Sermons on Defence:

A Survey Of My Grief Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Jun 22, 2024

Lamentations speaks on behalf of those suffering as he reminds the Lord of how great is the grief experienced. He confesses that the judgement is deserved. In this, he provides a warning to those living in this present culture that they must not presume against the goodness of God.

Grief touches each of us eventually. [1] Though we know we will experience grief as individuals, we sometimes need to be reminded that grief will consume the nation that turns from righteousness while embracing wickedness. Some might suppose that Christians will gloat when judgement at last comes ...read more

Scripture: Lamentations 1:1-22

Denomination: Baptist

Where Is God When I Hurt?

Contributed by Michael Stark on Mar 14, 2025

Is there purpose in our suffering if we are Christians? What can God accomplish through our sorrow?

“As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep. “And Saul approved of his execution. “And there arose on that day a great ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

"alas, Babylon!"

Contributed by Michael Stark on Dec 28, 2024

God will judge this fallen world and those who live only for this world. How, then, shall the one who follows Christ live?

“After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. And he called out with a mighty voice, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 18:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

All Cultures Are Not Equivaent

Contributed by Michael Stark on Jan 4, 2025

The rules for war that Moses gave to Israel revealed a vast cultural gap between Israel and the nations they were to dispossess. The nations of the west in this day are culturally superior to much of the remainder of the world because the foundations of the west are found in the Word of God.

“When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 20:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

"i Know The Plans I Have For You!" Does This Apply To Us?

Contributed by Michael Stark on May 10, 2025

God guides His people as they serve Him. The means of His guidance may vary, but it will never contradict what is given in His holy Word.

“I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” [1] Years ago, I read Herbert Lockyer’s delightful tome, “All the Promises of the Bible.” [2] In that book, Dr. Lockyer discussed what a promise is, cautioning that the ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11

Denomination: Baptist

Guarding The Good Deposit Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Jul 25, 2015

The message explores what Paul meant when he urged Timothy to guard the good deposit. Preachers are point men in the battle to stand firm against error, but the congregation must join them in this task.

“By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.” [1] Servants of Christ demonstrate a dynamic interplay of divine sovereignty and human responsibility in the exercise of the ministry God has assigned each one. One writer, citing an old maxim of the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:14

Denomination: Baptist

Pastoral Personal Conduct

Contributed by Michael Stark on Nov 16, 2013

Timothy is instructed in how he is to conduct his life as a minister of Christ. Thus, each servant of the Master is taught how he should conduct his life and ministry.

“Command and teach these things. Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:11-16

Denomination: Baptist

A Reason To Be Thankful

Contributed by Michael Stark on Oct 9, 2016

Writing the Romans, Paul speaks of his gratitude for them, giving some surprising reasons for being thankful.

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:8-15

Denomination: Baptist

Surprise In The Graveyard

Contributed by Michael Stark on Sep 28, 2018

How does the resurrection of Lazarus impact people in this day? Since Jesus has power over life and death, we see that He alone can give life to those dead in sin.

“A certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So, the sisters sent to him, saying, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’ But when Jesus heard it he ...read more

Scripture: John 11:1-44

Denomination: Baptist

Complacency Kills Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Jan 28, 2017

It was only a momentary slip of the beasts’ feet, but it was enough to rock the Ark which was on the cart they were pulling. The priest driving the cart reached back to steady the Ark so it wouldn’t fall; but the moment he touched the Ark, he fell dead.

“David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 6:5-11

Denomination: Baptist

I Tried Lord

Contributed by Thomas Swope on Apr 19, 2019

A study in the book of Nehemiah 13: 1 – 31

Nehemiah 13: 1 – 31 I tried Lord 13 On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people, and in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into the assembly of God, 2 because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water but hired Balaam ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 13:13

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Pardon From The Prison Of The Past

Contributed by Michael Stark on May 21, 2021

Christ sets us free so that we do not need to live under the dark cloud of condemnation from past sins.

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

If The Foundations Are Destroyed...

Contributed by Michael Stark on Jun 10, 2021

In tumultuous times, how shall the righteous live? The Psalmist has given us godly counsel that must be applied to our lives.

“In the LORD I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, ‘Flee like a bird to your mountain, for behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart; if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do? “The LORD is ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 11:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

Worshipping The Snake

Contributed by Michael Stark on Mar 30, 2023

We Evangelicals are as susceptible to idolatry as are every other religious group. We don't identify our idols as opposed to Christ's rule, but they are idols that cause us to stumble, nevertheless.

“In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. And he did what was right in ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 18:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

The Rookie And The Veteran

Contributed by Michael Stark on Apr 20, 2023

The message is a brief look at the transformation of Saul of Tarsus into the Apostle to the Gentiles. The maturation is not an unreachable goal for us as Christians; it is rather a model for our own growth toward maturity in Christ.

“For some days [Saul] was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’ And all who heard him were amazed and said, ‘Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:19-31

Denomination: Baptist