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?
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.
“Hot Topics”
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Funny, Sermons on June 1, 2011
Through the summer I’m opening up a can of worms at Shelbyville First Baptist Church! I’m wading in waters where I might just drown! I’m going out on a limb! I’m biting off more than I can chew! I’m waking up several sleeping dogs! I’m swimming with the sharks! I’m taking a stick and hitting a hornet’s nest. For the entire summer, I’m going where very few preachers will dare go!
On Sunday, June 5, I will begin a sermon series called HOT TOPICS! I will address some of the most difficult and sensitive questions in life today. Here’s the list:
- June 5: What Does the Bible Say about Homosexuality?
- June 12: Is Laziness a Sin?
- June 19: Is Sex a Four-letter Word?
- June 26: Can a Christian Be Divorced?
- July 10: Is Osama Bin Laden in Hell?
- July 17: Is Abortion Always Wrong?
- July 24: Is It a Sin to Be Rich?
- July 31: What Music Is Real “Christian” Music?
- August 7: Are We Prejudiced in Shelbyville?
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.
Record Attendance on Easter 2011
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Church Chat, Sermons, Worship on April 26, 2011
We had a BIG Day on Easter 2011 as we kicked off our new sermon series called The Life You’ve Always Wanted. Since 2007, we have been carefully tracking worship attendance and last Sunday’s attendance was a record for that time period. Thank you for all your hard work toward making Easter at Shelbyville Baptist a huge success.
This Sunday we will continue our sermon series with a message entitled Life with Meaning. We will study King Solomon and his quest to find true meaning and purpose in life.
Luke Wisely, our new contemporary worship leader, will be leading our 8:30 am service and Gene Wright, our worship pastor, will be leading our 11:00 am service. See you there!
EASTER SERIES: “The Life You’ve Always Wanted”
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Church Chat, Sermons on April 18, 2011
One of my favorite authors is John Ortberg and one of my favorite books that he has written is “The Life You’ve Always Wanted.” In the book, Ortberg talks about spiritual disciplines for ordinary people.
This Easter, I’m borrowing his title for my new sermon series. The series is not about spiritual disciplines; it focuses on helping people find purpose and meaning in life. It will talk about living a full, satisfied life that brings glory to the Lord.
Here are the sermon titles:
- April, 24 Easter – “Life without Fear”
- May 1 – “Life with Meaning”
- May 8 – “Life with Love”
- May 15 – “Life with Margin”
- May 22 – “Life with the End in Mind”
- May 29 – “Life without Guilt”
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.
Change Is Good
Posted by Stephen C. Rice in Church Chat on March 20, 2011
If something is not changing then it is DEAD! I have served of senior pastor of Shelbyville First Baptist Church for 2 1/2 years now and we’ve seen a lot of changes. I’m especially excited about changes that are happening now and changes that are just around the corner. This is an exciting time to be at Shelbyville FBC.
Our student ministry is EXPLODING under the Godly leadership of Pastor Andy McDonald. God is blessing as students are coming to faith in Christ and growing to be more like Jesus. Our children’s ministry is also growing by leaps and bounds. Pastor Dave Menser is doing a marvelous job leading the children’s ministry with a fresh, creative approach.
Without going into detail, expect to see changes in both morning Worship Services over the next few weeks. Now, repeat after me, “change is good…..change is good…..change is good!” I would add, “change is of the Lord!”
