First Baptist Blowing Rock

In Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus warns his follower that while they may no longer be subject to the spiritual punishment of the moral law from the Old Testament that does not mean it is no longer important and valid for their lives. Just the opposite; whereas the Pharisees and religious leaders righteousness was based on obeying the letter of the law and only concerned with the act itself - The new righteousness that Christians are called to follow requires a high obligation - our motives and thoughts behind the act. We are called to Holy living and the path to that holy living is obeying the commandments of God through the power of the Holy Spirit, but Jesus adds a further obligation by reminding us that transformation starts in the heart and effects every part of our lives, so while the acts we commit have consequences, we cannot forget that our thoughts and motives have consequences as well. He spends the rest of Chapter 5 giving 6 examples of what this looks like lived out. This morning we examine the 1st and pr

Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

If you had to use a metaphor to describe the value of someone or their character; what would you use? We say things like, "they are gold" or a "treasure" or worth a "million bucks" "priceless", a few years ago it was a great compliment to be called "the bomb" but what about "salt". That doesn't seem like a real flashy compliment but it is the term that Jesus used to describe his followers. Of all the metaphors he could have used, why salt. To understand what he is saying about his disciples, you need to discover how important salt was to the culture in ancient Rome and Jerusalem. While it may lose some of its meaning in our culture - the power of his description still resonates. Whether we want to believe it, or even understand it - "Being Salt" is a part of the very nature of a Christ follower. From Matthew 5:13. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us

Around the world, thousands of the men, women and children face persecution and even death simply because they identify themselves as followers of Jesus Christ. Yet here in America we tend to think of religious persecution as a rarity instead of reality. We tend to think that Jesus suggested that His followers might face some persecution when the truth is that he clearly declared that anyone who worships Him and strives to live their lives according to His principles; will face persecution and even death! No suggestion, no "might" or "if's" but a certainty. In the last, and most troubling of his Beatitudes, Jesus makes it very clear what his followers can expect from this world. Persecution is a given - but He also suggest it is an incredible gift as well. Maybe the reason many have not or don't face persecution in America today is that those around us have not seen Jesus in our actions and words. Maybe we have become so much like the culture that we no longer stand out or stand

Most of us have been told from time to time that we might look like one of our parents, or maybe even sound like them. We can't help it; our genes play a role in the inherited traits and spending the first eighteen to twenty years of our lives around them play a major role in the learned traits. Whether we like it or fight it; most of us end up seeing our parents influences lived it in our own lives. What about our Heavenly Father? As Christians we are called the "children of God" and are a part of the family, so what do we do or say that most sounds or looks like our Heavenly Father? Or a better way to ask might be, "When do we most resemble God?" While the easy, sunday school answer might be, "When we love" because the Bible does teach that the world will know we are his followers by our love; but that is followers, or disciples - what about His children? When do God's children most look like their Father? Jesus gives us some straight answers in His Sermon on the Moun

Have you ever looked back on your life at times when you faced difficulties, struggles or life changing events and could clearly see the hand of God at work? Like the poem "Footprints in the Sand"; you could see where God carried you, where He opened doors, where He provided for you, where He brought people into your life to encourage and support you. How would you like to not have to wait until after you have passed through the valley to see God at work? How would you like to be able to see Him moving mountains in front of you, see Him performing miracles, working in our midst, changing lives? In the 6th Beatitude from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches that it is not only possible but a promise to those who are "pure in heart". It is not just a promise for those we think of as "Super- Christians" but for every follower of Christ. Listen in to discover how you can claim this promise and why Holiness and Purity still matter. From Matthew 5:8Thank you for listening to our podc

Jesus begins his most famous of Sermons by painting a picture of the character of a Christ Follower in what we call the Beatitudes. It is a great description of who a Christian should be when they submit themselves completely to the control of the Holy Spirit. The first 4 of these character traits all deal with the relationship between a follower of Christ and God. The next four are the natural outflow of the first four and relate to how we interact with those around us. The first of those four is being Merciful and in an interesting twist, the promise for the merciful is the same as the action, "Blessed are the Merciful, for they shall receive Mercy". Sadly, many in the church misunderstand this promise to mean that they can earn God's mercy by showing others mercy. Not only will this thinking not produce mercy, it robs the believer of the joy, peace and blessings that come from trusting in God's grace and in His loving and merciful nature. Join us as we examine and strive to understa

In this study of the fourth Beatitude, Jesus promises that those who hunger and thirst for the presence and power of God will be filled, but what does that look like in a practical sense. How can we hunger and thirst for something like God's presence. Join us as we examine how the actual Greek words Jesus used unlocks the key to pursuing God and finding real joy and happiness. Many in the church are no longer spiritually hungry and the results are obvious in our personal lives, the spiritual vibrancy of the church and in our lack of influence on the culture. The promise Jesus makes for each one of us is that until we pursue God's presence and power in our lives with the same passion and determination that God used in pursuing us; we will never be satisfied, or content. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@first

Jesus promises joy, happiness and blessings to those who are meek and gentle, yet the world seems to offer just the opposite. Those who chose the path of following Jesus will always exhibit meekness, but just what does that really mean and if Jesus described himself as meek - what happened when he overturned the tables in the temple? What about when he confronted the religious leaders? Believe it our not those two instances were probably the greatest examples of His meekness. Listen in to discover what meekness really means and how a life of meekness can not only eliminate stress and heartache but also comes with a promise for those who pursue it. From Matthew 5:5 Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

How can someone who is sad actually be happy or blessed? Once again Jesus offers the ultimate paradox as he challenges his followers to find internal joy, happiness and blessings in the midst of mourning. As we look at the 2nd Beatitude Jesus introduces in His sermon on the mount, you might be surprised to find this is not your normal mourning or sadness. Jesus is challenging those who would follow him to allow their hearts to be broken over what breaks God's heart with the promise of comfort and ultimately happiness as a result. How does that happen and how does it effect your relationship with God and the world around us? Listen in to find out. From Matthew 5:4Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

(This is the first half of the sermon from August 14th, the conclusion of the message can be heard in Part Two.) What does it mean to be happy? How can we attain happiness? A recent pew research poll found that only 1-3 American describe themselves as happy - that is 33%, so 67% of American are unhappy. We live in the most prosperous nation in the world, with more wealth, benefits and comforts than ever before and yet we are still unhappy? Maybe we have been looking for happiness in the wrong places! Join us for this introduction of the Beatitudes from Matthew 5 and the Sermon on the Mount from our new Series "Following Jesus". From Matthew 5:3.Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

(This is the second half of the sermon from August 14th, the beginning of the message can be heard in Part One found below.) What does it mean to be happy? How can we attain happiness? A recent pew research poll found that only 1-3 American describe themselves as happy - that is 33%, so 67% of American are unhappy. We live in the most prosperous nation in the world, with more wealth, benefits and comforts than ever before and yet we are still unhappy? Maybe we have been looking for happiness in the wrong places! Join us for this introduction of the Beatitudes from Matthew 5 and the Sermon on the Mount from our new Series "Following Jesus". From Matthew 5:3.Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

An introduction to the Sermon on the Mount discussing the importance of slowing down and unplugging to be able to hear the voice of God. We also discuss the various applications for the Sermon on the Mount and why it is considered the Greatest Sermon every given. From Matthew 5:1-2.Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

This is an introduction to our new Sermon series on the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7. This introduction looks at the call for every Christian to be a follower of Jesus Christ and what that really means. We look at the true meaning of Spiritual Freedom and Grace and the two abuses of that freedom; legalism and license. This message deals with the trap of spiritual license and how it corrupts our ability to follow Christ. From Galatians 5:13-15.Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

This message examines the Call and Vision of FBC Blowing Rock - We discuss what our purpose statement means for each church member and follower of Christ. We explain what is means to be a "place to Belong, a place to Believe and a place to Become". It also cast a vision for the coming year. Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

In the Old Testament, fathers would gather their children around them, lay hands on them and pass along a blessing. Can Father's still pass along a blessing to their children in our modern culture? If so, what would those blessings be? Join us as we encourage and challenge fathers on how they can give their children the freedom and blessing to grow into who God has called and created them to be. From Genesis 49. Father's Day 2016Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

When you examine the life of Joseph, one has to wonder how he was able to overcome all he was faced with - all of the betrayals, the struggles, the loneliness. What was their about him that allowed him to place his faith completely in God regardless of the circumstances? In the last story we have of Joseph before his death in Genesis, he is visiting with his brothers after their fathers death and in this conversation, he reveals the "core values" that motivated and guided him to be used as an instrument for God's plans. Each of us have core values that help us develop our character and worldview - how do ours match up with Joseph's? From Genesis 50Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

Many Christians can be heard saying, "It would be much easier to follow God if He would just show me where we are going" and one can understand the frustration and even fear from that statement. But if God showed us where He was leading us it would not require faith; it would simply be instruction. Learning to listen to the voice and word of God and trust Him is part of the maturing process of a Christ follower but how can we know if we are following in the right direction? Join us as we discover how Jacob/Israel overcame fear, doubt and his past history to step out on faith and trust God for a new future. From Genesis 46:1-7Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

Most Christians will not question that we are called to forgive those who have hurt or disappointed us; the words even come easily off of our lips, "I forgive you" but have we really forgiven them? The standard for forgiveness according to scripture (Colossians 3:13) is to forgive as Christ forgave us- that is a high threshold that most of us struggle to achieve. Joseph had given total forgiveness to his brothers and as he reveals himself to them and they experience a great reunion, he walks out that forgiveness and gives us a great example of what real and total forgiveness looks like. Join us as we discover how we can really know if we have forgiven someone. From Genesis 45:1-16Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715

At one time or another most of us have disappointed others and lost their trust or lost our trust in someone. Trust is one of those things we take for granted until it is lost and once it is gone; it can be very difficult to restore. For most of us, it is easier to just give up on that person and walk away; but as Christians, grace calls us to a different path. If their was anyone who had a good reason to give up and walk away, it would be Joseph. Yet, he committed himself to seeing his family and their relationships restored and that required rebuilding trust. Join as we discover the importance of restoring trust and some steps you can take to begin the process. Genesis 43-44Thank you for listening to our podcast and we would love for you to subscribe to our page and share with others. Join us for our weekly worship online at www.firstbaptistblowingrock.com or our Youtube page. Contact us at office@firstbaptistblowingrock.com or by phone @ 828-295-7715