Forty-fifth Street Baptist Church Weekly Sermons

9/5/2021

April 27, 2014

July 24, 2016

Aug 1, 2021

7/25/2021

7/19/2021

7/11/2021

Previously Recorded Sermon from April 21, 2013

June 27, 2021

6/20/2021

6/6/2021

5/30/2021

5/16/2021

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4/4/2021

2/28/2021

2/21/2021

1/31/2021

Jan 24, 2021

1/17/2021SERMON SERIES:“RENEWED”Speaker: Pastor SparksScripture: Eph. 2:10; Acts 9:1-18-Are you & The Lord ok?-Do you know what your purpose is in The Lord, and are you living it?-So many things in our life require renewal (drivers license, passport, vows, professional licenses, etc), so it only makes sense that we renew relationship—especially ours w/ The Lord-Your purpose & vocation aren’t typically the same thing; it can be, but it doesn’t have to beDon’t confuse level of employment with worth of purpose!God Made You On Purpose & For a PurposeDon’t ever think you’re “self-made”; you can’t make yourself because you didn’t make yourself!When we use what God has given us in service to Him, we should be excited & happy when doing it!Finding purpose has no age limit! You May Be Suffering From a Misplaced PurposeWhat you’re doing may not be what you need to be doing; that doesn’t mean it’s wrong, but maybe just that you can be much more impactful elsewhere (not job, but purpose)You May Experience a Divine DisruptionSometimes God will allow something to happen that seems—initially—as a negative, but it turns out being exactly what you need to get you where you’re supposed to be!Others May Have to Help Guide You to the Path to PurposeDon’t neglect help from those who can help you get to the next level of your lifeYou aren’t meant to “go it alone”! Who is the Ananias in your life?Renewed Purpose Will Always Align w/ What God Has Already Stated in the BibleGod’s not going to let your “come up” benefit only you; Renewed purpose for our lives is something we can’t do on our own; God’s not going let your “come up” be something you can do without HimRenewed purpose is confirmed thru obedience; step out on faith and trust Him to get you where you’re supposed to be!Sermon Notes courtesy of Deacon Anthony Sparks

SERMON SERIES:“RENEWED”Speaker: Pastor SparksScripture: Luke 19:1-10; Psalm 51:10-12-Your age has nothing to do w/ how “advanced” you are in your spiritual walk-If you feel like life has been dumping on you, know that you’re not alone—AND—scripture is filled w/ people who had their fair share of issues! A Renewed Spirit is a Clean Spirit (Psalm 51) How clean is your spiritual filter? Sometimes, we feel detached & bogged down simply because our “filters” have too much junk in them The more we allow “little things” to add up, the more—over time—we get clogged up Jesus Initiates Conversation & Conversion (Luke 19) In the story of the blind man sitting by the road (Luke 18) & Zacchaeus (Luke 19), what these two men have in common—despite their economic differences—is that religious folks tried to keep them away from Jesus After having been looked down on his whole life (bc of his stature & profession), Jesus looked UP at Zacchaeus The fact Jesus “came to that spot” (the tree Zacchaeus was in) signifies that Jesus knows—and can meet us—exactly where we are! Jesus also honored Zacchaeus by calling his name; the name of a person who was looked down on all his life by others, was called by Jesus Be careful trying to witness to folks when you don’t even have a relationship w/ folks; you trying to turn somebody on to Christ could actually have the opposite effect. Be relational, not confrontational Sincere Change Requires Repentance Zacchaeus was saved the second he dropped down out of the tree! Don’t make it more difficult than it has to be, all you gotta do to get Jesus is accept Jesus, and the second you do...you’re saved! Zacchaeus made the personal decision to give away half his possessions bc he knew he’d gotten it by cheating folks! He made the decision to SHOW he was a new person! Outward actions show inward change!Sermon Notes courtesy of Deacon Anthony Sparks

January 3, 2020

Speaker: Pastor SparksText: Philippians 3:12-14-An optimist stays up past midnight to see the new year come in, the pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves-Paul wrote this scripture while in prison1. Everybody Has Errors In Their PastThere are some things in your life you wish you could press 'backspace' onPaul was as religious as they come, but he still messed up!The reason I have an imperfect past is because of the junk/sin in my life2. You Don't Have To Be In Bondage To Our PastSome of us stay stuck on the page of our mess upsWe have bookmarked the page and we keep rereading the same pagePaul said to forget what is behind and STRAIN towards what's ahead!You do not have to be a slave to what's behind you3. No Matter Your Current Circumstances, You Can Start A New ChapterColonel Sanders was 63 years old when he launched into KFCAt 43, Circuit Court Judge Helen Shores Lee (first black civil circuit judge in Jefferson county) STARTED law school after a career as a clinical psychologist4. Change Requires Intentional, Determined EffortAll of us would get closer if all we had to do was sit & wait with our hands folded; Paul said we have to PRESS!You have to actively try to be better!We'll press for a ton of other things before we press to get things better with ChristWhat do I do to make this relationship better? I HAVE TO BE CONTENT. To do that:A. I have to turn the page on a casual relationship with JesusNo more DIY faithYou have to be willing to be taughtIf you're not being fed, do you have an appetite?Stop being a decent devilThe kingdom of God does not need any thugs or heavenly hustlers---Christ is supposed to change you!2 Corinthians 5:17Stop worrying about keeping it real and just BE real!Stop acting like someone makes you come to church/work in the churchIf you're pressing, you ought to WANT to be and do in the church!B. Turn the page on unforgivenessMove on and let it go!Some princes come with mud on their boots & know less than you, BUT they know how to love you the way you want to be loved---that's enough!C. Turn the page on THAT sinWhatever your THAT sin is, stop it!You have to care more about your reputation!Don't present yourself one way but live another!D. Turn the page on handling God's money your wayYou don't have to be rich to live wellE. Turn the page on being commonCommon means you're mediocre or of inferior quality; lacking rank or distinctionZig Ziglar: A rut is a grave with the ends kicked out We're not in a rut anywhere else in our lives (cars we drive, clothes we wear, techology, etc) but we're ok with an average relationship with ChristSermon Notes Courtesy of Deacon Anthony Sparks

12/20/2020

ADVENT SEASON 2020“REDISCOVER CHRISTMAS:Good News In Troubling Times”Speaker: Pastor SparksText: Luke 1:5-7-If all the stores that sold gifts, closed, Christmas would STILL be here-Just like a circus elephant is able to stay chained [to a small stake and a rope] because it’s been conditioned since birth, the enemy plays on our minds and conditions us to remember when we were “chained”. And unfortunately, all he has to do to keep us chained/stuck in our past, is remind us of the time when we were chained...-It’s time for you to get unstuck from what you’ve experienced and come into the FULLNESS of freedom that you’ve been given in Christ!-Your joy has nothing to do with your strength, might, or power, but it has everything to do with who you believe is in control and who you put your faith in!-We can never allow ourselves to get in a place of saying “I can’t wait til Christmas is over”; if you’re in that place, it might be time to check what your Christmas spirit is rooted in...It’s Ok to Be Joyful—AND HAPPYJoy should be present in spite of situations; and you should absolutely be happy when something good happens to you!The two things are NOT mutually exclusive or at odds with one another!Christmas, at its core, comes with joy. If you don’t feel it, ask yourself what you’re celebrating in this seasonJoy Is Our Strength (Nehemiah 8:10)If you’re struggling to tap into your joy, you need to remind yourself of how you felt when you first fell in love w/ Jesus—and what led you there!It’s possible to forever have this joy because THE WORLD DIDNT GIVE IT...SO THE WORLD CANT TAKE IT AWAY!We Can Choose JoyWe can choose how we react to our circumstancesRejoice is the verb form of “joy”; re- signifies that it’s something you DO AGAIN. In order to REjoice, that means you can constantly tap into the joy you’ve experienced before!Sermon Notes courtesy of Deacon Anthony Sparks

Rev. Andra D. Sparks This sermon series is entitled Rediscover Christmas. The weekly themes will be December 6- Peace December 13- Joy December 20-Love This year, Forty-fifth Street Baptist Church will be engaged in reading a plan containing devotions for each of the four weeks before Christmas. Based around the weekly themes of hope, peace, joy, and love, there are seven devotions for each theme. The Advent season begins on Sunday, November 29th. For a copy of the devotional, please visit - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NJhLhfDhHNtINm_WfXkdvnDAwYTFbjod/view?usp=sharing To give to the ministry - https://app.easytithe.com/App/Giving/fort7600279oly Spirit lead you on a journey of peace, joy, and love—and ultimately to a deep encounter with Jesus.

This sermon series is entitled Rediscover Christmas. The weekly themes will be November 29- Hope December 6- Peace December 13- Joy December 20-Love >> This year, Forty-fifth Street Baptist Church will be engaged in reading a plan containing devotions for each of the four weeks before Christmas. Based around the weekly themes of hope, peace, joy, and love, there are seven devotions for each theme. The Advent season begins on Sunday, November 29th. >> May this be a season of wonder for you. May it be a rediscovery of Christmas. And may the Holy Spirit lead you on a journey of peace, joy, and love—and ultimately to a deep encounter with Jesus. For a copy of the devotional, please visit - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NJhLhfDhHNtINm_WfXkdvnDAwYTFbjod/view?usp=sharing

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11/1/2020

10/25/2020

10/18/2020

Oct 11, 2020 Notes from "I'm Not Throwing Away My Shot"...10/11/20 Speaker: Pastor Sparks Text: Mark 10:46-52 -What have you been doing in this time we’ve been in this pandemic? -Preparation is necessary so that you can rise to the occasion when the occasion presents itself! Don’t wait until the moment hits, put in the work before the moment so you can meet the moment! -In this scripture, we meet “Blind Bartimaeus”; in those times, the prefix “bar-” meant “son of”, so Bartimaeus means “son of Timaeus” So, how do you NOT throw away your shot? 1. Use What You Have Until You Get What You Want * Bartimaeus couldn’t see, but his other senses were heightened. His sense of smell was sharper, his hearing was clearer, so there were things he could smell & hear that others couldn’t * Some ppl spend so much time wishing for something they don’t have, that they can’t utilize the things they do have 2. Recognize This May Be Your Only Chance * Never take an opportunity for granted because you may never get it again! 3. Don’t Let Folks Get In Your Head * People who haven’t experienced your desperation can’t tell you how to respond in your desperation * Bartimaeus didn’t let the crowd telling him to “shut up” keep him from getting to Jesus! 4. Swallow Your Pride * Plain & simple, Bartimaeus wasn’t too proud to beg! * He was willing to be looked at crazy if it meant he could get closer to Jesus! 5. Let Go of Anything Holding You Back * Before you can correct folks, you gotta show you care for folks * Bartimaeus threw his cloak aside, meaning he was willing to let go of anything that stood in between him & Jesus! * We’ve gotta put our stock in something more secure than stuff that can be here today, gone tomorrow 6. One Day You’ll Understand God’s Purpose for You * Only what you do for Christ will last * Until your purpose is revealed to you, keep preparing! Sermon Notes Courtesy of Deacon Anthony Sparks

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