Century Baptist Church Sermons

The Beginning of the Ending | 5.12.24

A sermon from Matthew 24:3-8
The wondering
The warning
The waiting
Gospel Connection
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. 36“But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I willcertainly not cast out. 38“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40“For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” 44“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:35-40, 44 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 is one thing you will do this week to guard yourself against false teachers (those claiming to come in the name of Jesus)?
 
 

The Temple | 5.5.24

A sermon from Matthew 24:1-2 (ESV)
The radiance of the temple
The ruin of the temple
The replacement of the temple
Gospel Connection
But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation bin His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26for 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 3:21-26Jesus came to earth, taught truth, lived holiness, and humbly laid down His life as the sacrifice for sin, once for all. All mankind needs a savior, a redeemer, for every one has sinned and falls short of the holiness of Creator God (Romans 3:23). Jesus willingly went to the cross and wasmurdered, taking on our sin in His death, which was done on our behalf. Jesus satisfied the wrath of His Father, who is holy, perfect, and just. The only way for someone to enter the presence of Almighty, Sovereign God is by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ whoseblood shed on the cross satisfied God’s wrath against sin by being the perfect sacrifice (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:1-2). In Christ alone man is reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:16-21).
Application
How will you live in gratitude this week for Jesus’ sacrificial gift given to you?

Symphony of Sorrow | 4.28.24

A sermon from Matthew 23:37-39
Rejected God’s prophets
Refused God’s protection
Received God’s punishment
Gospel Connection
Jesus is the Messiah. God’s covenant with Abraham is unilateral and irrevocable. Paul taught about Jesus’ future salvation of Israel.  "For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; 26and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”27“This is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” 28From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; 29for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:25-29)
Application
How will you incorporate the truth of Biblical prophecy into your life and interactions this week?

Selective Memory | 4.21.24

A sermon from Matthew 23:29-36
Hindsight
Foresight
Gospel Connection
Peter preached (Acts 2:14ff) of the One the OT prophets foretold God would send as the Savior for the sins of man…Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the nameof Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39“For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” 40And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” 41So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.”(Acts 2:38-41)
Application
What will you do this week to align your inward character with your outward religious activity (Prov. 4:20-27)?
 

Inside Out | 4.14.24

A sermon from Matthew 23:25-28
Dirty Dishes
Filthy Tomb
Gospel Connection
John tells his purpose for writing his first letter: to maintain fellowship with God our Father and His Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:3).
“6If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:6-10)
Application
What will you do this week to keep your heart pure so that what is seen outwardly accurately reflects who you are inwardly (Prov. 4:20-27)?

It All Comes Down to This | 4.7.24

A sermon from Matthew 23:23-24
 
Small matters
Heavy matters
Your life matters
Gospel Connection
A believer in Jesus is to live in a way which reflects our Savior to fellow Christians and non-Christians alike, with the fruit of the Spirit evident in us. “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3)
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
Application
As you reflect on your obedience to God’s law and living as a disciple of Jesus, what will you do this week to walk more fully in the same manner as Jesus walked (1 John 2:6)?
 

Resurrection Power | 3.31.24

A sermon from Luke 24:36-53
Bestows peace
Turns the past into the future
Empowers and abundant life
 
Gospel Connection
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-5)
“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
Application
Who will you talk to this week about the importance and necessity of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection for all mankind?

Good Friday Service | 3.29.24

A Good Friday sermon from Hebrews 2:5-18
5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere,
“What is man, that you are mindful of him,    or the son of man, that you care for him?7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels;    you have crowned him with glory and honor,8     putting everything in subjection under his feet.”
Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying,
“I will tell of your name to my brothers;    in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”
13 And again,
“I will put my trust in him.”
And again,
“Behold, I and the children God has given me.”
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Closing the Loopholes | 3.24.24

A sermon from Matthew 23:16-22
 Be careful who you follow and how you lead
Pursue truth over tradition
Walk in God’s faithfulness
Gospel Connection
By Jesus Christ doing the will of God in becoming the sacrifice for sin, once for all, sinful humanity can become holy (via God’s grace through faith, see Ephesians 2:1-10). Hebrews 10:1-18 describes what Jesus did and what we received.
"After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law), 9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second. 10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:8-10)
Application
How will you live out Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” this week?
 

The Key to the Kingdom | 3.17.24

A sermon from Matthew 23:13-15
The Defense (vs. 14)
The Door (vs. 13)
The Disciple (vs. 15)
Gospel Connection
It is not possible for mankind to obtain eternal life on their own works, merit and efforts. Jesus makes that truth clear in Matthew 19:16-26.
"But God, who is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4-5), has demonstrated His love for us in Christ Jesus." (Romans 5:8)
Entrance into the kingdom of heaven is only found in Jesus Christ (John 14:6).
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) (ESV)
Application
With whom will you share the key to entering the kingdom of heaven?  When will you do it?