Sermons on Jonathan Morris:

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

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

A Look At The Lord’s Supper

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 2, 2023

The Lord's Supper is one of the most important things we believers can do to honor the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. Paul wrote of this in 1 Corinthians 11.

(Based on a message preached 1-29-2023 at First Baptist Church, Chamois, MO. This is not an exact transcription.) Introduction: We celebrate the Lord’s Supper when there’s a fifth Sunday. Some of us may have never taken part in one of these, and for some, it may have been a while. That’s one of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, Acts 4:12

Denomination: Baptist

Rebekah And Isaac: Married At First Sight? Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 11, 2023

Isaac, son of Abraham, was still grieving over the death of his mother Sarah. His father, Abraham, sent a servant to the land of Abraham's brother to find Isaac a wife. This was a true "Married at First Sight" story!

(Based on a message preached at First Baptist Church, Chamois, MO, on 2-05-2023. This is not an exact transcription.) Introduction: This is February and I have to confess I didn’t think we’d ever get out of January! But here we are and the Lord is with us. Now, February is usually known as the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

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

Reuben, Mister "Might Have Been” Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jul 13, 2022

The firstborn son had certain privileges in Hebrew families. Reuben, Jacob's oldest, gave in to sin and as a result, he lost his blessing and birthright. Don't make Reuben mistakes!

Introduction: Back in the early 1980’s, Pastor Dale Burden, then living in the Tidewater area of Virginia (the cities near Norfolk and Virginia Beach) preached a message, or a series (IIRC) about Reuben, calling him “mister might have been”. After all these years, I still remember bits and pieces ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 29:32, Genesis 30:14, Genesis 35:22, Genesis 49:3-4

Denomination: Baptist

Trust In The Lord Series

Contributed by Jonathan Newlon on Jul 16, 2022

The Psalmist David gives us 4 things to do in the Lord in this sermon series. In this sermon, we investigate the first of this series: Trust in the Lord.

Go ahead and open your Bibles to Psalm 37. This is a Psalm of David that starts off by offering encouragement to believers. David gives us some instructions on how to live our lives “in the Lord.” He says starting in verse 1, “Do not fret because of evil doers, nor be envious of the workers of ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Delight Yourself In The Lord Series

Contributed by Jonathan Newlon on Jul 16, 2022

In this Psalm 37 series, we see four things that David tells us to do either in or to the Lord. In this sermon, we investigate the second of these: Delight Yourself in the Lord

Introduction Turn with me to Psalm 37. We are in the second week examining the four statements that David made to do in/to the Lord. Last week we discussed trusting in the Lord. Now we move on to the second point that David makes. We read Verse 4 were David writes, “Delight yourself also in the ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Commit Your Ways To The Lord Series

Contributed by Jonathan Newlon on Jul 16, 2022

In this series, we see four things that David tells us to do either in or to the Lord. In this sermon, we investigate the third of these: Commit Your Ways to the Lord.

Introduction Over the last few weeks, we have been observing Psalm 37. Let’s get a refresher on the first 7 verses. (Read Psalm 37:1-7) Today marks the third week of our four week study into the first section of this Psalm. We have previously considered what it means to trust in the Lord as well ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Rest In The Lord Series

Contributed by Jonathan Newlon on Jul 16, 2022

In this series, we investigate four things that David tells us to do either in or to the Lord. In this sermon, we investigate the final of these: Rest in the Lord.

I. Introduction This is the final week of our four-week series in the beginning of Psalm 37. Let’s read, one more time, the 7 verses. (Read Psalm 37:1-7). We have already discussed the first three statements that the Psalmist says to do wither in or to the Lord. We have talked about what it means ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Simeon And Levi, United Then Divided Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jul 24, 2022

This message is about Simeon and Levi, the second and third sons of Jacob and Leah. They were very cruel to the inhabitants of Shechem (Gen. 34). Jacob never forgot about it and reminded them before he died.

Introduction: Simeon and Levi were Jacob’s second and third sons. Leah was the mother of both. These two brothers aren’t mentioned often in Scripture, but both are known for one specific incident of cruelty at Shechem (Genesis 34). Jacob never forgot what they had done and when he was dying, gave a ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 34:25-31, Genesis 42:8-24, Genesis 49:5-7

Denomination: Baptist

Judah, His Failures And His Future Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jul 29, 2022

Judah was the fourth son of Jacob and Leah. He failed, several times, but God forgave him and gave him a future to be proud of.

Introduction: Each of Jacob’s twelve sons was different from the others. That goes without saying, as any parent of more than one child will probably agree! Judah was the fourth son of Jacob and Leah and his name is related to the Hebrew word for “praise (Gen. 29:35)”. Some of his deeds might have ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 37:25-28, Genesis 43:1-10, Genesis 49:8-12

Denomination: Baptist

Joseph: Rejected But Respected Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 11, 2022

The life of Joseph, son of Jacob, is one of the most interesting in the Bible. This message is mostly a summary of his life, from slave to sovereign to sustainer. Don't we all wish there were more Josephs!

Introduction: What comes to mind when you think about Joseph, son of Jacob? Many of us, including me, tend to think first of his “coat of many colors” and his dreams. That’s true, but that’s only part of the story. In fact, Joseph spent several years away from his family in a foreign land, rising ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 37:25-28, Genesis 41:38-45

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