Sermons on Billy Joel:

The Ten Commandments: Ten Words The World Needs To Hear Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Apr 12, 2008

Ten Words. The Ten most powerful words ever spoken. Ten simple but profund words that give divine direction for our relationship to God and man. Right response to God and man is the way to a whole and well life.

Intro: A gray haired lady, long a member of her community and Church, shook hands with the minister after the service one morning. “That was a wonderful sermon, she told him, just wonderful. Everything you said applied to someone I know.” What is often missed is that God’s word applies to ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

Word One: Just Jehovah Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Apr 22, 2008

The first word of the ten words out of the mouth of God from the finger of God calls for a decision on our part. It is not popular, politically correct but it is pure truth. I am the Lord your God have no other God’s before me. It is Just Jehovah. He

Intro: One cartoon depicts Moses standing on top of God’s Mountain, holding the two tablets of the Ten Commandments. The prophet is beaming. “Hey these are great.” He says enthusiastically, “From now on nobody will have trouble distinguishing right from wrong.” We know that is not true today! ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

You Shall Be My Witnesses

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Mar 16, 2005

Too often we ask God why don’t I have this or that, why is this happening, why, why, why. Instead we should be asking what God can you do through me? God answers with the voice like many waters, You Shall Be My Witnesses.

Vance Havner a very practical down home preacher said, “One day of green pastures and still waters is followed by dark valleys and miry swamps and a thousand whys lie unanswered, tabled for the future.” When it comes to unanswered whys from God we all too often ask more whys instead of what! In ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:6-11

Denomination: Baptist

The Priority Of Faithfulness

Contributed by Billy Kryger on Mar 20, 2005

God doesn’t require us to be intelligent, articulate, handsome or eloquent. He requires us to be faithful.

INTRODUCTION: Ø Paul had reminded the Corinthians that they served a faithful God (1:9). Ø He also declared that God can be depended on to be with them in any trial (10:13). Ø He further encouraged them to be zealous with the assurance that their labor will not go unrewarded (15:58). Ø Every ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Denomination: Baptist

Preparing The Way

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Mar 23, 2005

It is in the Triumphal entry we see our preparation to move from sinner to saint, from overcome by sin to overcommer of sin, from beaten to blessed!!!! We can proclaim today these things because our redeemer prepared the way, and because he finalized the

All history (His Story of saving us from our sin) will hinge on the cross. In His triumphal entry (scholars have called it a-triumphal) we see the foreshadowing of His purchasing our pardon from sin and preparing for us the way called straight. His plan was prepared before the foundations of the ...read more

Scripture: John 12:12-31

Denomination: Baptist

The Resurrection

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Mar 30, 2005

The resurrection is a reality. However, if the cross had not been a reality, the resurrection could not have been. What then is the relevance to our everyday life?

To become a Christian is to accept an extra dimension to life. From the Christian’s point of view the notable thing about the unbeliever’s world is how much smaller it is. The unbeliever is imprisoned in a decaying universe. Imagine you took a child to the theater to see some tragedy like, say, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:1-5

Denomination: Baptist

Acts The Beginning Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Apr 4, 2005

In the book of Acts we see the beginning movement of God’s chariot of the Gospel called the Church. In the first chapter of Acts we see the church in training, transition, and ultimately under the control of the Holy Spirit.

INTRODUCTION: In the book of Acts we see the beginning movement of God’s chariot of the Gospel called the Church. It is a book about transformation and growth. From infancy in Jerusalem on through its adulthood having reached the capital of the known world Rome. We see the gospel grow through ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

What Is Worship? Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Apr 20, 2005

What is worship? Is it more than singing, praising. Worship defined.

There is an old story about a man who dreamed that an angel escorted him to church one Sunday. There he saw the keyboard musician playing vigorously, the praise team singing, the musicians playing their instruments with gusto. But the man heard no sound. The congregation was singing, but the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 22:5

Denomination: Baptist

How Do We Worship Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Apr 21, 2005

Second in a series on worship, now that worship is defined as humbling yourself before God spiritually and physically, is there a certain way we should worship? Answers to follow

INTRO: A divine rest stop for Jesus designed to be a divine appointment with a Samaritan woman. I. Worship with a right heart (in spirit) A) Relationship required 1) Samaritans didn’t know God a) ritual not based on relationship -- idol, dove, fire… b) In words they professed God, but ...read more

Scripture: John 4:1-26

Denomination: Baptist

Living In Thanksgiving

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Nov 28, 2005

A heavenly perspective on attitude. Paul shows us in the letter to Colossians that an attitude of thanks giving is important for a complete life.

Living In Thanksgiving 11/27/05 Colossians 2.6-7 Intro: Scottish Minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit. He always found something for which to be grateful. One Sunday morning the weather was so gloomy that one church member thought to himself, “Certainly the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Markings Of A Missionary

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Dec 10, 2005

All Christians are commissioned at conversion. It is a look at the marks missionaries should have as seen in the Life of Paul.

Intro: The apostle Paul was not always a missionary for Christ. Before he met the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus he was a mercenary for the Sanhedrin. When the apostle Paul became a missionary for the Lord Jesus he became sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked as a missionary. Much like ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:19-22

Denomination: Baptist

A New Life

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Dec 14, 2005

Our life if it is “in Chirst” can and should be of better quality than it was before we met Christ. Why? If we are “in Christ” we have a New Outlook, a New Outpost, and a New Outcry.

Intro: Paul is writing this letter to the Corinthians due to the apparent influence of worldly values on the congregation. The worldly values that are seeping in due to teaching of rival missionaries are affecting their judgment 5.12, and behavior 12.20-21. Paul tells the corinthians their way ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Denomination: Baptist

Four Stops On The Way To A Christ Centered Christmas

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Dec 20, 2005

It seems that Christ is not the center of the festivities. It takes an effort in our culture today to keep Jesus front and center at this time of the year. It is amazing how much Christmas is not about Jesus Christ to many. Most people do not have one s

Into: The picture in Luke chapter nineteen should be familiar to us at this time of year. No matter where Jesus went he drew a crowd. This time of year we see crowds as well. But it is not necessarily because Jesus is at the center. The Christmas season malls, stores, Wal-Mart, even many ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Constructing Christian Character

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Jun 8, 2007

We often compare ourselves to others to see how "good we are." However the mark that God commpares us to is perfection. We are challenged and commanded to constuct Christ like character. The passage in 2 peter gives us 7 essential components so we can c

Intro: A wife remarked to her husband after the church service: "Did you see the hat Mrs. Jones was wearing?" "No," said her husband, "I didn’t." "Did you see the new dress Mrs. Smith had on?" she asked. "I’m afraid I didn’t," said her husband. To this his wife replied: "Well a lot of good it does ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:3-11

Denomination: Baptist

False Faith/Counterfeit Christianity

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Oct 15, 2005

Simon the sorcerer is an illustration of Counterfeit Christianity or false faith. It begins with a false self perception, and foolish pride. Trying to show folks that the rituals we use in the church do not save, instead it is the life changing presence

Intro: Online Encyclopedia, Wikipedia this to say about Counterfits “Today the finest counterfeit banknotes are claimed to be U.S. dollar bills produced in North Korea, which are used to finance the North Korean government, among other uses. The fake North Korean copies are called Superdollars ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:9-25

Denomination: Baptist