Sermons on Baptized By John:

Universal Praise Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 18, 2021

Can a pagan glorify the God of the Bible? If he becomes a believer, he certainly can. This invitation of Psa. 117 is authentic when it says whosoever will may come, and praise the God who is the God of all peoples.

If you think Psalm 117 is a short chapter, you are right, for it is the shortest in all the Bible. But it is twice as long in English as it is in the original Hebrew. It is 33 words in English, but only 17 in the Hebrew. And it is another of the many paradoxes of the Bible, for small as it ...read more

The Pleasure Of Praise Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 18, 2021

One of the things God is most pleased with is the praise of His people. If they feel pleasure in Him, and rejoice in thanksgiving for His goodness to them, He feels great pleasure.

In the movie, Chariots Of Fire, the great runner Eric Liddell was talking to his sister about going back to China as a missionary. Jennie was so pleased with his decision, but then Eric said, "I've got a lot of running to do first." When her look of happiness vanished, ...read more

Spontaneous Prayer Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 19, 2021

Spontaneous prayer is much more meaningful and real than planned prayer. Planned prayer is usually locked into formulas, and we repeat the same requests over and over. This kind of prayer gets dull, and it is seen as a duty rather than a joy.

George Buttrick in his large book simply called Prayer tells of why the Acoma Indians in Colorado chose to live on the mesa. The rock gave them safety. The Apaches on the South and the Navajos on the North made them sitting ducks down on the plains, and so they headed for the rocks. A narrow path ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

The Pleasure Of Prayer Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 19, 2021

The pleasure of prayer is that by means of it we become more Christlike, for in prayer we develop the spirit and perspective of Christ.

One of life's greatest pleasures is the pleasure of answered prayer. But the pleasure of one can be the pain of another. Dick Van Dyke tells some funny stories about children and answers to prayer. Five year old Mark gave a loud whistle in the middle of the pastors sermon. His grandmother ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 84:8

A Mother's Comfort Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 19, 2021

Here in Isa. 66:13 God says to His people who have suffered His judgment: "As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you." God is impressed with motherhood, and especially her ability to comfort her child.

Charles Connick was an unknown artist in Boston who brought his mother to live with him. They spent a summer at Cape Cod where they met a Mr. Swift. All summer Mr. Swift noticed how Connick honored his mother. He was so impressed that he decided to do something unusual. He was rich and had given ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 66:7-13

The Timing Of Christmas Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 23, 2021

What we want to see is that though timing may not be everything to Christmas it is plenty, and a focus on the timing of Christmas events can be quite revealing.

Timing may not be everything, but it is plenty. At the dedication service of the Statue of Liberty a boy was to wave a flag indicating that Senator William Evarts had finished his speech. This way the signal for men high in the head of the statue to let go of a giant French flag, which in turn ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 4:1-7

The Supreme Virtue Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 31, 2021

Paul made it clear in I Cor. 13 that he could have all gifts and powers that anyone could ever hope to have, but if he lacked love he would be nothing. Peter agrees with Paul, and that is why he puts love at the top.

Pitiram Sorokin in his book The Ways And Power Of Love tells of how in 1918 he was hunted down by the Communist Government of Russia. He was imprisoned and condemned to death. Everyday he expected to be shot as he witnessed the shootings of his friends and fellow prisoners. For 4 years he ...read more

Successful Suffering Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 31, 2021

The difference between tragedy and triumph is all in how you count your trials. James says by an act of the will count it all joy when tried.

Imagine the testing of the body in such a sport as football. To be on your feet and seconds later brought to the ground hard and fast. Then to get up and do it again, and again, and again, but constantly moving forward. All of that falling is not what wins the game, but whether or not you win ...read more

Scripture: James 1:1-8

How To Receive A Royal Reward Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 31, 2021

How do we receive this royal reward? James says the road to this reward is the road of endurance. Kings only want tried men in their army, and so how much more does the King of Kings want tried men and women to serve with Him?

In modern educational psychology we read such statements as, "Learning takes place only when the act that is performed is reinforced or rewarded." And, "Without reward, people fail to learn." Educators are more and more realizing that rewards play a major part in teaching that ...read more

Scripture: James 1:12-18

The Christian Mind Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 3, 2021

We need to be constantly asking ourselves how our thinking on any issue is uniquely Christian. We need to ask, can a good pagan without Christ, and without revelation think the same as I do? If so, what does Christianity have to say on the issue that is of any unique value?

The first fly said to the second fly, "Human beings are funny aren't they?" "Why do you say that," responded the second fly?" "Well," said the first, "they spend a pile of money building a beautiful ceiling, and then always walk on the floor." From ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:2

The Pleasure Of Power Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 5, 2021

Power to do the will of God is one of life's greatest pleasures. Weakness that lets the flesh determine our direction in life is one of life's greatest pains. The great battle of life is between pleasure and pain, and which one dominates is determined by our source of power.

Every day of your life you enjoy the pleasure of power. The power to flip switches and give light in the darkness, and heat in the coldness. The power of electricity is the source of abundant pleasure. When we lose that power we are deprived of all our electric devices, and it is a major pain. ...read more

A New Song Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 5, 2021

God is infinite, and therefore, only infinite creativity is worthy of Him, and adequate to glorify His name. It is also essential to keep joy alive in the worshipper. Variety is the spice of life, and a new song is like a tonic that lifts and enables us to feel afresh the love that is always there.

It is easy for us to do what the psalmist urges us to do, "Sing to the Lord a new song." The number of new songs to sing today is enormous. Back in 1891 Dr. Julian in his famous Dictionary of Hymnology examined four hundred thousand hymns, and he did not cover them all. There are, ...read more

Growth Is Success Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 6, 2021

Paul is not scolding the Corinthian Christians because they are immature babes in Christ. That would be as foolish as scolding a baby for not being a man. It is not only legitimate, it is absolutely essential that churches have immature babes.

Conrad Hilton, president of the world's leading hotel organization, has all his life prayed for God's guidance to help him grow. Mr. Hilton is a professing Christian who, like many other successful Christians in the world of business, feels that we should never be content with what is ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9

Concentration Commanded Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 6, 2021

This First Commandment is a law of love, for God knows we cannot be happy in split-level living with dual or multiple gods demanding our devotion. The law is God's preventative love, whereas the cross is God's redeeming love.

A salesman who was growing more and more nervous about his travel by air went one day to see a statistician. "Can you tell me what the odds would be against my boarding an aircraft on which somebody had hidden a bomb?" he asked. He replied, "I can't tell you until ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-4

The Temptation Of Pleasing People Series

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Apr 11, 2021

When we start out wanting to serve God it is so easy to get distracted by what will please the people around us. But we have to choose one or the other, please God or please people.

I had quite a dream last night. Spring training hasn’t even started yet, but in my dream I saw the final game of the 2007 World Series. It was in Wrigley Field. The Cubs were winning in the bottom of the 9th. Two outs, bases loaded. Kerry Woods is on the mound, looking to cap a phenomenal ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1-13