North Park Baptist Church of Bridgeport CT

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Misunderstanding Jesus

May 17, 2026

The Gospel of Mark

Mark 3:20-35

Mark Smith

Misunderstanding Jesus

Date Preached: May 17, 2026

Series: The Gospel of Mark

Speaker: Mark Smith

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Being misunderstood is a universal experience. It is a common experience for followers of Jesus to sometimes have their actions, beliefs, and motives misunderstood. How do we respond? What do we do?

Jesus was misunderstood. In this passage of Mark's Gospel we find him misunderstood in a more-or-less innocent way and then in a more sinister way. Since we follow Him, we can learn from his responses how to respond when we are misunderstood, something that will certainly happen.

Misunderstanding Jesus

Jesus Calls the Twelve

May 3, 2026

The Gospel of Mark

Mark 3:13-19

Mark Smith

Jesus Calls the Twelve

Date Preached: May 3, 2026

Series: The Gospel of Mark

Speaker: Mark Smith

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With mounting opposition but experiencing huge popularity, Jesus calls his disciples aside for a ministry-changing moment. One author calls what Jesus is about to do the most important event in his life other than his death and resurrection.

Jesus is about to ensure that his message can be carried far beyond the sound of his voice and be heard long after his death. It would all depend on twelve ordinary men.

Jesus Calls the Twelve

Jesus the Healer

April 26, 2026

The Gospel of Mark

Mark 3:7-12

Mark Smith

Jesus the Healer

Date Preached: April 26, 2026

Series: The Gospel of Mark

Speaker: Mark Smith

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In Mark 3:7-12 we find Jesus again healing large numbers of people and casting out demons. This is the last such account that Mark will give, though he'll tell us of individuals that Jesus subsequently healed.

Mark wants us to discover that Jesus is the healer. He remains so in our day as we'll discuss in this message.

Jesus the Healer

Jesus – Lord of Compassion

April 19, 2026

The Gospel of Mark

Mark 2:23-3:6

Mark Smith

Jesus – Lord of Compassion

Date Preached: April 19, 2026

Series: The Gospel of Mark

Speaker: Mark Smith

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Jesus just can't seem to stay out of trouble. Today we find out that he (or his disciples) got in trouble over observing one of the most sacred of Israel's distinctives, the Sabbath. What Jesus defends and does infuriates the Pharisees who see themselves as the keepers of God's commandments for the nation of Israel.

We hardly care as they did about the Sabbath as it was prescribed in the Old Testament, but what Jesus was willing to do despite the censure of others sets an example for all of us as his followers today. Join us as we discover Jesus, the Lord of compassion, and see how his example challenges us.

Jesus – Lord of Compassion

New Wineskins Needed

April 12, 2026

The Gospel of Mark

Mark 2:18-22

Mark Smith

New Wineskins Needed

Date Preached: April 12, 2026

Series: The Gospel of Mark

Speaker: Mark Smith

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Besides wondering why Jesus would eat with tax gatherers and 'sinners', some watching what was happening in Levi's house wanted to know why Jesus and his disciples were feasting rather than fasting. To understand this question we have to look into the customs of the Pharisees and the disciples of John in Jesus' day. Then from Jesus' response we'll learn something about how he saw himself and the Kingdom of God he was proclaiming. We'll close by learning how Jesus' well-known teachings about patching garments and using old wineskins has application today.

Bottom line: Jesus is still looking for new wineskins to pour himself and his life into today.

New Wineskins Needed

What’s Jesus Been Up to Since His Resurrection?

April 5, 2026

Acts 1:1-3, 9-11

Mark Smith

What’s Jesus Been Up to Since His Resurrection?

Date Preached: April 5, 2026

Speaker: Mark Smith

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Once Easter was over, has Jesus done anything? Is he doing anything now? Will he do anything in the future? The answer to all these questions is an emphatic 'Yes'. In this message we'll learn what Jesus did right after his resurrection, what he's been doing in heaven and on earth since his ascension, and what he will do one day in the future. He may not be physically present on the earth but he is active and what he is doing and will do will make an eternal difference to each of us.

What’s Jesus Been Up to Since His Resurrection?

Discover Jesus – The Friend of Sinners

March 29, 2026

The Gospel of Mark

Mark 2:14-17

Mark Smith

Discover Jesus – The Friend of Sinners

Date Preached: March 29, 2026

Series: The Gospel of Mark

Speaker: Mark Smith

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If you've ever wondered if you are good enough for God and could ever have a relationship with Him, what we learn from Jesus in this message could revolutionize your thinking. Jesus went against the conventional thinking of his day about who was welcome to have a friendship with a holy person when he called a tax collector named Levi to become one of his disciples, and then dined with him and a bunch of people that holy people called sinners. Take a listen to this message to find out if Jesus would be willing to be your friend.

Discover Jesus – The Friend of Sinners

Discover Jesus – The One Who Can Forgive Your Sins

March 22, 2026

The Gospel of Mark

Mark 2:1-2

Mark Smith

Discover Jesus – The One Who Can Forgive Your Sins

Date Preached: March 22, 2026

Series: The Gospel of Mark

Speaker: Mark Smith

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A paralyzed man with four good friends discovered that Jesus was the one who had authority to forgive sins. He'd been carried by his friends to Jesus because they believed Jesus could heal him. He might have been as surprised as everyone was that before healing him Jesus declared his sins forgiven.

Some people who heard these words were offended. Only God can forgive sin, they correctly thought. But Jesus proved he could do better than just say the man's sins were forgiven, he could do what what was clearly harder to do, tell the paralyzed man to get up and walk. He did so, and the man got up and walked, proving Jesus can forgive sins. Yours and mine, too.

Discover Jesus – The One Who Can Forgive Your Sins

Jesus Touches the Untouchable

March 15, 2026

The Gospel of Mark

Mark 1:40-45

Mark Smith

Jesus Touches the Untouchable

Date Preached: March 15, 2026

Series: The Gospel of Mark

Speaker: Mark Smith

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Leprosy in Bible times had no cure. Only God could cure a leper. In Israel lepers were considered ritually unclean, had to live outside of towns and cities, and had to maintain strict rules so other would not become unclean through accidental contact. Some considered them as dead people.

One leper, however, decided Jesus could heal him if he was willing to. How he went about asking for this and what Jesus did in response is the story behind this message.

Jesus Touches the Untouchable

Jesus’ Secret of Success

March 8, 2026

The Gospel of Mark

Mark 1:35-39

Mark Smith

Jesus’ Secret of Success

Date Preached: March 8, 2026

Series: The Gospel of Mark

Speaker: Mark Smith

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Where was Jesus? Everyone was seeking him in Capernaum and couldn't find him, When his disciples did find him he was outside of town praying! What was he thinking? The crowds were his. Why did he leave?

The answer reveals why Jesus was the most successful person to ever live. His 'secrets' of success were simple. We can apply them to the same effect.

Jesus’ Secret of Success

The Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus

March 1, 2026

The Gospel of Mark

Mark 1:1-34

Mark Smith

The Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus

Date Preached: March 1, 2026

Series: The Gospel of Mark

Speaker: Mark Smith

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We begin our study of the Gospel of Mark this morning. In Mark 1:1 we'll discover Mark's theme, then in Mark 1:2-34 we'll begin to discover who Jesus is. Interestingly, Mark says nothing about Jesus before he appears to be baptized by John. No angelic announcements of his birth, no manger, no shepherds, no wise men. Jesus is a grown man when he shows up in Mark's gospel.

Mark's story moves quickly. Despite this, one question seems to be on everyone's lips, "Who is this man, Jesus?". It is a question that people will continue to ask in his Gospel. It is exactly the question Mark wanted his readers to challenge his readers with.

Mark's also story challenges us to answer this question. We'll find plenty of evidence in these opening verses to begin to form an answer.

The Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus

Make Room for Rest

February 22, 2026

God@Work

Mark 6:31

Mark Smith

Make Room for Rest

Date Preached: February 22, 2026

Series: God@Work

Speaker: Mark Smith

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Rest has always been a part of God's plan for us. In a nation of overworked and tired out people many of us need to relearn God's intentions for rest, value rest as God does for us, and make room for rest in our lives. That's what this message is about.

Sermon notes can be found here.

Make Room for Rest

Give Your Work to God

February 15, 2026

God@Work

Romans 14:9, 1 Corinthians 8:6

Mark Smith

Give Your Work to God

Date Preached: February 15, 2026

Series: God@Work

Speaker: Mark Smith

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In this message we'll remember a simple fact about Jesus that can have a profound effect on how we look at our work. This truth calls us to a decision that can have far-reaching consequences on our work, career, and Christian life. Hopefully it is a decision you've already made, but if not, one that you'll make right away.

Give Your Work to God

Taking God to Work

February 8, 2026

God@Work

John 5:17, Matthew 5:13-16

Mark Smith

Taking God to Work

Date Preached: February 8, 2026

Series: God@Work

Speaker: Mark Smith

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As a follower of Jesus I want to influence every place I am for Him, including work. That is a challenge. Can I take God to work and if so, how? That is what we'll discuss in this message.

Taking God to Work

How Much Work Is Enough?

February 1, 2026

God@Work

1 Timothy 6:9, Luke 12:15

Mark Smith

How Much Work Is Enough?

Date Preached: February 1, 2026

Series: God@Work

Speaker: Mark Smith

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We've learned that we were designed by God for work and that work produces many benefits for us and others. But how much work is enough work? This is a very real question since statistics tell us over 66% of American workers don't feel they have work-life balance.

In this message we'll share some truths that apply to this question, look for a Biblical perspective on this issue, and then list four steps to take if we feel we need better work-life balance.

How Much Work Is Enough?

Working God’s Way

January 18, 2026

God@Work

Ephesians 6:5-8, Nehemiah 4:6, 1 Corinthians 10:31, 1 Timothy 6:1

Mark Smith

Working God’s Way

Date Preached: January 18, 2026

Series: God@Work

Speaker: Mark Smith

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Does God have any directions for how we are to work? We know he wants us to work, designed us to work, and we've learned why we need to work, but does it matter how we work?

We'll discover he does, and we'll find four answers to that question in this message, Working God's Way.

Working God’s Way

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