Sermons on Text:

Dealing With Discouragement

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Apr 4, 2006

Worn out - Weighted down - Wasting away. This describes many Christians today. But Nehemiah shows how to keep battling and building for the cause! Link included to formatted text, handout, and PowerPoint Template.

Dealing with Discouragement Nehemiah 4:7-10 Ill.—devil’s auction. He decided to sell all his tools. Lust had a high price on it, so did pride, arrogance, envy, bitterness. But one tool was off to the side and said ‘not for sale.’ It was the tool of discouragement! As the people of God were ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 4:7-10

Denomination: Baptist

The Vision, The Venture, & The Victory - Gospel In Europe Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Aug 11, 2005

Catch the vision and hear the "Macedonian Call". We are in debt to Paul and Silas who let God turn them around and into Europe. Link included to free formatted text version, handout, and PowerPoint.

The Vision, The Venture, & The Victory Acts 16:6-15 ----- This is part 1 of a 3 part message from this chapter. The 3 people saved were Lydia [A TENDER heart--this sermon], the possessed slave girl [A TORMENTED heart], and the Philippian jailer [A TOUGHENED heart]. Please see all 3 sermons and ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:6-15

Denomination: Baptist

A Peace In The Puzzle, Pt. 2 Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on May 18, 2006

Why are the righteous persecuted, and why does Jesus say for us to rejoice when it happens to us? Link included to formatted text version, as well as part 1 and it’s matching PowerPoint.

A ‘Peace’ in the Puzzle, pt. 2 The Gospel of Jesus Matthew 5:9-12 When we are a peacemaker, we are eliminating strife. Tonite, we need to learn how to endure spite. This is the ‘puzzle’ in our title. This sermon on the mount is the greatest sermon ever preached, by the greatest preacher who ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:9-12

Denomination: Baptist

From Generation To Generation - Israel In The Wilderness

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jun 1, 2006

Israel turned an 11 day journey to the promised land into a 40 year process of meandering in circles, going nowhere. HOW TO BREAK THE CYCLE! Link included to formatted text, handout, and PowerPoint Presentation.

From Generation To Generation Psalm 78 Psalm 100:5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalm 145:4 One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. A Biblical generation is 40 years. That sums ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 78:1-72, Psalm 78:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

B I G Numbers - Little Ones - Sanctity Of Life Sunday

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jan 19, 2006

Staggering numbers of dead in natural disasters, but here’s another: 50 MILLION! That’s a really big number, and they are ALL little ones! Link included to formatted text, handout, and PowerPoint.

Big Numbers - Little Ones Jeremiah 1:5 COPY/PASTE THE LINK BELOW NOW TO GET THE FORMATTED TEXT AND POWERPOINT FREE... http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/BigNumbersLittleOnes.html It has now been 40 years since Roe v. Wade. That’s a big number. We hear big numbers of dead like all those children in ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 1:5

Denomination: Baptist

Seven Happy People

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jan 24, 2006

Unlike joy, happiness is temporary...based on ’happenstance’. But God tells us 7 ’circumstances’ which will lead us to happiness more often. Link included to formatted text, handout, and PowerPoint Template.

SEVEN HAPPY PEOPLE John 13:17 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/7HappyPeople.html John 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. Which kind of Christian are you? Humbly grateful or grumbly hateful? Attitude determines altitude! God isn’t here just to keep you out of ...read more

Scripture: John 13:17

Denomination: Baptist

Thanksgiving, 1456 B.c.

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Nov 16, 2006

Moses led the people of God in remembering things they easily forgot. They didn’t have turkey…but they had eaten quail for decades now! Link included to formatted text and PowerPoint Presentation.

Thanksgiving 1,456 B.C. Deuteronomy 2:7 PowerPoint for this and all our sermons available at http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons.html Several other Thanksgiving sermons can be seen here: http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Special.html ----- It may not have been November, and they may not have had a 4 day ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 2:7

Denomination: Baptist

My Two Sons Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jun 15, 2007

The Parable of the 2 Sons - The character quality of giving AND keeping your word, and of genuine repentance to do the right thing. Much needed today! Link included to formatted text, audio, and PowerPoint Template.

My Two Sons Matthew 21:28-32 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/TwoSons.html This parable begins with Christ’s “What think ye?” and is designed to make us think. Some perish for lack of thought, and many more for wrong thinking. A. What the Father Commanded: “Son, go work today in my vineyard” ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:28-32

Denomination: Baptist

A Great Invitation Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Oct 13, 2006

Jesus said that though many won’t respond, we still need to extend His Great Invitation--Decision leads to Development and Discovery. Link included to formatted text and PowerPoint Template.

A Great Invitation Matthew 11:16-30 Children love to play games. And in vv. 16-17 the Lord gives an illustration of children playing games. v. 16-17 “This generation” is the people of the Lord’s day who rejected Him…but it also speaks of humanity in general, inc. our generation. What games did ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:16-30

Denomination: Baptist

Salvation - Plain And Simple

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Oct 25, 2006

Past Guilt, Present Grace, & Future Glory. Answers questions--Who Saves? When? Why? How? and Where does that leave us? Link included to formatted text and PowerPoint Presentation.

Salvation: Plain and Simple ["But God..."] Eph. 2:1-7 v. 1-3 Past Guilt 4-6 Present Grace 7 Future Glory H.A. Ironside followed R.A. Torrey as pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago. One day he rode a passenger train/gypsy woman sat down beside him, and said, sir, if you cross my ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-6, Luke 22:31

Denomination: Baptist

Parable Of The Wedding Garment Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jul 8, 2007

God’s justice in His courts leaves the lost standing naked with no defense -- Provision, invitation, inspection, detection, interrogation, conviction & expulsion. Link included to formatted text, audio, and PowerPoint Template.

Parable of the Wedding Garment Matthew 22:1-14 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/WeddingGarment.html Yesterday was 7-7-07, and there were more weddings than in the whole month of June they say. Each one wore their best for the occasion. We all should try to wear our Sunday best, though we don’t ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

Big Days

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jul 12, 2007

The church is in for some BIG Days when there’s a CONVERTED MEMBERSHIP, and when CONSTANT MINISTRY and CONTINUAL MULTIPLICATION are taking place. Link included to formatted text, audio & video, and PowerPoint Presentation.

BIG Days Acts 2:41-47 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/BIGDays.html Our church has had many ‘big days’ over the years. Special promotions and theme days are a fun way to boost enthusiasm and attendance. We’ve had ‘baby day’, ‘old fashioned day’, ‘pack a pew Sunday’, and ‘Friend Day.’ And lately ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:41-47

Denomination: Baptist

Special Deliverer - Baby Moses Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Apr 23, 2008

Israel’s midwives are told to kill all male Jewish babies. But they continued making ‘special deliveries,’ and one of them was to be a special ‘deliverer’! Link inc. to formatted text, audio & video, PowerPoint.

Special Deliverer Exodus 2:1-4 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/SpecialDeliverer.html Now in bondage as slaves, the people of God need a deliverer. Speaking of delivery, their midwives now have been instructed by Pharaoh to kill all male babies born to the Jews. But they valued life, even to the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 2:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

Of Snakes And Doves Series

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Oct 11, 2007

This is the second sermon in a series of texts unique to Matthew’s gospel and taken from Chapters 9 and 10. Jesus shows his compassion for outcasts, his caution among unbelievers, and his consideration for believers.

Matthew’s Unique Message #2 Of Snakes and Doves Matthew 9:27-36; Matthew 10: 16, 34-37; 40-41 CHCC: June 10, 2007 INTRODUCTION: This summer I’m going to be preaching from the Gospel of Matthew. We’re going to look at the things Matthew tells about Jesus that none of the other Gospels ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

What's So Important About The Church?

Contributed by Steve Shepherd on May 7, 2007

We will consider how the Lord’s church started and what’s significant about it. In this text, I see these things: 1- powerful spirit 2- pointed message 3- penitent response

INTRO.- What’s the big deal about the church? What’s so important about the church? Why go to church? What does it do for us? I’m sure these are some questions that the average American asks. And the answers they get from themselves or others are not very positive so they don’t go to ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:14-16

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ