First Baptist Granite Falls

Afterthoughts of Easter Sermon Series  - What Happens When Jesus Shows Up? In the days following the resurrection, Jesus appeared to many of His followers. There was a flood of joy, but also an unfortunate amount of doubt and unbelief. It's hard to believe after experiencing all they had seen, that those who followed Jesus would ever have doubt. Let's see how Jesus makes himself known to...

Afterthoughts of Easter Sermon Series - We have been considering the "Afterthoughts of Easter" for a few weeks now since Resurrection Sunday has past. What events happened following the resurrection? What was Jesus trying to accomplish with the time He spent in the forty days following? One of the greatest pictures of restoration happens on a beach as Jesus serves fish for breakfast. The...

Afterthoughts of Easter Sermon Series  - What happened in the days following the crucifixion and resurrection? We know the events of Easter weekend but not much is highlighted about the following days and weeks. This first sermon in the April sermon series will show how the gospel changes our identity by immersing us in Christ when we begin a relationship with Him! Join us as we walk through Roman...

Easter 2023 - Do You Know? We all can recount some details of Easter. Easter is renowned and recognized somewhat across the whole world. You know the story of Easter, but do you know the Jesus of Easter? This Jesus is not just some historical religious guru, not a radical leader with baseless claims, but the Son of God, the Savior of the world that is no longer buried. He is risen from the grave i...

Special Guest/Baptist Children's Home of NC  - Jody Yopp has pastored two North Carolina Baptist Churches over the last 23 years.  He is a graduate of Gardner-Webb University and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.  Jody has been married to Staci for 22 years and they have two children, Camron their son is 20, and Savannah, their daughter is 17.  For the last 3 years Jody has served on...

Final Sermon in Galatians Sermon Series (Palm Sunday) - We wear crosses for jewelry, use them for decoration, or at a minimum we are numbly familiarized with its meaning. In the first century the cross was an instrument of torture. Romans and Jews alike associated the cross with DEATH. For Paul to write of "boasting in the cross" in his final words to the church in Galatia, for some, did...

Galatians Sermon Series - We are entering into the final chapter of Galatians with Paul's message turning towards challenging the believers in the Galatian church. He initially questioned their devotion to the gospel and warned them about listening to wayward teaching. Then he encourages them to walk in the Spirit and now begins to close his letter with encouragement to live with the purpose...

Galatians Sermon Series - The key to effectiveness with Paul's message to the Galatians is not to merely save them from empty religious practice, but to save them to a God that gave His life for them! According to Galatians 4:19 (this week's key verse), Paul's desire is to move them towards maturity in their relationship with Jesus. He uses the words like "children" indica...

Galatians Sermon Series - Wouldn't it be nice to finally be free? The premise of this whole series is that we can once and for all be free from the sin that binds us and holds us back from the life Jesus intends for us to live. It's an experience like no other when we finally grasp this concept. This week we will see what it looks like when we're "Breaking Free"!

Galatians Sermon Series - What does it look like to live "Life in the Spirit"? This week we will explore the second half of Galatians 5 to see how the flesh rivals the Spirit of God inside us. We are definitely affected by the flesh we still inhabit, but the power of the Spirit displays fruit and leads us in ways nothing else can.

Galatians Sermon Series - So far Paul has spent many verses in Galatians chiding the Judaizers for turning away quickly from the original gospel. Now for a short glimpse of time he takes a pause from calling them out to showing them what being a part of God's family looks like. The Judaizers are tied more tightly to Abraham, but Paul tells them in Christ, their position and privileges show us...

Galatians Sermon Series - The main truth that we saw over and over in Galatians 1 is this: God's pleasure in you is not based on your performance for Him. Now in one sense that seems freeing; but in another sense, that seems frustrating. You mean I can't do anything to please God? In the answer to the question we have the secret, in as sense, to the Christian life. Legalism and hypocrisy...

Galatians Sermon Series - The saga of the gospel in the area of Galatia heats up this week as we find Paul's letter continuing to challenge the Galatian churches to protect themselves from the teaching of a tainted gospel. Paul recounts not only his message to believers there but gives account of his encounter with some of the faithful men (like Peter) who should've known better than to...

Galatians Sermon Series - God's grace is unbelievable! With all the promises He has made to us, it's hard to understand how He loves us like He does. Two Old Testament stories show God's love for His people through covenants with Abraham and Moses. But do they contradict one another? One is about grace. One is about the law. This week Paul's message to the Galatians is what it...

Galatians Sermon Series - Have you been transformed by the grace of God? In church life, it seems grace is everywhere. It's in our hymn books. It's in our prayers. It's in our homes on pillows and decorations. Grace seems "soft" but it's one of the most powerful gifts of God we can receive. This week in Galatians, we continue to follow Paul's opening greeting to...

  Galatians Sermon Series - The Gospel is simple. It's from Jesus. There is nothing we can add to it or take away from it that will ever be beneficial to us. If anything when we begin to create our "own gospel" by doing these things, it does more harm than good. The harm comes by distorting the true gospel, suffering the effects, and trying to please men rather than God. Join us thi...

Galatians Sermon Series - Many believers love the idea of being "saved" but truly don't understand what they have. We know it means we get Jesus and heaven, but does it bring with it the freedom that God intends? Our journey through Galatians will gaze at the struggle the early church faced to convince believers that the gospel is truly free! There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING we can do to...

With heading into a new year, we're all tempted to set new goals and resolutions! In reality, we know most of those will be material or physical. If we want to be prosperous in 2023 it will come with getting ourselves in order spiritually. This Sunday we will see what it looks like to have a "Perfect Prescription for a Prosperous New Year"!

2022 Christmas Day Message:  We know the Christmas story. We know the characters, the details, and have even somewhat figured out the reason behind all of it. Even so, we always need a reminder about the truth of Christmas. We know the who and the what.....but have we considered the WHY?

2022 Christmas Sermon Series:  Hope. Love. Faith. The birth of the Christ child brought all of these to life and offered them to us. They're not just mere emotions, but what we have when we receive the fullness of God in Christ Jesus! This week we will sing "Joy to the World" and "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" to remember the massive message of celebration a "JOY"...

2022 Christmas Sermon Series: Without the incarnation, Christmas isn't Christmas. Without Jesus, Christmas doesn't exist. This season we will seek out the normal tidbits of the Christmas story, but focus on the supernatural truth that baby Jesus was God who wrapped Himself in flesh and came to earth to save His people. That was certainly a prophecy for Israel but now is a truth for me an...

This time of year we settle in for a transition from fall into Christmas. It brings about the focus of "thankfulness" and how we must pause to give thanks to the God who leads and provides. Even our very lives are not possible without His giving us each breath. However, we must not just be thankful one time of year, but practice thanksgiving as a lifestyle each day. When we recognize tha...

Closing Out Covenant: The story of God's covenant with mankind through history is a long, arduous process involving process, symbolism and promise! We have merely skimmed the surface as to study the depths of God's heart for those He has created. Our journey from the Old Testament (Old Covenant) to the New Testament (New Covenant) has been quick, but fruitful. It gives us but a glimpse o...

Covenant Sermon Series - For hundreds of years God has been faithful to His people. Even though they have not always obeyed His way, He has always shown them "covenant-faithfulness"! The symbolic nature of the old covenant has given them hope for centuries and now comes full circle with a new and better covenant made for them. Join us this Sunday as we transition from the Old Covenant to...

Covenant Sermon Series - Our covenant relationship with God has qualities like no other relationship shares. The serious and binding nature of the standards God sets forth shows how valuable we are and how holy He is! Join us this week as we visit various scriptures in the Bible that show us the "Qualities of Covenant"! This will change the way you worship.