4.3K
Downloads
228
Episodes
Follow along for Rev Kev's Sermons as well as place to keep up on News and Events that pertain to FBC in Independence, MO
Episodes
Sunday Jan 18, 2026
Sunday Jan 18, 2026
I was talking to a young man at a Christian ministers’ gathering a few weeks ago, and I asked him what position he held in the church where he served. He said he was a “worship leader.” I asked him what he meant, which seemed to throw him off a little bit. He hesitated as he explained his position, and I said, to clear up the discussion, “You mean you’re a musician?” He breathed a sigh of relief, smiled, and then began to talk about his work and background. It was a little awkward, I think, as the term ‘worship leader’ is usually ascribed to the music leader in a church. We had a good discussion, though, and all ended well. He seemed to be a fine young man, and probably does well.
The awkwardness was probably sensed more by me, as one of my pet peeves in the modern church is the oft-stated idea that “worship” is the musical part of a church service. It sounds good, and most people don’t question it, but defining “worship” as “music in a service” is a misguided understanding of the biblical teaching on worship in the Christian life.
The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the church at Rome, mentioned the practice of worship in the context of Discipleship. He said this, “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” 12:1-2 You can see from this passage that Paul understood the concept of worship to be the whole of one’s Christian experience; it is something you do, of course, when you gather in a Christian service, but it is, more importantly, a lifestyle that the Christian is to take on as he or she chooses to follow Jesus, every day.
Paul explains what a life of worship entails:
“present your bodies:” When one ‘gives’ their body to God, or ‘presents’ their body to God, it invokes the memory of the old practice of taking an infant to the temple in the Jewish faith, and presenting the child’s body as a ‘gift’ to God. Not only was it a way for the parents to commit to God to raise the child in faith, but it was also a way to birth and nurture the child’s faith and help that child grow in the years to come. When one matures and makes a conscious decision to follow Jesus as Savior, he “presents” his body for service to God; it is a way of saying to God, “I am yours.”
“a living and holy sacrifice:” Again, this refers to the common Jewish practice of making a sacrifice to God, out of love and devotion to Him. In this passage, though, the sacrifice is not a dead animal or grain but the believer’s gift of their time and energies in following Jesus. When you sacrifice your life: your time and energies, abilities, even monies, that is a ‘holy’ gift to God, set aside for his service. This is worship!
“acceptable to God:” A life lived in faithful obedience to God is the ‘gift’ that pleases Him! He is not looking for perfection, of course; he looks for obedience and faith, and the willingness to serve Him, in any and every way. Again, this is part of a ‘life of worship.’
“reasonable service of worship:” The word Paul uses here is literally “logical,” and not just “spiritual.” In other words, after receiving Jesus as Savior and committing one’s life to His service, it is logical and truly spiritual to live for Him! For the believer, a life without faith, service, and self-sacrifice is not spiritual, and it surely makes no sense at all. What you have in Jesus is just that good, and life-changing!
This is just a small part of the biblical discussion of worship, to be sure. Worship is a life of faith-service to God; it entails literally everything you do, as it all “proclaims” the faith that is in you, and brings glory to the God who saved you. Worship Him!
Please, join us in this grand endeavor; People need Jesus!
The best way you can support our ministry is by sharing this video with your friends and family!
💰 Give Online: Your contributions make our ministries possible. Give here
📲 Download our App: Stay up to date on all things FBC.Download the App
👍 Like our Page: Follow us on Facebook
📍 Visit Us: Join us every Sunday at 10:30 AM, 500 W. Truman Road, Independence, MO
Thank you for watching. We will see you next week!
Sunday Jan 11, 2026
Sunday Jan 11, 2026
The last time they were together, Jesus instructed his disciples, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “God therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
Just 50 days later, a dramatic event occurred during the Jewish holiday, the “Feast of Weeks,” that set the early Church on an unstoppable trajectory! In that week, there was a tremendous crowd in town, and on the Day of Pentecost, 50 days from the Easter event, the Holy Spirit came upon the crowd of disciples, and they all started speaking in tongues. People could see what looked like ‘tongues of fire’ among the crowd, and, more importantly, among the disciples of Jesus, because speaking to people from all over the world and overcoming the language barrier was no longer a problem! Somehow, the Holy Spirit moved among the crowd. Everyone could understand the disciples as they talked about Jesus, the Christ, and how he had been crucified and resurrected, so that all people might be saved from their sin. This is how the crowd responded, as they were moved to receive the message of Jesus: “So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:41-42
This is how God works through His people! He teaches us, encourages us, leads us to be bold in our proclamations about Jesus, and, most importantly, to live a life that is shaped by the understanding that sharing the Gospel message is what we are to be about. Years later, the Apostle wrote about this very question in his letter to the Church at Colossae. He addressed this need by making two points: One, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God may open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak for the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; in order that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.” 4:2-4 He was asking the Church to pray for his mission team, that God might use them to share the Gospel. In the following verses, he said this: “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, that you may know how you should respond to each person.” 4:5-6 Paul encouraged those in the Church to pray and be diligent, both in their Christian life and in the task of sharing the Gospel with those they encountered.
This was God’s plan for the Church! That Christians would learn eternal truths from scripture, pray for those without faith, and live and speak with others so that they might be saved. There were occasional miracles, to be sure, and, once in a while, a dramatic event might be brought about by God’s Spirit. God’s plan for reaching the world was the way of the individual disciple, working through the local Church, sharing the Gospel with their friends and family, and bringing them to faith.
This is God’s plan for you! Live and speak so that others may hear about Jesus, and make their salvation a matter of personal prayer. God can use our normal lives to bring others to faith as we are obedient to his leadership and love and serve others in the name of Jesus.
Please, join us in this grand endeavor; People need Jesus!
The best way you can support our ministry is by sharing this video with your friends and family!
💰 Give Online: Your contributions make our ministries possible. Give here
📲 Download our App: Stay up to date on all things FBC.Download the App
👍 Like our Page: Follow us on Facebook
📍 Visit Us: Join us every Sunday at 10:30 AM, 500 W. Truman Road, Independence, MO
Thank you for watching. We will see you next week!
Sunday Jan 04, 2026
Sunday Jan 04, 2026
I remember the question I asked my mother one morning, "Do we have to go to church? I was sick of going to church all the time! I had things to do: bikes to ride, pigs in the barnyard to tease, creeks to fish, and brothers and sisters to play with – and here I was, being forced to clean up and dress up, and go to church – again! I was all of 4 years old; my mother was the church pianist in our small, rural Baptist church, and my dad was a Deacon. We went to church all the time – in my young mind, it was a crazy way to mess up a perfectly good Sunday!
I smile now when I think of that morning; I was blessed that my parents were unrelenting in our church attendance. We prayed over our meals at home, we went to church, seemingly "all the time," and, before I knew it, I was in our church's Youth Group in High School, pursuing a cute little brown-eyed cheerleader that eventually became my wife, now of over 46 years. That was fast!
I smile because my parents' insistence on church attendance, "as long as you're living under my roof!" my Father roared, led me to a life I now see as orchestrated by our loving God. I first received Christ as my Savior. That simple decision of my 12-year-old self led to me to follow God's call into ministry; marry that cute little Baptist girl who shared the same values and experiences in the faith; and now, after over 45 years in ministry, have discovered that I have been blessed with wonderful, faithful, daughters and sons-in-law, and grandchildren who are all on the path to faith. I cannot imagine a better life for my family and me!
I have been forced to grow and mature in the faith, not just to lead others in ministry, but to survive what has been, at times, terribly difficult. And because of our shared experiences as a family, my daughters' own families are involved in ministries, serving others, and, even now, are calling me from time to time to ask questions about spiritual matters. We sometimes pray together; we celebrate our faith together, and we share concerns for our nation as 'fellow believers.' Almost without thinking, our choices in life and faith have led us to be "The Church," together as a family. Again, I cannot imagine a better life for me and my family!
We have lived the truth declared in the preaching of every generation since Moses: "God has a plan for your life."
The Prophet Jeremiah, writing to God's people who were living in exile after being conquered by the Babylonians, spoke of "God's Plan." He told them to build their lives, have families, raise them in faith, and seek the welfare of the cities where they lived. He summed up the instructions with the mention of God's plan: "For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11
God has a plan for your life, and it is the very best life you can imagine! It will not be perfect or necessarily easy, and there will be challenges and losses, as well as good days and bad. But as you live your life with faith and trust in God's teachings and leadership, you will be able to say, with this old preacher, "I cannot imagine a better life for my family and me!"
The best way you can support our ministry is by sharing this video with your friends and family!
💰 Give Online: Your contributions make our ministries possible. Give here
📲 Download our App: Stay up to date on all things FBC.Download the App
👍 Like our Page: Follow us on Facebook
📍 Visit Us: Join us every Sunday at 10:30 AM, 500 W. Truman Road, Independence, MO
Thank you for watching. We will see you next week!
Sunday Dec 21, 2025
Sunday Dec 21, 2025
Sunday Dec 14, 2025
Sunday Dec 14, 2025
Christmas is about Jesus, the "reason for the season," but not everyone responds with joy. In this message, we look at the reaction of King Herod, who became enraged at the thought of a new "King of the Jews" and sought to destroy Him (Matthew 2:16).
Jesus said, "He who is not with me is against me" (Luke 11:23). Herod rejected Christ violently. How will you respond to the Gospel? Will you count the cost, humble yourself, and place your faith in Jesus? The life you can live in Christ is the best life!
Support Our Ministry: Your financial support provides funding for outreach, upkeep, and essential resources. Thank you for your generosity! Give here: https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
Stay Connected:Download our App: https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence
Like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/
We look forward to this journey with you—see you next week!
Sunday Dec 07, 2025
Sunday Dec 07, 2025
I love Christmas! It is an outrageous celebration, outrageously expensive, and, without a doubt, absolutely distorted from the real ‘reason for the season.’ The truth is, many in America and around the world don’t have a clue about the real reason for this season of celebrations, decorations, donations, and gift-giving! Some think it’s all about the myth of Santa Claus and his sleigh, delivering toys to kids around the world. Others think it’s just a clever marketing strategy by business owners, hoping to sell record numbers of toys, dolls, and children's clothing for children of every age. And, not so surprisingly, there are a faithful number who remember the ‘reason for the season,’ which is, of course, the birth of the Christ Child, Jesus.
Jesus was the prophesied Messiah, who was God’s ‘cure’ for the fatal disease of the sin of humanity. We were created in purity and innocence by the hand of God, and he intended that we would live with him into eternity, in a loving, nurturing relationship. He would bless us and teach us the wonders of the universe, and we would all, literally, “live happily ever after!” Unfortunately, it was not too long before man rejected God’s leadership and chose to disobey God, thus causing a separation between man and God. Mankind was cast out of the Garden of Eden and was destined to live apart from God, struggling for an existence on a now-unfriendly planet. There was nothing man could do to ‘fix’ the problem, no matter how hard he tried. It was over almost as soon as it began! The ways of sin consumed us all, and we as a people have struggled for joy in this life ever since.
But God wasn’t finished with us! In his wisdom, he set in motion a plan to save sinful man: There would come an anointed one, Jesus the Messiah, who would be born through a miraculous conception, by a young woman, Mary, and her husband, Joseph. This special child would grow to live a perfect life and give himself up as the perfect sacrifice for our sin when he was crucified on the cross. This sacrifice would cover the stain of our sin and would, once again, enable all mankind to walk with God. God’s plan was that man might come to him and confess his sin, and turn over the leadership of his life to the God who created us all. In this ‘gift’ of the Messiah, and what came to be called the Salvation of God, He began to work, re-creating man in the image of his son, the Messiah, Jesus. By this process, God would cleanse us of sin, give us a new heart, and create within us the desire and ability to live a new life, which is the old life that God originally planned. This is the “reason for the season;’ which is a truly outrageous gift!
Let me encourage you to celebrate this outrageous season by receiving the wonderful gift of Salvation through the Christ Child, the One who grew to become Jesus, the Savior of the World. God loves you, desires to save you and give you a new life, and uses you to bless those in your life. This is the very best life for you, because it is the life you were created to live!
Your financial support is the backbone of our ministry, providing funding for outreach, facility upkeep, and essential resources. Your generosity fuels our mission and makes a real impact. Give here: https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
Stay updated by downloading our App: https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or liking our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/. These platforms keep you engaged and connected.
Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to this journey with you—see you next week!
Sunday Nov 23, 2025
Sunday Nov 23, 2025
The old country song closes with the words, “Where seldom is heard, a discouraging word, and the skies are not cloudy all day.” Many of you will remember the song “Home on the Range,” written by Daniel Kelley and Dr. Brewster Higley back in the 1940s, which became a classic. It sang of a place in time where everything was good, and the only words one heard were supportive and encouraging. A mythical place, to be sure, but it showed how desperately everyone needs to be encouraged!
It’s been close to 70 years since that song became popular, but it still makes sense to us today. I learned of the need for “an encouraging word” many years ago, during my time at one of my earlier churches, where I served as Pastor. I had begun to complain about everything, almost every day; at some point, my wife merely suggested that we might be better off if I quit complaining all the time! She was right, of course; I needed to hear encouraging words, and I needed to speak encouraging words – my wife needed to listen to them!
Interestingly, the Bible teaches us this very thought: “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29
Here are a few emphases of the larger passage, which contains verse 29:
Encouraging words build others up. “That it may give grace to those who hear.” v.29 People need to be built up by fellow Christians
.
Encouraging words reflect Christian experience. “Just as God in Christ has forgiven you.” v. 32 Our faith in Jesus gives us the joy of forgiveness and salvation, and a reason for hope in life.
Encouraging words please God. “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit.” v.30 Out of love and respect towards God, we are to speak in ways that will honor God and bring glory to Him. God feels the pain of our sin and depravity!
So here is an obvious way God wants us to relate to others: Let us all speak an encouraging word, seeking the best in life. When we are obedient to God’s teachings in scripture, we build others up, encourage them in the hard times of this life, and serve to give people hope, based upon the truth that God is always at work in every situation. There is a reason to be encouraged!
Your financial support is the backbone of our ministry, providing funding for outreach, facility upkeep, and essential resources. Your generosity fuels our mission and makes a real impact. Give here: https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
Stay updated by downloading our App: https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or liking our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/. These platforms keep you engaged and connected.
Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to this journey with you—see you next week!
Sunday Nov 16, 2025
Sunday Nov 16, 2025
Suppose you spend a lot of time watching social media these days. In that case, you will encounter a practice and value system that is leading many to choose paths that promise to make their lives and the lives of those they love more difficult. It’s not hard to understand, but if you’ve grown accustomed to it, it is tough to change. What am I talking about – it is allowing your emotions to determine the course of your life! Let me explain, by telling you a true story from my own life:
I grew up in a small midwestern town, where it seemed like everyone worked on their own cars; changing tires and sparkplugs, oil and air filters, and the like. We would work on our cars over the weekend, and then talk about our experiences all week at school; it was always fun! One week a good friend of mine, who drove a very nice, white, Ford Thunderbird, came in and told us a story that brought down the house with laugher. He had been working on his car, and was replacing some of the old, rusted suspension parts on the front of his car, and there was a large nut that was stuck on a piece of his frontend. This large nut resisted all his efforts to come loose. He banged on it, first with a hammer, and then a sledge hammer; when that didn’t work, he got his dad to light up a torch with a very hot flame, and heated the bolt to loosen it; nothing happened! This went on for a couple of hours, and my friend was getting increasingly frustrated with every minute. He continued to pound and heat and twist the stubborn piece of metal, until finally, it came loose. Except for the fact that it did not come loose – he broke the bolt, which wasn’t a bolt at all – it was a piece of a larger part of the car, and it could not be repaired. What this meant is that the simple and inexpensive repair he had begun, had suddenly turned into a very expensive nightmare. It was going to take another day, and a fairly large sum of money, to get his car drivable; He was furious! This is where the lesson on our emotions comes in. My good friend, who was intelligent and normally ‘under control,’ lost control of his emotions; in a rage, he picked up the large hammer laying next to the car, and beat the front fender of the car into a shredded, crumpled mess! So not only did he still have to fix the suspension, now he had to purchase a new fender, and paint it and put it on the car, before the car would be ready to drive. It was another week before he could drive that prized Thunderbird!
This is just an example of what can happen when we let our emotions get out of control. The details of any situation make no difference. When we allow our frustrations and anger to dictate our actions, we will exacerbate the problem. Christian or not, this truth applies to everyone, regardless of their social status.
At one point, the Apostle Paul wrote about the way our emotions can affect our lives and actions, and provided us with a couple of truths that, when applied, can guide our actions and transform our lives for the better. In Philippians 4, Paul wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice! Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-8 What Paul was saying is that one’s faith in Jesus is more than just concern for salvation; it is also an understanding that, in Christ, one’s way of thinking about life and experiences, and our feelings about those experiences, can be a function of our faith, too!
In our modern culture, there is much talk about one’s emotions and one's mental health. Here is what Paul might add to the discussion:
First, if we can develop a “forbearing spirit,” we can face life’s challenges with patience and self-restraint. We will accept the idea that not everything is a crisis, and we should learn to think through a situation before we act. V.5
Second, if we learn to think through the sources of our anxiety, God can help us calm ourselves and take these things to God in prayer. He can also enable us to see past our current distress. V.6
Finally, when we learn to look for the good in situations and focus our thoughts and energies on those elements of life, God is allowed to work. Additionally, He may help us see that, even in a crisis, there are blessings to be experienced, and that He may be at work in ways we do not expect. Vs 4, 8
God can help you in your daily life! When we learn to trust Him to work in our daily lives, He can help us clear our minds, calm our spirits, and approach the challenges we face with faith and hope. Trust Him!
Let me encourage you to place a high value on the important relationships in your life. Love more freely; forgive often; and, as much as is within you, act in a way that shows these people that you value your relationship with them. Finally, nurture these important relationships over the long term, so that at some point you might be able to lead them to a saving faith in Jesus.
Your financial support is the backbone of our ministry, providing funding for outreach, facility upkeep, and essential resources. Your generosity fuels our mission and makes a real impact. Give here: https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
Stay updated by downloading our App: https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or liking our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/. These platforms keep you engaged and connected.
Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to this journey with you—see you next week!
Sunday Aug 31, 2025
Sunday Aug 31, 2025
When I was in college, studying to become a minister, I came across a Bible tract titled something along these lines: “How to witness for the wrong side.” In the picture was a smiling, John Denver look-alike young man, casually dressed. He had the word “Jesus” in large letters across the front of his exaggerated cowboy hat; additionally, there were Bible Tracts in his hands, and falling out of his pockets, with all sorts of snarky comments about non-believers, and even obvious insults aimed at those of various political positions that were considered ‘unchristian,’ by many in the Church.
The point was clear – When Christians try to proclaim the Gospel message to the world, they need to be sure they are proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus, instead of insulting comments on political issues, or words that have almost nothing to do with the Gospel message!
This true story brings me to ask a question: As a believer, does your life proclaim the Gospel of Jesus? Are you sure you understand what is, and is not, the Gospel message? And, finally, how does the Gospel message affect one’s life when it is truly accepted into one’s heart?
There is a story in the Bible regarding a “true believer” of the Jewish faith, who, out of religious zeal, had begun to persecute members of the Church. The man was a Pharisee named Saul, who was walking towards the city of Damascus to seek out and persecute Christians. Here is where the story picks up: “And it came about that as he journeyed, he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And he said, “Who art Thou, Lord?” and he said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but rise, and enter the city, and it shall be told you what you must do.” Acts 9:3-6. Those with Saul took him to Damascus, where God led one named Ananias to explain the Gospel message to him and show him the path to life with God. The ‘rest of the story,’ of course, is that of Saul receiving Christ, becoming a traveling evangelist for Jesus, and writing much of what became the New Testament!
One of the most interesting elements of this story is that Saul, who later became known as Paul (the Roman version of his name), was an active Pharisee in the Jewish faith. He believed in God, and he fought for what he thought was the true faith – but the true faith included Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law. He didn’t understand that he had been proclaiming and defending what was now the ‘wrong’ faith; the true faith was now Judaism, as fulfilled through Jesus! Saul, before his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, was a witness for the wrong faith, because it was a faith that was not centered on the message of salvation through Jesus.
Here’s what we can learn from Saul’s experiences:
- Let us make sure we correctly understand what the Gospel is that we have been given to proclaim! The Gospel we have been given is the message that Jesus, Son of God, God in the flesh, came and lived a sinless life, died on the cross to pay for our sin, and was risen from the dead to show God’s power over death. Then he ascended into heaven, to be seated with God on the throne of heaven, to reign over all things forever. Salvation comes when we believe the truths of the Gospel and receive Jesus as our Savior, committing our lives to Him. The Gospel is not an opinion one might have on abortion, immigration, or any other political or social topic – it is the message of salvation in Jesus! It is acceptable to express an opinion on any topic, of course, but if the goal is to proclaim the Gospel and lead people to Jesus, then they must focus on the truth of the Gospel and not on one’s opinions concerning the social issues of the day.
- To live as a Christ-follower involves a change in the direction of our lives! In the story of Saul, you will later learn that he took his Roman name, Paul, because he knew he would be more effective in reaching the Roman Gentiles if he carried it rather than the Jewish name Saul. This was a huge concession for Paul to make! In his Jewish tradition, one’s name was a sacred gift; to change it meant that, for Paul, his life of proclaiming the Gospel had taken a major change in direction and purpose. When you accept the responsibility of proclaiming the message of Jesus, you must consider what can help you be more effective in that task. Perhaps you might work on your social skills, or even ‘bone up’ on ways to share the message of Jesus effectively. Or, you might begin to focus on the needs of those around you, instead of judging those who have fallen in their lives. Regardless, Paul demonstrated the genuine commitment required to lead others to Jesus.
Let me encourage you to follow the example of Paul and choose to share the message of Jesus with others.
Your support is invaluable in spreading our ministry. By sharing our videos, you help build a strong community of believers. We appreciate your contributions and encourage you to inspire others to join our mission. Your involvement keeps our community connected and thriving.
Your financial support is the backbone of our ministry, providing funding for outreach, facility upkeep, and essential resources. Your generosity fuels our mission, making a real impact. Give here: https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
Stay updated by downloading our App: https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or liking our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/. These platforms keep you engaged and connected.
Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to this journey with you—see you next week!
Sunday Aug 03, 2025
Sunday Aug 03, 2025
Over the last few years, I’ve watched one of my granddaughters develop into a competitive distance runner – her races are often very exciting! Just as interesting to me, though, is how she ‘follows’ one of her coaches. This young woman, a gifted runner herself, is careful to guide my granddaughter in developing effective strategies for running long distances, as well as teaching her specific approaches to exercise, managing injuries, and breathing during extreme exertion. It is incredible to consider the significant impact this coach has on both the running experience and the personal lives of my granddaughter, as well as the other kids on the team.
In a very real way, my granddaughter is becoming a ‘disciple’ of this young coach. Fortunately for my family, this coach is a fine, Christian woman who leads in her church and lives a committed Christian life.
Interestingly, this is much how one’s Christian faith is worked out as we decide to become' disciples’ of Jesus. As we place our faith in Him and submit to His leadership and teachings, He influences almost every aspect of our lives.
In one passage, a crowd had gathered around Jesus to hear him teach; some were interested in becoming ‘disciples’ of Jesus. A question was asked of him, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus’ answer was insightful and clear: “You shall love the Lord Your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.‘ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40 Jesus had taught them what it was to live as his ‘disciple!’
Jesus' words were based on quotations of two Old Testament passages, which were the ‘bedrock’ teachings of the Jewish faith. These teachings were life teachings that would lead one in the ways of God and could guide us in this life, preparing us for the life to come.
“Love God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest commandment, as it is foundational for all the Jewish and Christian faith teachings. Loving God was more than emotional; it involved one’s feelings and passions, to be sure, but it also would lead one to commit oneself to learning the ways of God, and living in a way that would please God, and invite him into one’s life. When mature, this love for God would be absolute and steadfast, adding a profound sense of strength and stability to one’s life.
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” Here, Jesus made it clear that living as his disciple involved more than just religious belief; he also expected our faith to impact how we interact with others profoundly. To love another as oneself meant to be sincerely concerned for the well-being of others; too, it means that you would treat others as you would like to be treated – an idea that came to be called “the golden rule.” Apathy towards the sufferings of others, and hatred and rejection of those of different social or ethnic groups, simply had no place in the life of a disciple of Jesus!
When applied to our lives and relationships, these teachings will lead us to a life that is quite different from what is commonly seen on this earth. This is exactly as Jesus intended, as it will lead others to know the value of living as a disciple of Jesus and may even draw them into the faith.
May we all follow Jesus and live as his disciples!
Your support is invaluable in spreading our ministry. By sharing our podcasts, you help build a strong community of believers. We appreciate your contributions and encourage you to inspire others to join our mission. Your involvement keeps our community connected and thriving.
Your financial support is the backbone of our ministry, providing funding for outreach, facility upkeep, and essential resources. Your generosity fuels our mission, making a real impact. Give here: https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
Stay updated by downloading our App: https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or liking our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/. These platforms keep you engaged and connected.
Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to this journey with you—see you next week!