How can there be some much hatred for the one Man who has never sinned?
This Easter Morning on the Scandia Bible Church Podcast, Pastor Monty Simao focuses on HATE. And causes us to consider its polar opposite: LOVE.
For the trials and crucifixion of Jesus show us no greater example of the extreme chasm of these two words — these two actions — than the love of God and the hatred of men.
Jesus came to save sinners because of the great love of God.
As we look back on this day, it’s hard to imagine how one of His own disciples would betray Him. And how the crowds at His own trial would demand His crucifixion.
On one hand, we relate. For we have all experienced hate on some level.
…But, if we’re honest, when it comes to wrongdoing, we’re guilty.
You’ve been given the opportunity to address today’s youth. What will your message be?
Today on Scandia Bible Church Podcast, Pastor Monty Simao continues with our study in the book of Ecclesiastes and presses us to consider what we’d say if we had such an opportunity.
What words of wisdom would you give to a young person just starting out in life? Would you tell them about education? …Investments? Would you share insights about love and family?
As you consider what you’d say, you might want to consult our passage in Ecclesiastes, for Solomon had some timeless words of advice for them… advice that may surprise you.
Sometimes spiritual warfare doesn’t look like war and doesn’t seem very spiritual… and yet…
Today on Scandia Bible Church Podcast, Pastor Monty Simao continues with our study in the book of Ecclesiastes and preaches that *and yet* in a world full of sorrow, one of our greatest defenses and triumphs against evil circumstances is to take our hearts to the Lord in gratitude and joy.
To work hard and to enjoy the Lord’s provision is the mark — not only of the wise man — but of the one who has learned to be content, and even happy, in a world full of bitterness and complaint.
SBC Host: WARNING… Do not be excessively righteous or too wise.
Avg Guy:Come again??
Today on Scandia Bible Church Podcast, Pastor Monty Simao continues with our study in the book of Ecclesiastes and confirms that we too would likely be surprised by this warning in the Bible.
After all, if we are called to be like Christ, and He was PERFECTLY righteous, is it even possible to be TOO righteous?
SBC Host: She made us eat our veggies… when dessert was what we—
Boy:—REALLY WANTED!
Today on Scandia Bible Church Podcast, Pastor Monty Simao continues with our study in the book of Ecclesiastes and reminds us that when we were young, Mom knew best. For she knew the things that we wanted were not always the things that we really needed.
In much the same way, God knows exactly what we really need, and He often gives it to us through times of sorrow — the very thing we don’t want.
For it is in these times of sorrow that God enables a harvest of spiritual wisdom to spring forth in our lives — wisdom that can only find root in fields plowed in adversity.
Avg Guy: Okay, riddle me this… If God is good and God is sovereign and rules over all things, then why do we find wickedness in surprising places? …such as places of law and worship? …Furthermore, as men, if we have to die like animals then what makes us any better??
SBC Host: Sounds like you’re ready for another sermon in Ecclesiastes.
Avg Guy:I thought you were going to say that.
Today on Scandia Bible Church Podcast, Pastor Monty Simao continues with our study in the book of Ecclesiastes and shows us that these objections were brought up by Solomon and have been raised by many men over the years…
…But the ANSWERS to these objections have only been found in ONE man: the God-Man, Jesus Christ.
Some of the greatest thinkers have ended their pondering by taking their own lives. Why??
Perhaps it is because they have realized the futility of all human labor. After all, what is the point???
Is mankind any better off, or happier? Are there fewer wars, violence, famines, droughts, or plagues?
And apart from God, what does a person believe happens after death? If nothing, then what is the point of life?
Today on Scandia Bible Church Podcast, Pastor Monty Simao embarks upon our new study in Ecclesiastes — a book of the Bible that takes the reader down the horrifying spiral of life apart from God:
—life lived as if God wasn’t there;
—life lived as if there were no heaven, no eternity…
—and that everything that ever mattered (or will matter) is found “under the sun.”
What does faith look like when the promises of God collide with death?
Today on Scandia Bible Church Podcast, Pastor Monty Simao continues with our Hall of Faith study in the book of Hebrews in which we examine the final moments of the patriarchs as they face death with their eyes toward the future…toward the horizon.
They know that death will not hinder the promises of God in any way and that the future will continue to unveil God’s perfect plan — which will be moving forward until that great day of consummation and resurrection.
Description: It’s a subject that most would rather ignore, but all agree is certain: DEATH. And inextricably linked to this inevitability is an even more avoided topic: JUDGEMENT.
Today on Scandia Bible Church Podcast, Pastor Monty Simao continues with our study in the book of Hebrews and reminds us how the Scriptures necessarily tie death and judgment together. After all, death comes as the consequence of sin.
But we need to understand, death is NOT the end… rather, it’s the BEGINNING of eternity — an eternity where we either enter into the fullness of joy in the presence of our Heavenly Father, or an eternity filled with condemnation when we are cast into the lake of fire.
Because you see, which eternity becomes your destiny, hinges on that very topic most of us would rather not ponder: JUDGEMENT.
Description: The prophet Isaiah painted a picture of the rebellion in the nations: a place of idolatry, injustice, and insurrection; a place where God is ignored and His followers mocked, as man sits in his citadels of strength.
…That is, until God brings man’s city to ruin and his citadels to rubble.
Today on Scandia Bible Church Podcast, Pastor Monty Simao virtually delivers a Resurrection Sunday Service to our church body as we watch from the safety of our homes during the Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020 and reminds us that during these times when God brings people low, we rejoice.
We rejoice because God does it to rescue the afflicted and to vindicate His people. But there’s another reason we rejoice…a scandalous reason.
God brings people low to make the proud humble and remove the strength of the mighty and bring the ruthless to their knees.
And most shockingly, He redeems the ruthless so that they too worship Him.
Description: It’s not a comfortable topic…and yet the Bible speaks very directly, and often graphically, about it.
Today on Scandia Bible Church Podcast, Pastor Monty Simao continues with our study in the book of Revelation in which we delve into the topic of judgement, and in particular, the Great White Throne of Judgement.
Questions like: “Who sits on this throne?”… “Who is being judged?”… and “Are believers judged the same as unbelievers?” are all important and valid questions that we will seek answers.
For though this topic may come with questions and feelings of uneasiness, one thing is for certain: the sure judgment of God awaits every person.
Description: God blesses in Revelation what he cursed in Genesis.
Today on Scandia Bible Church Pocast, Pastor Monty Simao continues with our study in the book of Revelation in which we see Jesus giving us one of the most profound benedictions found anywhere in Scripture.
…But such is the power of the cross that the very things that we were cursed with, God is able to bring such incredible goodness and blessing from.
I watched while the Lamb ripped off the first of the seven seals. I heard one of the Animals roar, “Come out!” I looked—I saw a white horse. Its rider carried a bow and was given a victory garland. He rode off victorious, conquering right and left.
When the Lamb ripped off the second seal, I heard the second Animal cry, “Come out!” Another horse appeared, this one red. Its rider was off to take peace from the earth, setting people at each other’s throats, killing one another. He was given a huge sword.
When he ripped off the third seal, I heard the third Animal cry, “Come out!” I looked. A black horse this time. Its rider carried a set of scales in his hand. I heard a message (it seemed to issue from the Four Animals): “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, or three quarts of barley, but all the oil and wine you want.”
When he ripped off the fourth seal, I heard the fourth Animal cry, “Come out!” I looked. A colorless horse, sickly pale. Its rider was Death, and Hell was close on its heels. They were given power to destroy a fourth of the earth by war, famine, disease, and wild beasts.
(Rev 6:1-8, The MSG)
Today on Scandia Bible Church Podcast, Pastor Monty Simao continues with our study in the book of Revelation in which we are introduced to the four horsemen as we witness the opening of the scroll by the One who is worthy, King Jesus.
While the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are sure to capture our imagination, and the imaginations of pop culture, few even know where these images come from — and even fewer, what they mean. But in the midst of this confusion, Christ, the triumphant Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Lamb that was Slain, releases these horsemen to do His bidding as He brings judgment, warning, and trial upon the earth.
Description: How is it that the Christian can be devastated and yet hopeful at the same time? How is it that at the point when we are weakest is also the point at which we are strongest?
Today on Scandia Bible Church Podcast, Pastor Monty Simao preaches in the aftermath of losing his son to a brutal horseriding accident and shows us, in the midst of that, that the Apostle Paul answers these questions in the book of 2 Corinthians; and within it we find more beauty in the Gospel for it is Good News even in times like this.
Description: Today on Scandia Bible Church Podcast, Pastor Monty Simao continues with our study in the book of Genesis and takes us to chapter 23 – a chapter which, admittedly, following Abraham binding his son Isaac to the alter as as a sacrificial offering to the Lord in the previous chapter…may seem a bit anti-climatic. In chapter 23, we see that Abraham’s wife, Sarah, has died… But instead of focusing on her death, Abraham enters into a land negotiation.
Why is this all here, and what is God showing us through it? …The answer may surprise you.
Description: On November 18, 2015, our brother Bob Lowe went home to be with Jesus forever.
Bob faithfully served the Scandia congregation as elder for 14 years (1998-2012). While he did not preach each and every Sunday, he did numerous times. His messages were always thought provoking and true to the Word of God.
As our way of preserving his service and legacy to the church, we will be podcasting our archive of his sermons as part of our Classic Series each and every week… for as long as it takes.
In this particular sermon, delivered on December 29, 2009, Bob opened the 145th Psalm and demonstrated incredible pastoral leadership as he ministered to our sorrow-filled congregation just two days after the sudden passing of a child in our church.
“We called upon the name of the Lord,” he preached. “We called upon the name of the Lord. There is nobody else to call upon in a time like that. You have to call upon the name of the Lord.”
Though we mourn the passing of this precious child — and now Brother Bob — we pray for their families and take comfort in knowing where they are and that we will see them again. We pray that you will too.
In preparation for his passing, Bob and his wife, Susan, combed through his sermon archives and hand-selected two for a special Tribute CD to be handed out to those attending his memorial service. The CD is provided below as an mp3 download for you as well:
Description: Zophar is the third friend to speak. His speech ends cycle one in the dialogue portion and in the end he adds nothing new to the views of Job’s other two friends. Zophar is insulting in his attack as he basically calls Job a windbag and a scoffer.
Job continues to declare his innocence and calls for a trial before God. In the end he continues to trust in God and says, “though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.”
Description: In this sermon, we look at the promise Jesus made to His disciples in John chapter 16. He told them that they would be filled with sorrow even as the world rejoices, but that He would turn their sorrow into Joy. Then we look at John chapter 20, to see the fulfillment of that promise and the benediction of peace that Christ pronounced upon His church on that first Easter Sunday and continues to pronounce upon His people today.
Description: In this sermon (part 2 of 2) we follow the man Job as he encounters calamity. We only look at the parts of the story that happened directly to Job. We see it from his perspective and skip the section of the happenings between God and Satan in the heavenly throne room (which we will cover in the next sermon).
We look at Job’s response and in it we see an example of a man who must look to a Redeemer in the midst of his trials.
We end by looking at Christ who in many ways is the anti-type of Job and is the greater sufferer and who accomplished the ultimate defeat of all of Job’s enemies. (Listen to Part 1)
Description: Our Redeemer lives. He was victorious over death the grave could not hold Him. Paul presents in 1 Corinthians 15 the facts concerning the resurrection of Christ to those at the church at Cornith.
Sermon Archives
Given New Life
in SBC Classic Edition
We’re in the process of digging through the colossal SBC Sermon Archive Library to bring forth the rich and timeless Biblical Truths found within the hundreds and hundreds of sermon cassettes from yesteryear, in our Tape to Podcast Project.
Currently on the workbench:
The Jim Allen Lamentations Study (1998-1999) has joined our SBC Classic Edition.
The Jim Allen MARK Study (1999-2001) is (finally) complete! …as part of our SBC Classic Edition.
Watch our Steeple Study grow! … Great for a listen-study through a book or series.
Our Find-A-Sermon resource page helps you find what you’re looking for.
With the increased release of sermons from our archives, SBC Classic Edition is now podcasting on its own dedicated feed, separate from our current Sunday sermons.