Topic
Soteriology
2,239 sermons · All topics
Free Grace Baptist Church - March 3, 2019 AM
Stephen's defense before the Sanhedrin in Acts 7:17–29 turns on a single argument: Israel's own history condemns the council, not Stephen. Working through the birth, protection, and first visitation of Moses, the sermon traces how God's sovereign Providence preserved his appointed deliverer at the precise moment when every circumstance appeared most hostile to that possibility. The parallel is explicit — just as Israel rejected Moses the deliverer, the Sanhedrin is rejecting Jesus, the one Moses wrote about. The congregation is called to patience in God's timetable, trust in his Providence, and above all to receive rather than reject the salvation offered in Christ.
Stephen's Defense, Part 4
Stephen's defense before the Sanhedrin in Acts 7:17–29 centers on the birth, education, and first visits of Moses to his enslaved brethren — a narrative Stephen deploys not to instruct the Council in history they already knew, but to indict them for repeating the same rejection of God's appointed deliverer. The sermon traces two structural pillars: God's sovereign faithfulness to Abrahamic covenant promises across four centuries of bondage, and Israel's willful incomprehension of Moses as the pattern for the Sanhedrin's rejection of Jesus. The typological connection is explicit — Moses as redeemer-reconciler rejected by those he came to save is the Old Testament shadow of Christ rejected by the very people who claimed allegiance to Moses. Hearers are called to resist the impulse to drive away the deliverer and instead flee to the Lord Christ, in whom all the promises of God find their yes and amen.
The Inclusion of Wretches in God's Covenant
Ephesians 2:1–10 presents the full arc of redemption — from the total deadness of sinners to their gracious vivification in Christ — and this exposition traces that arc through the origin, objects, and execution of salvation. The sermon grounds the covenant of grace in the prior covenant of redemption (Ephesians 1:3–14), showing that the Father's election, the Son's redemption, and the Spirit's sealing together exclude every contribution of the sinner. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, with faith itself a gift conveyed by God to the spiritually dead — not a human instrument brought to the table that God then rewards. The exposition closes by distinguishing justification from sanctification and warning against both Roman Catholic and Federal Vision distortions of grace, anchoring the believer's final acceptance before God solely in the active and passive obedience of Christ.
The Need for Due Process
Proverbs 18:17 establishes that the first to state a case seems right until cross-examination occurs — a principle with profound implications for personal conduct, church life, and civil justice. This sermon expounds that verse alongside Deuteronomy 19:15–21 and Deuteronomy 25:1–3 to demonstrate that due process — including cross-examination, the two-or-three-witness rule, proportionate punishment, and the preservation of human dignity — is grounded in the law of God, not in modern legal convention. The Old Testament judicial laws are shown to protect the accused, deter false witness, and honor image-bearers even in their guilt. The sermon closes with a Christological application: Psalm 15 describes the perfectly law-keeping Mediator, and union with him by grace through faith is the only ground on which any person stands before God.
Stephen's Defense, Part 3
Stephen's defense before the Sanhedrin, as recorded in Acts 7:9–16, turns on the narrative of Joseph: a man chosen by God, sent to his people, and rejected by his own brothers. The sermon traces two movements in Stephen's argument — the patriarchs' envious rejection of Joseph, and God's sovereign providence overruling that evil for the preservation of Israel — and shows how each element constitutes a deliberate typological indictment of the council that condemned Jesus. The controlling hermeneutical claim is that Christ is the proper key to the Old Testament, and that the ceremonial law and the temple were always types pointing forward to him, not ends in themselves.
Genesis 14:1-16
Genesis 14:1–16 presents Abram's military deliverance of his nephew Lot as a showcase of divine providence operating through human means. Though God is not named until Melchizedek's blessing, his sovereign hand is visible in every detail: the abduction that draws Abram onto the world stage, the survival of the messenger, and the victory of 318 servants over a coalition that had crushed five kings. The sermon traces four qualities of Abram's response — immediacy, armament, strategy, and victory — and draws from them the lesson that the sovereignty of God is not a warrant for passivity but the very foundation for the faithful use of means. Lot's progressive entanglement with Sodom warns against decisions that privilege outward advantage over the soul's good, while Abram's refusal of the king of Sodom's goods illustrates dependence on God Most High rather than human patronage.
Free Grace Baptist Church - February 17, 2019 PM
Proverbs 6:20–35 presents a father's urgent warning to his son against the sin of adultery, grounding the exhortation in the law of God as a lamp, a guide, and a restraint. The sermon works through two movements: the necessity of internalising God's Word as a preventive against sexual sin, and the inevitable consequences — social ruin, the fury of an offended husband, and the judgment of God — that attend the adulterer. The application is direct: parents must instruct their children in sexual purity, married persons must cultivate faithfulness, and all who have fallen must look to Christ, in whose name fornicators and adulterers have been washed, sanctified, and justified.
Livestream - Baptism: Carrie Lawson, Catharine Shook
The Great Commission of Matthew 28:18–20 defines the church's narrow, ordered mission: make disciples, baptize those disciples, and teach them to observe all Christ has commanded. This expository treatment of the Commission frames a baptism service for two women who profess saving faith in Christ, arguing that believer's baptism by immersion is the proper New Testament pattern — the sign of a new covenant already sealed by sovereign grace, not a sacrament of hopeful inclusion. The sermon draws on the doctrine of divine simplicity, the Trinity, and the covenant promises to Abraham to show that baptism is administered into the one name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that this triune God is himself the substance of eternal life.
The Great Commission
Christ's Great Commission in Matthew 28:18–20 provides the church with her complete marching orders: go, make disciples, baptize those disciples, and teach them to observe all that Christ commanded. The authority behind the commission belongs to the risen and exalted Christ, who possesses all authority in heaven and earth; the assurance sustaining it is His promise of perpetual presence to the end of the age. The sermon treats the specific focus of the commission in sequence, defending believers' baptism by immersion as the pattern demanded by the text and the order it establishes — make disciples first, then baptize — against both baptismal regeneration and paedobaptism. The Trinitarian formula of baptism occasions an extended treatment of theology proper, including divine simplicity, impassibility, and the unity of essence in three persons, with warnings against tritheism, modalism, and subordinationism.
Gentile Inclusion in God's Covenant
Ephesians 2:11–22 presents Gentile inclusion in the covenant promises of God as a third demonstration of divine power, alongside the resurrection of Christ and the salvation of individual sinners. Gentile believers were once Christless, churchless, hopeless, godless, and homeless — aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise — but now, through the blood of Christ, they have been brought near and made one new man together with believing Jews. The sermon refutes dispensationalism's two-peoples framework, explains the threefold division of the law (moral, judicial, ceremonial) to clarify what Christ abolished at the cross, and calls the church to a high corporate esteem of the household of God as the dwelling place of the Spirit.
Stephen's Defense, Part 2
Stephen's defense before the Sanhedrin in Acts 7:2–8 turns on a redemptive-historical reading of Abraham that dismantles the charges of blasphemy against the law and the temple. The sermon traces three movements: the call of Abraham (vv. 1–4), the promise of land and descendants made to a childless man (vv. 5–7), and the covenant of circumcision (v. 8). Central to the exposition is the argument that God appeared to Abraham outside the land and apart from any temple, that both circumcision and temple find their terminus in Christ, and that Abraham's justification was by faith alone — his obedience being the fruit, never the ground, of that faith. Listeners are urged to trust not in any outward religious token but in the God of Abraham who sent his Son to fulfill every covenantal obligation his people could not meet.
Genesis 13:1-18
Genesis 13 presents the separation of Abram and Lot as a sustained contrast between faith-driven generosity and sight-driven selfishness. Abram, though possessing the divine promise of the land, voluntarily surrenders his claim to preference and offers Lot first choice — a posture the New Testament repeatedly commends and commands. Lot's eastward movement toward Sodom illustrates the peril of choosing by the physical eye alone, while God's subsequent renewal of the covenant promise to Abram shows that the Word of God is the appointed remedy for the grief that faithfulness can cost. The sermon traces these Abrahamic land and seed promises through Joshua, the Psalms, Isaiah, and the New Testament epistles to demonstrate that their ultimate fulfillment is not territorial but cosmic — in Christ as heir of the world and in a redeemed multitude from every tribe and tongue and nation.
Stephen's Defense, Part 1
Acts 7:1–2 opens Stephen's defense before the Sanhedrin — the longest speech in the book of Acts — and this sermon surveys the whole of that defense before turning to its parts in subsequent weeks. Stephen answers two formal charges: that he has blasphemed Moses and the law, and that he has blasphemed the temple. His argument from Israel's own history demonstrates that the Sanhedrin, not Stephen, has missed the trajectory of redemptive history, because the law points to Christ and the temple was always a signpost, not a final resting place. The sermon closes by calling hearers who are convicted of sin to run to Christ rather than to gnash their teeth at those who declare the truth.
The Death of Ahab
The death of Ahab in 1 Kings 22:29–53 is the culmination of multiple prophetic pronouncements — by Elijah, the unnamed prophet of chapter 20, and Micaiah — all of which converge on a single 'random' arrow on the field of Ramoth Gilead, demonstrating that no disguise, no strategy, and no human ingenuity can deflect the sovereign judgment of God. The narrative also exposes the folly of Jehoshaphat, a genuinely godly king whose piety was unaccompanied by good sense, yet who was graciously preserved by the God he served despite the consequences he deserved. The criterion by which every king in 1 Kings is finally measured is not his administrative accomplishments but his fidelity to the Word of God. The sermon calls believers to combine true piety with godly wisdom, to flee from the wrath of God to the cross of Christ as the only refuge, and to take sober warning as parents against training children in wickedness.
Free Grace Baptist Church - January 27, 2019 AM
Capital punishment is not a contradiction of the sanctity of life but a divine mandate grounded in the image of God. Working through Genesis 9:6, the Mosaic economy, and Romans 13, this sermon argues that God instituted the sword of civil government precisely because the murder of an image-bearer is an assault on the divine majesty — and that the penalty of death reflects the justice and holy character of God. Common objections, both biblical and pragmatic, are examined and answered, and unbelievers are confronted with what the gravity of God's justice against sin reveals about their need for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Genesis 12:1-9
Genesis 12:1–9 presents the call of Abram as a programmatic text establishing God's covenantal plan of redemption, standing alongside Genesis 3:15 and Genesis 9:25–27 as a divinely initiated response to the human disaster of the fall and its aftermath. The sermon works through three movements: the grace of God in the call itself, the threefold promise of land, seed, and blessing in verses 2–3, and Abram's faith-driven obedience and worship in verses 4–9. Against dispensationalist readings, the land promise is shown to find its fulfillment not in a reconstituted geopolitical Israel but in Christ as heir of the world, with the seed promise identified in Galatians 3 as Christ himself and all who are united to him by faith. The listener is called to see in Abram's departure from country, family, and father's house a typological pattern for what occurs in every genuine conversion — the forsaking of former allegiances in the embrace of the living God.
The Rejection of the True Prophet of God
When Ahab of Israel gathered four hundred prophets to sanction his campaign at Ramoth-Gilead, he had already resolved what he wanted to hear — and hated the one man who would tell him the truth. This exposition of 1 Kings 22:1–28 traces the confrontation between King Ahab and the prophet Micaiah, examining how the rejection of the true prophet is ultimately the rejection of the Word of God itself. Drawing on the parallel Paul draws in 2 Timothy 4:1–4, the sermon calls hearers to guard their hearts against the perennial temptation to accumulate teachers who scratch itching ears, and to receive the whole counsel of God — rebuke and exhortation included — as the mercy of a wise and sovereign Father.
The Arrest of Stephen
Acts 6:8–15 narrates the arrest of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, whose faithful ministry and superior argumentation so threatened the religious establishment of Jerusalem that they were forced to resort to false witnesses, mob agitation, and a rigged Sanhedrin trial to silence him. The sermon traces two movements: the mounting opposition to Stephen's Spirit-empowered preaching and sign-working, and the formal charge of blasphemy against the temple and the law of Moses — a charge virtually identical to what was leveled against Jesus before the same court. Stephen's composure before the Sanhedrin, his face shining like an angel's, and his masterful biblical theology of temple and law anticipate his defense in Acts 7, where he demonstrates that the temple and Mosaic ceremonies were always typological pointers fulfilled in Christ. Believers are called to study, exegete, and contend for the truth with the same reasoned fidelity Stephen displayed, and to expect that faithfulness to Christ will attract the same hostility it has always attracted.
The Murder of Naboth
The murder of Naboth in 1 Kings 21 exposes the converging wickedness of covetousness, false witness, state-sponsored murder, and spineless complicity — and then the righteous judgment of God upon those who perpetrate injustice against the innocent. Ahab's sullen greed and Jezebel's ruthless manipulation demonstrate that when idolatry prevails in a society, the whole second table of the law collapses with the first. God's intervention through Elijah, and his surprising mercy even toward Ahab's outward remorse, grounds both a warning for the wicked and a gospel call to the penitent: if God showed regard to so shallow a humiliation, how much more will he receive in Christ those who come to him with genuine repentance.
The Mission of the Son of Man
Matthew 20:20–28 confronts the persistent problem of pride and the inverted logic of kingdom greatness. Against the backdrop of Christ's third passion prediction, the ambitious request of James and John exposes a desire common to all God's people: the crown without the cross. The sermon works through Christ's twofold instruction — rejecting the Gentile model of top-down authority and embracing servant-greatness — before landing on the theological heart of verse 28: the Son of Man gave his life as a ransom for many, a payment securing the definite salvation of his people and providing the interpretive key to the entire passion narrative of Matthew 21–27.
Free Grace Baptist Church - January 6, 2019 AM
Acts 6:1–7 confronts the Jerusalem church's first internal crisis: the Hellenistic widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution, threatening to pull the apostles away from prayer and the Ministry of the Word. The sermon expounds the apostles' response as a model of church government — the division of labor between those called to preach and those appointed to serve — demonstrating that the two offices of elder and deacon are the Spirit's provision for a church that will inevitably face persecution, corruption, and distraction. The passage closes with a progress report showing that when the Word is freed to go forth, disciples multiply and even inveterate enemies of the gospel are brought to saving faith by efficacious grace. The central application is a call to pray for biblically qualified, praying and preaching men in every congregation.
The Glory of the Father and the Son
John 17:1–5 opens Christ's high priestly prayer with a petition that the Father glorify the Son so that the Son may glorify the Father — a reciprocal glorification whose goal is the glory of God Most High. The sermon works through three grounds for this petition: the salvation of the elect given to the Son in the covenant of redemption, the accomplishment of Christ's active and passive obedience as the basis of justification, and the restoration of the Son's pre-incarnate glory. The full deity of Christ is defended against subordinationist readings by surveying New Testament texts where the title theos is applied directly to Jesus, and the sermon closes with the call to pursue the knowledge of God and Christ as the very essence of eternal life — through Scripture reading, prayer, and faithful attendance upon the means of grace.
The Male Child and the Dragon
Revelation 12 presents Christ as the decisive victor over Satan, tracing the dragon's fourfold defeat from the incarnation through the casting out of heaven to his continuing failed campaigns against the church. The chapter is read through the lens of Genesis 3:15 and its fulfillment in Christ's crosswork: the male child escapes the serpent's grasp, is caught up to God's throne, and the accuser is cast down by virtue of Calvary. Satan's ongoing rage against the church is not a sign of his power but of his desperation — a conquered enemy making war against those he cannot ultimately destroy. The people of God are called to understand that suffering under satanic opposition identifies them with Christ's own suffering and conforms them to his image, not to despair but to faith in the one who has already overcome.
Free Grace Baptist Church - December 16, 2018 PM
John 18:28–40 presents the trial of Jesus before Pontius Pilate as the occasion for Christ's most direct declaration of his royal identity and the nature of his kingdom. Working through the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders, the bewilderment of Pilate, and Christ's own two-fold answer in verses 36–37, this exposition argues that Christ's kingdom does not originate from this world but nevertheless encompasses it, advancing not by military force but by the sword of truth. The sermon draws Isaiah 9:6–7 and Daniel 2 into the Advent season to show that the child born in the manger was born precisely to reign, and calls hearers to receive and treasure the truth by which that kingdom is extended.
The Royal Purpose in the Incarnation
John 18:37 records Jesus declaring before Pontius Pilate, 'For this cause I was born,' identifying the incarnation with a royal purpose — he entered the world as king. This sermon expounds John 18:33–40, tracing the nature of Christ's kingdom (not originating from this world, yet encompassing it), the method by which that kingdom advances (through truth, not military force), and the prophecy of Isaiah 9:6–7 that illuminates both the king and his everlasting dominion. The listener is called to receive the truth Christ embodies rather than dismiss it as Pilate did.
The Decision of the Council
Acts 5:33–42 records the Sanhedrin's decision to beat the apostles and command them to cease preaching in the name of Jesus — and the apostles' rejoicing response. This exposition works through three movements: the council's murderous fury at Peter's gospel proclamation, the qualified wisdom of Gamaliel's historical and theological arguments for restraint, and the apostles' departure rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name. The sermon calls the congregation to a readiness for persecution that mirrors the apostles', grounded not in stoic resolve but in the altogether loveliness of Christ who is chief among ten thousand.
James 1:2-8
James 1:2–8 addresses two inseparable realities in the Christian life: the believer's response to trials and the believer's request during trials. Trials are not anomalies but expected instruments of divine sanctification — God's means of producing endurance, maturity, and conformity to the image of Christ. When wisdom is lacking in the midst of affliction, the prescribed remedy is not complaint but prayer, offered in faith to a God who gives liberally and without reproach. The double-minded man who doubts will be unsettled, unanswered, and unstable — a sobering warning to approach God with single-minded faith.
The Apostles' Defense before the Council
Acts 5:27–32 records the apostles' second arraignment before the Sanhedrin and their bold proclamation of the gospel under direct threat of punishment. Peter's reply — 'we ought to obey God rather than men' — establishes a permanent principle for the church: when civil or religious authority commands disobedience to God, the Christian is bound to God alone. The sermon expounds Peter's gospel proclamation in verses 30–32, treating the incarnation, crucifixion, exaltation, and gift of repentance as a coherent apostolic witness, and closes with exhortations to prepare for persecution, persevere in bold proclamation, and believe the message of forgiveness through Christ.
The Riches and the Poverty of Christ
Second Corinthians 8:9 packs a vast Christology into a single verse: the eternal Son, rich as the second person of the Trinity and agent of creation and providence, became poor through incarnation, a life of rejection, and death on the cross — not by divesting himself of deity (kenosis is rejected), but by addition, taking on humanity while remaining fully God. The hypostatic union — one person, two natures — is shown to be not academic abstraction but the doctrinal foundation that motivates Christian liberality and sustains joy. Believers are called to count their spiritual riches: justification, sanctification, and glorification secured by Christ's poverty, all received by grace through faith.
Free Grace Baptist Church - December 9, 2018 AM
Acts 5:27–32 presents the apostles before the Sanhedrin for the second time, charged with filling Jerusalem with their doctrine and implicating the council in the death of Jesus. This sermon exposits their defense as both a declaration of unwavering allegiance — 'we ought to obey God rather than men' — and a proclamation of the gospel: that the God of their fathers raised up, exalted, and appointed Jesus as Prince and Savior to give the gifts of repentance and forgiveness. Because repentance and faith are divine gifts sovereignly bestowed, not human achievements, the proper response to persecution and opposition is not silence but bold, faithful proclamation of Christ crucified and exalted.