Tag Archives: Holiday

Humility and Faith



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!


Redeemed and Restored



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!


Triumphal Entry



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!


Gentiles seek Him



The Magi (or wise men as we popularly call them) not Jewish but they came from far away to find the King of the Jews. But they were not looking for a minor king but The King – the Messiah for all peoples, Jews and Gentiles. And their search was rewarded by God who always rewards those who diligently seek Him.

Matthew 2:1-12

Taught Sunday morning, December 29, 2024 by Brad D Harris
(audio from the YouTube video recorded before Sunday)

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!


Joseph and Mary



Joseph was a simple hard-working young man, betrothed to be married to a pretty girl from Nazareth. But appearances are not always what they seem to be. Mary is caught up in something much bigger than Joseph or her has ever imagined. And he is given the choice to embrace the bigger story God is writing. God is about to rescue His people.

Matthew 1:18-25

Taught Sunday morning, December 22, 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!


Good News of Resurrection



The good news is that Jesus the Messiah died for our sins, just as was foretold in Scriptures. He was buried and then He rose from the dead, as was foretold in Scriptures. And we receive the benefit by asking and trusting that Jesus did enough to save us from all our sins. He said He did. So we can trust that He did. The resurrection proves He was right.

1 Corinthians 15:1-8

Taught Resurrection Sunday morning, March 31, 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!


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!


Choice of faith



Moses was pointed in direction of faith by his birth parents and their faith. His adoptive family gave him much but when the time came, he knew that Egypt did not offer him eternal life. By reasoned faith, Moses chose to pursue long-term gain and reward even if it cost him short-term pain and loss. He looked to the reward over following fear. And his courageous faith inspired his people to trust God to deliver them through the Red Sea.

Hebrews 11:23-29

Taught Sunday morning, June 18, 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!


What is your sacrifice?



Honoring Jephthah’s daughter for her faith in God and her selfless sacrifice of her future and even her own self. And by doing so, she points to One even greater who also sacrificed Himself to honor His Father’s promises and will by laying down His life thoughtfully and completely.

Judges 11:28-40

Taught Sunday morning, May 14, 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!


Story of Easter



Resurrection weekend. Popularly known as Easter. As foretold through Isaiah and by Jesus Himself, His Passover weekend with the disciples is interrupted with His arrest, trial, crucifixion, and burial. But the first day of the week changed everything. “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!”

Isaiah 53:11, Luke 23:32-56, Luke 24:1-12, 44-53.

Taught Sunday morning, April 9, 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!