This week we celebrate our pastor’s 11th anniversary at Forty-Fifth Street. We get our sermon from guest minister Reverend Ralph Bryant from Faithful Few Baptist Church. Reverend Sparks reflects on his tenure and his hopes for the future.

This week the message comes from guest minister Reverend Lyord Watson Jr. from Greater St. John Missionary Baptist Church. We congratulate Rev. and Mrs. Lyord Watson Jr. on the recent birth of their son, Lyord Watson, III.

Sermon Notes courtesy of Dr. Tamala R. Maddox

45 Bible Kisses

Can’t appreciate the rain unless you know that He reigns

Sermon Series – Convictions
Determined
When the Bottom Falls Out
Praise Him
Faith in the Fire

The Faithful Kiss Luke 7:37-38
This woman is a harlot and she crashes the party that Jesus is attending. She brings an alabaster box full of expensive perfume. She takes it and anoints His feet. She washes His feet with her tears, dries His feet with her hair and then kisses His feet. Simon is offended because of her reputation. Jesus is not offended. A woman who is forgiven much honors Jesus with the earnings of her past life. Simon didn’t honor Him. You can invite Jesus into your house but not into your heart. You can invite Jesus into your heart even if you don’t have a house. She shows us what faith in action looks like. When she broke the box, she broke the fear. Stop shining up your alabaster box.

The Family Kiss Romans 16:16
Salute each other with a holy kiss. You don’t greet everyone like that. There are degrees of greeting. It is appropriate in the household of faith to greet each other with a holy kiss.

The Farewell Kiss Acts 20:36-38
Might be a final farewell or just that I won’t see you anymore. Luke wrote this about Paul leaving after having been there for about 3-4 years. Paul was leaving Ephesus. They were crying like babies when he left. Sometimes you cry because a chapter is closing. It’s ok to cry. Sometimes it is goodbye

The Foolish Kiss Hosea 13:2
This kissing involves idolatry. The ring of our job. Look what I’m willing to put into you, I’m willing to sacrifice for you. What did it take to get that “trophy” or “ring” or “car” or “house.” All of these are forms of idol worship….anything put before God. Nothing created should be put before the creator.

The Friendly Kiss of Hypocrisy Luke 22:47-48
Kiss by Judas….kiss of betrayal. He came with a loving and continuous kiss. Scripture says Judas grabbed Him as if he were His long lost brother. He drew Him in as if to say I miss you and I love you. People took this show of love. Be careful of those in your face. Causes you to let your defenses down. You let them in and they know your weak spots. Jesus chose Judas and he betrayed Him.

The Forgiving Kiss of Compassion Luke 15:20
The Parable of the Lost Son; we don’t have a God who waits for us to realize we have done wrong and leaves the door open for us to come back. Our God stands at the door and waits and looks for us to return. He doesn’t allow us to explain and confess when we return, He immediately grabs us and kisses us before we can speak. We have an I’ll come get you kind of God. He doesn’t care who’s watching them.

Sermon Notes courtesy of Sis. Joiya Posey

“Faith In The Fire” Rev Sparks
Daniel 3: 12-18

What Faith is Not:
1. Faith is not Faith in Faith
We should Have the Faith that says I know you’re able, but even if you don’t I will still follow/believe

2. Faith is not trust in what we want to happen
Jim Conway – daughter was stricken with cancer and they needed to amputate her leg. He and the congregation prayed that it didn’t need to happen as a testimony she would be healed…even until the morning of her surgery. He asked the dr to test her leg again before the surgery and as the dr came out, he realized that he’d prayed for a specific outcome and not Faith for God to heal her. While he was broken, he was also built up and his Faith was restored! God blesses us according to His will and purpose.

3. Faith is not trust in our ability to discern Gods will / Faith is not trying to figure out what God is going to do next
***we see what we want to see in scripture***

FAITH is simply TRUST IN GOD ALONE!!!!
Hebrews 11:1 – Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.