First Baptist Church of El Dorado - Sermons

Every person’s life has a starting point and goal. That starting point is when God in his goodness “knit [you] together in [your] mother’s womb. [as evidence of God’s love you are] fearfully and wonderfully made.” And, the goal that God created you for is Himself. God created you to know him. That’s why John 17:3 says “this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” But, what is the route, the road, the way that connects the knit to the know. 

A way that connects the you who was knit in your mother’s womb to know the God who created you. ONLY ONE WAY LEADS TO GOD. And, the one way that leads to God is Jesus Christ.  Listen these words of Jesus found in John 14:6.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

With those definitive words Jesus makes it clear that ONLY ONE WAY LEADS TO GOD and He, Jesus, is the at way. Only Jesus can connect the starting point of your life and the goal of your life, only Jesus can bring you into a relationship with God, because only Jesus has paid the debt of sin and then defeated sin.

Today we are returning to the book of James, as we continue our series Authentic Faith. And, since week 1 we have defined Authentic Faith with this simple statement Authentic Faith is Actionable. And actionable faith not only transforms the way in which we engage the world, actionable faith also transforms the way we treat one another. Authentic, actionable faith forbids favoritism. 
Favoritism is a very real and serious threat and its consequences are oh so dangerous. Maybe, then, its not enough to forbid favoritism, we actually must Fight Against Favoritism. James, the half-brother of Jesus, will remind us of three key strategies as we Fight Against Favoritism. 

Strategy 1: Honor God’s Character 
Strategy 2: Honor God’s Kingdom
Strategy 3: Honor God’s Gospel

There are areas in life when you can only be satisfied with the real thing, with the authentic version. One of the areas of life that always requires the real thing, that always requires the authentic version—just so happens to be faith. You and I  need AUTHENTIC FAITH. But, all too often we settle for a version that is nothing more than a cheap knock-off. 

Guest Preacher Rusty Richardson continues the series on Authentic Faith. He shares how living with an  authentic faith is empowered by the word of God. Those who live this way receive the God's word, remember God's word, obey God's word, and reflect on God's word. 

Pastor Jonathan continues his series in the book of James, a series we are calling Authentic Faith. In weeks one and two we examined the life cycle of Authentic Faith—the seed—trusting that Jesus is who he says he is—being his servant, the soil—that’s the trials of life, the roots—that’s endurance, always moving forward, never giving up, and the crown—that’s maturity, becoming someone who looks, lives, and loves like Jesus.  Immediately after laying this life cycle of Authentic Faith, James turns his attention to Temptation. James focuses on temptation, because he knows that temptation is the primary hurdle, obstacle, and barrier that prevents a person from progressing through this life cycle, from achieving maturity. 

James knows how powerful temptation actually is. James knows just how temptation works: TEMPTATION LURES ME, HOOKS ME, AND PULLS ME. James has grown tired of seeing himself and his church fall victim over and over and over again to temptation. James, instead, desires that he and his church be victors over temptation.

Last week we began a study of the New Testament book called James. It’s a series we are calling AUTHENTIC FAITH. We learned in week one’s message that a person sows the seed of authentic faith when he has an encounter with the resurrected Christ and trusts that Jesus is who he says he is. For James, the ½ brother of Jesus, this means he realized that Jesus isn’t the son of Joseph. Jesus is the son of God. And, it’s this seed of faith that transforms James’ relationship to Jesus. James no longer first sees himself as a brother of Jesus. Now he is a servant of Jesus. 

The life cycle of authentic, however, has only just begun when the seed is sown. In today’s message James will describe the next three phases of the life cycle of authentic faith—the soil, the roots, and the crown. Listen in as we open God’s Word.

There are areas in life when you can only be satisfied with the real thing, with the authentic version. One of the areas of life that always requires the real thing, that always requires the authentic version—just so happens to be faith. You and I  need AUTHENTIC FAITH. But, all too often we settle for a version that is nothing more than a cheap knock-off. 

You don’t wake up one morning and suddenly have authentic faith. Authentic faith must be nurtured, so that it can grow. Authentic Faith has a life cycle. Today we are beginning a study of the New Testament book called James. Our focus for the first two weeks as we begin our study of James will be The Life Cycle of Authentic Faith. It’s a cycle with four parts: the seed, the soil, the roots, and the crown. Today will be just the first part of this life cycle—the seed. 

Listen as Pastor Jonathan Kelley describes the perfect combination for impacting El Dorado: Love Your God & Love Your Neighbors. 

What allows the church to make an impact that far surpasses their position or education?  It is the habits that they practice.  OUR HABITS DECIDE OUR IMPACT.  These habits include faithful work, loving deeds, and enduring hope.  

Today we begin a new series called IMPACT El Dorado. As your life and our church’s life begins to normalize, this series will focus on God’s Design for the local church. This plan begins with identity. 

Pastor Jonathan Kelley leads us to see that Easter is the turning point of history. Easter is a specific historical moment that brings about the most significant change in all of human history.  When Jesus took those grave clothes and walked out of the tomb, that signaled the defeat of Sin and Death. Humans can invent some pretty amazing things, but only the intervention of God can defeat sin and death.