Christ's Aroma (Fostoria Baptist)
Ryan Brown
Sermons preached from the pulpit of the Fostoria Baptist Church of Ohio. "For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and amng those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for such things?" ~ II Corinthians 2:15-16 ESV
Episodes
Go Ye Therefore (Matthew 28:16-20)
We like endings that resolve, but the Gospel of Mathew only half resolves, leaving the readers to carry on the message and teaching of Jesus. How could we ever do that?
He Is Risen (Matthew 28:1-15)
The Gospels give no account of the resurrection, but they show us definitively that Jesus was raised, and we ought to respond in faith and fearful joy.
Preparation Concerning Jesus' Burial (Matthew 27:57-66)
Burial of Jesus both vindicates and humiliates.
Jesus the Last Passover: Vindication of Victory (Matthew 27:51-56)
After Jesus breathes his last, the Father answers the pleas for vindication.
Jesus the Last Passover: Darkness and Death (Matthew 27:45-50)
The climactic moment the whole book of Matthew (and the Bible as a whole has been moving towards.
Jesus the Last Passover: The Final Test (Matthew 27:38-44)
The demons would only dance in the darkness of Good Friday if the Lord Jesus had come down from the cross.
Jesus the Last Passover: Crucified in Weakness (Matthew 27:32-37)
What a strange way to save the world!
Jesus the Last Passover: The King of the Jews (Matthew 27:27-31)
Jesus is not the kind of king you expect and that's good news!
Handed Over By Pilate (Matthew 27:15-26)
Which prisoner will be released by the Jewish crowd: Barabbas or Jesus?
Jesus' Trial Before Pilate (Matthew 27:11-14)
What do you do when you're accused? Godly men do not often respond to this well. But Jesus has an unearthy peace.
The Plot to Kill Jesus (Matthew 27:1-2)
Jesus is bound, but is he really? This sermon on two verses is also a lesson on chapters 26 and 27.
Peter Fails Jesus and Mourns (Matthew 26:69-75)
Hopeless. We often feel it, but we are never too far gone. Our sin never leaves us beyond the reaches of Jesus' gracious hands.
Jesus' Trial Before Caiaphas (Matthew 26:57-68)
Jesus is arrested unjustly and rushed to a farce of a trial. Yet he does nothing but watch.
An Antidote Against False Teaching (Hebrews 13:7-17)
False teachers everywhere! Is there possibly a support system against this!
Handed Over: The Arrest (Matthew 26:47-56)
What happens when you fight fire with fire? You just simply get more fire. Brute force never advances the cause of Christ.
Handed Over: Preparation in Prayer (Matthew 26:36-46)
Jesus is in agony and anguish. The cup he is about to drink is heavy for him. Out of his human weakness, he prays to receive the grace he needs in his time of need.
Handed Over: Isolation Predicted (Matthew 26:31-35)
As Jesus approaches the cross, he is aware that he will face this great trial alone as his disciples will abandon him. Nevertheless, he does not give up—on them or on his mission.
On the Lord's Supper (Matthew 26:26-30)
The Lord Jesus gave the church two ordinances: baptism and the Lord's Supper. But what does all this bread and wine really mean?
Jesus' Last Passover (Matthew 26:17-30)
The Passover, the most important festival in the Jewish calendar remembering the most significant and decisive act of God in salvation, is celebrated by Jesus one more time. Yet, his conversation is all about himself.
Preparation for Jesus' Burial (Matthew 26:6-16)
How much do you value Jesus and his death? Here in two acts, we find five different evaluations of Jesus and/or his death.
The Plot to Arrest (and Kill) Jesus (Matthew 26:1-5)
Jesus the King is announcing his death at the hands of others. Wait, how does the sovereign die at others' hands. Who is really in control here? Despite any appearances to the contrary, it is in fact the one being crucified who is in charge the whole time.
On Sheep And Goats (Matthew 25:31-46)
Jesus is the just judge. He will separate sheep and goats in ways that even the sheep and goats do not seem to understand.
A Tale of Some Talents (Matthew 25:14-30)
Constant watchfulness, as Jesus calls us to, seems as if it could easily lead to a constant sense of anxiety and uneasiness, but in this parable, Jesus tells us that constant watchfulness can only be sustained by an assurance of Christ's grace and generosity.
A Tale of Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13)
Readiness for Jesus' return requires commitment and preparation for long-term obedience.
A Tale of Two Servants (Matthew 24:45-51)
Waiting can be as simple as waiting for some books you've ordered, or it can be as complex as waiting for a baby to take its first breath out of the womb. But what does Jesus mean when he speaks about waiting for his coming?
Watch Therefore (Matthew 24:36-44)
We do not know when Jesus comes, so we must always be ready.
Near, Even at the Doors (Matthew 24:32-35)
This life seems long and hard, but that's only because we perceive it only according to what we see. From an eternal perspective, as we ought to have, this life is short with only light affliction.
The Gathering of the Elect (Matthew 24:29-31)
The tears of Jesus' elect are not wasted because when he comes, he will gather his people into the world he is remaking.
As the Lightning (Matthew 24:23-28)
Jesus' return is not to happen in secret, but is to be visible, public, and unmissable as he comes with glory and judgment.
But for the Elect's Sake (Matthew 24:15-22)
Hopeless situations require the power of an unstoppable God.
Enduring to the End (Matthew 24:9-14)
When it comes to a race, it is not about how you start, but about how you finish. When it comes to the Christian life, often likened to a race, the same reality pervades.
Do You See All These Things? (Matthew 24:1-8)
Sometimes we treat what we see as the only things that are, but we do better to focus on the substance found in the invisible Christ.
But Rather Rejoice (Luke 10:17-20)
Our source of joy and our focus should not be on what we are doing for Christ, but what Christ has done for us.
The Lion King of Judah (Genesis 49:8-12)
In the midst of the great darkness there came a great light. Why is the coming of the Lion King of Judah such a great hope in the midst of darkness?
The Just Judge Laments (Matthew 23:37-39)
The world may have reason to scoff at the idea of a gentle giant, but the Lord regularly presents himself as both mighty and gentle, both far off and near, both transcendent and immanent. This passage is no exception.
Woes: All the Righteous Blood (Matthew 23:29-36)
With all the righteous blood shed on the earth crying out for vengeance, how can anyone escape being sentenced to hell? Thank the Lord that there is one righteous Man's blood that speaks a better word.
Woes: Washing Outside Only (Matthew 23:25-28)
Being precedes doing. True righteousness and cleanness comes from the inside out. "We are really what we are inwardly."
Woes: Majoring on the Minors (Matthew 23:16-24)
The Pharisees are poor leaders because they are blind to what really matters. They may have good religious scruples, but they have missed God's call for character and communion from the heart.
Woes: Misguided Zeal (Matthew 23:13-15)
The Pharisees go above and beyond in seeking to reach those outside the fold, but all that proselytization does more harm than good.
But as for Y'all (Matthew 23:8-12)
Jesus is everything, we are all equally nothing (of ourselves) under him, so we can and should make him our everything. If you are interested in the musical works introduced in this sermon, you can find them at these links: "I Haven't Either" ~ Andy Gullahorn "Hand Me Down Clothes - Intro" ~Rich Mullins
The Seat of Moses (Matthew 23:1-7)
The Pharisees place heavy burdens upon the people and refuse to help. Meanwhile, we remember that Jesus, who bore our sin burden, places a light burden upon us and sends His Spirit to help us bear that cross.
A Question about Sonship (Matthew 22:41-46)
Jesus the Christ is more than the Son of David, he is God the Son incarnate! He, the very Word and Wisdom of God, fully silences his opponents.
A Question about the Commandments (Matthew 22:34-40)
Jesus welcomes us into a relationship of heartfelt love and devotion culminating in obedience.
A Question about the Resurrection (Matthew 22:23-33)
Unlike his opponents, Jesus knows the Scriptures AND the power of God.
A Question about Taxes (Matthew 22:15-22)
The Wisdom of God Incarnate cannot be tricked or trapped as he sees through appearances straight into the heart.
Cursed Murmurings (Psalm 2)
The path to safety and freedom is not fighting Yahweh, but trusting in and surrendering to him.
Blessed Murmurings (Psalm 1)
Blessing and strength come from meditation/murmuring in the Torah of the Lord.
Jesus' Parable Accuses and Sentences His Enemies (Matthew 22:1-14)
Many are called, but few are chosen. So let us not presume upon our election, but clothe ourselves with righteous behavior so as to make our calling and election sure.
Jesus' Parable Makes His Enemies Sentence Themselves (Matthew 21:23-46)
Accept the identity of the Son and he will be to you the cornerstone. Reject him, and the stone will crush you.
Jesus' Parable Makes His Enemies Accuse Themselves (Matthew 21:23-32)
From where does Jesus get his authority? He has demonstrated in three sign-acts, and now the chief priests and elders (who together with the scribes) will turn over Jesus over to die) ask him where this authority comes from. So where does Jesus get his authority and who gave it to him?