Olivet Baptist Church

Conflict has the ability to disrupt and derail any relationship. The church is no different. When conflict arose in the early church, they handled it in a certain way - by selecting seven men to lead out in problem-solving service. Pastor Kevin Craft

What is the cost of following Jesus? Holding all things with an open hand, and holding tight onto Jesus is what it means to love Jesus more. When we follow Jesus, there are things that we will lose, but there are also rewards to be had as well.  Pastor Kevin Craft

Jesus does not sugarcoat the mission that He sends us on. We are sent out as sheep among wolves. But the mission is that important, and Jesus assures us that it is worth it.  Pastor Kevin Craft

People harassed, helpless, and wandering aimlessly. That's evident not just in a physical sense, but also in a spiritual sense. Everyone not in the kingdom of God is subject to these conditions, and Jesus has compassion on them. Jesus said that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few, so pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.  Pastor Kevin Craft

A blind taste test shows us that we might not actually know our favorite foods as well as we think we do. Sometimes it's hard to pick out a distinct taste without all of our faculties. But this is not the case with Jesus. Jesus is distinct. And throughout this chapter, He shows us how unique He is. Pastor Kevin Craft

Jesus continues to fulfill all that was spoken about Him as He performs miraculous healings. If we remember His authority and how we respond to His authority makes the difference between great faith, little faith, and rejection. Pastor Kevin Craft

Jesus says we need to have childlike faith. Childlike faith means that we trust God's word and we are excited by the message of the gospel. We have childlike faith, but not childlike maturity.  Reagan Berry

Jesus closes His sermon on the mount by presenting us with two paths: the path of life and the path of destruction. One is hard, one is easy. On the path of life, there will be those who might lead us off the path, and we must make certain that we are on the path ourselves. But if we are on the path, then we will make it through the storms of life into the presence of Jesus.  Pastor Kevin Cra...

It's easy to judge. It's also easy to tell people that they shouldn't judge. Jesus says we should do both. But we should do this in a certain way. Not like the Pharisees, assuming motives and being hypercritical, but like God judges - calling sin sin, and yet being merciful with sinners. In short, we should look in the mirror before we look out the window. We need help to do this. And this is also...

What does the government have the authority to do? As Christians, how do we know if the government is overstepping, and what should we do when they are acting outside their authority? Why should we even submit to government in the first place? Jesus' interaction with the religious leaders helps us think about how to interact with the government. Pastor Kevin Craft

One of the challenges that new investors in the stock market have to overcome is trading with their emotions. Emotional trading can lead to poor investment decisions. And yet it is understandable that we are emotionally invested in our money, because it is our livelihood. This principle comes from the Bible, and in this passage, Jesus teaches His disciples that where our treasure is, there our hea...

"You're running around like a chicken with its head cut off!" Not having a head is not good; it is not life-giving. One cannot thrive without a head. The Bible says that Jesus is the head of the church, and the husband is the head of the wife. And so on this Father's day, we want to think about what it means to be the head. You could sum it up in a word - leadership. Pastor Kevin Craft

When you hike to the top of a mountain, often you'll look out and see a majestic view. And that grandeur and beauty moves you. This passage in Colossians is a passage that gives us one of those grand views of history and how God's plan throughout history has been focused on Jesus. Pastor Kevin Craft

What makes something good? Is it the end result? What makes someone a hypocrite? Is it what they do? Jesus answers both those questions as He talks about the heart of someone who is seeking after God through spiritual disciplines. Pastor Kevin Craft

What does it mean that Jesus was the fullness of the law? We don't have to wonder; the New Testament gives us examples. And here Jesus explains what the fullness of the law is and how we as citizens of the kingdom of heaven are supposed to live. This is the greater righteousness that Jesus calls us to. Pastor Kevin Craft

Am I required to follow all the rules in the Old Testament? If not, why are they there? Jesus says that He fulfills the entire Old Testament and that all the Old Testament points to Him. Pastor Kevin Craft

Cultures have unique character traits that are more prominent than others. The culture of the kingdom of heaven is no different. There are certain traits that disciples of Jesus are supposed to display as they live as citizens of the kingdom of God. Here, at the beginning of the sermon on the mount, Jesus lays out what a kingdom citizen looks like. Pastor Kevin Craft

Clothing styles come and go and come again. But there are some fashions that never fade. God tells us what characteristics are always in style for a godly wife and how a wife can best influence her husband toward godliness. This is a picture of a godly woman who hopes in God. Pastor Kevin Craft

Why is following Jesus such a good thing? What does it actually mean to follow Jesus? What happens when we follow Jesus? This passage marks the start of the earthly ministry of Jesus and the dawning of light in the kingdom of darkness.  Pastor Kevin Craft

Christ is risen! Peter's first sermon declared that Jesus proved He was the Lord and Messiah not just because He had died, but because He rose from the dead. His resurrection not only left us an example, but delivered us from the power of death. Pastor Kevin Craft

Silence can be something that we enjoy. Silence can be something that we dread. It can give us rest from external noise, but it can also amplify what is inside of us. Jesus is not unfamiliar with silence. He shows us the power of composed silence and He experienced the silence of God. He did all of this in His death so that we would not have to experience the silence of God. Pastor Kevin Craft

"You just need to speak things into existence." Sometimes this is what people say, or the mindset that we might have - that we can make good things happen if we just stay positive. But the Bible shows us that what matters more than our words is what God says. His words show us reality. In this passage we see a declaration about the kingdom of heaven and who is a part of it, and a declaration about...

There are patterns and types and prophecies throughout the OT. All of these are meant to prepare us for what the Messiah will be like and what He will do. In Matthew 2, we see that Jesus is this Messiah, the one who fulfills all of the patterns and types and prophecies. He is the Messiah, the Son of Abraham, the Son of David, the Son of God.  Pastor Kevin Craft

Jesus is the Messiah, the King who eternally reigns. But He did not come and reign like we would expect. He came to deliver His people from something very specific - the main thing that we all need deliverance from. Pastor Kevin Craft

Knowing something about who came before us, can have an impact on who we are. Knowing who came before Jesus, can tell us who Jesus will be. This is what Matthew announces to us at the beginning of his gospel. It is announced to us that Jesus is the Son of David and the Son of Abraham. He will be the eternal King who will bring blessing to all the nations of the earth.  Pastor Kevin Craft