My New Life

Why did God’s people still need a Savior when they already had the Law, priests, and sacrifices? Pastor Mac traces that question from God’s promise to Abraham through the Day of Atonement and into Isaiah’s promise of a coming King.

The message begins with an honest look at the two greatest commandments: loving God with our whole heart and loving our neighbor as ourselves. From there, Leviticus and Hebrews help us see what the sacrifices taught about sin and why they kept returning. Isaiah then gives us two promises to listen for: a child who will reign on David’s throne, and the sign of Immanuel, “God with us.”

Series: Preparing for the King
Sermon: 5
Speaker: Pastor Mac
Length: About 35 minutes
Main text: Isaiah 9:1–7
Additional readings: Matthew 22:37–40; Leviticus 16:16, 30; Romans 3:19–24; Hebrews 10:1–4; Isaiah 7:10–14

What happens when God's people face destruction, yet God seems silent?

In Sermon 4 of Preparing for the King, Pastor Mac McDonald explores the remarkable story of Esther and God's faithfulness in preserving His covenant people.

Although God's name is never explicitly mentioned in the book of Esther, His providence is evident through a series of extraordinary events—from Esther's courage to a king's sleepless night.

This message also connects God's promises to Abraham, Ruth, and David, revealing how His faithfulness continues through generations and ultimately points toward Jesus Christ.

Pastor Mac closes with an important reminder about salvation and Christian living: We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by our works. But genuine faith is never intended to be idle. Our love for Christ should be reflected in how we live and serve Him.

Primary Scripture: The Book of Esther

Series: Preparing for the King — Sermon 4

Pastor Mac McDonald
First Baptist Church of Casa Grande, Arizona

My New Life — Biblical Truth for Real People

What does it mean to be a shining citizen of God's Kingdom?

In this special guest sermon at First Baptist Church of St. Johns, Arizona, Pastor Mac McDonald opens Matthew chapter 5 and explores how Jesus calls His followers to live differently from the world around them.

From being the light of the world to loving our enemies, the Sermon on the Mount challenges us to examine whether our faith is evident in our everyday lives.

Pastor Mac shares personal experiences about witnessing to others, the peace that comes from trusting Christ, and the importance of living out our faith with humility, love, and obedience.

Good works do not earn our salvation. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. But genuine faith changes how we live, how we treat others, and how we respond to those who oppose us.

Primary Scripture: Matthew 5

Message: The Shining Citizens of the Kingdom

Guest Speaker: Pastor Mac McDonald

Recorded at: First Baptist Church of St. Johns, Arizona

Pastor Mac serves at First Baptist Church of Casa Grande and hosts My New Life — Biblical Truth for Real People.

What if the greatest promise God gave King David wasn't about the house David wanted to build, but about the kingdom God promised to establish?

In Sermon 3 of Preparing for the King, Pastor Mac McDonald takes us into 2 Samuel 7 and the remarkable Davidic Covenant.

David wanted to honor God by building a temple. Instead, God revealed His promise of an enduring royal house—a promise that would ultimately lead to Jesus Christ, the Son of David, whose kingdom shall have no end.

Through David's failures, God's faithfulness, and the fulfillment announced in Luke 1:31–33, we are reminded that God's Word remains trustworthy and that His people are called to respond with humility, gratitude, and prayer.

Pastor Mac also shares a personal testimony of answered prayer and gratitude following a recent heart procedure.

Primary Scripture: 2 Samuel 7:1–29
Additional Scripture: Psalm 89:30–34; Luke 1:31–33

Preparing for the King — Sermon 3
Pastor Mac McDonald
First Baptist Church of Casa Grande, Arizona

Have you ever looked back at a moment in your life and realized God was working in ways you couldn't see at the time?

In this second message of our series, Preparing for the King, Pastor Mac McDonald explores the remarkable story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz, revealing God's providence through life's unexpected circumstances.

Pastor Mac also shares a deeply personal experience from 27 years ago. What began as a missed flight and an uncomfortable encounter with a stranger in a St. Louis airport became a moment he would remember for decades. Only recently did he begin to see that experience through an entirely different perspective.

Through the book of Ruth, we discover that God's providence is not limited to extraordinary miracles. His hand is at work through ordinary decisions, difficult seasons, unexpected encounters, and faithful obedience.

Ruth could not have imagined that her journey from Moab to Bethlehem would eventually lead to the birth of Obed, the grandfather of King David, and become part of the unfolding biblical story leading to Jesus Christ.

Like a beautiful symphony, God brings together moments and generations in ways we cannot always understand.

We see individual moments. God sees the generations.

SCRIPTURE: Ruth 1–4

SERIES: Preparing for the King — Sermon 2

Join Pastor Mac McDonald of First Baptist Church of Casa Grande, Arizona, as we discover the unseen hand of God and learn to trust His faithfulness, even when we cannot see what lies ahead.

First Baptist Church of Casa Grande

https://fbccg.org

My New Life | Pastor Mac McDonald

Biblical Truth • Real Stories • Pastoral Hope

God bless you!

What happens after we trust Christ?

Salvation is not the end of the Christian journey—it is the beginning. In this final message of the Love Perfectedseries, Pastor Mac McDonald looks at repentance and its place in the lifelong process of sanctification.

The Greek word metanoia speaks of a changed mind and disposition toward sin and God that results in a changed direction. Repentance isn't getting saved again, nor is it something we do to keep our salvation. It is part of the continuing walk of someone who already belongs to Christ.

Beginning with Jesus' parable of the seed planted in good soil, we see that new life is meant to grow and bear fruit. But even mature believers can allow old attitudes, pride, anger, jealousy, fear, bitterness and other sins to creep back into their lives.

David's prayer in Psalm 51 shows the heart that longs to be renewed: “Create in me a clean heart, O God.” Peter's failure in Galatians 2 reminds us that even a mature believer who has walked with Christ and borne tremendous fruit can still stumble and need correction.

The Christian life is a continuing journey of growth—recognizing sin, bringing it honestly before God, repenting, abiding in Christ and continuing toward spiritual maturity.

We are not striving for sinless perfection. We are growing toward completeness and maturity in Christ, so that His love increasingly becomes visible through our lives.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16

This is Love Perfected.

Pastor Mac McDonald
First Baptist Church of Casa Grande
Casa Grande, Arizona

Biblical Truth • Real Stories • Pastoral Hope

What does Jesus mean when He says, “Abide in Me”?

In John 15, Jesus gives us one of the clearest pictures of the Christian life: He is the Vine, and we are the branches.

In this message from the Love Perfected series, Pastor Mac McDonald looks at what it means to abide in Christ—not simply to say we belong to Him, but to remain in Him, depend upon Him, and allow His life to produce fruit in ours.

Two important biblical words help anchor this message:

MENŌ — Abide. Remain. Stay.
Jesus calls us to live in continual dependence upon Him.

TELEIOS — Complete. Mature.
God doesn't save us and simply leave us where He found us. He continues His work in us, bringing us toward maturity as followers of Christ.

Along the way, we'll talk about cleaning the clutter out of our lives, allowing God to prune what doesn't belong, bearing fruit, prayer, obedience, relationships, and what abiding in Christ looks like in everyday life.

The goal isn't religious perfection.

It's a life increasingly shaped by Christ as we abide in Him.

“Abide in me, and I in you.” — John 15:4

Love Perfected — Sermon 9: Love That Abides
John 15:1–14

Pastor Mac McDonald
First Baptist Church of Casa Grande
Casa Grande, Arizona

Biblical Truth • Real Stories • Pastoral Hope

What happens when God truly becomes first in your life—not just in what you say, but in your heart, mind, and soul?

In this message from the Love Perfected series, Pastor Mac McDonald explores the different expressions of love God has given us and ultimately points to the love that lasts.

Jesus taught that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind. When God becomes the focus of our lives, it changes the way we pray, the way we love others, and even the way we respond to life’s trials.

Pastor Mac also shares a personal lesson about pride, surrender, and the moment he realized he needed to get out of the way and allow God to lead. 

Sermon 4 Text Script.txt

When we put God first—with all our heart, soul, and mind—we can be thankful through life’s challenges and grateful for life’s blessings.

Main Scripture:
Matthew 22:37–40

Love Perfected: Understanding Human Love and the Eternal Love of God

First Baptist Church of Casa Grande
Casa Grande, Arizona

Have you ever failed God and wondered if He could still use you?

In John 21, Peter comes face-to-face with his greatest failure. After denying Jesus three times, Peter must now face the risen Christ. What follows is one of the most powerful restoration stories in all of Scripture.

In this message from the Love Perfected series, Pastor Mac explores Peter’s failure, Christ’s forgiveness, and the truth that our standing with God rests on Christ’s faithfulness, not our perfection.

Scripture: John 21:1-19

Series: Love Perfected – Understanding Human Love and the Eternal Love of God

First Baptist Church of Casa Grande
Casa Grande, Arizona

Love Perfected is a verse-by-verse sermon series exploring humanity’s deepest need: love.

From creation and the fall to redemption and restoration, this series follows God’s eternal plan to reveal His perfect love through Jesus Christ.

Together we will examine:

• Why we were created for love
• How sin broke our relationship with God
• The different expressions of love found in Scripture
• God’s pursuit of broken people
• The love demonstrated at the cross
• Restoration through Jesus Christ
• What it means to love God and love others biblically

Whether you are a lifelong believer, a new Christian, or simply searching for answers, these messages point to the One whose love never fails.

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

— 1 John 4:10 (KJV)

First Baptist Church of Casa Grande
Sundays • 9:30 AM
FBCCG.org