Category Archives: Sermon

Hypocrisy Exposed

Sermon, , ,

The religious leaders were full of hot air, it seems. Jesus condemned their prideful refusal to believe the evidence from God that Jesus was the Messiah sent from heaven. Rather, they stubbornly clung to what they wanted rather than what they needed. And thus they were not ready when the Judge of all the earth examined their hearts and found them lacking. I hope we won’t do the same.

Matthew 16:21-12

Taught Sunday morning, May 18, 2025 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS | More

Humility and Faith

Sermon, , , ,

This story is uncomfortable for us, and is probably intended to be. We know Jesus is compassionate and not prejudiced but it sounds bad here. Maybe Jesus has more going on here than meets the eye. Maybe Jesus is confronting us more than He is this woman. Do we have what it takes to pass the test of faith? Do we actually have the compassion that He does?

Matthew 15:21-28

Taught Sunday morning, May 11, 2025 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS | More

Generosity and Gratitude

Sermon, , , ,

The believers in Philippi had given generously to Paul once again. And he wanted to express his gratitude without sounding too desperate yet not unappreciative either. Plus he wanted them to know that their sacrifice was like an offering to God and would be rewarded by the Lord. Thus we get some good sayings to contemplate regarding contentment and generosity.

Philippians 4:10-23

Taught Sunday morning, May 4, 2025 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS | More

Thoughts and Prayers

Sermon, , , ,

Do we think about what we are thinking? Our lives follow our thoughts. Thus Paul says to direct our thoughts where we want to go. And we can ask God to help us with our thoughts in prayer and thanksgiving. Joy and gratitude and peace result from letting God renew our thinking by thinking on the things of God.

Philippians 4:1-9

Taught Sunday morning, April 27, 2025 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS | More

Redeemed and Restored

Sermon, , , ,

Isaiah foretold of the Servant of God who would suffer death as the perfect sacrifice for the sin of God’s people. His words remained mysterious for seven hundred years until Jesus of Nazareth accomplished that sinless life and atoning death on the Roman cross. And His followers used Isaiah 53 to explain the significance of Jesus’s death and the reason for His resurrection. Peter applies that truth as the reason for us to live differently reflecting the new life we have in Christ.

Isaiah 53 and 1 Peter 1:17-21 and 2:21-25

Taught Sunday morning, April 20, 2025 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS | More

Triumphal Entry

Sermon, , , ,

Jesus arrives in Jerusalem to cheering crowds, hailing Him as their favorite conquering king. But while He does not silence the crowd, He also does little to encourage the scene. He shows up in humility on a borrowed donkey, weeping. He knows that their worship is superficial. They will deny Him before the end of the week. But He knows how the story ends.

Luke 19:28-48

Taught Sunday morning, April 13, 2025 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS | More

Pursue the Prize

Sermon, , , ,

Paul has already challenged his readers that he has considered all his prior accomplishments before Christ as worthless in comparison to knowing Christ and being like Him. Now Paul says that it is his one thing he strives to reach – to know and be like Christ. Paul is one of our examples that we might do the same. Put away apathy and complacency in order to make enduring effort to be transformed by Christ. One day, Jesus will complete to work that we might be like His glorious body.

Philippians 3:1-11

Taught Sunday morning, April 6, 2025 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS | More

Baptism teaches

Sermon, , , ,

Peter proclaimed that the mysterious gift of the Holy Spirit was through Jesus the Messiah, crucified and risen. But those people could change their mind and ask God for mercy. The physical symbol of their repentance and faith in Jesus would be baptism. And Peter alludes to three things that baptism symbolizes – a physical symbol of a spiritual reality.

Acts 2:36-42

Taught Sunday morning, March 30, 2025 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS | More

Knowing Christ

Sermon, , , , ,

Paul said that nothing compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ by faith and experience of walking with Him in trust and obedience. And self-righteousness prevents us from knowing Christ.

Luke 18:9-14 and Philippians 3:1-11

Taught Sunday morning, March 23, 2025 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS | More

Faithful to Serve

Sermon, , ,

You may have heard of Timothy but not know much about him. Epaphroditus is even less known. Yet Paul tells the Philippians to esteem them highly for their service to the Lord through their service to Paul and the church. They are faithful men who put the needs of others above their own agendas. And that’s a good lesson for all of us.

Philippians 2:19-30

Taught Sunday morning, March 16, 2025 by Brad D Harris

We hope that this online service has blessed you.  It is funded by the generous participants of Prairie Oaks Baptist Church.  If you would like to contribute to Prairie Oaks and their audio ministry, we have a donation page so that you can securely give online to help this ministry.  Thank you for listening and prayerfully supporting us.  I hope we continue to further you in your journey with Christ!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS | More