Sermons on Sponges:

Justified By Faith

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 18, 2023

How can we be made right in God's sight? Can we believe Jesus and disobey Him?

Does Paul teach that all nations are equally sinful and the only way for any of us to be justified is by faith? Do we then have peace with God through whom? Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1 ESV) Is it a disobedient ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

New Holy Life

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 18, 2023

Does the new life in Christ mean we can be careless about sin or careful to live sin free? Is holiness important or is that just self-righteousness?

May we Christians just believe and not obey Jesus Christ? Can we be attached to the vine and not bear fruit? So what are we going to say? Should we continue sinning so grace will multiply? Absolutely not! All of us died to sin. How can we still live in it? (Romans 6:2 CEB) May we return to living ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Flesh And Spirit

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 25, 2023

How do the flesh and the Spirit war against one another within each of us? How do we deal with an imperfect church and a perfect Savior?

How do the flesh and Spirit affect our lives and our relationship to the law? Is the law pictured as the husband of the soul in a similar manner as a man is to his wife? Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Filthy Lucre

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Sep 16, 2022

Let’s discuss a shrewd business manager and his wise use of filthy money in Luke 16:1-13.

Should we boycott corporations that deal in dirty money, or is all money really filthy lucre? Are our tainted tithes and offerings usable for heavenly purposes? Let’s discuss a shrewd business manager and his wise use of filthy money in Luke 16:1-13. People versus Profits Luke 16:1-4 Jesus told ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

God The Holy Spirit

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Sep 18, 2022

Let’s explore who is the Holy Spirit.

A study of the third Person of the Trinity is called Pneumatology, from the Greek word pneuma (p?e?µa) meaning Spirit, wind or breath. Let’s explore who is the Holy Spirit. Was the Holy Spirit involved in creation? “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 36:26-27, Acts 2:17-18, Acts 5:3-4

Denomination: Baptist

Angels

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Sep 24, 2022

Angels are mentioned over 300 times in the Christian Bible, slightly more often in the New Testament. Let's learn about angels.

Angels are mentioned over 300 times in the Christian Bible, slightly more often in the New Testament. The word angel comes from a Greek word ???e??? (angelos) meaning a messenger. So, the study of angels is called angelology. Were angels created by God? “For in him all things were created: things ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:14, Luke 2:13-14

Denomination: Baptist

Faith To Forgive

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Sep 26, 2022

Do we have enough faith to forgive? Let’s see what Jesus says about how much faith is needed to forgive in Luke 17:5-10.

Do we have enough faith to forgive? Let’s see what Jesus says about how much faith is needed to forgive in Luke 17:5-10. Faith to Forgive Let’s not isolate Jesus' comments from their context. “One day Jesus said to his disciples, ‘There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:5-10

Denomination: Baptist

Joshua-Judges

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Sep 28, 2022

Joshua took over leadership from Moses. After him came a series of chieftains, who led Israel through a repeated cycle of apostasy, punishment and rescue.

Joshua took over leadership from Moses to bring Israel into the promised land. After him came a series of judges or notable chieftains of various tribes, who led Israel through a repeated cycle of apostasy, punishment and rescue. Leadership How important are the words even today, “be strong and ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Ruth

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Sep 29, 2022

Let's look at Ruth and Boaz, and how Boaz was a type of Christ the redeemer.

In examining Ruth it is essential to discuss one difficulty before we begin, the earlier prohibition against Moabites. “No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the Lord, not even in the tenth generation.” (Deuteronomy 23:3 NIV) Note that the prohibition does ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Revelation 1-17

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Oct 7, 2022

Revelation is apocalyptic literature, a symbolic genre. Who and what does this book reveal?

Students of Revelation fall into four broad categories, those who believe it’s mostly 1) past history, 2) foretells Christian history, 3) mostly future or 4) symbolic. Revelation is apocalyptic literature, a symbolic genre. Who and what does this book reveal? “The revelation of Jesus Christ, ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Sent

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Oct 7, 2022

What is the church’s mission? Studying the church’s mission is called missiology. Let’s discuss a mission trip from Luke 10:1-20.

What is the church’s mission? Studying the church’s mission is called missiology. Let’s discuss a mission trip from Luke 10:1-20. 70 Apostled Short term mission trips are as old as when Jesus sent the 70. They were 1) “sent” or “apostled” as the Greek says. The eastern churches call these the 70 ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

Persistent Prayer

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Oct 10, 2022

God encourages us to be persistent and demanding in prayer.

Do we persist with God? Do we give up praying too soon? Let’s learn that God encourages persistent, demanding prayers. Let’s discuss prayers for ourselves, aggressive prayer and God’s justice in Luke 18:1-8. Purpose “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Righteous Or Sinner?

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Oct 17, 2022

Do we use our knowledge of God's word to criticize others, or to become more and more humble about our own sins? Let’s learn that we are all still sinners and that God alone justifies. Let’s discuss self-righteousness and self-justification in Luke 18:9-14.

Do we use our knowledge of God's word to criticize others, or to become more and more humble about our own sins? Let’s learn that we are all still sinners and that God alone justifies. Let’s discuss self-righteousness and self-justification in Luke 18:9-14. Self-Righteousness “Also He spoke ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Baptist

Revelation 18-22

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Oct 20, 2022

Revelation reveals a righteous king and kingdom to come. But first, will this world’s Babylonian system end?

Revelation reveals a righteous king and kingdom to come. But first, will this world’s Babylonian system end? “He cried with a mighty voice, saying, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great…” (Revelation 18:2a WEB) Are kings and merchants alike corrupt? “Babylon's evil and immoral wine has made ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

A Reject Saved

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Oct 29, 2022

Is there any hope for someone who has been rejected by the community? Let’s look at the change that allowed a man with a bad reputation to receive eternal salvation in Luke 19:1-10.

Is there any hope for someone who has been rejected by the community? Let’s look at the change that allowed a man with a bad reputation to receive eternal salvation in Luke 19:1-10. Taxes Before we examine the chief tax collector, we need to speak about taxes. In principle they are not wrong. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10

Denomination: Baptist