By Tim Frank
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Carthage

Focal Passage: Matthew 18:21-28, 32-33 

As we continue this series on building relationships, I remind you that the core building block of all relationships is love. Love as defined in I Corinthians 13:4 has two characteristics, kindness and long-suffering.

Last week, we examined the importance of encouragement in relationships, the importance of being kind. Today, we look at being long-suffering through forgiveness.  The Bible holds forgiveness as the expected response from the believer toward others, based on the forgiveness he has received from God in Christ (Matthew 6:12; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13). [Read more…]

By Tim Frank
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Carthage

Focal Passage: Acts 9:26-28; 11:21-26 

Have you ever had a nickname? In my high school, one of the boys was nicknamed “Wrong Way” because he chose to run the wrong way with the ball in a football game. Sometimes a nickname lasts for years. For my friend, 40 years later,  people cannot remember his given name but still refer to him as “Wrong Way.”

In the passage for today, we meet a man in the early church whose name was Joses. We commonly know him by his nickname Barnabas (Acts 4:36-37). Barnabas means “son of encouragement,” and that is exactly what this man was, an encourager to all.  Borrowing from The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, let us consider five ways that Barnabas was an  encouragement to others.  [Read more…]

By Tim Frank
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Carthage

Focal Passage: John 15:9-14 

The subject of most conversations during the past weeks has been COVID-19 and the social distancing requirements that have been established to attempt to curb its escalation.  Prayerfully, in the coming weeks, we will begin to move back into closer social gatherings and reacquaint ourselves with friends, neighbors and our church families.  [Read more…]

By Tim Frank
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Carthage

Focal Passage: 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, 54-58 

It is no coincidence that the Lord has orchestrated this lesson for this time in our nation’s history. Most, if not all, churches are still in the online-only format following Executive Orders and States of Emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the midst of the shutdowns and fear, God’s Word of hope and peace echoes through the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.  [Read more…]

By Tim Frank
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Carthage

Focal Passage: 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event in the history of mankind. As we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ this year, let us realize its utmost importance and stand firmly on the truth that Jesus is alive from the dead!

The resurrection is the climax and the conclusion of the gospel message.  Paul states that he preached to those in Corinth the resurrection as truth. They received it as truth. They stood on it as truth. They were saved by the truth of the resurrection. Thinking of the New Testament, the Gospels record it as truth. The disciples proclaimed it as truth. The witnesses declared it as truth. Every Christian has believed it as truth. So, it is vital to examine the evidence that substantiates the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The truth of the resurrection is found in the empty tomb. Paul writes in II Corinthians 15:1 that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. This is the central statement of the gospel of Christ. After Jesus was killed, He was buried in a tomb, and the stone was rolled across the door. On Sunday morning, the women came to the tomb and found it was empty. Jesus’ body was not there.  Matthew 28, Mark 16, and Luke 24 record angels telling the women that Jesus was risen from the dead. One of the arguments against the resurrection is that in their grief the women simply went to the wrong tomb. The fact that the disciples, the women, the religious officials and a squad of soldiers knew the location of the tomb makes this argument null.   [Read more…]

By Tim Frank
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Carthage

Focal Passage: Revelation 21:1-8; 22:1-5 

The good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that whosoever believes in Jesus has everlasting, eternal life (John 3:16). Jesus said at the tomb of Lazarus, “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes shall never die” (John 11:25-26). Paul states that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).

The Apostle John was given a wonderful view into the everlasting life all believers will experience one day in Jesus. While he was exiled on the island of Patmos, he saw visions of the final days and the coming of Jesus Christ to rule and reign.

As part of those visions, he saw the eternal, re-created heavens and earth descending from God. We often refer to this eternal home of the redeemed as Heaven. This passage fills Christians with hope and great anticipation of a wonderful existence in that eternal home.

Eternal life will be in a place that is real, wonderful, and beautiful. John saw this new creation descending from God. He notes that there were no seas in this new creation to cause separation from family and friends. For John, being exiled on an island, the sea was not his friend. The sea was also a representation for sin and evil in the New Testament times. John also notes the beauty of the New Jerusalem, the holy city. He describes the city as a beautiful bride who is perfectly prepared for her groom on their wedding day.

Eternal life is centered in the presence of God. God will literally dwell with His people and they with Him. The One who is inapproachable for sinners will live in daily contact with His children. The gospel song will be fulfilled, “And He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own.”

Eternal life will also be free from the pains and sorrows of this present world. The passage states there will be no more tears, no grief, no crying and no pain.  The previous world under the curse of sin will be no more. All things will be made new: day with no night, light with no sun, fellowship with no shame and eternal life with no death.

Eternal life will be for those who have received the Lord Jesus Christ by faith. Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4:14 that He would give living water to those who ask, a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. Here in Revelation 21:6, the spring of the water of life is offered freely to the thirsty. Those who have Jesus have life; however, those who reject Jesus have their eternity in the lake of fire (v. 8).

Eternal life is pictured in Revelation 22:1-5 as a river of life that flows from the throne of God.  It is also pictured as the tree of life lining the shores of that river. This is the tree that God removed from the Garden of Eden after the Fall in Genesis 3.

Here, the tree is available for all to come and eat of its life-giving fruit and be renewed through its healing leaves.  The presence of God and of Jesus on their thrones is a part of that city. We will worship Him, be His people, and behold His face. Jesus will be the everlasting light of the everlasting life in that everlasting city.

Do you have the assurance of eternal life in your soul? It would be the greatest tragedy to know about eternal life but never to receive eternal life. You can know that you know that you know that you have eternal life.  John writes in 1 John 5:13 that he has written these things (the Gospel of John, I, II and III  John, and Revelation) that you may know that you have eternal life. Be sure today. Eternal life is too important to miss.

By Tim Frank
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Carthage

Focal Passage: 1 Corinthians 6:9-20 

Several lessons ago, we focused on the word “holy.” It is one of the chief descriptors of God. It is also an adjective of everything associated with God, such as the holy temple, the priest’s holy garments, and the Holy Bible. The word “holy” simply means to be set apart. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are to be holy people. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we are forgiven and made just as if we had never sinned, justified.

Paul says in I Corinthians 6:11 that through Christ believers are washed, sanctified and justified. A person is washed clean through the blood of Jesus. A person is justified by grace through faith in Jesus (Romans 3:21-26; 5:1). These are completed at salvation.  [Read more…]

By Tim Frank
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Carthage

Focal Passage: Hebrews 11:1-6

One of the most important words in our holy vocabulary is the word “faith.” A simple definition of faith is to trust and have confidence in something or someone. For example, I have faith that the chair I am sitting in will hold me. I have confidence that the air I breathe will contain the right mixture of oxygen. There are many things in life that we rely on through faith every day.

In our relationship to God, faith is central. In Hebrews 11, the writer devotes an extended passage on the importance of faith and begins with a description of faith. He says faith “is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is more than wishful thinking or hoping that things work out. It is the firm assurance of the trustworthiness of God, based on His actions in the past and rooted in His promises for the future.  [Read more…]

By Tim Frank
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Carthage

Focal Passage: Romans 3:20-28 

When I was 10 years old, my family went to Panama City for a week at the beach. On one particular day, I was playing in the surf and got caught in a riptide. Very quickly I was being pulled out to sea and began to panic. I remember a man rushing into the water and bringing me back to safety. I have always looked upon that event as a time I was physically rescued from harm, saved from drowning. 

The Bible lesson for today explores the need in every person’s life to be spiritually rescued, to be saved. The reason for salvation:  Salvation is needed in every person’s life because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  This sin separates each person from God and brings condemnation, death, and judgment.  

Romans 6:23 says the “wages of sin is death.”  Something must be done, but the Scriptures are clear; the person cannot save himself.    It is not a matter of starting good things or stopping bad things.  God’s Word gives the knowledge of our sin, but our goodness cannot save us (Romans 3:20).  We are drowning, and there’s nothing we can do about it. [Read more…]

By Tim Frank
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Carthage

Focal Passage: Luke 15:11-14, 17-24

Have you ever been lost in the woods or perhaps on a trip? Have you ever lost something, and, no matter how hard you looked, you could not find it again? Just the word “lost” gives a sense of uneasiness and foreboding.

The biblical use of the word lost is much deeper than a misplaced item or a momentary confusion in location. Being spiritually lost is a condition of every human being as he chooses his own way instead of God’s way.  [Read more…]