Speaker: Phil Congdon
Phil Congdon
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Sermons by Phil Congdon
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May 28, 2020
As he concludes his letter to the church in Thessalonica, Paul gives them practical advice. It’s as good now as it was then. These gems of truth go to the very heart of our spiritual foundation and actions. The closer you look, the more you’ll see.
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May 13, 2020
The Day of the Lord is prophesied in the Old Testament – a time of God’s wrath, and blessing. When does this period of time begin, and how long does it last? How should it affect our lives today?
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May 13, 2020
The Rapture isn’t the Second Coming, but what is it? Is it before the Great Tribulation? What happens when Christians die? What rises at the Rapture? Where do we go after the Rapture? Why is the Rapture a comfort for Christians? Questions…and comfort!
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April 19, 2020
What’s the next event in Bible prophecy? Many theologians today roll end-time prophecies into one big event – the end of the world and Jesus’ second coming. But 1 Thess. 4:13-18 reveals a separate event – not the ‘Second Coming’ – that Christians look forward to.
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April 14, 2020
Speaker: Phil Congdon
Topic: resurrection
Bible Text: Easter Sunday | Speaker: Phil Congdon
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April 7, 2020
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times: Those words from Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities fit our day. Stress brings out the best and the worst in humanity. Paul’s practical advice to Thessalonian Christians is amazingly timely in our COVID-19 world.
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March 27, 2020
Modern sexual mores are viewed as enlightened and new, but they aren’t. First-century pagan culture was rife with sexual perversion. Like those early Christians, we must realize that sexual purity is not man’s idea, but God’s… and it is a key to our spiritual growth.
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March 22, 2020
Paul’s epistles are so upbeat and optimistic, we forget that he faced constant opposition and discouragement in ministry. The Christians in Thessalonica suffered persecution, too, so Paul shared secrets of joy in the midst of trials. These are valuable lessons for us today.
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March 19, 2020
Paul is called the greatest evangelist in church history, and it’s hard to argue the point: 2000 years of the Gentile Church is traced to his ministry! But he knew persecution and disappointment, too. What enabled him to be so effective? He tells us in 1 Thessalonians 2.
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March 9, 2020
The new church at Thessalonica, like every church, had problems. But it also had spiritual qualities for which Paul thanked God. In the first chapter of this letter, the apostle cites five things which stand out in the church – qualities to which we should all aspire!
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March 2, 2020
It’s the early 50s A.D. Jesus’ resurrection occurred less than twenty years earlier, but already churches dot the ancient Roman world. In Thessalonica, a band of Christians faced persecution and questions. Paul writes to encourage and instruct them.
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February 25, 2020
Time to take one last look at Genesis, where we’ve been, and what it all means. From the dawn of creation, our journey has brought us to the banks of the Nile; Jacob’s children and their families are in a foreign land, but God is enacting His plan to rescue the world.
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February 17, 2020
Scripture says that ‘it is appointed unto men once to die’ – but how we die, and how we face death, reflects the reality of our faith. The final scenes in Genesis recount the deaths of Jacob and Joseph, and demonstrate their faith in God and His promises, at the end of life.
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February 12, 2020
While Genesis reveals God as being patient and faithful, He is also holy and just. In Gen. 49, Jacob gathers his sons to tell their futures, both good and bad, based on how they lived their lives. The lesson for Christians today is transparent: What you do now matters!
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February 3, 2020
Aren’t you glad God is patient? We are fickle, and often fail, but He is faithful! Jacob fought with God for much of his life, but God never gave up on him, and in his last days, God won his heart. He showed he had learned to trust God – a life lesson we all need to learn.
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January 30, 2020
While God’s plan cannot be thwarted by the sinful actions of men, it is magnified when combined with the wise leadership of godly men. Joseph is ‘Exhibit A’ of this truth, both with his family, and with the Egyptians. Happy is the man who finds wisdom (Proverbs 3:13)!
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January 30, 2020
God keeps His word! He told Abraham his descendants would go to a foreign land, and now they are traveling to Egypt. On the way, He reminds Jacob that He will make them a great nation, but little could Jacob have known then how! God’s providential power is on display.
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January 15, 2020
The tension that has been building since Joseph’s brothers first came to Egypt is released as he reveals who he is! They are frightened, but need not be: Joseph sees God’s sovereign hand at work, preserving a nation, and restoring a family. This is what God can do!
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January 8, 2020
Twenty years after being sold by his brothers, Joseph is ruling Egypt. Not knowing it is him, they stand before him in need of food. Have their hearts changed? The tension reaches a fever pitch as Joseph instigates a test to determine if their spiritual transformation is real.
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December 24, 2019
Speaker: Phil Congdon
Topic: Gifts
What God Wants to Give You for Christmas… A Gift That Keeps on Giving… Forever
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December 18, 2019
Speaker: Phil Congdon
Topic: Christmas
What God Wants to Give You for Christmas: A Star to Follow
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December 4, 2019
Speaker: Phil Congdon
Topic: Gifts
What God wants to give you for Christmas – Peace on Earth
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November 26, 2019
Speaker: Phil Congdon
Topic: praise
This is a time to reflect thanksgiving and praise to God and each other.
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November 19, 2019
The famine forces Joseph’s brothers back to Egypt for a second time. God awakened their guilt the first trip; now, spiritual transformation is exhibited in selfless behavior. The wintry chill of guilt melts into the spring of concern for others, confession, and peace.
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November 12, 2019
The Awakening of Conscience – Hunger is a great motivator, and in Genesis 42, God uses it to draw Joseph’s brothers to Egypt. There, God uses Joseph to expose their spiritual guilt. Admitting their sin was the first step in transforming this dysfunctional family into a godly nation.
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November 7, 2019
Living as a Christian in the world can feel like a fish out of water! We are aliens and strangers, but greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world! God is preparing us for service in a hostile environment, we just don’t know how or when. So be ready!
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October 29, 2019
There are many ‘prisons’ in life, often hidden from view. Spiritual prisons are worse than physical ones. We cry out for God to deliver us, but sometimes it seems He has forgotten us. God doesn’t do that. He’ll never forsake you. As you dream, never stop trusting in God!
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October 23, 2019
Love one another. As I have loved you. One another is used in the bible numerous times. Let’s dig in to some of them.
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October 15, 2019
As Genesis 39 opens, Joseph is in slavery in Egypt. That’s bad, but he’s about to go from the frying pan into the fire!
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September 24, 2019
James 4.17 says, “To one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” God’s perspective on sin, and His ability to sovereignly bring good out of a corrupt situation, is on display in our passage today – the scandalous story of Judah and Tamar.
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September 19, 2019
That’s our story today: Joseph heads straight into a predictable disaster! He escapes death, but is sold into slavery. This leads to lies, and his father’s grief. But God has a hand in it all.
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September 10, 2019
The final section of Genesis, the toledot of Jacob, begins abruptly in Genesis 37 with the revelation of a dysfunctional family. Emotions run hot, and divisions run deep. There are hints of what is to come, and behind the scenes, the hand of God is guiding it all.
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September 3, 2019
The Epistle of Philippians is a favorite for many Christians because it oozes with optimism! Against all odds, Paul sees a ‘silver lining’ to the ‘dark clouds’ of spiritual opposition surrounding him. What ‘lessons for life’ can we apply in our lives this coming year?
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August 28, 2019
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. This doxology at the end of the Disciple’s Prayer declares that God is God, and we are not! He is omnipotent, eternal, glorious King of the universe! These words express our submission to Him.
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August 16, 2019
The last request in the Disciple’s Prayer has troubled Christians for centuries: Does God ‘lead us into temptation’? What is Jesus telling us to ask for? The answer to those questions reveals that God knows the dangers of testing, and wants us to have victory over sin.
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August 6, 2019
Jesus instructed His disciples to pray, ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.’ This is the only mention in this prayer our action – how we have forgiven others. How much have you forgiven others? How much do you need forgiveness?
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July 31, 2019
Jesus tells us to ask for forgiveness: Why? Because our spiritual position doesn’t guarantee our spiritual condition. A disciple of Jesus has eternal life by faith; that’s his position. But fellowship with God requires ongoing forgiveness of sin; that’s our condition.
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July 23, 2019
“Give us this day our daily bread…” Those familiar words from the Disciple’s Prayer have been often misconstrued in our materialistic world. A closer look reveals that disciples recognize their dependence on God for each day’s needs, and trust in Him completely.
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July 2, 2019
“Your Kingdom come.” This brief request in the Disciple’s Prayer is significant for our lives today and points with hope to the future. Yet many Christians rarely think of this kingdom. What are we missing? The culmination of God’s plan – and motivation for life right now!
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June 6, 2019
Prayer was important to Jesus. He spent time in prayer, exhorted His disciples to pray, and taught about prayer. Prayer is important to us too. This summer we’ll focus on Jesus’ prayer in the Sermon on the Mount – The Lord’s Prayer, but really a disciple’s prayer. But first let’s hear Jesus’ do’s and don’ts for when you pray.
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June 6, 2019
Speaker: Phil Congdon
Book: 2 Corinthians, Luke, Matthew, Proverbs
It may seem crazy, but the best investment a Christian can make by far is to give of time, talent, and treasure to the Lord. To be a giver reflects the heart of Christ. Where your treasure is, there your heart is. Have you made a conscious decision to give to the Lord?
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May 25, 2019
Speaker: Phil Congdon
Topic: Esau, faith, grace, Jacob, patience, power, prophecy, secular, success, unbelief, walk, wealth, works, world, worldly
Book: Genesis
Genesis 36 is a tiresome and seemingly useless list of Esau’s family tree…but it tells a story. Esau conquered the land of Edom; his sons and grandsons are prosperous and powerful. In contrast, Jacob is in Canaan, going nowhere. Why? What lessons are there for us here?
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May 25, 2019
Speaker: Phil Congdon
It’s Sunday, first day of the week – but not just any week: the week Jesus was crucified. More has been written about this week than any other in history. A third of the Gospels focuses on this week! This is the day of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem…and a day of tears.
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May 25, 2019
After spending the night in Bethany, Jesus and his disciples walked to Jerusalem each morning. Monday, Jesus cursed a fig tree without fruit, Tuesday, it was dead. In between, He chased business people out of the temple. What do these two episodes teach?
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May 25, 2019
Speaker: Phil Congdon
Topic: betrayal, cross, crucifixion, death, disciple, Easter, Judas, Palm Sunday, passover, prophecy
With His death approaching, Jesus condemned the Jews, prophesied coming tribulation, and His triumphant return to earth. He foretold His crucifixion, and Judas secretly arranged with Jewish leaders to betray Him. Jesus sent His disciples to prepare for the Passover…
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May 25, 2019
Speaker: Phil Congdon
Topic: betrayal, death, Easter, forgiveness, Good Friday, Israel, passover, reading plan, war
Darkness falls, beginning a very dark day. Passover points back to a historic event in Israel’s history, but tonight it will become a symbol of deliverance for all mankind. Israel’s Messiah is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! His words on the cross show it.
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May 25, 2019
Speaker: Phil Congdon
Topic: ascension, body, Church Age, Heaven, Holy Spirit, hope, incarnation, intercession, Pentecost, resurrection, sin, victory
After Jesus’ resurrection, He was on earth for almost six weeks. He taught of His kingdom and told followers to stay in Jerusalem till the Holy Spirit came. Then He ascended up into the clouds, out of their sight. Is this important? Yes! What does the ascension teach us?
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May 25, 2019
Whether we realize it or not, we all make spiritual decisions in life, and what we decide makes a big difference. This month at NBBC, we’ll focus on four decisions that can change the trajectory of our lives. The most critical of all is making a decision for Christ.
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May 25, 2019
Speaker: Phil Congdon
Book: Luke
Last week we focused on the most fundamental spiritual decision a person can make, a decision for Christ, to believe in Him and trust Him every day. But the next step is one Jesus Himself calls each of us to make – to be a follower or disciple. This decision has a price.
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May 25, 2019
Speaker: Phil Congdon
If Friday was God’s ‘D-Day’ in the war against sin, Sunday was His ‘V-Day’ – victory over sin and death. ‘Resurrection Day’ was a day like no other before or since, and no one who knows the joy of what it achieved ever tires of hearing about it. Let’s revisit it today.