Sermons on Sponges:

The Serpent (Genesis 3)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 6, 2024

Has temptation to sin basically changed? Let's discuss this in Genesis 3.

Does sin begin with temptation? When we begin to think that disobeying God looks pleasant to the eyes and desirable to make one wise, are we in trouble? Let’s discuss this in Genesis 3. How did a mysterious and subtle being called the serpent begin his seduction of the woman? Now the serpent was ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Brother Killing Brother (Genesis 4)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 7, 2024

Brother killing brother has gone on since the beginning. Let's examine this topic in light of Genesis 4.

Brother has been killing brother since the beginning and our world still hasn't learned to love instead of hate: Hutu killing Tutsi, China threatening Taiwan, Russia attacking Ukraine, Israel and Palestine, the unwelcomed refugee, the unwelcomed innocent unborn child. Let’s explore the first ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus' True Family (Mark 3)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 9, 2024

Who belongs to Jesus' true family? Let's find out in Mark 3.

Was it lawful for Jesus to do good on the Sabbath? How did Jesus answer the scribes’ false accusation about healing via demons? How were they dangerously close to blaspheming the Holy Spirit? Who is Jesus’ brother and sister and mother? Let’s find out in Mark 3. Did Jesus have another ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Eyewitness Genealogy (Genesis 5)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 10, 2024

Do we believe the eyewitness testimony of patriarchal history or the unreliable data from chronometric dating? Let's take a look at Genesis 5.

Which is more reliable, eyewitness testimony including genealogies or wildly unreliable chronometric dating methods? If ancient patriarchs walked with God, can we walk and talk with God too? Was it Enoch’s faith that pleased God? Can we also have such faith? Let’s find out in a document possibly ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

What Is The Church?

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jul 16, 2023

A town gathering and a few word pictures help us understand what is meant by the word church.

What is the church? A Gathering The early church borrowed a Greek term, ?????s?a (ekklésia), meaning a gathering of citizens. Thus we call the study of the church ecclesiology. Can it describe a local church? To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:2

Denomination: Baptist

What Is The Church's Mission

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jul 19, 2023

What is the Church's mission? What is the commission?

What is the church’s mission? Studying the church’s mission is called missiology. Witness and Light Where were the disciples to be witnesses of what they had seen and heard? Do we collectively carry on that mission? but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20

Denomination: Baptist

Paul's Authority

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jul 29, 2023

Did Paul just go about his missionary work without checking with others in the broader church to make sure that his message was orthodox?

The letter to the churches in Galatia describes a problem that still exists today, how they had fallen backwards from the grace of the Gospel into outward works of the law like circumcision. Thus, the theme of Galatians is justification by faith in Christ’s death and resurrection apart from the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Legalism Is Sin & Slavery

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jul 30, 2023

What did Paul teach about the law and faith? Let's look at Galatians 2.

Paul was directly taught by the resurrected Jesus, but did not act like a rebel. Instead he cooperated with the Apostles before him. Legalism is Sin & Slavery Where did Paul go to double check his teachings about the law and the Gospel? Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Justified By Grace Not Legalism

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Aug 3, 2023

Are we justified by grace or lawkeeping? Do Jesus and Paul contradict each other?

Paul explained how we are justified by grace, not works of the law. How did we receive the Holy Spirit? You irrational Galatians! Who put a spell on you? Jesus Christ was put on display as crucified before your eyes! I just want to know this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Two Covenants

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Aug 6, 2023

How does an analogy between two sons help us understand the old and new covenants?

Living under the law of Moses was like a child under a tutor, or like a slave. How does Paul explain this? Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave, although he is owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Preparing A Ship (Genesis 6)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 10, 2024

As the giver of life, did God have the right to take it back? Let's explore the reasons for the great flood in Genesis 6.

Was God grieved by the human evils of Noah’s day? Is our world getting just as bad? As the giver of life, does God have the right to take it away? Let’s discuss this in Genesis 6. Who were the sons of God? Does this possibly describe intermarriage between faithful and unfaithful families? Is such ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Flood Begins (Genesis 7)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 11, 2024

Is there geological evidence for a flood? Let's discuss this in Genesis 7.

Geological evidence for a worldwide flood is ubiquitous. There are sea fossils on the highest mountains. Complete fossils only exist when there is rapid burial. Some sedimentary rock layers cover whole continents. Some of those sediments were carried very long distances. There is no long-term ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Flood Ends (Genesis 8)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 12, 2024

DNA evidence seems to confirm our descent from Noah's three sons and the historic time of the flood. Let's discuss this in Genesis 8.

Is there evidence for our descent from Noah’s three sons and their wives? Mitochondrial DNA (female) seems to show three main branches, inline with what we would expect from the three wives of Noah’s sons. Recent studies of the number of mutations in Y-chromosome DNA sequence (male) indicate only ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Rainbow (Genesis 9)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 13, 2024

Does the rainbow play into our lives today? Let's discuss this in Genesis 9.

We each bear the consequences of our own sins, yet pass on bad habits and genetic corruption. Our children also sin and each generation suffers more as the sins of society accumulate. Did God know all this in advance? Has He prepared a plan to save humanity? Let’s discuss this in Genesis 9. How ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Table Of Nations (Genesis 10)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 14, 2024

Is discounting the world history in the ancient document, we call the Bible, dishonest? Let's discuss the history of nations from Genesis 10.

The history of the world takes into account many ancient documents. Is discounting the history recorded in the world’s most popular document, the Bible, rather dishonest? Who were Japheth’s descendants? It is possible that the name Japheth was corrupted by the Romans to Jupiter. Many ancient ...read more

Denomination: Baptist