Brooklyn Tabernacle - Audio Sermons Feed

We are called to be the body of Christ—that’s what church means. The church is so much more than just a building. We are members of it in the same way a finger is a member of a body. We must act like we’re part of the same body—the body of Christ—by loving, supporting, and encouraging one another. If you need to feel loved and included today, you can find that in your church body.

Sometimes it’s hard not to be jealous when we see others receiving blessings. But we have to remember that envy destroys others. In fact, the envy of the religious leaders in Jesus' day was the human catalyst for getting Jesus on the cross! Let’s pray that God delivers us from jealousy and envy. May He help us to rejoice in others’ blessings.

Churches should be houses of prayer. Pause and think about that. How much time do our church services give to praying? While there’s nothing wrong with focusing on a theme, the real vision of the church should be talking with and calling out to the Lord in prayer. We need to remember what the church is called to do today.

Most of us have seen or heard about churches and preachers scamming people. What a shame! Jesus literally overturned tables in the temple because He saw people overcharging those who were there to give glory to the Lord. God wants His house to be a place of worship and offering. May we never be a part of taking advantage of others.

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the people called out "Hosanna!" They were drawing attention to Him. But the Lord was entering their city on a lowly colt. Jesus never showed off or tried to impress; instead, He was humble and meek. Let’s be humble like Jesus today and cry “Hosanna” to His name.

What do you have that the Lord can use? Perhaps you have a talent, a pay increase, or some spare time in your day-to-day life that you can give to God. The greatest joy in life is to be available to the Lord and see Him use us in some way for His honor and glory. It’s not about us, it’s about Him.

God has called us out of a narrow, constricting life in Christ into the wide open spacious life of faith and boldness in 2025.

magine being blind for your whole life, then someone gives you sight. If we experienced that, we’d want to thank whoever helped us. That’s exactly what happened in the Bible! Jesus healed a blind man who didn’t know anything about salvation or sanctification—he just ran after Jesus in thanks for His gift. We’ve been given a great gift, too, so we should follow Jesus everyday!

At some point in our lives, we carry burdens so heavy that they overwhelm us. No matter if we cry silently or loudly, we should always call on God. He's rich in mercy to everyone who calls on Him. Why don't we get alone with God today and hand over the thing that's weighing on our hearts? Let’s call on Him even now.

We live in a society that is obsessed with self. But Jesus Christ was an example of the complete opposite. He was a servant, and we are called to imitate Him. We can’t be selfish and self-absorbed like the world. To make a difference on earth and earn rewards in heaven, we must be willing to serve others. Jesus will help us, we just have to let Him!

We’ve heard that Jesus said that the last will be first. But let’s take a closer look at that. He said whoever wants to be great in His eyes has to be a servant. It is hard for us to get over our selfish desires and want to help others. But if we humble ourselves, God will give us the grace and strength we need. Let’s look for ways to help others today.

f anyone gets to sit at the right hand of Jesus, we’d think it would be one of the disciples or maybe a martyr. But when He talked about status in heaven, Jesus said, “the last shall be first.” This upside-down approach reminds us that prominence and fame on earth don’t matter. All the glory belongs to God. May we serve Him together daily!

Jesus was killed by religion. Isn’t that a shocking statement? The One who walked on water and healed countless hurting people was despised, rejected, and killed by the most devout religious people of His day—all so we could spend eternity with Him. That’s how much He loves us. Let’s live in His love today.

We aren’t promised easy lives just because we’re Christians. What we are promised, though, is a wonderful eternity with our Creator and Savior. Jesus gives us all we need to handle trials and persecutions today, and He calls us to live our lives with eternity in mind. What a difference it makes when we shift our focus towards Him!

Have you ever had family members turn on you? Or maybe they relocted or passed away? We know that that loss hurts. But Jesus said we as Christians gain family in God! Whatever we have lost in this life, we can find in the body of Christ—the church. Let’s not turn to substances or isolation when we get hurt. Instead, let’s turn to Jesus and our spiritual family.

The most important thing in our lives as Christians has to be the love of God. There can’t be room in our hearts for anything else! If we are full of God’s love, it will shine out of us and point others to Him. We were put on this earth to bring people to Christ—being filled with His love helps us do that!

At some point in our lives, we’ve all felt like we faced something impossible. Maybe you’re feeling that way now—backlogged bills, rebellious children, a totaled car, a new and demanding work position. Impossible situations are burdensome. Good thing we serve the God of the impossible! We can shift our perspectives, knowing nothing is impossible with God.

Remember the phrase, “You can’t thread a camel through the eye of a needle”? Well, Jesus was the first to say that! He said that is how difficult it is for people who love wealth to get to heaven—not because He won’t welcome them, but because they won’t release their riches. Money can be an idol and a master over us. May we always choose to serve God instead.

What is denial? It's blocking something from moving forward. God has given all of us a choice: we can deny Him and block the salvation He wants to give us, or we can deny our own desires and let God reign over our hearts and lives. Today let’s deny ourselves and embrace the love and will of God.

Our lives are so full of phones, tablets, and televisions. But anything that takes away from time spent with God is a spiritual distraction. Prayer and feeding on the Word are our bookends of growing in faith. Let's walk into this new year not distracted but focused on spending time with our Savior.

Some of us have been taught that being Christians means getting rid of all our worldly goods. But in the book of Mark, we see that there’s no issue with having money and things—the problems come when we love that wealth more than we love Jesus. Let’s have a conversation with God today and ask if there’s anything hindering our walks with Him.

Sometimes we wonder where we stand with God. But we no longer have to feel like we're checking all the right boxes—Jesus was the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. We deserve nothing, but through Jesus we can have a relationship with God as our Father. God is always for us! Streamed on January 7, 2025

A wonderful thing about kids is their faith. Children are trusting—they don’t have agendas or ulterior motives. We learn those negative angles as we grow up, but we must keep that childlike faith. Jesus loved little children and welcomed them to Him. He is still welcoming us today!

Divorce is a complex topic that requires strong biblical counseling. If a spouse is unfaithful, violent, or deserting, a pastor may counsel the other toward biblical divorce. While marriage is sacred, serious, and created specially by God, He also cares deeply for us and wants to protect us from harm. Remember, God will never leave or forsake us.

None of us knows what the coming new year holds. But one thing we can be absolutely sure of: Jesus will never, ever leave us or abandon us! Because He is with us, we can be strong and courageous, no matter where God leads us in 2025.

Like it is today, divorce was a controversial topic in Jesus’ day. Old Testament laws allowed it, while New Testament laws forbade it. So what was Jesus’ response to this issue? He highlighted the sacred beauty of marriage. God created marriage to be between one man and one woman. Everything God makes is good—including marriage!

Mistakes from the past can hold us hostage and prevent us from going forward. However, God will work through our past mistakes as we trust Him.

Marriage is a serious thing. Jesus said that the two will become one and that no one should separate what God has joined together. So are there biblical grounds for divorce? Well, God doesn’t excuse unfaithfulness, but He hates divorce. We need to seek God's will regarding marriage and handle it carefully.

Christians sometimes think that in order to reach the world, we have to be like the world. That way of thinking is dangerous! Not only that, it doesn’t work. Jesus talked about this in terms of salt, which preserves. We must stand out and preserve the gospel. Let’s be strong witnesses for Jesus today.

Have you ever seen one Christian blast another on social media? Jesus said it would be better for us cut off our hand than to hurt another believer! Of course we’re not supposed to literally cut off our hands. But Jesus wanted …

We are all too familiar with the stress of comparison. We want better and bigger gifts! If only we would think about the humble birth of the Prince of peace. Jesus was born to a poor family—and His first visitors were lowly shepherds! Yet despite His lowly station, He never lacked peace. Jesus understands us—and He will provide for us.

Christmas isn’t about material presents. Jesus, the Savior of the world, was born in a smelly manger so that we could receive the real gift—eternal life. Yet many of us go about the Christmas season embracing traditions and rejecting the Gift. We look everywhere but to God for happiness. This year let’s accept God’s great gift.

We all love presents at Christmas time! This tradition comes from the Magi who gave baby Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But let’s stop and think about that—those respected grown men bowed down and gave gifts to a toddler. Why? Because they knew who He was. May we remember who Jesus is this Christmas.

Why would the perfect Son of God be born in a dirty manger to a poor couple? Because the world lacks peace. Jesus came to change that! We can have confidence that we are going to heaven because of God’s gift of salvation—and that assurance will bring peace to our hearts. Let’s allow Jesus to be our peace today.

Is there anything happening in your life right now that reminds you of a sweeter time you had in your life with Jesus? God used a star to guide the Magi to Jesus. He can use anything to call us to Himself. Follow that longing you have today. Let it bring you back to Jesus.

We hear the word “Emmanuel” often during the Christmas season. But do we know what it means? “Emmanual” means “God with us.” Calling Jesus by this name reveals to us a unique opportunity to study God. Any questions we have about God are answered by looking at Jesus—His life, His movements, His words. God is with us, this Christmas and every day!

God has the power to fulfill every single promise He’s made, like when He kept His promise to send us a Savior. And He wants us to celebrate that power. We’re already celebrating during this Christmas season, right? So let’s give God a gift. Yes—we can give the Almighty a present! When we trust Him and pour out our hearts to Him, God is so pleased. Let’s try that today.

Your story might include pain—but it can bless someone else! In our prayer meeting tonight, Dan Smither shared how God used an injury from college to help him reach the Zulu people in South Africa. With him, the Key of Hope Children’s Choir, directed by Dan's wife, Rachel, belts out a joyful message of hope and faith in God. Let’s stop hiding our scars and start sharing our proof of God’s goodness!

Most of us associate Christmas with presents. We give and get them all season long. But in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we often forget about the real gift: Jesus Christ. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, who saved us from an eternity without God, should be center stage. Let us praise Him for His amazing gift!

We often want to call out people who wrong us. Think about how Joseph must have felt when he found out his fiancée, Mary, was pregnant! He could have ruined her reputation, but he cared for her. Together they raised the Son of God. Love cares for and protects others. Let’s practice that this Christmas season.

While Jesus is the most famous person ever to live on this earth, there must be more clarity about who He is. Our family, friends, and world deserve to know that no one can change a life like Jesus Christ.

Did you know that we will get rewards in heaven? That’s not to say that we have to earn our salvation or buy our way out of purgatory. Rather, knowing that we will be rewarded is an incentive for us to bless others. Let’s reflect Jesus’s love today.

We like neutrality—a fence to sit on or a line to toe. But Jesus said, “Whoever is not against us is for us.” In other words, either we are all in for Jesus, or we are totally out. There is no neutrality with God. Let’s be all in for Him!

Our world is so divided. But you know what else is divided? The church. The Bible talks about something called a party spirit, and it is detrimental to the body of Christ. A party spirit is all about division—cliques, groups, teams. We need to be kingdom-minded churches. We should root for all Christians everywhere, not just those who think like we do.

We can get so caught up in our circumstances that we begin to look for help anywhere but God. Every day we must be in Jesus’ presence. When we return to Him, everything falls into place, and we receive what we need. The Christian faith is not about fixing ourselves—it's about coming to the Lord. Today let’s listen to the conviction He’s placing on our hearts. Let’s return to Jesus.

We are saved by faith, not by works. Yet we are still called by God to do good deeds. Jesus set us an example by welcoming little children. He taught His disciples that there are heavenly rewards for those who do good to others. How can you bless someone today?

Remember when we were children, and our biggest concern was who we’d play with at recess? Now we’ve seen and heard so much that we overcomplicate things as simple as trusting God. We need childlike faith today. Let’s just love and trust our Jesus.

Many Christians today shy away from the Holy Spirit, often because of excesses they have seen in the Spirit's name. But we need the Holy Spirit! The Bible describes Him in many ways—the Spirit of God's Son (Galatians 4:6), the "Spirit of counsel and strength" (Isaiah 11:2), and a Spirit of love (2 Timothy 1:7). Let's open our hearts to the Holy Spirit. We'll find that He provides the best help we could ever ask for!

Who is greater, the person ordering food or the waiter? Well, in God’s eyes, whoever is serving is greater than who’s being served. In other words, God doesn’t have favorites—He just wants us to help others. Jesus was the ultimate example of a leader who served. In His name, let’s be servants of God today.