By Chris Chambers
Pastor, Brush Creek Baptist Church, Brush Creek

Focal Passage: Mark 1:9-20

Urgency. That is the word that comes to mind as I read the first chapter of Mark. Mark begins his gospel with John the Baptist preparing “the way for the Lord” (Mark 1:3). 

Mark gives us a brief summary of John’s ministry but, he seems anxious to get to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry with his baptism and temptation. Mark seems to have an urgency to get to the gospel, the good news, that the Messiah was on the scene. He does not have time to deal with genealogies or even Jesus’ birth or boyhood.  [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal Passage: Genesis 45:1-15

On more than one occasion I’ve experienced a fractured friendship or a broken family relationship. Countless more times I’ve seen it in church or counseling sessions with others.

There are few things as bitterly painful as a broken relationship that is seemingly beyond repair. Likewise, there are few things as joyfully wonderful as a relationship restored, loved ones reunited, and brokenness repaired. [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal Passage: Genesis 41:15-21, 33-40

God is faithful to give His followers abilities and opportunities to serve Him.

I have a friend who began to seek these opportunities. He began to pray fervently every morning that God would allow him the opportunity to share with someone the gospel. He would then begin to look for those opportunities and committed that he would not miss one. [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal Passage: Genesis 39:3-12, 19-21

I Peter 3:17 says, “For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” Peter wrote this but Joseph lived it.

I often stop and look back at some of the moments in my life and am in awe how God protected me from the evil in me or the evil attempted against me. Our God is awesome. [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal Passage: Genesis 37:5-11, 19-27

Charles Spurgeon wisely said, “God is too good to be unkind. He is too wise to be mistaken. When you cannot trace His hand you must learn to trust His heart.” 

William Cowper, likewise, writes these lines, “Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; the clouds ye so much dread are big with mercy and shall break in blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace; behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face. His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour; the bud may have a bitter taste but sweet will be the flow’r.”  [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal Passage: Genesis 35:1-15

God uses this week’s text to remind us that He is always faithful.

Jacob had been gone from home for what seemed like a lifetime and now God was calling him back. He was to go back to the place where God had first spoken to him and made the promise to bless him and continue the Abrahamic covenant through him.

Jacob prepares his household by ordering a removal of all the idols and a purification of every person. The first thing we see Jacob do here is prepare to meet with God. How much might be changed in our worship services if we spent time preparing our hearts to meet with God beforehand. [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal Passage: Gen 1:27, 9:1-7; Matt.5:21-22

The sanctity of life is a beautiful, biblical belief that informs our convictions every life is precious because every life was wonderfully and fearfully made in the image of God.

It’s simple to bang the pulpit one Sunday in January for the sanctity of life but how does it look in our churches every other day? 

Sanctity of life demands that we love people more than our grudges and feuds.  [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal Passage: Genesis 33:1-15

It had been 20 years since Jacob and Esau had seen each other, since Jacob tricked their Father and stole Esau’s blessing for himself. There is a saying, “Time heals all wounds.” I can tell you that’s not always true.

I’ve seen people so full of hurt and hate toward someone else for so long they don’t even really know why anymore. It seems that over time the pain or the fear of what the other person might think keeps us from taking that first step. [Read more…]

By Scott Brown
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waverly

Focal Passage: Genesis 31:2-16

For 20 years Jacob had served Laban far from his own home. God had blessed all of Jacob’s work and shown him great favor. As Jacob prospered, Laban and his sons took notice and their attitudes began to change toward Jacob. [Read more…]