Pilgrim: a Podcast from Pastor Fortunato

📖 Proverbs 3:27-35 • Are you grinding through your Christian life trying harder and checking boxes — or have you actually been to the secret place?⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • March 1, 2026.Most Bible-believing Christians read Proverbs 3 like a report card: withhold not, devise not, envy not, strive not. Check. Check. Check. But Solomon isn't writing a list of commands to grit your teeth through. He's describing what naturally flows out of a man who has been in the secret place with God.In this expository message through Proverbs 3:27-35, Pastor Fortunato traces a line from the frantic hallway of American life to the sanctuary where Asaph finally understood what he could not see from the outside. The difference between the righteous man and the wicked man, between a house and a home, between the scorner and the humble — it's not willpower. It's proximity.The secret is not information. It's intimacy. And the man who gets low enough to receive the grace that runs downhill — that man doesn't just inherit glory. He shines.This expository message walks through Proverbs 3:27-35, connecting:• Why withholding what is due your neighbor is holding someone else's mail• How Jezebel's scheme against Naboth illustrates what devices on a bed become• Why Asaph the worship leader almost lost his footing — and what finally steadied him• The difference between a house and a home on the same street• Why the grace of God runs downhill to the contrite and never settles on the proud• What Judas missed that John heard — and why proximity isn't the same as intimacy• Why the wise man inherits glory rather than achieving it• What Daniel 12:3 says the man who has been in the secret place looks like when he steps back into the worldHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 Proverbs 3:21-26 • We live in a generation that can't sleep. Melatonin in the medicine cabinet, anxiety on the mind, scrolling at midnight, tossing at 2:00 a.m. Solomon says there's a kind of wisdom that lets you lie down and your sleep will be sweet—and it's not drug induced, alcohol assisted, or Netflix numbing.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • February 8, 2026.📚 Part of our verse-by-verse expository series through ProverbsThis is the exhaustion epidemic. We're tired, but we're wired. Yet God's Word promises "sweet sleep" (Proverbs 3:24)—the kind that refreshes, restores, and renews. It starts with wisdom and discretion, and it ends with your confidence in the Lord Himself.If you walk right, you'll sleep right. But if your walking ain't right, you're going to be filled with anxiety and stress, and you won't be able to lay down in your bed and get a good night's rest. The Lord doesn't want you to live like that.This expository sermon walks through Proverbs 3:21-26, explaining:• Why we can't sleep: the exhaustion epidemic of our generation• What wisdom and discretion mean and why we must guard them• Three promises for walking: life to your soul, grace to your neck, walking safely without stumbling• Three promises for resting: no fear when lying down, sweet sleep that refreshes, freedom from sudden fear• Why walking right is the key to sleeping right• The difference between stumbling and being trapped by the enemy• How babies sleep sweet because they know their father is watching• Why your confidence must be in the Lord, not your job, health, or relationshipsHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Proverbs 4:10–13 • The most important work you'll ever do isn't at the office — it's passing wisdom to the face looking up at you.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • March 15, 2026Somebody showed you the right path. There's a face attached to that — a parent, a preacher, a Sunday school teacher whose name nobody outside those four walls ever knew. That's how wisdom works. It moves from one person to another through instruction and example. Not by accident. Not by osmosis.In Proverbs 4, a father pulls his son close and says: I have taught thee. I have led thee. And now I'm telling you — don't let it go. The grip matters. Because wisdom doesn't slip dramatically. It loosens quietly, slowly, until one day you're holding something else entirely.This sermon walks through Proverbs 4:10–13 and unpacks what it means to receive wisdom, what it costs to keep it, and why the next generation is watching what you do with it right now.This expository message walks through Proverbs 4:10–13, explaining:• Why the path of wisdom offers room to walk — not a tightrope• The KJV word "straightened" (strait, not straight) and what Solomon is actually promising• How Jesus preaches the same sermon in Matthew 7:13• Why looking down at every pitfall is a miserable and dangerous way to live• The three stacked commands in verse 13 — and why God says it three times• How wisdom slips: not dramatically, but slowly and quietly• What Solomon's own wreckage in Ecclesiastes teaches us about loosening your grip• Why it's never too late to get your hands back on wisdomHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 Proverbs 4:1-9 • Solomon looks back at his boyhood and realizes — his father's love got in the door before the teaching ever did. And the clay was still soft.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • March 8, 2026.There's a moment in Proverbs 4 that stops you cold. Solomon — the wisest man who ever lived — switches seats mid-sermon. One verse he's the father at the head of the table. The next, he's the boy again, hearing daddy's voice. He didn't get his wisdom from his throne. He got it when he was tender. And that window doesn't stay open forever.Clay is easy to shape when it's wet. Leave it alone and it hardens. Your eight-year-old is moldable in ways your eighteen-year-old may not be. Solomon knew this. David knew this. And God chose Abraham — not for his faith alone — but because he would command his household.This sermon walks through Proverbs 4:1-9, showing fathers what it actually means to pass something down — not theories, not lectures, but wisdom earned through surviving your own messes and handing it to the next generation before the clay sets.This expository message walks through Proverbs 4:1-9, explaining:• Why Solomon switches from father to son mid-sermon (and what it means for dads)• The difference between a child being present and a child listening• Why love must come before teaching — or the teaching won't land• How David qualified to teach Solomon because of his failures, not in spite of them• The "tender clay" principle — why the parenting window closes earlier than you think• Abraham as God's picture of a man who commands his household• Why multi-generational faithfulness (2 Timothy 2:2) is the chain every father is either a link in or a break in• Why wisdom — not wealth, health, or reputation — is the principal thing• The crown of glory (1 Peter 5:4) that waits for men who shepherd faithfully• Why you can't outsource to curriculum what God built to flow through relationshipHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 John 7:46-53 • When the officers said "Never man spake like this man," the Pharisees didn't ask what He said. They attacked the men who said it.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • March 15, 2026The officers returned from their failed attempt to arrest Jesus and said something that stunned the room: "Never man spake like this man." The Pharisees didn't ask what He said. They had no interest in investigation. What followed was a masterclass in how institutional religion defends itself — not with Scripture, not with argument, but with three weapons: credentials, class, and geography.Nicodemus steps into that hostile room with something the Pharisees didn't expect. He had been doing his homework. Armed with four texts from Deuteronomy they were supposed to know, he asked the one question nobody in that room could honestly answer. And in doing so, he followed the exact pattern Jesus modeled earlier in John 7 — expose the hypocrisy with their own law.This message traces Nicodemus's slow but steady movement toward the cross — from John 3's darkened conversation to John 7's risky stand, to John 19's 100 pounds of burial spices. It shows how God honors partial obedience. It shows what judicial blindness really is. And it ends where the chapter ends — every man going to his own house, no guilt, no sleepless night — which is the most disturbing line in the passage.This verse-by-verse exposition walks through John 7:46-53 and connects:• Why "Never man spake like this man" was the beginning of the Pharisees' crisis, not a victory• What was really underneath all that fury — and why fear never stays hidden long• The three weapons religious elitism uses when it can't answer the argument: credentials, class, and geography• How Nicodemus armed himself with Deuteronomy 1, 17, 19, and 25 — their own law — to expose their lawlessness• Why the Pharisees' claim "no prophet from Galilee" was a lie they should have known was a lie• Jonah from Gath Hepher (2 Kings 14, Joshua 19, Matthew 4) — a Galilean prophet who was the blueprint for the resurrection• The difference between judicial blindness and honest ignorance• Why darkness is not inevitable — it is preferred — and what that means for every person in the roomHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 John 7:40–46 • The crowd fractured. Three groups heard the same sermon and walked away with three different verdicts. Then the officers came back empty-handed — and gave the most powerful testimony to Jesus Christ in all four gospels.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • March 8, 2026.What does it mean that "never man spake like this man"? These words weren't spoken by a disciple. They weren't spoken by someone Jesus healed. They were spoken by men who were paid to silence him — Levitical temple officers sent with a direct order to arrest Jesus. They walked in to bind him and walked out testifying about him.This expository message works through John 7:40–46, examining the three distinct crowd responses to Jesus and what they reveal about how people still respond to Christ today. Group one filed him in the right folder and closed the drawer. Group two went all the way and called him the Messiah. Group three weaponized scripture against the very Lord the scripture was written about. And then there's a fourth group — the officers — who weren't planning on what happened to them.The sermon then unpacks what "never man spake like this man" actually means: no errors, no guile, no borrowed authority, infinite compassion, and a simplicity a child can grasp that a scholar cannot exhaust.This message walks through John 7:40–46 and connects:• The three crowd responses and what they still look like in churches today• Deuteronomy 18 and the prophet Moses promised — the right category with the wrong conclusion• Micah 5:2 and the crowd that weaponized scripture to avoid investigating Jesus• The sovereignty of Christ — why no man could lay hands on him before his hour• The division Jesus causes as fulfillment, not failure (Luke 2, Matthew 10)• Matthew 7:28 — "He taught them as one having authority, not as the scribes"• Matthew 7:12 — Why Jesus flips the golden rule from self-protection to self-giving• Matthew 11:28 — The only teacher who doesn't stand above men and tell them to climbHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 John 7:37-39 • "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." Jesus didn't raise his hand and wait to be recognized. He stood up and cried — an interruptive, loud, exclamatory declaration in the middle of the most sacred day on the Jewish calendar.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • March 1, 2026.Why was this the greatest day of the feast? Why did the priest carry water in a golden pitcher from the Pool of Siloam through a gate mentioned in Nehemiah — and what does that have to do with Hezekiah's 1,800-foot tunnel carved through solid rock? Why was the crowd singing Psalm 118 — and did they know they were singing it directly to the one standing in their midst?This sermon traces water from Genesis 1 — where the Spirit of God moved over the face of the waters before a single living thing existed — all the way to Revelation 22 and the pure river of water of life flowing from the throne of God. Every drop in between: the rock Moses struck in the wilderness, Hezekiah's conduit, the pool, the golden pitcher, the gate of the Lord, the water and blood from the spear wound at Calvary — it was all pointing to one Person.Jesus wasn't offering a ceremony. He wasn't offering a better church experience. He was offering a river from within — one that, once received, never runs dry.This expository message walks through John 7:37-39 and its rich Old Testament background, showing:• Why the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles was the most significant day on the entire Jewish religious calendar• How Hezekiah's 1,800-foot tunnel through solid rock carried the water used in this very ceremony (2 Kings 20, 2 Chronicles 32)• What the Water Gate in Nehemiah 8 reveals about the Word of God and conviction• How Isaiah 12 became the theological foundation for the water-drawing ceremony• Why the crowd singing Psalm 118 didn't realize they were singing directly about — and to — the one standing in their midst• The critical distinction: Jesus as the inside source versus every outside source that eventually runs dry• What "glorified" means in John's gospel — and why it's always Calvary• The pattern woven into creation itself: Spirit, water, food — from Genesis 1 to John 7 to Revelation 22• How the struck rock in Numbers 20, identified by Paul as Christ in 1 Corinthians 10, preaches the crucifixion centuries before it happened• Why the water that poured from Christ's wounded side on the cross was the moment everything was waiting forHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 John 7:32-36 • Jesus warned the most theologically trained men in Israel: "Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me." They had the law, the feasts, the temple — and they still missed the one the law was pointing to.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • February 22, 2026.The most dangerous spiritual condition isn't atheism — it's religious performance that replaces personal faith. In John 7:32-36, the Pharisees send officers to arrest Jesus while He stands in the temple courtyard warning them their window is closing. They can quote His words back to Him in verse 36. They just won't obey them.This expository sermon through John 7:32-36 traces the closing window of God's invitation — from the Pharisees changing the locks on a building they never owned, to the prophecy of Isaiah 55, to the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11. The message is urgent: religious men missed Jesus while He was standing in front of them. The same thing still happens today.If you've ever wondered why intelligent, dedicated religious people reject Christ — or if you're worried you've been going through the motions — this sermon speaks directly to that question.This verse-by-verse expository sermon walks through John 7:32-36, explaining:• Why religious opposition to Jesus was never theological — it was territorial• How the Pharisees were changing the locks on a building they never owned• What Jesus meant by "yet a little while am I with you" — a dispensational clock ticking out loud• The difference between seeking and curiosity — and why desperation is the only thing that finds God• Why "ye shall seek me and shall not find me" isn't a threat — it's a grief• How Genesis 11's tower of Babel and John 7's Pharisees were building the same thing• Why religious men with everything from Moses still missed the one Moses was pointing to• The danger of discussing the truth rather than obeying it — and what it cost the officers sent to arrest JesusHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 John 7:25-31 • Do you really know God, or do you just know facts about God? There's a massive difference between having right answers and having a real relationship.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • February 15, 2026.The religious leaders in John 7 had all the right answers. They could quote Micah 5 about where the Messiah would be born. They knew the scriptures inside and out. But Jesus looked them in the eye and said the most insulting thing possible to a religious leader: "You don't know God."This sermon exposes the dangerous gap between biblical knowledge and biblical transformation. You can graduate at the top of your Bible class and still not know the Author of the Bible. You can have perfect doctrine and zero relationship. Pastor Fortunato uses a powerful analogy: When his dad had a heart attack, he didn't show up at the hospital lecturing doctors about heart surgery. He submitted to the surgeon and got on the table. That's what knowing God requires - not more Bible trivia, but surrender to the Great Physician.The question isn't "Do you have all the right answers?" The question is "Does the evidence in your life compel people to ask what happened to you?" Religious leaders stayed silent when Jesus showed up because their words couldn't match His works. What about your life?This convicting message walks through John 7:25-31, explaining:• Why religious leaders plotted murder but stayed silent in Jesus's presence• Jesus's dual origin: earthly (Nazareth) vs. eternal (from the Father)• The difference between knowing someone's hometown vs. knowing their home• Why ordinary people believed while religious experts rejected Him• The heart surgery analogy: submitting to Jesus vs. lecturing Him• How to spot the difference: Do you know God or just know about God?• Why no one could arrest Jesus until His appointed hour• Evidence-based faith: Is your life compelling or comfortable?• Why dramatic conversions happen in hostile environments, not just comfortHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 John 7:19-24 • Everyone knows "judge not"—but almost nobody knows what Jesus actually meant. What if the Bible doesn't forbid judging, but commands righteous judgment?⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • February 8, 2026.📚 Part of our verse-by-verse expository series through the Gospel of JohnThe Pharisees are plotting to kill Jesus while claiming to uphold Moses' law. They're experts at quoting Scripture, masters at looking righteous, and skilled at judging by appearance. But Jesus is about to expose their entire religious system using their own practices against them.In this expository sermon, Pastor Fortunato walks through John 7:19-24, connecting it masterfully to Leviticus 12:3, John 8:58, Genesis 17, and Exodus 4. He shows how Jesus used the Pharisees' own practice of circumcising on the Sabbath to expose their hypocrisy in condemning His healing on the Sabbath. The law was meant to escort us to Jesus—but they redesigned it to execute Jesus.The most misquoted verse in America is "judge not"—but nobody reads the second half: "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." Jesus isn't forbidding judgment. He's commanding us to judge rightly.This verse-by-verse exposition explains:• Why the Pharisees couldn't keep the very law they claimed to defend• The difference between "blameless" and "sinless" (Luke 1:6)• How they weaponized God's word instead of letting it lead to Christ• The "lie without lying"—functional deception the Pharisees mastered• Why circumcision on the Sabbath exposed their double standard• Jesus's brilliant argument: "one bit" vs. "every wit whole"• The marks of the devil: lying and murder (John 8:44)• What "judge not according to appearance" actually means• How we all have pharisaical hearts that judge by surface-level stuff• Why Jesus said "Before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58)• The knockout punch: Jesus predates every law and commandment• How to judge rightly instead of judging shallowlyHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Galatians 6:7 • If you've been anywhere near a school hallway, a grocery store, or a bleacher in the last year — you've heard it. Before the chant went viral, God already owned the address.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • February 22, 2026.Something grabbed a number, packaged it in a melody borrowed from the most-watched children's song in internet history, attached it to a self-admitted Santería priest, and sent it into the mouths of an entire generation. Christian parents called it "brain rot" and moved on. Pastor Fortunato says: look closer.This message walks through every 6:7 address in the Bible — from Genesis to Galatians — to show that whatever came to claim that number arrived at an address God had already been living at for a thousand years. This isn't a message of panic. It's a message of authority.The rapper behind the trend is a self-admitted initiated priest in Santería who sacrifices animals, dedicates his music career to orishas (false deities), and openly places the works of darkness on display. And children across America — including children in Christian homes — can't stop repeating it. Jesus named this exact mechanism in Matthew 6:7. The enemy didn't invent a new strategy. He put God's strategy in reverse.This expository sermon walks through Scripture address by address, explaining:• Exodus 6:7 — God staked his claim on your children before any principality did• Deuteronomy 6:7 — God's command to parents to fill their children's minds first, through daily repetition• Matthew 6:7 — Jesus names vain repetition and identifies it as the heathen method — before it ever went viral• Genesis 6:7 — The pattern and consequence when heathen customs become normalized in a generation• Isaiah 6:7 — God offers the coal to the unclean lips before the wrong chant fills them• Mark 6:7 — Jesus releases authority over unclean spirits before the principalities showed up• Galatians 6:7 — God is not mocked. You cannot brand a generation with a number God already owns.The right response isn't dismissal (the sleeping church) and it isn't panic (a church that forgot who it serves). It's authority — seated far above all principality and power in the name of Christ.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 Matthew 6:19-23 • Is Valentine's Day harmless romance or pagan deception? This sermon exposes the shocking history of February 14th that most Christians have never heard.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • February 15, 2026Valentine's Day isn't what you've been told. It's not romantic, it's not Christian, and it's not harmless. Americans spent $20 billion this weekend on a rebranded pagan fertility festival called Lupercalia - baptized in goat's blood and dedicated to false gods in ancient Rome.This message walks through the documented history: pagan priests sacrificing goats and dogs, running through streets slapping women with bloody animal hides for "fertility," young children's names drawn from urns and paired up for fornication, and how Pope Gelasius in 498 AD simply rebranded the same date and celebration as "St. Valentine's Day" to keep crowds coming.Pastor Fortunato doesn't call you a pagan if you celebrated yesterday. But he does provide historical facts and biblical principles so you can make informed decisions about whether to participate in cultural paganism that's been sold back to the church with a Christian label. This isn't about legalism - it's about loving God first (Matthew 22:37) and teaching children to discern truth from cultural deception.This culturally controversial message covers:• Lupercalia: The vile Roman fertility festival behind February 14th• How pagan priests (Luperci) sacrificed goats for fertility rituals• The lottery system pairing children for fornication• Emperor Claudius II banning marriage for soldiers (268 AD)• Valentine: The Roman Catholic priest who defied the ban• Why Valentine was executed on February 14th (his skull displayed in Rome)• Pope Gelasius outlawing Lupercalia, then rebranding it (498 AD)• Romans 12:9 - Love without dissimulation (no concealment)• How pagan Rome sold fertility worship back as "romance"• $20 billion spent on repackaged paganism• Parenting application: What to do when kids bring home Valentine's crafts• Matthew 22:37 - Loving God first enables loving others• Genesis 1:28 - Satan's attack on God's first blessing (be fruitful, multiply)• 1 Corinthians 15:45 - Two Adams: one brought death, one brought life• Romans 8:38-39 - Nothing can separate you from God's love (even if you celebrated)Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 Zechariah 13:8-9 • Daniel 9:27 • Two-thirds of the Jewish people will perish in the Tribulation — but the remnant will be refined as silver, call on God's name, and finally say: The LORD is my God.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • March 8, 2026.What does it mean for God to refine a nation? In this expository message, Pastor Fortunato walks through one of the most sobering prophecies in all of Scripture — the purification of Israel through the Great Tribulation. Two out of every three people with Jewish heritage will be cut off. The remnant will be brought through a fire so intense it will strip away every form of pride, religious tradition, and self-sufficiency — until all that remains is a people who simply cry out to the living God.This is not a comfortable message. But it is a necessary one. The tribulation is not random cruelty — it is divine refining. God's name is at stake. His covenant is at stake. And when Israel finally says "The LORD is my God" from a pure heart, history will have reached one of its great turning points.This expository sermon walks through Daniel 9:27, Zechariah 13:7-9, Numbers 31, Isaiah 43, Isaiah 48, and 2 Timothy 2, showing:• Why the Antichrist's peace covenant with Israel will shatter at 3½ years• The staggering population numbers — up to 40 million people with Jewish heritage• How Zechariah prophesies two-thirds cut off, one-third refined• What the silversmithing process reveals about God's purpose in suffering• How Numbers 31 previews the reward that survives the fire• Isaiah's promise: "When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned"• Why God's name — not just Israel's survival — is what's ultimately at stake• The remnant's final cry: "The LORD is my God" and why it matters to God⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 - Daniel 9:27 — The Antichrist's covenant and the 70th week01:28 - The midst of the week — sacrifice ceases, abomination begins01:51 - Population numbers — how many are at stake05:38 - Israel's statehood (1948) — providence, not fulfillment08:16 - Matthew 24:21 — worse than Noah's flood, worse than the Holocaust09:51 - Zechariah 13:8 — two-thirds cut off (live illustration with congregation)15:52 - Zechariah 13:9 — the remnant brought through the fire16:56 - Numbers 31:21-24 — everything that abides the fire20:21 - Isaiah 43:1-2 — God walks his people through fire24:08 - Isaiah 48:9-11 — God's name is at stake30:03 - 2 Timothy 2:19-21 — depart from iniquity, be a vessel of honor32:12 - The refining process — dross rises, pure silver remains38:38 - "The LORD is my God" — the cry God has been waiting to hear🌐 pilgrimbaptist.church✉️ [email protected]📞 931-219-2224Plan your visit: pilgrimbaptist.church/plan-your-visitHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 Daniel 9:24-27 • God gave Daniel an exact prophetic timeline — 490 years divided into 69 weeks to Messiah, a pause button called the Church Age, and one final week still coming.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • March 1, 2026.The 70 Weeks of Daniel is one of the most precise and stunning prophecies in all of Scripture — and most Christians have never had it walked through passage by passage. In this sermon, we prove that the Bible predicts the exact number of years from a historical decree to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and we show why the prophetic clock has been paused — and what starts it ticking again.Starting from Israel's identity as God's firstborn (Exodus 4:22), we trace the biblical counting system God gave Israel in periods of seven (Leviticus 25), then land in Daniel 9 where the angel Gabriel delivers a 490-year prophetic decree. We pin the starting point to Nehemiah 2 (445 BC), do the math in real time, and arrive at the crucifixion with 483 years of fulfilled prophecy. Then we ask the question that changes everything: if 69 weeks are done and Messiah is cut off, what happened to the 70th week?This verse-by-verse exposition walks through Daniel 9:24-27, Nehemiah 2, and Ephesians 3, explaining:• Why Israel is called God's firstborn and what that relationship means prophetically• How God taught Israel to count in sevens — Sabbath years, 49-year cycles, and the Jubilee• The six-fold purpose of the 70 Weeks (Daniel 9:24): three dealing with sin, three establishing righteousness• How to pin the starting date of the prophecy using Nehemiah 2:1-8 (445 BC)• Why "weeks" in Daniel 9 means periods of seven years, not seven days — proved mathematically• How 69 × 7 years = 483 years, landing exactly at Christ's triumphal entry and crucifixion• Why God "hit the pause button" on Israel's prophetic clock when they rejected Messiah• What Paul calls the pause in Ephesians 3 — the mystery of the Church Age hidden in God• What starts the clock again: the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4) and the 70th week (Daniel 9:27)Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 Daniel 9:24 • Jeremiah 30:5-7 • Matthew 24:21 • What is the tribulation? When does the rapture happen? What is Daniel's 70th week? This sermon explains God's prophetic timeline and Israel's future judgment.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • February 15, 2026.Most Christians are confused about end times prophecy. They don't understand the difference between the church age and the tribulation, or why God has a specific seven-year judgment planned for Israel. This sermon provides a clear dispensational framework distinguishing the rapture from Christ's second coming, explaining Daniel's 70th week, and revealing the sixfold purpose of the tribulation.Pastor Fortunato walks through key prophetic passages showing that the tribulation (also called "time of Jacob's trouble" or "Daniel's 70th week") is specifically for Israel's national judgment and purification - not the church. The church will be raptured (caught away) BEFORE this seven-year period begins. After God judges and purifies Israel, Christ returns to establish His millennial kingdom.This teaching also refutes replacement theology (the false doctrine that the church has replaced Israel). Understanding the distinction between Israel and the church is essential for rightly dividing Scripture and avoiding the confusion of Christian nationalism or attempts to "usher in the kingdom" through politics.This prophetic teaching walks through multiple scriptures, explaining:• Why the church age is different from the tribulation period• The rapture vs. the second coming (two separate events)• Matthew 24:21 - The worst judgment earth has ever known• Jeremiah 30:5-7 - Time of Jacob's trouble and terror beyond description• Daniel 9:24 - The sixfold purpose of Israel's judgment• Romans 11:26-27 - How all Israel will be saved nationally• Why men will look like they're in labor (unimaginable fear)• The distinction between individual salvation and national purification• Replacement theology vs. dispensational truth• Why God hasn't rejected Israel permanentlyHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 1 Corinthians 3:9-15 • Are you building a life that will last for eternity, or are you wasting your days blowing smoke? Every Christian will stand before the judgment seat of Christ where fire will test what you built with your life.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • February, 8, 2026.The Bible says we are "laborers together with God"—active participants in His work. But we're not just working WITH God; He's also working ON us, cultivating us like a field and building us up like a temple. The question is: what materials are you choosing to build with?In this powerful exposition of 1 Corinthians 3:9-15, Pastor Fortunato walks through three key metaphors—the laborer (work), the husbandry (growth), and the building (construction)—to show how God is developing His people. But the sermon's convicting heart addresses the fire test every believer will face. When your works are tested by fire at the judgment seat of Christ, will they survive or burn up as smoke?Wood, hay, and stubble represent the temporal—what we did for our own glory, selfish motives, and carnal desires. It might look impressive now, but it won't last the fire. Gold, silver, and precious stones represent eternal value—what we did for Christ with pure motives.Are you giving God your best or just throwing Him your leftovers? Would you give your spouse the scraps from your plate and call it dinner? Then why would you give God the leftover time after you've consumed eight hours of entertainment? This sermon challenges believers to stop mining for fool's gold and start building with materials that will survive eternity.This expository message walks through 1 Corinthians 3:9-15, 1 Peter 2:5, 1 Corinthians 15:10, and Colossians 3:17, explaining:• Why we are laborers TOGETHER with God, not just working FOR Him• The three metaphors: work (laborers), growth (husbandry), construction (building)• What it means to be "lively stones" built into God's spiritual temple• The two categories of building materials: eternal vs. temporal• How the fire test at the judgment seat reveals what you really built• Why wood, hay, and stubble represent religious activity with wrong motives• What rewards await those who build with gold, silver, and precious stones• How to avoid the regret of lost opportunity and wasted potentialThe sermon concludes with C.T. Studd's famous poem: "Only one life, will soon be passed. Only what's done for Christ will last."Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 1 John 2:24-27 • What happens when men who once walked with you, broke bread with you, and taught you the Bible walk out — and then come back trying to sell you something better than what you have?⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • March 19, 2026False teachers don't win by out-arguing you in the Bible. They win by making the truth too costly for you to keep. More people. More money. More respect from a world that used to hate what you preached. That's how the drift happens — not suddenly, but one careful restatement at a time.John saw it coming. That's why he parks the promise of eternal life right between the call to abide and the warning about seducers. If you already hold the deed to the land, no salesman can sell it to you. You can't sell a man what he already owns.In this expository message through 1 John 2:24-27, we examine three defenses God gave every believer against spiritual seduction: the Word abiding in you, the promise of eternal life securing you, and the anointing of the Holy Spirit teaching you. Together, these don't just help you survive false teachers — they make you unattractive to them.This verse-by-verse exposition walks through 1 John 2:24-27, connecting:• Why John anchors truth in what you heard from the beginning (v. 24)• The difference between knowing something is wrong and loving truth enough to stay with it when it costs you• How denominations go liberal — not by getting better arguments, but by getting better offers• Why the promise of eternal life (v. 25) is strategically placed between seduction warnings• The correct context of "ye need not that any man teach you" — and the pretext it's been turned into• Why Ephesians 4 makes no sense without pastors and teachers in a local assembly• How the Holy Spirit confirms truth and unsettles error — without bypassing the Word• What it means that the Spirit will not speak of himself (John 16:13)⏱️ Timestamps:00:00:00 - Text Reading — 1 John 2:24-2700:00:53 - Introduction: When Men You Trusted Walk Out and Lie00:03:02 - Verse 24: Let That Therefore Abide in You00:04:34 - What Keeps You When Truth Gets Costly00:05:45 - How False Teachers Actually Win00:09:34 - Fellowship vs. Salvation — What's Really on the Table00:13:08 - Verse 25: The Promise of Eternal Life00:17:07 - Why John Parks This Promise Between Seducers00:18:56 - Verse 26: The Seducers Are Coming — What Seduction Looks Like00:30:23 - Verse 27: The Anointing — and Its Misuse00:36:58 - Context of the Anointing (1 John 2:18-27)00:40:45 - Job 36:22 — Who Teacheth Like Him?00:48:48 - 2 Peter 1:20-21 — The Spirit Will Never Contradict the Word00:51:45 - Proverbs 28, Job 34, Psalm 119 — The Conditions of the Anointing00:56:46 - Conclusion: Three Defenses That Make You Unseduceable🌐 Learn More: pilgrimbaptist.church✉️ Contact Pastor Fortunato: [email protected]📞 Call: 931-219-2224Plan your visit: pilgrimbaptist.church/plan-your-visitHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

1 John 2:18–23 • How do you know if a teacher is real or a counterfeit? John gives the church a doctrinal test — not an emotional one.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • March 12, 2026.False teachers are not going to announce themselves. They don't stand up and say "I am the Antichrist." What they do is quietly move into the place that belongs to Jesus Christ — speaking His name, using His authority, offering a counterfeit anointing. And they're banking on the fact that you won't read the book for yourself.John writes to a church that is shaken. People they shared pews with walked out the door. And the Apostle's answer isn't emotional reassurance — it's doctrine. He shows them the test: what does this teacher say about the Son? The answer to that question exposes everything.This exposition walks through 1 John 2:18–23, explaining:• The three levels of the Antichrist spirit — a spirit, many antichrists, and the coming Man of Sin• Why apostasy is not evidence God lost control — it's evidence He told the truth• What it really means when people leave a doctrinally sound church• Why their leaving exposed a condition that already existed• Why heresies must come (1 Corinthians 11:19) — and why that's actually God's plan• The unction from the Holy One — and why you already have what you need• The two instruments God gave you to detect any counterfeit• Why "anti" means in place of — and why that's more dangerous than against⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 — Introduction01:50 — Testing the Spirits (1 John 4:1–3)04:31 — Three Levels: Spirit, Many Antichrists, THE Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2)06:11 — Signs We're in the Last Days (2 Timothy 3)10:44 — They Went Out From Us (1 John 2:19)14:53 — Three Reasons They Didn't Continue19:32 — Heresies Must Come (1 Corinthians 11:19)24:59 — Two Prodigals, Two Fathers (Luke 15 vs. John 8:44)28:49 — The Unction From the Holy One (1 John 2:20)34:51 — You Can Know All Things (Holy Spirit + Holy Bible)41:21 — Who Is a Liar? (1 John 2:22–23)49:40 — Summary and Closing🌐 pilgrimbaptist.church✉️ [email protected]📞 931-219-2224Plan your visit: pilgrimbaptist.church/plan-your-visitHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 1 John 2:15–17 • Are you drifting? John reveals three stages that let the world into your heart — and most Christians are already in stage two.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • March 5, 2026.Most preaching on "love not the world" starts at stage two — the point where damage is already done. In this exposition of 1 John 2:15–17, Pastor Fortunato traces the full three-stage progression: friendship (James 4:4), love (1 John 2:15), and conformity (Romans 12:2). By the time John says "love not the world," the world may already be in your house.The sermon then maps every temptation you will ever face onto the three categories of 1 John 2:16 — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — and shows how Satan has used the exact same three weapons from the garden of Eden to the wilderness of Judea without changing his combination once. The first Adam reached for the fruit. The second Adam reached for the book. "It is written. It is written. It is written."This message closes with one of the most important distinctions in the passage: John is not warning primarily against the world's wickedness — he is warning against the world's weakness. It is dying. Why would you give your love to something that is passing away? Save your love for the One who isn't.This expository sermon walks through 1 John 2:15–17, connecting:• The three-stage progression from friendship to love to full conformity (James 4:4, Romans 12:2)• How Psalm 1:1 played out in real time through Simon Peter at the fire (John 18, Luke 22)• The lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life as Satan's unchanging three-weapon system• Lamentations 3:51 on the lust of the eyes — "Mine eye affecteth mine heart"• David (2 Samuel 11), Achan (Joshua 7), and Psalm 101:3 as case studies in the eye's power• The rich fool of Luke 12 as the clearest picture of the pride of life• Genesis 3 and Matthew 4 as parallel temptation accounts using the same three categories• Colossians 3:1–2 on the difference between setting your mind and setting your affections• The Ecclesiastes 2 verdict: Solomon had everything and called it vanity• The gospel tension between "love not the world" (1 John 2:15) and "God so loved the world" (John 3:16)⛪ About Pilgrim Baptist Church:We are a family integrated church in Cookeville, Tennessee where families worship together under verse-by-verse expository preaching from the King James Bible. At Pilgrim, we believe that serious biblical teaching builds strong families — and that the Bible is sufficient for every challenge a family faces.Most of our sermons are systematic expositions through entire books of the Bible, working through God's Word in context so believers understand not just what it says, but how it fits together across the whole of Scripture.Families worship together. No entertainment. No shortcuts.Just faithful, verse-by-verse Bible teaching that transforms families.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 1 John 2:12–14 • Do you know where you actually stand spiritually? Not by age, not by years in the pew — but by where God's Word places you right now.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • February 26, 2026.Most Christians have read 1 John 2:12–14 without realizing that John's letter has their name written all over it. In six declarations to three groups — little children, young men, and fathers — the last living apostle builds a picture of spiritual maturity that has nothing to do with your age and everything to do with where God's Word places you.If you've ever felt stuck in your Christian walk, unsure of where you stand, or tempted to measure yourself by comparing yourself to others — this sermon will relocate you. John didn't write to people who had it all figured out. He wrote to people being told they didn't know God. His answer? You do. And here's the proof.This expository sermon walks through 1 John 2:12–14, connecting Romans 8:15, Matthew 4, Ephesians 4:32, Psalm 119:11, Philippians 3:10, Exodus 17, Job 19:25, and Revelation 3:5, explaining:• Why spiritual maturity is measured by your Bible, not your birth certificate• What the little children know that no seminary can teach you• Why "abideth" is not the same as carrying your Bible to church on Sunday• The weapon Jesus used all three times Satan tempted Him — and why it works• The most dangerous moment for a young man: not when Satan attacks, but right after he wins• Why the father leads with "I know Him" rather than "I overcame"• How Aaron and Hur holding Moses's hands explains what the older generation owes the younger• Why the victory is not something you reach for — you're already standing in it⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction — "Sometimes you're not who you think you are"03:58 - Three stages of spiritual maturity (not natural age)04:49 - The Little Children: Sins forgiven for His name's sake06:16 - First knowledge is relational, not theological08:46 - Isaiah 43 and Ephesians 4:32 — It's all for His name's sake10:52 - Romans 8:15 — The cry of adoption built into every believer13:44 - The Young Men: Strong, the Word abides, they've overcome16:34 - Matthew 4 — The one weapon Jesus used all three times20:42 - Psalm 119:11 — The hiding happens before the battle22:42 - The danger of the young man: pride after victory25:41 - The Fathers: Known Him from the beginning28:46 - Job 19:25 — "I know that my redeemer liveth" from the ash heap33:31 - Philippians 3:10 — Paul still reaching at the end of his rope36:29 - All three stages exist in every believer simultaneously42:20 - Revelation 3:5 — The overcomer and the Book of Life44:34 - What John is building: father, warrior, child — all in one person48:10 - Closing: Stop listening to the devil whisper about your pastFamilies worship together. No entertainment. No shortcuts.Just faithful, verse-by-verse Bible teaching that transforms families.🔔 Subscribe for weekly expository preaching through books of the Bible📍 Visit Pilgrim Baptist Church:170 4th Ave, Cookeville, TN 38506🌐 Learn More: pilgrimbaptist.church✉️ Contact Pastor Fortunato: [email protected]📞 Call: 931-219-2224Plan your visit: pilgrimbaptist.church/plan-your-visitHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 1 John 2:7-11 • The Apostle John — the last man standing, writing from Ephesus as the final eyewitness to the resurrection — uses what may be his last ink not for prophecy or persecution strategy. He writes about love. Specifically, the love you owe the brother you can't stand to be in the same room with.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • February 19, 2026.John confronts the most common and convicting form of hatred in the church — not explosive rage, but silence. The closed hand. The spiritual-sounding phrase offered to someone you could actually help. "We've been praying for you, brother." God calls that hate. And the man walking in it doesn't even know it. That's what makes verse 11 one of the most tragic verses in this epistle.This sermon opens with a seemingly impossible contradiction: John says "I write no new commandment" and immediately says "I write a new commandment." Which is it? The answer to that paradox is the hinge that holds everything together — the difference between what love was before Calvary and what it became when the light came on. Before the cross, you had a commandment to follow. After the cross, you have a Savior to resemble.John also uses light three distinct ways across these chapters — as conduct, profession, and residence. You can walk through a neighborhood without living there. You can claim an address that isn't yours. The question isn't whether you can talk about the light. The question is where you actually abide.This expository sermon walks through 1 John 2:7-11, explaining:• Why "new commandment" and "old commandment" are both correct — and why that paradox matters• The two meanings of "new" — new in time vs. new in nature (a caterpillar doesn't become a new butterfly in time, it becomes new in nature)• Why John says "love your brother" — not "love your neighbor" — and why that's a far harder demand• The three levels of light: walking (conduct), saying (profession), and abiding (residence — where you actually live)• What silent hatred looks like: 1 John 3:17 and James 2:15 define it precisely• Why John's definition of hatred is more convicting than volcanic rage — the man wearing it on his sleeve is easier to deal with• What "none occasion of stumbling in him" really means — it's trap language, and love removes the trigger• The three-part tragic progression of verse 11: position, practice, and blindness — and why the blind man always thinks he sees fine• The colorblind man who wept the first time he ever saw red — and what that means for self-deception in the church✉️ [email protected]📞 931-219-2224Plan your visit: pilgrimbaptist.church/plan-your-visitHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 1 John 2:3-6 • Are you certain you're saved, or do you wrestle with doubt? This sermon reveals three witnesses that prove whether you truly know Christ.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • February 12, 2026"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments." First John isn't asking if you're saved—it's asking if you know that you're saved. There's a world of difference between intellectual knowledge and intimate knowing, between being a professor and being a possessor.Pastor Fortunato walks through 1 John 2:3-6 to expose three witnesses that testify in the courtroom of your heart: what you say, how you live, and what you love. Your obedience isn't what saves you—it's the evidence that proves you know Him. When believers don't keep His commandments, the result is doubt. When we do keep them, the result is confidence.This sermon distinguishes between salvation itself and assurance of salvation. It's not about earning your way to heaven or keeping yourself saved through works. It's about understanding that salvation produces obedience, not the other way around. And when you obey out of love (not obligation), God's love is being perfected in you—conforming you to the image of Christ.This expository message walks through 1 John 2:3-6 and cross-references, explaining:• The two types of "knowing" in Scripture (intellectual vs. intimate)• Why obedience gives assurance without producing salvation• How to identify professors vs. possessors of eternal life• The three witnesses: what we say, how we live, what we love• Why disobedience creates doubt while obedience creates confidence• The difference between New Testament commands and Mosaic law• How God's love is "perfected" in believers (Romans 8:29)• Practical applications: credit cards, social media, spending habits reveal your heart⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction: Two Types of Knowing02:00 PM - Afternoon Service & Prayer Meeting06:31 - Genesis 4:1 & John 17:3 - Intimate Knowing Produces Life09:29 - The Marriage Analogy - Certificate vs. Relationship10:00 AM - Family Integrated Sunday School11:00 AM - Morning Worship13:05 - 1 John 2:3 - Assurance, Not Salvation Itself15:09 - Verse 4 - God Calls Him a Liar17:25 - Three Witnesses in the Courtroom20:33 - Matthew 7:21-23 - Right Words, No Relationship22:13 - James 2:19 - Even Devils Believe24:00 - Titus 1:16 - Professors vs. Possessors26:17 - The Courtroom Scene - Where's Your Evidence?28:09 - What's on Your Credit Card Statement?32:00 - John 13:34 & 14:15 - New Commandments for the Church36:55 - Ephesians 2:10 - Created FOR Good Works, Not BY Them41:19 - Romans 8:29 & Philippians 1:6 - God's Love Perfected in You48:29 - Conclusion: Do You Really Know Him?🌐 Learn More: pilgrimbaptist.church✉️ Contact Pastor Fortunato: [email protected]📞 Call: 931-219-2224Plan your visit: pilgrimbaptist.church/plan-your-visitHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Romans 14:10-12 • Why do we use the King James Bible instead of modern versions? This lesson on the judgment seat of Christ reveals a critical doctrinal reason: translation choices that prove the deity of Jesus Christ.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • January 11, 2026.When Romans 14:10 says we'll stand before the "judgment seat of Christ" and verse 12 says we'll give account to "God," the KJV preserves a powerful proof of Christ's deity. Modern versions that change verse 10 to "judgment seat of God" eliminate this doctrinal connection. This isn't about being old-fashioned—it's about preserving biblical truth.This Sunday School lesson explains the judgment seat of Christ for believers—not a judgment for sin (finished at the cross), not judgment of sons (God's discipline on earth now), but the judgment of saints (future rewards in heaven for our service). You'll understand why translation accuracy matters and how believers will give account for their faithfulness.This Bible study explains:• The three judgments: sin (cross), sons (now), saints (future rewards)• Why Romans 14:10 proves Christ's deity in KJV but not modern versions• The critical difference between condemnation and judgment (John 5:24)• Why John 5:24 translation matters: "condemnation" vs "judgment"• How to answer Jehovah's Witnesses using Romans 14:10-12• Parents will give account to God for raising children for His glory• The judgment seat of Christ: rewards for service, not salvation• Understanding stewardship and faithfulness (1 Corinthians 4:1-2)• Living now with the judgment seat in mind (2 Corinthians 5:9-10)• Created for good works as saved people (Ephesians 2:8-10)• Varying degrees of glory and rewards in heaven (Romans 8:17)• Object lesson for children: three folders (sin, sons, saints)⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction: Three Judgments Overview4:15 Romans 14:10-12 - Judgment Seat of Christ7:30 KJV Defense: Why "Judgment Seat of Christ" Matters11:20 Proving Christ's Deity to Jehovah's Witnesses15:45 John 5:24 - Condemnation vs Judgment in Translations19:30 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 - Required to Be Faithful Stewards23:10 1 Corinthians 4:5 - Future Rewards and Honor26:40 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 - Laboring to Be Well Pleasing29:20 Ephesians 2:8-10 - Created for Good Works32:15 Parents: Raising Children for God's Glory vs Your Glory35:30 John 12:26 & Romans 8:17 - Honor and Varying Degrees of Glory37:45 Object Lesson: Three Folders for Children (Judgment Visual)📖 Key Scriptures (KJV):"But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." - Romans 14:10-12"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." - John 5:24"Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." - 1 Corinthians 4:2"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:10Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

1 John 1:9 • "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."If I'm saved, why does my sin matter? Can I lose my salvation when I sin? This sermon explains the crucial difference between your STANDING (eternal position before God) and your STATE (earthly fellowship and walk).⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • January 6, 2026.The Judgment of the Sons - Understanding the difference between condemnation (for unbelievers) and chastening (for believers).This doctrinal teaching explains:• 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 - Church discipline: "deliver unto Satan for destruction of the FLESH, that the SPIRIT may be saved"• Your spirit is saved, but your flesh has problems• Fornication in the church endangers other marriages (protection of the flock)• Romans 8:13 - "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die" (premature death, not losing salvation)• 1 John 1 is a test of FELLOWSHIP, not salvation• Sin breaks fellowship, not your standing before God• Children of light should walk in the light• 1 John 1:9 - Parental forgiveness from our Heavenly Father (not judicial forgiveness for salvation)• Psalm 32 - David's unconfessed sin: lost joy, not salvation• 2 Samuel 12 - David's consequences: "the sword shall never depart from thine house"• David could go to his baby (heaven), baby couldn't come back to him (earth)• STANDING = where you'll spend eternity (settled)• STATE = your walk on earth (varies daily)• Chastening is for believers (God loves us), condemnation is for unbelievers• "Born Again Ben" object lesson: birth certificate never changes, but fellowship gets broken and restored⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction: The Judgment of the Sons3:45 1 Corinthians 5 - Church Discipline Explained8:30 Why Fornicators Must Be Put Out (Protecting the Flock)12:20 Romans 8:13 - Living After the Flesh Brings Premature Death16:40 1 John 1 - Test of Fellowship, Not Salvation20:55 Sin Breaks Fellowship, Not Your Standing Before God24:30 Psalm 32 & 2 Samuel 12 - David Lost Joy, Not Salvation28:15 Consequences of Sin: The Sword Never Departed31:25 "Born Again Ben" Object Lesson: Standing vs State Illustrated📖 Key Scriptures (KJV):"To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." - 1 Corinthians 5:5"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." - Romans 8:13"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9"I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin." - Psalm 32:5"Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." - 2 Samuel 12:23⛪ About Pilgrim Baptist Church:We're a family integrated church in Cookeville, Tennessee where families worship together under verse-by-verse expository preaching from the King James Bible. At Pilgrim, we believe in serious teaching for strong families built on biblical authority.This sermon provides crucial clarity on salvation security while maintaining the importance of holy living. We reject both "greasy grace" (sin doesn't matter) and works-based salvation (you can lose it).Families worship together. No entertainment. No shortcuts.Just faithful, verse-by-verse Bible teaching that transforms families.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

John 6:67-71 • You ever watch somebody you love deeply walk out the door, and you know in your heart you're not going to see them again? That's where Jesus stands—the crowds are gone, the disciples have left. Jesus turns to the twelve and asks: "Will ye also go away?"⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • January 4, 2026.📚 Part of our verse-by-verse expository series through the Gospel of JohnAfter many disciples walked away calling His teachings "hard sayings," Jesus doesn't water down the message, doesn't chase them, doesn't manipulate—He gives them freedom to leave. Peter's response reveals profound faith: "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life."This expository sermon walks through John 6:67-71 and connects stunning typology showing Judas as "son of perdition" foreshadowing the Antichrist, revealing the organized nature of evil and Christ's ultimate victory.This verse-by-verse exposition explains:• When people you love walk away from Christ (and how to respond)• Why Jesus doesn't manipulate or force anyone to follow Him• Peter's confession: to whom shall we go? (relationship with a person, not a place)• The definite article "the" in "the words" of eternal life (KJV vs modern versions)• Why Jesus chose Judas knowing he was a devil• Judas as "son of perdition" (John 17) foreshadowing Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2)• The bottomless pit and organized evil (Revelation 9, 17)• Judas wanting the crown, not the cross (Matthew 27)• How betrayal and unfaithfulness don't change Christ's faithfulness to us• Staying in the tension when you don't have it all figured out⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction: Watching Someone You Love Walk Away5:15 John 6:66-67 - Will Ye Also Go Away?10:40 Jesus Doesn't Manipulate or Force Followers15:30 Peter's Response: Lord, To Whom Shall We Go?20:45 KJV Defense: "The Words" of Eternal Life (Definite Article)26:20 Calvin Linton Quote: NIV Committee Dismisses God's Words31:35 John 6:69 - Thou Art That Christ, The Son of The Living God36:50 John 6:70-71 - One of You Is a Devil41:15 Matthew 27 - Judas Wanted the Crown, Not the Cross45:40 John 17:12 - Judas: The Son of Perdition48:25 2 Thessalonians 2:3 - Antichrist: The Son of Perdition50:55 Revelation 9 & 17 - Bottomless Pit and Organized Evil53:10 Stay With the One Who Chose You📖 Key Scriptures (KJV):"Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God." - John 6:67-69"Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve." - John 6:70-71"While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled." - John 17:12"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition." - 2 Thessalonians 2:3📚 John Sermon Series - Verse by Verse:This Sermon: Will You Also Go Away? (John 6:67-71)Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Esther 10 • Why does the book of Esther end with tax policy and bureaucracy instead of the dramatic rescue? Because God values sustained daily faithfulness over spotlight moments.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • January 8, 2026📚 Final sermon in our verse-by-verse expository series through the book of EstherAfter Haman's execution and the Jews' deliverance, Esther could have ended at chapter 9. Instead, God gives us chapter 10—Mordecai doing decades of faithful administrative work. We want viral moments and dramatic rescues. God wants sustained influence through daily faithfulness in the valleys.This expository sermon connects Mordecai as a type of Christ through stunning Old Testament/New Testament parallels, revealing the prophetic pattern that will culminate when nations bring tribute to the King in Revelation 21-22.This verse-by-verse exposition explains:• Why Esther ends with tributes and tax documents instead of dramatic climax• You ever get tired of the daily grind? God sees your sustained influence• Generational faithfulness: creating environments for the next generation• Why Christian legacy is built on decades of daily grind, not viral moments• Matthew 2: Wise men bringing gifts (but Israel hasn't accepted Him yet)• Melchizedek typology: righteousness before peace (Genesis 14, Hebrews 7)• Zechariah 12:10: Israel must mourn for Him whom they pierced (still future)• Revelation 21-22: Nations bringing glory to the Lamb on the throne⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction: Why Esther Ends with Tax Policy4:20 Esther 10:1-3 - Tributes, Chronicles, Mordecai's Daily Faithfulness9:45 You Ever Get Tired of the Daily Grind?14:30 Sustained Influence Matters More Than Viral Moments18:50 Creating Generational Faithfulness23:15 Prophetic Typology - Mordecai as Type of Christ27:40 Matthew 2 - Wise Men Bringing Gifts to the King31:20 Genesis 14 & Hebrews 7 - Melchizedek: Righteousness Then Peace35:10 Zechariah 12:10 - Israel Must Mourn for Him38:45 Revelation 21-22 - Nations Bringing Glory to the Lamb41:30 The Book: What God Writes Down Matters📖 Key Scriptures (KJV):"For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed." - Esther 10:3"And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." - Matthew 2:11"And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him..." - Zechariah 12:10"And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it." - Revelation 21:24⛪ About Pilgrim Baptist Church:We're a family integrated church in Cookeville, Tennessee where families worship together under verse-by-verse expository preaching from the King James Bible. At Pilgrim, we believe in serious teaching for strong families built on biblical authority.This concluding sermon in our Esther series demonstrates our approach by connecting Esther 10 to the entire biblical storyline—from Genesis to Revelation—showing how Old Testament types point forward to Christ's ultimate reign.Families worship together. No entertainment. No shortcuts.Just faithful, verse-by-verse Bible teaching that transforms families.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Psalm 46:10 • Are you too busy to hear God's voice? Rushing through life, always on the go, never sitting still long enough to listen?⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • January 26, 2025In this family church sermon from Pilgrim Baptist Church in Cookeville Tennessee, Pastor Fortunato preaches through Psalm 46:10 - "Be still and know that I am God" - showing how God speaks in the middle of our chaos, not after it calms down.This expository sermon walks through:- Why American Christians are too busy to hear God- How God forces us to be still (the snowstorm illustration)- Martin Luther standing on biblical authority amid chaos- Israel standing still at the Red Sea (Exodus 14)- The sad reality of Isaiah 30:15 - "ye would not"- How busyness causes us to miss God's voice- Practical steps to be still and hear God daily⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction: The Typical American Man (Always Rushing)4:15 Psalm 46:10 - Be Still and Know That I Am God8:30 Context: Chaos Surrounding This Command12:45 Knowing vs. Believing - A Very Present Help16:20 Martin Luther: Standing Still Amid Opposition22:10 Prophetic Imagery in Psalm 4626:35 Isaiah 30:15 - The Saddest Verse (Ye Would Not)31:40 Exodus 14 - Standing Still at the Red Sea37:15 Stop Being the Hero - Let God Be the Hero42:50 The Snowstorm Story: When God Forces You to Be Still46:30 Application: 60 Seconds of Stillness48:45 Weekly Assignment: 5 Minutes Daily with God📖 Key Scriptures (KJV):"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." - Psalm 46:10"For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not." - Isaiah 30:15"The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." - Exodus 14:14Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

1 Corinthians 11:20-29 • Are you worthy to take communion? The answer will surprise you—because the worthiness isn't yours, it's the Lord's.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • February 1, 2026.Many Christians struggle with guilt about the Lord's Supper. "Am I worthy to take communion? I had a bad week." This exposition of 1 Corinthians 11 settles the worthiness question by showing that EVERYTHING about communion is "the Lord's"—not ours.This sermon walks through 1 Corinthians 11:20-29, 2 Corinthians 6, Acts 20, Revelation 1, and Matthew 18, explaining:• Why communion worthiness depends on Christ, not your performance• What it means to "discern the Lord's body" (verse 29)• How to examine yourself without falling into guilt• The biblical pattern for the Lord's day (first day of the week)• Why the Lord's table isn't a denominational table• Where Christ is present during communion (in the midst of believers)⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction: We Are the Lord's People4:30 Acts 20:7 - The Pattern of the First Day10:20 1 Corinthians 10-11 - The Lord's Table19:15 Remembering the Lord's Death23:45 The Worthiness Question: Whose Worth Matters?28:30 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 - Eating Unworthily36:20 Discerning the Lord's Body40:15 Not a Denominational Table44:50 Matthew 18:20 - Christ in the Midst📖 Key Scriptures (KJV):"When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper." — 1 Corinthians 11:20"Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup." — 1 Corinthians 11:27-28"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." — Matthew 18:20⛪ About Pilgrim Baptist Church:We're a family integrated church in Cookeville, Tennessee where families worship together under verse-by-verse expository preaching from the King James Bible. At Pilgrim, we believe in serious teaching for strong families built on biblical authority.Families worship together. No entertainment. No shortcuts. Just faithful, verse-by-verse Bible teaching that transforms families.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

John 7:14-18 • How do you know if a teacher is from God or just pushing their own agenda? Jesus gives us two clear tests to discern truth from deception.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • February 1, 2026.📚 Part of our verse-by-verse expository series through JohnWhen Jesus showed up at the temple, the religious leaders demanded, "Where's your degree? Who authorized you?" They valued credentials over truth. We face the same trap today—celebrity preachers, gatekeeping systems, and teachers who seek their own glory instead of God's.This exposition of John 7:14-18 provides two biblical tests to discern any teacher (including your pastor):TEST #1 - THE WILLINGNESS TEST (v. 17): "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." Are you willing to obey what God shows you? The issue isn't your intelligence—it's your willingness.TEST #2 - THE GLORY TEST (v. 18): "He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory...but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true." Who gets the credit? True teachers decrease so Christ can increase.This sermon walks through John 7:14-18, 1 John 2:27, Acts 4:13, and 1 Thessalonians 2, explaining:• Why religious gatekeepers demand credentials instead of truth• The Holy Spirit's anointing in every believer (1 John 2:27)• Why God chose "unlearned and ignorant men" (Acts 4:13)• How to discern if teaching magnifies God or man• The difference between seeking God's approval vs. human applause• Why willingness to obey unlocks understanding• What trajectory to watch in any teacher's ministry⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction: Jesus at the Temple2:16 - John 7:15 - "Where's Your Degree?"4:28 - 1 John 2:27 - God's Anointing Needs No Human Approval6:23 - Acts 4:13 - Unlearned Men Who'd Been With Jesus19:14 - Test #1: The Willingness Test (John 7:17)26:07 - Are You Looking for Truth or Permission?30:42 - Test #2: The Glory Test (John 7:18)40:17 - Watching the Trajectory of Any Teacher45:07 - Conclusion: Are You Willing to Do His Will?📖 Key Scriptures (KJV):"But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." — 1 John 2:27"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." — Acts 4:13"If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him." — John 7:17-18⛪ About Pilgrim Baptist Church:We're a family integrated church in Cookeville, Tennessee where families worship together under verse-by-verse expository preaching from the King James Bible. At Pilgrim, we believe in serious teaching for strong families built on biblical authority.Families worship together. No entertainment. No shortcuts. Just faithful, verse-by-verse Bible teaching that transforms families.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

John 7:10-13 • What do we do when even Jesus moves in secret? When the Light of the World deliberately dims His visibility and goes up to the feast "as it were in secret"?⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • January 18, 2026.In John 7, Jesus doesn't go to Jerusalem openly—He goes secretly. Not because He's afraid of His enemies, but because He's testing His friends. Are you a thrill seeker or a truth seeker? Do you follow Jesus only when it's comfortable, or will you seek Him in the secret place?This expository sermon walks through John 7:10-13 (with 1 Kings 19), explaining:- Why Jesus deliberately moved "as it were in secret" (purpose, not fear)- The difference between thrill seekers and truth seekers- How God hides to see who will seek Him (spiritual hide-and-seek)- Elijah's lesson: Finding God's still small voice (not in wind, earthquake, or fire)- Why time in the secret place creates courage in the public place- How public worship without private prayer becomes empty noise- Where you've stopped seeking Jesus because the cost was too high- How to speak up for Jesus publicly after finding Him privately⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction: What If Jesus Moves in Secret?3:45 John 7:10 - Jesus Goes Up "As It Were in Secret"8:20 The Religious Leaders Ask: "Where Is He?"12:35 Good Man or Deceiver? The Verdict That Kills16:50 No Man Spoke Openly for Fear of the Jews21:10 Tracing Jesus's Movements: From Public to Secret25:40 Jesus Separates Thrill Seekers From Truth Seekers30:15 1 Kings 19 - Elijah: Wind, Earthquake, Fire, Still Small Voice37:25 Hide and Seek: God Hides to See Who Will Seek42:10 Time in Secret Place = Courage in Public Place47:35 The Cost of Following Jesus (Will You Still Seek?)52:20 Application: Where Have You Stopped Seeking?56:40 The Promise: He Won't Stay Hidden Forever📖 Key Scriptures (KJV):"But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret." - John 7:10"And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice." - 1 Kings 19:12"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." - Matthew 6:6⛪ About Pilgrim Baptist Church:We're a family integrated church in Cookeville, Tennessee where families worship together under verse-by-verse expository preaching from the King James Bible. At Pilgrim, we believe in serious teaching for strong families built on biblical authority.Most of our sermons are verse-by-verse exposition through entire books of the Bible, systematically working through God's Word so believers understand Scripture in its full context.Families worship together. No entertainment. No shortcuts.Just faithful, verse-by-verse Bible teaching that transforms families.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

John 7:1-9 • What do you do when your own family questions whether God can use you? When they package their unbelief as advice and pressure you to prove yourself to the world?⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • January 11, 2026.📚 Part of our verse-by-verse expository series through the Gospel of JohnJesus's own brothers didn't believe in him. They wanted him to go public, seek fame, "go viral" and show the world who he was. But their advice was really mockery packaged as concern. They were selling him the most addictive drug: recognition, celebrity status, and fame. Jesus refused the dose.This expository sermon walks through John 7:1-9 and connects the Feast of Tabernacles prophecy to reveal why Jesus waited on his Father's timing rather than responding to family pressure and worldly expectations.This verse-by-verse exposition explains:• Why Jesus's brothers sent him toward danger disguised as opportunity• The Feast of Tabernacles and Christ's first/second coming (Leviticus 23)• Understanding the church age gap between spring and fall feasts• How unbelief causes people to mock what they don't understand• The most addictive drug in the world: fame, recognition, and celebrity status• Why salvation is personal, not hereditary (even in the best Christian homes)• Strategic retreat versus cowardice: when to flee persecution (Matthew 10)• Why the world hates Christ and will hate believers who testify against it• The danger of living for the crowd's applause instead of God's approval• Waiting for God's signal versus moving on the crowd's timeline⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction: When Family Questions God's Use of You4:30 John 7:1-2 - Walking in Galilee, Avoiding Judea9:15 The Feast of Tabernacles and Seven Feasts of Israel16:40 Spring Feasts (First Coming) vs Fall Feasts (Second Coming)22:10 The Church Age Gap Between Pentecost and Trumpets28:35 John 7:3-4 - Brothers' Mockery Packaged as Advice35:20 The Power of Doubt: "If Thou Doest These Things"41:50 The World's Most Addictive Drug: Fame and Recognition48:30 Acts 9 - Paul's Strategic Retreat (Disciples Lower Him in Basket)54:15 John 7:5 - For Neither Did His Brethren Believe in Him59:40 Salvation Is Personal, Not Hereditary (Acts 16:31)1:05:20 John 7:6-7 - Your Time Is Always Ready (Death Can Come Anytime)1:11:45 Why the World Hates Christ: He Testifies Its Works Are Evil1:17:30 John 7:8-9 - Waiting for the Father's Signal, Not the Crowd's📖 Key Scriptures (KJV):"His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest...If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. For neither did his brethren believe in him." - John 7:3-5"Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil." - John 7:6-7"I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children." - Psalm 69:8"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." - Acts 16:31Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Proverbs 3:13-18 • We spend our whole lives mining for fool's gold. We think the next promotion will do it, the right relationship will do it, that financial breakthrough will finally satisfy us. But every time we get what we wanted, that satisfaction evaporates like morning mist. And we're reaching again.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • January 18, 2026.📚 Our verse-by-verse expository series through ProverbsSolomon opens Proverbs 3:13 with a shocking declaration: "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom." Not happy is the man who gets the promotion, buys the house, earns respect, builds wealth—happy is the man who finds WISDOM.And here's the twist: Wisdom isn't opposed to the things you want. Verse 16 says wisdom holds riches and honor in her hands. You don't have to choose between wisdom OR success. Wisdom HOLDS both. The question is: why are you tearing yourself apart for things wisdom already has in her hands for you?This expository sermon walks through Proverbs 3:13-18, explaining:- Why most American Christians are miserable (despite having everything)- The three verbs of wisdom: Find it, Get it, Retain it- What we've been trading our lives for (and why the trades work... but don't satisfy)- Why Solomon says wisdom is better than silver, gold, and rubies- The crushing paradox: legitimate pursuits that don't make us happy- "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, all her paths are peace" (vs. white-knuckle striving)- Wisdom as "a tree of life" (the profound Genesis 2 connection)- Why we keep walking past the tree of life with arms full of counterfeits- How to stop exhausting yourself chasing things that don't satisfy⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction: Mining for Fool's Gold4:15 Proverbs 3:13 - Happy Is the Man Who Finds Wisdom8:30 What Have We Been Trading Our Lives For?12:40 Verse 14-15 - Better Than Silver, Gold, and Rubies17:25 The Crushing Paradox: Legitimate Things That Don't Satisfy22:10 "The Trades Work... That's Your Problem"26:35 We've Been Operating in a False Economy31:20 Ecclesiastes 2:11 - Solomon Had Everything, It Profited Nothing35:45 Verse 16 - Wisdom Holds Riches and Honor in Her Hands40:15 Verse 17 - Her Ways Are Pleasantness, Her Paths Are Peace44:50 Verse 18 - Wisdom Is "A Tree of Life" (Genesis 2 Connection)49:30 We Keep Walking Past the Tree of Life53:25 Application: Lay Hold on Wisdom, Stop Grabbing Counterfeits57:40 Closing Prayer: Admitting Exhaustion, Receiving Wisdom📖 Key Scriptures (KJV):"Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her." - Proverbs 3:13-15"Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her." - Proverbs 3:16-18"Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun." - Ecclesiastes 2:11Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Proverbs 3:19-20 • Does the ground beneath your feet feel uncertain? Peace of mind evaporated? Building on sand while the tide rushes in? God's wisdom provides the only foundation that will never crack.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • February 1, 2026.We live in a time when everything feels unstable—jobs are temporary, relationships are fragile, institutions are crumbling, and even people we count on seem shaky. Christians struggle with anxiety despite faith, wondering why their foundation feels like it's cracking when God's wisdom founded the earth.This powerful exposition of Proverbs 3:19-20 reveals three divine attributes that bring stability: God's wisdom founded the earth, His understanding established the heavens, and His knowledge breaks up the depths. Solomon takes us from the overwhelming chaos of creation and floods to something tiny and personal—dew drops—showing that the same God who holds galaxies together cares about your garden and your problems.The climax reveals that Wisdom isn't just an attribute—Wisdom is a Person with a name: Jesus Christ.This sermon walks through Proverbs 3:19-20, Genesis 1-7, Exodus 14, John 1, and Colossians 1, explaining:• Why Christians feel anxious despite God's wisdom, understanding, and knowledge• The biblical pattern of God breaking through depths (chaos to creation, flood judgment, Red Sea deliverance)• Why Solomon ends with "dew drops"—God's intimate, personal provision• How dew represents God's blessing and provision (Genesis 27, Deuteronomy 33)• The revelation: Wisdom is not just a quality—Wisdom is Jesus Christ (John 1, Colossians 1, Luke 11)• Where to find stability when mental health struggles threaten to overwhelm⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction: When the Ground Feels Uncertain1:44 - Proverbs 3:19-20 - Three Divine Attributes6:56 - Genesis 1, 7, Exodus 14 - The Pattern of the Depths12:16 - Why Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge Should Bring Certainty17:39 - The Dew: From Galaxies to Your Garden19:09 - Genesis 27 & Deuteronomy 33 - Dew as God's Blessing23:06 - God Doesn't Create and Walk Away25:57 - John 1 & Colossians 1 - Wisdom Is a Person28:24 - Luke 11:49 - Jesus IS the Wisdom of God30:01 - Conclusion: Trust Him With Your Problems📖 Key Scriptures (KJV):"The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew." — Proverbs 3:19-20"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." — John 1:1-3"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." — Colossians 1:16-17"Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute." — Luke 11:49⛪ About Pilgrim Baptist Church:We're a family integrated church in Cookeville, Tennessee where families worship together under verse-by-verse expository preaching from the King James Bible. At Pilgrim, we believe in serious teaching for strong families built on biblical authority.Families worship together. No entertainment. No shortcuts. Just faithful, verse-by-verse Bible teaching that transforms families.🔔 Subscribe for weekly expository preaching through books of the BibleHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Proverbs 3:11-12 • How can the hand that feels like it's crushing you be the same hand that loves you? Why does God allow pain when He claims to love us?⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • January 11, 2026.📚 Part of our verse-by-verse expository series through Proverbs 3We experience pain that medicine can't touch—broken plans, aches of the soul. We ask God, "Why does this hurt so much if You love me?" Solomon doesn't ease into this truth—he confronts us with it: "For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth" (Proverbs 3:12).This is jarring. We just read promises of peace and favor, then suddenly: chastening, correction, intentional pain. But here's the radical truth: God's correction isn't the absence of His love—it's the evidence of His love.This exposition of Proverbs 3:11-12 examines why God allows suffering, how to respond without despising or growing weary, and the profound theology of Christ learning obedience through suffering.This sermon walks through Proverbs 3:11-12, Proverbs 13:24, 2 Corinthians 12, Hebrews 5, and Romans 8-11, explaining:• Why chastening is intentional and intentionally painful• The difference between despising correction and growing weary of it• Why we don't escape chastening by being "good enough"• Different sources of suffering (Paul's thorn, persecution, trials, broken world)• How God uses Satan's hostility as a tool for our sanctification• Why we shouldn't compare our chastening to the wicked prospering (Psalm 73)• The profound theology: Christ learned obedience through suffering (Hebrews 5:8)• How Jesus as 100% God and 100% man experienced testing we experience• Parenting application: Correction now prevents destruction later⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction: Pain That Medicine Can't Touch3:45 Proverbs 3:11-12 - Don't Despise God's Chastening8:20 Understanding Biblical Correction and Rod Discipline12:30 Whom the Lord Loves, He Corrects (Ongoing Process)18:15 2 Corinthians 12 - Paul's Thorn: Permitted Affliction25:40 God Wants Dependent Baptists, Not Independent32:10 1 Peter 1 & Romans 8 - Living in a Broken World38:45 Psalm 73 - Don't Envy the Wicked Who Prosper44:20 Hebrews 5 - Christ Learning Obedience Through Suffering52:30 100% God, 100% Man: Understanding Christ's Humanity58:15 Romans 11 - God's Unsearchable Wisdom62:40 Final Application: Father Knows Best📖 Key Scriptures (KJV):"My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." — Proverbs 3:11-12"He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes." — Proverbs 13:24"And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure...And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." — 2 Corinthians 12:7, 9"Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." — Hebrews 5:8-9⛪ About Pilgrim Baptist Church:We're a family integrated church in Cookeville, Tennessee where families worship together under verse-by-verse expository preaching from the King James Bible. At Pilgrim, we believe in serious teaching for strong families built on biblical authority.Families worship together. No entertainment. No shortcuts. Just faithful, verse-by-verse Bible teaching that transforms families.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Proverbs 3:9-10 • You've done the math. You've looked at your bills, counted your savings, and calculated what's left. That envelope for the offering feels like you're taking food off your table. What do you do when honoring God with your substance feels like financial suicide?⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • January 4, 2026.📚 Part of our verse-by-verse expository series through ProverbsFirst fruits giving isn't about God needing your money—it's about God freeing you from the tyranny of self-sufficiency. This sermon walks through Proverbs 3:9-10 and the biblical pattern of trusting God before the math makes sense, using Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac and the widow feeding Elijah as powerful examples.This exposition explains:• When honoring God feels like choosing Him over your children's needs• Why first fruits means giving BEFORE you know there's enough for you• The widow's last meal: giving your only portion to God (1 Kings 17)• Abraham on Mount Moriah: trusting the promisekeeper, not just the promise• Breaking free from American self-sufficiency that exhausts you• Why the miracle happens AFTER you give, not before• Understanding "honor" vs "lightly esteem" (1 Samuel 2:30)• New wine blessing vs fermented wine curse (Proverbs 3:10)• Stop playing God as your own provider⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction: When Giving Feels Like Financial Suicide4:15 Proverbs 3:9-10 - Honor God with First Fruits8:30 1 Samuel 2:30 - Honor vs Lightly Esteem12:45 Genesis 21-22 - Abraham Trusting God with Isaac18:20 The Math Doesn't Work: Offering Isaac on Mount Moriah23:10 1 Kings 17 - The Widow's Last Meal28:40 Make Me a Cake First: Giving Your Only Portion33:25 The Miracle Happens After You Give, Not Before36:50 Stop Being Your Own Provider📖 Key Scriptures (KJV):"Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." - Proverbs 3:9-10"For them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." - 1 Samuel 2:30"And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together." - Genesis 22:8"And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die." - 1 Kings 17:12📚 Proverbs Sermon Series - Verse by Verse:This Sermon: When Giving to God Feels Like Financial Suicide (Proverbs 3:9-10)⛪ About Pilgrim Baptist Church:We're a family integrated church in Cookeville, Tennessee where families worship together under verse-by-verse expository preaching from the King James Bible. At Pilgrim, we believe in serious teaching for strong families built on biblical authority.This sermon demonstrates our commitment to addressing real-life struggles through systematic biblical exposition, connecting Proverbs 3:9-10 to the entire biblical pattern of first fruits giving.Families worship together. No entertainment. No shortcuts.Just faithful, verse-by-verse Bible teaching that transforms families.🔔 Subscribe for weekly expository preaching through books of the Bible📍 Visit Pilgrim Baptist Church:170 4th Ave, Cookeville, TN 38506Sunday Services:10:00 AM - Family Integrated Sunday School11:00 AM - Morning Worship2:00 PM - Afternoon Service & Prayer MeetingHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

1 John 2:1-2 • "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • February 5, 2026.What happens when you sin as a Christian? Do you lose your salvation? Is God angry with you? The answer: We have an Advocate.This exposition of 1 John 2:1-2 explains the courtroom of grace—Jesus is both the Judge who must uphold the law AND the Son who pays your penalty. He declared you guilty because you are, then paid your fine with His own blood.This verse-by-verse teaching explains:• Seven stages of spiritual growth (babes, little children, young men, fathers, elders, aged)• "That ye sin not" - prevention, not permission (goal is holiness)• "If any man sin" - what happens when believers stumble• The only time "advocate" appears in the Bible (one who pleads your cause)• Double advocacy: Spirit on earth, Christ in heaven (Romans 8:26-27, 34)• The courtroom of grace illustration (judge paying his mother's fine)• Jesus Christ the righteous - His qualification as our lawyer• Propitiation explained: God's wrath was satisfied at Calvary• The eternal blood that never runs out (Hebrews 9:12)• Sufficient for the whole world, efficient for believers (sufficiency vs efficiency)• Eight things that happened when you were saved (redemption, regeneration, justification, adoption, reconciliation, predestination, forgiveness, sanctification)⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction: My Little Children0.43 - Seven Stages of Spiritual Growth8:54 - "That Ye Sin Not" - Prevention, Not Permission11:36 - "If Any Man Sin" - What Happens When Believers Stumble13:10 - We Have An Advocate (Only Time This Word Appears)15:09 - Double Advocacy: Spirit on Earth, Christ in Heaven15:37 - The Courtroom of Grace Illustration19:07 - Jesus Christ the Righteous: His Qualification20:48 - Propitiation: God's Wrath Was Satisfied27:43 - The Eternal Blood That Never Runs Out34:21 - Eight Things That Happened When You Were Saved📖 Key Scriptures (KJV):"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." - 1 John 2:1-2"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered...Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." - Romans 8:26-27, 34"Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." - Hebrews 7:25"Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." - Hebrews 9:12📚 1 John Sermon Series - Verse by Verse:This Sermon: Part [X] - We Have An Advocate (1 John 2:1-2)Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

1 John 1:8-10 • Are you trapped in the most dangerous spiritual condition—self-deception? When we claim to have no sin, we don't just lie to others; we lie to ourselves and call God a liar.⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • January 29, 2026.📚 Part of our verse-by-verse expository series through 1 JohnSelf-deception is the greatest type of darkness because when it takes hold, you become convinced you see perfectly. This powerful exposition of 1 John 1:8-10 exposes the deadly trap of claiming sinlessness and the beauty of God's grace waiting for honest confession.Pastor Fortunato walks through the three stages of self-deception that fractured the early church: denying we have sin (our nature), justifying our actions, and ultimately calling God a liar. Using vivid parenting illustrations, he shows how God—like a faithful father—isn't waiting with condemnation, but with cleansing.This expository sermon walks through 1 John 1:8-10, Romans 7, and Psalm 51, explaining:• Why self-deception is more dangerous than any "big bad wolf" sin• The difference between having sin (verse 8 - our nature) vs. having sinned (verse 10 - our actions)• How Gnostic false teachers claimed sinlessness and fractured fellowship• The respectable sins we baptize with our own thinking (pride as dedication, bitterness as realism)• What true confession means—simply agreeing with God about who we are• Why you can be God's child but still out of fellowship with Him• The relief and freedom that comes from honest confession• God's covenant promise: faithful and just to forgive and cleanse from ALL unrighteousness⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction: The Darkness of Self-Deception3:45 Verse 8: "If We Say We Have No Sin"8:20 Romans 7 & Psalm 51: Even Believers Have Indwelling Sin12:30 The Gnostic Error: Separating Flesh from Spirit18:15 The Respectable Sins We Won't Name24:40 Verse 9: The Beauty of Confession and Cleansing31:20 Verse 10: From Denying Nature to Justifying Actions36:50 Broken Fellowship vs. Broken Salvation42:15 Parenting Illustrations: God Wants Honesty, Not Perfection48:30 Hebrews 4:16 - Come Boldly to the Throne of Grace52:10 The Choice: Will You Be Right or Will You Be Clean?📖 Key Scriptures (KJV):"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." — 1 John 1:8-10"Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me." — Romans 7:20"Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." — Psalm 51:5"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." — Hebrews 4:16Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

1 John 1:5-7 • Have you been hurt by deception in the church? Are you hiding behind protective walls, nursing bitterness, walking in darkness?⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • January 22, 2026.📚 Our verse-by-verse expository series through 1 JohnYou can't fake light. Light either is or it isn't. After church hurt, the temptation is to retreat into darkness—suspicion, bitterness, isolation. But God doesn't give five steps to recovery. He shows us what He IS: Light. No mixture. No shadows. No compromise.This expository sermon walks through 1 John 1:5-7, explaining:- Why God IS light, not just gives light (His essence, not just His actions)- The difference between your standing and your state before God- How fellowship with God gets broken (walking in darkness)- Why walking in light doesn't mean perfection—it means honesty- How the blood of Jesus cleanses us continually as we walk- Why you must deal with bitterness NOW, not wait until you're healed- How fellowship is restored: not by trusting people again, but by walking in light yourself⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction: You Can't Fake Light3:15 1 John 1:5 - God IS Light, No Darkness at All8:40 God's Nature: Pure Light With No Mixture12:20 1 John 1:6 - If We Say We Have Fellowship...17:35 Walking in Darkness vs. Stumbling Into Sin22:10 Standing vs. State: Numbers 23, 16, 2128:45 1 John 1:7 - Walking in the Light33:20 The Trap: Protective Walls After Being Hurt38:50 Fellowship Restored Through Honesty, Not Perfection43:15 The Dimmer Switch Christian47:30 Ongoing Cleansing While Walking in Light52:10 Application: Bring Your Bitterness to the Light Now📖 Key Scriptures (KJV):"This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." - 1 John 1:5-7"He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them." - Numbers 23:21"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" - Amos 3:3Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

1 John 1:1-4 • We live in a world of deep fakes, filter culture, and performing authenticity. Everyone has a version of truth, but nobody's certain of anything. So what does it mean to stake your life on something REAL?⛪ Preached at Pilgrim Baptist Church • Cookeville, TN • January 15, 2026.📚 Our verse-by-verse expository series through 1 JohnThe Apostle John starts his letter with shocking audacity: "I touched God with my hands." Not philosophy about God. Not ideas about Jesus. But a physical encounter with the eternal Word who became flesh.Writing to churches devastated by Gnostic false teachers (who claimed Jesus only appeared human), John anchors believers in one unmovable truth: Jesus Christ—100% God and 100% man—came in a real physical body. And John's weathered fisherman hands touched Him.This expository sermon walks through 1 John 1:1-4, explaining:- How to be certain about faith when everything feels uncertain- What John means by "that which was from the beginning" (the eternal Word)- Why false teachers (ancient Gnostics and modern deceivers) attack the physical incarnation- The difference between ideas about God vs. encountering God Himself- What Christian fellowship is actually based on (hint: not common interests)- Why your personal testimony is your anchor of certainty- How joy survives even when people fail you⏱️ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction: Deep Fakes and Filter Culture4:20 1 John 1:1 - John's Audacity: "Our Hands Touched God"9:35 Historical Context: Gnostic Heresy Attacking the Church14:50 "That Which Was from the Beginning" - John 1:1-1421:15 The Creator of the Universe in a Body of Flesh26:40 Colossians 1:16-17 - By Him All Things Consist30:25 Revelation 22:13 - I Am the Beginning and the End35:10 1 John 1:2 - Life Was Manifested (We Touched Eternity)40:45 1 John 1:3 - Fellowship With the Father and Son47:20 What Christian Fellowship Is Actually Based On52:35 1 John 1:4 - That Your Joy May Be FULL56:50 Application: Write Your Own "Which We Have Touched" Testimony📖 Key Scriptures (KJV):"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full." - 1 John 1:1-4"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." - John 1:1, 14"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." - Colossians 1:16-17📚 1 John Sermon Series - Verse by Verse:Part 1: Healing From Church Hurt | 1 John 1:5-7 [link]Part 2: Walking in Light After Church Hurt | 1 John 1:5-7 [link]Part 3: Finding Certainty in a World of Fakes | 1 John 1:1-4 (This Sermon)Part 4: [Coming Soon]Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

🎁 What if the best gift exchange this season wasn't about presents under a tree—but about trading your pride for the fear of the Lord?🗡️ This expository sermon was delivered at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Cookeville, TN on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at 2:00 pm. 🗡️In this powerful expository sermon on Proverbs 3:7, Pastor Fortunato delivers a spiritual checkup from the neck up that will challenge every believer. "Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil" isn't just good advice—it's God's prescription for both spiritual and physical wellness.Are you tired of being your own authority? Living in an age of life coaches, motivational gurus, and "follow your truth" philosophies, we desperately need biblical wisdom that cuts through the noise. This message exposes the symptoms of self-wisdom and reveals how pride keeps us spiritually constipated, unable to process God's truth or eliminate spiritual toxins from our lives.Discover the shocking connection between your spiritual state and physical health. Pastor Fortunato unpacks how fearing God and departing from evil literally affects your core strength, immune system, and structural integrity. From your naval (digestive health) to your marrow (life-producing blood cells) to your bones (structural strength), God's word promises healing from the inside out—but only when we exchange pride for reverence.This isn't prosperity gospel—it's biblical wellness straight from Proverbs. Learn why stress, bitterness, unforgiveness, and pride create physical health problems, and how repentance, prayer, faithful church attendance, and godly living correlate with longer, healthier lives. Medical science is finally catching up to what Solomon knew 3,000 years ago!Stop consulting your feelings and start consulting the Bible. If you're ready to quit being wise in your own eyes, make Bible reading non-negotiable, and let God's word correct your thinking instead of using your thinking to correct the Bible—this sermon is for you.📖 Connect with Pilgrim Baptist Church:🏛️ Visit our website: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/✍️ Read Pastor Fortunato's blog: https://fortunato.blog/👥 Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilgrimBaptistCookeville💝 Support this ministry: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/givingLike this video? Hit the subscribe button and turn on notifications so you never miss biblical teaching that will transform your spiritual walk and practical Christian living. Comment below with one area where you need to exchange pride for the fear of the Lord—we'd love to pray with you!Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

🎯 Are You Making Decisions WITHOUT God's GPS? | Proverbs 3:5-6 Sermon🗡️ This expository sermon was delivered at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Cookeville, TN on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at 2:00 pm. 🗡️We live in a GPS generation where we won't drive across town without plugging in directions, yet Christians often make life-altering decisions without consulting God's Word. In this powerful sermon on Proverbs 3:5-6, Pastor Fortunato challenges believers to stop leaning on their own understanding and start trusting in the Lord with ALL their heart.Why This Message Matters:If you're struggling with decision-making, battling past pain that's clouding your judgment, or wondering how to truly acknowledge God in every area of your life, this biblical teaching will transform your perspective. Pastor Fortunato breaks down the difference between trusting God's direction and relying on our limited, biased understanding—and why that distinction changes everything.What You'll Learn:✝️ The true meaning of trusting in the Lord with your WHOLE heart—not just 99%✝️ Why leaning on your own understanding leads to spiritual blockages✝️ How past trauma and pain distort our decision-making✝️ The promise of God directing your paths when you acknowledge Him✝️ Practical application for business, relationships, parenting, and daily choices✝️ How to stop second-guessing and start first-trustingThis isn't just another Bible study on Proverbs—it's a roadmap for 24/7 Christianity. Whether you're choosing a career path, navigating relationships, making financial decisions, or just trying to follow God's will, this message on trusting God's perfect system over your own GPS will give you the biblical foundation you need.Ready to Let God Direct Your Steps?👉 SUBSCRIBE for more biblical preaching and Christian living messages👉 LIKE this video if you're choosing to trust God's path over your own👉 COMMENT below: What area of your life do you need to stop leaning on your own understanding?👉 SHARE with someone who needs to hear this message about God's guidanceConnect With Pilgrim Baptist Church:🌐 Website: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/📖 Pastor Fortunato's Blog: https://fortunato.blog/📱 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilgrimBaptistCookeville💝 Give to Our Ministry: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/giving📍 Located in Cookeville, Tennessee, Pilgrim Baptist Church is a Bible-believing, Bible-preaching church committed to helping families trust in the Lord and follow His direction for their lives.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

🎯 Are You Passing Down Biblical Wisdom or Just Rules? The Powerful Truth Every Parent and Young Person Needs to Hear 📖 Proverbs 3:1-4🗡️ This expository sermon was delivered at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Cookeville, TN on Sunday, November 30, 2025, at 2:00 pm. 🗡️What's the difference between a child who simply obeys and one whose heart is transformed by God's Word? In this powerful sermon on Proverbs 3:1-4, Pastor Fortunato reveals why the enemy wants this generation to forget what their parents taught them—and how to build an unshakeable spiritual inheritance that lasts.Why This Message Matters:This isn't just another Bible study on Proverbs 3. Discover the critical difference between head knowledge and heart custody when it comes to Scripture. Learn why combining mercy and truth transforms your witness, how to avoid raising Pharisees instead of passionate followers of Christ, and the stunning promise of length of days, long life, and peace that comes from keeping God's commandments.You'll Learn:✓ The battle between remembering and forgetting biblical truth in the next generation✓ Why generational faith is your family's greatest wealth (and it's not in the bank)✓ How to have both quality AND quantity of life—not just surviving but thriving✓ The shocking connection between honoring parents and living long on the earth✓ Why seeking God's favor must come before man's approval✓ How Jesus perfectly fulfilled everything Proverbs 3 calls us to doWhether you're a parent laying a spiritual foundation, a young person navigating peer pressure, or a believer wanting to grow deeper in biblical wisdom, this sermon on Christian parenting and spiritual inheritance will challenge and encourage your walk with God. This expository preaching breaks down the Hebrew context while keeping it practical and applicable for everyday faith.Perfect for: Bible study groups, Christian families, youth ministry, anyone studying the book of Proverbs, sermon preparation, or seeking biblical guidance on raising godly children in a compromising culture.📖 Connect With Pilgrim Baptist Church:Website: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/Pastor Fortunato's Blog: https://fortunato.blog/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilgrimBaptistCookevilleSupport Our Ministry: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/giving💬 Join the Conversation: What biblical truth did your parents teach you that you're determined not to forget? Share in the comments below and let's encourage one another!👍 If this sermon blessed you, hit that like button, subscribe for more biblical preaching from Pilgrim Baptist Church, and share this message with a parent or young person who needs to hear it today!Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

✝️ Why do Christians celebrate someone's DEATH instead of mourning it? Discover the profound truth behind the Lord's Supper and why this simple act of remembrance holds eternal significance.🗡️ This expository sermon was delivered at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Cookeville, TN on Sunday, December 28, 2025, at 6:00 pm. 🗡️In this powerful message on the Lord's Supper, Pastor Fortunato unpacks the critical difference between viewing communion as a sacrament versus an ordinance. Many Christians participate in the Lord's Supper without fully understanding what makes it biblical—or why God commands us to remember His sacrifice in this specific way.This sermon explores essential Christian doctrine that every believer needs to understand: Is communion a means of receiving grace, or is it an act of obedience and remembrance? Pastor Fortunato shares his testimony of being saved out of Roman Catholicism and reveals how biblical baptism and the Lord's Supper are commanded ordinances, not sacraments that impart salvation.You'll discover why:The cross made room for our sin when the inn made no room for our SaviorWater baptism and communion don't save us—but they matter tremendously to our Christian walkThe gospel is an exclusive invitation that offends the world but offers the only path to eternal life.All doctrine is essential, but only one doctrine is essential for salvationWe should glory in nothing except the cross of Jesus ChristThis Bible teaching will ground you in what Scripture actually says about the ordinances of the church, help you approach the Lord's table with reverence and gratitude, and remind you of the Amazing Grace that saved us from spiritual death.🙏 Connect With Us:Website: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/Pastor Fortunato's Blog: https://fortunato.blog/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilgrimBaptistCookeville💝 Support This Ministry:Give Online: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/givingIf this message blessed you, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear the truth of the gospel. Drop a comment below sharing what God spoke to your heart! 🔔Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 Why Does the King James Bible Call Jesus "That Holy Thing"?🗡️ This expository sermon was delivered at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Cookeville, TN on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at 2:00 pm. 🗡️Is Luke 1:35's phrase "that holy thing" disrespectful to Christ, or does it reveal profound theological truth that modern translations miss? This powerful sermon tackles one of the most controversial KJV translation choices and demonstrates why the original wording perfectly captures both the nature and personhood of our Savior.In This Sermon You'll Discover:Pastor Fortunato addresses three major attacks against the KJV rendering of Luke 1:35 and systematically dismantles each argument using Scripture. Learn how Greek grammar reveals the distinction between Christ's holy nature and His divine personhood - a pattern repeated throughout the New Testament in passages like John 1:14 ("the Word became flesh") and Genesis 3:15 ("her seed").Discover why the neuter gender in Greek isn't disrespectful but essential for understanding the virgin birth theology. This verse emphasizes that what was conceived in Mary's womb was fundamentally different - a sinless, holy nature without Adam's corruption. The Holy Ghost was the agent, not a human father, making this conception truly miraculous.This Bible study explores deep grammatical insights comparing how Scripture uses gender to distinguish between work and personhood (Romans 8:16 vs. John 14:26), and why the "therefore" in Luke 1:35 connects the divine conception to the holy result. You'll see how 1 Corinthians 1:27-28 uses similar language ("foolish things," "weak things") when emphasizing qualities over mere identification.Perfect for:✓ KJV Bible defenders seeking scholarly backing✓ Students of biblical Greek and Hebrew✓ Anyone studying the doctrine of the virgin birth✓ Those interested in translation philosophy✓ Believers wanting to understand Christ's incarnation more deeplyThe King James Bible preserves theological precision that modern versions often obscure. This sermon proves that "that holy thing" isn't outdated language - it's divinely inspired wording that captures both the miraculous nature of what was conceived and the glorious person of the Son of God.Connect With Pilgrim Baptist Church:🌐 Website: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/✍️ Pastor Fortunato's Blog: https://fortunato.blog/👥 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilgrimBaptistCookeville💝 Support Our Ministry: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/giving👍 If this sermon strengthened your faith in God's preserved Word, like this video and subscribe for more in-depth Bible teaching! Share with someone who needs to hear this truth about the virgin-born Savior. Drop a comment below with your thoughts on this defense of the KJV translation!Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

🚨 Why did Jesus' disciples walk away when He needed them most? This powerful sermon from John 6:64-67 exposes the uncomfortable truth about false disciples and what it really costs to follow Jesus.🗡️ This expository sermon was delivered at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Cookeville, TN on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at 11:00 am. 🗡️In this eye-opening message, Pastor Fortunato tackles one of the most challenging passages in Scripture—the moment when many of Jesus' followers abandoned Him. Discover why these disciples left, what separates true believers from fair-weather followers, and how modern theology often misses the mark when interpreting these crucial verses.What You'll Learn:✓ The real meaning behind John 6:64-67 and "from the beginning"✓ How Judas fulfilled prophecy while making his own wicked choices✓ Biblical refutation of Calvinist interpretations of election✓ Why God doesn't withhold salvation from anyone✓ The connection between Zechariah's prophecy and Jesus' betrayal✓ What happens when doctrine confronts our comfort zones✓ How to recognize and avoid false discipleship patternsThis verse-by-verse exposition confronts the popular teaching that God predetermined who would be saved and who would be lost. Through careful examination of the Greek text, cross-references with Zechariah 11 and Matthew 27, and sound biblical interpretation, you'll see how God's gift of salvation is offered to all—not withheld from some.If you've ever struggled with questions about election, predestination, or why people walk away from faith, this sermon provides clear, Bible-based answers. Pastor Fortunato doesn't shy away from hard truths, showing how Jesus refused to soften His message even when crowds left Him.Key Moments:• The cost of true discipleship vs. comfortable Christianity• Understanding Judas as God's instrument while maintaining human responsibility• Why "from the beginning" doesn't mean eternity past• How doctrine should divide when truth is at stake• The danger of following Jesus only for what He can give usThis expository preaching will challenge your thinking, strengthen your faith, and help you understand what it means to truly follow Jesus—not just when it's convenient, but especially when His Word confronts our preferences.📖 Connect With Us:Website: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/Pastor Fortunato's Blog: https://fortunato.blog/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilgrimBaptistCookevilleGive: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/giving💬 Get Involved: Subscribe for weekly verse-by-verse Bible teaching that doesn't compromise truth for comfort. Hit the notification bell so you never miss a sermon that will deepen your understanding of Scripture and strengthen your walk with Christ.Share this message with someone who needs to hear biblical truth about salvation, discipleship, and what it really means to follow Jesus. Comment below with your thoughts or questions—we read every comment!Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 What happens when following Jesus stops being comfortable and starts being costly? In this powerful expository sermon from John 6:60-63, discover why many of Jesus's own disciples walked away when the truth got hard.🗡️ This expository sermon was delivered at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Cookeville, TN on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at 11:00 am. 🗡️Are you a true disciple or just a follower after the flesh? This biblical preaching from Pilgrim Baptist Church tackles the uncomfortable reality that hard truth reveals who the real disciples are. When Jesus set the terms of discipleship in John chapter 6, even His followers began to murmur and complain—not because they didn't understand, but because obedience would cost them something.Pastor Fortunato delivers a convicting message on Christian living that exposes why most people seek an exit from hard sayings rather than an explanation. Through careful Bible teaching, you'll understand:✓ Why the greatest opposition to biblical truth comes from within the church✓ The difference between honest questions from humble hearts and murmuring from pride✓ How the flesh profits nothing, but the Spirit gives life✓ Why spiritual understanding matters more than physical sight✓ The power of God's living, breathing Word to transform your lifeThis sermon on discipleship challenges comfortable Christianity and calls believers to stop serving God in the flesh and start living by the Spirit. If you've ever struggled with hard biblical truths or wondered why following Jesus feels costly, this expository preaching will speak directly to your heart.The Word of God is quick and powerful—are you ready to receive it? This Baptist preaching doesn't soften the message but presents scriptural truth that can change your spiritual life forever.CONNECT WITH US:🌐 Visit our website: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/✍️ Read Pastor Fortunato's blog: https://fortunato.blog/👍 Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilgrimBaptistCookeville💝 Support our ministry: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/giving📢 Subscribe for more biblical sermons and Christian teaching that will challenge your faith and deepen your walk with Christ!👍 Like this video if hard truth encouraged you to examine your discipleship💬 Comment below: What hard saying from Scripture has most challenged your faith?🔔 Turn on notifications so you never miss powerful Bible preachingHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

🔥 In John 6:52-59, is Jesus Really Asking Us to EAT His Flesh? The SHOCKING Truth About John 6 That Religious People Don't Want You to Know🗡️ This expository sermon was delivered at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Cookeville, TN on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at 11:00 am. 🗡️What did Jesus REALLY mean when He told the crowds to "eat my flesh and drink my blood"? This verse in John 6 has confused believers and sparked heated debates for centuries—but the answer is clearer than you think when you understand the context.In this powerful expository sermon, Pastor Fortunato tackles one of the most controversial passages in Scripture: John 6:52-59, where Jesus declares Himself the "bread of life" and commands His followers to consume His flesh and blood.📖 What You'll Discover:Many religious traditions teach that Jesus was speaking literally about the communion elements—but does that interpretation hold up against Scripture? This verse-by-verse Bible study reveals why John 6 CANNOT be about physical bread and wine, examining the Old Testament context that the Jewish audience would have immediately recognized.We'll explore the figure of speech Jesus was using, why the Jews were so offended, how Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 17 prove this is spiritual truth, and what it truly means to "dwell in Christ" and have Christ dwell in you. This is NOT about religious rituals or weekly ceremonies—it's about an eternal, spiritual union with Jesus Christ.If you've ever wondered about transubstantiation, the Catholic Mass, or what Jesus meant by eating His flesh and drinking His blood, this sermon provides biblical answers from Genesis to Revelation. Understanding the spiritual meaning of John 6 is essential to grasping how we receive eternal life through faith in Christ's sacrificial death.💬 Join the Discussion: Have you been taught that John 6 is about literal consumption? What questions do you have about the bread of life discourse? Drop your thoughts in the comments—let's study Scripture together!👍 Like this video if you believe the Bible should be taken in context🔔 Subscribe for more verse-by-verse expository preaching📤 Share with someone who needs to hear biblical truth about salvationCONNECT WITH US:🌐 Church Website: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/✍️ Pastor Fortunato's Blog: https://fortunato.blog/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilgrimBaptistCookeville💝 Support This Ministry: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/givingPilgrim Baptist Church | Cookeville, TennesseeProclaiming Biblical Truth • Verse by Verse Teaching • King James BibleHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

🍞 Can You Have Eternal Life Right Now? Jesus Makes an Unmistakable Promise in John 6:45-51🗡️ This expository sermon was delivered at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Cookeville, TN on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at 11:00 am. 🗡️Discover one of the most powerful salvation promises in the entire Bible as Pastor Fortunato unpacks Jesus's declaration: "He that believeth on me HATH everlasting life." Not might have. Not hopes to have. But HAS eternal life - right now, presently, and forever.In this compelling expository sermon on John 6:45-51, you'll explore the profound truth of Jesus as the Bread of Life and why believing on Him is the only way to spiritual satisfaction. Pastor Fortunato connects Old Testament prophecy from Isaiah 54 and Micah to Christ's millennial kingdom promises, revealing how God's teaching ministry leads sinners to salvation through faith alone in Jesus Christ.What You'll Learn in This Message:This verse-by-verse Bible study examines the distinction between physical bread that perishes and the Living Bread who gives eternal life. Drawing from dispensational theology and careful Greek word studies, Pastor Fortunato explains why salvation is not by works, achievements, or personal merit - but by believing on Jesus Christ alone.Explore the deeper meaning of Jesus's "I AM" statements in the Gospel of John, understand the triunity of God versus false modalism doctrine, and discover why eternal life begins the moment you trust Christ - not when you die. This King James Bible preaching will challenge you to move beyond past failures and feast on the Living Bread today.Is This Message For You?Whether you're searching for assurance of salvation, struggling with works-based religion, or simply hungry for solid biblical teaching, this gospel-centered sermon offers hope and clarity. Perfect for Christians seeking deeper Bible knowledge, families wanting Christ-centered content, and anyone questioning what it truly means to have eternal life through Jesus Christ.📖 Ready to Grow in Your Faith?SUBSCRIBE for weekly expository preaching from Pilgrim Baptist Church in Cookeville, Tennessee, where we believe the Bible, preach the Gospel, and point people to the cross of Jesus Christ.👍 LIKE this video if it blessed you💬 COMMENT with your thoughts or prayer requests🔔 TURN ON notifications for new sermonsConnect With Pilgrim Baptist Church:🌐 Website: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/✍️ Pastor Fortunato's Blog: https://fortunato.blog/📱 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilgrimBaptistCookeville💝 Support Our Ministry: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/givingWe're a Bible-believing Baptist church serving Cookeville and surrounding Tennessee communities with sound doctrine, expository preaching, and a heart for souls. If you're relocating to Tennessee or looking for a church home that teaches the Word of God without compromise, we'd love to have you visit!Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

📖 John 6:44 | Can You Resist God's Call? Irresistible Grace RefutedDoes God FORCE People to Be Saved? The Truth About John 6:44 Will Surprise You!🗡️ This expository sermon was delivered at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Cookeville, TN on Sunday, November 30, 2025, at 11:00 am. 🗡️Is God's drawing an irresistible dragging of unwilling sinners, or a loving invitation that can be refused? This powerful exposition of John 6:44 settles one of Christianity's most debated questions with clear biblical evidence from Old and New Testaments.Pastor Fortunato masterfully explains how the Father's drawing works through loving kindness, not compulsion. Discover why understanding whether we're in the Old or New Testament during John 6 changes everything about interpreting this passage. Learn the shocking truth about when Jesus actually begins drawing all men to Himself and what role the Holy Spirit plays in salvation.What You'll Learn:✅ The biblical difference between "can" and "may" in John 6:44 and why it matters✅ How Jeremiah 31, Hosea 11, and Song of Solomon reveal the Father's gentle drawing✅ Why Jesus couldn't be drawing people in John 6 (the answer is in John 12:32)✅ The conditional statement that proves universal invitation over limited atonement✅ How the Holy Spirit's ministry differs from the Father's and Son's drawing work✅ Proof from Matthew 23:37 and Acts 7:51 that God's grace can be resisted✅ The profound connection between Christ's blood being drawn and our ability to draw nearThis sermon dismantles Calvinist interpretations of irresistible grace while honoring God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. Whether you're wrestling with questions about election, free will, or how salvation actually works, this message provides crystal-clear answers straight from Scripture.Perfect for anyone studying dispensational theology, defending universal atonement, or simply wanting to understand the beautiful balance between God's drawing and human response in salvation.🙏 Connect With Us:🌐 Website: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/📝 Pastor Fortunato's Blog: https://fortunato.blog/👥 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilgrimBaptistCookeville💝 Support Our Ministry: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/giving📖 Key Passages Covered: John 6:44, John 12:32, Jeremiah 31:3, Hosea 11:4, Matthew 23:37, Acts 7:51, Zechariah 13:1, Hebrews 10:19-22💬 Discussion Question: Have you been taught that God's drawing is irresistible? How does this sermon challenge or confirm your understanding? Share your thoughts in the comments below!🔔 Subscribe for more biblical exposition that cuts through theological confusion and delivers truth from God's Word in the Black preaching tradition.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

🍞 Why Did Jesus' Most Controversial Sermon Drive Away His Followers? 📖 John 6:38-44🗡️ This expository sermon was delivered at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Cookeville, TN on Sunday, November 23, 2025, at 11:00 am. 🗡️In John 6, Jesus delivers one of His most divisive messages—so controversial that many disciples walked away and never returned. What made this teaching about the bread of life so offensive? It wasn't the miracle of feeding 5,000 or even the metaphor of bread. It was Jesus' audacious claim: "I came down from heaven."What You'll Discover in This Powerful Message:Pastor Fortunato unpacks the explosive truth that divided crowds in Jesus' day—and still divides people today. When Jesus declared His pre-existence and deity, He wasn't offering another self-help philosophy or moral teaching. He was claiming to be God Almighty standing in human flesh.This verse-by-verse exposition of John 6 reveals why the "from heaven" part matters more than anything else. You'll understand the difference between physical sight and spiritual sight, why salvation by faith alone is the only way, and how Jesus' descent from heaven is directly connected to your resurrection hope.Discover why more evidence won't save anyone, how the Jews already understood spiritual bread from their Old Testament, and why Jesus is the only rope long enough to reach you in the pit of sin. This sermon challenges cultural Christianity and calls listeners to see Christ savingly—not just historically.Key Topics Covered:• Jesus' pre-existence and eternal deity ✝️• The doctrine of eternal security in John 6• Why faith seeing is different from physical observation• Understanding Jesus as the Bread of Life• The Trinity and Christ's submission to the Father• How to reconcile earthly things with spiritual realities• Why religion and good works can never save youWhether you're wrestling with doubts, seeking truth about Jesus' identity, or growing in your understanding of salvation by grace through faith, this message will challenge and encourage you. The same Jesus who descended is the same Jesus who will raise you up—if you'll see Him savingly and believe on Him today.📖 More Resources from Pilgrim Baptist Church:• Visit our website: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/• Read Pastor Fortunato's blog: https://fortunato.blog/• Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilgrimBaptistCookeville• Support our ministry: https://pilgrimbaptist.church/giving👍 If this sermon blessed you, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and hit the notification bell to never miss a message that points you to Jesus Christ!💬 Share Your Thoughts: How has understanding Jesus' deity changed your life? Comment below and let us know how this message impacted you!Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.