First Baptist Church

12/30/2024

This Friday, January 3rd at 6pm, Chuck Crain will be performing at the First Baptist Church of Tribune. Chuck's Gospel Music career has taken him all over the world. He has sung on the stage with Wayne Newton in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Branson, etc. Most recently and since 1997, Chuck has sung with the Presleys in Branson and on RFD TV. All are welcome to join us for this unique event free of charge. And check out chuckcrain.net to learn more.

05/16/2024

"and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching" Heb 10:25. Why are we to give special attention to assembling as the Church as we see the return of Christ drawing near? For a great number of reasons (mutual encouragement, strengthening and protecting ourselves, our families, and each other against the influences of the culture in which we live, edifying the Body of Christ, and so on). But, today, as we look at the state of the world and of our once great nation, consider the importance of the Church in the midst of our society. It is absolutely undeniable that God is, and has (for decades) been judging America. Just read Romans 1. But Scripture is also clear that God spares families, cities, and entire nations for the sake of a very small remnant (Genesis 18:22-33; 1 Kings 19:14-18; Isaiah 65:8-9; Micah 7:18-19; 2 Chronicles 7:12-18). We cannot stay the hand of God's judgment. But we can be faithful to protect His Bride. I do not know the future of this nation. But I do know the future of the Church for which Christ gave His life and which He has promised to build, against which the gates of Hell will not stand (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 5:25-27). If you want to see the salvation of your soul, your family, your friends, your community; if you want to save America.... Go. to. Church.

This Sunday - Week #6 - Genesis 4, Psalm 5, Romans 1:26-32

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04/21/2024

Tomorrow is week #2 of the 2520 Project. Creation of Man and the Sabbath in Genesis 1:26-2:7, Paul's gratitude for the faithful believers in Rome (Romans 1:8-12) and the gateway to the Psalter in Psalms 1.

04/13/2024

Tomorrow we start an exciting journey. We're calling it the 2520 Project. Over the course of 25 years we will preach through the entire Bible in 2520 pericopes. And tomorrow is the beginning with Genesis 1:1-25 at 9:30am, Romans 1:1-7 at 10:30am and then Psalm 119:1-8 in a brief lesson at our fellowship following the main service. We'd love for your to join us tomorrow as we take the first step (and for the next 1176 Sundays) in teaching the whole counsel of God.

04/09/2023

Human history has a hero. Against the backdrop of all the great men and women that have left their mark on our story, one solitary figure looms large. It is difficult to find a narrative strand that does not feel the pull of His influence.
He was born (in the most humble circumstances imaginable) to a working class family, from a nondescript village. And He never traveled more than 100 miles from this same town. Yet His birth was heralded from the heavens themselves. Foreign kings trekked scores of miles to present Him with precious gifts and to bow before Him.
He never sat on an earthly throne. He owned no land, had no house, no wife, no children. When He died, His only possessions were the clothes that He wore (which were taken from Him). But an innumerable host of monarchs and serfs, rich and poor, powerful and weak have since pledged their possessions and fealty to Him. Many have forsaken all they have for the opportunity to labor in His service. And His family of faithful followers now numbers in the millions.
He never wrote a book. In fact, the only thing we know He wrote was a few words in the dust one day; words which were lost to history. But the words which He spoke have not only echoed through the corridors of history, they have built those hallowed halls. More ink has been spilt on the subject of His words and Person than on those of any fifty other individuals in history. They are the foundation upon which rest politics, science, art, literature, architecture, philosophy, economics, education, healthcare, etc. It is no hyperbole to say that Western Civilization would not have existed as it does without Him.
When He was only 33 years old, He had been ridiculed as a failure, deserted by all of His followers, and executed as a traitor. But the kingdom that He established saw His enemies crumble, while His subjects served Him through the centuries that followed and continue to do so today. The mighty Roman Empire that sought to extinguish Him is now little more than a byword for decadent collapse and a cautionary tale of colossal failure. But His name has been and continues to be invoked at countless ceremonies, celebrations, and customs. Men and women without number have hazarded liberty, livelihood, and life rather than deny that Name.
No monument was raised in His honor while He lived on Earth. But many have since been built. And when you and I are forgotten, and the memory of all others has faded into the darkness of oblivion, the Light of His Glory will remain bright as ever.
His teachings are immortalized. His influence blazes unabated. His Cross is the picture of victory. And His grave is empty.
He reigns in majesty. He is the Hero of humanity. He is Jesus of Nazareth, Lord and Christ.

11/27/2022

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. - 1Th 5:18
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; - Eph 5:20

In everything and for all things...

For rulers:
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, [and] giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and [for] all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. - 1Ti 2:1-2

For temptations:
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience. - Jas 1:2-3

For trials:
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: - 1Pe 1:6-7

For sufferings:
And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. - Act 5:41

For reproaches:
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy [are ye]; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. - 1Pe 4:14

For infirmities:
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. - 2Co 12:9-10

For persecutions:
Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. - Mat 5:11-12

For correction:
And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? - Heb 12:5-7

Be thankful in everything and for all things.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose. ... Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Rom 8:28, 37-39

09/05/2022

If you are involved in a “Christian” ministry that does not emphasize the Glory of God, His Transcendent Holiness and His Sovereign Power, and especially if that ministry instead focuses on your own glory, you are being manipulated, used, and deceived.
Q. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. (Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question #1)
Many so-called Christian organizations are teaching the exact opposite. Namely, that the chief end of God is to glorify me and enjoy me forever. Obviously, this is rank heresy and it will end in heartbreak, failure, and judgment. (1 Corinthians 6:20;10:31; 1 Peter 4:12-16)

08/29/2022

08/16/2022

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: - Col 2:8-10
Vengeance destroys the vengeful, the gall bitterness poisons the bitter, possessions possess the possessor, hatred burns the hateful, sloth wastes slothful, envy diminishes envious, lust ravages the lustful, greed takes from the greedy, pride humiliates the proud.
Even the good things of the world are evil (i.e. destructive). Worldly humility promotes, worldly charity seeks recognition, worldly kindness demands reciprocity, worldly friendship betrays, worldly generosity desires its own benefit and gratification.
Even the love that the world knows; the love that it sings about, with which it fills its poetry, and upon which it crafts its stories is not merely short of Christian Love. They are are actually opposed to one another.
Christian love is patient, and kind. It is not envious, does not exalts itself and is not puffed up. It does not behaves itself unseemly, does not seeks its own, is not easily provoked, and is not resentful, rejoices not in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Christian love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
Worldly love is impatient, and unkind. It is envious, exalts itself and is puffed up. It behaves itself unseemly, seeks its own, is easily provoked, and resentful, rejoices in wrongdoing and not in truth. Bears nothing, believes nothing, hopes nothing, endures nothing. Worldly love is constantly failing.
Many discussions and arguments would be easier to resolve, or at least understand, if we accurately define the terms. What we mean by "love" is not what the world means.

05/28/2022

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04/15/2022

This is what the Cross really means...
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. - 1Co 1:18
On the face of it, this is not a pleasant story. This is a story filled with blood and nails and thorns and spit and mockery and torture and weeping and whipping and beating and scorn and hatred and darkness and more blood and death.
Properly understood it will keep you up at night - either in dread of standing before a Holy God in the filthiness of your own self-righteousness or in awe of that same God who condescended, bore the penalty for our sin, and offers us His righteousness
The life and ministry and death of Jesus is not an allegory designed to apply to your life. It is not a metaphor for your own struggles, financial concerns, relationship issues, anxiety, depression, whatever. It is not merely an example to you.
This is not a story meant to make us better citizens or parents or children or spouses. Least of all, is it a story designed to make us feel better about ourselves. Instead it is a schoolmaster to bring us to the end of ourselves to erase every last vestige of hope that we might have in our own supposed goodness and to bring us in total desperation to the foot of the Cross and to the only one who is able to save us to the uttermost; the only God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
And it is not only a story. It is THE indisputable fact of history.
"First, then, let us see here THE CERTAINTY OF OUR LORD'S RESURRECTION. We have often asserted, and we affirm it yet again, that no fact in history is better attested than the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The common mass of facts accepted by all men as historical are not one-tenth as certainly assured to us as this fact is. It must not be denied by any who are willing to pay the slightest respect to the testimony of their fellow-men, that Jesus, who died upon the cross, and was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, did literally rise again from the dead." - Charles Spurgeon
Jesus was not just a good teacher. He wasn’t just a good man. He wasn’t someone who’s well-intended teaching got Him in trouble with the authorities.
He was the Living, Almighty God incarnate. He is the one who fashioned the Universe and the One who holds it together by the word of His power.
Jesus didn’t die to highlight social issues, to elevate the plight of the downtrodden, to start a conversation about how society treats the less fortunate.
He was crushed by the wrath of God almighty as a substitute for us. He bore the full weight of God’s righteous indignation towards our wicked rebellion and sin.
Jesus Christ did not die so that you could be comfortable; He died so that you could live and stand forgiven and accepted before the thrice Holy God.
My Lord did not suffer and bleed so that you could pay off your car loan or mortgage or overcome physical sickness; He suffered and bled so that your debt before the Righteous Judge of all the Earth could be blotted out of the ledger.
The Creator of the Universe did not hang on that cross so that you could have more toys and enjoy this life; He became a curse so that you might be blessed with eternal life.
Jesus Christ did not say “It is finished” so that you could be happy and pursue your dreams or feel better about yourself; He fulfilled all that was written in the Law and Prophets so that you could be a child of God and pursue His mission and serve Him as Lord and Master.
Christ is Risen! - He is Risen indeed!!

03/27/2022

I remember, when I was a child, hearing the adults lamenting the lost good old days and condemning the current state of affairs. Perhaps, I am now old. But it seems to me that things are, in fact, getting worse, and quickly. At the risk of sounding curmudgeonly, it seems to me that we are witnessing the erosion of a once great culture. On the one hand it is not surprising. God has been in the process of judging this nation (and, indeed, the entire world) for decades at least. But the sheer magnitude of what we are losing is staggering. Almost certainly, the halcyon days of our great country were a direct consequence of wise men and women who laid the foundation of our society on Biblical (and, therefore, transcendant and eternal) principles. For some time now we have been actively and speedily dismantling this infrastucture. And soon, it must be, we shall learn what happens to those who saw the branch upon which they sit. While, of course, God can do as He pleases, I do not see any way of correcting the course. The ship is simply moving towards destruction with too much steam and too much impetus. Nevertheless, I would like to point out one crucial and often overlooked factor.

When the dust settles, the responsibility for the decimation will, very likely, be misplaced. It is not the tyrants nor the political revolutionaries but rather, it is the peddlers of lies who must bear the blame. The nascent church was obviously threatened by the mounting ire of Rome. But search the epistles for a rebuke of Augustus, Tiberias, Caligula, Claudius, or Nero. Instead you will find reproaches on Alexander the coppersmith, Hymenaeus, Philetus, Diotrephes and even Balaam. These men were not dictators, they were heretics. And the story continues. Down through the centuries, the true Church spilt much ink over the Gnostics, Arius, the Docetists, Pelagius, Arminius, the Papacy, etc. But, in comparison, largely ignored the political machinations of their day. And today, the battle rages on. Contenders for the "faith once delivered to the saints", decry and oppose Mormonism, Jehovah Witnesses, Word of Faith, and many, many other perversions of the true Gospel.

I was once reproved for "shadow-boxing with heresies that no one has ever heard of". But that is exactly the problem. You might not recognize the names of Modalists, Sabellianists, Partialists, but this does not mean that they have not influenced your view of the Trinity (assuming you have one). And this does not chage the fact that they are still alive and well in the likes of T.D. Jakes, etc.

In conclusion, I believe that those who should most fear the judgment throne of God are not Adolf Hilter, Pol Pot, Josef Stalin, and so on. They will certainly have much for which to answer. But those who should most tremble at the prospect of God's judgment are those who have twisted and mishandled the Truth; those who have perverted the Word of God. These are people like Kenneth Copeland, Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, Creflo Dollar, Todd White, Benny Hinn, Joyce Meyer, Andy Stanley, Beth Moore and on and on. If I named someone you like, I am sorry. Not for calling them out, but for the fact that their influence is so pervasive. Naturally, some will find this post incendiary and will be angry with me. I'm fine with that. Just go read Matthew 23 and make an honest determination as to where you stand with regard to these words of Jesus.