Highlands Baptist Church Sermons (Centennial, CO)

We approached the ninth chapter of John using a method valuable for personal Bible study. This approach involves five steps: observation (what does the text say), interpretation (what does the text mean), generalization (what is the main idea of the text), application (what difference does it make), and implementation (what must I change based on this text for my ongoing sanctification). Unlike th...

John 5 summarizes Jesus's miraculous healing of a 38-year invalid at the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath, sparking conflict with religious leaders who accused Him of law-breaking, leading Jesus to assert His divine authority and unity with God as the source of life and judgment, and culminating in His discourse on the testimonies (works, Moses, John the Baptist) proving His identity and the call t...

In John 8, Jesus stands at the center of accusation, controversy, and longing, revealing who he truly is. He refuses the false choice between grace and truth, exposing religious hypocrisy while removing condemnation from the guilty and calling sinners into real transformation. Declaring himself the light of the world, Jesus identifies himself as the returning glory of God. God’s glory is no longer...

In Luke 2:8–16 we see the humility of Christ, who entered the world not in power or splendor but as a baby in a manger, announced first to lowly shepherds rather than rulers or kings. The angel’s message of “good news of great joy” revealed that the Savior had come for all people, and the heavenly host confirmed His glory with praise. Christ, who humbled Himself at birth, later humbled Himself to...

John 7 presents Jesus as the one who refuses to be managed by human agendas and instead calls for a decisive response to who he truly is. Misunderstood by his own brothers and debated by the crowds, Jesus exposes the difference between worldly belief that wants to use him and true faith that submits to him completely. As opinions swirl, John makes clear that neutrality about Jesus is impossible. T...

John 6 moves from a miracle the crowds loved, to an encounter with Jesus the disciples feared, to a teaching many rejected. All together these accounts reveal Jesus doesn’t just give bread, he  is the Bread of Life. In the feeding of the 5,000 he shows he is not simply sufficient but overflowing and abundant. When he walks on the water he reveals himself as the divine “I AM” who rescues. In his Br...

John 3–4 brings together two very different people: Nicodemus, the respected religious insider, and the Samaritan woman, the broken moral outsider. While these people appear to be stark contrasts the conversation shows both share the same spiritual need: a Savior who can give new birth and living water. Jesus exposes the emptiness of self-salvation, whether through performance or desire, and offer...

John 2 reveals that Jesus came to replace empty religion with a joyful, transforming relationship. At the wedding, he turns the water of ritual cleansing into the wine of abundant and joyful grace. and in the temple he removes everything that blocks true communion with God. Jesus turns over the tables in our lives not to harm us but to heal us. Jesus is the true Temple—the One who brings eternal j...

John 1 reveals the stunning truth that the meaning of life is not found in abstract principles or personal achievement, but in a person. Jesus Christ is the Logos – the reason, order, and purpose behind all creation. He entered our world so we could know God personally and experience true life in Him. In Jesus, we find the light that darkness cannot overcome, the love that defines reality, and the...

Psalm 72 paints a breathtaking vision of the King the world longs for—a righteous, peaceful, universal, and compassionate ruler whose justice flows from God himself. This psalm finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the true Son of David, whose reign brings healing, wholeness, and blessing to all nations. Under Christ's rule, majesty is displayed through mercy, and peace abounds as creati...

Psalm 71 is a heartfelt testimony of faith that endures through every season of life from youth to old age. This psalm calls believers to see aging not as decline but as opportunity to declare God’s faithfulness and hand on hope to the next generation. Because of Christ, you can look back with thankfulness, look forward with hope, and live now with purpose. Whether in strength or frailty, we can s...

Psalm 70 is a brief but powerful cry of urgent faith. We see David, pressed by danger and sorrow, calling upon God to act swiftly—not in panic, but in trust. Even amid persecution, David turns from fear to worship, urging all who seek the Lord to rejoice and proclaim, “God is great!” His honesty in prayer, his confidence in God’s justice, and his humility in dependence all point to a greater Deliv...

Psalm 69 is a prayer of distress and deliverance, that expresses David's suffering caused by his enemies. He feels like he is drowning in despair and appeals to God for help and justice against his persecutors. The psalm also contains messianic prophecies about Jesus's suffering, his zeal for God, and his crucifixion. The psalm helps us remember that personal suffering can be seen as part of God's...

In Psalm 68 David labors to inspire the praise of God’s people. He does this by reminding them of God’s righteous character and his past saving acts – beginning in the Exodus and wilderness wandering, the conquest of the land of Canaan, and culminating in God’s arrival in Jerusalem. He then anticipates God’s future victories when all nations will lift their hands to the Lord. As Christians, we hav...

In this chapter Paul tells the Thessalonian believers that he had sent Timothy from Athens to Thessalonica to encourage them, and to learn how they were getting along in the Christian life. He reminds them that his sufferings were not unexpected but were predicted. Paul states that Timothy had returned with good news about the Thessalonian believers' enduring faith and love. Paul indicates he has...

Psalm 67 envisions a world where God’s blessing fuels mission, drawing all nations to know his salvation and rejoice in his presence. The shining face of God—secured for us through Christ—brings true joy, security, and deep transformation. This psalm reminds us that God blesses us not to hoard happiness but to share it, anticipating the day when every tribe and tongue and nation will join together...

This Psalm of thanksgiving highlights God’s awesome power, faithfulness, and redemptive purposes through the lens of worship, suffering, and deliverance. The message emphasizes that God is not only worthy of praise for His acts of salvation but also for His sanctifying work in the lives of His people. Whether reflecting on Israel’s rescue through the Red Sea or personal seasons of hardship, the ps...

Psalm 65 is a song of praise overflowing with joy in God’s grace, presence, and generosity. It begins by celebrating the God who brings sinners near by atoning for sin. It then lifts our eyes to the One who formed the mountains and calms the seas, reminding us that his presence brings stability in the midst of chaos. Finally, it paints a rich picture of God’s abundant provision, where the earth it...

Psalm 63 and 64 show us both the joy of longing for God and the reality of facing enemies and hardship. In the wilderness, David expresses a deep thirst for God’s presence, describing God’s steadfast love as “better than life” and finding satisfaction and joy in him alone. At the same time, David acknowledges the anguish caused by enemies and their schemes, yet takes refuge in God’s justice and pr...

Psalm 62's central message is to trust in God with all one's soul and to wait silently for him. Throughout this Psalm, God is described as a rock, a fortress and salvation to those who trust in him. David also contrasts God's reliability with the unreliability of people, who may be deceitful and may be overcome by worldly pursuits of riches. The psalm concludes with a reminder that God exhibits an...

Psalm 61 provides some strategies for enduring seasons of discouragement and distance from God by showing us how to cry out in prayer and take refuge in him. David reminds us that God is both strong and tender—our rock, tower, dwelling place, and sheltering wings. God is experienced as a refuge through his promises which find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Christ was the one who exper...

In Luke 24:36-53 we learn how the resurrection of Jesus is both a historical reality and a deeply personal, transformative truth.  The resurrection turns sorrow into joy, affirms the hope of a real, embodied resurrection life for believers, and commissions us as Spirit-empowered witnesses to proclaim repentance and forgiveness to all nations. Far from being a distant theological concept, the resur...

In Psalm 60, David provides a roadmap for dealing with hard things. While it can be difficult to understand, God is ultimately in control of what a person faces in life and often uses times of struggle to reveal sin, build faith, and strengthen our trust in Him. During suffering and setback, God’s people should not lose sight of their purpose in the world – to faithfully proclaim the Gospel of Jes...

In Luke 24:13–35 we follow two discouraged disciples traveling on the road who unknowingly encounter the risen Jesus. Through their story, we are challenged to consider how our expectations and misunderstandings might blind us to Christ’s presence in our lives. What kind of Jesus are you looking for? Are you seeking someone to help you or someone to redeem you? As Jesus opens the Scriptures to the...

Luke 24:1-12 captures the moment when a group of women were stunned by what they didn't find in the tomb of Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus shook the world with life. This means Christians have much more than the profound sayings of a religious leader who died long ago. Christians relate with a living Lord through the living word. The Lord still speaks, transforms, and calls each of us into new b...