tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78243185394650385102024-03-19T03:48:22.888-05:00Sunday Sermonsmessages from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Ames, IowaDave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.comBlogger120125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-70841575731159326822024-03-16T20:56:00.001-05:002024-03-16T20:56:38.575-05:00 “It’s the End of the World As We Know It” - March 17, 2024Text: Mark 13:1-8, 24-37Susan and I had a friend back in Illinois, a retired pastor named Dick. Dick had a bowl of cereal for breakfast every morning. His system was that he had five boxes of cereal and he would rotate each morning which cereal he would eat that day. He told us that one of the cereals he ate he really didn’t care for. We asked him, “Why on the world would Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-57539514959715675192024-02-24T20:25:00.000-06:002024-02-24T20:25:05.782-06:00 “Seeing and Really Seeing” - February 25, 2024Text: Mark 10:32-52Have you ever been in a situation where someone is being completely inappropriate for the occasion – acting in ways that just don’t fit the context?If you had just made an error that was going to cost your company thousands of dollars, that would not be the best time to ask for a raise. It just wouldn’t.If someone had just poured their heart out to you, shared something Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-54687204560448328322023-11-25T20:01:00.003-06:002023-11-25T20:01:53.433-06:00 “A Dark Love Song, A Hopeful Future” - November 26, 2023Text: Isaiah 5:1-7, 11:1-5I know that a number of you are gardeners. How many had a vegetable garden this year – even if it was just a couple of plants? Even if you just used containers? How many had a flower garden?We just had a couple of tomato plants and some basil and cilantro. We won’t talk about the basil and cilantro, but the tomatoes really produced. We stillDave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-43591451058691855882023-08-12T21:09:00.003-05:002023-08-12T21:09:31.661-05:00 “When God Is Silent” - August 13, 2023Text: Psalm 13, 1 Kings 19:11-13This summer, we have been looking at questions and topics that were suggested by the congregation. One person submitted this:“I often think about how to be faithful and patient when God is silent. Am I praying for the right thing and in the right way?”This is a question that at some point or other, every one of us can relate to. How do we get Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-14173654861306108572023-07-22T21:02:00.000-05:002023-07-22T21:02:29.082-05:00 “A Scientist (?) Looks at Life from a Faith Perspective” - July 23, 2023Text: Genesis 1:1-28, 31On your Summer Sermon Request line, the request for today is “A favorite from the archives – for those of us who missed it the first time.” Well, the archives go back pretty far. I could have chosen a sermon from 25 years ago, but the sermon that came to mind was more recent - it was actually from the time I asked for sermon suggestions a few years ago.&Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-5006698131217085312023-07-08T20:29:00.000-05:002023-07-08T20:29:47.139-05:00 “Just a Little Talk with Jesus” - July 9, 2023Text: Hebrews 4:14-16, Philippians 4:4-7There were a lot of suggestions turned in for sermons for this summer, and the suggestion that I am following today was kind of a fun one, a little different one. “I’d like you to use ‘Just a Little Talk with Jesus’ as the background for a sermon.” I was familiar with “Just a Little Talk with Jesus.” Our men’s group did a wonderful job singing Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-77846795132286101962023-07-01T20:26:00.004-05:002023-07-08T20:31:00.751-05:00 “Christian Faith and Mental Health” - July 2, 2023Text: Psalm 88One of our sermon suggestions for this summer was on the topic of Christian Faith and Mental Illness. It would be hard to think of a more timely issue. We have all heard that there is a mental health crisis in our country. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued a health advisory in 2021 regarding youth mental health. He noted that one in three high school Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-88151815448828330952023-06-03T21:19:00.000-05:002023-06-03T21:19:17.648-05:00“God in Community” - June 4, 2023Texts: Matthew 28:16-20, 2 Corinthians 13:11-13Trinity SundayPhyllis Schrag will be preaching next Sunday, and we then two Sundays from today I will start a sermon series based on questions and suggestions that come from the congregation.And so today, I thought we might look at something that probably nobody would request. On the liturgical calendar, the Sunday following Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-17551577377773236402023-04-15T21:37:00.001-05:002023-07-08T20:32:06.284-05:00 “Commission and Promise” - April 16, 2023Text: Matthew 28:16-20Since January 8, we have been in the gospel of Matthew. That is 98 days, for those who have been counting. It’s like binge-watching a series except this isn’t exactly a binge – it has been a 15 Sunday, slow motion binge, with those extra scenes and bonus episodes on Wednesday nights during our Lenten Study and then on Maundy Thursday.We have not read every verse Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-63185007157331839102023-04-08T20:01:00.003-05:002023-04-08T20:01:57.671-05:00“Jesus is Going Where?” - Easter Sunday, April 9, 2023 Text: Matthew 28:1-10It is wonderful to be together on Easter morning! It is such a joyful occasion, with familiar and much-loved traditions. There have been Easter egg hunts and a lot of folks have made plans for Easter dinner with family and friends. We enjoyed the Easter breakfast this morning and the wonderful music and all the bright outfits. And we are all Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-53902726292801072362023-03-25T21:03:00.000-05:002023-03-25T21:03:01.204-05:00 “Sheep and Goats” - March 26, 2023Text: Matthew 25:31-46Have all of you all done your taxes? Have you even started on your taxes? I’m offering this as a public service announcement: if you haven’t already, you might want to think about your tax return.In other news, students may way want to keep in mind that we are now 2/3 of the way through the semester. Can you believe that? Papers and reports and Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-8088213925443726182023-03-18T21:26:00.001-05:002023-03-18T21:26:09.718-05:00“The Oil We Carry With Us” - March 19, 2023Text: Matthew 25:1-13With the possible exception of the NCAA Tournament, there is nothing like a wedding. Weddings can be wonderful, joyful occasions. And because there is often a large gathering of friends and family and there is a lot of emotion involved, weddings can provide for drama – all sorts of drama. It is interesting how many Biblical stories have to do with weddings –Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-60401995301451423452023-03-11T20:53:00.000-06:002023-03-11T20:53:29.372-06:00 “Wedding Apparel” - March 12, 2023Text: Matthew 22:1-14 There are those churches where people really dress up. Men wear suits and ties, women wear dresses and heels. At one time, a lot of churches were that way. But it has been at least a few decades since First Baptist was like that. Some of us may dress up, there’s a lot of what you might call some may wear jeans, some wear shorts when it is warm and fewDave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-59961626876905986782023-03-04T21:48:00.000-06:002023-03-04T21:48:05.575-06:00 “The Kingdom Pay Scale” - March 5, 2023Text: Matthew 20:1-16A woman in Illinois had just started a new job. On her very first day of work, one of her co-workers asked what she was making, and she told them her salary. Word got around. This new hire was making more than some employees who had been there awhile. This caused a bit of an uproar and in fact one woman got mad enough that she quit. And the next Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-37617199188295891312023-02-18T21:06:00.005-06:002023-02-18T21:06:45.020-06:00 “AI and Real Faith” - February 19, 2023Text: Matthew 16:24-17:8Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,Today, we gather to reflect on the remarkable event that occurred on the mountaintop as described in Matthew 17 – the Transfiguration of Jesus. This is a significant event in the life of Jesus, and it offers a message that is relevant to our lives even today. Let us take a moment to delve into this passage and gain a deeper Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-70291118094142252832023-02-11T21:03:00.001-06:002023-02-11T21:03:10.132-06:00 “The Surprising Kingdom” - February 12, 2023Text: Matthew 13:24-43I’ve had some really good teachers over the years – in seminary, in college, in high school. The ones I remember the most, whether it was Mr. Kirkman in high school chemistry or Dr. Beckman in college or Bill Leonard or Henlee Barnette in seminary, told stories – about the subject at hand or just about life. They used humor and were engaging and encouraged you toDave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-13813708148823308842023-02-04T20:47:00.000-06:002023-02-04T20:47:13.894-06:00 “The Foundation” - February 5, 2023Text: Matthew 7:1-14, 24-29We are on our third Sunday looking at Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. When Phyllis was our emergency pinch-hitter three weeks ago, she got us started. She just picked out a scripture for Sunday morning the night before, focusing on "you are the light of the world," not knowing what I would be doing on the following Sundays. That was definitely the work of Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-33869957949426538162023-01-28T21:43:00.007-06:002023-01-28T21:43:59.347-06:00 “Revolutionary Prayer” - January 29, 2023Text: Matthew 6:7-21A few weeks ago, I was watching the NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills. After making a tackle, a player for Buffalo stood up and then about a second later collapsed. It was a medical emergency, and it went on and on. They kept cutting to commercials and would come back and each time nothing had changed, the player was stillDave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-77107599965377282162023-01-21T20:37:00.000-06:002023-01-21T20:37:10.995-06:00 “Temptation and the Wilderness” - January 22, 2023Text: Matthew 4:1-17It is good to be here with you all today. I had some kind of stomach virus last weekend and I was sick. I appreciate Rita and Mindy and Phyllis steeping in at the last minute to lead our service. I was able to join you all on Zoom. You may remember that the scripture that was read last week was from Matthew chapter 5. Phyllis did a meditation on Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-8789999141899174882023-01-07T20:11:00.001-06:002023-01-07T20:11:51.841-06:00 “You Are Mine” - January 8, 2023Text: Matthew 3:1-17In our scripture this morning, Jesus goes to John out in the wilderness and asks to be baptized. This text is full of meaning, and it’s an especially appropriate scripture for us, because – why? We are Baptists, and our name comes from the rite of baptism. “Baptist” was actually a pejorative term – a putdown - given to these separatist churches that arose in Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-35222712001423050922022-12-10T21:00:00.002-06:002022-12-10T21:00:31.256-06:00 “How Great Our Joy” - December 11, 2022Text: Luke 2:8-14Bob Parrish heard from the company that clears snow from our parking lot and sidewalks. Turns out that they have changed their policy this winter. We will have a set monthly rate for snow removal. If any snows are above 6” or if there are too many snowfalls in a month, there will be a surcharge, but there is a baseline amount we will be charged – even if it Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-64453863822867160262022-12-03T20:58:00.001-06:002022-12-03T20:58:49.366-06:00 “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” - December 4, 2022Text: Luke 1:46-55“Hark the Herald Angels Sing” has to be one of the favorite Christmas carols, ranking somewhere close behind Silent Night in popularity. Like last week’s carol, “Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus,” it was written by Charles Wesley. Wesley published the carol in 5 verses in 1739, and three of them are in our hymnal. The words have changed a bit over the years.Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-16974595903737480462022-11-26T20:54:00.002-06:002022-11-26T20:54:26.204-06:00“Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus" - November 27, 2022Text: Isaiah 40:1-5, 28-31Today is the First Sunday of Advent, a season to remember Christ’s coming among us and reflect on Christ’s coming again. It is a time of preparation for the great celebration of Jesus’ birth at Christmas.It is also a time filled with activity. Family get-togethers, social gatherings, holiday parties – and of course shopping, even if a lot of that is done Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-34500584706135162232022-11-12T20:19:00.000-06:002022-11-12T20:19:14.622-06:00 “Blessed to Be a Blessing” - November 13, 2022Text: Micah 6:6-8We sang that great old gospel hymn this morning, “Count Your Blessings.” I remember singing it at the church I grew up in back in Southern Indiana, and a lot of you probably grew up singing it too. “Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”When our stewardship committee met to talk about a theme for our stewardship Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7824318539465038510.post-30040552892886119382022-11-05T21:41:00.000-05:002022-11-05T21:41:37.930-05:00 “Healing and Humility” - November 6, 2022Text: 2 Kings 5:1-15Last Sunday, we thought about wisdom and discernment as we looked at Solomon. Under his leadership the great temple was built in Jerusalem. Along with the temple there was an ambitious program of public works, including a palace for the king. Though he had asked God for wisdom, not wealth, he lived lavishly and became fabulously wealthy. To support all Dave Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00102034954920057622noreply@blogger.com0