By Kevin Shrum
Pastor, Inglewood Baptist Church, Nashville

Focal Passage: Ezekiel 37:1-14

Someone once took each letters of the word GOSPEL to define the gospel — God Offers Sinful (Dead) People Eternal Life. But this is only the beginning of what the good news means. The phrase — “Jesus did not come to make good men better, He came to make dead men live!” — is true. God’s offer of salvation is made all the more remarkable when we understand our condition outside of Jesus Christ and comprehend and embrace by faith God’s transforming grace in Jesus Christ. Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones illustrates our condition and God’s clear offer of grace.

The potential, Ezekiel 37:1-6. God gives Ezekiel a clear vision of Israel’s condition, and ours as well. Ezekiel says that God “brought me out by his Spirit and set me in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones,” (v. 1). The bones he saw were dry, numerous, and disjointed (v. 2). And so is the condition of the sinner — dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1), disconnected from the life of God (Ephesians 2:2-3).  [Read more…]

By Kenny Bruce
Pastor Emeritus, Leawood East Baptist Church, Memphis

Focal Passage: Luke 2:22-35

Just as the Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that the baby Jesus was the Messiah, He reveals to us the mind of God. 

The dedication of the parents (v. 27b). When Jesus was forty days old, Joseph and Mary went to the temple because she was required by Old Testament law to go there for purification rites described in Lev. 12. She had to offer a sacrifice for her purification. They also came to pay a five shekel ransom price because Jesus was her firstborn (Exodus 13:1-12). The third reason they came was to dedicate Jesus to God. 

Godly parents today, either in private or in a baby dedication service, will acknowledge that their child is God’s gift to them and dedicate him to the Lord (Psalm 127:3).  [Read more…]

By Kenny Bruce
Pastor Emeritus, Leawood East Baptist Church, Memphis

Focal Passage: Isaiah 9:6-7; Luke 1:26-33

Lela B. Long wrote a chorus in the Baptist Hymnal entitled “Jesus Is the Sweetest Name I Know.” I agree. 

The majesty of His name (Isaiah 9:6-7). Isaiah predicted the birth of Jesus, then stated that the government would rest on His shoulders (v. 6). All the governments of the world are on His shoulders in the sense that He is ruling over them. Jesus said that all authority has been given to Him in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). 

The prophet described Jesus as the “Wonderful Counselor.” He is the source of truth and wisdom. He knows exactly how to answer any question we have for Him, and how to resolve any dilemma we face. The second description is “Mighty God.” He alone forgives sin, answers prayers, provides, performs miracles, and empowers us to do what we can’t do on our own. Isaiah pictures Him as “Eternal Father.” He is the Father of eternity. With the fourth couplet he describes Jesus as the “Prince of Peace.”  [Read more…]

By Kenny Bruce
Pastor Emeritus, Leawood East Baptist Church, Memphis

Focal Passage: Luke 2:4-12, 16-20 

The birth of Jesus is the greatest event in the history of the world. 

I. THE PROBLEMATIC ARRIVAL IN BETHLEHEM (vv. 4-7) God moved on Caesar Augustus to order a census of all the earth for the purpose of taxation. Joseph and Mary went to the city of David, Bethlehem, to register and for Mary to give birth to Jesus. God takes pagan rulers and uses them for His own purposes. He is sovereign over every ruler on earth. He even rules over hotel capacities. 

There was no room for Joseph and Mary in the inn (v. 7). They spent the night in a stable where an animal feeding trough was located. It was a dirty and smelly place for Mary to give birth to baby Jesus. When God came down. He came all the way down to the poor and lowly in humble circumstances.  [Read more…]

By Kenny Bruce
Pastor Emeritus, Leawood East Baptist Church, Memphis

Focal Passage: Isaiah 9:1-3; John 1:1-9

John’s gospel does not begin in time, but in eternity. You find Jesus coming into this world as Light from a heavenly perspective.

I. THE PROPHECY OF THE LIGHT (Isaiah 9:1-3) Because Israel was worshiping false gods, God sent Tiglath-Pilesar from Assyria in 733 BC to conquer the “land of Zebulun” and the “land of Naphtali” in the Northern Kingdom (v. 1), later recognized as Lower and Upper Galilee in the New Testament. 

The Israelites were encircled by darkness and gloom. Isaiah prophesies in verse 2 that God’s Light will shine on them. He is referring to Jesus who describes Himself as “the Light of the world” (John 8:12).  [Read more…]

By Kenny Bruce
Pastor Emeritus, Leawood East Baptist Church, Memphis

Focal Passage: Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25 

The incarnation is the central fact of Christianity. Only through the virgin birth could Jesus be fully God and fully man. 

I. JOSEPH’S DILEMMA (vv. 18-19) Joseph was betrothed to Mary. A betrothal was more binding than our modern engagement. A contract was sealed by a payment made by the groom or his family to the bride’s father. The amount ordinarily would cover wedding expenses in case the groom divorced her. 

The couple were considered legally married even though the marriage ceremony did not occur until as much as a year later. Mary was impregnated by the Holy Spirit. The obvious conclusion was that she had experienced relations with another man. Joseph was most certainly shocked by this development. 

He had every right to shame Mary by divorcing her publicly, or even to have her stoned to death (Deuteronmy 22:23-24). However, out of consideration for her, he resolved to put her away secretly by divorce.  [Read more…]

By Kenny Bruce
Pastor Emeritus, Leawood East Baptist Church, Memphis

Focal Passage: Genesis 22:1-14

The provision of a substitute for Isaac is a symbolic picture of the greatest sacrifice of all time: God’s providing His Son on the cross as our substitutionary sacrifice. 

I. FAITH IN CRISIS (vv. 1-3) God tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice his only son Isaac as a burnt offering on Mount Moriah. This undoubtedly brought Abraham to a breaking point. Isaac was the son of God’s promise whom Abraham dearly loved. God had promised to bless all of Abraham’s descendants through Isaac. Abraham must have thought, “Is God going to break His promise?” Confronted by a conflict between God’s promise and his command to kill Isaac, he obeyed by faith because he trusted God to have a resolution to the confusing difficulty. 

The essence of true faith is promptly obeying God when we don’t understand why or how. Faith is believing God and acting on it when it goes against our understanding.  [Read more…]

By Kenny Bruce
Pastor emeritus, Leawood East Baptist Church, Cordova

Focal Passage: Psalm 100:1-5 

Psalm 100 reveals to every Christian a protocol to follow when entering into God’s presence. 

I. APPROACHING GOD (vv. 1-2) God invites the whole earth to shout triumphantly to Him. When we enter the presence of God, we are to raise our voices to Him. It would be akin to raising our voice to get someone’s attention. We do not raise our voices to call attention to ourselves, but to express our joy in experiencing God. 

“Serve the Lord with gladness” (v. 2) in this context refers to a way of life as well as the specific activity of singing joyful songs to Him. Singing Scriptures of praise (choruses) or hymns of praise with pure hearts draws us into His presence. Music is an essential link between God and His children. There are over 500 references to praise, singing and music in the Bible. The danger of music is that it can become our god. The cleansed state of our hearts is far more important than what we sing.  [Read more…]

By Kenny Bruce
Pastor emeritus, Leawood East Baptist Church, Cordova

Focal Passage: Genesis 16:1-5; 17:1-9 

In Genesis 15 Abram was the man of faith. In chapter 16 he is the man of unbelief. 

I. UNDESERVED PAIN (16:1-5) The Bible records the first biblical instance of domestic strife. The story involves Abram, Sarai, and Hagar who were real people, like we are, and succumbed to the temptation to solve their situation their way instead of waiting on God. Sarai suggested to Abram that he produce an heir from his own body by having a child by her Egyptian servant Hagar. She had a right to do that under the laws and customs of the time. 

However, God had established marriage and the mandate for monogamy within the marriage so, though culturally acceptable, uniting Hagar to Abram was wrong. Sarai blamed God for her barrenness (v. 2). She also blamed Abram for her suffering after Hagar became pregnant.  [Read more…]

By Kenny Bruce
Pastor emeritus, Leawood East Baptist Church, Cordova

Focal Passage: Genesis 15:1-6, 13-16  

Abram is dealing with fear, doubt, confusion and uncertainty. God brings him confidence, security and peace with His promises. 

I. GOD’S PROMISES PROVIDE A FOUNDATION IN THE FACE OF FEAR (Genesis 15:1-5) In the previous chapter, Lot was captured by four invading armies from distant lands, and Abram led 318 of his men to rescue him. In chapter 15, Abram was likely afraid the kings of those armies would retaliate by launching a raid against him. God said to him, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great” (v. 1). As our shield, God protects us from our enemies. Every Spirit-filled Christian will have enemies, particularly Satan. 

Bertha Smith was a missionary to China. She was in a mission compound when machine gun bullets from the communists shot out the windows, and she ducked for cover. She said later in her testimony about the episode, “To get to me, a person has to go through God.” God also promised Abram to reward him greatly. The greatest reward was His presence, which is also our greatest reward.  [Read more…]