Grace Baptist Church Sermon Audio

Laying the Foundation: Around 50,000 remnants returned to Jerusalem. They successfully rebuilt the altar and laid the temple's foundation, a momentous event marked by shouting and music from the young, while the ancient men who remembered the original temple wept aloud. 14 Years of Idleness: Following this, adversaries arose who "weakened their hands," troubled them, and hired counselors to frustr...

On the second day, the chief fathers, priests, and Levites gather again around Ezra to study the law further. They discover the divine commandment that the children of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month. The people immediately retrieve branches (olive, pine, myrtle, palm, and thick trees) to build booths on their roofs, in their courts, in the courts of the house o...

Repentance: True restoration begins with humility and acknowledging wrongdoing. The speaker highlights David's simple confession to the prophet Nathan, "I have sinned," and compares this step to the Prodigal Son recognizing his mistakes and returning to his father. Removal: Believers must take action to cleanse themselves from the "filth" of sin and worldly distractions. The speaker emphasizes the...

Stewardship: God allows us to be a part of His work and expects us to be stewards of what He has entrusted to us. We shouldn't just strive to win a victory, but also to maintain it. Faithfulness: Faithfulness is the greatest resource God has, and it's what He is looking for in His people. It's not about being talented, but being faithful to God in whatever area He has called us to. People Matter:...

The Attack of Distraction: Nehemiah's enemies repeatedly tried to lure him away from his work under the guise of meeting. The speaker warns that believers must be cautious of outside influences that try to pull them away from what God has called them to do. Like Nehemiah, Christians must recognize that their spiritual work is the priority and refuse to "come down." The Attack of Slander: The enemy...

1. The Distraction of Compromise (Nehemiah 6:1-4) The Invitation to Ono: Nehemiah’s chief political enemies—Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem—send a message inviting him to a meeting in one of the villages on the plain of Ono. The Hidden Agenda: Nehemiah immediately discerns their true intent, noting, "but they thought to do me mischief." The plain of Ono was a neutral, borderline territory; the enemi...

The Universal Call to the Thirsty (Isaiah 55:1) An Urgent Cry: The chapter opens with the word "Ho!" (or "Come!"), which the speaker explains is an urgent, attention-grabbing command akin to a street herald shouting to a crowd. The Qualification: The only qualification required to receive God's gift is to be thirsty and to have no money. God explicitly addresses those who are spiritually bankrupt...

The Famine and Economic Crisis The Jewish people are suffering from a severe famine and economic hardship while trying to rebuild the city. To survive, buy food, and pay the king's taxes, many families are forced to mortgage their lands, vineyards, and homes. The crisis becomes so dire that some families are forced to sell their children into servitude to survive. 2. Exploitation Within the Commun...

The Reality of Grief: The pastor emphasizes that "Sarah died" and "Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her". He points out that faith does not remove the natural human response to loss, as seen in the lives of various biblical figures, including Jesus, who wept at the tomb of Lazarus. A "Sojourner's" Perspective: Abraham identifies himself to the sons of Heth as a "stranger and a sojou...

The World’s Perspective: The pastor notes that many, even within the church, mistake living well for having material wealth, a nice home, or a successful career. A Biblical Perspective: True living well means living in "hope of eternal life" and being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. This is an active, ongoing process rather than a one-time achievement. Core Themes of the Sermon The Importa...

Progress on the Wall: By this point in the narrative, the people had a "mind to work," and the wall was joined together to half its height. The Enemies' Tactics: Sanballat and Tobiah, introduced in earlier chapters, led the opposition. Their initial strategy was mockery and derision, calling the Jews "feeble" and claiming even a fox could topple their stone wall. Escalation to Violence: When mocke...

The Nature of the Test: The pastor clarifies that God "tempts" (tests) Abraham not to destroy him, but to develop and refine his faith. He emphasizes that these tests often target the things most personal and precious to a believer—their "Isaac"—which could be a child, a relationship, or a career. Abraham’s "Settled" Faith: A core point of the sermon is that Abraham was "settled" in his understand...

The Identity of Paul: The pastor emphasized that Paul identified himself as a "servant of God" (the Greek word doulos, meaning slave) and an "apostle of Jesus Christ". Paul viewed himself as someone who had completely surrendered his life and agenda to God's will. The Purpose of the Gospel: The pastor explained that the gospel is designed to produce a "transformed life". He stated that "truth that...

The message is broken down into four key principles: Shared Responsibility: Ministry is not reserved for a few "gifted" individuals or paid staff; it is a task distributed among all people, from priests and leaders to various craftsmen and merchants. Proximity in Service: Individuals are called to "build where they are," taking responsibility for the needs and ministries closest to their own homes...

The Struggle of Faith: He touches on the challenges of living by faith in a fallen world, acknowledging the moments of doubt and human failure, such as the birth of Ishmael. Joy through Faith: Sarah’s doubt turning into joy serves as a powerful reminder that God can redeem our failures and provide delight even after years of waiting. Separation and Integrity: The speaker reflects on the necessity...

Draw Near to God: The speaker explains that in the Old Testament, people needed a high priest to access God's presence, but Jesus's ultimate sacrifice tore that veil, granting believers direct access. Christians are urged to make their daily relationship with God their number one priority rather than just going through the motions. Hold Fast to Faith: Believers are encouraged to cling tightly to t...

The Importance of "Doing": Pastor Shettler emphasizes that spiritual growth comes from applying what you learn. He uses Joshua 1:8 to highlight that while meditation is important, the ultimate goal is to "observe to do" what is written (26:39-30:01). • Applying Truth to Life: The message stresses that the value of a sermon or Bible study isn't in how much information you collect, but in what you a...

The speaker bases his message on two primary passages: Matthew 18:18-20: This passage discusses the power of agreement in prayer. The speaker highlights the Greek root of "agree" (symphōneō), likening unified prayer between a husband and wife to a symphony that is "bound in heaven". Luke 11:5-13: This is the parable of the persistent neighbor asking for bread at midnight. The speaker focuses on th...

Human efforts to hide or avoid this reality are futile. Even with good intentions, parents will inevitably "mess up" their children because they carry their own "baggage". True brokenness occurs whenever we operate out of our "flesh" and fail to make biblical principles and God the foundation of our decisions and relationships. The Example of Nehemiah The speaker introduces the Book of Nehemiah as...

Shammah, son of Agee the Hararite, one of King David’s "mighty men" mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:11-12. The speaker highlights Shammah’s extraordinary courage during a Philistine attack on a field full of lentils. While the other Israelites fled in fear, Shammah took a solitary stand in the middle of the field to defend the crop, which the speaker interprets as a symbol of God’s provision and blessing...

The Work of the Father and the Son Divine Cooperation: Jesus explains that his work is a direct reflection of the Father's work, stating, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work". Equal Authority: The speaker emphasizes that Jesus claimed equality with God, which angered the religious leaders of his time. Life and Judgment: The Father has granted the Son the power to give life to whom he will and...

The Discovery and Declaration The Empty Tomb: The women arrived expecting to care for a body but found the tomb empty after a great earthquake and the appearance of an angel. The Angel's Message: The angel provided a message of comfort ("fear not") and clarified that Jesus had risen as he said he would. The Command: The women were instructed to go quickly and tell the disciples that Jesus was aliv...

The speaker emphasizes that the cross was not just a religious artifact but a place of immense suffering in multiple dimensions: Physical: Descriptions of the beatings, the crown of thorns, the nails, and the agonizing process of crucifixion. Emotional: The betrayal by Judas, denial by Peter, and being abandoned by his disciples. Relational: The pain of being rejected by "his own". Spiritual: The...

Spiritual Maturity and Temptation: The speaker emphasizes that no matter how long someone has walked with God, they are never immune to temptation. Even after witnessing God's judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah and receiving divine promises, Abraham repeated the same sin he committed in Egypt—lying about his relationship with Sarah. The Snare of Fear: Abraham’s failure was rooted in a fear of man rath...

The Nature of Expectations: The speaker notes that expectations shape how we view people and situations, often leading to disappointment when they are not met. He argues that many people reject Jesus not because He fails, but because He does not meet their personal expectations. A King vs. A Savior: When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the people were looking for a political king to overthrow Rome and pr...