FBC Benbrook Sermons

The Exalted Jesus

Why did Jesus invite the disciples to watch Him ascend into heaven? One of the reasons is that they needed to see Jesus as no longer the “humbled, obedient to the point of death” Jesus but the “exalted at the right hand of God with authority over all things” Jesus. Seeing the exalted Jesus was and is essential to the church fulfilling the Great Commission. In addition to the many things the exalted Jesus is doing right now, He is sending the Spirit and exercising authority over all powers. (Acts 1.1-11) August 8, 2021

Is There Room for Doubt in Faith?

We have forever defined one follower of Jesus by his weakest moment. We even call him by that name, “Doubting Thomas.” But instead of being critical of Thomas, perhaps he is a good example of how to journey through our doubts and into faith. The truth is that doubts and questions are part of the journey towards genuine faith, but there are forks in the road where we must choose to view God through the lens of our doubts or view our doubts through the lens of our God. This is why we must deal honestly with our doubts, but also expand our understanding of the beauty and greatness of God. (John 20.24-29) July 25, 2021.

The Journey to Faith

After His resurrection, Jesus appeared in many ways and to many people demonstrating the proof of His resurrection. In one of these post resurrection appearances, Jesus walked with two disciples as they were returning to the little village of Emmaus. And in that conversation, we see some of the common elements that God uses to help us make sense of the Jesus story. God uses the miracles and teachings of Jesus, our hope for deliverance, the meaning of the crucifixion and resurrection, the Scriptures, the communion of the saints, and even the work of the Spirit in our journey towards saving faith. (Luke 24.13-35) July 11, 2021.

The Good News of Being Buried With Him

The fact that Jesus was buried after He was crucified was an essential element to the early gospel story. But what is the significance of that fact for believers today? In Romans 6, the Bible tells us that we were buried with Him by baptism into death. This means that when we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we were immersed in Him, an immersion that produced an irreversible change. Unfortunately, the good news of being buried with Him is often hidden by gospel imitations. (Matthew 27.57-61) July 4, 2021

When the Saints...Came Walking Out...

According to the gospel of Matthew, at the death of Jesus, the earth shook, the rocks split, and the tombs opened. And after His resurrection, many of the saints who had died were raised and appeared to many in Jerusalem. While we have many questions surrounding this event, one major question is “why?” Why would the Father raise many saints after the resurrection of Jesus and have them appear to many in Jerusalem? A few of the answers to that question include: (1) to call many to saving faith and to birth the church, (2) to demonstrate that God alone is the Giver of Life and has authority over death, and (3) to demonstrate the hope of the resurrection to come. (Matthew 27.50-56) June 27, 2021.

By His Stripes

Before Jesus was crucified, He endured the horror of a scourging. While the gospels don’t give much detail to it, it was important enough for the prophet Isaiah to foretell it hundreds of years before it happened. The gospels don’t reflect on the pain of the scourging, and Peter helps us understand how we should react to this horrible event in the life of our Savior. It is by His scourging that we are healed, so that we can return to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. (Matthew 27.26-31) May 30, 2021

Did It Really Happen That Way?

Some Bible scholars want to dismiss events during the trial of Jesus as swarming with impossibilities, improbabilities, and inconsistencies, suggesting these events should be nicely ignored. But the witness of Matthew and the other gospel writers are historically dependable. And despite the critic’s efforts to dismiss the reality of the passion of Jesus, it cannot dismiss the beautiful gospel picture of the guilt of Barabbas being transferred to the innocent Jesus. God made Him who knew no sin to become sin for us. (Matthew 27.15-23) May 23, 2021.

Not of This World

When Pilate confronted Jesus with the question, “Are you the King of Jews,” the answer Jesus gave continues to challenge His followers today. Indeed, Jesus is the King of a Kingdom, but His Kingdom is not of this world nor from this world. How do we know when we have crossed that line from being “in the world” to becoming “of the world”? It comes down to Jesus being the way, the truth, and the life. (John 18.33-38) May 16, 2021

The Big Reveal

After Jesus was arrested, they brought Him before the high priest and the Jewish ruling council to determine whether or not He was worthy of death. And in this moment, Jesus fully revealed Himself for the first time in His public ministry. Who is Jesus? Jesus is the Christ. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is the Son of Man. Jesus is at the right hand of God. How do these simple phrases shine a light into our daily lives? (Matthew 26.57-68) May 9, 2021

The Exceptional Example of Jesus

When Jesus was arrested in the Garden, Peter pulled out a sword and made a weak attempt at protecting Jesus. Jesus rebuked him by saying, “All who take the sword will perish by the sword.” As the apostle reflected on that moment, Peter understood the way Jesus responded to the suffering of His passion was an example for us to follow. How do we follow this example in a world where it feels more right to fight against injustice than to follow the example of Jesus? (Matthew 26.47-56) May 2, 2021.