I love to win, and so do you. Card games, board games, sports, and competitions each bring out the best and worst in people. I even feel my blood pressure go up when the team I cheer for wins or loses, and I’m not even on the field or court. We all love to win […]
Christ Alone – Careful Confrontation
January 22, 2023Pastor Ricky Smith Sermon Notes Galatians 2:11-14But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of […]
Encountering Change
How has your life changed after encountering Christ and the power of the Gospel? You cannot go “unchanged” after seeing Jesus. You will repent or reject. This past week we studied Galatians 1:13-24 and looked at the dramatic conversion of Paul. His life, and even his name, changed forever. In fact, the fruit produced as […]
Christ Alone – Confirmed Call
January 15, 2023Pastor Ricky Smith Sermon Notes An encounter with God produces change! How would you share your faith story? Describe your life before trusting Christ.Describe your life after trusting Christ.Describe your life while trusting Christ. I. Brought From Death to Life Galatians 1:13-14For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I […]
Focused Training
I have not yet seen a Rocky movie that I didn’t like. Perhaps it is the boxing, the music, or the characters in the story, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed them all. Most people debate their favorite, and I would admit that Rocky IV is my personal favorite. I think it is the snow training and […]
Christ Alone – One Gospel
January 8, 2023Pastor Ricky Smith Sermon Notes I. Whiplash Effect Galatians 1:6-7I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of […]
Baggage
Recently, I was running late to catch a flight. I could have blamed the rain that slowed down my drive to the airport, the lack of urgency in the TSA agents, the construction on the moving sidewalks, the disruption in train service, or my boots that made it harder to run. No matter the cause, […]
Christ Alone – Godly Authority
January 1, 2023Pastor Ricky Smith Sermon Notes Galatians 1:1-5Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord […]
The Day After
What did you get for Christmas? Most of you spent time yesterday unwrapping packages or tearing into surprises. The piles of gift wrap have been discarded, and some of you may already be disassembling all the decorations. While you exhale from the events that have left you exhausted, let’s inhale the purpose of this holiday. […]
Hope of Christmas – Go and Tell
December 25, 2022Pastor Ricky Smith Sermon Notes Luke 2:1-20In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from […]