Light on SermonAudio

A brief bit of encouragement for the journey from God's Word. Today's Scripture reading: Hosea 12 To support this devotional ministry: https://faithbaptiststerling.com/give/ Music: "Awaken the Dawn" by Stanton Lanier https://www.stantonlanier.com CCLI #20109360

John chapter 1 verses 1-5. This sermon explores the supremacy of Jesus Christ, identified as the Word, by examining three key aspects of His nature found in the prologue of John's Gospel. The central argument asserts that the Word is supreme because He has eternally existed with and as God, refuting heretical views that deny His deity. The message further establishes that the Word is the exclusive creator and sustainer of all things, emphasizing the sovereignty of God over the universe and human life. Finally, it highlights that the Word effectively shines in the darkness, representing spiritual light that overcomes the realm of Satan and invites believers into a relationship with God. Scripture quotations taken from the NASB (New American Standard Bible) Copyright 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org

What an encouraging truth that the LORD is always working His good plan through His servants, even when their labor seems long and unfruitful! Listen to this week's chapel message from Dr. Mark Vowels as he encourages us with this simple yet wonderful truth from God's Word.

A brief bit of encouragement for the journey from God's Word. Today's Scripture reading: Hosea 11 To support this devotional ministry: https://faithbaptiststerling.com/give/ Music: "Awaken the Dawn" by Stanton Lanier https://www.stantonlanier.com CCLI #20109360

This sermon examines the testimony of Jesus in John 5, where He presents multiple witnesses to His divine identity, including John the Baptist, His miracles, the Father, and the Scriptures. The central argument posits that the rejection of Jesus by religious leaders is not due to a lack of evidence, but rather a deliberate unwillingness to submit to Him. The preacher contrasts the temporary joy of enjoying a preacher's light with the necessity of coming to Christ for eternal life, highlighting the human tendency to seek human glory over divine truth. By analyzing the 'autopsy' of unbelief, the message reveals that the root of rejection is a lack of love for God and a desire for self-justification. The sermon concludes with a call to repentance, asserting that while humans are naturally unwilling to come to Christ, God's grace transforms hearts, making the unwilling willing through His power.

In this lecture Jonathan Arnold teaches that the New Testament text must be approached in light of Scripture's Divine inspiration and providential preservation. The Received Text, rooted largely in the Byzantine manuscript tradition and used in Reformation translations, is presented as a faithful witness preserved through the church's continual use. Modern critical texts are challenged for prioritising older manuscripts and employing methods that permit ongoing revisions. Differences affecting verses and phrases demonstrate why the underlying Greek text matters for translation. Historical testimony and Reformed confessions support confidence in preserved copies of Scripture. Believers are encouraged to trust God's enduring Word as their foundation for faith and hope.

The Cost of Grace Jesus did not redeem us so we could keep our old lives—His grace rescues us, owns us, establishes us, and teaches us to live under His rule. The message centers on the truth that the gospel does not merely add Jesus to our lives—it brings us under His light, His rule, and His grace. Drawing from Balaam's prophecy in Numbers 24, Jesus is presented as both the Star who gives light and the Scepter who rules. The enemy could not curse what God had blessed, but Balaam showed how God's people could harm themselves by compromising with what God had forbidden. This warns believers that grace is never permission to live however we choose; grace teaches, corrects, cleanses, and brings our lives under the Lordship of Jesus. From 1 Thessalonians 2 and 2 Corinthians 5, the message emphasizes that believers have been entrusted with the gospel and must proclaim it faithfully rather than reshape it to please people. The cross is offensive to human pride because it declares that sinners cannot save, reconcile, or make themselves righteous. Yet the good news is that Jesus took our place, died for us, rose again, and gives life to those who trust Him. His love now constrains and compels us, so that those who live through Him should no longer live for themselves but for the One who died and rose again. The message also stresses that while salvation cannot be earned and is freely received by grace, grace was not cheap. Jesus purchased His people with His own life, and therefore redemption changes ownership. We do not surrender ourselves to earn salvation; we surrender because we have been bought by Christ. A Savior who never interrupts, corrects, or redirects our lives i

This introductory discussion offers a brief tour through the massive 12-volume Collected Works of Thomas Goodwin (1600–1680), one of the premier theologians and pastors of 17th-century English Puritanism. A leading figure at both the Westminster Assembly and the drafting of the Savoy Declaration, Goodwin combined rigorous Reformed scholasticism with an extraordinarily tender, experiential care for the Christian soul. By examining a select handful of his most enduring titles—including The Return of Prayers, The Child of Light Walking in Darkness, The Heart of Christ in Heaven Towards Sinners on Earth, his exhaustive treatise on regeneration in Volume 6, and his sobering study on the punishment of sin in Volume 10—we catch a glimpse of the sheer scope, psychological depth, and pastoral warmth that made Goodwin a titan of practical theology and a lifelong favorite of Puritan scholars like Dr. Joel Beeke.

Dr. David Brown is Pastor Emeritus of the First Baptist Church in Oak Creek. He has a Master's in Theology and a PhD in History specializing in the history of the English Bible. It is very easy in our society to take what we have for granted. We can go into a dark home and flip a switch and we have light. We need a cool drink of water and turn on the faucet and satisfy our thirst. We go to our technology devices and we can instantaneously communicate with people all around the world. As nice as these conveniences are, there is something far more precious than all of them: the Bible, the Word of God. While it's easy for us to take for granted the rich availability of the Scriptures in print, on our tablets, and on phone devices, what we must not ignore is the fact that having the Scriptures in the English language cost someone their own life. That person was William Tyndale. He's been renowned as "the father of the English Bible" and is recognized as one of the major leaders of the English Reformation. He became one of the most wanted men in England and all of Europe, even pursued by the king himself. It's the 500th anniversary of the Tyndale New Testament and tomorrow is the 490th anniversary of Tyndale's death. So don't miss this historical overview of the life and legacy of William Tyndale so that you can grasp the amount of sacrifice that went into the formation of our English Bible.

A brief bit of encouragement for the journey from God's Word. Today's Scripture reading: Hosea 10 To support this devotional ministry: https://faithbaptiststerling.com/give/ Music: "Awaken the Dawn" by Stanton Lanier https://www.stantonlanier.com CCLI #20109360