Sermons – Sycamore Baptist Church

If you have had even a passing connection to Christianity at all, maybe you have just been to a Christian funeral, if you have had even a passing connection to Christianity, you have probably heard or even have read for yourself Psalm 23. If the reference doesn’t ring a bell, the Psalm begins “The Lord… The post Who is the good Shepherd that we should follow? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

In order for us to experience the life–changing message of the gospel, we must be able to see. I’m not talking about physical sight, instead, I’m talking about spiritual sight. Learn more in today’s message and find out if you are blind or if you are able to see. Scripture: John 9 Handout: Download the… The post Are you able to see? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

We live in a post-modern society. Some would even argue it is past post-modern. Setting that argument aside, we know that the outworking of postmodernism is the idea that truth is relative. You talk to people and they say things like, “that is your truth, and I am glad you have found your truth, but… The post Whose truth will truly set us free? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

We try, we work, we kick we scream. We do whatever it takes to make a name for ourselves. Maybe we end up in Hollywood, on the cover of a magazine, or maybe it is just local fame. A school or road named after us. A statue or plaque bearing our likeness or name is… The post How can we make sure that our lives matter? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

We have a satisfaction problem. At its root that satisfaction problem is not physical, its spiritual. The satisfaction problem exists because we are trying to satisfy a spiritual problem with a physical solution. But that won’t work — We can’t satisfy our spiritual hunger with what this world has to offer. We need something more.… The post Who can provide eternal soul satisfaction? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

Because of medical intervention, many of us are alive today or able to enjoy life in the way that we do. But for all its benefits, medicine has its limitations, it can’t keep us alive forever. It can’t completely inoculate us from the effects of this sinful world. The reason we get older and experience… The post Who can heal the whole man at no cost to us? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

Who provides living water and healing? Find out in this week’s message delivered by guest preacher Chuck Eubanks. Scripture: John 4 The post Who provides living water and healing? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

We often overlook those things that are familiar to us. That is not only true of the world around us but with Scripture as well. Our familiarity with certain passages can cause us to miss their captivating. John 3:16 is one of those familiar passages. What do miss in John 3:16? Why are we not… The post Why should God’s gift of Jesus captivate us? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

We were created for joy, which is why when we experience times of joy, we don’t want them to end. While we don’t want them to end, even the most joyous occasions do. But, you know, the joy that momentarily satisfies our soul is not just for the moment, rather it points to a far… The post How do we experience true everlasting joy? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

Have you ever been captivated by something? Something so beautiful and wonderful it took your breath away? Maybe it was the moment the doors swung open at the end of the church and you saw your wife in her wedding gown walking towards you. Maybe it was a beautiful sunset while on vacation at the… The post Who came to rescue us? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

As Christians, we have pressing needs that are constant. Needs that should primarily drive us to God’s Word. One of those needs is surfaced in the book of Jude. It is the need to know how to deal with false teachers. We all have this need because false teachers, like covert operatives, will, at some… The post How can we protect ourselves and others from false teachers and their teaching? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

Today is Father’s Day. It’s a day that gives us an opportunity to celebrate our fathers and the father figures in our life. It is also a day for us to consider how fathers should lead their family’s. Recent research shows that fathers play an important role in the life of the family. Their presence and leadership… The post What is the key to our children’s faith? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

What does the ascension mean for Christians? Find out in this week’s message by guest speaker Alex Jennings. Scripture: Psalm 8:4-6 The post Under Christ’s Feet appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

We need people to lead us. Leaders are important. But not all leaders are the same. There are those who don’t have our best interest in mind, who don’t want us to grow. Instead, they want to do the opposite, they want to hinder our growth. That is what we see happening in today’s text.… The post Why shouldn’t we follow false teachers? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

As Christians, we are to contend for the faith. In other words, we are to strive to protect and preserve the body of doctrine and theology found in Scripture. We are to work hard to protect the faith because there are false teachers, covert operatives, who have or will at some point in the future… The post How do we know if someone is a false teacher? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

Contending for the faith takes continual work and effort. It’s not a one-time thing, nor is it something that is easy. It, however, is something that we must do. But why? Why should we contend for the faith? Scripture: Jude 1-4; 17-19 Handout: Download the handout and follow along. The post Why should we contend for the faith? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

How can you be a prosperous parent? I’m not talking about monetarily prosperous, but parentally prosperous. The “how” has changed over the years. It’s moved from a “free range” style of parenting to an “intensive parenting” model. One where parents are constantly teaching, monitoring, and providing activities for their children. As a result, life has… The post How can you be a prosperous parent? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

We want to be somebody. In some sense, it is not wrong for us to want to be somebody. We need meaning and purpose in life. Striving for something gives that to us. But the sort of person we are often striving to be run contrary to the sort of person God wants us to… The post What sort of people ought we to be? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

Jesus left this earth over 2,000 years ago with a plan to return, but that has yet to happen. The world isn’t getting any better. With every passing year, it is getting worse with no sign of restraint. Why hasn’t Jesus returned yet? Find out in this week’s message. Scripture: 2 Peter 3:1-10 Handout: Download the… The post Why hasn’t Jesus returned yet? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

When we consider the brokenness that we encounter not only in our own community but in the world at large each and every day. For many of us, it’s that brokenness that pushes us to search for something more. Something that will give us hope and meaning. So we apply for a new job, we… The post How can you experience true hope? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

If we are all honest, we feel the world’s grip tightening around us. In a desperate attempt to seek freedom, we end up running to any number of things the world has to offer. But are we looking for freedom in the wrong place? Scripture: 2 Peter 2:18-22 Handout: Download the handout and follow along. The post Can the world provide freedom? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

We cannot be so naive as to think that false teachers couldn’t be in our church now or at some point in the near future. We have to realize they can slip in unnoticed, even if we are doing a job of shepherding the church. Learn what signs to look for in this week’s message.… The post Are false teachers in our church? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

Skepticism is on the rise. Not only skepticism but atheism. The none’s, and not the Catholic type, are growing with every passing year. But many who are skeptical or outright deny the message about Jesus do so without a true understanding of who Jesus is or even their own position. When you deny Jesus without… The post Why should we believe the message about Jesus? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

Slipping into stagnancy isn’t new, Christians have grown stagnant from the beginning. Peter’s Church was certainly not exempt, and the church today is not either. Being a stagnant Christian is just not good. It’s not good for us, our family, or our community. Which is why we must continue to grow. But growth isn’t going… The post How can we guard against being a stagnant Christian? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

We were created with a need for instruction. Thankfully, our God is a good and loving God, who not only created us that way but also desires we have what we need to understand and deal with the world in which we live. In today's passage, we learn how we can persevere through persecution. The post How can we persevere through persecution? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

For some reason, we have this idea that good leaders have to make all the decisions, that they have to give all the direction, that they have to always be in charge. Because that’s many people’s working idea of leadership, we end up with leaders who are domineering and coercive. Leaders who lead by force… The post How Should Elders Lead and the Church Respond? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

If we are going to see trials as beneficial, then a perspective shift needs to take place. We need to climb into the plane of God's Word and fly through His upside-down kingdom, learning how we should view trials of persecution as a Christian. The post How should we view trials as a Christian? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

What is meant by the phrase the end times? When will they occur? And how should we live in the end times? These are questions Christians have wrestled with for a long time. I believe God hasn't left us without answers. Scripture is clear. Find out what it says in this week's message. The post How Should We Live in the End Times? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

God's will and our will doesn't always match up. So what does it take for us to live according to God's will? The post What does it take to live according to God’s will? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

How are we connected to Christ and why does it matter? I answer those questions in this week's message.  The post How are we connected to Christ? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

What can Christian's expect when they live for Christ in the world? Peter tells us we can expect at least three things. Find out what those are in this week's message. The post What can Christians expect when we live for Christ in the world? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

Making disciples is the mission of the church. Accomplishing that mission requires the church to work together as a good team. But what does that look like? How does the church become a good team? More importantly, how does the church remain a good team that wins at its mission? We will tackle these questions and more in this week's sermon.  The post How Can We Operate as a Good Team that Wins at Its Mission to Make Disciples? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

By now we are all settled into 2019. Many of us are excited and expectant, wondering what a New Year will bring. Hopefully, it will bring something just as good or better than last, certainly none of us are hoping for worse. As you face the new year, one thing you might not have considered is how God might stretch you. He certainly did so with Jonah, and He will do the same with us. Find out more in this week's message. The post How will God stretch you in the New Year? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

Over 2000 years ago Jesus was born as a babe in a manger. Thirty or so years after that, He was crucified on a cross, after which He miraculously resurrected from the grave and ascended into heaven. But Jesus has yet to return as a conquering King. For some that might be a stumbling block. All that time, especially given the world in which live — a world full of fear and pain, sickness and death, war, hatred, and oppression, without Jesus coming and doing something about it might have you rethinking your belief and hope in Jesus. While that might be the case for some, let me encourage you not to lose hope. Why is that? Why isn't our hope lost? The post Our Hope Is Not Lost appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

Instead of looking a the birth narrative, this year I'm examining Isaiah 7-9, a section of Scripture that is quoted and referred to extensively throughout the New Testament specifically in the birth narrative and life of Jesus. Find out how Jesus fulfills the prophecies in these crucial chapters this week.  The post Will You Trust in Jesus this Christmas? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

Marriage is the bedrock of the culture. As such, it is important we understand what makes for a solid marriage relationship. So what are the crucial dynamics of a marriage relationship? The post What are the Crucial Dynamics of a Marriage Relationship? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

As Christians, we will experience persecution. When we do, we need to know how to respond. This week I provide five ways you can and should respond when facing persecution.  The post How should we respond when we experience suffering because we are a Christian? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

The world is growing more and more hostile to Christianity each and every year. As Christians, we are to live on mission for Christ. In a hostile world, that can be difficult. So how do we do? How can we be a witness for Christ in a hostile world?  The post How Can We be a Witness for Christ in a Hostile World? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

What’s the Foundation of Temple, Priesthood, and Nation? In short, Jesus is the foundation. As the foundation, Jesus radically changes the nature of the Temple, the Priesthood, and who is included in the nation of Israel. Find out more in this week's message.  The post What’s the Foundation of Temple, Priesthood, and Nation? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

As Christians, we aren't to live like the world, instead we are to live differently. In other words, we are to live in a community that is set apart. That, however, can be difficult, so naturally the question of how arises. So how? How can we live in a community that is set apart? The post How can we live in a community that is set apart? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

As God's people we are called to live holy lives because our God is a holy God. Being holy doesn't mean that we are to be perfect, rather it means we are to live lives that are set apart unto God. Living lives set apart unto God is not something that comes natural. We have to first be God's children. Even after we have professed faith in Jesus, living holy lives is still difficult. With that in mind, what does it take, then, for us to live holy lives? Find out in this week's message. The post What does it take to live Holy Lives? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

We will all face them – trials of various kinds. Those to whom Peter wrote were facing trials of persecution and we can expect the same. As well as we can expect other trials to come upon us, sickness, disease, ethical decisions at work, death, etc. God has not promised us an easy life just because we are Christian. In a sense, the opposite is true because the trials we face grow and sustain our faith. When we face trials, how do we persevere, bless and praise God in the midst of them? Find out in this week's message. The post How do we persevere, bless and praise God in the midst of trials? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

Hope, it's something for which everyone searches. There are many things upon which we can set our hope. I outline one at the beginning of this message. But the thing I set my hope on let me down. And that which you have set your hope on will let you down as well, unless you have set your hope on Jesus. Jesus, then, is our only hope. I know that is a bold claim, but it is the truth. Find out why in this week's message.  The post Why Can and Should the Church Set its Hope on Jesus? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

Why is prayer important? Listen in to this week's message to discover three reasons prayer is important and should be practiced.  The post Why is Prayer Important? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

We aren’t the only ones to have lived in a random world, which means we aren’t the only ones who fear the unknown. Israel lived in a random world with a shaky political climate. The creation account, then, isn’t just concerned with origins, but also with providing us hope, comfort, and stability in a hopeless, uncomfortable, and unstable world. It does so by telling us: Where we are. Who we are. What we should be doing. The post Where are we, who are we, and what should we be doing? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

It's important we use the right tool for the job. The Bible is the right tool for making disciples. Why is that? Find out in this week's message. The post Why is the Bible the right tool to use in the Disciple Making Process? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

It is no mystery our culture is trending more secular, but that doesn't mean we can't affect change. Shadrach, Meschach, and Abendego did in a secular culture. We worship and service the same God as they, which means change can happen in our culture as well. But how? How do we affect change? The post How do we affect change in our culture? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

We are all called to make disciples, but sometimes things get in the way. What are those things and how do we overcome them?  The post What are the barriers to making disciples and how do we overcome them? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

As Christians, we are called to live out our fatih. Specifically, we are called to live in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ? Why should we do that and what does that mean? Find out in this week's message. The post What Does it Look Like for Us to Live in a Manner Worthy of the Gospel of Christ? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

Community is important for the church, but in what type of community must the church live? Find out in this week's message. The post In What Type of Community Must the Church Live? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.

What’s the Pastor and Church’s goal and purpose in the work of ministry? Find out in this week's message. The post What’s the Pastor and Church’s Goal and Purpose in the Work of Ministry? appeared first on Sycamore Baptist Church.