "If they keep quiet, the very stones would cry out."This Palm Sunday, we dig into one of the most electric moments…
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When Shepherds Stay Awake - Hebrews 13:17
Why does God call believers to obey and submit to spiritual leaders?In a culture that instinctively questions authority, Hebrews 13:17 gives a command that can feel uncomfortable:“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an...
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Faith That Stays, Loves, and Stands - Hebrews 13:1-6
What does real faith look like when pressure shows up?In this message, we explore how God’s abiding presence reshapes ordinary faithfulness. When God is trusted as present and sufficient, love doesn’t fade when it’s inconvenient, contentment grows even when resources feel uncertain, and courage...
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When God Shakes What You Trust - Hebrews 12:25-29
What happens when God shakes the things you trust most?In Hebrews 12:25–29, we’re confronted with a sobering reality: God speaks before final judgment, and His warnings are an act of mercy. The shaking described in this passage isn’t chaos or cruelty. It’s clarity. God removes what cannot last so...
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Two Mountains. One Choice. - Hebrews 12:18-24
Many people believe in God, yet live as if closeness with Him is risky.They show up.They listen.They obey.But deep down, they keep their distance.In Hebrews 12:18–24, Scripture puts us between two mountains. One marked by fear, distance, and trembling. The other marked by joy, welcome, and...
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Loved Enough to Be Disciplined - Hebrews 12:3-11
Why does following Jesus still feel hard sometimes?In Hebrews 12:3–11, we discover a surprising and deeply comforting truth: hardship in the Christian life isn't a sign of God’s absence, but often evidence of His love. God doesn't discipline us to punish us, but to train us as His children.In…
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Let It Go, Run Your Race - Hebrews 12:1-2
Many Christians are trying to follow Jesus while carrying far more weight than God ever asked them to bear. Worry, shame, regret, hidden sin, people-pleasing, expectations, disappointment, and the pressure to perform can feel like dragging a suitcase everywhere you go.But Hebrews 12:1–2 gives us…
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Faith That Trusts God With the Missing Pieces - Hebrews 11:32-40
In this message, we walk through Hebrews 11:32-40 and see how real faith isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about trusting the God who holds every piece of the puzzle, even when life feels unfinished, unclear, or overwhelming.We explore the stories of men and women who acted boldly, endured...
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From Scarlet Shame To Saving Faith - Hebrews 11:31
If you’ve ever felt like your past is too heavy, your story too stained, or your failures too loud, Rahab’s story is for you. In Hebrews 11:31 we meet a woman whose life was marked by shame, yet whose simple, courageous faith caught the attention of heaven. This message walks through Rahab’s...
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When Faith Walks Through What Looks Impossible - Hebrews 11:29-30
When life feels like one locked door after another, how do you keep going?In this message from Hebrews 11:29–30, we'll see how God shows up at dead ends, impossible moments, and places where the way forward is completely unclear.From the Red Sea to the walls of Jericho, Scripture reminds us that...
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Faith That Sees the Invisible - Hebrews 11:23-28
What if you could see what others miss?In a world filled with fear, uncertainty, and pressure to conform, God calls us to live by faith. A faith that sees beyond what’s visible and trusts the invisible God who never fails.In this passage from Hebrews 11:23–28, we explore the faith of Moses and…
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Faith That Outlives You: Blessing, Worship, and Hope - Hebrews 11:20-22
What kind of faith will outlive you?In this message from Hebrews 11:20–22, we unpack the stories of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, three men who demonstrated a faith that reached beyond their lifetime. Their lives remind us that true faith doesn’t fade when we’re gone; it blesses the future, bows in...
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Faith for the Journey: Trusting God When the Destination Is Unknown - Hebrews 11:8-12
What does it mean to follow God when the road ahead isn’t clear? In this week’s message, we look at the faith of Abraham and Sarah, who were ordinary people who trusted an extraordinary God.From leaving behind everything familiar, to living as pilgrims in tents, to believing God for the…
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NOW Faith: Trusting God in the Present - Hebrews 11:1-6
Faith isn’t about someday, when life feels easier or circumstances improve. Hebrews 11:1–6 reminds us that faith is for right now. Discover how: • Faith gives solid assurance in a world of uncertainty. • Faith brings God’s commendation and leaves a lasting witness. • Faith is the only path that...
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Confidence That Cannot Be Shaken - Hebrews 10:32-39
In this message from Hebrews 10:32–39, we discuss what it means to live with a confidence that cannot be shaken. The early believers faced shame, suffering, and loss, but they endured because they knew they had a better and lasting possession in Christ.Discover three keys to persevering in faith...
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Heed the Warning, Embrace the Savior - Hebrews 10:26-31
In Hebrews 10:26–31, we encounter one of the most sobering warnings in all of Scripture. The writer reminds us of the danger of deliberate sin, the certainty of God’s judgment, and the fearfulness of His holiness. But this warning is not meant to rob us of joy. It’s meant to protect us from...
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The Confident Christian Life - Hebrews 10:19-25
What does it mean to live as a confident Christian?In Hebrews 10:19–25, we see three life-changing calls for every believer: • Draw near to God with confidence • Hold fast to the hope we have in Christ • Encourage one another toward love and good worksIn this message, we unpack how the finished...
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Once for All: Living in Light of Christ’s Final Sacrifice - Hebrews 9:23-28
In this powerful message from Hebrews 9:23–28, we unpack the beauty and finality of Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice. Under the old covenant, priests had to offer repeated sacrifices that could never fully take away sin. But Jesus did what no one else could. He entered heaven itself, offered His…
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Sealed in Blood: Living Under the New Covenant - Hebrews 9:15-22
What does it mean to be an heir of heaven?In this sermon from Hebrews 9:15–22, we walk through the power and promise of the new covenant, secured by the blood of Jesus Christ. Using the imagery of a legal will, this passage reveals how Christ’s death activates the eternal inheritance promised to...
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From Ritual to Redemption: Christ’s Superior Sacrifice - Hebrews 9:1-14
What’s the difference between a replica and the real thing? In Hebrews 9:1–14, we’re taken on a tour, first through the shadowy rituals of the old covenant, and then into the amazing reality of Christ’s finished work.In this message, we explore how the tabernacle, the priests, and the sacrifices…
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Once for All: The Priest, the Promise, the Power - Hebrews 7:20-28
What do you do when people let you down? When help doesn’t show up and trust is broken?In this message from Hebrews 7:20–28, we explore how Jesus Christ, our eternal High Priest, offers us something no one else can: unchanging promises, unfailing intercession, and a once-for-all sacrifice that...
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Praising and Exalting God's Name - Psalm 34:1-8
Start your week with encouragement and hope from Psalm 34:1-8 as Reuben Gonzalez shares a heartfelt message on praising and exalting God’s name.In this sermon, Ruben reminds us why worship is so important even in life’s toughest moments. He shares personal stories and simple truths, breaking down...
About this show
Welcome to the weekly podcast of First Baptist Church of Bolingbrook, IL with Lead Teaching Pastor, Vaughn Sanders. To learn more about how you can begin or deepen your relationship with Jesus Christ, visit us at FirstBaptistBolingbrook.com
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Vaughn Sanders
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