Epistle to Exiles



Peter writes to the scattered and persecuted Christians to encourage them. And he starts by praising God for our salvation as planned before time by the Father, accomplished by the Son, and applied to individuals by the Holy Spirit. And they are kept secure for their inheritance in eternity. Praise God, indeed!

1 Peter 1:1-5

Taught Sunday morning, January 21, 2024 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!


Baptism Proclaims



John started baptizing people who confessed their sinful condition and desired to be made right with God (repentance). The dip in the water symbolized the washing of their sins and trust in the “One to come” who was greater than John. This greater One would baptize people in the Holy Spirit, but the physical symbol Jesus taught His apostles was to baptize people in water who had by faith been baptized into the Holy Spirit. Plus their dip under the water also symbolized their faith in the One who had died, been buried, and rose again to new life.

Matthew 3

Taught Sunday morning, January 14, 2024 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!


Jesus and Peter



Jesus had already had a private meeting with Peter after the disciple’s denial of Him. But this conversation is about Jesus loving Peter enough to restore him to leadership and Peter loving Jesus enough to humbly accept restoration. We have so much to learn about love and forgiveness from Jesus.

John 21

Taught Sunday morning, January 7, 2024 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!


Thomas saw and believed



All of the disciples had to be convinced that Jesus had truly defeated death and the grave. But Thomas gets singled out for being the last to see and believe. And thus, Jesus tells him and us that there is a greater blessing for those who believe without seeing based on the testimony of these skeptical witnesses.

John 20:19-31

Taught Sunday morning, December 31, 2023 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!


Resurrection for Christmas



Mary Magdalene finds the tomb of Jesus empty. But the evidence doesn’t stop there. Before the morning is done, she will be the first witness of the resurrected Jesus. And she is sent to testify of what she has seen and now knows. And so are we.

Romans 1:1-4 and John 20:1-18

Taught Sunday morning, December 24, 2023 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!


Buried for Exaltation



Jesus endured the shame and humiliation that we deserved even unto death on the cross. But after He commended His spirit back to the Father, what would be done with His battered and dead body? God plans exaltation and honor for the body of His Son, the conquering Hero. Protected and verified by witnesses, the stage is set for the greatest miracle in human history.

John 19:31-42

Taught Sunday morning, December 17, 2023 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!


Finishing Well



Jesus on the cross finishes His journey well – both as Substitute and as Example. He cares for His mother, teaching us the importance of family, in particular the family of God. He teaches us about the limitations of our humanity as He thirsts helplessly on the cross. And as always, Jesus shows the utmost priority He made of His relationship with God – finishing what what the Father gave Him to do and not worrying about the other seemingly unfinished tasks.

John 19:25-30

Taught Sunday morning, December 10, 2023 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!


Repentant Thief and Vindicated Judge



Part Two of The Judge Speaks
The Judge gave warning to those who rejected God’s chosen Savior. Coupled with the warning is the offer of forgiveness for one’s rejection of Jesus. The prayer of Jesus was graphically answered when one of the murderous thieves changes his mind about the Man on the middle cross. Fearing God, he admits his wrong and asks for mercy from the King and Judge of the living and the dead. And Jesus tells the repentant thief that he will join the King in the garden that day. Jesus knows His vindication will come from His Father. He too rests in the justice of God.

Luke 23:24-47

Taught Sunday morning, December 3, 2023 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!


The Judge Speaks



While continuing our tour of the closing chapters of John’s Gospel, we supplement our picture of the crucifixion with Luke’s account of the Gospel story. Having been condemned, the Judge of all the earth gives four sayings of judgment that we would be wise to hear. Words of warning, words of mercy, and words of vindication. This is Part One of Two.

Luke 23:24-47

Taught Sunday morning, November 26, 2023 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!


Enduring Shame with Hope



Jesus undoubtedly endured excruciating pain and suffering on our behalf before dying in our place on the cross. That is the substitutionary atonement. Sometimes overlooked in that is the shame, humiliation, and rejection that He endured as our sacrifice – in order that the sting of our shame and humiliation would be shared by Him, in our place. We too can trust the Father to vindicate injustice in His time.

John 18:39 – 19:16

Taught Sunday morning, November 19, 2023 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!