Lakeside Bible Church Sermons

Two Ways To Live For God's GlorySeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 3rd May 2026Passage: 1 Peter 4:9-11-------------------Peter issues a series of exhortations for Christians to obey, all of which flow from the fact that the end of all things is at hand. We are in the final stage of human history before Jesus returns and the Final Judgment takes place. Therefore, believers are to be focused on living for God's glory during this time of exile, for it is through the church that God displays the glory of the gospel and His eternal kingdom to the world. In this text, Peter says there are four characteristics that should mark the church as we live in light of the end of all things. We've already looked at sober prayer and sacrificial love. Today, we will consider the other two.

Live In Light Of The EndSeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 19th April 2026Passage: 1 Peter 4:7-11-------------------All of the instructions that Peter gives in these verses flow out of the opening truth that the end of all things is at hand. We are in the last days, leading to the return of Christ and the Final Judgment, and that reality is to shape the way we live in this life. Peter so helpfully gives us four ways that our lives are to be marked as we live in light of the end. In this message we will cover the first two.

Three Mindsets To Endure SufferingSeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 12th April 2026Passage: 1 Peter 4:1-6-------------------Here, Peter repeats that perseverance requires a disciplined mind (see 1:13). It comes in the single imperative of the text, which says we are to arm ourselves with the same way of thinking. In other words, we are to have the mind of Christ as we face suffering in this life. Peter gives us three mindsets––three truths to which we must cling tightly––as we hit the wall in the Christian life.

This Jesus Is Lord And ChristSeries: Easter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 5th April 2026Passage: Acts 2:22-36-------------------Peter's objective is to declare that Jesus is the Lord and Messiah who brings salvation to those who believe and judgment to those who will not. I want to show you Peter's argument so that you might call upon the name of the Lord and be saved in the judgment.

Christ Our VictorSeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 29th March 2026Passage: 1 Peter 3:18-22-------------------Having just told the suffering Christians in Asia Minor that an eternal inheritance awaits them beyond this time of exile and that they must persevere in following Jesus despite persecution, he now anchors that exhortation firmly in the good news of Jesus' death, resurrection, and exaltation. Peter's train of thought is quite clear: Jesus suffered, Jesus rose, and Jesus reigns. This is the essence of the Christian's hope, which they are to always be prepared to display and defend. Jesus has satisfied God's wrath against sinners, triumphed over death itself, and has authority to deal decisively with all our enemies, human or demonic. Therefore, as we suffer for righteousness' sake, we keep our eyes fixed firmly on Christ our Victor.

Thriving In SufferingSeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 22nd March 2026Passage: 1 Peter 3:13-17-------------------We have reached a point in Peter's letter where suffering for the faith is the main idea. Of course, the Christians to whom Peter wrote didn't need to be convinced of the reality of this kind of suffering; they were living it in real time. What they did need was to be reminded of the hope that was theirs in Jesus Christ and to be encouraged to persevere in faith and obedience despite suffering for it. That's the aim of this text. It shows us how to thrive in times of suffering for righteousness' sake. I want to present it to you as four requirements to suffer well for Jesus.

Called To BlessSeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 15th March 2026Passage: 1 Peter 3:8-12-------------------After addressing the specific circumstances of Christian citizens, Christian slaves, and Christian wives, in this conclusion to the section, Peter addresses all of you. That is, all of God’s people, no matter what their specific circumstances may entail. It’s a fitting summary of all that he has written in the previous passages.So, what exactly is it that Peter is concerned to say to all of us? The emphasis of this final instruction is on the Christian’s responsibility to bless others, no matter who they are or what they’ve done. As God’s people in the world, we are called to bless the people of the world, and by doing so, we will receive the blessing of God.

Thriving In MarriageSeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 8th March 2026Passage: 1 Peter 3:1-7-------------------In this text, Peter focuses on a third category of people who are especially vulnerable to abuse on account of their faith. But he does something different in this third address. He not only addresses Christian wives, who were vulnerable to abuse. He also addresses Christian husbands, who were in a position to abuse their authority in the home. It isn’t just about wives or husbands; it’s about Christian marriage and how to thrive in it. So, how can Christians represent God’s kingdom and faithfully follow Jesus in their marriages? Peter tells us right here.

The Gospel According To PeterSeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 22nd February 2026Passage: 1 Peter 2:21-25-------------------The larger point of the text is that believers are to follow Christ in his suffering, and last week we considered Jesus' example of suffering well as a model to follow. But Peter also acknowledges that our suffering is not fully comparable to Christ's. His suffering was unique and atoning, providing the basis for salvation for his people. So, it is good for us to linger a bit longer on this passage to meditate on the unique nature of Christ's suffering as an atonement for our sins and how the benefits of his sacrifice can be applied to each of us. We might even say that this is the gospel according to Peter.

Thriving Despite InjusticeSeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 15th February 2026Passage: 1 Peter 2:18-23-------------------Peter's description of the Christian experience as one of exile suggests that hardship on account of our faith and obedience to God is not unusual. The source of our sufferings may routinely come from those to whom God commands us to humbly submit. How are we to function as God's people in such hostile and unjust conditions? How do we represent Him well to such a wicked world? What does it mean to thrive when facing serious injustices? Those are the questions Peter answers here.

Thriving Under The EmperorSeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 8th February 2026Passage: 1 Peter 2:13-17-------------------Thriving in exile means thriving under the emperor, and Peter helpfully instructs us on how to do just that. His main point is this: Christians must submit to civil authorities under Christ, obeying the rule of law except when doing so would result in disobedience to God. The goal of this submission is to be like Jesus and to prove the goodness of Christian ethics in the public sphere.

Live As God's PeopleSeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 18th January 2026Passage: 1 Peter 2:11-12-------------------"Beloved" signals a major shift in the content of Peter's letter. Having well-established the gospel identity of believers, he now turns away from where we are going and to whom we belong and urges us to live in a way that is worthy of our calling––the calling to be God's children and God's people. The point is that if we are God's people, a priesthood called out of darkness to represent God to the world, then we need to take seriously the way we conduct our lives day by day. From here to the end of chapter four, Peter provides instructions on how to do that.

You Are God's PeopleSeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 11th January 2026Passage: 1 Peter 2:4-10-------------------This is one of the most important passages in this book. The focus is on who we are, not as mere individuals, but collectively as the Church of Christ. The key phrase is in verse 10: now you are God’s people. This statement of identity anchors this entire book. In this passage, Peter reminds us how we become God’s people, what marks us as His people, and what purpose God gives us in this time of exile. It’s brief and simple, but it demands our earnest attention.

The Incarnate KingSeries: Christmas Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 21st December 2025Passage: Matthew 1:18-25-------------------Christmas, as a cultural holiday, is completely non-essential, but there is something related to Christmas that is absolutely essential for everyone. If it didn't happen or was proven to be a lie, the consequences would be eternally destructive for every person. It's the incarnation of Jesus Christ. It is central to the Christmas gospel, and its proclamation and defense are the very purpose of the four Gospel books in the New Testament.Sandwiched between the genealogy and Herod's murderous actions is a brief account of the events surrounding Jesus' birth. Significant to Matthew's record is that it's told entirely with an eye toward Joseph. This is more important than you might think at first. Joseph's identity and actions are critical to showing that Jesus really is the promised Christ. These events help prove that Jesus truly is the Incarnate King, born of a virgin to save His people from their sins.

All According To PlanSeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 14th December 2025Passage: 1 Peter 1:20-21-------------------Robert Burns' famous poems called "To A Mouse" explores the struggle of planning and building toward something that can all be destroyed in a moment by things beyond our control. The most famous stanza comes toward the end: The best-laid plans of mice and men; often go awry; And leave us nought but grief and pain; For promised joy! At the end of this second section of Peter's letter, the apostle draws our attention to an infinitely glorious plan that cannot be thwarted. It is neither the plan of a mouse nor a man but the eternal plan of God through Christ to save us from sin and death.

Live In FearSeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 7th December 2025Passage: 1 Peter 1:17-19-------------------According to this text, and many others, there is a sense in which it is right for Christians to live in fear. We aren't to be anxious about life or question God's sovereignty and faithfulness. But we are to live in holy reverence of Him as the one to whom we will all give account of our lives. That begins with obedience to the gospel by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ because without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him (Heb. 11:6). And for those of us who call on Him as Father must conduct our lives in such a way to honor God's name and treasure Christ's sacrifice. This is the life that flows out of gospel hope and assurance, and living in this kind of fear of God is how any of us will thrive in our time of exile.

The King And His KingdomSeries: Stand Alone Sermons Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 30th November 2025Passage: Luke 17:11-19

Focus On GraceSeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 16th November 2025Passage: 1 Peter 1:13-------------------The call to worship in verses 3-12 transitions here to a call to holiness that spans verses 13-21. The main idea is that our calling in Christ that secures our future inheritance should have a dramatic effect on our present life. Thriving in exile requires that Christians live distinctly in the world, both in how we think and how we behave. With the gospel indicatives in mind, Peter instructs us on thriving in exile through setting our minds on hope and our hope on grace.

Praise God For Our Gospel PrivilegeSeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 9th November 2025Passage: 1 Peter 1:10-12-------------------The point of this entire opening section of the letter is to call Christians to worship, and in these verses, the focus is particularly on praising God for our gospel privilege. Peter contrasts our privilege with two different groups of messengers that God used to bring us the gospel message: prophets and angels. Both groups long to know and experience the fullness of grace that is available to us in the gospel of Jesus Christ, yet God used them to serve us. This dispels any notion that the hardship of exile means that God doesn't care about us and gives Christians another reason for sincere and joyful praise.

Praise God For Our Present JoySeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 2nd November 2025Passage: 1 Peter 1:6-9-------------------While we all certainly want to feel happy, what our hearts truly crave is something the Bible calls joy. Joy is a far more profound and transcendent experience than mere happiness. It persists even in the most devastating of situations. Peter turns our attention to this present joy so that we might rejoice and praise God during our time of exile.

Praise God For Our Future InheritanceSeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 26th October 2025Passage: 1 Peter 1:3-5-------------------For Christians struggling as strangers in this world, worship can quickly grow cold. The various difficulties of our exile can overwhelm our joy and distract us from the hope that God has given us in Christ Jesus. Yet, we were made to worship! Many times, what we need most is not for our problems to be fixed but for someone to simply remind us of the glories of the gospel and call us back to sincere, joyful praise to God. That's what Peter does here.It is to the future eschatological reality of salvation that Peter refers in verses 3-5, and he speaks of it in terms of an eternal inheritance. Believers are to praise God for the right, quality, and certainty of their future inheritance after the days of exile, and by doing so, they will continue to thrive now.

Thriving In ExileSeries: 1 Peter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 19th October 2025Passage: 1 Peter 1:1-2-------------------Often, we feel like all we are doing is surviving as Christians in this life. We just hope to stay the course and make it to the end. The purpose of 1 Peter is not to help you merely survive the days of your exile but to thrive in them! Right here in the opening greeting, Peter underlines three foundational truths we must hold on to if we are to thrive in exile.

Walking In IntegritySeries: Psalms Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 27th July 2025Passage: Psalm 26:1-12-------------------Psalm 26

A Faith-Full PrayerSeries: Psalms Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 20th July 2025Passage: Psalm 25:1-22-------------------Psalm 25

How To Get To Heaven From Psalm 24Series: Psalms Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 13th July 2025Passage: Psalm 24:1-10-------------------Psalm 24

The King's ShepherdSeries: Psalms Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 6th July 2025Passage: Psalm 23:1-6-------------------Psalm 23

The Psalm Of The CrossSeries: Psalms Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 29th June 2025Passage: Psalm 22:1-31-------------------Psalm 22

Worship, Worship The Lord!Series: Stand Alone Sermons Preacher: Chris BaezDate: 22nd June 2025Passage: Psalm 100:1-5-------------------Psalm 100 - Chris Baez

The Strength Of The LordSeries: Psalms Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 15th June 2025Passage: Psalm 21:1-13-------------------Psalm 21

Standing on the PromisesSeries: Psalms Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 8th June 2025Passage: Psalm 20:1-9-------------------Psalm 20

God's Glory RevealedSeries: Psalms Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 1st June 2025Passage: Psalm 19:1-14-------------------Psalm 19

The Song Of SalvationSeries: Psalms Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 25th May 2025Passage: Psalm 18:1-50-------------------Psalm 18

The Prayer Of The RighteousSeries: Psalms Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 18th May 2025Passage: Psalm 17:1-15-------------------Psalm 17

The Path Of LifeSeries: Psalms Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 11th May 2025Passage: Psalm 16:1-11-------------------Psalm 16

They Remembered His WordsSeries: Easter Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 20th April 2025Passage: Luke 24:1-12-------------------Easter 2025

The King Has ComeSeries: Stand Alone Sermons Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 13th April 2025Passage: Luke 19:28-48-------------------The significance of the Triumphal Entry to the arguments of the Gospel books is unmistakable in that all four of them take great care to include it in their accounts. It highlights a significant moment of prophetic fulfillment and reveals a great deal about Jesus' character and purpose as the Messiah of God. Luke accomplished this by grouping three unique scenes that help us see Jesus as our true Prophet, Priest, and King.

A Seat At The TableSeries: Stand Alone Sermons Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 6th April 2025Passage: 2 Samuel 9:1-13-------------------In 2 Samuel 9, we find a very powerful king showing extraordinary kindness to a subject of his kingdom. But in this case, there is no conceivable benefit to motivate the king's act. His kindness was motivated, instead, by covenant love, and this love was lavished not on a faithful friend but on a potential enemy. But why is the story here? It's one of the most amazing pictures of God's kindness in all of the Bible.

A Few Final WordsSeries: 1 Thessalonians Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 30th March 2025Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:25-28-------------------You've heard of sermons that consist of three points and a poem. Well, in the final words of 1 Thessalonians, we have three instructions and a blessing. They are simple and straightforward, but they are so very necessary for the church as well.

God Is Faithful; He Will Do ItSeries: 1 Thessalonians Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 23rd March 2025Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24-------------------If you are a Christian, why do you think you will still be one tomorrow? It's not because you have the willpower to keep going when others fall away. It's not because you've personally reached a point of no return. It's not because you're so spiritually mature and in love with Jesus that you're beyond any temptation to turn back from Him. If you're a Christian, there's only one reason you will remain one tomorrow––because God is faithful to keep you to the very end. Through this amazing benediction, Paul presents us with the faithful God who promises to preserve and purify His people to the very end.

The Spirit's Sanctifying WorkSeries: 1 Thessalonians Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 9th March 2025Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22-------------------In this final unit of instruction, Paul turns our attention to the mighty work of the Holy Spirit in the Christian's sanctification. The text affirms that the Spirit is indeed at work in the Church, preparing believers for the glorious return of Christ. It also teaches us that this sanctifying work is one in which we must actively participate, pursuing the purity that He will complete at the end. What we discover here is that we can stifle the Spirit's work in us by treating the various means of that work with contempt. There was a specific way that the Thessalonian Christians were quenching the Spirit's sanctifying work. It all had to do with contempt for the gift of prophecy, a critical means of the Spirit's operation in establishing the Church. So, we are taught in the passage that as we await Christ's return, we must be careful not to quench the Spirit's work by despising the Spirit's ways. At the heart of this text is the most significant and powerful means of the Spirit's mighty work in our lives. If you truly desire to live in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory, you must take this instruction seriously.

The Impossible Made Possible In ChristSeries: 1 Thessalonians Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 2nd March 2025Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18-------------------Some commands of the Lord just seem impossible to obey. Who can rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances? This text not only tells us that we must do these things, but it reveals that it is indeed possible for believers to genuinely obey these commands in Christ Jesus.

The Christian's Progress Through The Local ChurchSeries: 1 Thessalonians Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 23rd February 2025Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15-------------------Believers are to pursue progress in sanctification as they await the return of Christ. Vital to this sanctifying process is the Christian's life in and through the local church. Following faithful leaders and meaningfully engaging in discipling relationships are ordinary means by which God purifies His people until Jesus comes back.

Concerning The Coming JudgmentSeries: 1 Thessalonians Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 16th February 2025Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11-------------------In 4:13-18, the issue was a lack of information that produced hopeless grief. In 5:1-11, the issue was a lack of assurance that produced fearful anxiety. The point of this text is to reassure and instruct believers of their destiny at Christ's return. To fully grasp the comfort that Paul sought to provide in this passage, I want to point out the reality of coming judgment, two reassurance for those who trust Jesus, and the proper response of those who have received assurance of future salvation.

I Don't Want To Miss A ThingSeries: 1 Thessalonians Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 9th February 2025Passage: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18-------------------While the Thessalonian Christians had great expectations for the Second Coming of Christ, there were gaps in their understanding that were producing tremendous grief at death. In this passage, Paul began to fill those gaps so that by being rightly informed, they would be greatly comforted. Rooted in the gospel of Jesus' death and resurrection as well as the explicit teaching of Jesus, Paul's explanation of Christ's return is an encouraging call for unbelievers to prepare themselves and believers to long for that day.

Called To Be HolySeries: 1 Thessalonians Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 26th January 2025Passage: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8-------------------Belief always affects behavior, and we should not be surprised that following Jesus involves submitting to His authority over our lives. While godly behavior doesn't contribute to our salvation, it is a consequence of it. The opening verses of 1 Thessalonians 4 make that truth abundantly clear. The bottom line is that God calls His people to be holy. Paul instructs the holiness of the Thessalonian Christian broadly through living to please God and narrowly through being sexually pure. He concludes that disregarding God's call is to disregard God Himself.

For Now We Live!Series: 1 Thessalonians Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 19th January 2025Passage: 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13-------------------Paul's life was bound up in magnifying Christ through making disciples. It's the passion that superseded all other passions for him. There are four features to his response and reaction to Timothy's report from Thessalonica that model what it looks like to passionately serve Christ by ministering the gospel to others.

It's That You FinishSeries: 1 Thessalonians Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 12th January 2025Passage: 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5------------------- <p>Sermon Summary:</p> <p>It is often said that it's now how you start but how you finish that matters. For Christianity, it's not how you start but that you finish that matters in the end. Only those who finish will be saved in the judgment, and it is this doctrine of perseverance with which we are called to wrestle in this text.</p> <p> </p> <p>Series Summary:</p> <p>Called the "Cinderella Epistles of the New Testament" by some, 1-2 Thessalonians are an often overlooked treasure of gospel hope for those who follow Jesus. Despite intense persecution, the Church of the Thessalonians persevered in the faith, longing for the day that Jesus returns to deliver his people and judge the wicked. Exemplifying the unique and genuine bond that arises through a shared faith and struggle, the Apostle Paul wrote to remind the beleaguered Thessalonians of their hope in Christ and to instruct them on how to carry on until he comes. Join us as we study these divinely inspired letters!</p> <p> </p> <p>Preached on Sunday, January 12, 2025</p>

Do You Have A Heart For Ministry?Series: 1 Thessalonians Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 5th January 2025Passage: 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20------------------- <p>Sermon Summary:</p> <p>The Christians we read about in the New Testament immersed themselves in the life of the church and labored diligently to make disciples of Jesus. For them, it was more than a willingness to participate in gospel ministry; the very heart was oriented toward it. Few lives demonstrate this heart for discipling as Paul's, and his testimony in these verses gives us a glimpse of what it looks like to truly have a heart for gospel work.  </p> <p> </p> <p>Series Summary:</p> <p>Called the "Cinderella Epistles of the New Testament" by some, 1-2 Thessalonians are an often overlooked treasure of gospel hope for those who follow Jesus. Despite intense persecution, the Church of the Thessalonians persevered in the faith, longing for the day that Jesus returns to deliver his people and judge the wicked. Exemplifying the unique and genuine bond that arises through a shared faith and struggle, the Apostle Paul wrote to remind the beleaguered Thessalonians of their hope in Christ and to instruct them on how to carry on until he comes. Join us as we study these divinely inspired letters!</p> <p> </p> <p>Preached on Sunday, January 5, 2025</p>

God's Plan In The Birth Of JesusSeries: Christmas Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 22nd December 2024Passage: Galatians 4:4-5------------------- <p>Preached on Sunday, December 22, 2024</p>

Waiting For JesusSeries: Christmas Preacher: Jared BlankenshipDate: 15th December 2024Passage: Luke 2:22-38------------------- <p>Perhaps no one in the biblical narratives of the incarnation better exemplifies the spirit of Advent than Simeon and Anna. They have a significant role in Luke's gospel record as witnesses of Jesus as the promised Messiah. They also provide a wonderful example of how believers should live as they await Jesus' return. Listen to this Advent sermon that meditates on the part of Simeon and Anna in the Christmas story.</p> <p> </p> <p>Preached by Jared Blankenship on Sunday, December 15, 2024.</p>