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Join us as we gather in the season of Advent--as we commemorate and celebrate the coming of God the Son to be among us, to be Emmanuel, "God with us"! (Matthew 1:23).  May the Lord pour out his love upon you this Christmas season! By the way, if all of the holiday festivity rings hollow for you, and you're wondering if there really is a deeper meaning and a basis for hope behind it all, take time and listen to (and pray over) this summary of Jesus' message! December 3, First Sunday of Advent:  “He Came to Our Rescue” (1 Timothy 1 ...

Amidst the darkness of the crucifixion story, the promise of new life in Jesus sprang forth. Here in these passages, the truth of Christ’s victory became known first to His closest followers and then was spread throughout the rest of the world. With what power was Jesus raised from the grave? How did these events tie into the story of the gospel or into our own lives? Every word of the Scriptures works in harmony to point to the reality of Christ’s death and resurrection. Through His victory over sin and death, those who believe in His name ...

In last week’s Sunday Seminar, I said the Bible presents marriage as a metaphor of the gospel:  “Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church…” (Ephesians 5:25).  And I noted that several authors point this out and draw out its significance.  For example: Trevin Wax, The Thrill of Orthodoxy, “Marriage is not a one-off doctrine disconnected from the rest of Christian teaching.  The Bible begins and ends with a marriage ceremony, the first in a garden between a man and a woman, and the last in a garden city when the church is united ...

Here in the New Testament crucifixion accounts, we read of Christ taking to the cross on our behalf. In this place where Jesus was stripped of His dignity, we find ourselves clothed in His righteousness by faith. Why did the omnipotent Jesus choose the cross? How did the suffering of Jesus lead to life everlasting for us? It was through the undeserved disgrace He endured that we would receive God’s unwarranted grace and the gift of new life. In the events leading up to His crucifixion, the King of glory faced criminal charges based on His ...

Christian maturity involves “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).  We do speak up; the Lord calls us always to be ready to give an account of the hope we have in Christ (1 Peter 3:15).  As Jesus’ ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), we have been sent into his world with a message to share—the word of Life. But the manner of our speech is crucial; how we say what we say makes a huge difference. Love is the greatest command (Matthew 22:37-40)—loving God and neighbor.  So, even if others hate us, we are called to love our enemies in word ...

All four Gospel accounts of Jesus’ trial revealed the innocence of the Son of Man amid the injustice of the court’s proceedings. From the plotting of the chief priests to the scoffing of those in the crowd, each detail revealed the reality of the Savior’s choice to step forward as the substitute for our sins. Why did this court case unfold in the manner that it did, with the religious leaders taking their troubles to the Roman courts? How do we see God at work amid Christ’s suffering? The answers to this lay in the Old Testament prophecies ...

Every Christian is “called into the ministry”:  to love neighbors, build up the church, and give an account of our eternal hope.  Every follower of Jesus receives his charge:  “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8).  We’re all on mission. But even if all Christians on the planet were to share the gospel with every human with whom they can communicate, over 3 billion people would remain completely in the dark—unreached, unengaged, lost.  (See joshuaproject.net.) That’s because over 3 billion souls are within people groups ...

As we begin our Fall Focus on Missions, listen to the heart of these mission leaders.  Can you feel their pulse of love for Christ? “Expect great things from God.  Attempt great things for God” (William Carey). “The Great Commission is not an option to be considered but a command to be obeyed” (J. Hudson Taylor). “I never made a sacrifice” (David Livingstone). “I have a firm conviction that I am immortal until my work is done” (Lottie Moon). “If God has called you to be a missionary, don’t stoop to be a king” (Jordon Groom). “Some ...

Christ’s arrest and betrayal remain some of the darkest accounts we read in the Scriptures. The sinless Savior experienced rejection at the hands of His closest friends, knowing the darkness of death He would soon encounter in the hours that followed. The recurring theme that resurfaced throughout each unfolding event was that Christ foreknew all that would come next, yet He took to the cross for our salvation anyway. The all-knowing Jesus recounted to His disciples the deceitfulness of not only the chief priests and elders, but also of His ...

I’m feeling an odd dissonance from flipping channels between baseball and warfare.  From “it’s just a game” to life and death.  Same TV—just different channels.  It’s all very jarring. Maybe I’m the problem, and I should just watch one or the other.  Or neither, or nothing:  so much spin and sensationalism in cable news, and such triviality getting all fired up over a game. But, stepping back, there may be reasons to expose yourself to at least a measure of both the heavy and the light, the serious and the playful.  After all, there’s a ...

In our Prayer Gathering this week, we read Scripture passages on God’s heart for the world—for all peoples, every tribe and tongue.  And as we did, the Lord was grabbing my attention: Psalm 67:1-7:  “Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!” (vv 3, 5).  Not some—but all of them. Luke 10:25-37:  In Jesus’ Good Samaritan story, the crossing of ethnic and religious barriers of hate with compassion for the hurting depicts God’s love for the lost (John 3:16).  No clan or class or category of sinners is too far gone ...

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John all recounted Christ’s anointing in the last days before Passover. As Christ, His disciples, and friends all gathered to remember what God had done for His people so long ago, Mary anointed Jesus. We continue to celebrate the legacy of her worshipful act, just as Jesus proclaimed we would. What was the significance of Mary’s extravagant offering? Why did Christ declare that she would always be remembered for the affection she displayed for her Lord? While Judas’ eyes were blinded by his own greed, ...

In a recent round of Wordle, I got zero letters right in row one when I tried “ABOUT,” but with the word “SHINE” in row two I got three letters right—and in the right places:  “S _ I _ E.” What would you guess next?  It has to be a five-letter word with “S” first, “E” last, and “I” in the middle spot.  I tried “SPIKE.”  But both “P” and “K” were wrong.  Next I tried “SLIME,” and I almost hit the jackpot—both “L” and “M” were correct letters but in the wrong places.  Which meant the right word had to be “SMILE.” This prompts me to ask:  ...

"In Awe of Him" Special Worship Night at Goshen Baptist Church Sunday, Oct. 1st, 7:00-8:30 p.m. What does it mean to be in "Awe" of God? When we focus on His character how should our hearts respond? How should our reverence for God affect the way we worship Him? This night will allow us to look deeper into these questions, gaining wisdom through a short message, poem, and songs, followed by a time of refreshments and fellowship. We hope to create a space where each person can engage with God in a personal way, coming just as they ...

You’ve been there—every honest Christian knows it.  You’re in a worship gathering, the leaders invite everyone to join in, and the church launches into song.  But something’s wrong. Maybe you’re just “not there” yet—your head is full of parking lot squabbles or last night’s movie.  Or the lyrics are strange (what do we mean by “Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee” or “Ye chosen seed of Israel’s chosen race, ye ransomed from the fall”?).  Or maybe the song expresses things that just aren’t true for you, at least not at the moment, ...

The parables in Matthew 25 called for God’s people to lead lives ready for the Great Master’s return. These passages dwelled specifically on the importance of being moved to action rather than halted by complacency or fear. This infamous parable demonstrated the call to be doers of the Word rather than mere hearers through the different types of workers called to the same purpose of Christ’s kingdom. Who did the master and his servants represent in this passage? What were the talents that Jesus discussed? The master of the estate ...

Some people say God will never give his children more than they can handle.  But is it true?  Here and now, no.  But ultimately, yes. Not only does experience teach us that some Christians do face over­whelming anguish—afflictions far beyond any reasonable definition of “handling” an experience (history is strewn with stories of believers who suffered harrowing trials).  But Scripture also tells us about saints of whom the world was not worthy who were “sawn in two” (Heb 11:37) and “slain for the word of God” (Rev 6:9).  Stephen was crushed ...

  Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12)   October 29: Guest Preacher, Dr. Jim Tebbe, speaking at 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. on “Redraw Your Map” (Acts 10:9-23). Combined Adult Class, 10:00 a.m., Fellowship Hall, with Jim speaking on “Christian Approaches to Islam” (including Q&A) Jim was born in Pakistan and has served the global church in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Jordan and Cyprus.  He has been a leader with Interserve and InterVarsity Christian ...

Goshen Baptist Church invites you to join us for our annual Trunk-or-Treat event on Saturday, October 28, 1:00-3:00 p.m.  This is a family friendly, FREE event with food and fun for all ages.  Participants visit decorated car trunks and collect candy and prizes!  So put on your favorite costume, grab your friends and family, and meet us in the Family Life Center parking lot.  We look forward to seeing you at Trunk-or-Treat 2023! Trunk-or-Treat 2016 Trunk-or-Treat 2017 Trunk-or-Treat 2018 Trunk-or-Treat 2021 Trunk-or-Treat 2022

Jesus spent the bulk of Matthew 23 rebuking the Pharisees and Sadducees’ unloving nature. He criticized the self-importance in their hearts and how it served as a stumbling block to those around them. Christ warned these religious leaders against making so much of themselves that they were blind to their own need for a Savior. How did the religious leaders’ behavior go against God's command to love Him and others? Why was Jesus so grieved by these men’s lifestyle? As it turns out, Christ was grieved by the state of their legalistic hearts ...