North Bryant Baptist Church

1 Corinthians 1.        Among the churches written to and about in the Bible, there is one which stands out as being probably the most problematic; the church at Corinth. Among the issues of this church, there was one issue that the Apostle Paul addresses first because it is the very foundation for all the rest of the problems in that church. People within the congreg...

“Living Skillfully in the Fear of God.” A series by Dr. Matt Thornton through the book of Proverbs.        Wisdom seems to be getting less and less desirable in today’s world. Not only that, but people often look for it in all the wrong places. The Scripture tells us that wisdom comes directly from God. While that is certainly politically, culturally, and from a human...

1 Peter 3:1-6.        “Salvation, Submission, Suffering.” A Study Through the First Epistle of Peter.        As Peter wraps up his discussion of Christ’s submission under unjust suffering, the theme of submission continues into the next chapter where he begins to talk about the home. Sometimes, when we are so focused on being submissive i...

“Living Skillfully in the Fear of God.” A series by Dr. Matt Thornton through the book of Proverbs.        King Solomon begins his marvelous book of Proverbs stating the book’s five-fold purpose; to know wisdom, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction, to give prudence to the simple, and to understand a saying in order to carry out its implications. As...

1 Peter 2:22-25.       “Salvation, Submission, Suffering.” A Study Through the First Epistle of Peter.       Peter has been giving us examples of how we are to look more and more like God and not like the world even though we live in the world. While we live in this world as privileged pilgrims, even though we are part of a greater spiritual Kingdo...

“Living Skillfully in the Fear of God.” A series by Dr. Matt Thornton through the book of Proverbs.      The book of Proverbs is incredibly full of marvelous wisdom from King Solomon, the son of King David. However, the wisdom found in this amazing book of pithy, memorable statements is from a much greater source and a much higher power. In the early chapters of First Kings, we...

1 Peter 2:18-21.      “Salvation, Submission, Suffering.” A Study Through the First Epistle of Peter.      In the ancient world, slavery was an unfortunate and bitter reality of life. In fact, was a major part of the economy in the Roman empire. It is estimated that one-third of the population of Rome were slaves as well as one-sixth of the empire as a whole...

Associate Pastor Connor Harris takes us through "The Dangers of Idolatry."    In today’s American culture, most people do not bow down to a wooden carving or a golden statue. The idolatry of today is much more subtle than that, and in some ways that makes it all the more dangerous to our spiritual health. Some of us often worship our goals in life, we put our families or our friends befo...

1 Peter 2:13-17.      “Salvation, Submission, Suffering.” A Study Through the First Epistle of Peter.      One of the hottest topics of today’s world, and especially American culture, is the subject of submission – specifically submission to human institutions that have authority given by God. Throughout Scripture, God gives examples of people who willingly...

Associate Pastor Connor Harris takes us through "The Dangers of Idolatry."    When Moses received the Law of God, the glory of God shined on Moses’s face and caused it to glow. Because of that, Moses would put a veil over his face so the shining glory would not be seen, presumably to not frighten the people. The problem is that the glory of the Law was fading, and by veiling his face, Mo...

1 Peter 2:11-12. “Salvation, Submission, Suffering.” A Study Through the First Epistle of Peter. In the second century, Aristides of Athens wrote that the greatest evidence for the validity of the Christian faith is the Christian lifestyle. If he is right, then that means that every Christian has the ability within them, and the opportunity around them, to be the greatest reason for someone else t...

Associate Pastor Connor Harris takes us through "The Dangers of Idolatry."    When God created man, He made us inherently His image-bearers. Not only that, but we were designed to fulfill a higher purpose – to glorify Him, love Him, and worship Him with our whole lives. The problem came when man sinned fell short of the glory of God. We fell short of the purpose for which God designed us...

1 Peter 2:9-10.   “Salvation, Submission, Suffering.” A Study Through the First Epistle of Peter.   Before God reached out and called the children of Israel His own, they were not even a "people" - not even an organized group. And now, because of God’s marvelous grace, they are His people! This remarkable reality is also true for every Christian. As Christians, we are united as a holy pe...

Associate Pastor Connor Harris takes us through "The Dangers of Idolatry." The psalmist said in Psalm 115 that those who worship idols become like them. Throughout the Old Testament, we can see that unfortunate reality manifested in the people of Israel. They become like the idols they worship and thus fail to be who God designed them to be, and they fail to accomplish the divine purpose He gave t...

Ezekiel 33.  During the Babylonian captivity, those who were left behind in Israel began to believe that God's judgment did not apply to them, or that they had successfully escaped God's judgment. Ezekiel, God's Watchman, earnestly warns the people that they are not outside God's watchful eye. From Ezekiel's example, we can learn so much about heeding God's warning, and that God always judges...

Associate Pastor Connor Harris takes us through "The Dangers of Idolatry." This is a timely series through the Old Testament and New Testament about what idols are like, how people who worship them become like them, what modern idolatry looks like, how Christians can guard against this sin, and what God has done to redeem us from our sin. Scripture: Psalm 115. Associate Pastor Connor Harris, Speak...

Psalm 120 Sometimes in life, we are faced with enemies that we cannot conquer. Thankfully, Christians serve the God who is indeed the mighty Conquerer and Deliverer. In Psalm 120, the psalmist describes an enemy that he cannot overcome and the mighty warrior God who can.  Associate Pastor Connor Harris, Speaker. Archive Date: 09/20/20

1 Peter 2:6-8. “Salvation, Submission, Suffering.” A Study Through the First Epistle of Peter. Before the foundation of the world, God elected Christ to be the chief cornerstone of His people. And everyone who believes in Him will never be disappointed in the power of God but will be instilled with the precious value of Christ’s sacrifice. However, for those who reject Him, that same stone that ho...

1 Peter 2:4-5. “Salvation, Submission, Suffering.” A Study Through the First Epistle of Peter. Since Jesus is chosen by God as the cornerstone of His church, we are called by God to be living stones, offering spiritual sacrifices, not just on Sunday mornings, but daily. Pastor Matt Thornton, Speaker. Archive Date: 09/06/20

1 Peter 1:24-2:3 “Salvation, Submission, Suffering.” A Study Through the First Epistle of Peter. Every Christian should desire to taste and see that the Lord is good. Do you crave the eternal Word of God? Does the love for God's truth rule in your life? Peter encourages his Christian readers to let their lives be, not only filled with the Word of God, but fully under its authority and power. ...

1 Peter 1:22-23 “Salvation, Submission, Suffering.” A Study Through the First Epistle of Peter. Since Christians have been made clean by our new birth in Jesus Christ, and since we are part of the family of God, we are called to love one another with earnest motives and purest hearts. This is all to be done because that is how God loves us. Pastor Matt Thornton, Speaker. Archive Date: 08/23/20

1 Peter 1:17-21. “Salvation, Submission, Suffering.” A Study Through the First Epistle of Peter. Because the Christian inheritance is perfect, imperishable, and eternal, and since time on earth is limited, we must take seriously the time with which we have been blessed to worship God and live as holy people of God. This holiness and hope is possible because of the predestined life, death, and resu...

1 Peter 1:13-16. “Salvation, Submission, Suffering.” A Study Through the First Epistle of Peter. The Christian hope is unlike any other hope because it is complete, and not halfhearted - looking ahead to the surety of Christ's return. And therefore, this Christian hope must be the driving force for holiness in the life of every Christian. Pastor Matt Thornton, Speaker. Archive Date: 08/09/20

Philippians 3:17-21.  When you decide to take on a task, refine a skill, or even pursue a career, it is always beneficial to look to someone better at that task than you. For Christians, it is always God's intention that we look to a good Christian example in a person who imitates Christ. Paul encourages the Philippians to look to him as that example. Associate Pastor Connor Harris, Speaker....

1 Peter 1:10-12 “Salvation, Submission, Suffering.” A Study Through the First Epistle of Peter. Pastor Matt Thornton, Speaker. Archive Date: 07/28/20