Sermons on Jonathan Barnes:

Palm Sunday Praise And Plans

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Oct 12, 2020

Palm Sunday turns us from the for-awhile to the forever.

It must have been quite the sight, the people lining the lingering road that lead from the Mount of Olives down and then up into the city of Jerusalem. People were scrambling to get a glimpse of the man who they heard about, but maybe never got a chance to actually see themselves. This wasn’t the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11

Denomination: Lutheran

Christ Is Still Risen!

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Oct 12, 2020

How does Jesus take the sting out of death? Life is still hard and losing a loved one is sad. How does Easter help? No matter what you're going through Easter doesn't change. Christ is still and always will be risen from the dead!

This Easter is unlike any that I’ve ever experienced and I’m guessing that I’m not alone in feeling that way. This is a rather strange Easter morning. The church is empty. Your normal family gatherings have likely been cancelled or postponed. You likely watching this worship service by ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:54-57

Denomination: Lutheran

Take A Walk With Jesus

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Oct 12, 2020

When we find ourselves confused, and struggling, doubting God’s power, questioning his goodness, wondering about his faithfulness or whatever else it might be, don’t walk away from Jesus. Walk with Jesus, just like Jesus did with those followers on the road to Emmaus on Easter afternoon.

“What do you want?” “I don’t know. What do you want?” “I’m not sure, what do you think?” “I don’t know. What do you think?” Sound familiar? Ever had a conversation like that when it comes to choosing a movie or a TV show or what to order for takeout – pizza, fish, Chinese, Mexican, Thai? “I ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Denomination: Lutheran

A Personal And Purposeful Peace

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Oct 12, 2020

Jesus gives personal and purposeful peace. See how Jesus did that for his disciples on Easter evening and continues to do so to this day.

Last week we met two of Jesus’ followers on their way from the city of Jerusalem to a village named Emmaus which was about a 7 mile roundtrip. If you missed that message, you can go back and listen to it. It was Easter afternoon when those two disciples decided to leave Jerusalem. There were ...read more

Scripture: John 20:19-23

Denomination: Lutheran

Daniel-The Dream He Wished Would Never Come True

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Oct 15, 2020

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had a second dream that troubled him. This time, he related the dream to Daniel but Daniel knew exactly what the dream meant. After being stunned for an hour, he explained the meaning but wished the dream would never come true.

Daniel-the dream he wished would never come true Introduction: Daniel had already reviewed and interpreted one of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams, as related in Daniel 2. Now, perhaps some years later, the king had another dream that troubled his thoughts. He called Daniel and related the dream. When ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Daniel-The Night When Babylon Was Captured

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Oct 20, 2020

New times, a new king, and a feast. Could anything go wrong? Something unusual happened, Daniel was called to make sense of it, and by morning, Babylon was changed forever.

Daniel-the night when Babylon was captured Introduction: many years ago, my uncle, who was pastor of the church we attended, preached on this text, Daniel chapter 5. He began by saying, “When a little shot gets about half-shot, he really thinks he’s a big shot!” Those words have stayed with me ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Daniel-The Lions Didn’t Hurt Him!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Oct 23, 2020

Daniel and the lions' den is a familiar and fantastic story. I've loved this story ever since on of the first times my aunt and grandmother read it to me, and I'm grateful for their love. This one is dedicated to you, Aunt V!

Daniel-the lions didn’t hurt him! Introduction: After Babylon fell to the Medes and Persians, Daniel’s life was spared and he was given a position under the new rulers. Eventually some of the other officials became jealous and conspired to have Daniel put to death—by being thrown into a den of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8

Denomination: Baptist

A Look At Joseph, Husband Of Mary Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 18, 2024

Joseph, the husband-to-be of Mary of Nazareth, was looking forward to his wedding day! But he received some news that almost made him change his mind. After a word from the Lord, he followed the Lord's instructions.

(Based on a sermon preached December 15, 2024 at New Hope Baptist Church, Fulton, MO. This is not an exact transcription.) Introduction: Two Sundays ago we looked at Zacharias and Elisabeth as two important people in the first Christmas story. Last week we studied the message of the angel Gabriel ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:16-25

Denomination: Baptist

A Tale Of Two Different Babies (Isaiah 7) Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 5, 2025

The nation of Judah was in trouble. Ahaz, king at the time, received a pair of messages from the LORD. One of these messages had two significant meanings!

A Tale of Two Different Babies (Isaiah 7) (Full disclosure: some of this material comes from a message preached by Dr. Tim Faber at a church near Eldon, MO around 2014. He gave me permission to use material from that message. Some of this message is also based on a sermon preached Sunday evening, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 7:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

A Christmas Message For December 22, 2024 Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 9, 2025

Jesus is the greatest Christmas gift ever! John showed how that even though He was rejected, more often than not, some from that day to this still receive Him as Lord and Savior.

A Christmas Message for December 22, 2024 (based on a sermon preached at New Hope Baptist Church near Fulton, MO on 12-22-2024. This is not an exact transcription.) (Full disclosure: Sermon Central has already posted a message of mine, based on this same text, called “The Unwanted Christmas Gift”. ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

A Message For New Year’s Day, 1-1-2023

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 11, 2023

The Church at Ephesus started off right but somehow lost their first love. For this New Year, may we be reminded to remember, repent, and re-do what we did at the first.

(Note: This message is based on and edited from a sermon preached at First Baptist Church, Chamois, MO, on 1-1-2023; but is not an exact transcription.) Introduction: This morning we celebrate the start of a brand new year. It’s really kind of difficult to zero in on something that hasn’t been ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

The First Sermon In The New Testament--And It Was Unusual! Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 23, 2023

The nation of Israel hadn't heard a true prophet bringing God's message in nearly 400 years. When John the Baptist came preaching, people noticed some unusual things about his message.

The first sermon preached in the New Testament (Based on a sermon preached 1-15-2023 at First Baptist Church, Chamois, MO. This is not an exact transcription.) Introduction: John the Baptist, son of Zechariah the priest, was the first true prophet to Israel in nearly 400 years. Not since Malachi ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

The Temptations Of Christ (Luke 4)

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 25, 2023

Jesus fasted or ate no food for 40 days after He was baptized. While there, the Devil came and tempted or put Jesus to the test in three different areas. Jesus triumphed, and so can we!

Based on a message preached at First Baptist Church, Chamois, MO, on 1-22-2023. This is not an exact transcription. Introduction: Last week we looked at how John the Baptist came preaching, far away from town, much like he might do here if he lived here. To give a kind of local flavor, he might ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

Ahaz: Maybe The Worst Father Ever? Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 27, 2023

Who is the worst father in the Bible? It's hard to say but Ahaz, son of Jotham and king of Judah, might rank among the worst of the worst.

Introduction: the Bible has examples of good fathers and also bad ones. When it comes to the worst, Ahaz would be hard to beat. He had a good beginning but a terrible end. What a powerful lesson for every man, especially every father. The father of Ahaz was Jotham, son of Azariah/Uzziah, one of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 28:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

Some Of The Best Fathers Were Unknown! Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 29, 2023

Elijah and a good number of others were mentioned in the Bible, but not the names of their fathers! The world may not know them, but the Lord does, and for many of us that's good enough.

Introduction: some of the best fathers in the Bible were never named. It would be impossible to list them all, but every one of them can take comfort that if their children lived and died as believers in the LORD, they did not live in vain. Here’s a tribute to some of them: 1 The fathers of the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 28:43, Nehemiah 7:63-65

Denomination: Baptist