First Baptist Church of El Dorado - Sermons

In this message we are continuing our current series. It’s called HOMEMADE. In this series we are examining the role our homes—your family’s home and your church home—play in making disciples. In today’s message we will focus our attention on two roles that our church family plays in making the next batch of HOMEMADE DISCIPLES.

Often as we run the race of faith we focus solely on our responsibility to honor and obey God. Or as Jesus in the gospels says to Love God with all our heart, our soul, and our mind. But, what Paul describes in Galatians 6:2. when he says, “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” broadens our responsibility. Followers of Jesus have a responsibility to support one another. We must support one another, because we can’t bear the burdens alone. 

Last week we began our current series—HomeMade. In this series we are examining the role that your home—your family’s home and your church home—play in making disciples. A disciple of Jesus that someone who isn’t afraid to say and to obey those words of Joshua 24:15—I will serve the Lord. That’s statement is a very simple definition of a disciple. 

Today, in week 2,  Pastor Jonathan Kelley focuses on the role your family home plays in the discipleship making process. Specifically the relationship within the home—the relationship between a parent and a child.  God’s word will give you a plan, moms and dads, so that you can make an eternal investment in the lives of your kids—so that your children can trust in God.

Grandpa and Grandma were right.  HOMEMADE IS BETTER THAN STORE BOUGHT.

At the conclusion of his earthly ministry, Jesus commanded his closest followers to “make disciples of all nations.” Where then did Peter, James, John, and the others go to make disciples? They went into homes! In these homes families lived, churches gathered, and disciples were made. The earliest disciples of Jesus were HOMEMADE.  All because that wisdom of our grandparents is also the wisdom of Jesus, HOMEMADE IS BETTER THAN STORE BOUGHT.

Today we are beginning a new series called HOMEMADE. This 4-week series will examine the role your homes—your family’s home and your church home—play in making disciples. Why those two homes, because those are the two primary God-ordained places where we encounter people for the sake of growing in our relationship with Jesus. In this series you will receive some practical tools and compelling, biblical vision of how your family’s home and your church home must work together, if we are to fulfill the command of Jesus

Since the middle of May we have been studying the New Testament letter of James in our series called Authentic Faith. An Authentic Faith calls you and I to be people who can “be still and wait on God…” because an Authentic Faith demands that we offer God an unwavering trust and a single-minded obedience. So in this sermon  James 5 will teach us how to endure the wait, because GOD IS ALWAYS WORTH THE WAIT. 

James will instruct us by introducing us two new friends: Pat and Percy. Or you may know them by their full names—Patience and Perseverance. Listen in as Jonathan leads us through what James has to say!

What is God’s truth with regards to how we understand and use money. How do we, as people who earn money, who have money in checking, savings, and retirement, live according to God’s truth? In other words, the way we save and spend money must honor God’s wisdom. 

In the key scripture from this sermon James, the half-brother of Jesus, will give us one priceless piece of wisdom that will stand in stark contrast world’s wisdom. This is James’s word of wisdom. MORE MONEY EQUALS MORE RESPONSIBILITY. The wisdom of this world focuses on personal happiness. It’s a piece of wisdom that selfish, self-centered. In contrast God’s wisdom focuses on personal responsibility. It’s piece of wisdom that is selfless and sacrificial. We cannot ignore what God’s word, God’s wisdom says with regard to money. Scripture is clear that there exists a powerful relationship between a person’s true spiritual condition and their attitudes and actions surrounding money. This means if we want to have an authentic, actionable faith, then we must honor God’s wisdom when it comes to money. We accept the fact that MORE MONEY EQUALS MORE RESPONSIBILITY.

Control is a desire most of us try to deny. We don’t want to be called “controlling” or known as a “control freak.” But, control isn’t all bad. Control is one way we express personal responsibility. No one made you do it. You have control.  Control is one way we assign significance to our actions. If rightly defined the desire to be in control can give a person a since of purpose and peace in the world. But, if wrongly defined the opposite occurs. A person’s life will be overwhelmed by fear, anxiety, insecurity and uncertainty. 

So today as continue series called Authentic Faith, James the half-brother of Jesus, will help us rightly define this universal desire to be in control, because James wants us to have a true gospel purpose and to experience true gospel peace in this world. So here’s James definition…

I CAN’T CONTROL EVERYTHING, BUT I CAN CONTROL SOME THINGS.

This week as we move forward in our series Authentic Faith, we’re going to let James, the half-brother of Jesus, show us how to do address our fighting spirit. The message James shares with us is important. If both parties are willing to live according this piece of wisdom. There is the potential that your relationships can be transformed, healed, and realigned according to the gospel of Jesus Christ. You see the fighting spirit. The spirit that is easily angered, and quick to accuse, and ready to attack—that’s the fighting spirit that sent Jesus to the cross. Re-read the final chapters of the gospel you see it at work in the anger, accusations, and attack of those religious leaders who sentenced Jesus to the cross. But, the voice of that fighting spirit was silenced when Jesus came out of that tomb—when his joy, hope, love and PEACE flooded the earth. 

THE FIGHTING SPIRIT IS IN YOU, BUT DON’T LET IT CONTROL YOU. The power of Jesus at work at the resurrection can silence the fighting spirit in you. It did once and it can do it can. So don’t let that fighting spirit control your: marriage, friendships, relationships with kids, don’t let it infiltrate our church.  

For the sake of our church and its witness in the world, we must silence the fighting spirit. For we are people follow the Prince of Peace and proclaim the Gospel of Peace.

At First Baptist we are studying the New Testament book of James—it’s a series we are calling Authentic Faith. Since week 1 we have defined Authentic Faith with this simple statement AUTHENTIC FAITH IS ACTIONABLE.
This week as we continue our study in James we are going to identify what is required if you and I are to live according to truth. What is required if you and I are to possess Godly, Authentic Wisdom. And, according to James, this is what is required of you and me. 

AUTHENTIC WISDOM LOOKS UP TO GOD AND LOOKS OUT FOR OTHERS.

Listen in as Bro Sam Roberts explores the first part of James chapter 3, reminding that our words matter!

At the beginning of May we began a study of the New Testament book called James. Week after week, James has confronted and challenged us to reject any sort of counterfeit faith and to lay claim to an authentic faith. Since we week 1 we have defined Authentic Faith with this straightforward statement. AUTHENTIC FAITH IS ACTIONABLE. 

This morning as we move forward in this series we will consider the two classes or you could call them categories of action that encapsulate authentic faith. These two classes will stand in stark contrast to the actions of false prophets and people who live according to a counterfeit faith. False prophets and false people look out for themselves and not one else. They are ferocious and bitter so they ignore, take advantage of, and even destroy the people who are in their life. In stark contrast true prophets and people who living according authentic faith can be defined by two words serve and surrender. 

AUTHENTIC FAITH SERVES OTHERS & IS SURRENDERED TO GOD.