Sermons on Ulysses Grant:

Death Of A Traitor (2 Samuel 18)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 15, 2025

Do we celebrate or mourn the death of a traitor? Let's look at 2 Samuel 18.

Do people like Joseph’s brothers, Absalom, Adonijah and Judas remind us of betrayal? How do we treat our very imperfect leaders? Let’s look at 2 Samuel 18. Who were the three captains of David’s army? Did he request that they be gentle with his rebel son Absalom? And David numbered the people who ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

A Difficult Return (2 Samuel 19)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 16, 2025

How difficult would it be to reunite a nation or church after a time of division? Let's look at 2 Samuel 19.

How did David handle his return to Jerusalem as king? After betrayal and false accusations, how difficult is it reconciling a divided nation or church? Let’s look at 2 Samuel 19. Did Joab disapprove of David mourning his rebellious son? Then it was reported to Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Stopping A Rebel (2 Samuel 20)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 17, 2025

When should we stop a rebel and when not? Let's look at 2 Samuel 20.

When reconciliation cannot be had, how can a rebel’s destructive influence be stopped? Let’s begin in 2 Samuel 20. Did a rebel named Sheba, son of Bikri, stir up division among the tribes? Now a wicked [worthless] man, a Benjaminite named Sheba son of Bichri, happened to be there. He blew the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Gibeonite Justice (2 Samuel 21)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 18, 2025

Should we settle for Gibeonite justice or is there something better? Let's begin in 2 Samuel 21.

Did David do what the Lord really wanted to atone for the atrocity committed against the Gibeonites or did God bless the land despite David’s inadequacy? Let’s look at 2 Samuel 21. Why was there a famine? Had Saul violated a peace treaty with the Gibeonites that Joshua had made? Were others in ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Lord Is My Rock (2 Samuel 22)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 19, 2025

Upon whom do we rely? Let's look at 2 Samuel 22.

Do we look to God for protection, for deliverance? Do we sing God’s praise? What is the purpose of praise? Let’s look at 2 Samuel 22. Would a former shepherd like David see a high rock as a safe place for sheep from predators? Is the Lord our refuge from violent people? David sang to the Lord the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The David Conundrum (2 Samuel 23)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 20, 2025

How could a man who plundered whole villages, committed adultery and murder be considered righteous and a man after God's own heart? Let's begin in 2 Samuel 23.

How could a man who pillaged whole villages, committed adultery and murder be declared righteous, and a man after God’s own heart? How could the Spirit of the Lord speak through such a man? Are genuine repentance and faith keys? Let’s begin in 2 Samuel 23. Does the fear of God begin to explain ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

God Or Numbers (2 Samuel 24)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 21, 2025

Do we rely on God or numbers? Let's look at 2 Samuel 24.

Do human governments rely on God or military numbers? Does God often defeat a strong enemy using inferior numbers? Let’s look at 2 Samuel 24. Was Israel relying on military numbers rather than God, who often defeated enemies by using inferior numbers? Now the anger of the Lord burned against ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Good & Bad Traditions (John 2)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 23, 2025

How do we discern between good and bad traditions? Let's look at John 2.

Do believers always choose the right way? Are mandatory teetotaling and selling items at church, good or bad ideas? Which traditions, built upon Jesus, are gold or stubble? Let’s begin in John 2. Should Christians make up rules not found in the Bible, like forbidding even moderate alcohol use? Did ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

From Above (John 3)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 24, 2025

Are we born from above and do we obey the one who came from above? Let's look at John 3.

Are we to be born from above and have faith in He who comes from above? What is being born of the Spirit? Does God love the world? Did Jesus baptize? Are believing and obedience connected? Let’s look at John 3. How could a religious leader, schooled in the Old Testament, completely miss the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Lay Baptism & Lay Evangelism (John 4)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 25, 2025

Who baptizes and who evangelizes in our church? Let's look at John 4.

Can ordinary disciples baptize under supervision? Can a novice evangelize? Is a future evangelist waiting somewhere for us to arrive? Do we allow living water from heaven to flow through us? Is our food to do God’s will? Do we share what others need to hear? Let’s examine John 4. Who performed the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Compassion Vs Rules (John 5)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 26, 2025

Which comes first compassion or man-made rules? Let's look at John 5.

Is Jesus divine? Did He put compassion above man-made rules? Did religious leaders want to murder Him? Do we believe Jesus’ words? Let's look at John 5. What did Jesus come across at the pool of Bethesda? The section in square brackets is not found in early manuscripts. Some time later, Jesus ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Sealed (Revelation 7)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Sep 27, 2020

Let’s take a look at the sealing of the faithful among all nations, beginning with Israel in Revelation 7.

Let’s take a look at the sealing of the faithful among all nations, beginning with Israel in Revelation 7. Israel Sealed Revelation 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners [angles] of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

7th Seal & 1st 4 Trumpets (Revelation 8)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Sep 30, 2020

Let’s look at the final of seven seals and the first four of seven trumpets in Revelation 8.

Let’s look at the final of seven seals and the first four of seven trumpets. 7th Seal - Silence Revelation 8:1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. Whether or not the seals or the scroll is being revealed is unclear, so we will ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Fruitfulness

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Oct 1, 2020

What kind of faith is saving faith? Let’s look at living faith, its fruit, its evidence and the parable of the vineyard in Matthew 21:33-46.

What kind of faith is saving faith? Let’s look at living faith, its fruit, its evidence and the parable of the vineyard in Matthew 21:33-46. The Servants Matthew 21:33-37 “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:33-46

Denomination: Baptist

Invitation

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Oct 4, 2020

What is our response to God’s invitation? What does God expect us to wear? Let’s look at the Parable of the Wedding Banquet in Matthew 22:1-14.

What is our response to God’s invitation? What does God expect us to wear? Let’s look at the Parable of the Wedding Banquet in Matthew 22:1-14. Matthew 22:1-2 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14

Denomination: Baptist