Antioch Baptist Church

The second part of the indictment was that the priests were not recognizing God’s glory and in disregarding it were showing contempt for it (2:1-3). These priests were to lead the people in worshiping Jehovah God, and they were supposed to be the example of how to properly give God glory. But they were not being obedient and thus the curses described within the Mosaic Law for disobedience (see Deuteronomy 27:15-26) would fall on them. The specific curses to which Malachi r...eferred were upon the blessings the priests were enjoying or administering. They were also warned this curse would fall on their offspring. This rebuke was probably the result of the priests losing their office. The language God used here through Malachi was graphic and portrayed the extent of disgrace it was for a priest to be unfaithful to God and His glory. Of all the people, the priests should have known better than to act like they did, disregarding God’s glory. God was sorely displeased with those who should have been calling the people to repentance and obedience, pointing them to God’s glory, but were not. He was now calling them to repent and if they did not, the results would be devastating to them. Join the saints of Antioch this Sunday as we explore this Old Testament prophet's message! See more

In the first part of this prophetic book, we examined the first oracle, or burden, that Malachi had to share with the nation of Israel. It reminded the nation that God loved them first and faithfully. In the second oracle in this message to Israel the author sharply contrasts God’s love stated in the first oracle with Israel’s disobedience in honoring God in a way that would bring glory to Him. God had faithfully loved and protected Israel from destruction and yet the nati...on had regressed into an unfaithful attitude towards their great God. The first indictment handed down (verses 1:6 through 2:9) was for the priests who, in this first charge of the indictment (verses 6-14), were showing contempt for the sacrifices they were supposed to be respectfully and worshipfully offering to God. The Levitical priesthood was charged with the spiritual well-being of the nation of Israel. But because they were in complete disregard for God’s Law they were in a state of apathy and sin. This was after they had been freed and brought back from Babylon after the seventy years of captivity. All they had to do was read the prophetic book of Habakkuk to find the source of God’s judgment on them previously and that should have prevented them from lapsing back into this lukewarm spiritual condition. Join the saints of Antioch this Sunday as we gather to study God's Word and worship Jesus our Savior! See more

"And a voice came from the throne, saying, "Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great. Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns."" - Revelation 19:5-6 Let the voices of the saints be lifted up in praise and worship for our great God and Savior King Jesus this morni...ng. Let us call on His name from gathered congregations across the world. Let us, the saints of Antioch, join together in fellowship and encouragement as we study His Word, sing hymns to His great name and worship Him in adoration for His great salvation. May the Lord Jesus be glorified in our obedience to gather together and faithfully be His Body, for the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns! Hallelujah! See more

This prophetical book called Malachi was probably written around 100 years after the return of the Jewish people to Israel from their exile in Babylon; the date was approximately 450-430 B.C. Cyrus had issued a decree in 538 B.C. which had allowed the Jews to return to their homeland. Their temple had been rebuilt, completed in 515 B.C. and many homes had been built. The walls of the city were being rebuilt and may have been close to completion or even complete when this b...ook was written. But all was not easy for the Jewish people who had returned from exile. They still remained under Persian political dominion, harvests were poor and locust swarms came often. The hearts of the Jewish people were indifferent to God and maybe even a little resentful. This resulted in disobedience to God’s Law. Thus, God gave the prophet Malachi a message containing oracles of the word of God to Israel for the purpose of reminding them of their duties to Him. This first oracle, or burden, (1:1-5) was for the Jewish people to respond to God’s love because He first loved them and faithfully continues to do so over all others. In comparison God reveals His love for Israel over Edom and that Edom would never flourish. Israel was God’s nation and His covenant people. They should trust in Him and rejoice in this truth. Join the saints of Antioch this Sunday as we begin a study of Malachi! See more

The last message in our series of sermons from Habakkuk. How timely was this study! With his country facing eminent judgment, the prophet Habakkuk fell upon God's grace and mercy in the coming of God's wrath. Our God is so faithful in His sovereign will!

After God replies to Habakkuk’s initial questions about God’s delay in judgment, Habakkuk seems to have a reset in his view of God’s sovereignty (Habakkuk 1:12-2:1). He expresses hope in God even in the face of a terrible and heartrending judgment on Judah. But Habakkuk does have more questions for God in this second part of the dialogue. Habakkuk is troubled and concerned that God would use such a pagan people, people who have brought great injustice, to judge Judah of ...their unrighteousness. Habakkuk gives a contrast to God, as if He didn’t know this, maybe in the hopes that God would soften the blow against His people. As he ends his conversation with God, Habakkuk describes himself as one standing guard and as one who has a station on the rampart to keep watch to see what He will speak to me. Habakkuk was prepared for God’s response. The judgment is coming, and Habakkuk knows this. He is truly appalled that God would use such a pagan nation against His own people Israel, but he stands his post waiting for the correction. He has spoken to God about their terrible deeds and their willingness to destroy all who are before them. Habakkuk pleads for his people, even though he knows they are in sin. Join the saints of Antioch this Sunday as we follow along with the prophet Habakkuk! See more

"One of the silliest myths of our culture is the story of particles-to-people evolution that all life is an unplanned byproduct of mindless chemistry. Even more absurd is that this story is taught as if it were somehow the scientific position, as if it had abundant supporting evidence and as if it were the only rational possibility. The great irony is that the opposite is true. Evolution is nothing but a scientifically bankrupt conjecture. My conviction is that no one on earth believes in evolution for rational reasons. The Biblical Science Institute stands ready to expose the silliness and irrationality of those who stubbornly refuse to bow the knee to Christ." https://biblicalscienceinstitute.com/

In this next section of the text (Habakkuk 1:5-11), God replies to the prophet with His intent to bring correction and how He intends to enact His discipline on the southern kingdom of Judah. It is amazing to read this text and realize that God was carrying on a conversation with His prophet. Habakkuk would issue a complaint and then God would respond. This pattern happens twice in the first two chapters. Here in this section of text we read God’s first response to Habakk...uk’s first complaint. Blue states, Though the prophet was engaged in a typical Jewish lament and was asking essentially rhetorical questions, God answered his complaint. The Lord was neither indifferent nor insensitive. God was not idle; He was already at work on specific plans to discipline erring Judah. He revealed those plans to the distressed prophet. Our God is an amazingly personal God who tends to all the details. In answer to Habakkuk’s cry for judgment, God responds with a pronouncement worse than the prophet could ever imagine. The southern kingdom of Judah, remaining still even after the northern kingdom was defeated and carried off to exile earlier, would now face God’s terrible wrath for their sin. The hammer God would use to bring His stroke of judgment would be a terribly pagan nation who was swift and vile and would allow no mercy. Though Habakkuk had cried for God’s judgment on the sin of Judah, this declaration would have been shocking to him. Join the saints of Antioch this Sunday as we explore God's Word and worship God together! See more

"Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of the mighty, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in holy array." - Psalm 29:1-2 Today is the appointed day for the saints to gather in person and worship together their God and Savior. Look to God's Word for wisdom and strength and join with the saints at your appointed place of gathering. Bring Him glory through sincere and genuine worship. He is worthy of all glory and honor.

The Word of God always places a demand on the human beings to whom it is written. That demand is that there is a thrice holy God who expects the recipients of this Word to respond to the truth it proclaims. Sinful man will indeed respond to it. Sadly enough, most will reject it and deny the truth of the proclamation from God’s Spirit. Old Testament or New Testament God is revealing Himself to mankind. Studying the writing of an Old Testament prophet to the southern kingd...om of Judah, we must remember the context in which it was written. The nation of Israel had split into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah, and was embroiled in international crisis and national corruption. It was a period of fearful uncertainty as internationally the Babylonians were coming into power and nationally the Jewish nation was sinking into decay through violence, greed, fighting, and justice that was being perverted by sinful rebellious men. The northern kingdom had already been vanquished, and the southern kingdom, while experiencing a short revival under King Josiah, now had sunk back into sin. Habakkuk cries out to God Why don’t you do something? (Habakkuk 1:1-4). God is preparing to do something, and this is the hope of the prophet. Even though this was written a long time ago to a Jewish nation, this little book is like reading today’s morning news! Habakkuk is clearly upset over what he interprets as God’s inaction or unwillingness to even hear the plight of the righteous in the face of such unrighteousness. But God is going to remind the prophet that what he sees as inaction is God’s preparation for His judgment. God does not have to report to any human all that He is doing or going to do. God is sovereign and acts on His own timetable and according to His perfect will. Join the saints of Antioch this Sunday as we begin a journey through Habakkuk! See more

This benediction from the author to these precious suffering saints, finishing his exhortation of their personal obligations towards the author and his fellow-workers, is an encouragement and an exhortation to persevere (Hebrews 13:20-25). It also gives us a tidbit of information about Timothy who had evidently been arrested because of the preaching of the Gospel. This would have been very encouraging to these saints in that there were other brothers and sisters facing the ...same persecution as they were. This is not to say, misery loves comfort, but to say successful ministry for Jesus will invite the hatred of the world. Throughout this letter the author has taught these Jewish believers that there is nothing that can surpass the beautiful Savior Jesus. He has compared several of the dearest Jewish traditions to the Lord Jesus and none of them have stood the test of this comparison. How could they? How can anything stand in comparison to the lamb of God who takes away their sin? No persecution is too severe, no material wealth is comparable, no sacrifice excels His sacrifice for sin under the wrath of holy God. The Lord Jesus Christ is their life and their death. He is the great I AM. Join the saints this Sunday as we worship the Lord Jesus, the great I AM. See more

Just before his benediction, the author asks these saints to pray for him and the team that is ministering with him (Hebrews 13:18-19). This too is an obligation these saints have. It is a personal obligation and, like all the other obligations the author has listed, these saints (and by extension all of the redeemed) have a responsibility to keep them. These are not obligations that are burdensome or wearisome; they are privileged obligations they are able to fulfill beca...use Christ has saved them and sealed them with His Holy Spirit. They are seated in the heavenly and should react joyfully to these commands out of a deep gratitude for their eternal lives. Prayer works. The Scripture is clear that God is sovereign, and it is also clear that prayer is effective in producing an outcome. This is a mystery to those of us who pray, but we pray nonetheless, because it is biblical and we are commanded to. Join the saints of Antioch this Sunday as we study the Bible together, pray together, and worship God together. See more

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come. - Revelation 4:8 Gather with the saints to worship God this morning, for He alone is worthy.

The author moves on to the religious obligations, he lists three, for the saints in this congregation (Hebrews 13:7-17). First, God had given them godly leaders in the past. Some had already died, and these saints were to remember them, and their testimonies respectfully and emulate them. Second, they must be completely devoted to Christ their King and Savior. They were to never forsake Christ under any circumstance. Third, God had given them elders to lead them currentl...y. God had ordained men to be under-shepherds to His flock. These godly men must minister to and serve Jesus’ sheep through leadership. The author was exhorting these saints to remember, respect and obey these men as they served Christ by leading Jesus’ sheep by teaching God’s Word and setting a godly example for them to follow. But this section also ends with a warning for these leaders that they would give an account for that leadership. The author of the letter had just written down for them the godly way to work together in the Body of Christ, the church. He had given them obligations, both social (verses 1-6) and religious (verses 7-17), so that they could function properly as a congregation and serve Christ successfully to bring God glory. The last part of his letter will deal with personal obligations (verses 18-25) of these saints towards him and his fellow-workers. Join the saints of Antioch this Sunday as we begin to finish our study of Hebrews! See more

As the author begins to close his letter, his epilogue can be understood in sections. The one thing God expects from His children is faithful obedience. The author knew this and encouraged this congregation to display their holiness through changed living. Those who live by the flesh will die and face eternal judgment and those who live by the Spirit of God live eternally with the Father in glory. This first section is where the author writes down moral direction for the ...readers. These first obligations in this section for the believers who read this letter are social obligations all believers have (Hebrews 13:1-6). Living in a godly manner would reveal God’s grace in their lives to a dark and dying world and it would strengthen them as a congregation in a loving bond as they faced persecution and temptation. So, the author stresses pure and holy living. The author’s conclusion is an exhortation to these saints. They have obligations despite the ongoing persecution. They have responsibilities towards their brothers and sisters in the faith and to their Savior. Because they are facing persecution doesn’t mean those obligations can be set aside. In fact, it makes them all the more important. Join the saints of Antioch this Sunday as we explore this exhortation in the letter we call "Hebrews"! See more

While Mount Sinai, and indeed the whole earth had been shaken by God’s voice before (Exodus 19:18-19), the whole universe will shake when God’s final judgment occurs at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11) one day in the future. This was a reminder to these wavering saints that they must not lightly regard the mighty God whom they had previously professed to love and follow. It was also a warning to those who had not yet repented and decided to follow Jesus that they w...ould one day face Him naked and on their own if they turned from Him now. This should be a frightening prospect for the saints who forget the wonderful grace of God and the shed blood of their Savior and for those who were considering rejecting these truth claims even now. The choice was obvious. These Hebrew saints and the other congregants who were hearing God’s Word and considering abandoning it were being called to stand fast (Hebrews 12:25-29). The God who thunders and shakes the whole creation will hold them accountable for how they have treated His Son, the Lamb of God. Have they repented? Then do the works according to that repentance. Do they need to repent? Then they had better repent or they will face the God who shakes all of creation and is a God who will judge their sin by His eternal and unquenching fire that consumes the unredeemed. Join the saints of Antioch this Sunday as we follow Christ in His Word! See more

In this next section of text (Hebrews 12:18-24), building on the previous section, the author paints a stark contrast between the situation at Mount Sinai where the Old Covenant was given with the New Covenant of Mount Zion and the city of the living God. This is the heavenly Jerusalem which will one day descend from heaven (Revelation 21:2) and in which all the saints of God, the redeemed of all ages, will live with God in their midst. The New Covenant speaks better than... the Old CovenantAbel’s blood cried for judgment while Christ’s blood cleanses in God’s grace and mercy for His elect. If these congregants would consider this truth and how God’s grace has called them out and given them citizenship in this church of the firstborn they would be able to withstand anything that faced them. The contrast for these saints was clearly given by the Holy Spirit through this author. Would they reject the peaceful, loving presence of God having been sprinkled by the blood of Christ at Mount Zion’s city of the living God for the fearful judgment under the Law at the foot of unapproachable fire of God’s wrath-ringed Mount Sinai? What seems like an easy answer was in fact going to cost them something, maybe even their temporal lives. But the reward of repentance and perseverance would be the everlasting life with God in Christ. Join the saints of Antioch this Sunday as we celebrate being redeemed in Christ! See more

The author had clarified the purpose God had behind allowing them to go through this time of trial and persecution and he had reminded them of some things concerning this. It was for their own good and for them to grow into mature believers. While this may seem counterintuitive, it was in God’s sovereign plan for them. Because it was God’s plan and the author had provided plenty of support for this truth, he says they now must Therefore straighten up and begin to walk th...e holy lives God had called them to walk (Hebrews 12:12-17). They must avoid the bitterness that could creep into their hearts and he warns them to avoid being immoral or godless like Esau was who quickly sold his own birthright because his stomach grumbled and afterward could never repent, even though he sought for it with tears. These saints had to realize that no matter the circumstances, God is on the throne. There isn’t a single thing that occurs in this universe that doesn’t have the Father’s attention and isn’t under His direct control or occurs counter to His divine will. So, knowing and trusting this eternal and unchanging truth, they must be strengthened in it and strengthen others with it. For if they contemplated turning away from God at this point there was the danger of bitterness seeping in, possibly leading to apostacy. This frightening prospect was supported by the biblical history of Esau, who turned from God to never find repentance. Join the saints of Antioch this Sunday as we study God's Word! See more