Sermons on Ancestral Links:

Jury Duty [judge Not / Judging] Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jul 26, 2006

Jesus said "Judge Not." What this means, doesn’t mean, and how the Lord masterfully illustrated the true interpretation of this verse. Link included to formatted text and PowerPoint template.

Jury Duty Matthew 7:1-5 Ever been called to jury duty? Ever been asked to ‘make a judgment’ about a matter? Some Christians seem to feel they are on ‘permanent jury duty’ as they go thru life. And Jesus addresses this fact in this final leg of the Sermon on the Mount. Today 12 members of a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:1-5

Denomination: Baptist

I Must, I May, I Will, I Shall

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Aug 2, 2006

The Filling of the Holy Spirit. What it is, and why we should seek it. The Christian is already indwelt, but is he filled yet? Link included to formatted text and PowerPoint Template.

I Must, I May, I Will, I Shall Ephesians 5:18 To maintain a vigorous, active life, one must be healthy. Good health comes from a particular and a planned program of physical care. If I follow this plan I can feel the benefit in many ways. Someone said, "If I had known I would live this long, I ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18

Denomination: Baptist

Left Behind: On The Cutting Room Floor [rapture]

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Oct 18, 2005

Summary of entire movie series, with helps for discerning between its great truths and some of the "artistic license" found there. Link included to formatted text version and PowerPoint Template.

Left Behind: On the Cutting Room Floor Mark 13:1-37 and other passages What is this series about? How accurate is the doctrine? What is the purpose? What should I look for as I watch it? How will this affect my life? Let’s investigate these questions, and more. But first, I want to say that ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:1-37

Denomination: Baptist

A Tale Of Two Men

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Oct 26, 2005

Cain and Abel...2 different paths, and where each ended up. We all make choices that affect our future. Link included to formatted text and PowerPoint Template.

A Tale of Two Men Cain and Abel Scripture: Gen. 4.1-16; Matt. 23.35; 1 John 3.12; Heb. 11.4; 12.24 Text: By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 4:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

3 Odd Jobs Of The Tentmaker Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Nov 10, 2005

Paul had the heart of an ACCOUNTANT, a RUNNER, and a STEWARD, and illustrates for us how to truly do God’s will in our lives. Link included to formatted text, handout, and PowerPoint Presentation.

3 Odd Jobs of the Tentmaker Acts 20:18-38 Most of us wear more than 1 hat, and have a side job, whether paid for it or not. Some people have a career, but have a heart for other things. We cannot do it all. The Apostle Paul had the skills and knowledge to be more than a tentmaker, and his other ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:18-38

Denomination: Baptist

The Divine Interplay Of Prayer In God's Unfolding Plan 1 Series

Contributed by Thomas Black on Feb 2, 2005

This is the first 1/2 of a two part sermon addressing the link between God’s sovereignty to act without us and his requirement that we pray so that he can act.

I think in the last year we’ve learned much about what it means to pray. True enough most of our prayers are for healing and comfort but we certainly have been learning to pray by practicing I think. But praying, by definition is speaking to God, worshiping God, Thanking God, or imploring God to ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 25:19-34

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Divine Interplay Of Prayer In God's Unfolding Plan 2 Series

Contributed by Thomas Black on Feb 2, 2005

This is the second 1/2 of a two part sermon addressing the link between God’s sovereignty to act without us and his requirement that we pray so that he can act.

Returning to our study of Genesis tonight, we are in chapter 25 and the story of Esau and Jacob, the story begins with the prayer of Isaac that his wife might bear children and in this setting ends with a tragedy of faithlessness – and an interesting peek into God’s sovereignty working out in ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 25:19-34

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Holy Guest, Pt. 2

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Apr 26, 2005

You can also see part 1 under "My Sermons" by clicking my name at right. You will find a link to Free Formatted Text and Powerpoint template for both sermons.

This is the continuation from part 1, which contains the link to our website where both sermons are in Formatted Text Layout, along w/ Powerpoint template. Paste this link into your browser to go to part 1: ...read more

Scripture: John 4:24

Denomination: Baptist

These Necessary Things - Life Change Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jul 20, 2005

Salvation...Cause and Effect...The chicken and the egg. This is about how we are saved and how we should live as a result of being saved. Link included to formatted text, Powerpoint, and handout.

These Necessary Things Acts 15:28 In our last message from ch. 15 it was settled once and for all by Christ’s disciples in council: salvation is by grace alone, thru faith alone, in Christ alone…plus nothing, minus nothing…and good works have no part in our receiving of salvation. v. 11 Only 1 ...read more

Scripture: Acts 15:28

Denomination: Baptist

God’s Lost And Found Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Mar 23, 2007

3 stories, 1 parable, many great truths! The Lost SHEEP, the Lost SILVER, the Lost SON, and the Lost SIBLING. Link included to formatted text, audio, and PowerPoint Presentation.

Parables: God’s Lost and Found Luke 15 [Get formatted text, audio/video, and great PowerPoint now by pasting this link into your browser.] http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/LostAndFound.html The boss of a big company needed to call one of his employees about an urgent problem with one of the main ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-32

Denomination: Baptist

A Super Secret Message - [superman] Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jul 11, 2006

Superman theme about good things we should do in secret, and secret sins and their demise. [Clark Kent Christians] Link included to formatted text and ’Super’ PowerPoint Presentation.

A Super Secret Message Matthew 6:1-18 Eccles. 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Are you good with secrets? About to bust? Find joy in it? “I know something you don’t know!” [spill the beans?] Secrecy ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-18

Denomination: Baptist

The Candidate, Commitment, & Criteria

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Nov 29, 2006

Jesus’ teaching on true discipleship separates the serious from the satisfied. Not many will step forward and stand out...how about you? Link included to formatted text and PowerPoint Template.

The Candidate, Commitment, & Criteria Matthew 16:21-26 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/CandidateCommitmentCriteria.html ----- (Mat 16:24) "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." INTRODUCTION: The passage of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:21-26

Denomination: Baptist

Parable Of The Pearl Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jan 24, 2007

The church is God’s Pearl of Great Price. How the pearl was WROUGHT, how it was SOUGHT, and how it was BOUGHT. Link included to formatted text for entire series, audio, and PowerPoint Template.

Parable of the Pearl Matthew 13:45-46 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Pearl.html This parable is going to sound a whole lot like the previous one we just studied on the hidden treasure, but with a great twist and special illustration that I know will be a blessing to you. Common misinterpretation: ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:45-46

Denomination: Baptist

A Mothers Love

Contributed by Joey Nelson on May 14, 2002

Mothers are soft voices saying, "I love you." And mothers are a link to God, a child’s first impression of God’s love. Mothers are all of these things and much, much more.

INTRODUCTION Sermonic Theme Opening Statement: Mothers are teachers. Mothers are disciplinarians. Mothers are cleaning ladies. Some mothers are gardeners and landscapers. And most mothers understand that baking cookies is more important than washing windows. Mothers are nurses and doctors and ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 49:13-16, Isaiah 49:13-17

Can I Be In Charge? Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Nov 16, 2007

Their mommy spoke for them. Jesus answered that the way up is down. His PASSION PREDICTED, the PATHWAY PRESCRIBED, the POWER PROVIDED. Link inc. to formatted text, audio, and PowerPoint Template.

Can I Be in Charge? Matthew 20:17-34 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/InCharge.html The Historian Josephus writes that every year at Passover 3 million Jews would ascend upon Jerusalem with 250,000 lambs. You and I know that each and every one of those lambs was a picture of Jesus Christ, the Lamb ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:17-34

Denomination: Baptist