June 30, 2019 | Pastor John Bayles | The Parable of the Sower: The Source and Power of Our Work? | Mark 4:26-29

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June 30, 2019 | Pastor John Bayles | The Parable of the Sower: The Source and Power of Our Work? | Mark 4:26-29

Parables of the Kingdom of God: Chapter 4:1-33
The Parable of the Sower: The Source and Power of Our Work?
Mark 4:26-29

Seeds are remarkable things. Their growth is dependent upon good soil, water, and air. Without any of these three things, seeds won’t germinate. They will die in the soil and eventually become part of the soil. They will turn into dirt. Even more interesting is the fact that all of the process of growth in a seed takes place secretly, unseen, under the soil. It has to be left alone to germinate and grow. Digging it up from time-to-time to see how it's getting along only hampers it's development and most likely will stunt it’s growth and even kill the new, tender plant. By the time it is seen above the ground, it’s already fully a plant – roots and all. And still it can’t be disturbed. Digging around it to free it from the soil or, in some cases, even touching the plant can hinder it's growth or even kill it. So, in the early stages it just has to be left alone to do its thing – be a plant. As it grows above the ground, it stays fully connected to its root system which networks out into the soil to get water which it sends upward through the stem. Above the ground leaves begin to show. These are the sun gatherers which drink the sunshine and change it into food and send it down through the stem and into the roots. All these systems: the soil, the water, the air, the roots, the stem, the plant, the leaves and the sun work together in perfect coordination in order for the plant to grow and eventually produce a product: more seeds, or fruit, which has seeds in it. Mark is the only one of the Gospel writers who includes this parable in his Gospel. I’m not sure why he was the only one, but he was not the only one to know that the Kingdom of God is advancing, not by the power or effort of people, but by the power of God. A we look closely at this very brief parable of Jesus and it’s simple point, perhaps it's so simple that we pass right by it’s meaning.

June 23, 2019 | Pastor John Bayles | The Parable of the Sower: Uncover Your Light | Mark 4:21-26

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June 23, 2019 | Pastor John Bayles | The Parable of the Sower: Uncover Your Light | Mark 4:21-26

Parables of the Kingdom of God: Chapter 4:1-33
The Parable of the Sower: Uncover Your Light
Mark 4:21-26

        It is clear that Mark is not talking about how to manage the lighting of a home. He is building upon the previous parable of the sower. In that parable Mark highlighted the attitude of the sower and the context of his sowing: hard ground, thorny, rocky and good soil. Here there is a exhortation to do the work of the sower, namely to sow the seed, to share the Gospel message. Using the metaphor of a lamp, Mark asks us to consider the purpose of a lamp – a candle. What is it for, to hide light or to broadcast light? In similar manner, what is the purpose for hearing the Gospel and being born again? Is it so that we can know we’ve heard it and are saved? Is that the propose of sowing seed, so we can eat it ourselves? Or is it so that we can bear fruit? Does the person who does not sow the seed of the Gospel, really understand what happened in their life? Simple question, but often a challenge of answer.

June 16, 2019 | Pastor John Bayles | The Parable of the Sower (post script) | Mark 4:13-20

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June 16, 2019 | Pastor John Bayles | The Parable of the Sower (post script) | Mark 4:13-20

Parables of the Kingdom of God:
The Parable of the Sower (post script)
Mark 4:13-20

      In each of the Gospels, Jesus responds to the questions of His disciples regarding the meaning of the Parable of the Sower. We will soon discover that an important theme rises as he clarifies the meaning. That theme clearly has to do with sowing the seeds of the Kingdom of God. The disciples think they are going to receive the meaning so that they can understand it themselves, but Jesus has a far greater purpose. He is training these men to be sowers. This is a theme that dominates all three of the remaining parables which Mark presents in his Gospel. It is also a theme for our lives. The message of the Gospel is not simply something to be understood by Jesus disciples. The Gospel, like a seed, is for sowing. The only way to gain the benefits of the message of Christ is to give it away.

June 9, 2019 | Pastor Keith Williams | The Demarcation: The Application of Redemption... Sanctification | 2 Corinthians. 6: 14-18

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June 9, 2019 | Pastor Keith Williams | The Demarcation: The Application of Redemption... Sanctification | 2 Corinthians. 6: 14-18

The Demarcation:
The Application of Redemption... Sanctification
2 Corinthians. 6: 14-18

Keith Williams and wife

June 2, 2019 | Pastor Roger Melson | The Eternal Perspective of Our Faith | Genesis 11:27-12:4

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June 2, 2019 | Pastor Roger Melson | The Eternal Perspective of Our Faith | Genesis 11:27-12:4

The Eternal Perspective of Our Faith
Genesis 11:27-12:4

                                               Roger and Marsha Melson

May 26, 2019 | Pastor John Bayles | Parables of the Kingdom of God: The Parable of the Sower | Mark 4:1-12

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May 26, 2019 | Pastor John Bayles | Parables of the Kingdom of God: The Parable of the Sower | Mark 4:1-12

Parables of the Kingdom of God (Chapter 4:1-33)

The Parable of the Sower
Mark 4:1-12

In this sermon, a brief overview of the characteristics of Parable literature and then goes a detailed teaching of the Parable of the Sower are given. In the process of interpreting of the Scriptures, it important to recognize and be familiar with the characteristics of the literary type that is being used by the author to present the Gospel. Parable literature is certainly no exception to this rule. The basic definition of a parable is “to throw alongside.” A parable, like an illustration, places a known and an unknown truth beside one another in order to make an illuminating comparison A parable, like a good joke or short story is dependent upon timing - hiding the main point until the very last moment. The more the hearer has in common with the story, the greater the reaction. This surprises of shocks the hearer by the response of laughter, conviction, and in some cases anger, depending upon the purpose of the one telling the parable. Jesus’ audiences were made up of friends, skeptics and outright enemies like the Pharisees, teachers (scribes) and priests. When Jesus told a parable the element of mystery was always present. This mystery was not simply solving an unknown idea. As several author’s have stated: “It (mystery) is not something we don’t know, but something that is too much to know.” “Mystery is not the absence of meaning, but the presence of more meaning than we can comprehend.” In this text of the Scriptures, mystery has a dual meaning. On the one hand, the characteristic of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God were being hidden or downplayed by certain hearers, yet, on the other hand the message was filled with life-changing truth, redemption, awe and majesty for those who were Christ’s sheep. The goal of this sermon today is to amplify the mystery and the conviction that the parable of the sower presents both then and now.

May 19, 2019 | Pastor John Bayles | Experiencing Together the Love of God | Ephesians 3:16-19

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May 19, 2019 | Pastor John Bayles | Experiencing Together the Love of God | Ephesians 3:16-19

Experiencing Together the Love of God
Ephesians 3:16-19

We have all experienced God’s love through emotional, overwhelming feeling of kindness, mercy, and correction. We have read the Word and have been impressed about love. We have we can seen it in the grace God has extended to each of us. We have watched when people who we thought had every right to be angry, unforgiving, and even justified to show revenge, responded with forgiveness and love toward others. Our response is that only God’s love could bring about such a reaction. In our lives we have failed to live up to our standards of behavior and known the forgiveness and love of God. Often the thought, “How could God love me?” In this text Paul is praying for us. He is praying that we will come to know the love of God even more fully. Today my hope is that we can all grasp more fully how wide and long and high and deep is the love of God.

May 12, 2019 | Pastor John Bayles | The Later Galilean Ministry - The Unpardonable Sin | Mark 3:22-35

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May 12, 2019 | Pastor John Bayles | The Later Galilean Ministry - The Unpardonable Sin | Mark 3:22-35

The Later Galilean Ministry (Mark 3:7–6:13)
The Unpardonable Sin
Mark 3:22-35

April 21, 2019 | Pastor John Bayles | O Death, Where is Thy Sting? | 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

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April 21, 2019 | Pastor John Bayles | O Death, Where is Thy Sting? | 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Easter Sunday

O Death, Where is Thy Sting?

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

April 14, 2019 | Pastor John Bayles | The Later Galilean Ministry - Solitude in an Insane World | Mark 3:7-12

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April 14, 2019 | Pastor John Bayles | The Later Galilean Ministry - Solitude in an Insane World | Mark 3:7-12

The Later Galilean Ministry (Mark 3:7–6:13)
Solitude in an Insane World
Mark 3:7–12

   What message can we discover in this text beyond the description of Jesus becoming overwhelmed by the size and demand of the needy near-mob of people who were seeking his attention night and day. The numbers are not stated here, but Mark later gives a figure: “44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand” (Mar.6:44). That’s just the number of men! I can’t imagine the impossibility of functioning at all in this context. However, today we will see that this crowd, though formidable, did not deter Jesus from His methods and mission. There is both a reaction that we can have from this text today and a life-instructions as well.