Success? Or Significance?
What's the difference between success and significance? Do we desire to be successful or significant? How do our desires either for success or significance shape what we do and who we become? In the story of the death of John the Baptist, we find a man who lived courageously and who desired to be significant in the eyes of God. Mark 6:14-29 provides a stark contrast between John the Baptist on the one hand and Herod and his wife Herodias on
the other. While Herod and those who surrounded him prided themselves on being successful, it was really John, the one who loses his life that lives a life of significance. Are we willing to pay the price for significance? This Sunday we invite you to join us at HBC as we embark on the journey into significance.
Mark 6:14-29 (New International Version)
14 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus' name had become well known. Some were saying, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him."
15 Others said, "He is Elijah." And still others claimed, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago."
16 But when Herod heard this, he said, "John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!"
17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married.
18 For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."
19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to,
20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.
21 Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
22 When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.
The king said to the girl, "Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you."
23 And he promised her with an oath, "Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom."
24 She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" "The head of John the Baptist," she answered.
25At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter."
26The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her.
27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison,
28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother.
29 On hearing of this, John's disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Time for a Fresh Encounter?
Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs, invites you to join them during their Spring revival, April 25-28th with Dr. David Hankins as guest speaker. Dr. Hankins is well known to Louisiana Baptists. He previously served as pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles where the church saw over 900 persons baptized during his tenure. Since 2004, Dr. Hankins has served as the Executive Director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Aside from serving in a variety of positions with the Southern Baptist Convention, Dr. Hankins writes for various SBC publications and is a frequent conference and revival speaker. You will be blessed by Dr. Hankins engaging and challenging messages. Destry McFearin and special musical guests will be featured each service.
Supper will be served M-W from 5:45-6:45 and everyone is welcomed to join us.
For more information, see HBC’s website at http://hebronbaptistds.org
Supper will be served M-W from 5:45-6:45 and everyone is welcomed to join us.
For more information, see HBC’s website at http://hebronbaptistds.org
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Sermon Text for Sunday, April 18, 2010 (Preparing for Revival)
The text for this week's message will help us prepare for the upcoming series of revival meetings that begin April 25th. The theme for our revival is "It's Time for a Fresh Encounter." What God promised Israel was nothing short of a resurrection to national identity. God's promise to us today is that "Dry Bones Can Live Again!"
Ezekiel 37:1-10 (New International Version)
The Valley of Dry Bones
1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.
2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.
3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."
4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!
5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath [a] enter you, and you will come to life.
6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.
8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' "
10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Ezekiel 37:1-10 (New International Version)
The Valley of Dry Bones
1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.
2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.
3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
I said, "O Sovereign LORD, you alone know."
4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!
5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath [a] enter you, and you will come to life.
6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.' "
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.
8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.' "
10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Monday, April 5, 2010
Sermon Text and Miscellaneous Stuff for Sunday, April 11, 2010
I haven't done a very good job of keeping up with my blog lately. Sorry for my lack of updates. I hope to do a better job of this in the future. This Sunday, we will continue our study of the Book of Mark by examining an interesting text in the life of Jesus when He visited his home town of Nazareth. Verses 5-6 are pretty amazing in light of the fact that Jesus is ministering to His own people. I wonder sometimes, "Does familiarity with Jesus in our lives hinder us from receiving from God?" "Does God work in spite of us?" Or "Does God do mighty works regardless of our response?" And "What is the 'human element' role in God working, if any?"
As a part of our 10:30 a.m. service, we will observe the ordinance of baptism. What a beautiful way to celebrate together our new life in Jesus Christ! I hope that you will join us this Sunday as we worship our risen Savior! He is worthy of worship!
This Sunday's Text
Mark 6:1-6 (New International Version)
A Prophet Without Honor
1Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples.
2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. "Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!
3 Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph,[a] Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.
4 Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor."
5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.
6 And he was amazed at their lack of faith.
Footnotes:
a. Mark 6:3 Greek Joses, a variant of Joseph
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
As a part of our 10:30 a.m. service, we will observe the ordinance of baptism. What a beautiful way to celebrate together our new life in Jesus Christ! I hope that you will join us this Sunday as we worship our risen Savior! He is worthy of worship!
This Sunday's Text
Mark 6:1-6 (New International Version)
A Prophet Without Honor
1Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples.
2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. "Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!
3 Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph,[a] Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.
4 Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor."
5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.
6 And he was amazed at their lack of faith.
Footnotes:
a. Mark 6:3 Greek Joses, a variant of Joseph
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Sermon Text for Sunday, March 21, 2010
Mark 4:21-25 (New International Version)
21 He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand?
22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.
23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."
24 "Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more.
25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him."
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
21 He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand?
22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.
23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."
24 "Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more.
25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him."
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Sermon Text for Sunday, March 14, 2010
Mark 3:20-35 (New International Version)
Jesus and Beelzebub
20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat.
21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."
22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub[a]! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons."
23 So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan?
24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come.
27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house.
28 I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them.
29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."
30 He said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit."
Jesus' Mother and Brothers
31 Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him.
32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you."
33 "Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked.
34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!
35 Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."
Footnotes:
1. Mark 3:22 Greek Beezeboul or Beelzeboul
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Jesus and Beelzebub
20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat.
21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."
22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub[a]! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons."
23 So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan?
24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come.
27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house.
28 I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them.
29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."
30 He said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit."
Jesus' Mother and Brothers
31 Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him.
32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you."
33 "Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked.
34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!
35 Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."
Footnotes:
1. Mark 3:22 Greek Beezeboul or Beelzeboul
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Monday, February 22, 2010
Sermon Text for Sunday, February 28, 2010
Mark 2:13-3:6 (New International Version)
We continue our study of the Gospel of Mark this Sunday with a lengthy section (four paragraphs) of Scripture that illustrates both the kind of ministry that Jesus performed and the increasing hostility shown to Jesus because of His radical kingdom ministry. Jesus and the kingdom of God that He was ushering in may best be described with the analogy He Himself used as He argued for the validity of His methods. "New wine must be put into new wineskins" (v.22). Join us this Sunday for a refreshing look at the "New Wine Ministry" of Jesus. A fuller understanding of Jesus and God's kingdom might just surprise you!
The Calling of Levi
13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. 15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" 17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Jesus Questioned About Fasting
18 Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, "How is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?" 19 Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast. 21 "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins."
Lord of the Sabbath
23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" 25 He answered, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions." 27 Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."
Mark 3
1 Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Stand up in front of everyone." 4 Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent. 5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
We continue our study of the Gospel of Mark this Sunday with a lengthy section (four paragraphs) of Scripture that illustrates both the kind of ministry that Jesus performed and the increasing hostility shown to Jesus because of His radical kingdom ministry. Jesus and the kingdom of God that He was ushering in may best be described with the analogy He Himself used as He argued for the validity of His methods. "New wine must be put into new wineskins" (v.22). Join us this Sunday for a refreshing look at the "New Wine Ministry" of Jesus. A fuller understanding of Jesus and God's kingdom might just surprise you!
The Calling of Levi
13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. 15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" 17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Jesus Questioned About Fasting
18 Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, "How is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?" 19 Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast. 21 "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins."
Lord of the Sabbath
23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" 25 He answered, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions." 27 Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."
Mark 3
1 Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Stand up in front of everyone." 4 Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent. 5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
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