Sermons on Billy Joel:

Repentance: The Forgotten Fruit Of God's Grace

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Oct 31, 2008

People look at the church and cry superficial. Why is that? I believe because it is we have forgotten that saving faith leads to repentant lives. One fruit that has fallen off the faith tree is repentance.

Intro: There are people that look at the church today and cry hypocrites. One reason is they don’t understand we are sinners that are saved by grace. It is the grace of God that makes us saints not the acts of men. Another reason is that the church has become superficial! Paul told timothy ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:17

Denomination: Baptist

Grace Grants Gratefulness

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Nov 18, 2008

Ephesians is a letter from Paul that tells about all we have as part of the Family of God. In it seven times he talks about our walk. As God’s children our life should be charactirized by a walk of gratefullness/thanksgiving. Grace is what grants a gra

Intro: Ephesians is a wonderful letter written by Paul that talks about us being part of the family of God. One of the main themes of the letter is the Lordship or headship of Christ. The only way the body will ever be truly united in missions, evangelism, praise, and thanksgiving is to be under ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:20

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

Our Attitude For The Lord's Supper

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Feb 5, 2005

There are disputes over how often we observe the Lord’s supper, disputes over what type of bread, what type of wine, or juice to use. But there should be no dispute that we should observe the Lord’s supper in a right attitude!

A.T. Pierson (A pastor in the 1800’s) The link between the cross and the crown is the Table of the Lord. Do not forget when you sit down at the communion, that the bread and cup point back to Christ’s accomplished work, and forward to your accomplished salvation. I. Our attitude should be one of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11:23-31

Denomination: Baptist

Valentine Dreams

Contributed by Billy Blackmon on Feb 14, 2005

This sermon provides five principles necessary to keep love strong in a marriage relationship

Valentine Dreams Philippians 2:1-2 Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, and with love in the air, many couples have found themselves saying “I do” to each other. But unlike years gone by, few if any left their reception with a shower of rice. By the mid-1990s, it was common knowledge that the uncooked ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-2

Denomination: Baptist

Eating Green Beans

Contributed by Billy Blackmon on Feb 17, 2005

We are commanded to be thankful for any difficulties (green beans) that come our way.

Thanking God for Green Beans Luke 17.11-19 Six green beans sat on his daughter’s plate, untouched. Mike Benson says that sort of thing usually didn’t bother him, but that night it did. “Eat your green beans,” he told the eight-year-old. “Dad, I’m full to the top.” “You won’t pop,” he ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:11-19

Denomination: Baptist

Loving God's Way

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Feb 20, 2005

Is it possible to describe the awesome character of God with one Word. All that he was, is, and shall be. Yes!!! 1 John 4.8 "God is love" This examines God as the source of love, our fruit of love, confidence in love, and conviction of love.

How in one word could you sum up all that is God? Can you this morning think of one word or a phrase that completely and adequately tells us who God is? Is it possible you say? Can you so simply state the totality of who God is? Is it possible to communicate the infinite unending; graciousness, ...read more

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

God's Answer For Anxiety

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Feb 5, 2006

The biblical answer for Anxiety. Seek first God’s Kingdom. Be anxious for nothing by being prayerful about everything.

Intro: How many of you woke up today and said to yourself, “Today self I think I will have a hot cup of anxiety, some fried anxiety as well as a piece of toasted anxiety.” Well of course probably none of you! But the reality is that anxiety as we commonly use the term is a part of many Americans ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7

Denomination: Baptist

We Exist To Exalt Jesus Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Feb 25, 2006

Sermon 1 in a series Why does the Church Exist. The church Exists to Exalt the Savior, To Evangelize the Lost, To Equip, Encourage, and Edify The Saints.

Intro: What is the most important question you should ask in your life? Why am I here? Many struggle with the reason they are alive. Some wonder if they are some cosmic coincidence. Often people fall prey to the false teaching that we are nothing more than a freak combination of chemicals that ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:16-23

Denomination: Baptist

The Law Is Love

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Mar 3, 2006

A Valentines Day sermon. Many today think that love is a word that we use about something we like or desire. However God’s law is love, and it is commanded in His word to no love inward (ourself) but love upward and outward.

Intro: I found a great picture of the problem of man and the church in of all places Wal-Mart. I was walking by jewelry last Friday after lunch time and saw a shirt that was most interesting. It was interesting because of how little it said, but also how much it said. It carried the simple words ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:23-46

Denomination: Baptist