First Baptist Church of Jacksonville

When fear grips your heart, where do you turn? Pastor Andrew Morrell shows three realities from Psalm 56 that transform panic into faith: you're in good company—even King David struggled with fear; you're in good hands—God cares deeply and has infinite power; and there are good steps—trust God and worship him even in your scariest moments. Through Christ's victory over death, you have every reason...

Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and glorify God. In this message from Matthew 5:16, Pastor Scott Connell reveals that light's nature is to illuminate darkness—and as followers of Jesus, you are the light of the world. Your light shines through three dimensions: character transformation grounded in the fruits of the Spirit, words of truth spoken in love, and...

Dreams reveal God's purposes, prepare the world for Jesus, and point to the need for his Word. In this message from Genesis 41, Pastor Heath Lambert reveals three truths about biblical dreams: God uses dreams for revelation—speaking clearly to covenant people like Joseph and confusingly to outsiders like Pharaoh to exalt a covenant member and glorify himself; God uses dreams throughout Scripture t...

You're at your low point when suffering teaches you what you need most. In this message from Genesis 40, Pastor Heath Lambert shows how Joseph's simple statement—"Do not interpretations belong to God?"—reveals three transformations: Let hard times teach you to be humble by removing pride and self-exaltation; let hard times teach you to care by noticing others' troubles instead of fixating on your...

True worship isn't about empty religious performance—it's about loving God and loving others. In this message from Micah 6:6-8, Pastor RJ Lago exposes Israel's hypocrisy: they offered sacrifices and ceremonies, yet God rejected their worship because they lacked love for their neighbors. God's answer is clear: "Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God." True religion requires both p...

Even when everything works against you—your circumstances, your relationships, your reputation—God is still with you. In this message from Genesis 39, Pastor Heath Lambert shows how Joseph was enslaved, falsely accused, and imprisoned, yet succeeded because "the Lord was with Joseph." But here's the incredible promise: you can have more of God than Joseph had. When you trust Jesus, the Holy Spirit...

God has plans for you, and they are good. In this encouraging message from Jeremiah 29:11, Sean Perron shares three truths: God has plans for your life that provide comfort in uncertainty; God's plans are good, though not necessarily filled with prosperity—Romans 8:28 promises he works all things together for good through famine, trial, and tribulation, not avoiding suffering; and God is the goal...

How do you honor Jesus in the valley of the shadow of death? In this powerful and personal message from Isaiah 40:31, Trevor Komatsu shares about losing his son and reveals three ways to respond with faith when suffering: get your eyes on God by fixing them on his character and promises rather than your circumstances, recognizing he is eternal, all-knowing, and almighty; grab hold of God's power b...

What happens when jealousy takes root? In this message from Genesis 37, Pastor Heath Lambert exposes the bitter fruit of sinful jealousy through Joseph's story, revealing four devastating consequences: jealousy leads to destruction as the brothers sell Joseph into slavery; jealousy leads to despair as Jacob grieves over the deceptive news of Joseph's death; jealousy leads to delusions making the b...

We live in a world where people break promises, but God keeps his. In this message from Genesis 35-36, Pastor Heath Lambert reveals the scandalous reality that God reaffirms his promises to Jacob despite three reasons we'd expect him to withdraw them: personal wickedness including scheming, deception, sexual sin, favoritism, and cowardice; family wickedness like Reuben sleeping with Bilhah his fat...

In this sermon on Genesis 34, Pastor Heath Lambert walks through the tragic story of Dinah and the sinful responses surrounding sexual assault. He contrasts dehumanization, destructive anger, and dismissiveness with the redemption found in Jesus Christ, showing how the gospel brings healing, compassion, and hope in a broken world.

Why is it hard to praise moms? In this Mother's Day message from Proverbs 31, Pastor Heath Lambert addresses the reasons Mother's Day can be difficult — women wanting to be moms but aren't, people grieving great moms who've died, or people remembering bad moms who brought pain — but focuses on the most common reason: we're selfish and ungrateful, taking for granted the wonderful gift of our mother...

From nervous first-grader to preaching pastor. In this message on Isaiah 9:6, Pastor Tim Arndt reveals three gifts of the promised son: The son gives us light and joy by bringing hope to Zebulun and Naphtali's darkness through Jesus beginning his ministry in Galilee—healing the sick, casting out demons, and bringing joy where doom scrolling never could; the son gives us freedom and peace like the...

Where are you lazy? In this message from Proverbs 24, Pastor Sean Perron stares at a sluggard's overgrown field to reveal three lessons: laziness reaps hardship slowly over time until your field is ruined with thorns and thistles—the thief comes invisibly through a little scroll, a little social, a little me time until poverty arrives like a robber; laziness reveals our hearts by choosing our sche...

Are you ready to restore? In this message from Genesis 33, Pastor Heath Lambert shares a painful Christmas night story—a gun, frostbitten feet, foster care, and a brother's vow never to speak to their mother again—before revealing how Jacob and Esau's restoration offers hope. Discover three factors behind restoration: time adds perspective that you weren't the only sinner and that eliminating ever...

Can you define trust? In this message from Proverbs 3, Pastor Coty Hoskins reveals what it means to trust the Lord through three simple statements: You are God—acknowledging His self-existence, power, and relational nature by knowing him through his Word; I am not—admitting you're not God and stopping the pattern of forgetting him like Israel did with the golden calf; and I need you—letting God ma...

God is calling special Kingdom servants for a special time. In this message from Genesis 32, Pastor Heath Lambert reveals how God prepares servants for very special Kingdom tasks—from Jacob at Peniel to Moses at the Burning Bush, David facing Goliath, Paul on the Damascus Road, and Billy Graham in 1949. Discover three realities in God's preparation: his call includes confrontation through confusin...

Decades of relational sin are coming due. In this message from Genesis 32, Pastor Heath Lambert reveals what to do when you face a relational reckoning—when past mistreatment in relationships catches up with you, and consequences hang over your head. From Jacob's cruel deception of his brother Esau to his brother's threat to kill him, discover three crucial steps for facing broken relationships: r...

Why do headlights matter? In this message from Psalm 119:105, Ryan Trzeciak reveals how God's word functions like headlights piercing through life's darkness—the unknown future ahead and the sinful world we add to through our own sin. From Carl Benz's 1886 patent to oil lamps that leaked into combustible engine compartments, discover three ways to be led by the light of God's word: God's word show...

You should have two questions about the resurrection. In this Easter Sunday message from Colossians 3, Pastor Heath Lambert addresses both: Did it happen? And does it matter? While most have settled the first question, the second might be more relevant—it's possible to believe something is true and miss how important it is. Discover three life-changing realities because Jesus is alive: the resurre...

Are you taking the right test? In this Easter week message from Romans 4, Pastor Heath Lambert reveals that God isn't the one being tested at the resurrection—we are. Just as Abraham passed his test by believing God's miraculous promise about becoming a father at 100, we face our own season of testing: will we believe God raised Jesus from the dead? From grocery store magazines questioning the res...

Missions exist because worship doesn't. In this testimony from Psalm 67, Grady Walker shares how First Baptist Church sent 56 students and leaders to Panama City during spring break to spread the Gospel among unreached people groups. From running backyard Bible clubs with joyful Panamanian kids who lived in poverty but gave everything away, to meeting the chief of a tribe on a remote island and gi...

Palm Sunday is about kingship—and so is Psalm 2. In this message, Pastor Heath Lambert reveals how this ancient psalm explains the chaos and confusion of 2026, from global politics to cultural wars. Discover three key words that unlock our world: Raging, where nations from Iran to America openly or subtly defy God's kingship over marriage, gender, and life; Laughing, where God in heaven scorns the...

The Lord is my shepherd—but do you really know what that means? In this rich exploration of the Bible's most famous chapter, Pastor Seth Singleton unpacks the stunning imagery of Psalm 23:1, revealing four profound truths: the Lord is a good shepherd who knows every sheep intimately and defends them mightily, the Lord owns his sheep purchased through Christ's death, the Lord's sheep follow him in...