Sermons on Conscience Formation:

The Highest Hill In The World - Calvary, Golgotha

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Mar 13, 2008

Calvary’s Simon - compelled. Calvary’s Soldiers - calloused. Calvary’s Suffering - Complete! How to renew a passion for the Passion of Christ. Link inc. to formatted text, audio & video, PowerPoint Presentation.

The Highest Hill in the World Matthew 27:31-43 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/HighestHill.html In Latin it is called Calvary. In Hebrew, Golgotha, or “place of the skull.” If you look carefully you can see it...an eerie image...a symbol of death. It’s not a very high hill geographically, but ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:31-43

Denomination: Baptist

We've Got Mail

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Sep 21, 2007

Hezekiah founded an early Bible Post Office, and now God sends us to ’deliver the mail’ and carry His message to the ends of the earth. Link included to formatted text, audio & video, and PowerPoint Presentation.

We’ve Got Mail II Chronicles 30:1-6 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/GotMail.html When I was a little boy my dad was a mail carrier, before he entered the ministry. And from that day to now I have had much respect for those who go door to door and street to street, carrying the mail for us. They ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 30:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Wait For It ... And, Go!

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jul 16, 2010

Nehemiah not only knew how to watch and pray and weep and pray...but also how to WAIT and pray. How to have success in impossible circumstances. Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

Wait for it ... and Go! Nehemiah 2:1-6 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/WaitForIt.html Nehemiah is the cupbearer for King Artaxerxes, the most powerful man on earth at that time. He and his people the Jews are in captivity in Babylon, and their home town of Jerusalem is burned and destroyed, and ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 2:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

They Fought From Heaven

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Dec 5, 2009

We wanted change and we are getting it. We reap what we sow. Sin leads to death, and nations are not exempt from this law. Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

They Fought From Heaven Judges 4-5 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/TheyFoughtFromHeaven.html You cannot fight against God and expect to win. 5:20 Remember the background here: Israel would mess in their own nest and then had to sleep in it. And America is now getting exactly what we’ve been ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Aftershock

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jan 14, 2010

The earthquake in Haiti measured 7.0 – the death toll will be measured in the tens of thousands – but character is measured in our response to tragedy. 5 WAYS TO RESPOND. Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

AfterShock Matthew 14:22-33 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/AfterShock.html How do we respond? What should our reaction be? When our world shakes, when we are in shock – after it happens – after shock has gripped our being – what we do next is absolutely vital. The earthquake in Haiti measured ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-33

Denomination: Baptist

Good Words For Bad Days Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Mar 18, 2009

Bad words may be the first to come to mind when times are hard. But our text has some encouraging good words, particularly right now. Link inc. to formatted text, audio, PowerPoint.

Good Words for Bad Days II Thessalonians 1 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/BadDays.html Bad words may be the first to come to mind when times are hard and things come crashing down on you. But our text has some encouragingly good words God wants to remind us of, particularly right now. Have you ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Confession

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Dec 3, 2010

God's first choice is to use goodness to lead us to Him, but if we insist, He will use judgment to bring us back to Him in repentance. Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

Confession Nehemiah 9 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Confession.html Confession leads to Consecration, and ultimately to Celebration. If you were in Jerusalem at this time in our text you would have seen some very unusual sights, and heard some very unusual sounds. Like people in the streets ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 10:1-38

Denomination: Baptist

Death Of Osama Bin Laden

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on May 4, 2011

I take no pleasure of anyone going to hell - but God's justice is satisfied, and today UBL's knees bow and his tongue confesses Jesus Christ as Lord! Link inc. to formatted text, audio, PowerPoint.

Death of Osama bin Laden http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/binLaden.html We rejoiced at the news, as did much of the world. Many sang and danced and partied. Patriotism was renewed and partisanship again went by the wayside much like it did on 9/11. If only we would continue longer in our lessons ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 24:17

Denomination: Baptist

Nehemiah - Master Delegator

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Aug 20, 2010

Many people skip over this chapter because it reads like a Hebrew phone book. But it is a very important chapter full of principles of leadership and delegation. Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

Master Delegator Nehemiah 3 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/MasterDelegator.html Last time we saw Nehemiah's vision, and now it must become reality beginning in chapter 3, and that's gonna take a lot of help. Many people skip over this chapter because it reads like a Hebrew phone book. It's all ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 3:1-4, Nehemiah 7:1-73

Denomination: Baptist

Coming Down The Mountain Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Oct 19, 2007

It’s nice to have a bright, shining, mountaintop experience, but what happens when we descend back to regular life? [Post-transfiguration teaching] Link inc. to formatted text, audio, & PowerPoint.

Coming Down the Mountain Matthew 17:14-21 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/ComingDown.html This great chapter shows us Jesus in His glory [last time], as well as Jesus in His power. It’s nice to have a bright, shining mountaintop experience, but what happens when we descend back to regular life? ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:14-21

Denomination: Baptist

It's Not Time

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jun 1, 2013

We look at time from a mathematical perspective. We divide time into measurements of seconds, minutes, hours, and days. But there's another way of looking at time. Link inc. to formatted text, audio, PowerPoint

It's Not Time John 7:1-8, 30 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/NotTime.html We look at time from a mathematical perspective. We divide time into measurements of seconds, minutes, hours, and days. But there's another way of looking at time. Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, "Time is like a river made ...read more

Scripture: John 7:1-30

Denomination: Baptist

This Old House

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Mar 3, 2010

I'm going to have a glorified body [house] someday that will make a mansion look like a shack, and my God has already paid for it in full! Link inc. to formatted text, audio, PowerPoint.

This Old House 2 Corinthians 5:1-9 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/ThisOldHouse.html At Christmas we visited the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, and I couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to live in a house like that. Then I thought about the bills! But I'm going to live in something ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Living In The Tree Of Life (Part 2)

Contributed by D. Dewaine Phillips on Jan 28, 2022

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is the formation of a value system; or rather, a "judgement" system. Living in the tree of life is making decisions from life and liberty, and what stimulates life in both you and others.

This morning’s message is a continuation of last week’s on the tree of life, and I have entitled our sermon, “Living in the Tree of Life” – Part 2. I would like to begin with some food for thought by sharing a real life illustration of a historical figure who walked in the tree of life. George ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:6-13, Revelation 22:1-2

Denomination: Baptist

34. The Death Of Ishbosheth Series

Contributed by Dr. Bradford Reaves on Dec 17, 2025

Second Samuel chapter 4 is a sobering warning to anyone tempted to “help God along.” It shows us what happens when fear replaces faith, when ambition overrides conscience, and when people wrap sinful actions in religious language and expect God’s blessing in return.

The Death of Ishbosheth December 17, 2025 Dr. Bradford Reaves Crossway Christian Fellowship 2 Samuel 4 When God’s Will Is Used as an Excuse for Sin One of the most dangerous phrases a Christian can utter is this: “God understands why I had to do it this way.” Those words have justified betrayal, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 4:1-12

Denomination: Brethren

Save Me, I'm Drowning! - Debt

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Oct 8, 2010

God threw His Son into the waters of sin to save us from drowning. Now, what can He do for us who are drowning in debt and financial bondage? Here's the steps to freedom! Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

Save Me, I'm Drowning! Nehemiah 5:1-19 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Drowning.html If you saw someone drowning and God said the only way to save them was to throw in your child, would you do it? I wouldn't. But that's exactly what God did in order to save our souls. We were going under, ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 5:1-19

Denomination: Baptist