Istrouma Baptist Church Podcast

Categories

Sermon
The Big Picture
Unlikeliest Catch
#namesofJesus
Courageous
It's all about the Gifts
general
fit4life
The Race
Grow Up
&. It's not just you
Count the Stars
Journey: Joseph's Dream Tour
Moses
10 Commandments
Unbroken
Proc.cess
Son of God
Help
Coach
Jesus is Better
The Grove
Peace
All Things New
Conversations
Work as Worship
One Another Summer
Stand
Leverage
Wonderful-Life
Wonder Full Life
Arise
Levántate
#GO225
Dark Horse
El Elegido
Emotions
Emociones
Living Hope
Esperanza Viva
Prepare Him Room
Core
Valores
Un lugar para El
Signs
Fight
GO225
What Would You Ask?
What Woud You Ask?
Señales
Proverbs
¿Que le preguntarías a Dios?
God Is
Go Global
Generous
Celebración Misionera
Dios es
Proverbios
Generoso
The Big Story
La Gran Historia
Nochebuena
La última palabra
The Final Word
Bless Every Home
Bendice cada hogar
Songs of Summer
Canciones que confortan
Suit Up!
EQUÍPATE
Colossians
The Thrill of Hope
Carousel
Who's Your One
Easter
Culture Flip
James
One Another Sunday
Santiago
Cultura Contraria
Llamados a las misiones
Operation Christmas
Light of the World
Luz del Mundo
Solas
The Seven Churches of Revelation
Las siete iglesias de la revelación
Ester
Esther
Travel Light!
Viaje Ligero
Ezra
Esdras
Juan
John
Christmas at Istrouma
Navidaid en Istrouma
Iglesia en el Hogar
Church at Home
Exodus
Exodo
Mejor Juntos
Better Together
El Mesías y la Pascua Judía
Psalm 23
Salmos
The Revelation
Amen
Amén
Understand Overcome
Elegidos por Dios
The Characters of Christmas
Lets Give Thanks
Lasting Hope
Lord's Supper
Christmas at Home
Blessings
Jonah
Jonás
Healthy Church
Una Iglesia Saludable
Una Iglesia Salabra
Un corazón limpio
Revelation
Apocalipsis
Heaven's Hope
Nuestro Hogar Eterno
Are You In?
¿ESTAS DENTRO?
Are You In? Ascension
Drop Your Nets
Drop Your Nets: Ascension
Dejar Las Redes
Easter: Ascension
Pascua de Resurrección
Kingdom Culture
Kingdom Culture Ascension
Cultura del Reino
Mother's Day
The Lord is My Shepherd
Istrouma Ascension
Parables
Parables Ascension
Las Parábolas de Jesús
Istrouma Missions
Parables of Jesus
Parables of Jesus: Ascension
Habitos
Habits
Habits Ascension
ROMANS
Romans: Ascension
SED AGRADECIDOS
Navidad
Romans Ascension
Istrouma en Español
Acts
Acts: Ascension
Hechos

Archives

2024
March
February
January

2023
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2022
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
April
February
January

2021
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2020
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2019
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2018
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2017
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2016
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2015
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2014
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2013
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2012
December
November
October
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2011
December
November
October
September
August

November 2018
S M T W T F S
     
        1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30

Syndication

There are lots of things about the wise men that we don’t know. 

 

We don’t know how many wise men there were, though tradition teaches us that there were three.  We don’t know their names.  In the sixth century, someone decided that their names were Melchior, Baltazar and Gaspar.  Operas have been written ascribing these names to them.  But no one really knows what their names were.  We don’t know exactly from where they came.  The “east” is a pretty big area.  China?  India?  Babylonia?  We don’t know what their professions were.  Were they kings?  Philosophers?  Astronomers?  

 

There are lots of things about the wise men that we don’t know, but we do know this: they knew how to worship.

 

Three times in this brief passage it refers to their worship.  In verse 2 it says, “We . . . have come to worship him.”  Even evil and envious King Herod recognized that they had a heart to worship.  In verse 8 he hypocritically says, “when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”   Right.  In verse 11 we are told that the wise men, “bowed down and worshiped him.”  Yes, they knew how to worship.  From their example we too can learn to worship.

 

There are three elements of their worship that we will highlight this coming Sunday and that we ought to incorporate into our own worship of God.  We can share in their journey, their joy, and their generosity. 

 

Join us at Istrouma as we celebrate the season with our new Christmas series entitled, “The Thrill of Hope.”

 

The Thrill of Hope

 “Here Come the Wise Men”

Matthew 2:1-12

 

  1. Share their journey

 

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (2:1-2).

 

  1. The price of the journey

 

  1. The purpose of the journey

 

  1. Share their joy

 

When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother . . . (2:10-11a).

 

  1. The celebration of joy

 

  1. The child of joy

 

  1. Share their generosity

 

. . . and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh (2:11b).

 

  1. Give Jesus your presents

 

  1. Give Jesus your person
Direct download: IBC_20181125.mp3
Category:The Thrill of Hope -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

ESPN has a realtively new feature called “#YouHadOneJob.”  It focuses on people who had one task to do, but failed spectacularly doing it.  It’s a light-hearted look at some sports bloopers.

 

In life we sometimes think we have a lot to do—go to school, do homework, shuttle the kids, pay the bills, etc.  But the truth is, we really only have one primary task.  That “job” is clarified in Philippians 3:13b-14, “one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

 

This Sunday at Istrouma we’ll focus on how to pursue this prize of surpassing value.  Let’s not fumble at the one priority that surpasses all others! 

 

C’mon man!

 

Turkey Bowl Sunday

 “Press on for the Prize”

Philippians 3:13-14

 

  1. Forget what’s behind you

 

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind . . . (3:13a).

 

 

 

  1. Fight for what’s before you

 

. . . and straining forward to what lies ahead(3:13b).

 

 

 

  1. Focus on what’s beyond you

 

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (3:14).

Direct download: IBC_20181118.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

It won’t be long till Christmas!  One tradition of this season is the sending and receiving of greetings.  One site estimated that 1.6 billion greeting cards will be sent and that those cards will have a value of some two billion dollars.

 

It is important to greet one another.

 

The tradition of greeting one another has strong roots in the Christian faith.  Over 90 times the word “greet” or some form of it appears in the New Testament.  At least four times the command to “greet one another” appears and often that was to be done “with a holy kiss.”

 

Warm, heartfelt greetings go hand-in-hand with the gospel. 

 

This morning we’re going to open some “gospel greeting” cards.  They’re an intimate window into the kind of relationships that we, God’s people, are to have with one another, especially as we together labor to take the good news of the incarnate, crucified, risen, ascended, and returning Christ to a needy world.

 

Colossians 4:7-18 include a stack of these “gospel greetings.”  Let your heart be touched by the love and camaraderie they reveal as we open them this Sunday morning

 

Jesus Reigns

 “Gospel Greetings”

Colossians 4:7-18

 

 

  1. Notice bywhom gospel greetings are sent (4:7-9)

 

  1. A reliable companion

  2. A recent convert

 

  1. Notice fromwhom gospel greetings are sent (4:10-14)

 

  1. Those who stayed

 

  1. Those who strayed

 

  1. Notice to whom gospel greetings are sent (4:15-17)

 

  1. A welcoming servant

 

  1. A wavering servant

 

Direct download: IBC_20181111.mp3
Category:Colossians -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Direct download: IBC_20181104.mp3
Category:Colossians -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

1