Sermons on Granted:

Good Friday At Home

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 7, 2020

A guide for those who are shut in due to many different reasons during this paschal season.

GOOD FRIDAY at HOME Choose some appropriate music to play in the background if you wish, but silence is preferable. If there are two or more of you, you may wish to have one say the lead part and another say the second part. If alone, just say both parts out loud or read them to yourself. Christ ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Easter At Home

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 7, 2020

Many people are at home with no means of participating in Easter celebrations. Here is one way to have Easter at home, even alone, if needed.

Sing: Because He Lives <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M-zwE33zHA> Reading: Ezekiel 37:3-14 3 And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” 4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Who Is God? Part 2

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 8, 2020

How can we understand how great God is? How good is God? How near is God to us right now? How high above us is God? How is God one? Why does God use the imagery of a Father when that offends so many today? How is Jesus also God? How is the Holy Spirit God? Let's discuss.

How Near or Far is God? Immanence — God’s nearness The Bible quotes God as saying that He fills heaven and earth or as other translations put it, he is everywhere. "Can a man hide himself in hiding places So I do not see him?" declares the LORD. "Do I not fill the heavens and the ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 23:24

Denomination: Baptist

Two Confessions

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 13, 2020

What do Christians confess? Two things! Let’s find out what they are in the context of what Jesus said when He appeared after His resurrection in John 20:19-31.

What do Christians confess? Two things! Let’s find out what they are in the context of what Jesus said when He appeared after His resurrection in John 20:19-31. John 20:19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear ...read more

Scripture: John 20:19-31

Denomination: Baptist

Who Is Christ?

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 19, 2020

Let’s look at a number of common questions about Jesus Christ. Is He real history? Can we have faith in Him? What is Christ’s Work? Who was He really? Was He really God in the flesh?

Let’s look at a number of common questions about Jesus Christ. Is He real history? Can we have faith in Him? What is Christ’s Work? Who was He really? Was He really God in the flesh? Christ is from Greek, meaning the same as Messiah from Hebrew, the Savior of all humanity. Studying Christ is ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-3, John 1:14

Denomination: Baptist

Mystery Journey

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 20, 2020

Life’s journey is a mystery. We meet a stranger. He opens the Scriptures to our understanding. He can be a mystery until we break bread. Who’s the stranger? What’s the mystery? Let’s find out in Luke 24:13-35.

Mystery Journey Life’s journey is a mystery. We meet a stranger. He opens the Scriptures to our understanding. He can be a mystery until we break bread. Who’s the stranger? What’s the mystery? Let’s find out in Luke 24:13-35. Luke 24:13 says, “Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Denomination: Baptist

The Gate

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 29, 2020

The front door of our church building is not the door Christ’s sheep enter. The real door or gate for the sheep is not made of wood or metal, but is a Person. Let’s let Jesus explain this in John 10:1-10.

The front door of our church building is not the door Christ’s sheep enter. The real door or gate for the sheep is not made of wood or metal, but is a Person. Let’s let Jesus explain this in John 10:1-10. Background By way of background to Jesus’ lesson let’s learn a few essentials about ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Who Is The Holy Spirit, Part 1

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 4, 2020

Is the Holy Spirit a universal force or a person? Who is the Holy Spirit? What is His work? What does He do in the world today?

Is the Holy Spirit a universal force or a person? Who is the Holy Spirit? What is His work? What does He do in the world today? A Greek word for spirit is p?e?µa (pneuma) and so a study of the Holy Spirit is called Pneumatology. Is the Holy Spirit a Person? He has a will and makes choices. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:11, John 16:13-14

Denomination: Baptist

A Place For You

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 7, 2020

Do we sometimes feel like we don’t belong? We really belong somewhere else, somewhere wonderful. How do we get there? Let’s find the way to the place where we truly belong in John 14:1-14.

Do we sometimes feel like we don’t belong? We really belong somewhere else, somewhere wonderful. How do we get there? Let’s find the way to the place where we truly belong in John 14:1-14. John 14:1-2 (NKJV) “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

Who Is The Holy Spirit? Part 2

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 11, 2020

What is the Holy Spirit’s work? What does He do in the world today?

What is the Holy Spirit’s work? What does He do in the world today? What is the Work of the Holy Spirit? The holy men of God spoke and wrote as they were carried along or moved by the Holy Spirit. This is not dictation in every case, but inspiration. This should be a lesson for us. If a preacher ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:20-21

Denomination: Baptist

The Real Secret, The Beatitudes

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Feb 5, 2014

The Beatitudes reveal that we can be more than happy. We can be blessed!

Intro It is sometimes a puzzle to understand God's mind. His thinking is so far above ours. The secret is: there is no secret. People pay gurus millions to learn what is often half-baked wisdom and ignore the wonderful truth found in the beatitudes which is free to all (Matthew 5:1-12). These ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Exorcising Our Demons

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Feb 8, 2014

Even the most righteous people and institutions can be possessed by wrong attitudes. Let’s examine how only the authority of Jesus can heal what’s wrong with us.

Intro Even the most righteous people and institutions can be possessed by wrong attitudes. Let’s examine how only the authority of Jesus can heal what’s wrong with us. Goal Perhaps we can learn how evil comes in many disguises, even religious ones. Sermon Plan Are we healers or ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:21-28

Denomination: Baptist

The Law And The Christian, Part 1 Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Feb 11, 2014

Jesus gave the ultimate commentary on the Old Testament law, yet it is not very well understood in the Christian community. In this the first of several sermons, we will explore the law and the Christian.

Intro In the sermon on the mount Jesus called us salt and light, then condemned whoever sets aside the least of God’s commands. Does that mean that Christians should put to death idolaters, Sabbath breakers, adulterers and those who dishonor their parents, sacrifices animals, be ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-20

Denomination: Baptist

Nick At Night

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Mar 16, 2014

Nicodemus who defended Jesus at his trial, helped bury him and was later kicked out of the Sanhedrin for being a Christian did not start out filled with faith. Like most of us, he had questions. The answers that Jesus gave him are wonderful.

Intro What does it mean to be born again? How are we born of water and the Spirit? Goal Let us understand the Spirit life. Plan We will examine Nicodemus, regeneration, and why we are not to condemn others. Nicodemus Nicodemus is also called Saint Nicodemus. He was a Pharisee and a senator ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

Who Do We Follow?

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Mar 30, 2014

We may call ourselves Christians, but is Jesus our Shepherd? Are we really following him or merely using his name to excuse following a man, a tradition or our own stubbornness?

Intro: We often hear the 23rd Psalm read or recited at funerals, but did you know that it does not apply to everyone, only to the sheep of the Great Shepherd. Goal: To really understand the most popular of all the Psalms. Plan: We will go through Psalm 23 looking at some important details. I ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6

Denomination: Baptist