Glady Branch Baptist Church

Special video

Full audio available Authority- what a heavy word. We immediately think of people placed in charge, who have power and influence, who have backing to make decisions, to make changes, to execute justice. Those in authority are overseers and are responsible for others.

Full audio available Authority- what a heavy word. We immediately think of people placed in charge, who have power and influence, who have backing to make decisions, to make changes, to execute justice. Those in authority are overseers and are responsible for others.

Full audio available Last Sunday we entered into the final week of Jesus’ life on earth before His crucifixion. He and His disciples have set up temporary base in the village of Bethany, from which they travel into Jerusalem each day. The news of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead in combination with the whole nation coming together for the Passover Celebration has created a big stirring amongst the people.

Full audio available Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest is what the people in the street cried out to Jesus the day after the celebration meal with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Hosanna literally means “oh save,” the word means salvation- “save us.”

Full audio available Have you ever felt judged for how you have chosen to serve the Lord? Maybe you have felt your particular giftings didn’t measure up according to other’s expectations? Maybe you’ve judged yourself and have been beating yourself up over decisions you were pretty sure God was leading you to make, but others reacted negatively to your choices? Jesus’ friend Mary, the sister of Lazarus, probably could have said yes to each of these questions.

Full audio available We had just looked at the story of Zaccheus, and addressed the issue of gossip, rumors, and slander. I encourage you if you weren’t here last week, get on our website and listen to that message. There in that story, when the people saw Jesus inviting Himself over to Zaccheus’ house they began to grumble and slander Jesus and Zaccheus.

Full audio available Today we get a close look at the story of Zaccheus, but before we read the passage together, I want to remind you of the encounter Jesus just had previously with blind Bartimaeus.

Full audio available his morning’s passage follows up right where we left off, at the end of Matthew 19, where Peter had come to Jesus saying “We have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?” And Jesus replied that the disciples would one day sit on thrones judging the nation of Israel. And to everyone else who surrenders and follows Jesus, He promised them eternal life, and that what had been given up and lost in the surrender and following, would be given back to them and even more. And we ended with Jesus’ statement “But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.” 

Full audio available Last week, I argued for us to seek God’s perspective in scripture, and then note how our perspective differs, and for us to then aim to conform our perspective more to His. To see things more how He sees them. This morning we have opportunity to witness a real-life example of Jesus attempting to facilitate this process of “perspective moving” in a young man’s life. 

Full audio available Last Sunday we had looked at Jesus raising Lazarus back to life amid the questions, fears, and doubts of those around Him. This week as I have looked at delays, and funny timing of events, I have been reminded about Jesus’ love for Martha, Mary, and Lazarus- and that in that love He had delayed coming to them 2 days.

Full audio available I want us to read this passage about Lazarus straight through in its entirety, but first I want to begin with verses 5-6… You see, in reading this story, it’s easy to immediately question Jesus’ motives.

Full audio available Somehow in our chronological walk through the gospels, I missed an event that happened shortly after Jesus left the region of Galilee, on His way down to Jerusalem, which would end up being the trip to Jerusalem in which He would be crucified.

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Full audio available Last week, as we were looking at Jesus’ teaching on money management, I mentioned another Pastor’s view that Christians, instead of saving for retirement or saving to benefit an heir, should rather aim to spend what they have for kingdom purposes before they leave this world.

Full audio available Does anyone get a little nervous when Jesus talks about money? This morning we’re going to look at a passage whose primary focus is on money, but before you get too nervous about the subject, let me ask you some other questions that might help put you at ease, while also at the same time hopefully stir up your appetite to learn from what Jesus has to teach us this morning. In a job loss situation, would you want to be confident that you will be provided for financially afterwards?

Full audio available Luke chapter 15 is an amazing chapter in the Bible. There are three different stories, each basically containing variations of three different characters who represent God the Father, the lost (or the outsiders), and the found (the insiders).

Full audio available I think we could probably all agree that life can be really difficult at times, right? And on top of normal, everyday life difficulties, we have the difficulty of attempting to follow the teaching and commands of Jesus. It’s not easy for sure. 

Full audio available When I say the word “investment,” what do you think of? Financially speaking we think about investing in the stock market, investing in a business, investing in real estate- we think of taking money and putting it into something that will in time produce more money, right?

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Do you appreciate encouragement, to be promoted, praised, honored, patted on the back? In today’s passage, I believe Jesus is telling us that it’s okay to desire these things! But there’s a certain way he prescribes for us to be able to receive these. Full audio available

When we think about salvation, when we think about someone getting saved- what are some of the thoughts that play through your mind? Perhaps you think of someone coming down the aisle to pray a prayer to receive Christ. Full audio available

For the past several weeks we have been looking at the teaching and events of Jesus’ life in the 2 months that took place in between the Feast of Booths and the Feast of Dedication (which is today known as Hanukah). Luke filled us in on the details of this 2-month time period, and now we turn back to John to tell us of the events that took place during the Hanukah celebration. Full audio available

Many of us struggle with the idea of prayer. We wonder does God really hear us? We wrestle with the thought of “who are we to ask the Almighty God for something?” Many would prefer to not pray out loud, perhaps fearing saying the wrong thing, or asking for the wrong thing, or fearing the possibility of being judged by others if what they ask for doesn’t appear to come about. Full audio available

What a powerful message conveyed to us last week through the story of Martha and Mary! I hope that this week as you wrestled with busyness and priorities, that you were reminded of Jesus’ words to Martha in Luke 10:42  “but only one thing is necessary.”  Full audio available

How many of you would describe your life as busy? We as Americans pride ourselves in productivity, in feeling useful, moving forward, having work that relies on us getting it done. Often, when you ask someone what they have been up to lately, you’ll get the answer “We’re busy, busy, busy.” Full audio available

In our chronological walk through the gospels, we had last looked at how Jesus sent out 70 messengers ahead of Him as he was traveling down towards Jerusalem. And those 70 returned back with joy, despite having probably just experienced uncomfortable life circumstances, having been sent out as lambs in the midst of wolves. They returned excited at how they had witnessed spiritual victory. Full audio available

Last week we saw in our studies that Jesus is now heading from the northern Galilee area of Israel, down south through Samaria towards the southern region where Jerusalem is located. And at this point he’s traveling with a large group of followers. He had sent messengers ahead to make arrangements in a Samaritan village they would be passing through along the way, but the village rejected them. Full audio available

Last Sunday we looked at Jesus’ parable of the Good Shepherd in John 10. God’s word encouraged us to trust in Jesus alone as The Door and The Shepherd, who leads us to nourishment and protection. Remaining within His boundaries will keep us safe from harm. Full audio available

Last week we worked our way through John 9, and were able to see a beautiful progression of a man moving from blindness to boldness as Jesus healed him and the man gradually became more emboldened as to what he was willing to declare concerning Jesus.  Full audio available

We didn’t get very far into the action of the story last week, as Jesus and His disciples were discussing the situation of a man who had been blind since birth. There in the beginning of John chapter 9, the disciples were questioning the reason behind this man’s suffering. It didn’t seem quite fair for one to be born blind. Full audio available

Last Sunday we finished reading John chapter 8. Much of the chapter consists of debating what took place between Jesus and the religious leaders. There were 2 key statements Jesus made that set off a whole line of trial-like questioning from the religious leaders. Full audio available

In our study last week, we took a close look at the conditional, if-then statement Jesus made in verse 31 of John chapter 8: “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”  Full audio available

I really enjoyed looking last week at the powerful statement Jesus made in John 8:12, declaring that He is the Light of the world. In the setting where He was, He was basically declaring to the nation of Israel that He was God’s presence returned, the presence of guiding light that had once disappeared because of the nation’s sin. His light is greater than the light that once guided Moses and their ancestors to their homeland. Full audio available

I had mentioned last week in our chronological walk through the life of Christ, that Jesus for the first time in over 6 months is now in Jerusalem, and things are really escalating between He and the religious leaders. Full audio available

In our chronological walk through the gospels, most recently Jesus had returned with His disciples from Caesarea Philippi, back to their home base in Galilee. He has spent time pouring into His disciples: establishing in their minds His role as the Messiah, introducing to them the word “church,” teaching them about conflict resolution and forgiveness. Full audio available

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Over the past few weeks we have been looking into the spiritual truths contained in Matthew 18. This whole chapter is one continuous conversation that began as a result of the disciples arguing amongst themselves over which of them was the greatest. Full audio available

We had last looked together at the beginning of Matthew chapter 18. The entire chapter is one continuous conversation that began with the disciples arguing amongst themselves concerning who was the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Full audio available

“Jesus and His Legacy”Matthew 26

I’m still not over what Jesus did in the passage that we looked at last week, in providing the temple tax from a fish that Peter caught on a hook. I hope that passage has been fresh on your minds too this week. In every unsettling circumstance, may we remember God’s great oversight and knowledge of our past, present, and future; and may we trust him to bring the coin to the fish to our fishing hook in just the right timing. Full audio available

After healing the boy tormented by a demon and helping the believing father who needed help with his unbelief, Jesus returned to the region of Galilee with His disciples. There He reminded them again of what was coming shortly in the future. Full audio available

Last week I had mentioned that the disciples had been on an emotional rollercoaster. They were high as a kite as Jesus had accepted the title of Messiah, but moments later were brought down to the lowest of lows as Jesus foretold His coming death. Full audio available

Over the past few weeks we have seen a transition in Jesus’s ministry. We have studied the first two years of His life and actions alongside His followers, and now we are seeing Him focus His attention more specifically to His 12 disciples in order to prepare and equip them in their knowledge of Him as the Messiah. In front of the gates of Hell, Peter proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah, but then attempted to argue with Jesus as Jesus presented to them the fact that He would be killed in Jerusalem. Jesus took that as an opportunity to emphasize the value of losing one’s life for His sake- to deny oneself and follow Him- in order to find true life in the coming eternal Kingdom. Full audio available

It was such a powerful conversation between Jesus and Peter that we looked at last week. Peter declared Jesus to be the Son of God and the Christ. (Christ meaning the Messiah) And then Jesus made a powerful declaration Himself, saying that He would build His church, and the gates of Hades would not overpower it. Full audio available

This morning, as we continue our chronological walk through the life of Christ, we enter into a new season of His ministry. It appears that Jesus’s Galilean ministry has for the most part, ended. The focus of His great works and proclamation of His Kingdom to the people of that region and the surrounding regions is shifting as Jesus starts to focus more on discipling His disciples- pouring into them, equipping and training them as His representatives. Full audio available

On our chronological journey through the gospels we had last seen Jesus in the book of Matthew, healing people in the region of Decapolis. Decapolis was a non-Jewish territory on the opposite side of the Sea of Galilee from Capernaum. Full audio available

It’s a joy to be a part of a church family that celebrates Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection not only on Easter Sunday, but really every Sunday as we gather together proclaiming Jesus through word and song. But Easter Sunday feels particularly special, it’s kind of like the Super Bowl- the one football game that carries more joy, intensity, and excitement than the other games. I pray that you might just experience a little Super Bowl Sunday excitement today as we celebrate our Lord Jesus through the partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Full audio available

Before we paused last week and analyzed the Allah of the Quran against the God of the Bible, we had just witnessed Jesus commend the faith of the Syrophoenician woman. Her faith showed she understood that there was more than enough of Jesus, the Bread of Life, to feed not only the Jewish nation, but all the nations of the entire world. Full audio available

This morning we’re going to hit pause on our chronological journey through the gospel books in order to learn a little bit more about the Muslim people group that we have been praying for. Full audio available