Archive for category Discipleship
The Title That Lasts Forever
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Discipleship, Evangelism on April 2, 2012
Tonight I sit awaiting the championship game of the NCAA Basketball Tournament with mixed emotions. Oh, don’t misunderstand, I’ll be watching every second, coaching from my chair with every play, leaning and jiving, cheering loudly for the University of Kentucky Wildcats. Yet, for some reason things are different as I age. As I mature in the Lord (hopefully), I realize that tonight’s game is just that–a game! The title of NCAA 2012 Men’s Basketball title, like all earthly titles, regardless how prestigious, are only temporary.
When it’s all said and done, I hope that UK will hang its 8th National Championship Banner, but what title will last throughout eternity, when it’s all said and done? What title should I seek? What title should you seek? The title we should desire is the Biblical title of OVERCOMER! Who is an Overcomer? What does that title mean? Consider the following verses from the Word of God:
4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:4-5 (ESV)
When I repent of my sins and place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, I am “born of God.” Those who are born of God are Overcomers. Jesus told Nicodemus:
3 “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:3-6 (ESV)
I encourage you to search your soul and know with 100% certainty that you have born of God. Examine your heart and be sure that you are God’s child and that you possess the title of Overcomer through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Life is filled with uncertainties, but eternity can be definite. Decide right now to be an Overcomer!
Project 1189
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Church Chat, Discipleship, Ministry, Prayer, Preaching, Worship on February 26, 2012
Several months ago, while I was on a morning run through Clear Creek Park, the Lord distinctly laid something on my heart. He emphasized that I was to lead our church to read straight through the entire Bible from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22—all 1,189 chapters. He also stressed that we should read from behind our pulpit in our sanctuary.
In obedience to His instructions, we are going to read through the entire Word of God beginning Sunday, March 11 and ending Sunday, March 25. Every person who wishes to participate in reading a portion of the Scripture, will be asked to sign-up for a time slot on the sheet posted in the Sanctuary. The weekday schedule will look like this:
Week of March 12-16 & March 19-23 / 10am-6pm
Pray about how the Lord wants you and your family to participate. Maybe He will lead you to read or just drop in and listen while others read—just obey Him as He leads.
Here are three important things I believe the Lord wants us to accomplish through PROJECT 1189:
- Renew our dedication as a church to hearing and obeying the Word of God
- Renew our commitment in our families to the Word of God
- Renew our passion as individuals to the Word of God
Nehemiah Sermon Series
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Discipleship, Preaching, Sermons on January 29, 2012
I’ve been preaching for about 32 years now and some books of the Bible have gone virtually untouched in my preaching. Until the beginning of 2012, that was true about the book of Nehemiah. I may have preached one or two sermons from Nehemiah through the years, but I’m not even certain of that. Last year I felt prompted to preach through the entire book of Nehemiah, but I wasn’t sure about the timing. I continued to pray about it and finally began the Nehemiah sermon series on January 1, 2012.
As anticipated, Nehemiah is full of practical, Godly leadership principles. Nehemiah’s quest to lead the Jews to restore the crumbled walls and burned gates of Jerusalem in 52 days was one of the greatest leadership ventures in history. Did you know that originally Ezra & Nehemiah were on one scroll. Later when the Jews divided the scroll they called them 1 & 2 Ezra. The chronological setting for the Books of Ezra & Nehemiah stretches from 537-433 B.C.
Over the next weeks, I will continue to work through this great book. Here are links to the video of each of the sermons in this series:
- Nehemiah: A Godly Leader
- Nehemiah: A Man of Faith
- Nehemiah: A Man with a Plan
- Nehemiah: Facing Opposition
- Nehemiah: Conflict Resolution
- Nehemiah: Desperation
- Nehemiah: Starting Over
- Nehemiah: The Word of God
- Nehemiah: Recipe for Revival
- Nehemiah: True Commitment
- Nehemiah: Dedication and Celebration
- Nehemiah: Promises
Resolutions for 2012
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Discipleship, Evangelism, Ministry, Worship on January 6, 2012
My friend, Dr. Paul Chitwood serves as the Executive Director of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. He recently published a very well-written challenge that I would like to share with you. I echo the following words of Dr. Chitwood as we seek to magnify and honor the glorious name of the Lord Jesus in 2012:
With this first 2012 post, I’m hoping a New Year’s resolution list for Kentucky Baptists will be well received. I offer no earth-shattering new insights. I simply challenge us to be faithful to the basic call of Christ upon our lives and obedient to the fundamental teachings in God’s word. If every Kentucky Baptist would commit themselves to the following resolutions, our churches would flourish, every lost person in the Commonwealth could hear the gospel, and the cause of the Great Commission would be rapidly advanced.
First, would you resolve to walk closely with Jesus through concerted prayer and daily Bible reading? Our Lord exhorts us in John 15:4, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” The first call of the gospel is the call to be in Jesus Christ. He is the source of spiritual life and spiritual power. Apart from him, we will remain powerless.
Second, would you resolve to obey Jesus in all things? Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it” (Luke 11:28). Matters like sexual purity, financial stewardship, personal honesty, sobriety, and refraining from gluttony are not negotiable for those who have confessed Jesus as Lord of our lives.
Third, would you resolve to share Jesus with at least one lost person each week? The command to be witnesses and the promise of the Spirit’s empowerment to that end are clearly stated in Acts 1:8. As for the lost, “how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard” (Rom 10:14)? Yet, multiple studies and surveys reveal most of us never take the initiative to tell lost people how to be saved. Pray that God would give you the opportunity to share the gospel with just one person each week.
Fourth, would you resolve to love and serve Jesus’ bride with more passion than ever before? Your church isn’t perfect but it needs you. And you need the church. We simply cannot be faithful followers of Jesus apart from his church. Love and serve her.
Fifth, would you resolve to commit more of your resources to Jesus’ Great Commission? The sin of greed has captivated us. Rather than starting with a tithe and giving generously beyond that, the average church member gives less than 3 percent of their income. If we merely gave a tithe, church ministry budgets and the Cooperative Program mission budget would triple, resulting in an exponential harvest of souls in Kentucky and around the world.
New Member’s Class Video
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Church Chat, Discipleship, Ministry on December 13, 2011
Dr. Mike James, Director of Discipleship for the Kentucky Baptist Convention, asked me to join him in a video discussion about the logistics of a New Member’s class. Click on the picture below for that video:
The Holy Spirit
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Church Chat, Discipleship, Sermons, Worship on September 15, 2011
After serving as a pastor in Southern Baptist churches over the last quarter of a century, I find that the average Southern Baptist is largely unfamiliar with the person and work of the Holy Spirit. As a result, I am preaching a sermon series this fall simply called “Fruit of the Spirit.”
The first sermon in the series examined the following six foundational truths about the Holy Spirit:
- The Holy Spirit God. The Holy Spirit was there in the beginning. He was part of the Trinity as everything was created. Genesis says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Genesis 1:1-2).
- The Holy Spirit is a person. Throughout the Bible, the Holy Spirit is referred to as “He or Him.” In John 14:16-17, Jesus said, ”….I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever– the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”
- The Holy Spirit plays a key role in salvation. (John 16:8-11)
- The Holy Spirit dwells in each believer. Jesus said, “….the Spirit of truth….he lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17). Paul asked, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
- The Holy Spirit is given to us as a deposit. What a glorious truth! The Holy Spirit is God’s down payment indicating that He is good for the rest! Hallelujah! “Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (2 Corinthians 5:5).
- The Holy Spirit produces fruit in the believer. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
I personally believe that the greatest evidence that we are truly believers is the fruit of Spirit. If we have the Spirit as a deposit then we are, without a doubt, a true Christian. If we are a genuine Christians who are in fellowship with God, then we will bear the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.
Are You Prejudiced?
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Discipleship, Preaching, Sermons on August 3, 2011
In Galatians 3 the Apostle Paul mentions three common areas of prejudice that the churches of Galatia faced in his day. Prejudice was present in that day and discrimination was often the result. Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul:
“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:26-29
Keep in mind that the Apostle Paul founded the churches of Galatia on his second missionary journey and revisited them on his third missionary journey. Although some Biblical scholars believe that the Book of Galatians was written earlier, most believe the letter was written around 58 A.D. Tens years earlier, the Christian leaders gathered in Jerusalem to discuss some of these same issues (Acts 15). Some Jewish believers, called Judaizers, taught that Gentile Christians had to follow certain Old Testament regulations in order to be saved. They were prejudiced towards the Gentile believers and demanded they look and act like them. Paul seems to be addressing this issue 10 years later in this letter.
The truth is, bias, prejudice, and discrimination, never completely go away. They were still present ten years after the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) where they addressed the issue and they’re still present today. Even worse, they’re still present in the church!
Let me ask a few questions. Are you prejudiced towards….
- Christians of other races?
- Christians from different income levels?
- Christians of the opposite sex?
- Christians of different ages?
- Christians who prefer a different worship style than you?
- Christians who prefer a different translation of the Bible?
- Christians who prefer a different type of music?
- Christians who dress differently than you when they come to church?
Willing to Risk?
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Church Chat, Discipleship on August 2, 2011
“So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul– men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 15:25-26
What do these three men have in common: the auto racer who set the world speed record at Daytona in 1914, the pilot who recorded the highest number of victories in aerial combat against the Germans in World War II, and the secretary of war’s special adviser who survived a plane crash and twenty-two days on a raft in the Pacific during World War II? They all lived through dangerous circumstances. They all displayed courage and steely nerves under duress. And they all happen to be the same person – Eddie Rickenbacker.
Rickenbacker’s prowess in the air caused the press to dub him the “American Ace of Aces.” When asked about his courage in combat, he admitted that he had been afraid. “Courage,” he said, “is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.” When Rickenbacker died his son, William, wrote, “If he had a motto, it must have been the phrase I’ve heard a thousand times: ‘I’ll fight like a wildcat!’”
When we look at the life of someone like Eddie Rickenbacker, you can see great courage. It’s easy to see in war heroes, but it must be present in every great leader in business, government, and the church.
Larry Osborne offers this observation: “The most striking thing about highly effective leaders is how little they have in common. What one swears by, another warns against. But one trait stands out: the willingness to risk.” As a pastor, I sense that churches will never see what God can do until they are more willing to take biblical risks! We must all remember that we serve an awesome God who requires and honors faith.
As followers of Jesus, we CANNOT simply keep doing what we have always done. Not only will we not maintain our current level of effectiveness, we will decline and die on the vine! We MUST venture out and try new things. Sometimes you have to go out on a limb because that’s where the fruit is.
Question: What are you willing to risk for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ?
Lessons from the Ark
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Church Chat, Discipleship, Funny, Life Happens, Preaching on July 19, 2011
Someone recently sent me an email about Noah’s Ark. As a preacher, it caused me to think of several sermon ideas I missed over the years. Read over the following “Lessons from the Ark” for yourself and see if you find them as helpful as I do.
Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah’s Ark . . .
- Don’t miss the boat.
- Remember that we are all in the same boat.
- Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark.
- Stay fit. When you’re 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
- Don’t listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
- Build your future on high ground.
- For safety’s sake, travel in pairs.
- Speed isn’t always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
- When you’re stressed, float a while.
- Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
- No matter the storm, when you are with God, there’s always a rainbow waiting.
I want to thank my email friend for the sermon ideas and the “kernels” of wisdom. I hope they help you as they have me.
The Kind of Person God Uses
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Church Chat, Discipleship, Life Happens, Preaching, Sermons on March 27, 2011
Have you ever wondered why God uses a particular person or a certain church? Have you ever looked at them and wondered what they had that you did not have? I believe there are at least four observations we can make about people or churches that God uses….
- God uses the person who is following His mission. As Dr. Henry Blackaby said in Experiencing God, most of us pray “Lord, bless what I’m doing” when we should be praying “Lord, help me to do what you are blessing!” God will bless those who are focusing on HIS mission instead of focusing on THEIR mission.
- God uses the person who is willing to risk failure. Following Jesus is not for the faint at heart. Acts 15:26 reminds us that Paul and Barnabus “risked their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Erwin McManus says that we have become domesticated Christians, unwilling to risk anything for the cause of Christ. The truth is, that lifestyle is far-removed from the Book of Acts. I’m not saying we should simply take foolish risks for no reason, but we should be willing to go anywhere God leads and attempt anything God says we should attempt, even if there’s no guarantee of success.
- God uses the person who expects to be used. Jesus told the two blind men, “According to your faith will it be done to you” (Matthew 9:29). Rick Warren says that there is one consistent ingredient he sees in every church where God is working — people who are willing to believe God. In other words, the faith factor.
- God uses the person who never gives up. Paul reminds us to “not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). Most people miss the harvest simply because they quit too soon. The harvest takes time, but God’s timing is always perfect. We should NEVER give up. Sometimes the game is won on a last-second shot….on a two-out blast….on a hail-Mary heave.
This past week my mom’s youngest brother went home to be with the Lord. As I sat and heard his children, my first cousins, talk about what a wonderful father he was and what a Godly example he was, I was reminded that we should serve God passionately. We should serve Him daily. We should serve Him to the very end of our life. We should finish the course and keep the faith. THAT is the kind of person God uses.
