First Baptist Joplin

John Swadley | Luke 12:13-21 This powerful teaching from Luke 12:13-21 challenges us to radically rethink our relationship with money and possessions. When someone asks Jesus to settle an inheritance dispute, He responds not with legal advice but with a warning about greed—revealing that our real problem isn't getting our fair share, but understanding why we have what we already possess. Jesus cal...

John Swadley | 1 Chronicles 29:10-12 This powerful message confronts one of the most pervasive myths that quietly undermines our spiritual and financial well-being: the belief that we actually own anything. Drawing from King David's prayer in 1 Chronicles 29, we're invited to embrace a radical truth—everything in heaven and earth belongs to God. Not just the tithe, not just what we give to church,...

John Swadley | Matthew 6:19-21 This message confronts one of the most uncomfortable yet transformative areas of our spiritual lives: our relationship with money. Drawing from Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:19-21, we're challenged to recognize that our financial decisions are fundamentally spiritual decisions. The call isn't to earn more money but to surrender more fully to Jesus, recognizing that ev...

John Swadley | Mark 4:35 What happens when God calls us to cross over to 'the other side'—to reach people we've been taught to fear or avoid? In Mark chapter 4, Jesus drops a bombshell on His disciples: 'Let us go over to the other side.' This wasn't just a geographical journey across the Sea of Galilee; it was a mission into enemy territory, where everything they believed about God's love would b...

John Swadley | Luke 2:8-20 This powerful Christmas message reminds us that the first Nativity wasn't about being home with family—it was about coming home to God. Through the familiar story in Luke 2 of shepherds in the fields, we discover three compelling reasons to return to our heavenly Father this Christmas season. We're invited to understand that Jesus left His home in heaven so we could come...

John Swadley | Matthew 1:18-25 The Christmas story we think we know contains a scandal we often overlook. Matthew's account reveals Joseph as a 'sadiq'—a righteous man fully committed to God's law—facing an impossible choice. When Mary becomes pregnant before their marriage, the law demands public stoning. Yet Joseph's righteousness transcends mere rule-following. He plans to divorce her quietly,...

John Swadley | Luke 1:5-20 This powerful message takes us into the story of Zechariah from Luke chapter 1, a priest who struggled with doubt despite his faithful service to God. We encounter a man who was blameless before God yet experienced the deep pain of unanswered prayers—he and his wife Elizabeth desperately wanted children but remained childless into old age. When an angel appears to announ...

John Swadley | 1 Peter 5:1-7 This message from 1 Peter 5 challenges us to examine what makes a church truly healthy by looking at both leadership and followership through God's eyes. We're reminded that the church doesn't belong to any human leader—it belongs to God. The passage calls spiritual leaders to shepherd willingly, not for personal gain or power, but as humble examples who serve rather t...

John Swadley | Colossians 2:13-14 This message takes us deep into the heart of the gospel through Colossians 2:13-14, using powerful imagery that resonates with our human experience of guilt and the desperate need for cleansing. The sermon opens with a vivid childhood memory of falling into a cesspool—a visceral metaphor for how sin makes us feel dirty on the inside, desperate to be washed clean....

John Swadley | John 17:20-23 Unity isn’t just a nice idea; Jesus treated it like a supernatural power source. This message digs into John 17 and the opening chapters of Acts, where Jesus prays that His people would be one just as He and the Father are one. That prayer wasn’t just for the disciples in the upper room — it’s for us right now. This isn’t about agreeing on everything. It’s about choosi...

Chad Thompson | Joshua 1:1-9 This week’s message offers a timely and challenging reminder of the Great Commission and our calling to active discipleship. Drawing from Joshua 1, we see God repeat the command to be strong and courageous—four times—because He knew Joshua would face real fear. In the same way, we are encouraged to step beyond comfort and into obedience. The central truth is clear: God...

John Swadley | Acts 4:31-35 This week’s message flips our idea of “church” upside down. From Ephesians 2:19-20, we’re reminded that church isn’t a building, a program, or a religious chore. It’s the household of God — a family built on the foundation of the apostles with Jesus as the cornerstone. Christianity was never designed to be a solo project; it’s a team sport where we actually belong to on...

John Swadley | Ephesians 2:19-20 What if we’ve been seeing church through the wrong lens? This message from Ephesians 2:19–20 flips the script—reminding us that the church isn’t an institution, it’s a family. We’re not just attendees or spectators; we’re brothers and sisters, citizens of God’s household, built on Christ as our cornerstone. When we treat faith like a solo mission, we miss the point...

Jason Taylor | Romans 12:1-2 What if worship isn’t something we do—but the way we live? This message from Romans 12:1-2 flips the script on our Sunday routines, calling us to worship God with every part of our lives. We were made to worship, yet sin keeps pushing us to idolize everything else—our comfort, our careers, even good things like family or ministry. True worship means surrendering it all...

John Swadley | Acts 16:27-31 Pastor John Swadley reminds us that sharing Jesus isn’t just a duty — it’s the heartbeat of a healthy church. Through stories of a rotten tomato, a businesswoman, a fortune-teller, and a Roman jailer, he paints a vivid truth: everyone needs Jesus — the good, the bad, and the ordinary. Good people need Jesus because morality can’t erase sin. Bad people, even those who f...

John Swadley | Galatians 5:13-26 A Spirit-led life isn’t about rules; it’s about relationship. When the Holy Spirit leads, freedom becomes service, not selfishness. We stop living to please ourselves and start reflecting Jesus through the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The message calls us to stop operating on autopil...

John Swadley | Ephesians 2:10 In this week’s message, Pastor John challenges the church to leave the “luxury box” of comfort and get out on the field. Citing Ephesians 2:10, he reminds us that we’re not spectators—we’re God’s workmanship, created for good works that He prepared long before we were born. Through stories of real people—from a volunteer who changed a life with a donated car seat to a...

John Swadley | Revelation 2:1-5 This week kicks off our new series, Marks of a Healthy Church, with a powerful reminder from Revelation 2:1-5. The church at Ephesus had great works, strong doctrine, and perseverance under pressure—but Jesus said they had lost their first love. Through stories about camping trips, drifting currents, and even cereal-box prizes, Pastor John reminds us that our faith...

John Swadley | Matthew 4:1-11 This week’s message dives into how God’s Word gives us the real power to change. Too often we try to fight temptation with the wrong tools—like using a tape measure to loosen a bolt—but Jesus shows us the right one: Scripture. When Satan tempted Him in the wilderness, Jesus didn’t argue, explain, or compromise. He simply said, “It is written.” This sermon challenges u...

John Swadley | Matthew 7:24-29 In this message from Matthew 7:24–29, we’re reminded that spiritual growth isn’t about stacking up more knowledge—it’s about putting God’s Word into action. Jesus says the wise build on rock, not sand, and the difference is obedience. Hearing His words is step one. Living them out is step two. Flat faith happens when we only listen but never apply. But when we actual...

John Swadley | 2 Peter 1:16 Is the Bible just a cleverly made-up story, or is it the truth? In this message from 2 Peter 1:16, we’re reminded that Scripture isn’t myth—it’s eyewitness testimony backed by history, prophecy, and life-changing power. From Peter’s bold witness to fulfilled prophecies and the Bible’s raw honesty about human nature, the evidence is clear: God’s Word can be trusted. This...

John Swadley | Luke 15:11-24 In this week’s message, we dive into one of Jesus’ most unforgettable stories—the Prodigal Son. It’s more than a tale of rebellion; it’s a picture of the Father’s heart. The younger son runs wild, loses everything, and expects only rejection. Instead, his father runs to meet him, taking on the shame himself so his boy can come home. That’s the gospel: a God who doesn’t...

John Swadley | Psalm 119:97-105 We all drop everything to check a text message, but what if we treated God’s Word the same way? In this opening message of the Text Messages from God series, we’re reminded that Scripture isn’t just ancient words on a page—it’s God’s personal message to us. Drawing from Psalm 119, we see five life-changing truths about God’s “text”: it protects us, makes us wise, br...

John Swadley | Acts 19:1-5 Baptism isn’t a church ritual to check off—it’s a celebration of new life in Christ. Pastor John unpacks Acts 19, where Paul meets disciples who had only received John’s baptism of repentance. When they finally heard the truth about Jesus, they were baptized in His name. Baptism, he explains, is like a wedding ring: it doesn’t make you married, but it shows the world you...

Jon Smith Life is full of interruptions—some are divine opportunities, others are devilish disruptions. In this message, we explore the life of Caleb, a man whose “different spirit” kept his faith burning bright for decades through delays, detours, and disappointments. Discover three keys to keeping your fire for God alive: trusting Him completely, persevering patiently, and seizing the moment whe...