First Baptist Church of Jacksonville

Jeremiah 29:11

God has plans for you, and they are good. In this encouraging message from Jeremiah 29:11, Sean Perron shares three truths: God has plans for your life that provide comfort in uncertainty; God's plans are good, though not necessarily filled with prosperity—Romans 8:28 promises he works all things together for good through famine, trial, and tribulation, not avoiding suffering; and God is the goal of his plans, using trials and temptations to refine you and make you more like Jesus. From his cancer diagnosis to his wedding day rain, Sean shows how God's unchangeable plans work for our good and his glory, pressing us closer to him and teaching us to seek him with all our hearts.

The Bitter Fruits of Jealousy

What happens when jealousy takes root? In this message from Genesis 37, Pastor Heath Lambert exposes the bitter fruit of sinful jealousy through Joseph's story, revealing four devastating consequences: jealousy leads to destruction as the brothers sell Joseph into slavery; jealousy leads to despair as Jacob grieves over the deceptive news of Joseph's death; jealousy leads to delusions making the brothers think their anger could fix their father's favoritism when God's promises through Joseph's dreams will come true; and jealousy leads to desensitization as the brothers eat a meal while sending word of Joseph's death, stripping themselves of their humanity. Jesus laid down his life to rescue us from the bitter fruit of jealousy.

Isaiah 40:31

How do you honor Jesus in the valley of the shadow of death? In this powerful and personal message from Isaiah 40:31, Trevor Komatsu shares about losing his son and reveals three ways to respond with faith when suffering: get your eyes on God by fixing them on his character and promises rather than your circumstances, recognizing he is eternal, all-knowing, and almighty; grab hold of God's power by admitting your weakness, asking Jesus for strength, and expecting him to answer—he gives power to the faint and increases strength to those with no might; and go and do the next thing, whether that's getting out of bed, serving your family, or small acts of obedience, trusting that Jesus will strengthen you even in the valley.

The God Who Keeps His Promises

We live in a world where people break promises, but God keeps his. In this message from Genesis 35-36, Pastor Heath Lambert reveals the scandalous reality that God reaffirms his promises to Jacob despite three reasons we'd expect him to withdraw them: personal wickedness including scheming, deception, sexual sin, favoritism, and cowardice; family wickedness like Reuben sleeping with Bilhah his father's concubine; and fundamental weakness proven through death as Deborah, Rachel, and Isaac all pass away. We constantly use sin and weakness to break our promises, but God keeps his covenant because of who he is, not what Jacob deserves. When God promises eternal life through Jesus, you cannot sin your way out of it.

Responding To Sexual Abuse

In this sermon on Genesis 34, Pastor Heath Lambert walks through the tragic story of Dinah and the sinful responses surrounding sexual assault. He contrasts dehumanization, destructive anger, and dismissiveness with the redemption found in Jesus Christ, showing how the gospel brings healing, compassion, and hope in a broken world.