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

December 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 31

Syndication

Direct download: IBC_20181230.mp3
Category:The Thrill of Hope -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

How many laws are there in the United States?  No one is exactly sure.  It may be that no one can count that high!  They’ve been accumulating, of course, for more than 200 years.  When federal laws were first collected and printed in 1927, they fit into one single volume.  By the 1980s, there were 50 volumes.

 

The federal tax code alone contains millions of words and is some 6500 pages in length.  There are about 20,000 regulations governing the use and ownership of guns.  According to congressional testimony, there may be as many as 300,000 regulations that can be enforced criminally. 

 

If there is any good news about our current congress that is virtually gridlocked, it’s that the pace of new laws being added to the books has slowed.  In a recent year only 90 new laws were passed.

 

This is expansion of laws is not unique to the United States.  The Jewish people were given 10 Commandments by God through Moses.  Pretty simple.  But that grew to 613 laws and rules in the larger Pentateuch.  An oral body of law emerged beyond those 613.  It was finally put into writing and called the Talmud.  It is over 6,200 pages of additional regulations.

 

From 10 to 613 to 6,200! 

 

In the US, from 1 volume of laws to 50 to 300,000 regulations! 

 

Wouldn’t it be great if this mass of burdensome laws could be summed up into one?  Where are the CliffsNotes?!

 

I have good news this Christmas!

 

God in Christ gave us one law and his law is love—love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.  If we would but love, we would need no other law.  Love is the fulfillment of the law!

 

All the righteous demands of the law were filled by Christ in his incarnation.  He alone has loved perfectly.  That is the real gift of Christmas—his love for us and his love through us!

 

This Sunday at Istrouma we will marvel afresh at God’s gift of love.  Join us!

 

The Thrill of Hope

“His Law Is Love”

John 13:34-35

 

 

  1. The command to love

 

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another(13:34a).

 

  1. The source of the command

 

  1. The scope of the command

 

 

  1. The comparison of love

 

. . . just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another(13:34b).

 

  1. Jesus’ love for us is undeserved

 

  1. Jesus’ love for us is unending

 

 

  1. The consequence of love

 

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (13:35).

 

  1. It reflects on Christians

 

  1. It reflects on Christ
Direct download: IBC_20181223.mp3
Category:The Thrill of Hope -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

It’s a rare thing, particularly in our American culture, to fall on our knees, isn’t it?  It is reserved for very special occasions.  And rightly so.  It is not something to be done lightly.

 

I remember one occasion when I knelt before another.  It was a beautiful spring evening, lit by the glow of a full moon.  I knelt before a beautiful young woman named Nell.  I knelt there as a sign of my respect and love for her.  On bended knee I made a commitment to her that night that now spans more than thirty years.

 

There is someone else before whom every one of us should gladly fall on our knees.  Because of who he is and what he has done on our behalf, we should willingly kneel before the Lord Jesus as a sign of our respect and love for him.  We should make a commitment to him that will span all of life and eternity.

 

The beloved Christmas carol, “O Holy Night,” reaches a crescendo as it calls on all to “fall on your knees” before the Savior.  This Sunday we will hear the challenge of that carol and the scripture that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10b-11). 

 

Join us at Istrouma this coming Sunday as worship on bended knee and with humble heart the newborn King!

 

The Thrill of Hope

“Fall on Your Knees”

Philippians 2:5-11

 

  1. Because of Jesus’ equalitywith God

 

. . .Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped(2:5b-6).

 

  1. He is God

 

  1. He is gracious

 

  1. Because of Jesus’ emptyingas God

 

but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,[c]being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (2:7-8)

 

  1. He became our servant

 

  1. He became our sacrifice

 

  1. Because of Jesus’ exaltationby God

 

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (2:9-11).

 

  1. He is sovereign

 

  1. He is savior
Direct download: IBC_20181216.mp3
Category:The Thrill of Hope -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

Jesus is called by many names or titles in Scripture.

 

Some of these names have a special tie to the Christmas season—Immanuel, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 

Many of his names, including these that I’ve just metioned, are transcendent.  They speak of His power and sovereignty.  He is Master, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and the list goes on. 

 

But there is one name that is especially tender, intimate, simple, and too seldom called to mind.  It’s the name “friend.”  Now, were that title for Jesus not sweet enough, in Luke 7:34 it is added that, not only is he a friend, he is a friend “of sinners.” 

 

I am so glad that Jesus is a friend of sinners.  That means that he can be my friend and yours!  And that is exactly who he is--our friend!

 

That name, “friend of sinners,” was originally meant as an insult—an outright criticism, but Jesus took it as a compliment.  It was his mission in coming as a babe to Bethlehem to befriend sinners.  No wonder the Christmas carol tells us that he was “born to be our friend.”  It is because of his friendship with sinners that we can sing of “the thrill of hope”!

 

The Thrill of Hope

“Born to Be Our Friend”

Luke 15:1-7

 

  1. Our friend’s concern

 

What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them . . .(15:4a).

 

  1. Is for the many

 

  1. Is for the missing

 

  1. Our friend’s conduct

 

. . . does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? (15:4b)

 

  1. Is prioritized

 

  1. Is persistent

 

  1. Our friend’s celebration

 

And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance (15:5-7).

 

  1. Is personal

 

  1. Is public

 

Direct download: IBC_20181209.mp3
Category:The Thrill of Hope -- posted at: 6:02pm EDT

On April 25, 2015 a huge earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale struck Nepal.  Thousands of structures were damaged and the death toll soared to 9,000.  The world watched in horror. 

 

Rescue personnel threw themselves at the enormous task in front of them.  They grew exhausted and discouraged as they labored hour after hour in a desperate attempt to save lives.  As hope began to fade, the cry of a baby arose from the rubble.  Responders renewed their efforts and after some 22 hours of digging, little Sonit Awal was rescued. 

 

The weary world rejoiced!

 

Photographer Amul Thapa, whose pictures captured the story, said that he prayed when he heard Sonit’s cry.  He prayed that God would help them save that baby’s life.  When Sonit was rescued, Thapa said, “When I saw the baby alive all my sorrow . . . [disappeared]. Everyone was clapping. It gave me . . . [joy] in spite of lots of pain hidden inside me.”

 

The rescue of a baby caused a weary world to rejoice.

 

That was a baby that the world came to rescue.  This Sunday I will tell you about a baby who came to rescue the world.

 

Weary world, rejoice!

 

The Thrill of Hope

“The Weary World Rejoices”

Luke 2:8-14

 

  1. Because we have a story to tell

 

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people”(2:10).

 

  1. It is a story of good news

 

  1. It is a story of global news

 

  1. Because we have a savior to trust

 

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord(2:11).

 

  1. He is our incarnate savior

 

  1. He is our invincible savior

 

  1. Because we have a song to sing

 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased”(2:13-14).

 

  1. It is a song of praise

 

  1. It is a song of peace
Direct download: IBC_20181202.mp3
Category:The Thrill of Hope -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT

1