First Baptist Joplin

John Swadley | 1 Corinthians 15:12-14

This powerful message confronts us with an undeniable truth: our entire Christian faith stands or falls on the historical reality of the resurrection. The message challenges us to recognize that Christianity isn't based on wishful thinking or philosophical ideals, but on eyewitness testimony from people who saw Jesus alive after His crucifixion. The resurrection isn't just another religious belief we can take or leave; it's the historical event that validates every promise of forgiveness, every hope of heaven, and every sacrifice we make for Christ. When we grasp this truth, everything changes. This Easter truth isn't just for one Sunday a year; it's the bedrock reality that should shape how we live every single day.

John Swadley | Revelation 1:18 

This powerful message takes us on a journey through three crowns that tell the complete story of our salvation. The crown of thorns represents more than physical suffering; it connects directly back to sin's curse after the fall. The crown of glory reminds us that death could not hold Him - He is the living one who conquered the grave. And finally, the crown of life is offered to each of us because Jesus holds the keys to death and Hades. This isn't just about making bad people good; it's about making dead people live. The profound truth here is that our past mistakes, our guilt, our shame - all of it was placed on Jesus so we could be free. When we truly grasp that Jesus died our death so we could live His life, everything changes.

John Swadley | Luke 5:17-20 

This powerful message challenges us to reconsider what we truly need versus what we think we need. Through the story of four friends who literally tore a hole in a roof to bring their paralyzed friend to Jesus, we discover that our greatest need isn't health, prosperity, companionship, or significance. It's forgiveness. We live in a world where prayer requests focus on health concerns and financial struggles, yet we rarely acknowledge our deepest need for divine forgiveness. As we approach Easter, we're called to be like these friends, working together to bring people to Jesus who can transform their lives eternally. The question becomes: who are we bringing to Jesus, and what obstacles are we willing to overcome to make it happen?

John Swadley | Luke 6:27-36

This powerful teaching from Luke 6:27-36 challenges us to examine the most radical aspect of Christian love: loving our enemies. We're confronted with Jesus' counter-cultural command to do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, and pray for those who abuse us. We discover that enemies aren't just obvious adversaries; they're anyone who's hard to love—difficult coworkers, hurtful family members, or those who've wounded us deeply. This isn't about mushy feelings; it's about making a deliberate choice to reflect God's character in a world desperately needing to see authentic Christianity lived out.

John Swadley | Matthew 18:21-22

This powerful exploration of forgiveness challenges us to wrestle with one of Christianity's most difficult commands. The message unpacks what forgiveness truly means, clearing away common misconceptions. We're offered three practical exercises to strengthen our forgiveness muscles: monitoring those imaginary conversations we have with people who hurt us, identifying specifically what they took from us, and making the concrete decision to cancel that debt. When we forgive as Christ forgave us, we discover that the peace we've been seeking finally comes.

John Swadley | Luke 5:12-15

This powerful message takes us into the heart of Jesus' ministry through the story of a leper in Luke 5:12-15, revealing what grace truly looks like in action. His story becomes our story when we recognize that we too were once infected with sin, separated from God, and in need of a miraculous touch. The message challenges us to examine our own 'untouchables'—those groups of people we've mentally placed outside God's reach or our own willingness to engage. When we truly grasp that we were once wretches saved by amazing grace, we can't help but extend that same grace to others.

John Swadley | John 13:34

At the heart of our faith journey lies a simple yet profound command from Jesus in John 13:34 - to love one another as He has loved us. This message challenges us to examine whether our spiritual maturity is truly growing by asking a penetrating question: Has our capacity to love others actually expanded over the years? This isn't about compromising biblical truth or becoming spiritually soft; it's about seeing people through contact lenses, coming close enough to serve them with cups of cold water. The practical challenge offered is transformative: begin and end each day by declaring our commitment to love God with everything we have and to love our neighbors as ourselves, allowing these words to reshape our vocabulary, our vision, and ultimately our impact on a watching world.

John Swadley | 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

This powerful exploration of 1 Corinthians 13 challenges us to move beyond understanding love as merely a feeling and embrace it as a deliberate choice that springs into action. We discover that love is patient and kind, not envious or boastful, not arrogant or rude. The challenge before us is clear: will we let God's supernatural love flow through us to create relationships that reflect the heart of Christ?

John Swadley | 1st Corinthians 13:1-3

This powerful message confronts us with a challenging truth: we can have all the right words, all the biblical knowledge, powerful faith, generous giving, and even willingness to sacrifice everything—yet if we lack love, it all amounts to nothing. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 13, we're reminded that Christlike love isn't a feeling that comes and goes, but a deliberate choice we make each morning. It's defined as selflessly seeking what's best for others, no matter how they respond.

John Swadley | Luke 16:11

What if the way we handle our money is actually a spiritual test? This powerful message from Luke 16:11 challenges us to see that God uses our relationship with money as a measure of our spiritual maturity. When we align our financial lives with God's word, we experience not just financial freedom but spiritual breakthrough. The reminder that God is 'Mr. French Fry'—that everything we have comes from Him and belongs to Him—puts our whole relationship with money in perspective. This isn't about legalism or guilt; it's about trusting that the One who created us knows the best way for us to live, even in our checkbooks and bank accounts.