Sermons on Jonathan Barnes:

Jacob-The Original 90-Month Fiancé! Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 15, 2023

Jacob left his home in Beersheba, heading to his uncle Laban's land, 450 miles away, in order to find a wife. Allowing five months for the journey, and a month before starting his seven-year contract, he was the original 90-month fiance'!

(Full disclosure: Sermon Central has accepted two messages of mine in a series about Jacob dealing with his situation here, namely, how he got his two wives. They’re “Jacob-What He Did For Love” and “Jacob-Finding True Love--And More” but this message is not simply an edit of these two ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 29:13-30

Denomination: Baptist

Samson-His Wedding Day Blues Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 23, 2023

Samson saw a Philistine maiden and with his parents' help, arranged to marry this girl. When it was all said and done, Samson had a bad case of wedding bell blues!

(Based on a message preached 2-19-23 at First Baptist Church, Chamois, MO; not an exact transcription. (Full disclosure: Sermon Central accepted and posted an earlier message of mine on this text called “Trouble in Timnath” but this message is not the same thing, nor a simple ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Jacob-What He Did For Love Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 4, 2022

Jacob was now staying at his uncle Laban's house. Laban offered him a job, and asked him, "What kind of wages would you want from me?" Jacob's reply eventually changed his life forever!

Introduction: Jacob had arrived in Haran, the land of his mother and uncle Laban. He had assisted Rachel, Laban’s daughter, by watering her flock of sheep. Laban then ran out to meet Jacob, and they all returned to Laban’s house. For Jacob, things were about to get interesting. 1 The wages ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 29:14-30

Denomination: Baptist

Jacob-When He Knew It Was Time To Leave Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 11, 2022

Jacob had lived with and served uncle Laban for twenty years. He soon found out that it was time for him to leave and go back to his home country.

Introduction: Jacob had now lived with and worked for his uncle Laban for 14 years. He had received his rewards, Leah and Rachel plus a servant girl for each and was now the father of at least 12 children (details for these children are found in Genesis 29:31-30:24). He was ready to leave but Laban ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 31:1-21

Denomination: Baptist

Jacob-His "Mizpah” Moment Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 19, 2022

Ever seen a "Mizpah" necklace? It may not mean what you think it does!

Introduction: Have you seen anyone wearing a “Mizpah” necklace recently? These items come and go in popularity and I frankly haven’t seen any of these in quite a while. But some time ago, these items were popular. They came as a pair of necklaces, and on each necklace there was a piece of a coin or ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 31:22-55

Denomination: Baptist

Blessings At Bethesda Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 1, 2020

He had waited 38 years for something to happen. Then he met Jesus, and he was instantly healed!

Text: John 5:2-15 KJV: 2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep (market) a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a ...read more

Scripture: John 5:2-15

Denomination: Baptist

Unusual Healings: The Man Born Blind Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 5, 2020

He was born blind and there didn't seem to be anything he could do. Then Jesus came by, and, using an unusual "medicine", gave him his sight. Look at how the story ends, too.

Text: John 9:1-7 KJV 1 And as (Jesus) passed by, he saw a man which was blind from (his) birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God ...read more

Scripture: John 9:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

Bethel: Where Jacob Met The Lord

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 16, 2020

Jacob was Isaac's son and Abraham's grandson. He stopped at Bethel, for the night, but some interesting things happened while he was there.

Bethel: where Jacob met the Lord Preface: When you think of Jacob, what comes to mind? Clearly, he was one of the most colorful people in the Bible! Sometimes we think he was a shady character, such as when he “bargained” with Esau for the birthright. I still think there’s a bit of humor in that ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 28:10-22

Denomination: Baptist

Back To Bethel

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 19, 2020

Jacob had stopped at Bethel on his way to his uncle's property. He didn't have much with him when he got there but he was able to become wealthy. Now it was time to for him to leave--and he stopped again at Bethel.

Back to Bethel Based on a message preached several years ago (not an exact transcription) Preface: Some people I’ve known have talked about “going back to Bethel”, and I really didn’t understand all they were talking about at the time. There are even some songs which mention this. In fact, one of ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 35:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

Bethel: "o Altar, Altar!"

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 25, 2020

This may be the only sermon preached against an altar! When God's prophet came to Bethel, some interesting things happened. Something even happened to the altar itself.

Introduction The Bible records messages proclaimed against many topics. This is especially true in the Old Testament: the prophets spoke about (and against) various kings, nations, and even the nations of Israel and Judah. The text here is unusual because, first, it’s spoken against an altar! So ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 13:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Bethel: The Prophet Who Never Came Back Home

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 30, 2020

The prophet who cried out against Jeroboam's pagan altar in Bethel was on his way back home but stopped for a rest. Maybe he shouldn't have done this--he never made it back to his home alive.

Preface In the Old Testament, sometimes the Lord gives us a look at the successes of His prophets, but sometimes we get another view. Some prophets were murdered. like Uriah, who fled to Egypt, but was brought back to Judah and executed (see Jeremiah 26:20-23). Other prophets were more or less ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 13:11-32

Denomination: Baptist

Jacob-A Man On A Journey Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 17, 2022

Jacob was a man on the run, after leaving his home and family. He stopped for the night to sleep, and during that night, he received the strangest dream of his life. His journey was not over, in any way, shape, or form!

Introduction: there was trouble in the camp. Jacob had tricked his father, Isaac, into receiving the paternal blessing Isaac wanted to give Esau, Jacob’s twin (and older) brother (Genesis 27). Even worse, their mother, Rebekah, had helped Jacob in this deception! Even before this, some years ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

A Veteran’s Day/Thanksgiving Day Message Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 18, 2022

There's only a couple of weeks between Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving Day. This message is an attempt to combine features of each holiday.

(Note: Based on and edited from a message preached November 13, 2022 at First Baptist Church, Chamois, MO. This is not an exact transcription.) Introduction: Veteran’s Day was originally called Armistice Day in honor of the Armistice ending the First World War. This Armistice took place on “the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 20:1-25

Denomination: Baptist

A Thanksgiving Meal—in The Springtime! Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 22, 2022

Barley harvest--springtime--may not be the time when people think about Thanksgiving Day meals. During Elisha's day, a pair of miracles made a small meal into a real feast!

(Full disclosure: Sermon Central has accepted two of my different illustrations based on this text. This message is not merely a combination of those illustrations.) Introduction: What do you think of when you’re pondering a Thanksgiving Day meal? For many years, it’s a more or less American ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 4:38-44, Ruth 3:14-18

Denomination: Baptist

Joshua 9: When Israel Was Fooled Twice! Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 21, 2024

The leaders of Israel met some strangers, who had a very sad story to tell them. Little did Joshua and the others know, they were about to be fooled not once, but twice.

Introduction: Israel was on the move! Jericho had fallen to them, Ai was gone, and the peoples of central Canaan were probably wondering who would be next. There was a group of four cities which decided to make peace with Israel—even if they had to use trickery to do it! Text, Joshua 9:1-2, KJV: 1 ...read more

Denomination: Baptist