Exploring God’s Word with Brad Thurston

Great – Greater – Greatest       John 3:22-36 Introduction Old Weddings – the best man and the cultural differences… Then and now! Daniel and Mark as opposed to other traditions? The Continuity of Baptism looking at inward and outward expressions of faith. Is baptism a ritual without reality? Or is it a death to self and a transformation into life eternal? Is life the same after baptism as before?...

The thing about snakes – why put it up on a pole? And why does it bring healing? What is the type in the OT that Jesus wants us to be aware of? Is there a connection to the Passover feast that they are celebrating? Would Nicodemus have a different understanding about this from his historical and cultural background that we in our era and culture may have difficulty relating to? The snake, the devi...

The Three “R’s” - John 3:1-15 The 3 Rs in school. Helps us to remember. Many preachers like to use the same alliterative method in their preaching to help folks remember their sermons. I have found that it does not really work like that. If you want folks to remember something, it has to be short and really memorable, (like “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your co...

Introduction The picture in our home of Jesus knocking on the door – all the hidden messages! No way to open the door from the outside - “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Revelation 3:20 the heart of Jesus – the darkness on the inside, a ram’s head? rose of Sharon? “I am a rose of Shar...

This wedding is a foretaste of the wedding feast of the Lamb to be held in the future in heaven. There is a need to understand the social aspect of weddings to know why Jesus did this. There is the transformational aspect of purification seen in this act There is a sign of Jesus' declaration of love in the overabundance of his provision

The calling of the first disciples has an impact for the rest of the book. In Jesus we see heaven touching earth in real ways throughout the story. It starts with Nathaniel meditating on Jacob's ladder and getting a new insight as to its meaning. This message is from John 1:35-51

This episode explores the testimony of John the Baptist concerning Jesus in John 1:19-34

From John 1 concerning the Christmas story part 2

This Episode is for the first Sunday in Advent 2024. It is from John 1:1-15

Exposition of John 5:15-30

This episode is an exposition of John 5:15-30

Acts 17:10 ff God uses His Word to bring life to those who earnestly seek Him. Studying the Old Testament leads to seeing how Jesus fulfills the Scripture confirming he is the Messiah.

Verses for the Power of the Gospel   “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16 ESV http://bible.com/59/rom.1.16.esv   “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this, they...

Faithful Husband Hosea 1: 2,3, 6-9 Introduction Faithlessness is rampant. Who do we trust? People lie to protect themselves and hide their shame. In building teams, it is important that people are open and honest with one another. This helps me see the issues faced in interpersonal relationships: The fundamental attribution error is simply this:  human beings tend to falsely attribute the negative...

The Covenant Keeper 2 Samuel 9:6-8 Introduction Jesus in Moses and the Prophets.  We get some beautiful pictures of Jesus that help us understand who he is, and how amazing his love for us is! Seeing him demonstrated through history in so many ways, not just through prophecies, but through the lives of those who believe and trusted in God long before Jesus came.  We can trust God’s Love, God’s Wor...

Prophet, Priest, King 2 Samuel 7:12-16 Introduction The mystery of 3 – everything seems to come in threes.  David and Jesus are keenly related in the Messianic passages. Primarily in 2 Samuel as we continue from Moses to the Prophets. The Prophecy of Nathan that points to Jesus. The Threefold Anointing on David as Prophet Priest and King, as pointing to the Anointing on Jesus! They both are: Pries...

Finishing the Race 2 Timothy 4:7,8 Liberty Church Birmingham Sunday, October 8, 2023 Appreciation for Liberty Church – John Snow, David and Betty McCutchen and Ferrell Maughan were my first supporters, and continued after I married Jan. Bill Stamp, Bruce, Jeff Cato, and Ferrell visited us. Many wrote encouragement. Bill introduced us to Globe International in 85 and Liberty Fellowship the next yea...

While Jan and I were visiting in Alabama, Bishop Malloy was our guest speaker at Long Creek Baptist Church

Jesus, Not Just Any Priest Hebrews 7-11 What do you think about when you hear the word “Priest”? Our picture is often marred by various movies, novels, and pictures.  Imagine Jesus being like a priest in one of those shows like Balleykissangel.  The order of Melchizedek- righteousness and peace Gen.: 14:18-20 and Psalm 110:4 See how Jesus is a high priest from a different law! Hebrews 8:1-6 a bett...

The Pattern of Heaven Exodus 25:1-9 Introduction A trip through cathedrals – illiterate people and keeping the faith by art and sculptures. A lot of history in these amazing structures: major events, burials, events that moved the world to remember: Luther nailing his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg that began a reformation! Or the move in Leipzig that brought down the Berlin Wall? Or t...

Introducing Jesus Exodus 3:13-15 Long Creek Baptist Church  Sunday, September 17, 2023 Introduction  The need for a cultural translator- Hajo helped by explaining the cultural realities of living in Germany. We face something similar when it comes to understanding life in the Kingdom of God.  That is the job of the Holy Spirit. Read Text The need to know more about who God is.  I AM speaks to his...

Introduction to Jesus in Genesis: Abraham and his son offered on Mt. Moriah, present day Jerusalem and the place of Solomon’s temple. Also, Joseph is the most perfect illustration of Jesus in the OT: sold by his brothers for money into slavery, falsely accused of immorality and thrown into the dungeon, left for dead, raised and exalted to be Lord of all Egypt, savior of his family even those who b...

At the end of Acts, Paul continues to show that Jesus is the Messiah from Moses and the prophets.  It is the same that Jesus does from the end of Luke while on his way to Emmaus. Let’s look at some of those Scriptures over the coming weeks. Today I would like to look at some prophecies in the Psalms: and why they are so important and valuable to all of us.  As I was reading Reflections on the Psal...

The prayer before the execution. Praying for others to prepare them. How Jesus relied upon his Father.

The prayer Jesus taught his disciples. What can we learn from both how and what Jesus prayed?