Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835
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: 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 Jerry Price
Retired Pastor, Spring Hill
Focal Passage: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
The following illustration comes from Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, WordSearch Bible Software.
“A modern army is fitted with a strategic mix of various weapons to maximize its effectiveness in fulfilling its purpose. Some soldiers receive a rifle and some are given pistols or ride in a tank armed with a cannon and machine guns. Others operate missiles, jet fighters, bombers or ships. To win the war, it takes the unified effects of all these weapons, operated by the shared efforts of all the variously equipped soldiers.
“God, as the wise Commander-in-Chief in our spiritual warfare, has likewise given to each of His children in the body of Christ spiritual gifts so that they can work together to be effective in fulfilling His will. And, as in a physical war, if Christian “soldiers” work together and use their gifts, the task of the church on earth will be accomplished.” [Read more…]
By Jerry Price
Retired Pastor, Spring Hill
Focal Passage: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16
Pastor and author Gordon MacDonald once wrote, “I used to struggle with [overconfident intelligentsia] while living in Boston. I would leave the town of Lexington, where my family and I lived, and I would drive past the towers of Harvard University. Another mile down the road, on the left, sits the campus of MIT, and to the right, the campus of Boston University. Straight ahead were the towering headquarters of many great multinational corporations.
“There were moments when I was tempted to be intimidated by these unmitigated, unadulterated symbols of power. Here were great world leaders being trained in the business school at Harvard. [Read more…]
By Sam Greer
Senior Pastor, Red Bank Baptist Church, Chattanooga
Focal Passage: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
What is love? How might love be defined in our world today? According to Neil Genzlinger, there are over 10,000 songs on file at the U.S. Copyright Office in Washington, D.C., that begin with the words “Love is ….” Some of those songs, which attempt to define love, are as follows: “Love is Like a Dizziness,” “Love is Like a Shoogy Shoo,” “Love is Like the Influenza,” “Love is a Sickness Full of Woes,” Love is a Traitor,” “Love is Doggone Mean,” “Love is Good for Anything that Ails You,” “Love is for Suckers,” and “Love is a Losing Game.” From the world’s perspective love is often connected with that which is erotic or romantic. [Read more…]
By Sam Greer Senior
Pastor, Red Bank Baptist Church, Chattanooga
Focal Passage: 1 Corinthians 12:4-12, 21-26
The three smallest bones in the human body are found in the middle ear ossicles, more commonly known as the hammer, anvil and stirrup. Although these bones work in obscurity, totally invisible to the outside world, they are essential to our ability to hear. [Read more…]
By Sam Greer Senior Pastor
Red Bank Baptist Church, Chattanooga
Focal Passage: I Corinthians 11:17-29
Anytime death invades our lives we respond in different ways. When a loved one dies some lash out in anger, or fall into depression, or retreat into isolation, while others grieve in a host of other ways. [Read more…]
By Sam Greer
Senior Pastor, Red Bank Baptist Church, Chattanooga
Focal Passage: John 20:2-9; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28
In his sermon, “Easter is for Everyone,” Greg Laurie shared about an athiest who was upset because of all the holidays that people of faith celebrate. The atheist said to a friend, “You Christians have Christmas and Easter. And Jews celebrate their holidays, like Passover and Yom Kippur. But we atheists don’t have recgonized holidays. It’s unfair discrimination.” His friend thought about it for a moment and said, “Well, you atheists could celebrate April 1. That could be your holiday. You know, April Fool’s Day. It fits, because the Bible says, ‘the fool has said in his heart there is no God.’ ”
April Fool’s Day and Easter Sunday fall on the same day this year, April 1, 2018. Those who are like the criminal on the cross who rejected Jesus may be called the greatest of fools on April Fool’s Day 2018. At the same time, those who are like the criminal on the cross who accepted Jesus may truly call April 1, 2018 Easter Sunday. Which is it for you?
Greer
The resurrection of Jesus the Christ is the hinge on which the door of Christianity swings upon. What’s more, the resurrected Jesus is the foundation on which Christianity is built. Easter Sunday is the day where churches all over the world celebrate with laser-like focus the resurrection of Jesus. How can we avoid being fools and have assurance of the resurrection of Jesus?
The resurrection of Jesus is real. John and Peter raced with anticipation and excitement to the tomb of Jesus that first resurrection day. Upon arriving, John peeked in and Peter barged in while both realized that the body of Jesus was gone (John 20:3-9). When something is gone it means it’s gone. Some people’s hair is gone. Some people’s original hair color is gone. Jesus’ body was gone because Jesus’ resurrection was real. He really did bodily resurrect from the dead. John saw that Jesus’ body was gone and he believed (John 20:8).
Although one disciple believed, neither disciple understood the Scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead (John 20:9). They didn’t strategically lie about Jesus being resurrected to fit with the Scriptures; for they didn’t understand the Scriptures which spoke of Jesus’ resurrection. These two disciples’ inabliity to understand the prophetic passages of resurrection is further evidence that their account of the empty tomb was factual. We can have assurance in the resurrection because of the empty tomb.
The resurrection of Jesus is relevant. We know the resurrection of Jesus really happened in the past, but how does that affect us today? Paul wrote about the relevance of Jesus’ resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23. All people are sinners by nature and by choice. Adam, the first to sin, passed his sinful nature on to all of mankind. Therefore, all are dead because of the sin of Adam. Yet, all are made alive who trust in Jesus because He died for the sins of all and was resurrected from the dead (1 Corinthians 9:22). Jesus was not the first to be resurrected; however, Jesus is the first to be resurrected to never die again (1 Corinthians 9:23). Jesus’ death put death to death. Jesus’ resurrection resurrected ressurection to the point that those who die in Christ will be rasied never to die again.
The resurrected Jesus reigns everyday as we look forward to that Day. Easter Sunday is not the only day to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. The resurrected Jesus reigns everyday (1 Corintians 9:25-28). Celebrate the resurrected Jesus every day! B&R
By Sam Greer
Senior Pastor, Red Bank Baptist Church, Chattanooga
Focal Passage: 1 Corinthians 9:19-27; 10:31-33; 11:1
One hot and humid Mississippi day, I was jogging on a neighborhood street. The last leg of the run was uphill. About half-way up the hill, I noticed an SUV coming down the hill. While panting for air and pouring sweat, I realized the vehicle was drawing closer to me. The window rolled down and an arm extended out with a cold, refreshing soft drink in hand. I grabbed the soft drink and said “thank you!” At that moment, I heard the lady in the front seat of the SUV scream, “Wait, stop!” I stopped. The SUV stopped. The lady who handed me the drink said, “Could you open this bottle for me?” As they pulled away, the lady in the front seat laughingly said, “He thought that drink was for him.” [Read more…]
