First Baptist Church Sermons

You were not saved by accident. In 1 Peter 2:9-10, Pastor Andrew shows that God has given believers a clear identity and a specific purpose. You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people. Not because of anything you did, but because of what Christ did. And because of that, the veil is torn, you have full access to God at any moment, and you belong to Him complet...

Where you end up in life is not luck. Chris Chavez opens Ephesians 5:15 to show that walking circumspectly means living with deliberate, intentional decisions rather than just rolling the dice and hoping things turn out. Three choices made daily can set the course of a life: open God's word personally, maintain a clean conscience before God and man, and choose to freely forgive no matter what come...

When should you fast, and why does it matter? Drawing from examples in Daniel 9, Ezra 8, Esther 4, Acts 13, and Matthew 4, Pastor Andrew shows that fasting is not about earning God's favor or proving your spirituality. It is about aligning your heart with God's will, removing distractions, and approaching Him with humility and sincerity. The guiding principle runs through the entire passage: your...

Every person ever born has one thing in common: none of us came into this world in the Garden of Eden. Dr. Bryan Stensaas uses the account of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4 to show why that simple fact makes every human being a sinner in need of a Redeemer. Both brothers knew God, both brought offerings to Him, but only one came God's way. Drawing from Romans 5:12, Leviticus 17:11, and Hebrews 9:22, t...

The greatest gift a mother can give her children has nothing to do with wealth, education, or opportunity. Drawing from 2 Timothy 1:1-7, Pastor Andrew looks at two women the Bible names by name, Timothy's grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice, and what made their influence last for over 2,000 years. Sincere faith, consistent teaching of Scripture, and the courage to stand for truth even when cult...

Fasting is one of the least understood topics in the Christian life, but Jesus addresses it directly in Matthew 6:16-18. Pastor Andrew walks through what fasting is not: a performance, a path to salvation, a religious ritual, or a guaranteed formula to get God to act. True fasting is a private, humble act of seeking God, done not to impress anyone but because it is between you and Him. And God, wh...

Being saved is just the beginning. Dennis Hicks walks through the New Testament call to walk worthy of the Lord, challenging believers to examine the gap between what they believe and how they live. Drawing from Colossians, Ephesians, and Romans 8:28-29, he shows that the Christian life is not a one-time event but an ongoing pursuit of being conformed to the image of Christ not just on Sundays, bu...

From 1 Peter 2:7-8, Pastor Andrew lays out a truth that leaves no room for gray area: the same Jesus produces two completely different responses. To some He is precious, valued above everything else. To others He is a stumbling stone. There is no middle ground. Whether you have never put your faith in Christ or you have been a Christian for years but find yourself tripping over the stone you are s...

God told the prophet Hosea to marry a woman He knew would be unfaithful, and through that marriage He painted one of the most striking portraits of His own heart in all of Scripture. Pastor Andrew surveys the structure and major themes of Hosea, showing how Israel's spiritual adultery, God's painful judgment, and His relentless love all point forward to what Christ would one day do for us. The mes...

Real prayer is not a performance, a ritual, or a wish list. Picking up in Matthew 6:11-15, Pastor Andrew walks through the final elements of Jesus' model prayer: daily dependence on God for provision, honest confession of sin, the choice to forgive others, and a recognition of God's sovereignty. True prayer is God-centered, not self-centered, and when your prayer life gets right, everything else i...

Before you can understand the rest of Scripture, you need a firm grasp of who God is. Drawing from Genesis 1 through 4, Dr. Bryan Stensaas surveys the foundational attributes of God established in the earliest chapters of the Bible: his holiness, justice, faithfulness, wisdom, and his role as the seeker of man. These are not just theological facts. They are the bedrock of a Christian worldview, an...

Every life is built on something, and eventually, what you've built on will be tested. Drawing from 1 Peter 2:4-6, Pastor Andrew shows that Jesus Christ is not just a historical figure or a religious idea. He is a living stone, rejected by the world but chosen and precious to God. When you come to him, you are not just saved from something. You are built into something, transformed from the inside...

The story of 2 Kings is not just ancient history. It is a mirror. Dr. Bryan Stensaas walks through the persistent national sin that brought down both Israel and Judah, tracing it back to one man: Jeroboam. His sin was not outright atheism. It was making worship convenient, acceptable, and religious-looking while stripping it of what God actually required. That pattern did not stay in the Old Testa...

This message on Matthew 6:5-15 shows that true prayer is not performance, repetition, or ritual. Pastor Andrew explains that real prayer begins with reverence for God, trust in His fatherly care, and submission to His will. He also shows that Jesus model prayer is not empty words to repeat, but a pattern that teaches you to honor God first and pray with sincerity.

Bro Dennis Hicks walks through four prison prayers of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. You will see how Paul prayed for spiritual wisdom, inner strength, deeper love, and a life that walks worthy of the Lord. The sermon shows how these prayers still apply to believers today and how the Holy Spirit uses Gods Word to shape your growth, your motives, and your daily walk wit...

This Scripture Snapshot on Jonah shows how God pursues His prophet, judges disobedience, and extends mercy even to a wicked city. Pastor Andrew walks through Jonahs running, praying, preaching, and anger to reveal the sovereignty of God, the power of repentance, and the danger of spiritual prejudice. The sermon also points to Christ, showing that salvation belongs to the Lord and is offered beyond...

This sermon from 1 Peter 2:1-3 asks a simple but searching question: are you growing as a Christian? Pastor Andrew shows that spiritual growth begins by laying aside sin, especially malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and evil speaking. He then explains that believers grow by craving the pure Word of God and remembering how gracious the Lord has been. This message is a clear call to move beyond mere...

In Matthew 6:1-4, Jesus exposes the danger of hypocrisy in worship by addressing how we give. Pastor Andrew teaches that genuine worship involves giving with pure motives not for recognition, but out of love for God. From Christs warning about doing alms before men, we learn that God values the heart behind our actions far more than the attention they attract. True worship means giving quietly, hu...

In this Sunday School message, Dennis Hicks walks the class through five recent themes at First Baptist Church. Drawing from passages in John, Ephesians, Timothy, Corinthians, and 1 Peter, he shows how each theme points believers toward growth in sanctification, daily walking with God, being renewed inwardly, and letting Christ increase through our lives.

Missionary Josh Clay gives a detailed report from the Ivory Coast, West Africa, sharing how God is using evangelism, Bible teaching, literacy classes, basketball ministries, and church planting to reach people with the gospel. He explains the challenges of ministry in a community-based culture, the growth of the church in Anna, and the need for believers to trust the Lord step by step. His testimo...

Pastor Andrew teaches from 1 Peter 1:22-25 about a love that lasts, showing that true holiness is not just avoiding sin, but growing in genuine love for God and for Gods people. He explains that this love comes from being born again through the incorruptible word of God, and that lasting Christian love is sincere, fervent, and visible in everyday life. The message also points to the eternal truth...

In Matthew 5, Pastor Andrew teaches that Jesus calls His followers to more than outward religion. True righteousness starts in the heart and shows itself in how you treat even those who hurt you. This message explains what it means to love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute you. It challenges you to reflect the mercy and grace o...

The Most Important Two-Letter Word explains why one small word, if carries such weight in 1 Corinthians 15. Pastor Andrew shows that if Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead, faith would be empty, sins would remain, and hope would be lost, but because Jesus is risen, you can have forgiveness, life, and victory. The message also challenges believers to live for Christ now and calls anyone unsure...

The Heart of the Matter Part 4: Retaliation challenges you to let go of revenge and trust God with justice. Pastor Andrew teaches from Matthew 5 that Jesus calls His followers to a higher way, one marked by restraint, grace, and a spirit that does not cling to personal rights. Instead of striking back, you are encouraged to respond with humility, protect your testimony, and live in a way that refl...

Pastor Andrew teaches from 1 Peter 1:17-21 that if you call God your Father, you should live with reverence before Him. This message reminds you that God is both Father and Judge, that this life is temporary, and that you are called to live holy and bold for Christ. It also points you to the precious blood of Jesus Christ, the only sufficient price for your redemption, and urges you not to live ca...