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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 Nov 12, 2023
Sunday Nov 12, 2023
Sunday Oct 29, 2023
Sunday Oct 29, 2023
Pastor Dave subs in for Rev Kev to discuss Acts 9, From Saul to Paul.
You can best support our Ministry by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family.
We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/
Thank you for listening. We will see you next week!
Sunday Oct 22, 2023
Sunday Oct 22, 2023
Have you ever tried to figure out what someone was like? Not in physical appearance, of course – but who they are, or what sort of character is within them? Several years ago, I talked about one of my good friends from college, and my sister’s ears perked up. She asked various questions, such as ‘How tall is he,’ or ‘What color is his hair?’ And then she turned to my wife-then-girlfriend and asked, “Ok, what is he really like?’ She wanted to know what kind of person he was! Appearances were important, but the personal attributes, a sense of humor, kindness, and value system truly defined the person. We are all like that – after we get past the obvious physical characteristics, we always ask, “What are they really like?”
In some ways, that is the way we might think about God.
We hear stories of his power, creative abilities, and such, but what we really want to know is the same as when we talk about other people:
“What is He really like?”
That is a fair question. We talk and think of God’s power and greatness and hear stories and sermons, but we always ask, “What is He really like?” There is a way to know! As we read the scriptures, we see patterns in God’s behavior and how He often responds to sinful man. This is especially true in the Old Testament!
Here are a couple of things we can learn about God’s character and what he is ‘really like’ as we read the Old Testament scriptures:
First, we can learn that God is patient and loving and makes a real effort to offer forgiveness and guidance to us all. In the book of Exodus, as the drama of Moses receiving the 10 Commandments from God began to unfold, God spoke and said this of himself: “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth. . . who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. . ..” 34:6-7 Here God spoke as he appeared to Moses, and taught the young man about his character.
God reveals himself as kind and loving, willing to forgive, and one who values justice and the punishment of evil. That is what God is like! He is loving and fair, giving us opportunities for growth and repentance. Still, he also values truth and justice, punishing evil when needed!
Another truth revealed about God in the Old Testament is that God will provide for his people, and he has a plan for them well into the future. After explaining to them that he had plans for them, this is how he finished a section out of Deuteronomy 8: “For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills. . .When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.” vv.7-10
This is what God is really like! He is kind and forgiving and works for justice, and he works and plans to care for us far into the future. He is a good and loving God!
You can best support our Ministry by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family.
We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/
Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.
Sunday Oct 15, 2023
Sunday Oct 15, 2023
Sunday Jul 23, 2023
Sunday Jul 23, 2023
I watched a recent news report on the ongoing political controversies in our nation's capitals, and one analyst gave his opinion. The following is not a quotation but gives the gist of his comments: "It is all about power. Political power and the power to get things done the way you want them done. That is the simple explanation of what is happening."
Power! It is an essential element of everything in life: in politics, current events, and even when it comes to faith!
In the book of First Peter, the early Christians were afraid! The Roman government seemed to stand against them, and the people around them resisted their efforts to share their faith. Because the Christians were in the minority, they had no power at all! Those in power would not protect them, and they often worked against the Church and even tried to silence them. They needed power!
Interestingly, Peter spoke to these struggling Christians and explained that they had a reason for hope because they had experienced salvation resulting from God's power at work in their lives. He reminded them that they had experienced God's great gifts because He had worked through the life and death of his son, Jesus, and had brought him back from the dead. And, because of Jesus' shed blood, sin, and death had been conquered – by the power of God! This power of God was with them and in them, even though their enemies hated them.
They had hope because of God's power!
The message of the Gospel is a message of God's power! He conquered sin and death, He lives and works within us, and based on this, we have a reason to live our lives for him. Just as importantly, we can show God's power at work within us as we practice love toward others. Like he said in Chapter 1, "Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God." vv.22-23
In this life, you may struggle, but the One God, all-powerful and good, loves you and wants to help you live this life. Follow Him in faith, be filled, and find grace, peace, and the power you need to live each day.
You can best support our Ministry by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family.
We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/
Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.
Sunday Jul 16, 2023
Sunday Jul 16, 2023
Several years ago, I attended a worship service at a large Pentecostal church in Kansas City, Mo. My friend had attended there, and had invited me to go with her. We went, and honestly, it was a real eye-opener for me! We stood up and sang for well over a half-an-hour, and twice the songs were stopped so we could all ‘pray,’ meaning that it was time for us to ‘speak in tongues.’ I had never participated in anything like this, so I just chose to watch. I looked around for the next 15-20 minutes, wide-eyed, as almost everyone stood, swaying to the music and mumbling some sort of “angelic language” I could not understand. This was their way of praying “in the spirit,” I was told, and was part of pursuing a sense of holiness in their private lives. I left that night, never to return to that church or that kind of experience. For me, being holy was something very different!
What do you think of when you hear that someone, or some activity, is ‘holy?’
In his first letter to the church, the Apostle Peter wrote concerning their pursuit of faith. He said this: “Like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am Holy:’” (1:15-16) Over the years, I have learned quite a bit about this, so let me share something about this thing called ‘holiness.’
First, holiness is very practical and life-affecting; it is not just a ‘spiritual exercise.’ In the passage I mentioned earlier, Peter spoke of several actions to help one pursue holiness. Here are the things he mentioned:
Think clearly (“gird your minds,” v.13):
Exercise Self-control (“keep sober in spirit,” v.13);
Look forward to Christ’s return (“fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you,” v.13); and, finally, do not go back to your old ways (“do not be conformed to the former lusts,” v.14).
These are more than just things you think about – they are practices and ways of relating to others that can affect your life and influence you in profound ways.
Later in the passage, Peter explains that holiness is more than just something you “do;” he taught that we were to be holy in all our behavior – but the words that he used in his old language meant that being ‘holy’ was something that God did within us. In other words, even though our own choices and discipline are helpful in the pursuit of happiness, the only way to achieve the holiness Peter was talking about was to open ourselves up to God’s work in our life – it was an act of God!
Isn’t that amazing?
You cannot control everything in your own spiritual life – you must apply your decision-making in making good choices, and even more importantly, you must be willing to open your heart to God’s spirit and let him change and shape you in whatever ways He chooses!
People are not ‘holy’ because they are better; they are better because they are holy. It is an act of God!
The challenge for each of us is to “live the life of faith” and to open our hearts to God’s influence. Join me in this process of achieving holiness!
You can best support our Ministry by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family.
We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/
Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.
Sunday Jul 09, 2023
Sunday Jul 09, 2023
I heard a woman named ‘Wanda’ tell her story – a powerful testimony of her faith in God helping her through a very difficult life!
Wanda was abandoned as a young child and grew up angry and rebellious. She lived a miserable existence, lived the life of a drug addict and alcoholic, and ended up pregnant and by herself by the time she was 19. She admitted she was miserable and alone and wanted to die. One day, at the very bottom of her life, she decided to kill herself. She walked into her apartment and gathered up the drugs she was going to use and was interrupted by the ring of her phone. She says she felt “compelled” to answer that phone, even though she did not want to talk to anyone. She picked up the phone, and one of her girlfriends said, “Wanda, I just felt like God wanted me to call you right now – are you all right?” With that, Wanda burst into tears and told her what was happening.
Amazingly, the loving voice on the other end shared with her the message of God’s love and salvation, and Wanda prayed to receive Jesus as Savior! She says she immediately felt her burdens lifted, her heart was free of the pain and anger she had felt all her life, and she realized that she wanted to live!
Wanda began to rebuild her life, attended a good church with her friend, and began to live a very ordinary existence. But her life would not be easy: she was soon diagnosed with cancer. She had to undergo several surgeries and rounds of treatment, and she had several other health problems related to her hard life. In this challenging time, though, she met a good man who married her, they continued to attend church and get involved in missions and ministries, and she commented that God had blessed her and given her a sense of joy and inner strength she had never experienced before. It was all, she said, because of God’s wonderful gift of grace!
This is the sort of experience that Peter was talking about in his first letter to the early church. They were suffering for their faith and struggling just to stay alive. But instead of telling them everything would get better, he taught that their faith would give them strength and inner peace. Those early Christians had no easy answers, but because they followed Jesus, they had hope! He said it like this: For those that are born again, they would be “protected by the power of God through faith.” (I Peter 1:5)
This is the power of God, available to all who would follow Jesus. There are no guarantees of ease and comfort because of our faith. Still, there is the promise that God loves us, He will always be with us, and He will give us the strength and ability to bear up under anything this life might bring.
Let me encourage you to seek out this Jesus, who died for you on the cross. He can save you, lift you up, and give you hope – in this life and the life to come!
You can best support our Ministry by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family.
We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/
Thank you for listening. We will see you next week!
Sunday Jul 02, 2023
Sunday Jul 02, 2023
The father took his son to the WWII memorial, hoping to teach him something about the world. The boy was not interested in history, but the father thought it might be a good trip. They looked at the different clothes and uniforms, the tanks and trucks and motorcycles, and pictures of everything. It was fascinating! Even the little boy seemed to enjoy the day. One of the displays had to do with the number of those injured and killed in the years-long conflict and explained that the Allied Forces united in maintaining their freedoms for their nations and keeping others from invading the United States. The little boy bounced around, and Dad wondered if he was learning anything.
A few days later, the father listened in on his young son's conversation with a neighbor – he told him about their trip to the memorial. He talked excitedly about the tanks and motorcycles. And then the little boy said something that convinced the father that the trip had been worthwhile: his son explained that bad guys had attacked our nation, and everyone fought together to keep the world free from the influences of bad people.
He got it, didn't he? The little boy understood a tremendous lesson: sometimes people must fight for what is good and to protect themselves, and when you can, it helps if you can get others to fight with you against those that would hurt you.
The little boy would have learned those lessons; eventually, we hope. But the father realized that he had 'done his job' as a father in taking the time to be with his son and help him learn important lessons for life.
People must learn! Lessons need to be given, time investments need to be made, and those who know important truths must make an effort to pass down those truths to others – lives are at stake!
Jesus understood this as much as anyone else.
In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about the importance of helping others and teaching them about God and how He can help them in this life. He used the image of a lamp and said, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Your life must shine before people so they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16)
Jesus taught us all that there are things we need to learn and do so that we might help people live good lives. You cannot just leave the important stuff up to someone else; instead, we must all speak and live so that others can learn about the truths of God.
God wants us to learn from Him as we study the Bible. After knowing God's truth, he wants us to live so that others can discover the Gospel message by watching our actions and hearing our words. Let us join in teaching the truths of God so that others may see His light in Jesus!
You can best support our Ministry by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family.
We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/
Thank you for listening. We will see you next week!
Sunday Jun 25, 2023
Sunday Jun 25, 2023
Several years ago, a good friend, a Deacon of a church in the Ozarks, told of a woman in his congregation struggling to provide for the needs of her several children. The Church had previously helped her family and was familiar with her situation. During a ‘special offering’ drive over Christmas, a plea was made in Church for offerings for the poor in other parts of the world. People gave different amounts, and some publicized their gifts by announcing them at the end of the services.
After one service, this woman got up. Much to everyone’s amazement, she announced that she was giving an amount to the Christmas offering that would place her family in peril. Not only would her children not receive any Christmas gifts, but she would also be unable to pay their heating bills and feed those hungry mouths!
She meant well, of course, but everyone else saw the problem! She allowed her faith and devotion to God to distort her perspective. She decided to do something that everyone saw as a grave mistake! Later that day, some of the ladies in the Church were able to talk to her, and they were able to return the offering to her. The deacons of the Church also gave her and her family a nice Christmas offering and affirmed her expression of faith. The woman felt good about the situation, and everything seemed to work well.
The point is that, sometimes, peoples’ expressions of faith go too far, or they act ‘in the moment’ without thinking clearly!
The Bible teaches us that God calls us to a life of faith and devotion to Him. He wants us to follow Him in faith, live according to his teachings, and make his cause a primary force in our lives! At the same time, though, there is a current of thought in scripture that teaches that we are to be a people of faith that love and serve others!
Simply put: We cannot live a life of devotion and faith in God if we fail to love others and help them in this life.
Jesus told a parable to illustrate this great truth called “The Parable of the Good Samaritan.” Here’s a short, modernized version of the story: A man is robbed and beaten along the highway and left for dead. A preacher came by, though, and everyone listening to the story thought he would help.
But instead, he crossed the road and went on his way – he had a church meeting to go to, after all! Later, another minister came by, and he did the same as the other: he crossed the road and went on his way. No doubt, he had something important at Church, too! Finally, a man that wasn’t a minister, or even a Christian, came by.
He stopped and helped the man, took him to a motel, and paid for his stay for a few days. He came back later and made sure he was ok. Jesus then asked the people listening to the story, “Who was this man’s friend?” One in the crowd shouted the one that helped him! Jesus agreed, saying, “This is how I want you to live. I want you to have faith, but I also want you to love and help people when they need it.”
God wants us to know the Bible and live according to His teachings; at the same time, though, he wants us to think through our plans and avoid actions and words that go ‘too far’ and lead us away from Him. He wants us to help others and not ignore our own family. And he wants us to live out our faith in the Church and, at the same time, serve those who are outside the faith.
You can best support our Ministry by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family.
We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/
Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.
Sunday Jun 18, 2023
Sunday Jun 18, 2023
The story’s title captured my attention: “Love Means Reporting Back to Duty.” Written several years ago, the article told the story of Captain David Rozelle, who lost a part of his leg in battle in Iraq. He wasn’t sure how his life was going to work out. Still, after a year of surgeries and rehabilitation and being fitted and trained with a prosthetic foot and ankle, he was declared “fit for duty.” He didn’t hesitate for even a moment – he immediately began the process of going back to active duty by visiting other veterans who had lost limbs in battle. He encouraged them to gain the treatments and training that would allow them to get back to life and enjoyed helping them in any way he could. After about a year of this, though, he knew it was time for him to get back into battle. When asked why he would do this again, exposing himself to the risks of battle, he said, “It is my duty. By accepting command, I knew that I would eventually return to Iraq. I am smarter, stronger, and more ready to help create freedom for the Iraqi people.”
In other words, he wanted to get back to serving his country and the needs of the Iraqi people!
Captain Rozelle demonstrates what we, the Christians, call a “servant spirit.” A servant spirit is the driving force within us that leads us to serve others in need simply because that is what God wants us to do. No one must force or manipulate us to make sacrifices and do what may be unpleasant tasks. We follow the God who calls us into service out of love for Him and those around us!
In the Old Testament is the story of Joshua, who led the Hebrew people after Moses’ death. He led them to take the promised land and saw God work in many ways for many years.
He was convinced their lives would be best if they followed Him! So, before he retired, he spoke to his people about service. Here are his famous words: “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
(Joshua 24:15) A life of service was the only way for him!
We who follow Jesus understand that God calls each of us into a life of service. Whether in a foreign land or our neighbor’s yard, God wants us to care for those around us and give of ourselves to help them – no matter what!
A life of faith – is a life of service!
Let us all take our commitments seriously. Let us take up the mantle of service and show our faith and devotion to God as we serve those in need daily.
You can best support our Ministry by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family.
We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/
If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/
Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.