Sermons on Look Upward:

Criticizing Leaders (Numbers 12)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Nov 14, 2024

When is it appropriate to criticize church leaders, and when not? Let's look at Numbers 12.

What does God think about a critical attitude towards His leaders? Is it all too common in our churches? Let’s look at Numbers 12. Why did Miriam and Aaron denounce Moses? Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. “Has the Lord spoken ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Bronze Serpent (Numbers 21)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Nov 25, 2024

What does the bronze serpent have to do with the cross? Let's look at Numbers 21.

Did Israel vacillate between faith and complaining? Do we? Let’s look at Numbers 21. In their vacillation, was this one time that Israel believed God? When the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, he fought against Israel and ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Spring Offerings (Numbers 28)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Dec 5, 2024

How do the Spring festivals picture the Christian life? Let's look at Numbers 28.

As Israel was about to enter the promised land, did God remind them of their feasts and related offerings? Did they picture the total sacrifice of Jesus? Is our love for God and neighbor total, like a burnt offering? Let’s look at Numbers 28. Were morning and evening offerings to be made daily? ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Conquering An Enemy (Numbers 31)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Dec 9, 2024

What was God's last task for Moses? Let's look in Numbers 31.

As Israel overcame nations with vile practices like idolatry and child sacrifice, do we overcome sin in our lives? Let’s look at Numbers 31. What last task did God give to Moses before his death? And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Recounting The Exodus (Deuteronomy 1)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Dec 16, 2024

Are there lessons in Moses' recounting of the Exodus that are valuable for us? Let's look at Deuteronomy 1.

What can we learn from Israel’s 40 years of wandering in the wilderness? Are we learning to trust God? Are we learning not to make things worse when God disciplines us? Let’s look at Deuteronomy 1. What history did Moses recount before Israel crossed the Jordan into Canaan? These are the words ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Ten Words (Deuteronomy 5)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Dec 24, 2024

How do we apply the Ten Commandments as Christians? Let's look at Deuteronomy 5.

Whether we number the Ten Words or Ten Commandments as do Jews, Catholics, Protestants or others, do we know them? Do they outline Deuteronomy and all 613 commandments of the law? Let’s look at Deuteronomy 5. How did Moses reintroduce the words of the covenant, what we also call the Ten ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Trust And Obey (2 Of 2)

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Mar 22, 2022

This morning we looked at something we talk, teach, preach and sing about, that is, “TRUST AND OBEY!”

We dealt with the TRUST this morning, but this evening we would like to deal with the OBEY part of that song. Something that Peter and the early disciples understood that today’s church does not understand, is that WE CHRISTIANS ARE TO OBEY GOD. They understood that you obeyed God: • When it was ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:26-29

Denomination: Baptist

He’s All Around Me 3 Of 3

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Mar 25, 2022

We have been looking at some of the things the Bible teaches about the wonderful God we serve.

There are some folks who speak of Him as the “Man upstairs”. Any time you hear someone refer to Almighty God like this, it is safe to assume they do not know the first thing about God. God is not a MAN and he does not have human attributes like mankind with limitations. WHAT KIND OF GOD IS HE? ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 32:17

Denomination: Baptist

Fruit Of The Spirit # 4

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Apr 1, 2022

We have been looking at the fruit of the Spirit as presented by the Apostle Paul in the 5th chapter of Galatian

The Apostle Paul tells us that when we’re filled with the Holy Spirit, we’ll evidence the fruit of the Spirit in our lives by exhibiting, "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance:." In this message, we want to look at the 4th fruit of the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Denomination: Baptist

Stewardship (2of 4)

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Apr 11, 2022

Today we want to look again at the scriptures to see what is required of us if we are to be good stewards.

Our text says, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” EVERYONE here today is a steward. That is, everyone here has been entrusted by God with certain things. We have... • Been entrusted with the gospel. • Been entrusted with talents. (Some more than others.) • Been ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:2

Denomination: Baptist

Gibeah Punished (Judges 20)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Mar 21, 2025

What can we learn from the punishment of Gibeah? Let's look at Judges 20.

Did all of Israel punish the people of Gibeah because of their atrocity? Will that kind of activity be tolerated in the kingdom of God? Let’s look at Judges 20. What was Israel’s reaction to the news of the atrocity in Gibeah? Then all the Israelites were united as one man, from Dan in the north ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Philistines Punished (1 Samuel 5)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Mar 30, 2025

Do people have an excuse for ignoring God? Let's look at 1 Samuel 5.

Does God provide evidence of His existence? Do idols actually do anything for people? Let’s look at 1 Samuel 5. Where was the stolen ark of the covenant placed by the Philistines? Dagon was a half man half fish idol. After the Philistines took God’s chest, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Human Governments (1 Samuel 8)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 3, 2025

Do all human governments eventually disappoint? Let's look at 1 Samuel 8.

Are all human governments faulty? Why would people think that the solution is a king when God is the real answer? Let’s look at 1 Samuel 8. Did Samuel’s sons reveal yet another sad reason why succession fails to guarantee faithfulness to God? For this reason, do Protestants have every right to ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

God Chose David (1 Samuel 16)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 11, 2025

Why does God choose one and not another? Let's look in 1 Samuel 16.

Did God choose the least likely son of Jesse according to human reasoning? Are those God chooses often deemed unlikely by the world? Do we judge by outward appearance, or the heart? Let’s look at 1 Samuel 16. How did God assign Samuel to anoint a replacement for Saul? Does wisdom often mean ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Palm Sunday, The Innocence Project Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Apr 12, 2025

This series looks at how, beginning on Palm Sunday, how Jesus was wrongfully convicted because of official misconduct.

In 1992, attorneys Peter Neufeld and Barry Scheck, founded an organization called the Innocence Project, which has been at the forefront of criminal justice reform, using DNA and other scientific advancements to prove wrongful conviction. The mission of the Innocence project is defined this way: ...read more

Scripture: John 12:12-20, Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44

Denomination: Wesleyan