Century Baptist Church Sermons

Living Hope | 4.20.25

A sermon from 1 Peter 1:3-7
1. Fact              a. Burial              b. Empty tomb              c. Appearances              d. Transformation
2. Faith              a. The root of our living hope              b. The result of our living hope              c. The refining of our living hope
 
GOSPEL CONNECTION
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, thatChrist died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4and that He wasburied, and that He was raised on the third day according to theScriptures, 5and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve…19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most tobe pitied. 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who are asleep. 21For since by a man came death, by aman also came the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die,so also in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-5, 19-22)
APPLICATION
What will you do this week to pursue joy in the midst of trials? How will you rejoice in your salvation today?
MEMORY VERSE
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1 Peter 1:3, ESV)

Clarity and Confidence | 4.13.2025

A SERMON FROM 1 JOHN 4:12-21
God abides in us         A. Holy Spirit         B. Father         C. Son
God’s love is perfected in us         A. Completes confidence         B. Casts out fear         C. Cancels hate
GOSPEL CONNECTION
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3:16-21)
APPLICATION
What fear will you ask God to help you overcome this week?
MEMORY VERSE
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.” (1 John 4:18)

The Shortest Distance Between 2 Points is a Zig-Zag | 4.6.25

A sermon from Exodus 13:17-22
Israel was not ready for the straight-line route.
God wants to equip us for our battles.
What can I count on during the zig-zag?     a. God is paying attention to you     b. God’s provision     c. God’s presence
GOSPEL CONNECTION
The verse, "For we walk by faith, not by sight," (2 Corinthians 5:7) is a key concept in Christian theology, urging believers to trust in God's promises and unseen realities rather than relying solely on what they can see or understand. Our lives are lived by faith and it is by faith we have eternal life. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
APPLICATION
What specific step(s) will you take this week to demonstrate trust in God’s leading in your daily life?
MEMORY VERSE
“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)
 
 

God is Love | 3.30.25

A sermon from 1 John 4:7-11
The source of love
The example of love
The cost of love
GOSPEL CONNECTION
“But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:21-26
APPLICATION
What specific steps will you take this week to demonstrate your love for another believer?
MEMORY VERSE
“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.” 1 John 4:9

He is Greater | 3.23.25

A sermon from 1 John 4:1-6
Testing the spirits
Walk in truth
GOSPEL CONNECTION
“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:5-7) (see also Ephesians 2:1-9)
APPLICATION
What influences (read: “sources”) in your life (i.e., social media, entertainment, books, ideas, others) will you “put to the test” this week to see whether they are from God?
MEMORY VERSE
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)

The Heart of Prayer | 3.16.25

A sermon from 1 John 3:19-24
Confidence in prayer
Conditions for prayer
GOSPEL CONNECTION
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)
APPLICATION
What are you willing to do (or try) this week to be more intentional in keeping God’s commandments and, accordingly, abiding in Him?
MEMORY VERSE
“And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.” (1 John 3:23-24)

Love and Hate | 3.9.25

A sermon from 1 John 3:11-18
The consequence of hatred          a. The root of hate          b. The result of hate
The precedence of love          a. Our eternity          b. Our example
The evidence of life
GOSPEL CONNECTION
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” (John 5:24)
APPLICATION
What specific step will you take this week to put your love for another follower of Jesus into action?
MEMORY VERSE
“Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.” (1 John 3:18)
 

Evidence Matters | 3.2.25

A sermon from 1 John 3:4-10
Lawlessness            -What is the practice of sinning? (4, 8a)            -Who practices sinning?            -One who does not abide in God (6)            -One who is not born of God (9)            -One who is not a child of God (10)
Righteousness           -The practice of righteous ones (7)           -The purpose of the Righteous One (5, 8b)
GOSPEL CONNECTION
“For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin. 10For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:5-7, 10, 11)
APPLICATION
In what area of your life are you most vulnerable to sin?  What guardrails will you implement this week to keep you from practicing that sin?
MEMORY VERSE
“By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.” (1 John 3:10)

Face to Face | 2.23.25

A sermon from 1 John 2:28 — 3:3
Our confidence at His appearing
Our condition at His appearing
Our cleansing until His appearing
GOSPEL CONNECTION
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:12-14)
APPLICATION
What will you do this week to purify yourself in anticipation of Christ’s return?
MEMORY VERSE
“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” (1 John 3:1-2)

Antichrists | 2.16.25

A sermon from 1 John 2:18-27
Defining the antichrists
Detecting the antichrists4
Defeating the antichrists
GOSPEL CONNECTION
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6)
APPLICATION
What will you do this week to better prepare yourself against antichrists and their false doctrines? Who is someone you can encourage in their relationship with Jesus?
MEMORY VERSE
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:27-29)