First Baptist Church of Phillipsburg Sermons

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

22 On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?”29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”43 Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— 46 not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life.49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread[a] the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”59 Jesus[b] said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.

60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;    you discern my thoughts from afar.3 You search out my path and my lying down    and are acquainted with all my ways.4 Even before a word is on my tongue,    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.5 You hem me in, behind and before,    and lay your hand upon me.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;    it is high; I cannot attain it.

7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?    Or where shall I flee from your presence?8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!    If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!9 If I take the wings of the morning    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,10 even there your hand shall lead me,    and your right hand shall hold me.11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,    and the light about me be night,”12 even the darkness is not dark to you;    the night is bright as the day,    for darkness is as light with you.

13 For you formed my inward parts;    you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.[a]Wonderful are your works;    my soul knows it very well.15 My frame was not hidden from you,when I was being made in secret,    intricately woven in the depths of the earth.16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;in your book were written, every one of them,    the days that were formed for me,    when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!    How vast is the sum of them!18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.    I awake, and I am still with you.

19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!    O men of blood, depart from me!20 They speak against you with malicious intent;    your enemies take your name in vain.21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?    And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?22 I hate them with complete hatred;    I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!    Try me and know my thoughts!24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,    and lead me in the way everlasting!

O Lord, you have searched me and known me!2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;    you discern my thoughts from afar.3 You search out my path and my lying down    and are acquainted with all my ways.4 Even before a word is on my tongue,    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.5 You hem me in, behind and before,    and lay your hand upon me.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;    it is high; I cannot attain it.

7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?    Or where shall I flee from your presence?8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!    If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!9 If I take the wings of the morning    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,10 even there your hand shall lead me,    and your right hand shall hold me.11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,    and the light about me be night,”12 even the darkness is not dark to you;    the night is bright as the day,    for darkness is as light with you.

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.2 O my God, in you I trust;    let me not be put to shame;    let not my enemies exult over me.3 Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;    they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;    teach me your paths.5 Lead me in your truth and teach me,    for you are the God of my salvation;    for you I wait all the day long.

6 Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,    for they have been from of old.7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;    according to your steadfast love remember me,    for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

8 Good and upright is the Lord;    therefore he instructs sinners in the way.9 He leads the humble in what is right,    and teaches the humble his way.10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,    for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

11 For your name’s sake, O Lord,    pardon my guilt, for it is great.12 Who is the man who fears the Lord?    Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.13 His soul shall abide in well-being,    and his offspring shall inherit the land.14 The friendship[b] of the Lord is for those who fear him,    and he makes known to them his covenant.15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord,    for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,    for I am lonely and afflicted.17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged;    bring me out of my distresses.18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,    and forgive all my sins.

19 Consider how many are my foes,    and with what violent hatred they hate me.20 Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!    Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me,    for I wait for you.

22 Redeem Israel, O God,    out of all his troubles.

O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger,    nor discipline me in your wrath.2 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;    heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.3 My soul also is greatly troubled.    But you, O Lord—how long?

4 Turn, O Lord, deliver my life;    save me for the sake of your steadfast love.5 For in death there is no remembrance of you;    in Sheol who will give you praise?

6 I am weary with my moaning;    every night I flood my bed with tears;    I drench my couch with my weeping.7 My eye wastes away because of grief;    it grows weak because of all my foes.

8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil,    for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.9 The Lord has heard my plea;    the Lord accepts my prayer.10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled;    they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.

17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

20 O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” 21 for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.

11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before[a] Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.