IBCD Sermon Weekly

I think Grace really throws people. Grace is the idea that someone, in our faith we are usually talking about God, would do something kind, often sacrificial, with no expectation of repayment or returning the action in kind. Over the years I have realized that some people can accept a graceful act from another person with a simple “thank you, that’s very kind of you” and go on with life in a bette...

In today's sermon, Joseph has made peace with his life and is even grateful for his situation and at true peace. Then God turns his life upside down. In the process, Joseph is set upon the destiny he had thought was lost forever.

Sunday Sermon by Avi Snyder

Joseph makes it from the bottom to the top, several times. He achieves great success. But what if I tell you that his even greater success lies elsewhere? The Bible talks about success very differently than the world does. Biblical success is all about knowing God, glorifying God, and being known by God. Joseph pursued that kind of success, as did Jesus.

It seems that in the darkest of times the light of God shines most brightly. For many this light changes the course of their life. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard people, and I am sure you have as well, who say that the most painful time of their life was also the time of the most impact when God took hold of them and changed their course forever. Joseph experienced this, as did Jesu...

When we allow bitterness to control our lives, then we have become a pathetic creature. We are pushed around by our feelings because of the actions of others. As a pastor I have seen people be emotionally stuck, airing out the same grievances for years, finding any sympathetic ear to listen (which is usually someone they have recently met) until this new person also tires of hearing the bitterness...

There are many parallels in the life of Joseph of the Old Testament and the life of Jesus. One of the parallels is that they both experienced betrayals. Betrayal is one of the hardest pains to deal with. It leads to bitterness, resentment, and anger within our soul. So how do Joseph and Jesus deal with betrayal? We begin to answer that (but do not finish it) today.

Today we are starting a series on the lives of Jesus and Joseph. The Joseph we are talking about is not the one from the New Testament, but rather one found at the end of the book of Genesis. I don’t think it was just happy coincidence that the adoptive father of Jesus Christ was also named Joseph (who also dreamed important dreams) because in many ways the life of the Old Testament Joseph and the...

Jesus' coming on a donkey symbolized humility and peace. It's not necessarily what the people expected but it is what they needed! How can we follow His example?

The entire letter to the Galatians has been a reminder, again and again, that there is only one way to build toward an eternal future, and that is to place your investment into eternal hands. Those are the hands of Jesus. We cannot live a life of sin, which is by default an investment into sin, and pay lip service to Christ and expect to live in the blessing of God today and for eternity.

I cannot tell you how many times I have known pastors, elders, and other well-meaning people in their churches brought down by the very thing they are trying to step in and prevent in the life of another person. I have known people to get into affairs with the people they were trying to council out of having an affair. I have known people sucked into crippling gambling addictions who were introduc...

In order to do God's will, we cannot rely on ourselves. Thus, Paul tells us to walk by the Spirit! But what does he mean with that? How can we walk by the Spirit?

Today we are looking at some things which can cut in on you and keep you from obeying the truth as you run the race of faith. And, like yeast that works its way through the whole of the dough, these things are all related to one another to make up the impossibly inedible loaf of salvation through our own works and self-righteousness.

A lot of what it means to be happy, to be content – not complacent – but content, to have joy take place within our hearts and minds. To be sure, our physical situation affects how we feel about love, faith, hope and joy, which is why the Bible says if you are a slave and can gain physical freedom you should do so – but the physical is also temporary and that which is temporary is not a place to p...

So, in the sermon today I’d like to explain some of the understandings I have and most of our leadership has around the functions of the church and the involvement of the people which make up the church. The reason I’m doing this is many folks here do not come from a “Baptistic” background and also churches vary from place to place as to how they function and why. In addition, I think many of you...

Discipleship is a core aspect of discipleship. A common danger in that journey is that believers start turning back to the earthly principles. How does the fact that God knows them save them from that danger?

Freedom and Grace often go together in our minds. But Grace in Christ does not mean we are free to sin! But how do we live in a Christ-centered freedom? Galatians 4:6-7 6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

By faith Christians follow a person, trusting in his character and deeds, not a Law which served only to show how inadequate we are as human beings to follow any Law, be it administered by Kings or angels. This stepping away from following the Law of Moses to following the person of Jesus Christ as the path to righteousness was seen as heresy by many within Judaism. It took the Law, which was reve...

In my experience one of the most underappreciated aspects of Christianity is the nuance of works and faith. While the scripture makes it clear that we cannot earn our salvation through self-improvement or good works. However, our relationship with the Holy Spirit is to so affect our lives that we are, indeed, characterized by good works. How do works and faith work together?

Sunday Sermon by Christopher Uchegbuo Proverbs 3:5-6; Jeremiah 10:23

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent. The theme we are looking at today is “Love”. What does it mean that God loves us? How does the incarnation show us God’s love? I think one of the most important aspects of love, is the quality of empathy.

Today is the Third Sunday of Advent. The theme is “Rejoice”. The verse used in the more liturgical churches is Philippians 4:4: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" What’s interesting is that this is said in the context of conflict. The hope within the rejoicing and conflict is that there is the promise that the Lord is near.

The second Sunday of Advent has the theme of “Peace”. Peace is not just the hiatus between conflicts. The scripture tells us that there will always be wars and rumors of war, at least so long as sin is present in the world. So, peace has to mean something more than just the space between conflicts. This even goes for personal relationships. It is not really all that “peaceful” to be in between con...