Sermons

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Search and browse every sermon preached at FBC Artesia — by book, speaker, series, or topic.

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Deacons Matter

This sermon explains the vital role of deacons in the church, drawing from 1 Timothy 3 and Acts 6. The speaker outlines the deacon's job to preserve unity and facilitate practical service, freeing pastors for the ministry of the Word and prayer. He details the character qualifications for deacons, including the biblical support for women deacons, and highlights the great reward they receive for their selfless service, ultimately reflecting the sacrificial servant heart of Jesus Christ Himself.

John Lee · August 2, 2026

The Gospel Matters | 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11

This sermon explores the essential nature of the Gospel, framing it as the "material principle" of Christian life and the church. It highlights how the Gospel saves individuals from sin, creates new spiritual life and the church community through practices like baptism, protects the integrity of the church through the proper administration of the Lord's Supper, and ultimately cultivates humility and empowered service in believers. The message emphasizes that true faith rooted in Christ's work leads to transformed lives and active participation in God's redemptive plan.

John Lee · June 28, 2026

1 Corinthians 4:6

Scripture Matters

This sermon initiates a series on the nature and function of the church, emphasizing that God's Word is the authoritative blueprint for all church life. The speaker argues that the Word not only creates salvation and the church itself but also commands its principles, practices, and priorities, providing the essential foundation to prevent division and foster genuine Christian community. Ultimately, relying on the Word cultivates humility, grace, and patience, recognizing that it is God who works through His inspired text, not human effort or preferences.

John Lee · June 21, 2026

47 min

Genesis 35:1 - 36:43 Buried Blessing

This sermon contrasts the lives of Jacob and Esau from Genesis 35-36, highlighting the paradox of living by faith in a fallen world. It explores Jacob's struggles and God's renewed promises amidst personal losses, juxtaposed with Esau's worldly success that ultimately leads to oblivion. The message calls believers to prioritize God's eternal promises through Christ over temporary earthly comforts, finding true hope and redemption in Jesus' victory over sin and death.

John Lee · June 7, 2026 · 47 min

46 min

Genesis 34:1-31

Defiled Deliverance

This sermon unpacks the dark narrative of Genesis 34, highlighting the pervasive corruption of both love and justice. It examines Shechem's selfish actions and Jacob's passive response, as well as the deceitful and violent vengeance of Simeon and Levi. Ultimately, the sermon points to the perfect justice and redemptive grace found only in Jesus Christ, offering hope and a call to firm conviction in a fallen world.

John Lee · May 24, 2026 · 46 min

47 min

Genesis 32:1-33:20

Hit the Ground

This sermon unpacks Jacob's transformation from a scheming, self-reliant individual to 'Israel,' one who struggles with and depends on God. Through his panicked efforts to appease Esau, his wrestling match with God that leaves him with a permanent limp, and an unexpected reconciliation with his brother, Jacob learns that true security and salvation come not from his own efforts but from God's grace. The sermon applies these lessons to the Christian life, emphasizing reliance on God, radical forgiveness, faithful obedience, and a secure identity in Christ.

John Lee · May 17, 2026 · 47 min

47 min

Proverbs 4

Get Wisdom!

This sermon, based on Proverbs 4, urges listeners to "get on and stay on the path of wisdom" as it leads to eternal life. It highlights the generational responsibility of parents and the church to teach God's wisdom, contrasting the bright path of the righteous with the dark path of the wicked. The sermon emphasizes guarding one's heart, avoiding temptation, and receiving wisdom from others, ultimately pointing to Jesus Christ as the embodiment of divine wisdom and the only way to true life.

Jason Berrus · May 10, 2026 · 47 min

51 min

Genesis 31:42

Counting Sheep

This sermon explores Jacob's struggles with self-reliance, superstition, and deception while working for Laban, highlighting how Jacob's attempts to control his own destiny ultimately led to further conflict and revealed his faithlessness. It further examines Rachel's hidden idolatry and Jacob's distorted communication with his wives, illustrating how sin and superstition defile. Ultimately, the sermon points to the need for God's true covenant and the cleansing, redeeming grace found only in Jesus Christ, who perfectly fulfills God's standard of purity and offers forgiveness for our defilement.

John Lee · May 3, 2026 · 51 min

50 min

Genesis 29:1-30:24

Wants, Wages, and Wickedness

This sermon delves into Genesis 29-30, exploring the intertwined themes of Jacob's self-reliance, Laban's deception, and the bitter envy between Leah and Rachel. It argues that each character serves their own idols, leading to a downward spiral of sin, manipulation, and dissatisfaction. Ultimately, the message highlights God's unwavering faithfulness and grace amidst human brokenness, culminating in the redemptive work of Jesus, who offers true fulfillment and freedom from the slavery of idolatry.

John Lee · April 26, 2026 · 50 min

52 min

2 - AI and Personhood

AI and the Christian Life

Doug Axe discusses the distinction between human personhood and artificial intelligence, arguing that humans are uniquely created in the image of God with an immaterial soul and mind, whereas AI is merely a machine executing probabilistic algorithms. He warns against the real danger of "personhood atrophy," where humans abdicate their relational and spiritual duties to unthinking technology.

Douglas Axe · April 23, 2026 · 52 min

51 min

Genesis 26:34-28:9

Bless Me Father

The sermon dissects the dysfunctional family dynamics in Genesis 26-28, highlighting the failures of Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Esau, each blinded by their own desires, control, deception, and bitterness. Despite their pervasive sin, the preacher emphasizes God's sovereign hand working providentially to fulfill His purposes through the mess, ultimately pointing to Christ as the only perfect one who offers grace and mercy. The message warns listeners not to emulate the characters' flaws but to seek God's grace.

John Lee · April 12, 2026 · 51 min

Genesis 26:1-33 Like Father Like Son

This sermon, "Like Father Like Son," explores Isaac's life in Genesis 26, highlighting his tendency to repeat his father Abraham's mistakes, particularly in deceit and conflict, while also experiencing God's consistent blessing. It emphasizes the importance of following God's promises over worldly problems and finding true peace not through self-preservation or conflict, but through resting in God's covenant, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

John Lee · March 22, 2026

36 min

Genesis 25:1-34

Picking Favorites

Through the story of Jacob and Esau in Genesis 25, this sermon explores the tension between God's sovereign election and human moral responsibility. It contrasts Abraham's legacy of contented faith with Esau's foolish exchange of his eternal birthright for momentary physical gratification. Ultimately, the message calls listeners to resist immediate sinful appetites and choose the everlasting promises of Christ, whose sacrificial death has opened the way back to God's presence.

John Lee · March 8, 2026 · 36 min

46 min

Genesis 24:1-67

Lord I’ve Seen What You’ve Done

In this sermon on Genesis 24, the speaker addresses the story of Abraham's servant securing Rebekah as a wife for Isaac, illustrating that the passage is not primarily about dating, but about God's faithfulness to His promises. Through the servant's example, believers are encouraged to serve their heavenly Master by committing to His promises without compromise, praying with reliance on His providence, pleading the good news with urgency, and walking in prompt obedience.

John Lee · March 1, 2026 · 46 min

45 min

Genesis 22:20-23:20

Are You Sure?

This sermon explores Genesis 22:20–23:20, demonstrating how God's steady, invisible hand of providence is at work both behind the scenes and in the face of death. By examining the genealogy of Nahor and Abraham's negotiation for Sarah's burial plot, the preacher encourages believers to trust that God always keeps His promises, pointing to Christ's resurrection as the ultimate guarantee of our future inheritance.

John Lee · February 22, 2026 · 45 min

45 min

Genesis 22:1-19

The Binding of Isaac

This sermon unpacks Abraham's test of faith in Genesis 22, demonstrating that God's tests are meant to reveal and strengthen faith rather than to discover what God doesn't already know. It highlights Abraham's unwavering obedience and God's provision of the ram as a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, the ultimate Lamb of God provided for the sins of humanity. Believers are encouraged to trust God's promises and sovereignty, even in the most difficult circumstances, finding hope and strength in Christ's ultimate sacrifice.

John Lee · February 8, 2026 · 45 min

47 min

Genesis 21:1-34

I Said What I Said

This sermon on Genesis 21 explores God's absolute faithfulness to His promises, illustrated through Isaac's birth, Hagar and Ishmael's preservation in the wilderness, and Abraham's covenant with Abimelech. It encourages believers to trust in the everlasting God during periods of waiting, transition, and living in the tension of the 'already' and 'not yet'.

John Lee · February 1, 2026 · 47 min

48 min

Genesis 20:1-18

Do You Get Deja Vu

This sermon examines Abraham's repeated sin in Genesis 20, where he again puts Sarah's life at risk by claiming she is his sister. It contrasts Abimelech's innocent ignorance and swift repentance with Abraham's calculated self-preservation, highlighting how our 'not knowing' explains but doesn't excuse sin, and our 'not caring' reveals a lack of trust in God. Ultimately, the sermon points to Jesus as the faithful High Priest who intercedes for sinners, offering forgiveness and grace for our repeated failures, and enabling us to repent and trust God with our whole lives.

John Lee · January 25, 2026 · 48 min

47 min

Genesis 19:16–19:38

Countdown to Calamity

This sermon examines God's judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah, highlighting Abraham's persistent intercession and Lot's compromised life, which weakened his witness. It underscores the universal human condition of sinfulness, arguing that no one is truly righteous, including Israel. Ultimately, the message points to Jesus Christ as the only righteous one, whose atoning sacrifice allows God to justly extend mercy and salvation to all who repent and place their faith in him.

John Lee · January 18, 2026 · 47 min

39 min

Genesis 18:1-15

Who’s Laughing Now

This sermon explores Genesis 18:1-15, contrasting Abraham's eager hospitality and faith with Sarah's cynical laughter and unbelief regarding God's promise of a son. The preacher uses this narrative to highlight God's omnipotence and his loving confrontation of sin, ultimately inviting listeners to abandon self-preservation and embrace God's grace found in Jesus Christ, fostering a spirit of joyful service.

John Lee · January 11, 2026 · 39 min

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