Sermons on Billy Joel:

Character Trait: Devotion To God's Word Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Jan 15, 2013

From the words of Jesus it is clear that His desire and design for the body of Christ is health. For the church to be healhty there must be rebirth and remodelling. Spiritual health does not happen accidentally. It takes devotion to the health plan God

Intro: If you remember from last time we are called and commanded to experience and share the truth of who Jesus is. There is something that is absolutely necessary if we are going to live the Great Commandment of Love God with everything and loving others with everything. We must be healthy as ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Denomination: Baptist

Character Trait: Fellowship: Cultivating Life In Common Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Jan 20, 2013

Fellowship with believers is not an option. It is in real relationships and connection with other believers that we are built up, encouraged, enriched to grow in relationship to fellows believers and representing Jesus Christ.

Intro: In Paul’s and Peter’s letters we are called living stones and a Holy Tabernacle where the Holy Spirit lives. If you remember from last week the proper and stable construction of that place for the Holy Spirit to live doesn’t happen by accident. Jesus desired then and ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:41-42

Denomination: Baptist

Character Trait: Devotion To Prayer Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Jan 28, 2013

God has offered to us intense intimacy and amazing power through prayer. The key to our churches being kingdom minded and eternally effective is are we willing? Are you willing to invest in the most the chruch can do.

Intro: Remember that the church is not built strong and healthy by accident. It is also no accident that there are so many churches that are not strong or healthy in the 21 century. I believe there is one major reason that the church in the west is so weak and unstable. It is a lack of prayer. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:41-42

Denomination: Baptist

Character Trait: Humility Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Feb 3, 2013

Humility goes hand in had with a healthy church. A church that makes little of themselves can make much of God. What is humilty and how can we practically be humble?

Intro: On Christmas afternoon, the Pastor’s wife dropped into an easy chair saying, "Boy! Am I ever tried." Her husband looked over at her & said, "I had to conduct two special services last night, three today, & give a total of five sermons. Why are you so tired?" "Dearest," she replied, "I had ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:41-42

Denomination: Baptist

Jonah's Song Of Repentance Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Sep 29, 2013

We too often believe the lie that things are meant to destroy us. Whether a violent storm or big fish what we think is meant to destroy us is actually designed by God to develop us.

Intro: Think about this as we look at chapter 2 of Jonah. What did Jonah deserve? He deserved to be a man taco for a big fish. What did he get? God’s mercy. Jonah had already received God’s grace. God did not completely destroy Jonah or the Ship in the violent storm. God as a ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 2:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Second Chances, Scars And Spiritual Transformation Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Oct 9, 2013

God's great desire is not to bring judgment to people but for people to repent. God's great desires if for believers and non-believers alike to turn to Him.

Intro: In this third chapter of Jonah we see God’s great desire for people to turn toward Him. It doesn’t matter the depth of their sin or the degree of their violence. What we discover in this chapter of Jonah is what John R Stott said, “The Gospel is good news of mercy to ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 3:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

The School Of Grace Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Oct 12, 2013

This is the final in a 4 week series on Jonah. God pursued Jonah, God developed Jonah, God used Jonah and now He is schooling Jonah. Jonah cannot see beyond himself in order to offer compassion to Nineveh.

Intro: All of us want to know that others are concerned about us. When people don’t appear to be concerned about our pain and problems we think they don’t care. What God is telling Jonah today is that He is concerned about all His creation. God is especially concerned about those ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 4:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

The Breakthrough Of The Resurection Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Apr 6, 2010

We all too often have a religious experience easter, christmas, other holy holidays. However what you need more than anything is a righteous encounter with the person of Jesus Chrsit. The breakthrough of the resurrection is afull life.

Intro: What a wonderful passage its fast paced, filled with espionage, excitement and the supernatural. Sounds like something Hollywood dreamed up doesn’t it? However as we look at this passage it is not filled with lights and sounds but the light of the world and the darkness of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

The Burden Of The Cross Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Apr 6, 2010

It is the burdern of cross that the Son of Man carried. Not the wooden beam. It is the godless attitudes that result in Godless living that caused Jesus to go to the cross. Jesus took the burden so we could expereience the break through of the resurrec

Intro: How can we bring Christianity, or being a Christ follower to its most basic components? How can we simplify it to the point that children can understand? We do as the Bible does. In Genesis there is no argument for God merely a statement of truth. “In the beginning God ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

The Blessing Of The Ascension Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Apr 15, 2010

Why did Jesus bear the burden of the cross, why the resurrection the breakthrough? So that we coud experience the blessing of God. The best definition of the Holy Spirit is Christ in us. Easter is over but the word and work of Jesus are still ongoing.

Intro: Thus far we have examined the burden of the cross, the breakthrough of the resurrection, now we come to the blessing of the ascension. How can it be that I would say that Jesus, the embodiment of God leaving this planet would be a blessing? Because the bodily incarnation of God cannot ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

Celebrating Our Independence By Imitating God

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Jul 4, 2014

How should we celebrate our independence from sin? Paul gives us the way in Ephesians 5 as beloved children Imitate God." If this were our focus as churches we would see revival, lives filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and transformation in lives

Intro: This Friday was the Fourth of July. The Fourth celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776 and freedom from the cruel rule of the British Empire. It is marked with Bar B Que, fireworks and going to the lake. Paul is calling us to a similar celebration in ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-2

Denomination: Baptist

The Spirit Filled Life Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Aug 2, 2014

The Spirit filled life is not simply about spouting Spiritual garbage. It is about allowing the Holy Spirit to control every area of your life. Come and see how that works out practically

Info: Moody was to have a campaign in England. An elderly pastor protested, "Why do we need this 'Mr. Moody'? He's uneducated, inexperienced, etc. Who does he think he is anyway? Does he think he has a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?" A younger, wiser pastor rose and responded, "No, but the Holy ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Looking In The Right Direction

Contributed by Billy Reese on Oct 12, 2018

By His Spirit we receive power For Effective Christian Work

Looking in the Right Direction The season of focus & expectation The season of shift & direction Zechariah 4:6, & Corinthians 3:6 We find God speaking to Zerubbabel through the prophet Zechariah, I want you to tell Zerubbabel that the temple will be built by him, but it will not be, by might, nor ...read more

Scripture: Zechariah 4:6, 1 Corinthians 3:6

Denomination: Baptist

Finding God Above Our Heads Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Jun 1, 2017

What was God's real goal for Christmas? Philippians 2:9-11 makes clear that Jesus came so that all knees would bow and all tongues would confess in worship of the God of grace!!

Intro: How many know how many more shopping days till Christmas? Today there are 13 shopping days until Christmas. The goal for many for Christmas has become finding the perfect gift at the perfect price. But what was God’s goal for Christmas? What was the real purpose for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Finding God Through Our Tears Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Jun 1, 2017

The Christmas story isn't neat nor tidy. Along with good tidings of great joy come great suffering and sorrow as Jesus enters the world.

Intro: How many of you like Christmas cards? Perfectly cut with just the right saying or Bible verse. The pictures or paintings seem to be perfect. I love the Christmas story because it is in no way like Christmas cards. The Christmas story is not neat nor is it perfect. It isn’t tidy or ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:13-18

Denomination: Baptist