First Baptist Church of Wisconsin Rapids

The eternal Word, God the Son, becomes flesh. Jesus came to save sinners, and to cast out Satan, the ruler of this world.

Luke tells about a Christ who is the perfect Son of Man and Son of God, who came to preach good news to the poor.

Mark presents the gospel of Jesus Christ, the powerful Son of God, and the suffering servant. Christ is far more powerful than any other being in all creation, and He has absolute authority. And yet His glory is not merely in His strength but in His willingness to use that strength to serve those too weak to save themselves.

Pastor Josh preaches through the book of Matthew. Matthew portrays Christ as the fulfillment of all the Scriptures, Israel's Messiah. You've heard about a Christ who loves you, but what about a Christ who calls you to repent?

God was faithful to bring Judah back from exile after 70 years through the proclamation of Cyrus king of Persia, but the returned exiles faced fierce opposition as they sought to rebuild Jerusalem. How this applies to the church today: the necessity to build with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other.

The name of God is never mentioned in the book of Esther, but the story is a powerful testimony to the sovereign working of a loving Father who works all things, both good and bad, for the good of those who are in Christ Jesus.

Prayer is consistently the most neglected spiritual discipline in the life of the church, and yet it is the most powerful weapon the church has at her disposal to besiege the gates of hell. Christian, get yourself to the school of prayer.

What is the long-term vision for First Baptist Church? We want to be a multigenerational church that holds to a historic Baptist confession of faith, and that speaks to the issues of the day. Listen in to see if that's something you want to be a part of.

The state of the church is more important than the state of the union. On any important mission, it is important to stop and take stock of how far the expedition has come, how far there is yet to go, and what it will yet take to get there. This is the State of First Baptist Church.

When Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem and besieged it and looted the Temple of the Lord, was God in control? Were the gods of Babylon stronger or wiser than Him? Would He still be able to bring His promises to pass? The story of Daniel is a great guide to help Christians live faithfully in our own exile under often tyrannical rulers, as we await the kingdom that is to come, when all is right.

So many have been to Christmas Eve kids' programs, but have you really gotten the full story about Christmas? Pastor Josh brings out some details you may not have known and drives home the main purpose of Christ's coming: to reconcile sinners to God.

Jeremiah the weeping prophet laments over the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon. The fierce anger of God over unrepentant sin, and the encouragement to hope in the darkest day because of God's faithfulness and compassion in sending His Son to bear the curse we all deserve.

God ordained marriage between one man and one woman in order to display His glory to all the universe, and to show His wisdom in His divine plan to send His Son to fight and die for a bride He so loves.

Fog is something you can't see through, you can't grasp with your hands, and it can disappear or appear without warning. According to the Preacher in Ecclesiastes, life is a fog. It's frustrating and confusing; it's beyond our ability to fully comprehend; we're here one moment and gone the next. What is the meaning of life? Why did God make the world the way it is, and where do these truths lead u...

There are two paths you can take in life: the way of wisdom and the way of folly. Which will you choose? Written as to a young son, Proverbs portrays wisdom as a virtuous woman appealing to men to seek life and folly as a seductress seeking to lure men to destruction. Lady Wisdom cries aloud in the streets. Will you hear her call?

Ever heard a sermon from Job? It's in the Bible for a reason. Job teaches that all suffering in this broken world is not a consequence for some personal sin. Sometimes bad things just happen, and we don't know why. And we must trust the goodness of our sovereign God even when times are bad, knowing He will work all things for our good in the end, for those in Christ.

Israel sang the Psalms in worship, and many Protestant churches did the same at the time of the Reformation. But would you feel comfortable singing some of the things found in the Psalms? Psalm 1 and 2 set the tone for the whole Psalter, and you might be surprised what they say.

Ruth is an often overlooked book in Scripture; in fact, it’s so discreet that some secretly wonder why it’s even in the Bible. But Ruth is treasure trove of timeless truth and encouragement to Christians. It exalts a God who clings to His people with steadfast love, stays true to His word against all odds, and redeems His people from a debt they could never pay. Almost like a Hallmark movie, it is...

We're picking up our series preaching through the Bible one book each Sunday with Zechariah. Zechariah speaks of a Branch who is to come to rebuild the temple and cleanse Israel from sin once and for all.

Christians gather together to worship God every Sunday. But what really is worship, what should it look like, and how do we know if our worship is acceptable to God?

How does a church get the gospel out to the community? Pastor Josh pushes for an evangelistic culture in the church, for prayer for the lost, for boldness, and a willingness to be rejected.

A church without the gospel is no church at all. But what is the gospel? It is an elementary teaching in the Christian faith, and yet layman and pastors alike oftentimes lose clarity in understanding what the gospel is and what it isn't. Pastor Josh tries to clear away the weeds in this sermon. The gospel is nothing we have done or can do, but only what Christ has done for us.

Is there a place called hell? What is it like? And who goes there? Does anyone? Would a loving God send sinners to eternal torment, "where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched"? Pastor Josh adds up the Scriptural evidence, addresses false teaching about hell, and applies the teaching to the Christian life.

It's not the brightest time in the history of the world and many people right now are wondering where to find hope. While "heavenly tourism" has grown popular in recent years, with bestselling books and movies like Heaven is for Real, we should look to Scripture for answers about the age to come. Pastor Josh preached a sermon building on the Biblical details of the hope of heaven and...

Final sermon in this series on First Baptist's founding documents. Church membership is important, and the way church members live is important. The blessings of church membership do not come without the duties of church membership.