Faith Bible Church Sermons

On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson continued through the book of Nehemiah, covering chapter 2 and the remarkable sequence of events that followed Nehemiah's four months of prayer. Pastor Russell opened with a personal story from 2015, when he was leading a church plant in San Saba, Texas — "the Pecan Capital of the world" — and needed a teaching job to support his family of seven. He and his leadership team prayed specifically for a job matching his teaching certificate, for an interview despite having no experience, and for a house big enough for five children in a tiny town, and God answered every one of those prayers in rapid succession. Pastor Russell then walked through Nehemiah 2, showing how prayer, planning, and the providence of God work together. When the king finally noticed Nehemiah's sadness — four months after his initial grief — Nehemiah was "very much afraid," because displaying sadness before the king was a serious breach of court etiquette and he was about to ask Artaxerxes to reverse his own official decree halting the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Pastor Russell highlighted the split-second prayer in verse 4 between the king's question and Nehemiah's answer, explaining that "these normally are the overflow of sustained prayer" and that "we expect God to steady us in the moment of crisis if we have no time with Him before the crisis arrives." Nehemiah's bold, detailed requests — for permission to go, letters of safe passage, and timber from the king's forest — revealed that he had spent his four months not only praying but planning, because "clarity of vision produces clarity of request." After arriving in Jerusalem with a military escort, Nehemiah conducted a secret nighttime inspection of the walls before making his pitch to the people — naming the shared reality plainly, standing with them in it as "we" rather than "you," and sharing the testimony of God's providence. The people responded immediately: "Let us arise and build." When the enemies Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem countered with ridicule and accusations of rebellion, Nehemiah's response was short and decisive: "The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no portion, right or memorial in Jerusalem." Pastor Russell concluded by observing that "prayer, planning, and trusting in the providence of God produce boldness and courage.

Pastor Russell Johnson launched the book of Nehemiah, beginning with chapter 1. Pastor Russell set the historical context by explaining that Nehemiah's account picks up thirteen years after Ezra's arrival in Jerusalem, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes I (445 BC) — a king whose own father, Xerxes, had been assassinated in his bedchamber by a court attendant. When Nehemiah's brother Hanani arrived from Judah with news that "the remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire," Nehemiah's response was remarkable: he "sat down and wept and mourned for days." Pastor Russell challenged the modern assumption that emotional detachment equals strength, pointing out that "Jeremiah wept. Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Paul wept over the churches. And now Nehemiah weeps over a people he hasn't seen, in a city he only grew up hearing stories about." He walked through Nehemiah's four-month prayer — from Chislev to Nisan — showing how Nehemiah prayed the truth about God ("great and awesome...scary and dependable"), prayed the truth about himself by identifying with his people's sin rather than claiming personal exemption, prayed the promises of Scripture back to God from Deuteronomy 30, and finally prayed about his "one big thing" — asking God for favor before the most powerful king on earth. Pastor Russell highlighted that Nehemiah's prayer was not demanding of God but was a reminder to himself of what God had already committed to do. He concluded with the quiet revelation at the chapter's end — "Now I was the cupbearer to the king" — showing that God had been positioning Nehemiah for years, and that his comfort was never the point: "When the call came, Nehemiah was willing to trade his security for a dangerous mission on behalf of people he had never met, in a city he had never seen, because they were God's people, and that was enough."

Pastor Russell Johnson concluded the book of Ezra with chapter 10, the difficult resolution to the intermarriage crisis. The chapter opens with Shecaniah rising to encourage Ezra: "Yet now there is hope for Israel in spite of this... Arise! For this matter is your responsibility, but we will be with you; be courageous and act." Pastor Russell highlighted this as a model of how leaders sometimes need others to move them "from dejection to direction." Ezra then assembled all the people—standing in cold December rain, trembling inside and out—and confronted them directly: "You have been unfaithful." The people responded remarkably: "That's right! As you have said, so it is our duty to do." A three-month investigation followed, and the guilty were named publicly—priests, Levites, singers, and laypeople alike. Pastor Russell addressed the "elephants in the room": How does this fit with God's hatred of divorce? He explained this was "a unique situation in redemptive history" involving "the very survival of a faithful remnant," not a prescriptive pattern for today. The book ends somberly, with broken families and unfinished restoration—pointing us forward to Christ, who would come to "finish the spiritual work we could never do on our own."

Pastor Russell Johnson continued through Ezra, exploring chapter 9 and the crisis that confronted Ezra upon his arrival in Jerusalem. The leaders reported devastating news: "The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands"—they had intermarried with pagan nations. Pastor Russell emphasized this was not racial prejudice but a matter of covenant fidelity, noting that "the hands of the princes and the rulers have been foremost in this unfaithfulness." He applied leadership principles—the Law of the Lid, the Law of the Picture, and Tone at the Top—to show how leadership failure corrupts an entire community. Ezra's response was visceral: tearing his garments, pulling his hair, and sitting "appalled until the evening offering" before falling to his knees in prayer. Pastor Russell walked through Ezra's remarkable prayer, which confesses corporate sin using "we" and "our," acknowledges God's abundant grace (survival, stability, encouragement, constancy, providence, protection), and ends abruptly with no petition—leaving the people "on the brink." He concluded by challenging us to examine our relationships, warning that "who we align ourselves with has a sure impact on our lives."

Pastor Russell Johnson continued through Ezra, exploring chapter 9 and the crisis that confronted Ezra upon his arrival in Jerusalem. The leaders reported devastating news: "The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands"—they had intermarried with pagan nations. Pastor Russell emphasized this was not racial prejudice but a matter of covenant fidelity, noting that "the hands of the princes and the rulers have been foremost in this unfaithfulness." He applied leadership principles—the Law of the Lid, the Law of the Picture, and Tone at the Top—to show how leadership failure corrupts an entire community. Ezra's response was visceral: tearing his garments, pulling his hair, and sitting "appalled until the evening offering" before falling to his knees in prayer. Pastor Russell walked through Ezra's remarkable prayer, which confesses corporate sin using "we" and "our," acknowledges God's abundant grace (survival, stability, encouragement, constancy, providence, protection), and ends abruptly with no petition—leaving the people "on the brink." He concluded by challenging us to examine our relationships, warning that "who we align ourselves with has a sure impact on our lives."

Pastor Lance Terry continued through Ezra, covering chapters 7 and 8 and introducing us to Ezra himself—nearly sixty years after the events of chapter 6. Pastor Lance highlighted Ezra's credentials: his priestly lineage tracing back to Aaron, his role as "a scribe skilled in the law of Moses," and the repeated phrase that "the hand of the Lord his God was upon him." Most significantly, Pastor Lance focused on Ezra 7:10, which he called Ezra's "mission statement": "Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel." Pastor Lance challenged us to consider our own mission, noting that "few things are worse than feeling aimless in life." When Ezra faced a dangerous 900-mile journey with significant wealth and no military escort, he chose to fast and pray rather than request the king's protection—because "we've been telling the king that God's hand will be on those who seek Him." Pastor Lance concluded by urging us to identify our unique, God-given mission and to "set our hearts" on living it out.

Pastor Russell Johnson continued through Ezra, covering chapters 5 and 6 and the restart of temple construction after a sixteen-year delay. Pastor Russell used the "good cop, bad cop" analogy to describe how God sent two prophets—Haggai, who confronted the people's complacency and told them to "go to work," and Zechariah, who cast vision for God's future purposes and the coming "Branch." Together, their prophesying moved Zerubbabel and Jeshua to arise and rebuild. Pastor Russell highlighted the repeated use of the word "decree" throughout these chapters, showing that while Persian kings issued decrees, it was ultimately God's decree being fulfilled through them. He emphasized that "God's word is alive and active" and "energizes and works in those who receive it." The chapters culminate in the temple's completion and joyful celebration of Passover, prompting Pastor Russell to conclude with a powerful reminder: "We obey our way into feelings quicker than we feel our way into obedience."

Pastor Russell Johnson continued through Ezra, exploring chapter 4 and the opposition that arose against the rebuilding of the temple. Pastor Russell opened with the story of Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, who faced relentless opposition from family, mission societies, cultural hostility, illness, financial pressure, and personal grief—yet remained faithful. He explained that the enemies in Ezra 4 were Samaritans, descendants of foreign populations resettled by Assyria, who "feared the LORD and served their own gods." Pastor Russell showed how opposition moved from subtle ("Let us build with you") to overt (discouraging, frightening, hiring lobbyists) to sustained (accusations spanning multiple Persian kings). He emphasized that "opposition often appears as cooperation" and uses "spiritual language, appeals to peace, and promises efficiency, but it quietly undermines." Pastor Russell concluded by reminding us that "God's work will always encounter opposition" and that "the great causes of God and Humanity are not defeated by the hot assaults of the Devil, but by the slow, crushing, glacier-like mass of thousands and thousands of indifferent nobodies."

Pastor Russell Johnson continued through Ezra, exploring chapter 3 and the complex emotions surrounding Israel's restoration. Pastor Russell opened by noting that life is often "mixed, complex, and emotionally layered," and so is restoration—"it often comes with fear and faithfulness, sacrifice and supervision, and happy and sad all occupying the same space before God." He highlighted how the people gathered "as one man" to rebuild, reminding us that "the church needs you more than you think" and "you need the church more than you think." Pastor Russell emphasized that fear drove the people to worship rather than away from it, and that they began offering sacrifices "as it is written" even before the temple foundation was laid—challenging us to "just start" rather than waiting for perfect conditions. He concluded with the poignant scene of joy and weeping mingled together at the foundation laying, warning against letting unmet expectations turn into "contempt for what God is doing" and reminding us that "faithfulness matters more than spectacle."

Pastor Russell Johnson continued through the book of Ezra, exploring chapter 2 and its lengthy list of names. Pastor Russell opened with the story of Frances Cleveland, who confidently told White House staff to keep everything in order because "we are coming back just four years from today"—and they did. He explained that Ezra 2 carries that same tone of quiet confidence, reading "like a chapter written by people who believed exile was never the final word." Pastor Russell showed how the list connects to God's fourfold promise to Abraham in Genesis 12, demonstrating that "God is a stubborn promise-keeper" whose promises "have a certain inevitability about them, even in dark times." He highlighted that nearly 12% of the 42,360 returnees were devoted to temple service, revealing that "Ezra does not portray worship as an accessory to national recovery; it is the recovery." Pastor Russell concluded by introducing the concept of the remnant—the faithful few through whom God advances His redemptive plan—reminding us that "faithfulness is not measured by quantity but by obedience."

We launched a new series through the book of Ezra, beginning with Ezra chapter 1. Pastor Russell opened with an extended illustration about home remodeling projects, noting that "demo is so much fun and the easiest part of the whole process" but that putting things back together takes far longer and requires both resources and outside help. He walked through the sweeping arc of biblical history from creation to the eternal state, showing how Ezra fits into God's redemptive plan following Israel's 70-year exile in Babylon. Pastor Russell emphasized that God keeps His promises, fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy exactly when He said He would. He highlighted the Hebrew word "stirred" (עוּר), showing how God worked through both the pagan king Cyrus and the hearts of His people to accomplish His purposes. Pastor Russell concluded by defining providence as "God's wise, purposeful governance of creation whereby He accomplishes His redemptive plans through human choice," challenging us to recognize and respond to God's stirring in our own lives.

On Sunday, Pastor Jamey Bryant explored Philippians 4:1-9 by examining "The Pathway to Impossible Peace"—the kind of peace that seems out of reach in our most strained relationships. Pastor Jamey opened with the remarkable story of the Christmas Truce of 1914, when British and German soldiers climbed out of their trenches and shook hands as friends, asking, "As we round the corner into 2026, don't you find yourself longing for Impossible Peace?" He walked through Paul's practical instructions to Euodia and Syntyche—two women in conflict whose dispute threatened the church's unity and gospel witness. Pastor Jamey outlined four steps to impossible peace: rejoice in the common bond we have in Christ, show gentleness because "the Judge is coming," stop being consumed by the conflict and give it to God in prayer, and dwell on what is true and praiseworthy about the other person. He reminded us that "unity among believers isn't optional—it's essential" and that "the ground is level at the foot of the cross." Pastor Jamey concluded by pointing us to Jesus as the One who forged this pathway to peace through His own blood at the cross.

Pastor Russell Johnson concluded the Daniel series by exploring Daniel 11-12, using the powerful image of WaterWorld's wave pool to illustrate the relentless nature of human history: "the waves didn't stop. They kept coming, bigger, harder, closer together." Pastor Russell walked through the stunning prophetic accuracy of Daniel 11:1-35, where specific historical figures from Persian and Greek empires are described centuries before they lived, declaring "hitting a bullet with a bullet idea. Here we are again, and again, and again!" He demonstrated how wave after wave of kingdoms rose and fell—Ptolemies, Seleucids, and ultimately Antiochus IV Epiphanes—all crashing through Israel with deception, violence, and persecution. Pastor Russell taught that behind this chaos stands God's sovereignty: "God determines even the terms of tyrannies, and they are restrained to the dates on God's calendar." He concluded with God's assurance to Daniel and to us: "Your duty is clear: go your way to the end; and your future is settled: you will enter into rest and rise again," reminding us that we have "an allotted place, an assigned space, designated for you in the resurrection age at the end of the days."

On Sunday, Pastor Jamey Bryant concluded the "Free" series by teaching from John 9, exploring Jesus as the Light of the World in the context of recent tragic events including violence in our communities. The sermon began with a powerful prayer time acknowledging that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood" but against spiritual darkness. Jamey walked through the blind man's healing at the Pool of Siloam during the Feast of Booths, showing how Jesus demonstrated He is both the Light of the World and the "Sent One" the ceremonies pointed to. Through multiple interrogations by neighbors and Pharisees, the blind man's understanding grew from knowing "the man named Jesus" to declaring "Lord, I believe" and worshiping Him. Jamey concluded with the challenge that we are now the light of the world, qualified to share our stories of grace with others who desperately need hope.

On Sunday, Pastor Jamey Bryant concluded the "Free" series by teaching from John 9, exploring Jesus as the Light of the World in the context of recent tragic events including violence in our communities. The sermon began with a powerful prayer time acknowledging that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood" but against spiritual darkness. Jamey walked through the blind man's healing at the Pool of Siloam during the Feast of Booths, showing how Jesus demonstrated He is both the Light of the World and the "Sent One" the ceremonies pointed to. Through multiple interrogations by neighbors and Pharisees, the blind man's understanding grew from knowing "the man named Jesus" to declaring "Lord, I believe" and worshiping Him. Jamey concluded with the challenge that we are now the light of the world, qualified to share our stories of grace with others who desperately need hope.

On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson began our 14-week journey through the book of Daniel with "Daniel and The Rest of the Bible," using Briton Riviere's 1872 masterpiece of Daniel in the lions' den to introduce this remarkable book. Pastor Russell emphasized that Daniel models for us what it looks like to maintain faithfulness to God when the world and culture around us are hostile to our biblical worldview, displaying "quiet confidence" in God even as a teenager while being "far from home in a strange land, with strange customs and strange gods." The sermon revealed both the historical reality of Judah's exile beginning in 605 BC and the theological truth that "the Lord gave Jehoiakim into Nebuchadnezzar's hand," demonstrating God's faithful humility as He was willing to suffer shame to awaken His people to their sin. Pastor Russell concluded by answering the question of what hasn't changed even though we find ourselves far from home: "God has not changed; he is still there, He is still present."

On Sunday, Pastor Russell Johnson began our 14-week journey through the book of Daniel with "Daniel and The Rest of the Bible," using Briton Riviere's 1872 masterpiece of Daniel in the lions' den to introduce this remarkable book. Pastor Russell emphasized that Daniel models for us what it looks like to maintain faithfulness to God when the world and culture around us are hostile to our biblical worldview, displaying "quiet confidence" in God even as a teenager while being "far from home in a strange land, with strange customs and strange gods." The sermon revealed both the historical reality of Judah's exile beginning in 605 BC and the theological truth that "the Lord gave Jehoiakim into Nebuchadnezzar's hand," demonstrating God's faithful humility as He was willing to suffer shame to awaken His people to their sin. Pastor Russell concluded by answering the question of what hasn't changed even though we find ourselves far from home: "God has not changed; he is still there, He is still present."