Sermons on Spirtual Formation:

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

Witnessing And Wisdom In The Wilderness Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jul 2, 2008

Moses shares w/ his father in law Jethro, who shares right back. Principles of priority, personnel, planning, and pride. Link inc. to formatted text, audio, and PowerPoint.

Witnessing and Wisdom in the Wilderness Exodus 18:1-27 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/WitnessWisdom.html It’s a family reunion as Moses is reunited w/ his wife and sons, and his father in law, Jethro. The last time Jethro had been in Moses’ presence he heard him tell about his talk w/ some ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 18:1-27

Denomination: Baptist

The Gospel Of Jesus: Swordfight In The Desert Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Mar 23, 2006

Jesus didn’t just defeat sin for us on the cross...it started early in His ministry when He was tempted. Link included to formatted text, handout, and PowerPoint Presentation.

The Gospel of Jesus – Swordfight in the Desert Matthew 4:1-11 A three-year-old entered the kitchen when his mother was busy elsewhere in the house. She had told him not to get into the cookies. But in her absence he pulled a kitchen chair over to the counter and climbed up on it. Then he took the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

An Empty Celebration - Easter

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Apr 13, 2006

Jesus made 3 ’Empty Promises’ which give more ful’fill’ment than anything else to mankind today. Link included to Formatted Text, handout, and PowerPoint Presentation.

An Empty Celebration Philippians 2:5-11 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/EmptyCelebration.html Opening ill.--Jeremy was not a normal child. He had a terminal illness which affected both his body and his mind. Still, his parents had tried to give him as normal a life as possible and had sent him to a ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11, Philippians 2:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Missing Persons Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Nov 30, 2005

Paul was sorely missed when he departed from Ephesus--because of his MANNER of life, his MESSAGE, and his MOTTO. Link included for formatted text, handout, and PowerPoint Template.

Missing Persons Acts 20:36-38 Will you be missed when you are gone? We were glad you missed us this past weekend. It makes us feel needed to know it makes a difference when we are absent. The Apostle Paul spent 3 years w/ these believers in Ephesus, and it was very sad for them to see him go. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:36-38

Denomination: Baptist

From The Stable To The Table [last Supper]

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Dec 15, 2005

"Christmas Carol" style look at the Past, Present, and Future--remembering the birth, the life, the death, and then the ’breath’ of the Risen Christ! Leads well into communion. Link included to formatted text, handout, and PowerPoint.

From the Stable to the Table Hebrews 10, Luke 22:7-20 ----- Formatted Text, handout, and PowerPoint Presentation are at: http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Stable2Table.html ----- Not long after Christmas comes the Easter season. We are reminded that Christ was ’born to die.’ Lying in the cradle, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:7-10

Denomination: Baptist

10 Ways America Is Under Attack - Supreme Court - Commandments - Pledge

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jun 29, 2005

Our courts are slowly banning the 10 Commandments. Do they know they are breaking the first one, and stomping on our Christian heritage? Link included to Formatted Text version, handout, and PowerPoint Presentation.

10 Ways America Is Under Attack Exodus 20:1-17 America was again attacked this week, and in grander scale than on 9/11. Our brave soldiers in the Middle East are attacked daily, and we need to hold them up in prayer, but this week, it happened again…on our own soil…and this time, it was not by ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

World War Won! - Memorial Day - Independence Day Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Mar 25, 2003

Good for this time of continuing war...Eye-opening scriptures to help lay people understand why war is sometimes necessary, and sometimes even recommended by God. Link included to Formatted Text and Powerpoint.

World War Won! Prov. 14:34 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/WarAndFreedom.html Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. We take our freedom for granted. Here we sit today, praying, singing, fellowshipping, worshipping God together, reading His Word…w/out fear of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 14:34

Denomination: Baptist

Faithfulness Series

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on Jul 15, 2005

The Fruit of The Spirit (Part 9) The faithful hold on to TRUTH, PERSEVERE, keep their COMMITMENTS, and make a FRESH START. This message is also appropriate for graduation. (See sermons in Word format at www.praiseag.org)

FAITHFULNESS The Fruit of The Spirit (Part 9) Galatians 5:22-23 • Galatians 5:16-25 (NIV) [22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. INTRODUCTION: This morning we are ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Bible And Numbers

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Nov 28, 2007

God is a God of order, and created a universe of precise mathematical design. And He gave special significance to many numbers throughout the Bible. Link inc. to formatted text, audio, and PowerPoint Template.

The Bible and Numbers http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Numbers.html The digital age has taken technology to new heights...it’s amazing how much can be done so quickly, and how huge blocks of information can be stored on smaller and smaller chips. And digital info. is basically just 2 numbers: 0 ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 1:20

Denomination: Baptist

Two On Trial

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Mar 7, 2008

Passion Week: A careful examination of the text reveals there were really 2 people being tried. Not only Jesus, but also Peter. Link inc. to formatted text, audio, and PowerPoint Template.

Two on Trial Matthew 26:57-75 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/TwoOnTrial.html There were 2 phases to Jesus’ kangaroo court. There was the religious phase where He stood before Jewish religious leaders, and then there was the civil phase where He stood before Roman government leaders. But a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:57-75

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus In The City Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Dec 17, 2008

We find Jesus throughout the OT, and today we find him in 6 special towns -- The Purpose, the Prophecy, and the Proximity of the Cities of Refuge. Link inc. to formatted text, audio, PowerPoint.

Christ in the City Joshua 20:1-9 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/ChristCity.html We find Jesus throughout the OT, and today we find him in some cities: [vv. 1-3] The Jews are now in possession of the Promised Land. The 12 tribes divided up the land, but then there were 6 cities set aside as ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 20:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Let The Walls Come Down Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Oct 25, 2008

From a human perspective it was an unconquerable city. Improbable? No, impossible! Impregnable. And each of us have a walled city in our lives. Link inc. to formatted text, audio & video, PowerPoint.

Let the Walls Come Down Joshua 5:13-6:20 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/LetTheWalls.html The children of Israel have moved: • From the wilderness of worry to the promised land of peace. • From the wilderness of wandering to the promised land of progress. • From the wilderness of despondency to the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Crippled Church

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jun 13, 2009

Sardis is the dying or dead church. It could be our church. The problem and the prescription to fix it and make it once again the Lord’s Church. Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

READING SOMEONE ELSE’S MAIL Sardis: The Crippled Church Rev. 3:1-6 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Sardis.html Take your next vacation in London, and you could visit the Metropolitan Tabernacle. The tour guide would tell you that this is the place that the great Charles Haddon Spurgeon used to ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Parable Of The Drag-Net Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jan 25, 2007

We live in the days of ’invitation’, but there is coming a day of ’separation’ as God examines all those pulled up in the net. Link included to entire series with formatted text, audio, and PowerPoint Templates.

Parable of the Drag-Net Matthew 13:47-50 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/DragNet.html Of all of Jesus’ parables He has now given to His disciples, I’m sure this is the one they could relate to the best because it uses an illustration from the fishing world, and most of these guys had backgrounds ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:47-50

Denomination: Baptist