First Baptist Church of El Dorado - Sermons

God's gracious activity often arrives in unexpected ways, and the story of Jonah demonstrates how divine rescue can come through the most unlikely means. The fish that swallowed Jonah wasn't just punishment—it was God's sovereign provision of salvation when Jonah deserved death.

• God's sovereign rule extends beyond cosmic forces to even the digestive system of a fish
• The most unexpected aspect of...

God's purpose cannot be thwarted even by our deliberate disobedience, as we see in Jonah's desperate attempt to escape his divine calling to Nineveh.

• The word of God exists to "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable"
• Jonah's story shows a consistent downward trajectory when running from God
• God uses a storm as a wake-up call to Jonah's disobedience and complacency
...

Pastor Taylor Guerin examines the first three verses of Jonah, revealing how a previously faithful prophet fled in the opposite direction when called to preach to Israel's enemies. The story challenges us to confront our tendency to desire grace for ourselves while withholding it from those we deem unworthy.

• Introduces Christopher, a man who found Christ while serving five life sentences, raising questions about who...

Jesus demonstrates the true meaning of ministry by welcoming children when His disciples tried to turn them away, revealing that life's interruptions are often God's divine appointments for meaningful connection and service.

• "Let the little children come to me" challenges our tendency to prioritize tasks over people
• Jesus is never in a hurry despite having the most important mission in history

The only path to true freedom is finding the right authority to serve. We examine the stark reality that we will all be servants of something—either sin leading to death or righteousness leading to life. 

• Paul confronts the misconception that grace gives us license to sin
• Christians have both a positional righteousness and a progressive righteousness
• True freedom isn't found in having no master but in ha...

"The grace of God is not a license to sin, but a license to live." These powerful words from Pastor Taylor Guerin frame a transformative exploration of Romans 6, where we confront one of Christianity's most challenging paradoxes: If God's grace always rises above our sin, shouldn't more sin simply produce more grace?

Drawing from Paul's emphatic response, Pastor Taylor guides us through the ra...

Pastor Taylor Guerin explores Romans 5 to illustrate how Christ's redemptive work overcomes the curse of Adam's fall, offering hope and transformation to all who believe.

• The life of John Newton demonstrates how Jesus transforms even the "chief of sinners"
• Through Adam, sin and death entered the world and spread to all humanity
• We are not just sinners because we sin; we are born into a sin...

Paul's letter to Timothy from prison reveals the beautiful patterns of discipleship that create a legacy of faith across generations.

• Paul's letter to Timothy shows his investment in the next generation despite being imprisoned
• Timothy's faith foundation came through his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice
• Four generations of discipleship appear in 2 Timothy 2:2 showing how faith passes through ...

We explore the profound benefits of justification by faith through Christ as outlined in Romans 5:1-5. Pastor Taylor Guerin unpacks how our position in Christ provides us with peace, access, and hope that transform our daily lives.

• For believers, justification is not a process but a point in time when we are counted righteous because of Christ's finished work
• Before Christ, we were weak, sinners, enemies of Go...

Grace operates not through our works or understanding, but through faith in Christ who justifies the ungodly and transforms us into spiritual children of Abraham.

• Abraham's justification came through faith, not works—setting a pattern for all believers
• If salvation could be earned through work, it would be wages owed, not grace freely given
• God's methods often defy human logic, creating circumstance...

The resurrection of Jesus Christ represents a pivotal moment that transformed both history and our personal relationship with God. When Jesus calls us by name, our sorrows are silenced, our standing secure, and our stories forever shaped by His triumph over the grave.

• Some days change the world – Gutenberg's printing press (1440), American Independence (1776), Pearl Harbor (1941), 9/11 (2001)
• Other days change...

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus demonstrates his divine authority by identifying himself as "I AM" to the soldiers who came to arrest him, causing them to fall to the ground with just his words. Though possessing all power, Jesus chooses to surrender himself willingly, requesting his disciples be allowed to go free and fulfilling his mission to bear our sins.

• Contrast between Adam hiding in Eden versus Jesus...

The good news of the gospel was announced just 111 words after humanity's fall into sin. God immediately provides hope with the promise that one from the seed of woman will crush the serpent's head.

• Adam's attempt to shift blame for his sin demonstrates our natural inclination to avoid responsibility
• When we honestly acknowledge our sin, God faithfully provides forgiveness and pardon
• The "...

This sermon explores Genesis 3, examining how Adam and Eve's rebellion against God has striking parallels to our own struggles with temptation and sin today.

• Satan's first tactic is questioning God's word: "Did God actually say?"
• Eve adds to God's command, showing how easily confusion about Scripture can develop
• Satan's game plan remains unchanged: make us doubt God's g...

Our creator God transcends time, existing eternally before the beginning began, and delights in creating all things from nothing through the power of His word.

• God is eternal, existing before and outside of time, with no beginning or end
• Creation reveals God's power as He creates ex nihilo (out of nothing) simply by speaking
• Every human being has infinite dignity and worth as image-bearers of God
• G...

The gospel offers transformative hope for doubters, sinners, and long-time believers alike, as seen through Nicodemus's journey from nighttime questioning to daylight devotion.

• Nicodemus, a Pharisee and Jewish ruler, approaches Jesus secretly at night with questions and doubt
• Jesus explains being "born again" is a spiritual rebirth through water and Spirit, not a physical experience
• The Spirit ...

Dr. Robert Smith Jr. unpacks the Emmaus Road narrative from Luke 24, revealing how Jesus transforms disciples from discouragement to passionate witnesses through Scripture engagement.

• Moving from "slow hearts" to "burning hearts" happens through deeper Scripture engagement
• Jesus is present throughout the entire Bible, not just the New Testament
• True learning from Scripture should ignite pa...

The greatest turning point in human history occurs in Romans 3:21 with two simple words: "But now." After three chapters of bad news about our sinful condition, Paul reveals God's solution through justification by faith in Christ.

• All people, both Jews and Gentiles, stand condemned under sin
• Paul quotes extensively from Old Testament Scripture to prove universal sinfulness
• The law cannot save u...

What does it mean when your pastor opens a sermon with "This church is full of hypocrites"? In this powerful exploration of Romans 2:1-11, we confront the uncomfortable reality that hypocrisy lurks in all our hearts – but what happens when that hypocrisy evolves into dangerous self-righteousness?

The message delivers a sobering wake-up call about the ways we might be trusting in our own goodness rather than Chris...