All for the Kingdom

Sermon Podcast

Ben Smith Podcast Art SM 2.png
Salvation, Judgement Ben Smith Salvation, Judgement Ben Smith

Garments of Praise, Isaiah 61:1-3

The Gospel of Luke records in the fourth chapter that just after beginning His ministry, Jesus returned to His hometown of Nazareth. He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, which was His custom. That day, by the sovereign providence of God, He was given the scroll of the prophet Isaiah to read to the congregation. He stood, took the scroll, unrolled it to where chapter 61 was written, and read the first verse and a portion of verse 2.

When He finished reading, He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. But Luke tells us that every eye in the building was still fixed on Jesus. He then spoke nine words that would forever change how we understand this verse. He said, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

Isaiah 61 comes in the context of God proclaiming His righteous judgment to His rebellious people. But God's judgment is not focused on Israel's destruction but on her redemption and restoration. The prophet proclaims a hopeful word for us today as well. This is an encouraging word to help us persevere and a promise of the glory that is to come. Jesus declares that the prophet's word has been fulfilled, and this is good news that comforts us presently and gives hope for tomorrow.

Read More
Salvation, Invitation Ben Smith Salvation, Invitation Ben Smith

Rest for your souls, Matthew 11:28-30

Matthew 11:28-30 is a beloved passage because of its pastoral care, gracious invitation, and the promise of rest. However, the context in which this passage comes is of Jesus speaking a harsh word of judgment on those who had rejected Him. But even as He warns of the consequence of sin, He offers a gospel invitation. Jesus invites all to come to saving faith and know the rest that is only known through the forgiveness of sin.

Read More
Jesus, Faith Ben Smith Jesus, Faith Ben Smith

Looking to Jesus, Hebrews 12:1-6

When you are carrying a burden greater than your ability, it creates all kinds of difficulties and dysfunctions. Hebrews 12 is a call to look toward Jesus and be clear in purpose, be confident in power, and be certain of your relationship with Jesus.

Read More
Parents, Children, Family, Mothers, Fathers Ben Smith Parents, Children, Family, Mothers, Fathers Ben Smith

Hopeful Parents, Proverbs 22:6

Proverbs 22:6 is a testimony to the goodness of parents, the blessing of godly parents, and the hope by which parents labor. Presently our culture has become very hostile to the God-ordained role of family and, in particular, parents. It seems that in recent years the efforts of secular forces to diminish the importance and influence of parents in the lives of their children have grown more intense. From a biblical worldview, children's primary and first teachers are their parents. Parents are recognized as the ones with both the primary authority and responsibility for their children. There are many resources that parents can make use of to help them raise their children. Certainly, one of the most important institutions God uses to help parents raise their children is the church. However, no one and no institution can take the place of parents.

Proverbs 22:6 is not a guarantee of outcome. Instead, it recognizes the important role of parents in the spiritual development of children and the grace of God that flows from His truth.

Read More
Church, Evangelism, Faith, power Ben Smith Church, Evangelism, Faith, power Ben Smith

Power and Purpose, John 21:1-11

Many of the disciples were fishermen by trade before Jesus called them to follow him. After the dramatic events of the death and resurrection recorded in John 20, we find these men out on the water fishing again in chapter 21. They have returned what they knew before following Jesus. It almost seems like they are trying to return to normal. However, their routine was interrupted by the miraculous.

I think the real question the disciples were struggling with was what do we do now and how do we do it? Jesus had some lessons still to teach these fishermen. He wanted them and us to know by what power the purposes of God would be accomplished.

Read More
Doubt, Fear, Faith, Belief Ben Smith Doubt, Fear, Faith, Belief Ben Smith

Faith to Believe, John 20:24-29

You can read every apologetics book that has ever been written. You can ponder the mysteries of the universe and the human body's complexities. And though all creation testifies to God's glory, their testimony alone will not lead you to saving faith.

Like Thomas, it is not about more proof but presence. In the presence of Jesus, our fear is confronted, our faith is affirmed, and our belief is celebrated.

Read More
Resurrection Ben Smith Resurrection Ben Smith

Jesus is Alive, John 20:11-18

If you look for how Jesus preached at funerals, you will search in vain because when Jesus went to funerals, He did not just comfort the grieving; He raised the dead. Even before His resurrection, death could not exist where He was.

The hope of the gospel is not that we would cope with death. The hope of the gospel is that Jesus has defeated death. In sin, no one can escape death and its curse. But Jesus conquered death. And through salvation, we can know His resurrection.

Read More
Cross, Atonement Ben Smith Cross, Atonement Ben Smith

It is finished, John 19:23-30

Jesus proclaimed, “It is finished,” as His final word from the cross. With His death, scripture was fulfilled, and the work of redemption was complete. We can do nothing to earn our salvation. Jesus finished the work of atonement on the cross. You cannot add more to what Jesus has done. You must either receive the gift or reject it.

Read More
Cross Ben Smith Cross Ben Smith

King Jesus, John 19:1-22

In an attempt to demonstrate His weakness and powerlessness, Jesus is ridiculed as a false king. But even in His suffering and mistreatment, His kingdom is unshaken. His authority as King of all kings is not threatened.

Death on the cross was intended to be humiliating and shameful. But on the cross, Jesus confronts the guilt and shame of our sin and overcomes it with His own blood.

Read More
Forgivness Ben Smith Forgivness Ben Smith

Draw Near to God, James 4:1-10

It has been a difficult week. Due to a family tragedy, I did not preach this pastor Sunday, and we have been out of town this week for the funeral.

For the podcast this week, I have chosen a sermon I preached in 2020 from the book of James. In this passage, James takes on the cause of conflict in the church and the resulting broken relationship with God and gives a clear solution – draw near to God through repentance. I hope it will be a blessing to you.

Read More
Update Ben Smith Update Ben Smith

3/26/2022 Update

This week has had its challenges. Due to a major water leak in our sanctuary, no recording was made of last Sunday’s sermon. And as the week unfolded my time was consumed with the logistics of dealing with the cleanup and moving our services to another building. Unfortunately, I do not have a sermon podcast for this week and was not able to finish writing my blog post. Today’s episode is a quick update on the events of this past week and what I hope will be in the days to come.

Read More
Elders Ben Smith Elders Ben Smith

The Church's Leadership, 1 Peter 5:1-4

Church leadership can be a complicated subject. Tradition and customs often have more weight on how we structure church leadership than the biblical witness. And there is always the human concern of who has more power than who.

The word elder is almost exclusively used in the New Testament in the plural form. The only references to a singular elder are greetings and instructions on how the church should respond to accusations against an elder. The point is simple: the church is to have a plurality of elders.

The office of elder is sometimes referred to as overseer or pastor. Every reference to elders recognizes the elders as the ones who have authority over and responsibility for the church.

I am confident that the more faithful we obey God’s word, the more the church will be effective and blessed. Thus, in this sermon, I hope to be as biblically faithful as possible, knowing that we do not perfectly reflect this teaching in our church and may find this uncomfortable. I do so that we might constantly examine our faithfulness to God’s word and continually move toward more faithful obedience.

Read More
Equipping the saints, Church Ben Smith Equipping the saints, Church Ben Smith

The Church's Ministry, Ephesians 4:11-16

When someone goes to school to learn a trade, the ultimate goal is to become proficient in the skill well enough to employ it to earn a living. When students choose their degree program in college, the intended purpose is to prepare for a career in a specific field.

Training for a job or studying for a future career are worthy endeavors and have a sense of anticipation for what is to come after the training is complete. However, if your goal were only to train but never to employ your skill, it would become a purposeless endeavor.

A ministry is something that serves as an agency, instrument, or means. The church's ministry is to equip and mature the saints for faithful service to the Lord. Ephesians 4:11-16 points to the role that church leaders have in equipping the saints and the command on all the members of the church to mature and grow.

Read More
Preaching Ben Smith Preaching Ben Smith

The Church's Mission, 2 Timothy 4:1-5

The book of 2 Timothy was written by Paul to Timothy as a letter of instruction as to how he was to pastor and lead the church. This passage (4:1-5), is often used when giving a charge to a newly ordained pastor – and rightly so.

Yet we should not see this passage as only speaking to or applying to pastors. The books of our New Testament were mostly letters written to encourage individuals and specific churches in their living out of the gospel. Being inspired by the Holy Spirit, the church recognized that these letters were instructive for the whole church and thus passed them around to others for their edification. Thus with a passage like this one, we can appreciate how it speaks to a particular group, but we must not lose sight that all of scripture is instructive and beneficial to the whole church.

2 Timothy 4:1-5 commands us to preach the word, minister the word both for God's glory and man's blessing.

Read More
Marriage Ben Smith Marriage Ben Smith

Marriages that testify to Christ, Colossians 3:18-19

This past weekend my family and I were in Athens, GA, because our son, Micah, performed with the Georgia All State Chorus on Saturday. The concert was wonderful, and we enjoyed worshiping with Watkinsville First Baptist on Sunday. I am very thankful for Greg Benfield, who is the Associational Missions Strategist for the Piedmont-Okefenokee Baptist Association. Greg filled the pulpit for me here at Central in Waycross so that I could be away.

Since I did not preach this past Sunday, the sermon this week is one out of the archives. In 2019 I preached a sermon series on families and began with a sermon from Colossians 3:18-19 titled Marriages that testify to Christ. I preached this on March 3, 2019. I hope that it will bless you today.

Read More
Church, Worship Ben Smith Church, Worship Ben Smith

The Church's Worship, Ephesians 5:15-21

Presently there is great confusion about the church’s ministry of worship. Today, many think of the worship ministry of the church as a product of consumption. Thus the main determining factor of attendance for many is founded on personal preferences of music style, preaching style, and formality or informality of the church’s liturgy. Attendance is not understood as an integral part of one’s spiritual life but rather an option equal to all other calendared events.

In this passage, Paul is writing to the church as to how they are to live and interact with other believers in the church. Verses 19 and 20, reference the public worship of the church and the whole passage is instructive for our understanding of worship.

Read More
Church, Church Discipline Ben Smith Church, Church Discipline Ben Smith

The Church's Testimony, Matthew 18:15-20

Church discipline is a subject that makes many uncomfortable. This may be because the church has not been faithful or consistent, some have used the cover of church discipline to abuse, or so little is understood about it, that there is much misunderstanding. Regardless of how uncomfortable it may cause us to be, we must reckon with the fact that this is the teaching of Jesus. May our heart's desire be to faithfully obey the word of God - even the parts that make us uncomfortable.

Read More
Church, Church Discipline Ben Smith Church, Church Discipline Ben Smith

The Church's Foundation, Matthew 16:18-19

This passage follows a very significant moment in the life of Peter. Jesus had asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter replied with the powerful confession: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In verses 18-19 Jesus responds to Peter’s confession. Jesus declares that on this confession of Peter, Jesus will build His church. In this passage, we see that the church is founded on Jesus, sustained by Jesus, and is the testimony of the gospel.

Read More
Sanctity of Life Ben Smith Sanctity of Life Ben Smith

Every life sacred, Job 31:13-15

The issue of the sanctity of life is throughout scripture. Job is the oldest book in the Bible. In this passage, Job makes a defense of himself in response to his friends who have accused him of sin. As a part of his defense, he testifies to the most basic of truths – the sanctity of life.

Read More