Neely’s Bend Baptist Church Sermons

While running the race as Christians there are going to be times where we become weary but we must lift our drooping hands, strengthen our weak knees, make straight our paths, strive for peace and holiness and just keep running. All the while, our brothers and sisters in Christ are watching over us and cheering us along. May we never stop running. 

Discipline is not a word that many like to hear but in this passage from Hebrews 12:4-11 the author teaches how God utilizes suffering for disciplining (teaching and educating, not punishment) His children. As a matter of fact the Father's discipline is beneficial because it comforts them, reminding them they are His children and secondly because it is for their good. 

The Christian life is a marathon and we are called to run the race with endurance. Hebrews 12:1-3 offers three encouragements to run the race set before us and they are learning from the examples set before us, laying aside weight and sin, and lastly, looking to Jesus. 

In this final section of chapter 11 the author completes his list of faithful people of old who have been commended through their faith. He expounds on how they were empowered by faith, marked by faith, and commended by faith which is all results of those that live by faith. 

Trusting God can be challenging to do when it feels like the world is against you. This is exactly the situation the early Hebrew church was in. The author here demonstrates how Moses' parents, Moses himself, the people of Israel at the Red Sea, the army of Israel at the walls of Jericho, and even Rahab the prostitute all by faith considered God trustworthy. 

Having faith in God means that we are considering Him to be faithful to His Word and promises. In this sermon we see Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph all consider God faithful and trust in His promises. They lived by faith by being obedient and trusting God until death. 

Can we as humans please God? Only by faith can we please God. In this passage in demonstrating to this early Hebrew Church to persevere by faith, the author begins illustrating to them people of old who pleased God because they had faith in God. 

What is faith? In this sermon from Hebrews 11:1-2 Pastor Austin seeks to expound on what faith is. Faith is the assurance of things hoped, faith is the conviction of things not seen, and faith is how people are commended. Faith matters and the object of that faith must be none other than Jesus Christ. 

Christians are going to face suffering and persecutions in their lives at some point because they follow Jesus. When these sufferings and persecutions come they must endure with faith by remembering the confidence they have in Jesus and the salvation He gives. 

In Hebrews 10:26-31 the author presents to us a warning. A warning to not go on sinning deliberately because those that do, there no longer remains for them a sacrifice for sins and judgment is expected. The reality is, the one who goes on sinning after having a moment in their life where they received the knowledge of truth they desecrate the sacrifice of Jesus, the blood of Jesus, and the Spirit...

After spending the first 10 chapters describing to us who Christ is and how He is greater the author transitions in Hebrews 10:19 to teaching us how to live in response to who Christ is. In Hebrews 10:19-25 we are exhorted to live by drawing near to God, holding fast the confession of our hope, and by stirring one another to love and good works through meeting together.

Was Christ's sacrifice enough? In this sermon from Hebrews 10:1-18 the author describes in detail how and why Christ's sacrifice was sufficient.

Why do we as Christians care so much about the blood of Jesus? Its ultimately because blood matters in the Christian faith and without the shedding of blood there would be no forgiveness of sins. Jesus' blood is better than the blood shed by animals under the Old Covenant because it is effective at changing one's heart and making them pure.

Jesus' sacrifice of Himself is different. Drastically different than any sacrifice that was given under the Old Covenant and that makes Jesus' sacrifice better. In this sermon from Hebrews 9:11-14 the author demonstrates three ways Jesus' sacrifice is better.

The Old Covenant that was established with Moses and the Israelites had limitations and restrictions. The people of Israel were limited in how and where they could worship God, they were limited in their access to God, and they were limited in their pardon. This sermon from Hebrews 9:1-10 exposes all of that and points us forward to Jesus and how he has paved the way for His people to be able to f...

What makes the new covenant better? This question is answered in this sermon from Hebrews 8:6-13 as the author presents three promises that prove it to be better than the old covenant.

There are many reasons we should worship Christ but in this sermon we are going to look at three specific motivations why we as Christians, as followers of Jesus should worship Him in relation to His high priestly role.

In the final sermon of the three part series we look at the final three reasons why the better priest is a better hope and brings a better covenant from Hebrews 7:11-28. He is the guarantor, he is permanent, and he is perfect! 

The better priest has ushered in a better hope. The Old Testament priests were not able to offer a perfect hope because they were weak and useless but Jesus, who is not a priest based on the legal requirement but was rather instituted as a priest upon his resurrection gives a better and perfect hope. 

In this 3 part series of seeing seven reasons why the better priest is the better hope and brings a better covenant, Pastor Austin starts the series off with the first two reasons. The better priest allows perfection to be attained and the better priest is a king.

Who is Melchizedek? In this sermon pastor Austin explores and answers this very question and in seeing who Melchizedek is, we also see who Jesus is. He is the king of righteousness, king of peace, and the greater priest. 

As Christians we have a hope and that hope is Jesus Christ and what He has accomplished for us on the cross of calvary. In this sermon from Hebrews 6:13-20 we see two encouragements for us to hold fast our anchor hope.

After admonishing and warning the Hebrew church in chapter 5:11-6:8 the author now encourages the Hebrew church in chapter 6:9-12. In this encouragement we are able to get three expectations of Christians.

This sermon is from Hebrews 5:11-6:8. This passage is a warning passage, a warning to not fall away from Jesus. In this sermon we see that Scripture teaches of 3 ways to persevere. Go on to maturity. Continue believing in the works of Jesus. Be a fruit producer.

In the previous passage the author of Hebrews stated that those who had become dull of hearing were in need of milk rather than solid food. Now, in Hebrews 6:1-3 the author expounds on what that milk is in the form of elementary doctrines of Christ. These doctrines are to be a foundation for us as believers and we must build upon them growing in maturity.