Archive for category Preaching
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
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?
Is It a Sin to Be Rich?
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Church Chat, Preaching on July 24, 2011
This week’s HOT TOPIC dealt with money. I attempted to answer the question, “Is it a sin to be rich?” Although many us do not consider ourselves “rich”–the truth is, we are rich in every sense of the word. Americans who are poverty-level are rich compared to most of the world. One-fifth of the world’s population lives on less than $1 a day. Yes, we’re rich! So that leads to the question, is it a sin to be rich? I dealt with that question from 1 Timothy 6:6-10.
6But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:6-10
In this passage, Paul gives us several reminders about money….
Money Reminders
- God owns everything. The reason we bring nothing into the world and take nothing out of the world is because it all belongs to God in the first place. We’re not owners; we’re managers. We manage what God gives us to manage.
- It’s our attitude that counts. When it comes to money, attitude is everything. In this passage, Paul reminds us that godliness should be the thing we most want to accomplish. If we are godly, we will be content. We cannot be godly if we do not have an attitude of contentment that is based on our knowledge that God owns everything and He will meet our needs.
- We can’t take it with us. Paul tells us that we take nothing out of this world. Although we can’t take it with us, Jesus taught that we can send “treasures” on ahead (Matthew 6:19-24).
- Money can cause us to fall away. We must always be on guard against the dangers of money. In 1 Timothy 6:9-10, Paul says we can be lured by the temptation of wanting to be rich. He calls it a trap, and describes it as foolish and harmful. He says that it leads to ruin and destruction.
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.
Can A Christian Be Divorced?
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Church Chat, Life Happens, Preaching, Sermons, Worship on June 22, 2011
I am currently preaching a Summer Sermon Series called Hot Topics. This week’s sermon is entitled, Can A Christian Be Divorced? Several of my pastor friends believe that this week’s “divorce sermon” will be the most difficult message to deliver in the entire series. I suppose they’re correct, but all that I know to do is to explore what the Bible says on the subject.
During this series, I have been reminded over and over that most people want to hear the truth. They want a preacher to stand with a heart full of love and share straight from God’s Word. Even if the topic is difficult, they want to know what God has to say! Well, this summer, I’m desperately trying to share what God has to say on each of these hot topics.
If you would like to hear any or all of the sermons from this series, you can listen to them on our website at www.shelbyvillebaptist.com.
True Satisfaction
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Life Happens, Preaching, Sermons, Worship on May 3, 2011
In 1965, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards released a song that gave the English rock band, the Rolling Stones, their first #1 hit. One of the unique features of the song was the repetitive, three-note guitar riff throughout. The song was titled “Satisfaction.” Here are the words to the chorus:
I can’t get no satisfaction. I can’t get no satisfaction. ‘Cause I try, and I try, and I try, and I try. I can’t get no satisfaction.
This was one of my favorite pep-band songs in high school because the trombones played that three-note guitar riff. You can probably guess that I played trombone in school. BUT, at the time, I didn’t know how sad the song’s lyrics were.
When I think of these sad lyrics, I think of King Solomon. He spent most of his life searching for satisfaction. Listen to his frustration:
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” Ecclesiates 1:2
“All life is far more boring than words could ever say. Our eyes and our ears are never satisfied with what we see and hear.” Ecclesiates 1:8 (Contemporary English Version)
“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Ecclesiates 1:14
As a pastor, I have learned that many people in life are just like Solomon. They are seeking true meaning in life, but don’t know where to find it. Fortunately, our search can end well if our search brings us to Christ. Listen to what the Apostle Paul writes in Colossians:
“For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible…everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him (Jesus).” Colossians 1:16 (Msg)
If you are reading this and have an emptiness in your life, then I encourage you to give your life to Christ. Find purpose and meaning in a personal, intimate relationship with Him. Pray and invite Him into your life. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins. Follow Him, love Him, serve Him. If I can help you in some way to that end, please contact me at srice@fbcshelbyville.com.
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.
How’s Your Prayer Life
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Prayer, Preaching, Worship on January 17, 2011
God has been speaking to me the last two months about two main areas in my life–witnessing and prayer. Yesterday at Shelbyville First Baptist Church, I took a detour from my planned message and preached about prayer. I began by asking the following honest questions:
- Why is it that the average Christian makes so little progress in their Christian life?
- Why is it that the average Christian experiences so little victory over sin?
- Why is it that the average Christian feels so defeated in their walk with Christ?
- Why is it that the average Christian sees so few people come to know Christ as a result of their witnessing?
- Why is it that so many churches never experience growth?
- Why is it that so many churches rarely see the baptismal pool stirred from activity?
- Why is it that so many churches struggle with constant budget shortfalls?
- Why is it that so many churches bicker and fight over the most insignificant matters?
I believe the simple answer to all of these questions can be found in one, 10-word sentence found in Jame 4:2 (NIV), “You do not have, because you do not ask God.” Prayer is the answer.
James, the author of the book and the brother of Jesus, was a mighty man of prayer. Tradition tells us that he prayed so often and so long that his knees became like the knees of a camel. Because he spent so much time in prayer with Jesus, he became like Jesus. No surprise that when he was martyred in A.D. 62, his words were the same as Jesus’ words on the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Our words need to be the words of Christ. Every day we encounter people who desperately need to hear from God. God wants to speak to them through us.
How’s your prayer life? No, really? How is it? God is breaking my heart in this area. He is speaking much-needed truth to me, maybe He is saying the same thing to you as well.
Prayer: Oh God. Thank You for the harsh truth! Thank You for not giving up on me. Thank You for being patient enough to speak the same thing to me again and again until I hear it….until I get it….until I obey. God, please teach me to pray in the way you desire for me to pray. God, I love You….I praise You….I worship You. Amen.
Created to be Like Jesus
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Church Chat, Discipleship, Preaching, Sermons on December 3, 2010
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7 (NIV)
As believers, our ultimate goal is to become like Christ. He is the bullseye. He is the mark. He is the goal! Here are the basic points from a sermon I preached once entitled, Created to Become Like Christ.
WE BEGIN TO BECOME LIKE CHRIST WHEN WE . . . .
1. Turn over the steering wheel. God doesn’t want to be co-pilot; He wants to be pilot. The Apostle Paul said, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord….” (Vs. 6). When I ride with someone else, I find myself wanting to grab the wheel, hit the brake, or stomp the accelerator. Similarly, I sometimes do that in my Christian walk, but Jesus deserves to be Lord in my life as well as yours. I must continually turn the wheel of my life over to Him.
2. Dig in with Christ. There were a number of false teachers in Colossae, so Paul emphasized the need to be “rooted and built up in Him” (Vs. 7). One way to be rooted is to dig into God’s Word. Common sense tells us that we can’t watch television 5 hours a day, then read the Bible 5 minutes a day, and expect to grow spiritually!
3. Build our lives in Jesus. Paul said that we are “built up in Him” (Vs. 7). Construction takes time. Some building projects take longer than others. The same is true in our Christlikeness. Discipleship is a lifelong, exciting journey.
4. Pump up with teaching. Several years ago two famous Saturday Night Live characters regularly said, “we are here to pump you up!” Paul told the Colossian believers they were “strengthened in the faith as [they] were taught” (Vs. 7). Paul connects teaching of the Word of God with spiritual strength. We should “pump up” regularly with good Biblical teaching.
5. Spill thankfulness everywhere you go. Paul concludes verse 7 by reminding us that we should be “overflowing with thankfulness.” I remember a couple of times a waitress accidently filled my glass so full that it overflowed. As mature believers, we should intentionally be so full of thankfulness that we overflow for others to see. I believe that genuine thankfulness is a mark of spiritual maturity.
The Lord Jesus is our model and we often fall short. But, always remember that “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6, NIV).
