FBC Benbrook Sermons

To Defend and Confirm

In today's sermon, we are reminded of the importance of guarding our faith and the challenges we face in a world where many are deconstructing their beliefs. We recognize that the term "deconstruction" has gained popularity, often leading individuals away from the orthodox Christian Gospel and towards a rejection of faith altogether. We are called to defend and confirm our faith, understanding that questions and doubts are a normal part of our spiritual journey, but we must seek deep answers rather than settle for shallow ones. As we prepare for the spiritual battles that lie ahead, we are encouraged to engage with the core issues of the Gospel, knowing that it is through Christ that we find true life and purpose. Ultimately, we affirm that the Gospel is worth defending and sharing, as it brings abundant life to all who believe. (Philippians 1.7) October 13, 2024.

God Finishes What He Starts

One of the great promises in the Bible is that “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” In this sermon, we lift up this promise and examine it from various angles, the many good works of God that He brings to completion. We also examine how the completion date of the day of Jesus Christ changes our hopes. Finally, we wrestle with a couple of truths that we need to accept in order to fully rest under this promise. (Philippians 1.6) October 6, 2024
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In our journey through life, we often find ourselves starting projects or endeavors that we never see through to completion. This is a common human experience, often due to limited resources, changing desires, or simply biting off more than we can chew. However, the promise we find in Philippians 1:6 offers us a profound contrast: God is not like us. When He begins a work, He sees it through to completion. This assurance is rooted in His sovereignty and faithfulness, qualities that are unchanging and eternal.Paul's confidence in this promise is not based on wishful thinking or subjective feelings. Instead, it is grounded in the objective truth of God's character and His past actions. Paul has experienced God's sustaining grace and knows that the work God begins, whether it be the gift of life, our salvation, or our sanctification, will be brought to completion at the day of Christ. This completion is not something we will necessarily see in our earthly lifetime, but it is assured in the eternal timeline of God's plan.The promise extends to various aspects of our lives. Firstly, the gift of life itself is a work that God began and will sustain until the day of Christ. Our daily prayers for provision, protection, and wisdom are rooted in the confidence that God is actively involved in our lives. Secondly, our salvation is a work that began with Christ's sacrifice and continues as we are being saved and will be saved from the wrath of God at the final judgment. Thirdly, our sanctification, the process of being made holy, is ongoing and will only be completed when our sin nature is fully redeemed. Fourthly, the good works we are created to do are part of God's plan, prepared in advance, and will continue to bear fruit even after our earthly lives end. Lastly, the work God began in the church will also be brought to completion, as the church continues to bear fruit and witness until Christ's return.To rest under this promise, we must embrace the eternal perspective, recognizing that the completion of God's work is not confined to our earthly timeline. We must also accept that suffering is part of the process, trusting that God is with us through every trial and tribulation. This promise is a source of hope and assurance, reminding us that God is faithful and will complete the good work He has begun in us.

What Jesus Prays for Us

On the night of His arrest, Jesus prayed for His disciples, and for all those who would become a disciple, in what many refer to as the “High Priestly Prayer.” In this prayer, we see Jesus’ will for us and the specific things we should be praying for so that we are praying according to His will. (John 17) September 22, 2024.
 
Summary:
This sermon explores John 17, the longest recorded prayer of Jesus, often referred to as the High Priestly Prayer. This prayer is profound as it captures Jesus praying for Himself, His disciples, and all future believers, including us. We explored the mystery and beauty of God praying to God, emphasizing the triune nature of God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and how this mystery enriches our understanding of prayer. Jesus' prayer reveals His deep desires for His disciples: that they would know His words, be kept in His name, be unified, experience divine joy, be protected from the evil one, be sanctified, be sent into the world, and ultimately be with Him in glory.We also discussed the relative value of prayer, addressing the question of why we should pray if Jesus and the Holy Spirit are already interceding for us. Prayer is not meaningless; it is a divine invitation to participate in God's sovereign work. Jesus commands and invites us to pray, indicating that our prayers are significant and impactful. We examined different types of prayer—conversational, focused, persevering, and thanksgiving—and encouraged finding a personal prayer style that fosters a deeper relationship with God.Finally, we turned Jesus' prayer into practical guides for our own prayer lives. By aligning our prayers with Jesus' desires as revealed in John 17, we can pray confidently, knowing we are praying according to God's will. This approach helps us grow in our prayer life, ensuring that we are not only praying for ourselves but also interceding for others in a meaningful way.

Hated and Helped

Jesus tried to prepare His disciples for what would happen after He returned to the Father. First, the bad news: the world would hate them just as it hated Jesus. They have been called out of the world, are no longer following the course of the world, and are now follower a new Master. But the good news is that the Holy Spirit is coming, and the Holy Spirit would bear witness to the Son through them. The Spirit continues to be at work convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. How does these two truths encourage us as we bear witness to Jesus in a world that hates Him? (John 15.18-16.11) September 15, 2024.

The Paraclete

Between the Last Supper and His arrest in the Garden, Jesus taught the disciples about the coming Holy Spirit, another paraclete. The gift of the indwelling Spirit of God is one of the greatest aspects of the Christian gospel. But who is the Spirit, what does the Spirit do, and how can we experience more of Him? (John 14.15-31) September 8, 2024.

Completely Clean with Dirty Feed

The apostle John tells us about something that Jesus did during the last supper, something the other gospel writers don’t mention. Jesus washed His disciple’s feet. Not only was this an example of humility and service, but the simple act also helped the disciples understand what was about to happen on the cross and how to follow Jesus even after He returned to the Father. (John 13.1-35) September 1, 2024.

The Missing Man-uscript

The story of the woman caught in adultery, along with the question of whether or not it was part of the original gospel of John, presents an interesting question to a follower of Christ, much less a preacher. If this story is not found in the earliest and best ancient manuscripts but remains as part of the text in our English translations of the Bible, then how does that impact our understanding of inspiration and the canon of Scripture? And even if this story “sounds like Jesus,” or perhaps especially because it does, how do we hear the Word of the Lord through it? (John 7.53-8.11) August 25, 2024

Unseen Visibility

The promise of the indwelling Holy Spirit to all who believe in Jesus is a life changing, experiential reality. The work of the unseen Holy Spirit is highly visible in everything from conviction of sin, guiding into all truth, character change, comfort, and joy. And the hope of the gospel is that we get to experience this great gift even as we wait for God to make all things new. (John 7.37-39) August 18, 2024
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This sermon delves into the profound significance of the Feast of Booths, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, and its connection to Jesus' declaration in John 7. This feast, deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, is an eight-day celebration that commemorates God's provision and faithfulness during the Israelites' wilderness journey. It involves living in temporary shelters, offering daily sacrifices, and engaging in rituals like the candle and water rites. These traditions were designed to remind the Israelites of their dependence on God for sustenance and their identity as His covenant people.In John 7, Jesus attends the Feast of Booths and makes a startling proclamation on the last and greatest day of the feast. As the high priest pours out water from a golden pitcher, symbolizing God's provision and the hope for future blessings, Jesus stands up and cries out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." This declaration points to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus promises to those who believe in Him.Jesus' words highlight the experiential reality of the Holy Spirit, who quenches our deepest spiritual thirst. This is not just a theological concept but a tangible experience that transforms our inner being. The Holy Spirit's work is described as unseen visibility—though we cannot see the Spirit, His effects are evident in our lives. This includes conviction of sin, regeneration, illumination, sanctification, and the production of spiritual fruit like love, joy, and peace.In our current world, filled with suffering and longing for redemption, Jesus' offer remains the same. He invites us to come to Him and receive the living water of the Holy Spirit, which will sustain and empower us as we await His return. This promise is a reminder that the gospel is not just about future hope but also about present transformation through the Holy Spirit.
 

Living Water for Thirsty Souls

In today's sermon, Pastor Todd explores the profound encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, as recounted in John chapter 4. This story is a powerful illustration of Jesus' mission to offer living water, symbolizing the Holy Spirit, to all who are spiritually thirsty. The sermon begins by contrasting the woman at the well with Nicodemus from John chapter 3, highlighting their differences in gender, social status, and life experiences. Despite these differences, Jesus engages both in a similar conversation about the necessity of being born again and receiving eternal life through the Spirit.Then, we delve into the historical and cultural context of the encounter, noting the deep-seated animosity between Jews and Samaritans. Jesus' decision to travel through Samaria and speak with the woman was a divine appointment, demonstrating His willingness to break social barriers to fulfill His mission. The woman's life, marked by hardship and social ostracism, made her an unlikely candidate for such a significant theological discussion. Yet, Jesus offers her living water, promising to quench her deepest spiritual thirst.The conversation shifts to worship, where Jesus explains that true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, transcending physical locations and rituals. This teaching underscores the transformative power of the cross and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, which enables believers to have a continuous, intimate relationship with God.We also reflected on the disciples' return and their confusion about Jesus' interaction with the woman. Jesus uses this moment to teach them about the spiritual harvest, urging them to lift their eyes and see the fields ripe for harvest. This call to recognize and participate in God's work of bringing living water to thirsty souls is a central theme of our mission as the church.
John 4.1-42 (August 11, 2024)

Under New Management

Jesus confronted Nicodemus, a good and religious man, with this life changing truth: unless one is born again, born from above, born of the Spirit, he cannot see or enter the kingdom of God. This spiritual truth and hope continues to challenge and invite us today. Eternal life is given to all who believe in the name of Jesus, but what does it mean to believe? What does it mean to be born again? (John 3.1-21) August 4, 2024
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In this sermon, We delve into the transformative power of being "born again" as illustrated in John 3, where Jesus has a profound conversation with Nicodemus. We began by reflecting on the prophecy from Ezekiel, where God promises to cleanse us, give us a new heart, and put His Spirit within us. This sets the stage for understanding the necessity of spiritual rebirth. I shared my personal testimony, emphasizing how growing up in a Christian environment and being a "good" person wasn't enough until I came under "new management"—a metaphor for being born again.Nicodemus, a Pharisee, teacher of the law, and member of the Sanhedrin, approached Jesus with respect but lacked understanding of what it truly means to be part of God's kingdom. Jesus' response was direct: "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." This concept of being born again or from above was revolutionary and perplexing to Nicodemus, who believed his religious status and moral life were sufficient.Jesus explained that being born of water and the Spirit is essential, drawing parallels to the prophecy in Ezekiel and the story of the bronze serpent in Numbers. Just as the Israelites had to look at the bronze serpent to be healed, we must look to Jesus on the cross to be saved. This act of looking and believing signifies a deep acknowledgment of our sin, acceptance of God's provision for salvation, and a transformative faith that leads to eternal life.The conversation culminates in the famous verse, John 3:16, which encapsulates God's love and the promise of eternal life through belief in His Son. Jesus emphasized that the world is already under condemnation, and His mission was to save, not to condemn. The challenge lies in stepping out of darkness into the light, allowing God's works to be evident in our lives.The key question we must ask ourselves is whether we are merely good and religious or truly born again and under new management. This new birth is marked by a life transformed by God's Spirit, where the works in our lives are clearly worked by God.