Second Presbyterian Church, Yazoo City MS

02/10/2026

"I once heard a story of a man who was driving towards a bridge and as he was getting closer to this bridge he saw on the side of the road another man with his shirt off waving it around fanatically trying to get everyone to stop who was coming towards the bridge. This one particular gentleman pulled over and realized the reason that the man was so insistent that everyone stop was because the bridge up ahead was out. Anyone who did not stop was going to plunge to their death.

What I'm telling you here this morning from this verse is that if you don't know Christ, the bridge is out and you are headed to your own destruction and it will be a Christless eternity. Every other way of life, the bridge is out. If you're seeking life anywhere other than Christ, the bridge is out. And at the same time, I am telling you that there is a bridge that is not out. That bridge is Christ. And you need to follow him. You need to go the way of the gospel.”

This is an excerpt from a sermon Preached on 1 Peter 4:17-19 preached by Machen Strawbridge at Second Presbyterian Church. If you would like to listen to the full sermon click: https://second-presbyterian-chur.subspla.sh/qmtc4ss

01/15/2026

"You should seek the Lord because He delivers all who seek Him.

But why, I ask you, why does He deliver all who seek Him? Is it because your seeking is so perfect? Is it because your seeking is somehow meritorious making God your debtor? This would be akin to saying God seeks those who seek Him. God to saves those who by their effort save themselves.

No! The truth is entirely the other way around. You seek God, because God first sought you!

God sought our first parents in the garden after the fall; therefore, they were saved!

God sought Nicodemus when Christ said, 'I came to seek and to save the lost;' therefore, Nicodemus was saved!

God sought you who trust Him today when He drew you effectual to His Son and you were saved.

The gospel is the unbelievably rich news not that man seeks God, but that God seeks man! Why! Why, I ask does God seek man? I must confess the simple words of a child’s hymn: 'Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.'

I cannot go deeper! Why He has saved me, I cannot understand. That He has saved me, I dare not deny!"

This is an excerpt from a sermon preached by Machen Strawbridge on Zephaniah 3:1-14 at Second Presbyterian Church. If you would like to listen to the sermon click the link:
https://second-presbyterian-chur.subspla.sh/tcg2ghy

12/18/2025

In 1 Peter 3:12 we read, "and his ears are open to their prayer." A more literal translation would read, "and his ears into their prayer." The imagery here is that your heavenly Father, just because He loves you, just because He has that much compassion, He wants to stoop down, metaphorically of course, but stoop down right up close to your prayers so that He hears every word. And of course He does this through our mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ. And so as you go through your life and you pray and you feel like your prayers don't make it through the ceiling, well, his ears have come down through the ceiling to your prayers in Christ. Your prayers are heard. He cares about his children.

This is from a sermon preached by Machen Strawbridge at Second Presbyterian Church. You can listen to more by clicking the following link: https://second-presbyterian-chur.subspla.sh/tcpx6yy

11/25/2025

"Do you remember in Revelation chapter 6 where the people are trying to hide? Everybody from the kings to the servants are running into a cave on the great day when Jesus Christ comes back. They think they'll be safe there. And you know what they say inside of the cave? Fall down on us, bring down the cave walls, crush us. They would rather be crushed by the cave walls than actually meet Jesus because they're so terrified.

Who in the world is going to be able to keep you safe on the day of judgement? Only if you're on his side, only if you're in Christ. And then you're completely safe. Then you have absolutely nothing to be afraid of. You have no reason to fear. There's nothing to be afraid of. When Christ is with you and you are with Christ, come what may, you're completely safe. If God be for you, dear ones, this evening, who can be against you?"

Excerpt from a sermon preached by Machen Strawbridge on Zephaniah 1:1-6. Click the link to listen: https://second-presbyterian-chur.subspla.sh/sqg9bp9

11/21/2025

“When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.“ (Matt. 18:24–27)

How much does forgiveness cost? Some may see this as a stupid question. “Forgiveness is free,” they say. But forgiveness is never free. Jesus often uses debt as an analogy for sin. When we sin against someone, we incur a debt to them. That’s why we talk about someone who’s wronged us as “owing” us. To forgive is to cancel that debt by absorbing the cost yourself. If I break someone’s window and he forgives me, he still has to pay for a new window. That forgiveness would cost him the price of a new window. When the king forgave his servant, it cost him ten thousand talents. How much did it cost God to forgive you? It cost His Son on a cross. The gospel is not cheap grace; it is grace purchased in blood. Never forget what it cost.

- Hunter Berntson (Pastoral Intern)

See full sermon: https://second-presbyterian-chur.subspla.sh/fvkgt89

11/11/2025

"The book of Ruth is not about Ruth. The book of Ruth is about God’s commitment to keep His covenant. It tells the story about how God is going to keep His promise back in Genesis 3:15 to provide a seed to crush the head of the serpent. The book of Ruth puts on display God’s determination to keep His covenant. The book of Ruth takes you from Genesis to Jesus."

For the full sermon:

Content from God's Commitment to Keep His Covenant

11/11/2025

"The book of Ruth is not about Ruth. The book of Ruth is about God’s commitment to keep His covenant. It tells the story about how God is going to keep His promise back in Genesis 3:15 to provide a seed to crush the head of the serpent. The book of Ruth puts on display God’s determination to keep His covenant. The book of Ruth takes you from Genesis to Jesus."

For the full sermon: https://second-presbyterian-chur.subspla.sh/pmqp598

11/04/2025

“Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house.” (Genesis 40:14)

Notice how sure Joseph is here. Ever since he had received a dream from God predicting that he would rule over his brothers, he’d had nothing but trouble. Yet, he still believes God’s word now. He says “when it goes well with you,” not if. It reminds me of the thief on the cross and his faith in Christ: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)

Sometimes our circumstances seem to contradict God’s Word. In those moments, we need the faith of Joseph. The faith that trusts even in the dungeon.

Link to full sermon: https://second-presbyterian-chur.subspla.sh/wjqwthz

10/02/2025

Angels can say, “Jesus, is my Lord.” But no angel will ever be able to say, “Jesus is my Savior! Jesus is my redeemer! Jesus shed His blood for me! I was lost, but now I’m found. I was blind, but now I see. I was dead, but now I have been made alive!" For they have never become a new creation in Christ Jesus. The redemption you have received in Jesus is something into which angels long to look.

Excerpt from a recent sermon preach at Second Presbyterian Church. For the full sermon:

Content from The Holy Longings of Prophets and Angels

09/22/2025

“Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.” (Colossians 3:18–19)

Christian authority is not about power and subjection. That is how the world views power. Feminist and Misogynist icons alike tell men and women to preserve their power in the relationship at all costs. They reject submission and sacrifice as weakness. This should not surprise us. Jesus told his disciples, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant…” (Matt. 20:25b–26) Christian leadership is about sacrifice and service—the wife submitting to her husband as to Christ and the husband loving his wife as Christ loves His church. It’s not about power; it’s about service.

See the whole sermon: https://second-presbyterian-chur.subspla.sh/rj89p32