Author page: First Baptist Church

About this Sermon | Joshua 2: 1-21 When we meet Rahab, we learn that she is living in the midst of peril. When she meets the two spies sent to Jericho by Joshua, ahead of what will be the conquering Israelite army and completing the trajectory of the Exodus story, Rahab is absolutely certain that the LORD will prevail. She…

About this Sermon | Exodus 16:2-15, 35 After leading the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, and crossing the Red Sea on dry ground, the Hebrew people find themselves hungry. They groan and complain. God hears their cries, and provides everything they need to survive their time in the wilderness. If we think about it, God provides everything…

About this Sermon | Exodus 2: 11-23 When we first meet the adult Moses, we see him trying out his passion for justice, and it doesn't go very well. He flees Egypt, promptly landing in the desert of Midian and a liminal season in his life. What happens to Moses in those years of desert-living, and what does it show…

About this Sermon | In the story of Joseph, we discover a man who finds himself at the bottom of a pit, only to be removed to be sold as a slave. Then, after being falsely accused of a crime, he finds himself a in a different kind of pit, the pit of prison. But in the midst of all…

About this Sermon | In Matthew 13, we find The Parable of the Sower. In this parable, Jesus is communicating to us through the everyday tasks of the common person. Parables help us understand ideas by expressing them in concrete and routine tasks. Although we no longer go out and scatter seed as the wind blows, there are comparisons that…

About this Sermon | As we continue reading in Genesis about Jacob's liminal experiences, we learn that he found himself in between a rock and a hard place. On the eve of meeting his brother for the first time in 20 years, instead of having a simple restless night, he spends the entire evening wrestling God. At the end of…

About this Sermon | As we find ourselves in the midst of a story about Jacob, we discover his deceitfulness and elusive behaviors have no bounds: they are directed to his brother, his dad, and even God. But surprisingly, he's been deceiving himself by believing that he can control his circumstances. When he encounters God, he hears an unconditional promise,…

About this Sermon | In the story of Abraham & Sarah, we learn that between the promises made by God in chapter 12 and the delivery (finally!) of baby Isaac in chapter 21, the parents-to-be have been stuck in a 25 year long liminal time.  We see them attempting to come up with solutions that make sense to them.  Their…

About this Sermon | In Genesis 6-9, we discover a new character who experiences liminal time in a dramatic fashion: Noah, his family, and all of the animals on the ark. But God remembers, and a new creation is begun. What new creation is God working on in the midst of our collective liminal time right now? And how do…