Shawneetown First Baptist Church

05/31/2026

04/07/2026

As Thursday came to a close and Friday began (remember, the new day began at sunset), Judas arrived with the chief priests and elders accompanied by a mob. Judas had told them: “The one I kiss, he is the one; arrest him.” Then he went to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. And so, it had begun! THE GREATEST SERIES OF MISTRIALS AND MISTREATMENT OF ALL TIMES!
The high priest accused him of blasphemy saying, “He deserves death!” Then he turned Jesus over to Pilate, Roman governor, because only the Romans could crucify Jesus! When Pilate learned that Jesus was a Galilean, he sent him to the Jewish king, Herod. Herod, with his soldiers, treated Jesus with contempt, mocked him, dressed him in bright clothing, and sent him back to Pilate. That led to the fatal moment!
Pilate told the people he could find nothing in Jesus to deserve putting him to death! Then they all cried together, “Take this man away! Release Barabbas to us!” (Barabbas was a rebel and a murderer.) Pilate kept insisting that Jesus should be released! But the crowd kept shouting “CRUCIFY! CRUCIFY HIM!” In fear of the crowd, Pilate gave in to the will of the people, and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. See to it yourselves!”
The people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” AND IT IS! ALL OF US UNTIL WE CONFESS OUR SIN AND TRUST HIM AS LORD!

Time won’t allow me to give much details about what JESUS SAID FROM THE CROSS but just listing them in order should assure you of his wondrous love, grace and compassion toward you!
1. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34)
2. “Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23;43)
3. “Woman, here is your son! …. “Here is your mother!” (John 19:26-27)
4. “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46)
5. “I thirst” (John 19:28)
6. “It is finished” (John 19:30)
7. “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit” (Luke 23:46)

(Please forgive me for being a little behind, but the Easter weekend was very busy, but it was glorious at Shawneetown FBC!)

04/03/2026

I woke up early this morning. As I lay there, I knew the Lord was speaking to me; so I just listened. Of course, it is Friday on our calendar, but I am looking back one day, so I am still speaking about Maundy Thursday. (Remember: Jewish days begin and end at sundown.)
It was the beginning of Passover. Jesus gave the disciples precise directions for the Passover Meal (as he had with His Triumphal Entry). “Go into the city to a certain man,” he said, “and tell him. ‘The Teacher says: My time is near; I am celebrating the Passover at your place with my disciples.’” Once again, everything was just as Jesus said! It was during this Passover meal that Jesus introduced the New Covenant represented by Jesus’ body and blood to replace the Passover. No more continuous sacrificing animals for forgiveness of sin! Now we remember through the Lord’s Supper Jesus’ “once-for-all” sacrifice at the cross!
During this time, Jesus revealed his omniscience mixed with his loving compassion concerning two of his disciples. He had just washed the feet of all the disciples when he revealed the betrayal of Judas Iscariot. Of Judas, Jesus said, “woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had not been born.”
And, it is very difficult estimate the grief Jesus felt when, after the Lord’s Supper, he revealed that one of his closest disciples, Peter, would deny him three times. No wonder Jesus took the disciples with him to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane!
But we need to understand that the grief Jesus shared with His Father in the Garden was not only for the disciples. We must not forget that our Lord was fully God and fully man. If knowing he was going to the cross would not cause him to suffer physical pain, what kind of sacrifice would that be?
But we need to also understand that physical pain was not the worse pain Jesus would face through crucifixion! As they went to the garden to pray, it seemed that those closest to him did not care! Three times he asked them to stay awake with him, but they did not!
Still, we have not hit upon what caused Jesus the greatest grief! And Jesus himself states this greatest grief while he Is hanging on the cross. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” We can see this when we understand that God the Father could not look upon His Son as he bore the weight all the sins of all mankind upon himself!
THAT’S WHAT JESUS WAS ABOUT TO DO ON FRIDAY! BUT SUNDAY’S A-COMIN!

04/03/2026

After a wild busy Tuesday ending with a beautiful gesture from Mary of Bethany to anoint Jesus with an expensive jar of perfume, Wednesday went quiet! We hear nothing from Jesus. In fact, some have called it “Silent Wednesday” or even “Spy Wednesday” because of Judas Iscariot’s conniving to betray Jesus!
Judas’ betrayal began as darkness fell and Maundy Thursday began. You see, the Jewish day begins at sunset and ends at sundown the following day. So, the silence of Wednesday is over! Now in rapid sequence, we will now move forward to see the sacrificial death and Resurrection of Jesus!
As the great preacher, Dr. S. M. Lockridge said, “Friday is here, but Sunday is a-coming!”

04/02/2026

Tuesday of Holy Week was what we might call “one of those days” for Jesus. He returned to Jerusalem early in the morning and was hungry. He found the fig tree that he had cursed the day before. It amazed the disciples that the tree had withered so quickly causing them to question Jesus. He gave them a lesson in the importance of “faith.” Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you tell this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done. And if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Then the chief priests and the elders continued to challenge Jesus’ authority! They were no match for the Lord. And He began to teach in parables which the Jews could not understand. The reader would do well to read those parables from Matthew 21:28—22 14.
Our Lord had to deal with so many so-called “Religious Leaders” that I could not go into detail about those confrontations. I can only list a few. The Sanhedrin (Jewish council), the Sadducees who didn’t even believe in Resurrection, and the Pharisees (who knew nothing but the Law).
And, listen to what else the Gospel writers included on this day: Preached His last Sermon, He told of future coming events, the Judgment Day, and even about His impending Crucifixion. How could Jesus possibly accomplish all this? We are talking about the Son of God who came from Heaven for this very purpose!
While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he asked, “How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the Son of David? David himself says by the Holy Spirit: The Lord declares to my Lord, Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”
“David himself calls him ‘Lord’: how then can he be his son?” (Mark 12:35-37).
Tuesday, the third day of Holy Week ended in a beautiful way in Bethany at the home of Lazarus and his two sisters. Mary took a large jar of expensive perfume and anointed Jesus’ feet with it and wiped his feet with her hair. Then Judas Iscariot was annoyed with this waste because he was a thief and wanted the perfume for himself!
Jesus spoke up, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial. For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” (John 12:7-8).

03/31/2026

The Son of David did not waste any time demonstrating His authority! On the second day of Holy Week, He went to the temple! I’m going to let Matthew tell it: “Jesus went into the temple and threw out all those buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, ‘It is written, my house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves!”
Pastors and churches today need to pay close attention to this today! The church (pastor, people, and building) belongs to our King, and we must be obedient to His authority!
And, it is clear in the next few verses that includes the blind and the lame when we see that “He healed them.”
Also, when the chief priests and the scribes were indignant with the children shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” Jesus’ response was: “Yes, have you never read: “You have prepared praise from the mouths of infants and nursing babies?” The church has a great responsibility for spiritual training of children!
The New Testament Church must realize that we are under the sole authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, Our King, “The Son of David!

03/30/2026

Were you there yesterday? It was a wonderful day! We sang! We rejoiced! We heard from God! What!!! You didn’t know? The day that begins “Holy Week,” the most important week in the Christian Calendar? It’s called “Palm Sunday,” when the Son of David, Jesus made his “Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem! When He came into this world, born of a virgin named Mary, Jerusalem was His destination! All four of the Gospel writers wrote about it!
Here is what Matthew wrote: “This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet
might be fulfilled: “Tell Daughter Zion, ‘See, your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, even on a c**t, the foal of a donkey.’”
The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. They brought the donkey and its foal; then they laid their clothes on them, and he sat upon them. A very large crowd spread their clothes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. Then the crowds who went ahead of him and those who followed shouted: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar, saying, “Who is this?” The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
This looks to be a very exciting and life-changing week! Actually, it is going to be a week that changes the world! Follow along as we follow Jesus this week!
Better yet, get into your Bible and follow what the Gospel-writers say about this week that changed the World! No doubt! It will change your world too! In fact, you will probably find that you were represented there either at the first of the week or at the end of the week.

02/06/2026

Obituary for John Hall
John R. Hall, born on November 12, 1947, in Cave In Rock, IL, passed away on January 23, 2026. He was the cherished son of Clarence Hall and Mary (Finley) Crider, both of whom preceded him in death.
John’s sisters were Mary Alma Needham, Rose Parkinson, Ruth

Lowery, Ida Warren, Betty Vaughn, & Bonnie Crider.
In April of 1984, John confessed his faith in Jesus Christ and was baptized into the church family of First Baptist Church in Shawneetown, IL and became a faithful member of First Baptist for nearly 42 years. Not long after he became a church member, John became driver of the Church Van. He drove the church van and served in that position for nearly 30 years missing very few Sundays! Finally, he had to step away from driving due to health issues and “rode shotgun” for a while after that. When he finally had to step away, every Sunday the children would ask, “Where is John!” And, even at present, when the children heard that John had “gone home” to be with Jesus, one of the young girls commented to the pastor, “We were all crying in the housing (where John also lived) when we found out that John had died!” John’s quiet faith in the Lord Jesus Christ love for his church caused both young people and older adults to love John Hall!

A graveside service honoring John will be held Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 11:00 AM at Westwood Cemetery in Shawneetown, IL.

02/05/2026

ATTENTION!!! BROTHERS & SISTERS IN CHRIST OF JOHN HALL! John's Graveside Service is moved to TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10th at 11am at Westwood Cemetery in Shawneetown.
John's service has been postponed again for the purpose of allowing more of his many Senior Brothers and Sisters in Christ to be present for the service and the weather is predicted to be warmer. Join us as we thank God for the life and faithfulness of John! A new obituary for John will be posted by tomorrow.