Trinity Baptist Church Sermons

Mark 1:1-3In a world riddled with evil and pain, it’s easy to develop a cynical, despairing attitude about nearly everything. Even when things seem to be good we wonder, “What’s really behind this? or, “We’ll just see how long this lasts.” Is there anything so solidly good that it’s worth believing, celebrating, and sharing with others?Mark certainly thought so, and wrote a book about it. The opening few verses of Mark’s gospel gives us three reasons this news is so good.I. This message is good because of who it’s about.II. This message is good because of how it came.III. This message is good because of where it lands.

How many people identify as Christian? In the U. S. the number is estimated around 235 million, and worldwide it’s 2.3 billion. But of these many people, how many truly understand who Jesus is? The gospel of Mark was written to answer that question both for people in the ancient world, and for us today. In this introductory message on the book of Mark, we will consider how Mark unfolds this theme, and what it means for us today.I. What Kind of Book Is the Gospel of Mark? A. It is very early B. It is true C. It is structured D. It is personalII. What Does the Gospel of Mark Teach? III. What Can We Expect from the Gospel of Mark A. To be confronted by the person of Jesus B. To consider the primary work of Jesus C. To be taught what it means to be a follower of Jesus

Without self-control, all the other qualities will crumble to pieces. Self-control is like the skin that protects and contains the other organs of the body. But when it comes to self-control, we face two major challenges. First, it’s hard to achieve. Second, even when we achieve it, we tend to use it for self-centered purposes. So what does it mean to have self-control as a fruit of God’s Spirit? Simply stated, self-control is the Spirit-given power to say “no” to sin and “yes” to God.1. The Meaning of Self-Control2. Our Need for Self-Control3. The Secret to Self-Control4. The Practice of Spirit-Controlled Living

The word rendered “gentleness” is hard to translate into English, and this quality tends to be misunderstood. It is not merely treating other with tenderness, and it is certainly not weakness or softness. Rather, it is a deep and settled strength in God that overflows in gracious spirit toward others.1. The Meaning of Gentleness2. Our Lack of Gentleness3. The Source of Gentleness4. The Practice of Gentleness

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).I. The Meaning of FaithfulnessII. The Problem of UnfaithfulnessIII. The Solution to UnfaithfulnessIV. The Practice of Faithfulness

According to the Bible, kindness is not just being nice and polite. It’s love acting with sacrificial generosity to meet a real need for someone else. The ultimate source of kindness is God himself. He showed us his kindness in the most radically generous way possible: sending his Son to rescue us from the misery and penalty of our sin. Only by accepting this kindness—as the Bible puts it, “tasting that the Lord is kind”—can we have the ability and motivation to show kindness to others (1 Peter 2:3). This is why kindness is not something we can manufacture by sheer will-power. It is what God’s Spirit produces in the lives of those who abide in Christ.I. The Meaning of KindnessII. The Gift of God’s KindnessIII. The Practice of Kindness

Patience is not a glamorous quality. It probably wouldn’t feature as the standout trait of the world’s most influential people. But it’s one of the qualities God proclaims about himself, and it’s the first proof of genuine love (Exodus 34:6; 1 Corinthians 13:4). Without patience, the other qualities—love, joy, peace, etc.—would quickly fizzle out. Patience is the quality that enables love to last long, joy to persist in trials, and peace to overcome conflict. Such a quality is not something we can manufacture. Rather, it is what God’s Spirit produces in the lives of people who abide in Christ.I. The Meaning of PatienceII. The Gift of PatienceIII. The Practice of Patience

Peace is not merely the absence of conflict: it is the presence of whole-life flourishing. It is when all the pieces fit together like they should. In our broken world, everyone is trying to put the pieces back together without a clear idea of what they are putting together.The Bible teaches us that genuine peace begins with a restored relationship with God, which flows into restored relationships with others—and with ourselves. Such peace is not something we can manufacture. Rather, it is what God’s Spirit produces in the lives of people who abide in Christ.I. The Absence of Peace II. The Essence of PeaceIII. The Source of PeaceIV. The Life of Peace

As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday as a nation, we should give thanks to God for the unique blessings we enjoy in America. We should also seek God’s wisdom on how to be a blessing as Christian citizens of America while reminding ourselves that our ultimate allegiance is to Christ.I. What Is A Christian’s Duty to Country? (Romans 13:1-7) II. What Is A Christian’s Duty to God? (1 Peter 2:13-17) III. How does a Christian’s duty to country intersect in application with a Christian’s duty to God?

Compared to most societies in the past and around the world, modern Americans have more wealth, health, personal autonomy, and access to goods and entertainment. Yet we are also very unhappy—as indicated by high rates of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and addiction. Although “the pursuit of happiness” is enshrined in America’s founding documents as an “unalienable right,” we seem to miss a deeper quality the Bible calls joy.In Galatians 5:22, the Apostle Paul lists joy as a fruit of the Spirit. Like the other qualities in this list, joy is not something we can manufacture. Rather, it is what God’s Spirit produces in the lives of people who abide in Christ.I. What Joy Is NotII. What Joy IsIII. Where Joy Comes FromIV. How to Live Joyfully

“The fruit of the Spirit is love.”Galatians 5:22Love is what we all need. But love is also what we find confusing, frustrating, and even scary. Love, in its purest form, means total sacrifice and total vulnerability. This is why the Bible insists that love is not something we can manufacture. Instead, it is what God’s Spirit produces in the life of a person who abides in Christ.I. Our Problem with Love “Anyone who does not love does not know God.” - 1 John 4:8aII. The Source of Love “God is love.” - 4:8b-9III. The Receiving of Love “He loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 4:10IV. Our Practice of Love “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” - 4:11

The Bible teaches that the Christian life means living “in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25; Romans 8:4). But what does this mean? To some people, it means that we no longer need rules to guide our behavior. To others, it means that we live by inner impressions and strong emotions. This passage presents a richer and deeper meaning. Life in the Spirit is neither lawlessness nor emotionalism. Rather, it means freedom from selfish choices, the power to love and serve others, and a harvest of Jesus-like attitudes and actions.

In recent days, we’ve seen encouraging progress in the growth and revitalization of churches in our region and beyond. At such a time, it’s good to reflect on what is happening—not only to rejoice in his blessings, but also to renew our commitment to the mission Christ has entrusted to us. When we look at this through his eyes, we see that his assessment of his region is true for ours as well. In both Jesus’ day and ours, we see:I. A Dire Situation - “They were harassed and helpless.” - 9:36II. A Great Opportunity - “The harvest is plentiful.” - 9:37aIII. A Serious Shortage - “The laborers are few.” - 9:37bIV. An Urgent Duty - “Pray earnestly.” - 9:38aV. A Mighty Encouragement - He is “the Lord of the harvest.” - 9:38b

We are constantly making choices based on what we think the future holds. We choose a checkout lane because it appears to be moving the fastest. We choose an investment because we believe it will yield the greatest return. But how do we make decisions when the stakes extend beyond this life? Can we risk such a monumental outcome on little more than our best guesses? What if, in the end, we find ourselves on the “wrong side” of history?The book of Daniel is designed to take the guesswork out of such choices. One of its central messages is that God rules over history, so we should stay faithful to him. This final chapter is a closing appeal to get on the right side of history and stay there. It shows us that . . .I. The End Is DeterminedII. A Choice RemainsIII. A Reward Is Promised

As modern Americans who enjoy prosperity and freedom of religion, we know very little of the pressure that God’s people have faced in ages past. To these persecuted people, God gives instruction and assurance so that their faith will not fail. Do we have anything to learn from this? Certainly, since we face our own times of darkness, even if on a smaller scale. Daniel 10 teaches us that even in the darkest times, God sheds light on what is happening: (1) around us, (2) to us, and (3) beyond us, so that we will know and trust him.

Daniel 9 is like a puzzle piece: on its own, it’s hard to understand, but when you see the bigger picture, its meaning becomes clearer. At its heart is a question familiar to us all: how will God deal with our deepest problem—sin? For Daniel and his people, sin had led to exile far from home. When Daniel prayed for the exile to end, God’s answer was bigger and more complex than he expected: God would not only end their exile, but ultimately put an end to sin itself.

A Vision of the Future | Daniel 8

Overseers of the Flock | Acts 20:17-35

The Son of Man | Daniel 7:1-28

The Lion's Den | Daniel 6:1-28

The Living One | Revelation 1:17-18

The Writing on the Wall | Daniel 5:1-31

Insanity | Daniel 4

The Fiery Furnace | Daniel 3

Troubling Dreams | Daniel 2:17-47

How can God’s people thrive in a world that tries to squeeze us into its mold, especially when it seems that the values of that culture have triumphed? When the book of Daniel opens, it looks like evil had won. Jerusalem is sacked. The king is captured. Treasures from Yahweh’s temple lie under the shadow of the Babylonian gods. And Judah’s best and brightest young men are enrolled in a rigorous program of cultural assimilation. At the end of Daniel 1, however, we learn that Daniel outlasted an empire. Not only did Daniel survive: he thrived. This passage teaches us his secret. Daniel knew that when evil seems to win, God is the true ruler—and he has a part for his people to play.

Amen | 2 Corinthians 1:18-22

The Resurrection of the Body and Life Everlasting | Revelation 21:1-8

The Forgiveness of Sins | Luke 24:45-47

Fellowship: The Communion of Saints | Hebrews 10:19-25

David’s Confidence in The Sovereignty of God | 2 Samuel 1:1-19

I Will Build My Church | Matthew 16:13-20

The Holy Spirit | John 15:26-27

How to Prosper | Psalm 1:1-6

God’s Presence in the New Year | Exodus 33:12-23

Receiving Jesus | John 1:9-18

Praising Jesus | Luke 1

Following Jesus | Mark 10:17-31

Responding to Jesus | Matthew 2:1-15

Return: He Will Come to Judge the Living and the Dead | Matthew 24:29-31, 44; Matthew 25:31-46​

Jesus, Our Prophet, Priest, and King | Hebrews 1:1-3; 4:12-16

Triumph: He Ascended to Heaven | Acts 1:1–11; 1 Timothy 3:16

Resurrection: The Third Day He Rose from the Dead | Romans 6:1-14

The Cross of Christ | 1 Corinthians 1:17-2:2

Suffering: Suffered Under Pontius Pilate | 1 Timothy 6:12-16

Incarnation: Conceived by the Spirit, Born of Mary | Luke 1:26–38

Savior: Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Our Lord | John 20:31

Creation: Maker of Heaven and Earth | Acts 17:16-32

I Believe in God | Romans 1:16-25

Peace, Love and Grace | Ephesians 6:23-24