Mark

2009

Mark 1:14-15 (Preached on July 19, 2009, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

2011

Mark 11:1-11 (Preached on April 17, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

2014

Mark 9:14-27 (Preached on October 19, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

2015

Mark 8:27-37 (Preached on September 13, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

2016

Mark 1:1-8 (Preached on April 3, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 1:9-11 (Preached on April 10, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 1:12-15 (Preached on April 17, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 1:16-20 (Preached on April 24, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 1:21-28 (Preached on May 8, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 1:29-39 (Preached on May 15, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 1:40-45 (Preached on May 22, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 2:1-12 (Preached on May 29, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 2:13-17 (Preached on June 5, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 2:18-22 (Preached on June 12, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 2:23-28 (Preached on June 19, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 3:1-6 (Preached on June 26, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 3:7-19 (Preached on July 3, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 3:20-21,31-35 [**poor audio quality and first few minutes missing**] (Preached on July 10, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 3:22-30 (Preached on July 24, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 4:1-20 (Preached on July 31, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 4:21-25 (Preached on August 7, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 4:26-34 (Preached on August 14, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 4:35-41 (Preached on August 21, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 5:1-20 (Preached on September 4, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 5:21-24,35-43 (Preached on September 11, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 5:25-34 (Preached on September 18, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 6:1-6 (Preached on October 2, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 6:7-13 (Preached on October 9, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 6:14-29 (Preached on October 16, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 6:30-44 (Preached on October 23, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 6:45-56 (Preached on October 30, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 7:1-23 (Preached on November 6, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 7:24-30 (Preached on November 13, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 7:31-37 (Preached on November 20, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 8:1-21 (Preached on December 4, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 8:22-30 (Preached on December 11, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

2017

Mark 8:31-38 (Preached on January 1, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 9:1-13 (Preached on May 14, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 9:14-29 (Preached on May 21, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 9:30-37 (Preached on May 28, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 9:38-41 (Preached on June 4, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 9:42-50 (Preached on June 18, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 10:1-12 (Preached on June 25, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 10:13-16 (Preached on July 9, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 10:17-31 (Preached on July 16, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 10:32-45 (Preached on July 23, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 10:46-52 (Preached on July 30, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 11:1-11 (Preached on August 6, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 11:12-21 (Preached on August 13, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 11:22-25 (Preached on August 20, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 11:27-33 (Preached on August 27, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 12:1-12 (Preached on September 3, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 12:13-17 (Preached on September 10, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 12:18-27 (Preached on September 17, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 12:28-34 (Preached on October 1, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 12:35-37 (Preached on October 8, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 12:38-44 (Preached on October 15, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 13:1-13 (Preached on October 22, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 13:14-27 (Preached on October 29, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 13:28-37 (Preached on November 19, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 14:1-9 (Preached on November 26, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 14:3-5; 10-21 (Preached on December 3, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 14:22-25 [**no audio available**] (Preached on December 24, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 14:26-31 (Preached on December 31, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

2018

Mark 14:32-42 (Preached on January 7, 2018, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 14:43-52 (Preached on January 14, 2018, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 14:53-65 (Preached on January 21, 2018, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 14:66-72 (Preached on January 28, 2018, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 15:1-15 (Preached on February 4, 2018, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 15:15-20 (Preached on February 11, 2018, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 15:21-22 (Preached on February 25, 2018, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 15:23-32 (Preached on March 4, 2018, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 15:33-39 (Preached on March 11, 2018, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 15:42-46 (Preached on March 18, 2018, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 15:40-41, 47 and 16:1 (Preached on March 25, 2018, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Mark 16 (Preached on April 1, 2018, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Luke

2001

Luke 24:1-12 [**weak audio**](Preached on April 15, 2001, at Stonecrest Baptist Church in Woodstock, GA)

Luke 22:39-47 (Preached on April 29, 2001, at Stonecrest Baptist Church in Woodstock, GA)

2007

Luke 15:11-13 (Preached on August 19, 2007, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

Luke 15:14-16 (Preached on August 26, 2007, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

Luke 15:17-20 (Preached on September 2, 2007, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

Luke 15:21-24 (Preached on September 9, 2007, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

Luke 15:25-32 (Preached on September 16, 2007, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

Luke 22:14-23 (Preached on September 23, 2007, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

Luke 1:46-55 (Preached on December 9, 2007, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

2009

Luke 18:18-23 [Terrell Academy Baccalaureate Service](Preached on May 17, 2009, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

Luke 2:8-20 (Preached on December 20, 2009, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

2010

Luke 19:41-44 (Preached on March 28, 2010, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

Luke 2:1-7 (Preached on December 19, 2010, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

2011

Luke 1:26-33 (Preached on December 25, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

2013

Luke 2:41-51 (Preached on May 12, 2013, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

Luke 8:42b-48 (Preached on October 13, 2013, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

Luke 2:36-38 (Preached on December 15, 2013, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

Luke 2:25-35 (Preached on December 22, 2013, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock)

2014

Luke 19:35-44 (Preached on April 13, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

Luke 1:46-55 (Preached on December 21, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

Luke 2:8-20 (Preached on December 7, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

2015

Luke 23:34 (Preached on November 15, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Luke 23:43 (Preached on November 22, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

2016

Luke 23:46 (Preached on January 10, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Luke 9:28-36 (Preached on March 6, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

Luke 24:13-35 (Preached on March 27, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

Luke 1:26-38 (Preached on December 18, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

2017

Luke 10:1-2 (Preached on April 2, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Luke 24:1-9 (Preached on April 16, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

Luke 10:3 (Preached on April 23, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Luke 10:4-8 (Preached on April 30, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Luke 10:9-12 (Preached on May 7, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Luke 1:26-35 (Preached on December 24, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

Paige Patterson’s Anatomy of a Reformation: The Southern Baptist Convention, 1978-2004

A few years ago, Paige Patterson, President of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and one of the leading architects of “the conservative resurgence” in the Southern Baptist Convention, wrote a little book entitled Anatomy of a Reformation: The Southern Baptist Convention, 1978-2004.  It’s been placed online for free now (see the link) and I would encourage any of you that would like an insider’s look at “The Controversy” to click the link provided and check it out.

I was born in 1974, meaning I was too young to appreciate most, but not all, of The Controversy.  So a good bit of the affair (though, again, not all) has been a matter of study for me and not experience.  I believe that all Southern Baptists have at least some responsibility to understand The Controversy, because, if we do not, we will not understand much that is good and much that is frustrating about the Convention today.

My major qualm with Patterson’s book is stylistic and probably generational (and, therefore, almost completely unimportant).  Patterson writes and speaks in a grand style that perhaps more than a few younger ministers might find off-putting.  “The Baptist kingdom of our evangelical Zion” would earn guffaws if I used such a phrase in the presence of my pastor friends or, I daresay, in the presence of First Baptist Dawson.  It’s a bit too flowery and grandiose for my tastes.  His metaphors are too cumbersome (“This perception included two general features: a general distrust for the pot itself (the bureaucracy) and the suspicion that someone had visited Deutschland and returned with a Tubingen gourd and poisoned the life-giving gospel stew that the pot was supposed to be warming.”) and, in many cases too Texas for my taste (is “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?” really a West Texas thing?!).

Furthermore, while I cherish the Baptist principle of local church autonomy, I’ve been impacted enough by the whole Baptist catholicity movement to find Patterson’s strong celebration of Baptist individualism a bit disconcerting:

“J. B. Gambrell, known as the great commoner, served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1917 to 1920. Sagely he had observed that, Baptists never ride a horse without a bridle. This expression was Gambrell’s folksy way of focusing on the fierce autonomy of every entity in Southern Baptist life. Believers are priests before God who voluntarily associate with a church comprised of similarly committed saints. Churches are autonomous, voluntarily associating with other churches in local associations, state fellowships (conventions), and a national fellowship (the Southern Baptist Convention). None of these fellowships has any organic connection to the other. In fact, Baptists fear connectionalism the way medieval society feared the plague. Gambrell’s observation was intended to caution any entity spawned by the churches that it was not to see itself as a wild stallion roaming the Red Desert Basin of Wyoming but rather as a domestic quarter horse carefully bred to work for the churches. Agencies and institutions were bridled with a bit in their mouths and a saddle cinched tight. If they worked well and served the churches, they would eat well from the Cooperative Program trough. But Baptists would never mount up without the reins in their hands.” (p.2)

But this too is a matter of preference and style, and I agree with the general point.  I was, all in all, impressed with Patterson’s efforts at balance in this book.  He is not out to oversimplify, though perhaps this has happened a bit (i.e., “the evident piety of [the] lives” of the conservative preachers), and he is not out to demonize, though perhaps some things have been stated too strongly (i.e, I have yet to become convinced that the 1963 BF&M is so very neo-orthodox).  In fact, he is more than transparent at a few points in this book and he realizes that conservatives also made mistakes during the tumultuous years of the The Controversy.

I did find it amusing to hear Patterson juxtapose “the entrenched ‘good ol’ boy’ system” of the 60’s and 70’s Convention with the “popular movement” of the conservative resurgence, primarily because it could be argued that the Convention possesses a “good ol’ boy system” today that would rival any of the “good ol’ boy systems” that have ever graced the face of the earth!  But then, how does one get rid of “good ol’ boy systems”?

I do feel that Patterson has romanticized a bit of what he thinks the resurgence achieved.

“Here, however, is at least one instance of a grassroots referendum, which not only returned a convention to the doctrines and practices of its founders but also through its revised confession of faith sent a timely message to the watching ecclesiastical and secular worlds.”

“The doctrines and practices of its founders”?  Two current phenomena make this claim a bit hard to swallow:  the rejection of regenerate church membership and the often shrill and caricatured depictions of Calvinist theology.  The resurgence certainly corrected a number of wrongs, first and foremost among them being a creeping low-view of Scripture.  But I am not so sure that it returned us to the vision of our founders.  There is a great deal of evidence to suggest otherwise.

Patterson is also concerned about the coming generations:

“In addition, there is the realization that a new generation that knew not Criswell, Lee, Rogers, or Pressler, will now rise to leadership.  It is entirely possible, although I think unlikely, that those who follow will squander the gains made.” (p.17-18)

Perhaps.  Or it could be that the coming generations may appreciate the gains that were indeed gains but may yet see more clearly (no doubt standing on the shoulders of the giants that came before “Criswell, Lee, Rogers, or Pressler”) to bring in even more gains and an even greater return to the vision of our founders.

Again, this is a helpful book.  It is, as all such accounts of controversies are bound to be, idiosyncratic.  I believe, though, that this little book will be read with great benefit to the reader.  Finally, the annotated bibliography that Patterson provides is very helpful and most appreciated.

John

2007

John 1:14 (Preached on December 23, 2007, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

2009

John 6:51-59 (Preached on August 30, 2009, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

2010

John 12:20-28 (Preached on April 4, 2010, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

John 16:8-11 (Preached on September 5, 2010, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

John 14:26 (Preached on September 26, 2010, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

John 8:48-59 (Preached on December 5, 2010, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

2011

John 1:1-2 (Preached on January 23, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 1:3-18 (Preached on January 30, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 1:19-34 (Preached on February 6, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 1:35-51 (Preached on February 13, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 2:1-12 (Preached on February 20, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 2:13-25 (Preached on February 27, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 3:1-15 (Preached on March 6, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 3:16-21 (Preached on March 13, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 3:22-36 (Preached on March 20, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 4:1-30 (Preached on March 27, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 4:31-45 (Preached on April 3, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 4:46-54 (Preached on April 24, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 5:1-18 (Preached on May 1, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 5:19-29 (Preached on May 8, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 5:30-47 (Preached on May 15, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 6:1-15 (Preached on May 22, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 6:16-21 (Preached on May 29, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 6:22-40 (Preached on June 5, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 6:41-59 (Preached on June 19, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 6:60-71 (Preached on June 26, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 7:1-24 (Preached on July 3, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 7:25-52 (Preached on July 10, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 8:1-11 (Preached on July 17, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 8:12-30 (Preached on July 24, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 8:31-38 (Preached on July 31, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 8:48-59 (Preached on August 14, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 9 (Preached on August 21, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 10:1-21 (Preached on September 4, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 10:22-42 (Preached on September 11, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 11:1-44 (Preached on September 18, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 12:1-11 (Preached on October 30, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 12:12-19 (Preached on November 6, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 12:20-26 (Preached on November 13, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 12:27-36 (Preached on November 20, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 12:37-50 (Preached on November 27, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 13:1-20 (Preached on December 4, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 13:21-38 (Preached on December 11, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR )

2012

John 14:1-6 (Preached on January 1, 2012, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 14:7-11 (Preached on January 8, 2012, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 14:12-31 (Preached on January 15, 2012, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 15:1-11 (Preached on January 29, 2012, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 15:18-27 (Preached on February 12, 2012, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 16:1-15 (Preached on February 19, 2012, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 16:16-33 (Preached on February 26, 2012, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 17 (Preached on March 11, 2012, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 18:1-14 [**very poor audio quality**](Preached on March 25, 2012, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

John 18:15-27 (Preached on April 1, 2012, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

2015

John 2:18-22 (Preached on March 29, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock)

John 3:25-30 and Luke 7:28 (Preached on August 9, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 19:25-27 (Preached on November 29, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 19:28 (Preached on December 27, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

2016

John 19:30 (Preached on January 3, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

John 12:23-26 (Preached on March 13, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

2017

John 13:34-35 (Preached on January 15, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

2018

John 20:1-2, 10-18 (Preached on March 25, 2018, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

Ignatius’ Epistle to the Romans

Sometimes good friends can do a bad thing out of the best of intentions.  Ignatius expresses this concern in his Epistle to the Romans when he pleads with the Roman Christians not to keep him from his inevitable martyrdom.  “Pray, then, do not seek to confer any greater favour upon me than that I be sacrificed to God while the altar is still prepared…”  Martyrdom, for Ignatius, meant finally being worthy of the name he has tried to carry:  “Only request in my behalf both inward and outward strength, that I may not only speak, but [truly] will; and that I may not merely be called a Christian, but really be found to be one.  For if I be truly found [a Christian], I may also be called one, and be then deemed faithful, when I shall no longer appear to the world.”  And later he states, “Now I begin to be a disciple.”

Ignatius is not guilty of being in the cult of martyrs.  His desire is less for martyrdom than for Christ.  In a moving passage he says, “I am the wheat of God, and let me be ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, that I may be found the pure bread of Christ.”  “Permit me,” he says in ch.6, “to be an imitator of the passion of my God.”

We find yet again an acknowledgment from Igantius that he does not posses apostolic authority:  “I do not, as Peter and Paul, issue commandments unto you.  They were apostles; I am but a condemned man: they were free, while I am, even until now, a servant.”

We also find a possible statement about Holy Communion in Ignatius, “I desire the bread of God, the heavenly bread, the bread of life, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who became afterwards of the seed of David and Abraham; and I desire the drink of God, namely His blood, which is incorruptible love and eternal life.”  Regardless of what Ignatius sees in the Lord’s Supper, it is fairly clear that he did not hold a merely memorialist view.

The Epistle to the Romans is a moving and personal letter.  As his martyrdom approaches and as he addresses those who will witness his last moments, he steps away a bit from his strident stress on the offices of the church and looks instead at the moment of his own death, when he can finally attain Christ.

Acts

2004

Acts 1:6-8 (Preached on September 5, 2004, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

2006

Acts 7:54-60 (Preached on September 10, 2006, at Hermitage Baptist Church in Camden, SC)

2007

Acts 4:32-37 (Preached on August 12, 2007, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

2008

Acts 2:22-36 (Preached on March 23, 2008, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

Acts 6:3-5 (Preached on October 12, 2008, at First Baptist Church, Flagler Beach, FL)

Acts 6:9-11 (Preached on October 13, 2008, at First Baptist Church, Flagler Beach, FL)

Acts 7:51-53 (Preached on October 14, 2008, at First Baptist Church, Flagler Beach, FL)

Acts 7:54-60 (Preached on October 15, 2008, at First Baptist Church, Flagler Beach, FL)

2009

Acts 2:42-43 (Preached on July 12, 2009, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

Acts 20:24 (Preached on August 2, 2009, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

2010

Acts 2:1-13 (Preached on August 29, 2010, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

2011

Acts 2:42-47 (Preached on January 9, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

Acts 2:42-47 (Preached on September 25, 2011, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

2012

Acts 9:26-31 (Preached on October 28, 2012, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

2014

Acts 1:1-5 (Preached on June 8, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 1:6-8 (Preached on May 11, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

Acts 1:6-11 (Preached on June 15, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 1:12-26 (Preached on June 15, 2014, evening service, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 2:1-13 (Preached on June 22, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 2:14-21 (Preached on June 29, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 2:22-36 (Preached on June 29, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 2:37-41 (Preached on July 13, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 2:42-47 (Preached on July 13, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 3:1-11 (Preached on July 20, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 3:12-26 (Preached on July 20, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 4:1-22 (Preached on July 27, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 4:23-37 (Preached on July 27, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 5:1-16 (Preached on August 3, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 5:17-42 (Preached on August 3, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 6:1-7 (Preached on August 10, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 6:8-15 (Preached on August 10, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 7 (Preached on August 17, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 8:1-8 (Preached on August 24, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 8:9-25 [poor audio quality] (Preached on August 24, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 8:26-40 (Preached on August 31, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 9:1-19 [poor audio quality] (Preached on August 31, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 9:19b-31 (Preached on September 14, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 9:32-43 (Preached on September 14, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 10:1-23 (Preached on September 21, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 10:24-48 (Preached on September 21, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 11 (Preached on October 5, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 12:1-5 (Preached on October 5, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 12:6-25 (Preached on October 12, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 13:1-12 (Preached on October 12, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 13:13-41 (Preached on October 26, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 13:42-52 (Preached on October 26, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 14:1-18 (Preached on November 9, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 14:19-28 (Preached on November 9, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 15:1-21 (Preached on November 16, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 15:1-35 (Preached on November 23, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 15:36-16:5 (Preached on November 23, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 16:6-15 (Preached on December 28, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 16:16-24 (Preached on December 28, 2014, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

2015

Acts 16:25-40 (Preached on January 4, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 17:1-15 (Preached on January 4, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 17:16-34 (Preached on January 11, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 18:1-17 (Preached on January 11, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 18:18-28 (Preached on January 18, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 19:1-20 (Preached on January 18, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 19:21-41 (Preached on January 25, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 20:1-16 (Preached on January 25, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 20:17-38 (Preached on February 1, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 21:1-16 (Preached on February 1, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 21:17-39 (Preached on February 8, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 21:40-22:30 (Preached on February 8, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 23 (Preached on February 22, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 24 (Preached on March 1, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 25,26 (Preached on March 1, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 27 (Preached on March 8, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 28:1-16 (Preached on March 8, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Acts 28:17-31 (Preached on March 15, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

2017

Acts 20:24 (Preached on February 19, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

2021

Acts 1:14, 2:42 (Preached on January 24, 2021, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

Romans

2007

Romans 10:1 (Preached on November 18, 2007, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

2010

Romans 1:17 (Preached on October 31, 2010, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

Romans 15:13 (Preached on September 19, 2010, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

2015

Romans 1:18-23, 2:14-16 (Preached on March 22, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

2016

Romans 6:1-14 (Preached on February 7, 2016, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

2017

Romans 8:14-17 (Preached on January 8, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Romans 1:16-17 (Preached on February 26, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Romans 11:36b (Preached on March 1, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Romans 8:16-18 (Preached on March 26, 2017, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

Ignatius’ Epistle to the Magnesians

Ignatius’ Epistle to the Magnesians offers further evidence for the developing understanding of the threefold office: bishop, presbyter, deacon.  For instance, in ch.2, we see Ignatius commending (1) “Damas your most worthy bishop,” (2) “Bassus and Apollonius” the “worthy presbyters,” and (3) “my fellow-servant the deacon Sotio.”

The threefold office is illustrated thus:

“…your bishop presides in the place of God, and your presbyters in the place of the assembly of the apostles, along with your deacons, who are most dear to me, and are entrusted with the ministry of Jesus Christ…”

It is difficult to navigate ecclesiological developments in the occasionally murky waters of the ante-Nicene church, but it is safe to say that this threefold understanding of church officers represents a departure both from the biblical witness and the earliest records of the post-apostolic age.  I do not say that these developments are necessarily anti-biblical, just that they appear to be extra-biblical.

This hierarchical emphasis in Ignatius seems occasionally forced:

“As therefore the Lord did nothing without the Father, being united to Him, neither by Himself nor by the apostles, so neither do ye anything without the bishop and presbyters.”

This strained quality will become even more apparent in the later Ignatian epistles.

Igantius interestingly notes that Sotio the deacon “is subject to the bishop as to the grace of God, and to the presbytery as to the law of Jesus Christ.”  Furthermore, we find that the bishop is a young man and Ignatius, echoing Paul, pleads with the Magnesians “not to treat your bishop too familiarly on account of his youth.”

We also find in this epistle yet another emphasis on the need to be Christians in actuality and not merely in words:

“It is fitting, then, not only to be called Christians, but to be so in reality.”

Undoubtedly it was this attitude and conviction that enabled Igantius to face a martyr’s death with the dignity with which he faced it.

1 Corinthians

2004

1 Corinthians 7:1-6 (Preached on August 1, 2004, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

2006

1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (Preached on September 10, 2006, at Hermitage Baptist Church, Camden, SC)

2007

1 Corinthians 1:1-3 (Preached on August 5, 2007, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

2009

1 Corinthians 15:1 (Preached on July 26, 2009, at First Baptist Church, Dawson, GA)

2013

1 Corinthians 15:1-2 (Preached on November 17, 2013, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

2015

1 Corinthians 15:13-26 (Preached on April 5, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

1 Corinthians 1:14-25 (Preached on September 6, 2015, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]

2019

1 Corinthians 12:27 (Preached on September 15, 2019, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR)

2020

1 Corinthians 6:1-8 [Sermon Series: Conflict Resolution, pt.1] (Preached on March 8, 2020, at Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock, AR) [manuscript]