Sunday April 18, 2021
He Made Himself A Servant To All
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Being a servant to others does not come naturally. We would rather be served than to serve.
Jesus said, “Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be a slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42-45
In our text this morning, the apostle Paul made himself a servant to all that he might win the more for Christ.
He made himself a servant to his own people, the Jews.
And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law… 1 Corinthians 9:20
He made himself a servant to the Gentiles.
To those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law… 1 Corinthians 9:21
He made himself a servant to the weak.
To the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 1 Corinthians 9:22
He made himself a servant for the Gospel’s
Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. 1 Corinthians 9:23
Sunday, April 11, 2021
The Resurrection Power To Change
The most important thing in life is knowing Christ and experiencing the power of His resurrection.
Paul writes, “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” – Philippians 3:10
In another letter Paul tells his readers, “and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.” – Ephesians 1:19-20
God’s Resurrection Power Will Cancel Our Past
“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13-14
God’s Resurrection Power Will Make Us New In Christ.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
God’s Resurrection Power Will Give Us The Victory Over Sin and Death.
“The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:56-57
Sunday, April 4, 2021
Sunday, March 21, 2021
A Coincidence Or A God-Incidence
Do we believe that the events that happen in our lives both good and bad, are directed and guided by God and a part of His divine plan at work? I believe Simon a Cyrenian had no idea when he went into the city of Jerusalem that morning, that things would turn out the way they did.
In order for us to get the complete picture of this man and see this drama unfold in his life, we need to examine a number of scriptures. There are 3 acts in this drama.
Act One
Choosing and compelling Simon to carry Jesus’ cross. Mark 15:21-22; Matthew 27:32-33
As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. Luke 23:26
Act Two
Perhaps Simon, Alexander, and Rufus were among those who heard Peter’s sermon at Pentecost and believed?
Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome. Acts 2:10
Act Three
Simon’s son Rufus and his wife were serving the Lord in Rome.
Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too. Romans 16:13
There are no coincidences with God. He plans things for our good, reveals Himself to us, and works things out for His glory. He is always at work behind the scenes even when we are clueless about what is happening. With God, there are no coincidences!
Sunday, March 14, 2021
The Blood of Christ
The Bible regards blood as the symbol and source of life. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” Leviticus 17:11
All the blood sacrifices in the old testament were a foreshadowing of what was to come.
- Adam and Eve. Genesis 3:21
- The Passover. Exodus 12
- The Day of Atonement. Leviticus 16
God is holy, God judges sin, and in order for sin to be judged there has to be the shedding of blood.
Jesus was the sinless Son of God, sent by God the Father for a specific mission to be the perfect, unblemished sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.
Why is the blood of Jesus so important?
With the blood of Jesus, we have redemption.
“Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” Hebrews 9:12
“Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:18-19
And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” Revelation 5:9
By the blood of Jesus, we have been forgiven.
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Ephesians 1:7
We have been justified by the blood of Jesus.
“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” Romans 3:24
“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” Romans 5:9
Sunday, March 7, 2021
Glorying in the Cross
Paul wrote: “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Galatians 6:14
The cross is central to the whole Bible. Open the Bible anywhere, and you will find the cross somewhere! In the Old Testament it is prefigured and prophesied. Prefigured: The bronze serpent lifted up in the wilderness (Numbers 21:4-9; John 3:14). Prophesied: The suffering servant (Isaiah 53).
We glory in the cross for Christ’s atoning work on the cross for us. Two important words describe His atoning work:
Expiation is defined as the removal of sin or guilt.
The penalty of death that we deserved because of our sin was satisfied through Jesus’ death on the cross. Jesus meets our needs through the expiation of our sin. “He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to expiate sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Heb.9:26
Propitiation, on the other hand, has to do with the appeasement of God’s anger.
To remove the wrath of God from us, and appease His anger towards our sin, Christ died for us. “In this 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
Sunday, February 28, 2021
To Do List ~ Part 2
Romans 12:15-21
Last week we looked at a to do list in chapter 12 of Romans. This morning we will complete the list in verses 15-21.
- Do the opposite of the world – bless those who persecute you.
- Engage in the lives of others – the rejoicing and the weeping.
- Get along with one another, never view yourself as better or above another.
- Set a godly example by not giving someone what they deserve.
- Do your best to live in peace with everyone.
- Let God right the wrongs and get even for you.
- Again, do the opposite of the world and take care of those in need including your enemy.
- Set your mind to doing good.
To Do List Part 2 – 2-28-2021 from First Baptist Church of Bemidji on Vimeo.
Sunday. February 21, 2021
A To Do List
Romans 12:9-13
When we come to know Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, He gives us a to do list. We are not saved by doing this list, but we are saved to do this list. God desires us to be doers of the Word not only hears of the Word.
Let us get to the to do list.
- Love without hypocrisy.
- Abhor what is evil.
- Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love.
- In honor giving preference to one another.
- Not lagging in diligence.
- Fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.
- Rejoicing in hope.
- Patient in tribulation.
- Continuing steadfastly in prayer.
- Distributing to the needs of the saints.
- Given to hospitality.
Sunday, February 7, 2021
What The World Needs Now
What is the greatest need facing our world today? Security from terrorists? Solving world hunger? Clean water for all? Economic, political, or social stability? Solving ‘climate change’? I believe the greatest need of our world never makes the list of any polls and is not even on the radar for the vast majority of people.
The greatest need facing our world has been, is now, and always will be, knowing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
What does the Gospel of Jesus Christ reveal to us?
First, the Gospel reveals His love for us.
Secondly, the Gospel reveals our terminal infection with sin.
Thirdly, the Gospel reveals God’s cure for our sin problem.
Fourthly, the Gospel reveals to us that we need to receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.
Have you personally received Jesus as Savior and Lord?
