FBC Benbrook Sermons

Made Alive in Him

Discover how God has taken the record of your debt and nailed it to the cross, leading a victory parade over the spiritual forces of darkness so that you can walk in resurrection power.
We are on a journey as a church, trying to comprehend the beauty of this mystery: that we are in Christ. Because we are in Him, the fullness of God is poured into us. We are no longer enslaved to sin; we can be victorious over darkness and become new creations.
In this fifth and final introduction to Colossians 3, we explore two powerful metaphors that help us understand the immeasurable glory of our salvation. First, the Certificate of Debt: discover how God the Father took the handwritten record of your IOU, which stood against you with its legal demands, and canceled it by nailing it to the cross. Your debt has been paid in full.
Second, the Victory Parade: see how God disarmed the rulers and authorities, stripping the spiritual forces of darkness of their power and putting them to open shame. Through the cross, Christ has led a victory parade to publicly humiliate every defeated enemy.
As we prepare to put to death what is earthly—sexual immorality, impurity, and evil desires—set your mind on these truths. If the Son who hung on the cross is advocating for you even now, how can you not be victorious?
Sermon Date: April 12, 2026
Text: Colossians 2.13-15
Preacher: Todd Pylant

Raised With Him

Discover why the "outlandish" story of the Resurrection is not something to be minimized or constrained, but a powerful working of God that transforms your life from the inside out.
Is your faith running in the background like a minimized window on a laptop, or is it the operating system of your life? On this Resurrection Sunday, the Scripture invites us to move beyond "Jesus emoji" faith—that gentle, non-intrusive image of a caring shepherd who stays in the corner until a crisis hits. The true Easter story is far more outlandish; it is the account of the eternal Creator stepping into His own play, bearing the rebellion of His creation, and being raised to sit at the right hand of God.
The Scripture reveals that being "raised with Him" is not a minor adjustment; it is a radical transformation. Through faith in the powerful working of God, we are delivered from the domain of darkness and qualified to share in the inheritance of the saints. This isn't a power you keep in the garage like a backup battery for emergencies. It is a resurrection power that flows within the soul, enabling us to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to bear fruit in every good work, and to put to death what is earthly within us.
If you have felt that the gospel was merely about "doing good," come discover the full biblical portrait of Jesus—the image of the invisible God who holds the universe together.
Sermon Text: Colossians 2.12
Date: April 5, 2026
Preacher: Todd Pylant
 

Buried with Him

Discover why the most victorious thing that can happen to you is to realize you have already died—and how being "buried with Him" is the only key to living a truly free and righteous life.
What does it actually mean to be "in Christ"? On this Palm Sunday, we often reflect on the historical events that happened to Jesus, but Scripture reveals a deeper, more startling mystery: because you are in Christ, those events happened to you. You were not just a bystander; you were crucified with Him and you were buried with Him.
In this message, we explore the profound transition from being dead in sin to being dead to sin. Drawing from Romans 6 and Colossians 2, we dive into the imagery of baptism—not merely as a church ritual, but as a testimony of a fundamental internal shift. If we are to ever "put to death" the earthly things that plague us—immorality, pride, or impurity—we must first realize that the person we used to be has already died.
The Gospel isn't just about a canceled debt; it’s about a new identity where the "body of sin" is brought to nothing so we are no longer enslaved. Whether you are wrestling with the battles of youth or the challenges of later life, the power to change comes from a life hidden with Christ in God. Join us as we uncover the freedom found in being buried with Him, moving past the starting line of faith toward true transformation.
Sermon text: Colossians 2.12
Date: March 29, 2026
Preacher: Todd Pylant

Circumcised in Him

Discover how the "circumcision of Christ" is not an ancient ritual, but a radical, spiritual operation that severs the power of sin from your heart forever.
The Mystery of Being "In Him"
The Scripture says that when you receive Christ, something radical happens to your humanity. While physical circumcision was a private, outward sign given to Abraham’s descendants, the New Testament reveals it was always pointing toward a greater, inward reality: a "circumcision made without hands". This is the mystery of the Gospel—that by grace through faith, your old sin nature is actually cut away and your heart is forever impacted.
The Power of Sin is Broken
Do you feel like you are in a losing battle with anger, anxiety, or greed? The Scripture says the record of debt that stood against you has been canceled and nailed to the cross.
The Condemnation is Gone: The guilt of sin has been severed from you; you no longer bear it before a holy God.
The Power is Severed: You are no longer a slave to your passions. The fullness of God, who has authority over every rule and power, now dwells in you.
Walk in Newness of Life
Though the presence of sin remains a battleground, its dominion is broken. The Scripture says you are a new creation—the person you used to be is gone, and you have been given a new heart to walk in victory. Stop listening to the enemy’s whisper that you’ll never change. Set your mind on things above and learn what it truly means to be Circumcised in Him.
Sermon Text: Colossians 2.11
Date: March 22, 2026
Preacher: Todd Pylant

Filled In Him

Discover how the mystery of the incarnation reveals that the fullness of God is poured into your very humanity, providing the power to "walk in Him".
This morning we are starting a new sermon series. It is going to be a little bit different because it is really going to be focusing on Christian ethics: how it is that we should live. We are looking at Colossians 3, walking through these verses basically word for word.
In this section, Paul tells us to put to death what is earthly in us and then to put on holiness and godliness. But before we get to the to-do list, we really have to drill down into what it looks like to be in Him. This opening paragraph is the key to the entire chapter. It keeps this from being a "try to be good, stop doing bad, try harder" sermon series. The secret is all wrapped up in the fact that we have been raised with Christ and our life is now hidden with Christ in God.
Today, we delve into the phrase: "you have been filled in him".
The Incarnation: The fullness of God is poured into the fullness of our humanity.
The Exaltation: Jesus is the head of all rule and authority.
Do you feel like the fullness of God has been poured into your humanity?. This is what the Scripture says is true of you if you are in Christ.
Sermon Text: Colossians 2.9-10
Date: March 15, 2026
Preacher: Todd Pylant
 

A Better Answer

The Scripture says that the eternal hope of the gospel is far richer than vague images of clouds, harps, mansions, or streets of gold. From 2 Peter to the Minor Prophets, the biblical vision of the new heavens and the new earth invites a holy imagination shaped by God’s own promises. Scripture declares that the present world is under a curse—ground that yields thorns, nations that rise against nations, creation groaning under decay, and humanity separated from the fullness of God’s presence. But the prophets speak of a redeemed creation where every curse is broken.
Amos imagines a world where the plowman overtakes the reaper and mountains drip with sweet wine, revealing a creation liberated from scarcity. Zechariah describes every person sitting under their own vine and fig tree, picturing abundance so great that generosity becomes effortless. Micah envisions swords beaten into plowshares and nations learning war no more, pointing to a world where violence, fear, and threat are gone. Even the stain of sin is removed, so thoroughly that the bells of the horses and the pots in every home are “holy to the Lord.” And the greatest promise of all: separation from God is ended. Revelation says there is no temple, for the Lord Himself dwells with His people. There is no night, no danger, no unclean thing—only life, healing, beauty, and righteousness.
The Scripture says we are waiting for a new creation where everything broken is made new. And only the redeemed—those made new in Christ—will stand in that world singing the song of His steadfast love, mercy, and grace.

The Gift of the Holy Spirit

The idea of the Spirit of God dwelling with us is either the most delusional thing anyone has ever said or the greatest gift a person could ever receive.
Joel’s prophecy of a time when God would pour out His Spirit on all flesh, men and women, young and old, servants and rulers, upon anyone who would call upon the name of the Lord and be saved was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus. Join us as we delight in the beauty and greatness of the promise of the Father. (Joel 2.28-32). March 1, 2026.

Brands Plucked From the Fire

Discover how a 3,000-year-old vision of a silent priest and a "burning stick" reveals the staggering power of Christ to silence your accuser and clothe you in His own righteousness.
In the shadowy "night visions" of the prophet Zechariah, we encounter a dramatic courtroom scene that mirrors the deepest anxieties of the human soul. Standing before the "Angel of the Lord" is Joshua the High Priest, the representative of God’s people. He is not dressed in the pristine robes required by holy law; instead, he is clothed in filthy garments—a word signifying the uncleanness of human iniquity.
At his right hand stands Satan, the accuser, ready not just to litigate but to execute a sentence of death. Joshua remains silent, for what can a man covered in sewage say to a holy God?. Yet, the silence is broken by the Mediator, the pre-incarnate Christ, who rebukes the adversary. He declares Joshua to be a "brand plucked from the fire"—a charred, burning stick rescued from certain destruction.
In a divine exchange of grace, the Lord commands the removal of the filthy rags, declaring, "I have taken your iniquity away from you". Joshua is clothed in pure vestments and a clean turban, signifying full restoration and access to God’s presence. This vision points directly to the Branch, the Servant of the Lord, who removes the iniquity of the land in a single day upon the cross. Whether you are a "moral" person or a broken soul, this is the gospel: we are sustained not by our own cleanliness, but by the ongoing mercy of the One who plucked us from the flame.
Sermon Text: Zechariah 3
Date: February 22, 2026
Preacher: Todd Pylant

Profaning the Covenant

In the new covenant of grace, we are divine siblings living in a covenant relationship with the same Heavenly Father, called to a love that is not merely a social convenience, but a sacrificial work empowered by God’s grace.
In the new covenant of grace, we are divine siblings, fellow members of the household of faith living in a covenant relationship with the same Heavenly Father. This shared identity must transform how we relate to one another. To fail in loving our brothers and sisters—to forgive as we have been forgiven—is to profane the very covenant that binds us to God. We are not merely a random collection of individuals or a social club; we are a people called to uphold a vision of unity that reflects the heart of Christ.
Regarding the union of lives, Scripture warns against being unequally yoked in the covenant of marriage, for what fellowship can light have with darkness? We are called to guard our hearts, ensuring that our most intimate human covenants are formed with those who also committed followers of Jesus Christ. To do otherwise is to disregard the unique relationship we hold with the Lord.
Furthermore, Scripture teaches us that marriage is a three-party covenant where God Himself is at work, binding two into one flesh and remaining present through His Spirit. This sacred union is designed for our sanctification, serving as a primary tool to mold us into the image of Christ. While our culture may view marriage as a temporary arrangement or a mere social construct, the word of God presents it as a lifelong work of faithful, sacrificial love. By living in this covenant love, we radiate the beauty of the gospel to a world that longs for "forever," but can only find it through the power of God’s grace.
Sermon Date: February 8, 2026
Sermon Text: Malachi 2.10-16
Preacher: Todd Pylant

Robbing God

Discover how the transition from the Old Testament law of the tithe to the New Covenant realm of grace transforms giving from a mechanical obligation into a joyful, vibrant expression of faith.
The Scripture says that whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, but whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. In the book of Malachi, the Word of God addresses those who ask, "Where is the God of justice?" by pointing to a divine plan where the Messiah comes to refine His people and deal with the problem of sin. While the Old Testament commanded various tithes to support the Levitical priesthood and sacrificial system, the Scripture says these were shadows of a greater reality fulfilled once and for all in Jesus Christ.
The Scripture says that believers are no longer under the law but live within the realm of grace. This shift liberates the heart from the mechanical law of the tithe and invites it into grace giving, which is powerful and full of life. Rather than giving reluctantly or under compulsion, the Scripture says each person must give as they have decided in their heart, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Grace giving is a voluntary, proportional, and systematic participation in the work of the kingdom, supporting the ministry of the church and those in need. The Scripture says that as we excel in this act of grace, God is able to make all grace abound so that we may have all sufficiency in all things and abound in every good work. Ultimately, living in this unique relationship with a holy God through grace produces an overwhelming flow of thanksgiving and a life that is a land of delight.
Sermon Text: Malachi 2.17-3.15
Date: February 1, 2026
Preacher: Todd Pylant