The heart desire of Christians must be for other Christians to grow in faith and obedience. This statement seems so obvious and elementary that you may be tempted to assume that it does not need to be stated or given much attention. It is indeed obvious and elementary, but it needs to be said and given attention because it often conflicts with your flesh's natural desires.

Often, what is celebrated are temporary and fleeting achievements. Often, what is rewarded is what the world loves and not the things of God. Often, what your heart desires are rewards that have only momentary value. As a result, what you pray for is too often from the desires of the flesh rather than the will of God.

How can you train your heart to desire, above all other things, for other Christians to grow in faith and obedience? This passage models two areas that you must give the attention of your heart and mind to in order to train your heart to desire that other Christians grow in faith and obedience.

Be encouraged by what God has accomplished. (6-10)

Pray for what only God can do. (11-13)

Ben Smith is the pastor of Central Baptist Church, Waycross, GA.

Sermon preached 2/16/2025.

Books and downloadable PDFs of Pastor Ben’s sermon notes are available at http://bensmithsr.org/resources.

For more information on Central Baptist Church, visit www.cbcwaycross.org.

Pastor Ben Smith preaches from 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:5 on how to strengthen and exhort the church to stand firm against the attacks of Satan.

The passion of God’s servants must be to strengthen and exhort the church to stand firm against the attacks of Satan.

Verses 17-20 of chapter 2 express Paul’s lament that he was forced to leave the church shortly after they had come to faith and his great desire to return and be with them again. This is more than a recounting of events; it is likely a defense against those attempting to deceive the church by discrediting Paul and accusing him of abandoning them.

Acts 17:1-10 describes how a hostile mob attacked the home of one of the first Thessalonian Christians named Jason, who believed that he was harboring Paul and the others in his house. Jason's life was spared only after he put up a financial surety bond that Paul and those with him would leave the city.

In these final verses of chapter 2, Paul makes clear that he indeed loves the church (17) and has only stayed away because of Satan's opposition (18). Verses 19 and 20 encourage the church that Christ will return, and on that day, there will be great rejoicing in all who have received the gift of salvation.

We are reminded that the chapter divisions are not part of the original text, with the division between chapters two and three. These first verses of chapter 3 are not a new idea but a continuation of the verses that precede it. Paul indicates that his desire to minister to the young Christians was so great that he sent Timothy to them even at great personal cost and suffering (3:1-2a).

In chapter three, verse 2, we have the key verse for this passage. Timothy was sent to establish and exhort the church in their faith that they might stand firm against the temptation of Satan.

The question that we consider with this passage is:

What does the church need to stand firm against the attacks of Satan?

This passage teaches two ministries that help the church stand firm in the faith.

1. Work to establish and strengthen the church.

2. Exhort the church to obedience.

Ben Smith is the pastor of Central Baptist Church, Waycross, GA.

Sermon preached 2/23/2025.

Books and downloadable PDFs of Pastor Ben’s sermon notes are available at http://bensmithsr.org/resources.

For more information on Central Baptist Church, visit www.cbcwaycross.org.

I am excited to announce a new podcast project titled View from the Pulpit. Each episode will feature interviews with pastors and church members exploring the role of preaching, the labor of preparing to preach, the effectiveness of how one preaches, and so much more. This podcast is about preaching, but it is not just for preachers. So whether each Sunday you are behind the pulpit or in the pew, I hope you will tune in for engaging conversations that will help you better understand why preaching is vital to the church’s health. The podcast is available in Apple Podcast, Spotify, and many other podcast apps. Subscribe today so that you will not miss an episode.

Pastor Ben preaches from 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16 that salvation is not the result of man's work or ability but a testimony to God's power and sovereignty alone.

Ben Smith is the pastor of Central Baptist Church, Waycross, GA.

Sermon preached 2/16/2025.

When sinners receive the gospel as the word of God and are saved, it is not the result of man's work or ability but a testimony to God's power and sovereignty alone. In 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16 Paul gives thanks for the Thessalonians' testimony and how it testifies to the power and sovereignty of God to save whom He wills. This passage reminds the church that salvation does not come and is not dependent on the work or ability of man but the power and sovereignty of God alone.

This passage teaches three perspectives that will keep your heart and mind focused on the power and sovereignty of God.

Subscribe to Pastor Ben’s new podcast project, “View from the Pulpit.”

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/view-from-the-pulpit-with-ben-smith/id1796433489

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4H8yxbzbDmymNHZz5Z5JUI

Podcast website: https://www.bensmithsr.org/vftp

Books and downloadable PDFs of Pastor Ben’s sermon notes are available at http://bensmithsr.org/resources.

For more information on Central Baptist Church, visit www.cbcwaycross.org.

Pastor Ben preaches from 1 Thessalonians 2:9-12 on what your labor and faithfulness testify to.

Ben Smith is the pastor of Central Baptist Church, Waycross, GA.

Sermon preached 2/9/2025.

Books and downloadable PDFs of Pastor Ben’s sermon notes are available at http://bensmithsr.org/resources.

For more information on Central Baptist Church, visit www.cbcwaycross.org.

Pastor Ben preaches from 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 that the work of the church and your personal service to God must be God-directed, God-honoring, and God-pleasing.

Ben Smith is the pastor of Central Baptist Church, Waycross, GA.

Sermon preached 2/2/2025.

Books and downloadable PDFs of Pastor Ben’s sermon notes are available at http://bensmithsr.org/resources.

For more information on Central Baptist Church, visit www.cbcwaycross.org.

The evidence of true salvation is more than words; it is evidenced by a life transformed by God, a rejection of sin, and obedience to God.

One of the struggles for the church in a post-Christian culture is rediscovering what it means to be saved. In a Christian culture, salvation was often assumed rather than evidenced. Now that we live in a post-Christian culture, many are no longer compelled to obey the most fundamental commands of God, like gathering with the saints on the Lord’s Day, but still claim to be saved. Today, the church must rediscover a biblical understanding of the evidence of conversion.

What are the evidences of true conversion? In the opening verses of 1 Thessalonians, the Bible lists 10 identifying marks of the elect of God.

Ben Smith is the pastor of Central Baptist Church, Waycross, GA.

Sermon preached 1/26/2025.

Romans 6:20-23 is about the consequence of sin and the hope of the gospel. It is a precious passage that I have often preached in no small part because of the great gospel promise of verse 23. Generally, when preaching this passage, the majority of attention is given to the hope of salvation, which is the main idea of the passage. However, with this sermon, I want to give attention to the warning concerning sin.

All sin leads to death, both physical and spiritual.

In the confusion and brokenness of this world, the consequence of death is sometimes ignored but more often celebrated and even encouraged. Abortion brings death but is celebrated as a way to preserve sexual freedom, ensure individual autonomy, and provide gender equality. Abortion, as with all sin, is presented by the world as good and desirable, but it produces the rotten fruit of death.

The sanctity of human life is not first a political issue; it is, first, a theological issue. Christians must be clear concerning the cost and destruction of sin. Only then will you appreciate the great and glorious hope of the gospel.

This passage exposes sin’s necrotic nature and the remedy of the gospel.

For other sermons on the sanctity of life visit:

Audio: https://www.bensmithsr.org/bensmith-allforthekingdom/category/Sanctity+of+Life,

Video: https://www.bensmithsr.org/sermons#life,

https://vimeo.com/showcase/4969759