Archive for category Sermons

Women’s Day – Celebration and Testimonies

May 3

Posted by Big Island BC Admin in FUSION, Sermons | No Comments

Friends,

Women’s Day this year was a tremendous blessing.  We had four of our ladies share their story with us, and through that we were reminded of the goodness of God in the story of our lives.  Below, I’ve uploaded the testimonies of each person in an .mp3 format.  You can download each one and listen to it.  In addition, Alice Nichols gave me a copy of her testimony, and I have attached a link to read her testimony.  May you be blessed as you enter into this time of celebration and testimony!

Click on the name below to download their testimony in an audio (.mp3) format:

Alice Nichols

Click here to read Alice’s testimony.

Katie Wallace

Kaitlyn Plott

Annie LePere

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Blinders – Malachi 1:1-5

May 3

Posted by Big Island BC Admin in Pastor Bryon, Sermons | No Comments

Friends,

What a blessing this morning to be in worship!  We had a mother and daughter to come forward and make professions of faith!  God is so good!

This morning I began a sermon series on the book of Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament, and the last word from God before John the Baptist comes on the scene in the Gospels.  This was a troubling time for the Israelites.  They were back in the promised land, but not much was going as promised.  They had little land, little power, many enemies, and no Messiah.

They were discouraged; and feelings of doubt, fear, and depression were setting in.  How often do we focus too much on the negative things in our life at the expense of the many, many blessings that God provides for us?  I liken this to horse races, where often they put blinders on horses so they can focus on nothing else than the race ahead.  We, too, put blinders on, but too often they are to focus on the negative instead of looking at the world wide eyed and seeing all the many areas where God is blessing us.

God does not abandon us, but too often we abandon Him, as Esau did in Genesis and referenced here in Malachi.  His love is everlasting and all sufficient.   Are you trusting in that?  Is your faith built on that solid rock?

Big Island Baptist Church was built and grew on the backs of so many faithful Christians who were committed to the work of God in our fellowship and our community.  Now, we stand in their place, and God is calling us to stand up, and be the body of Christ that He has called us to be.  How will you and I respond?

Download and listen to the sermon here:  Blinders by Rev. Bryon LePere

Scriptures Referenced:

  • Malachi 1:1-5
  • Zechariah 9:1, 12:1
  • Deuteronomy 7:8, Jeremiah 31:3, Psalm 136, John 3:16
  • Matthew 6:25ff
  • Deuteronomy 7:8-11
  • Acts 15:5-11, Romans 1:16, 10:12
  • Psalm 91:8-16
  • Hebrews 12:1-2

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Eight is Enough – Genesis 7

Apr 7

Posted by Big Island BC Admin in Pastor Bryon, Sermons | 3 Comments

Friends,

What a beautiful day for worship this past Sunday!  We’ve been walking through the text of Genesis and examining the story of Noah and the Flood.  As we approach Easter Sunday, I hope that we will be able to see the parallels of God redeeming act through Noah and God’s superior redeeming act through His Son, Jesus Christ.

In this part of the story, I thought about how Noah and his family could survive approximately 400 days together in the ark.  Imagine staying in one place with your family with no other outside contact for over a year!  I think for most of us a week is plenty.

How did they get along?  Their focus, trust, and devotion was in God.  Their obedience to His plan and following through with that helped them see beyond themselves and be totally committed to His will in their lives.

How about for you?  Within your family, workplace, community, and even church…how do we get along?  When we are truly devoted to God and seeking His will in our lives, our own desires become God’s.  When the desires of God become the desires of our family, we move in step with His plan, and there we find joy.  The same is true of our church.  Several scriptures point to where the early church was most blessed when it was one in spirit and mind seeking God’s leading for their lives.  May we remember daily that it is not about us, and may we seek to please Him each and every day.

You can download the sermon here:  Eight is Enough by Rev. Bryon LePere

Scriptures Referenced:

  • Genesis 7:1-5
    • 1 Peter 3:20
  • Genesis 7:6-16
    • Malachi 3:10
  • Genesis 7:17-24
    • Jonah 2:7
    • Exodus 13:20-21
    • Joshua 1:6-9
    • Acts 2:42-47, 4:32, 9:31
    • Matthew 21:42-43
    • Mark 4:35-39
  • Ephesians 4:1-6, Philippians 1:27, Hebrews 12:1-2

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In Obedience to His Command – Genesis 6:9-22

Apr 2

Posted by Big Island BC Admin in Pastor Bryon, Sermons | 1 Comment

Friends,

Our journey through the story of Noah and the Flood continues, and this past Sunday we looked at the beginnings of God speaking to Noah and laying out His plan for the flooding of the world.

In this passage, we see the declaration of the righteousness of Noah, God’s righteous judgement, God’s loving faithfulness, and the response/obedience of Noah to God’s command.

As you listen, consider the obedience of Noah, the obedience of Jesus, and the requirements upon Christians to be obedient to God in their life and witness.

God Bless!

Download and listen to the sermon here:  In Obedience to His Command – Rev. Bryon LePere

Scriptures Referenced:

  • Genesis 6:9-22
  • Ephesians 2:8
  • Exodus 2:3
  • God’s loving faithfulness
    • Exodus 32:9ff
    • Numbers 14:10ff
    • Hosea 11:8-9
    • Jeremiah 31:31ff
    • Lamentations 3:22-23
    • Psalm 103:7-13
  • Obedience of Noah
    • Exodus 40:16
  • Obedience of Jesus
    • John 4:34, Mark 14:35-36
  • Obedience of Christians
    • Matthew 28:19-20, John 14:23-25, Acts 5:29, Romans 1:5, 1 Peter 1:14, 2 John 6
  • God’s Response to Our Obedience
    • Psalm 30:1-5, Lamentations 3:22-23

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The Heart of God – Genesis 6:5-8

Mar 23

Posted by Big Island BC Admin in Pastor Bryon, Sermons | 1 Comment

Friends,

Another great day to be in God’s House!  It was truly a blessing to have Matt from the IMB share with us in worship.  Please keep him in your prayers as he and his family head to Japan next Wednesday.

In my message I started us in a study of Noah and the Flood.  There is certainly a dearth of research and study on this topic, and I will fall short, but I want us to consider how the story of God and Noah has parallels with the story of God and Jesus.  In both stories, God does something new in seeking to redeem His Creation to Himself.

As much as God’s work with Noah was an act of compassion, we see the heart of God in Jesus when Jesus tells us of His compassion for Jerusalem and we consider what He does for humankind through His death and Resurrection.  And, just as everyone else had rejected God in Noah’s time, so many rejected Jesus.

And, today, I believe there are still many that reject Christ when they claim His Word as their guide, and yet they intentionally reject so many of His teachings.  Thoughts?

You can download the sermon here: The Heart of God by Rev. Bryon LePere

Scriptures Referenced:

  • Genesis 6:5-8
  • Colossians 1:19, 2:9
  • 1 Samuel 15:11, Joel 2:13
  • Genesis 18:3, Exodus 33:17
  • Luke 13:34-35
    • Matthew 9:36
    • John 11:35, Matthew 26:38
    • Matthew 23:37
      • James 4:17
  • Matthew 5:38-39, 43-44, 6:14-15, 7:1-3
  • Mark 9:35, Luke 18:18-25, John 6:60-67

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Who’s Right? – Romans 12:17

Mar 18

Posted by Big Island BC Admin in Pastor Bryon, Sermons | 1 Comment

Friends,

Another great day to be in the House of the Lord!  In the past few weeks, I am finding myself more and more drawn into God’s Word and His Holy Scripture.  Not that I avoided it before, but I am even more motivated to get to know Him through the Bible.  Part of this was reflected in my message Sunday.  I did not want to preach from Romans 12:17, but after reading it during the week, I couldn’t get away from it.  What a challenge to all of us to strive to do what is right before everybody.

But then this begs the question – who’s right?  And is that who’s (who is) or who’s (possessive)?  Think of all the incredible outside influences in our lives today – newsmedia, family, friends, co-workers.  And so many of our news channels are driven today by personalities as much as they are driven by the actual news!

So who’s right?  Simply put, God is.  And where do we find that right?  We find it in scripture.  No matter what else you have learned through the years or what you see in the newsmedia, it is God’s Word that is the final statement on what is right.  One of the fundamental aspects of having a Biblical worldview according to George Barna is believing that there is absolute truth in our world.  Sadly, many people think too much in our world is relative, which leaves us open to all kinds of viewpoints controlling our world.

As Christian believers, we need to build our faith on what is right, by God’s standard.  Then we need to be careful with that, guarding and growing from that grace and knowledge, and finally we must realize that making everybody happy is impossible.  In the end, the One that must be pleased by us is God, and He is the one that we live to honor and glorify.

You can download the sermon here:  Who’s Right? by Rev. Bryon LePere

Scriptures Referenced:

  1. Romans 12:17
  2. Psalm 19:8, Hosea 14:9
  3. Proverbs 14:12, Judges 21:25
  4. Deuteronomy 6:3, Joshua 23:6, 11
  5. Psalm 1
  6. Ephesians 5:15, Matthew 12:33-37
    1. Luke 3:8, Acts 26:20
  7. Proverbs 3:1-7, 2 Timothy 3:12
  8. 2 Timothy 4:1-5
  9. Galatians 5:14-15
  10. John 14:15
    1. John 15:12, Psalm 103:8-10

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Living With Urgency – John 4:35-38

Mar 10

Posted by Big Island BC Admin in Pastor Bryon, Sermons | 1 Comment

Friends,

What a wonderful time of worship this past Sunday!  We were tremendously blessed by NAMB missionaries Pedro and Marisa Sanchez and their family.  Taking a cue from the theme for the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, I preached on John 4:35-38 and looked at how we should be “Living With Urgency.”

I challenged us to think about how we could and should live with a greater urgency towards our neighbors and around the world.  And perhaps the starting point for this is thinking more urgently about how we are living our own personal faith and witness.  And so, Living With Urgency, we should be motivated to 1) Have compassion/be burdened for our neighbors, 2) Guard our personal witness and be Christ-like to ALL people, and 3) Support, encourage, and give for our missionaries.  How will you respond?

Download and listen to the sermon here:  Living With Urgency – Rev. Bryon LePere

Scriptures referenced:

  • John 4:35-38
  • John 4:35
    • Matthew 9:37, Luke 10:2, 2 Corinthians 6:2
  • John 4:36
    • Matthew 13:37, Isaiah 9:3
  • John 4:37
    • Mark 4:1ff
  • Matthew 9:36
  • Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28, 2 Timothy 4:7
  • Colossians 4:5, Matthew 5:14-16

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Ridiculous Love – John 4:13-15

Mar 1

Posted by Big Island BC Admin in Pastor Bryon, Sermons | No Comments

Friends,

What a great time of worship this morning!  Despite the weather, many came out and were witness to one of our young people coming forward for baptism.  Give God the glory for what He has done this day!

We read through the story of Jesus talking with the woman at the well in John 4.  As you read through the text, notice that he “had to go through Samaria”, a place Jews avoided, yet Jesus was obedient.  He spoke with a woman that likely no one else would, and she was certainly trying to avoid contact with her timing of coming out to the well!  But, in contact with the Messiah, her life was changed as you she was able to drink of the living water that God offers us all in Christ Jesus.

As I examined the text, it brought several questions to mind as we think about our Missions Ministry.  I want to share these questions with you, and I invite your answers and/or response.  God Bless!

  • Is your heart for missions/our direction for missions based on obedience to the leading of God or of our own personal/emotional drive?
  • How often do you/we avoid ministering to someone because of our own biases/feelings?
  • Does anyone avoid worship/other church events to avoid public scrutiny?
  • We’ve grown in the past few years, but how much of our resources have we expended meeting physical needs, and how much on spiritual needs?
  • How many people have we given water to only to leave them thirsty soon after?  What kind of water are we serving?

You can download the sermon here: Ridiculous Love, pt. 2 by Rev. Bryon LePere (~30 mb)

Scriptures Referenced:

  • John 4:4-15
  • John 4:4-6
    • Nehemiah 13:28
    • Exodus 34:6, Deuteronomy 4:31, Luke 1:50, 19:1-10, John 8:3-11, Ephesians 2:1-6
  • John 4:7-12
    • John 4:17-18
    • Genesis 33:18-19, Joshua 24:32
  • John 4:13-15
    • John 7:38
    • Ezekiel 36:25-26
    • Psalm 42:1, Isaiah 12:2-3, 44:3, 55:1, Zechariah 13:1
    • Psalm 36:9, Isaiah 35:7, 49:10
    • Jeremiah 2:13, 17:13
    • John 4:28
    • Revelation 7:17, 21:6

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Ridiculous Love – Romans 3.21-26

Feb 22

Posted by Big Island BC Admin in Pastor Bryon, Sermons | 2 Comments

Friends,

Another great day to be in the House of the Lord!  Last week I talked about “Ridiculous Faith”, and today I looked at the story of Christ on the Cross and spoke of “Ridiculous Love.”  When we look at the story of how the Creator of the entire universe could be so concerned that He would send part of His very essence in order to redeem us to Him…well, that’s pretty out there by itself.  But the way He would do it, to allow His Son to be beaten, tortured, and killed in such a way – well, to call that a story of love is absurd.

And yet, that is exactly what scripture says to us.  It invites us into an understanding of how deep the Master’s love is for us, and how much much we are in need of it.  It is the greatest love story ever told, and though our world today cannot understand it, we still stake our faith on it, because we know that it is through the sacrificial atonement of Christ on the cross that we are redeemed, that our sins are canceled, that the debt of sin is paid.

And you?  What does this great story mean for you?  How has it moved you into a real, deeper relationship with God through an understanding of what He has done for you in and through Jesus Christ?

You can listen to/download my sermon here: Ridiculous Love – Rev. Bryon LePere

Scriptures Referenced:

  • Romans 3:21-26
  • (Romans 3:21-22)
    • Matthew 5:17, Romans 10:4
    • Hebrews 10:10
  • (Romans 3:23)
    • Job 15:14-16
    • 1 Peter 4:5, Colossians 1:13-14
  • (Romans 3:24)
    • Romans 5:6-8
    • Jeremiah 44:4, Psalm 5:4-5
    • John 3:16, 1 John 4:10, Romans 8:22-23
    • Ephesians 1:4, Genesis 1:27ff, Psalm 139:1ff
    • Galatians 4:4-5, 1 Peter 3:18
  • (Romans 3:25-26)
    • Colossians 1:20-22, Acts 9:1
    • Colossians 2:14, Galatians 3:13
    • 2 Kings 4:1-7
      • Psalm 23:5, Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45
      • Philippians 2:7

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Ridiculous Faith – Psalm 34

Feb 16

Posted by Big Island BC Admin in Pastor Bryon, Sermons | 1 Comment

Friends,

What a beautiful day to be in worship today!  This past week I saw several instances of people putting their hope and faith in places other than God.  Whether it was Obama, our Congress, sports stars, actors, pop stars…well the list goes on.  We have some real problems in this world…some of them may be solved and others may linger for a long time, but ultimately, both in the big and small issues of this world, our hope and trust should be in nothing else but God and His sovreignty.

I love the verse that says in God we will “lack no good thing.”  I was having a pity-party Friday afternoon and as I was carrying the groceries in the house, it hit me.  How many couldn’t afford their groceries?  How many people in our world are starving for food, for faith, for hope?  And I am blessed with each of these.  I don’t want to diminish your stresses and concerns, but I do want to ask…where are you looking for hope?  In what or whom have you put your trust?

You can listen to the sermon here: Ridiculous Faith – Psalm 34 (size= ~39mb)

Scriptures Referenced:

  • Psalm 34
  • 1 Samuel 21:10-15
  • Psalm 111:5, Exodus 16, Matthew 6:25-33
  • Isaiah 46:3-4
  • Job 2:10
  • Proverbs 3:5-6
  • Isaiah 41:10
  • Romans 8:28, 31-38
  • John 16:33

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