Community Baptist Church’s Sermons

This sermon explores the biblical principles of giving as presented in 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9, emphasizing that Christian giving is not governed by Old Testament law but by grace. Pastor Joe Fant addresses common misconceptions about tithing and presents giving as a spiritual discipline and act of worship rather than a legal obligation. The message challenges believers to view their financial stewardship as an expression of gratitude for God's grace, demonstrating that where our treasure is, our heart will be also. The sermon emphasizes that God cares more about the heart attitude behind giving than the amount given, and that generous giving produces a harvest of righteousness in the believer's life. Throughout, Pastor Joe maintains that giving should be voluntary, eager, cheerful, sacrificial, and expectant—reflecting the grace that believers have received through Christ.

Key Points:

• Giving is Voluntary, Not Compulsory: New Testament giving is an act of grace, not a legal requirement. Believers should give willingly from the heart, not out of obligation or coercion.

• The Tithe as Principle, Not Law: While the 10% tithe was part of Old Testament law, it continues to serve as a helpful pattern and starting point for New Testament believers, though not as a binding legal requirement.

• Giving Should Be Eager and Contagious: Enthusiastic giving in one believer or church can inspire others to greater generosity, creating a ripple effect of grace-filled service.

• Cheerful Giving Delights God: God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). Giving should flow from joy and gratitude, not reluctance or guilt.

• Sacrificial Giving in the Midst of Poverty: The Macedonian churches gave generously despite extreme poverty and persecution, demonstrating that faithful giving isn't dependent on perfect circumstances.

• Give Expectantly, Not to Get: While God promises to bless generous givers, the primary harvest is righteousness and spiritual growth, not necessarily financial return. The prosperity gospel's "give to get" mentality distorts biblical teaching.

• Where Your Treasure Is, Your Heart Will Be: Investing financially in God's kingdom work naturally directs our hearts toward heavenly priorities and loosens our grip on earthly possessions.

• Give According to Your Means: God expects us to give proportionally to what we have, which is both a comfort to those with less and a challenge to those with more.

• Primary Giving Should Be Through the Local Church: The local church provides accountability and oversight for how funds are used for gospel purposes.

• Do Your Giving While You're Living: Rather than waiting for inheritance or death, believers should give generously now to see the fruit of their giving and know where it's going.

Scripture Reference:

• Primary Text: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9:15 (entire passage read from New Living Translation)
• Supporting Passages:
  • Matthew 6:19-21 (treasures in heaven)
  • 1 Thessalonians 1:3-6 (Macedonian believers' affliction)
  • Genesis 14 (Abraham and Melchizedek)
  • Genesis 28 (Jacob's promise)
  • Matthew 23 and Luke 11 (Jesus on tithing)
  • Galatians 3 and Romans 7 (freedom from the law)

This sermon explores the nature of corporate worship through the lens of God's unshakable kingdom as presented in Hebrews 12:28-29. Pastor Ben Jacquot establishes that worship is the church's life, while gospel witness is her mission. The sermon defines the kingdom of God as "the King's power over the King's people in the King's place" and traces this theme throughout Scripture. The central argument is that acceptable worship must be built on a foundation of gratitude for receiving God's unshakable kingdom through Jesus Christ's covenant work. This gratitude, combined with reverence and awe before God as a consuming fire, characterizes proper worship. The sermon emphasizes that we enter this kingdom through the new covenant mediated by Christ's blood, which speaks reconciliation rather than vengeance. As the kingdom is already inaugurated but not yet consummated, believers live as citizens of an eternal realm that will remain when everything else is shaken and destroyed. The sermon concludes with practical applications for corporate worship, emphasizing the need to cultivate gratitude, evaluate worship biblically, and eliminate all flippancy when approaching the living God.

Key Points:

• Worship is the church's life, while sharing the gospel is her mission
• The kingdom of God is defined as the king's power over the king's people in the king's place
• We receive the kingdom through Jesus Christ as mediator of the new covenant through His blood
• Christ's blood speaks reconciliation to God, unlike Abel's blood which cried out for vengeance
• The kingdom is both "already" present and "not yet" consummated
• Everything in creation will be shaken and destroyed except God's unshakable kingdom
• Christ defeated Satan and plundered his kingdom through the weakness of the cross
• God delights to give the kingdom to His people as a gracious gift
• Acceptable worship requires gratitude as its foundation
• Acceptable worship is characterized by reverence and awe before God as a consuming fire
• Not all worship is acceptable to God; sincerity alone is insufficient
• Corporate worship should be evaluated on whether God was accurately presented and whether we responded appropriately
• Flippancy in worship must be hated and eliminated
• Gratitude flows from understanding God's grace in salvation

Scripture Reference:

• Hebrews 12:28-29 (primary text)
• Hebrews 12:18-27 (extended context)
• Exodus 19:5-6 (kingdom pattern)
• Psalm 2:7-9 (kingdom promise)
• Isaiah 53:10-12 (kingdom puzzle)
• Mark 1:14-15 (kingdom preached)
• Colossians 2:13-15 (kingdom prevails)
• Luke 12:32 (kingdom provided)
• John 4 (worship in spirit and truth)
• Romans 12:1-2 (spiritual worship)
• Genesis 1 (dominion mandate)
• Romans 8 (creation groaning)

This sermon explores the profound truth that the church is not merely an organization but the literal body of Christ on earth. Drawing from Ephesians 4:11-16, the message emphasizes that at salvation, believers receive not just a ticket to heaven but the very life of Christ—the Trinity dwelling within them. The church's purpose is to equip believers for ministry so they collectively grow into the unity of faith and knowledge of Christ, maturing into His likeness. Rather than focusing on traditions, preferences, or individual accomplishments, the church should be characterized by Christ Himself—speaking truth in love, serving one another, and living in the newness of resurrection power. When people encounter Community Baptist Church or any biblical church, they should see Jesus through the unified body of believers who are surrendered to Christ living His life through them moment by moment.

Key Points:

• The church is the body of Christ, and therefore should look like Christ and be Christ to the world
• At salvation, the entire Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—comes to dwell within believers
• The goal of equipping saints is not just activity but growing into unity of faith and knowledge of Christ
• Everlasting life (John 3:16) is not just heaven after death but the life of Christ living in us now
• Childish Christianity occurs when believers don't grow in knowing the Christ who lives in them
• True Christian living means surrendering to Christ within us, allowing Him to live His life through us
• Ministry is always fresh and new because we walk in the newness of Christ's resurrection power
• The church should be characterized by Christ's attributes: attentiveness, servanthood, and welcoming others
• Growing in grace means growing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, not just religious activity
• The church will suffer as Christ suffered, but operates from victory, not toward victory

Scripture Reference:

• Ephesians 4:11-16 (primary passage)
• 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, 27
• Ephesians 1:22
• Colossians 1:18
• John 14:16-23
• Galatians 2:20
• John 3:16
• Colossians 2:10
• Matthew 11:28-29
• 2 Peter 3:18
• Philippians 3:8
• John 15:5

This sermon provides a foundational understanding of what the church truly is according to Scripture. Pastor Joe Fant systematically dismantles common misconceptions—that church is merely a building, an event, a social club, or a service provider—and establishes three biblical definitions: the church is a gathering of God's people, the body of Christ, and heaven's embassy on earth. The message emphasizes that church membership means being a functioning body part with specific responsibilities, not just holding a membership card. Christians are called to be ambassadors carrying the message of reconciliation to a lost world. The sermon challenges believers to reorient their understanding and commitment to the local church, recognizing it as God's greatest earthly blessing and the primary vehicle through which He advances His gospel. Pastor Joe Fant calls for deeper involvement, faithful gathering, and a shift from consumer mentality to servant mentality, emphasizing that the church exists not for individual preferences but for God's glory and mission.

Key Points:

• The church is not a building, meeting place, event, concert, social club, or service provider
• The word "church" (ekklesia) means "called out gathering" - it's fundamentally about people gathering together
• The church is a body where each member is a functioning body part with specific roles and responsibilities
• Church membership means being a vital, functioning part of the body, not just holding status or a card
• The church is God's embassy on earth, and believers are ambassadors carrying the message of reconciliation
• Gathering together is not optional but commanded in Scripture (Hebrews 10:25)
• Virtual church attendance cannot replace physical gathering as the church is defined by gathering
• When believers gather, they are to hold fast to confession, stir up one another to love and good works, and encourage each other
• The church belongs to God, not to individuals, and must operate according to Scripture, not personal preferences
• Greatest earthly blessing comes through deep involvement in the local church family
• The gospel message we carry is: "Be reconciled to God"
• Hymns and traditional songs serve as the bedrock of worship, providing language for life's most important moments

Scripture Reference:

• Matthew 16:18 - "I will build my church"
• Matthew 18:15-20 - Church discipline and "where two or three are gathered"
• Romans 12:4-8 - The church as one body with many members having different functions
• 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 - Believers as ambassadors for Christ with the ministry of reconciliation
• Hebrews 10:23-25 - Command not to neglect meeting together
• Ephesians 2:19 - Fellow citizens with the saints
• Philippians 3 - Citizenship in heaven
• 1 Corinthians 10:17 - Many are one body

This sermon explores the foundational nature of the church as revealed in Matthew 16:13-20, where Peter confesses Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the living God." The message emphasizes that the church is built upon this confession of faith in Jesus as both fully God and fully man, the only Savior who can reconcile sinful humanity to a holy God. Pastor Joe Fant stresses that salvation comes through faith alone in Christ alone, not through human works or righteousness. The sermon challenges believers to understand their vital role in building God's church through witnessing, serving, and prayer, while maintaining confidence that no force of darkness can ultimately prevail against the gospel's advance. The message calls for practical commitment in 2026 to share the gospel, serve in the local church body, and devote oneself to prayer, recognizing that God uses Spirit-empowered human effort to accomplish His eternal purposes.

Key Points:

• Jesus deliberately chose Caesarea Philippi, a pagan Roman city with false worship, to declare His authority and announce His church
• The world remains confused about Jesus' identity, but true believers confess Him as the Christ, the Son of the living God
• This confession is the foundation upon which Christ builds His church, and it comes only through divine revelation, not human reasoning
• The gospel is simple: God requires perfection, we are sinful, and only Jesus—fully God and fully man—could live perfectly, die for our sins, and offer His righteousness in exchange
• The gates of hell cannot prevail against the church; the gospel is an unstoppable offensive force, not merely a defensive position
• God builds His church through the Spirit-empowered efforts of believers who witness, serve, and pray
• Every church member has a responsibility to share the gospel, serve in the body, and commit to prayer
• The challenge for 2026: commit to sharing the gospel with two specific people in your sphere of influence

Scripture Reference:

• Matthew 16:13-20 (primary passage)
• Supporting references: Genesis 3, Isaiah 53, Deuteronomy 5, Joshua 3, Daniel, John 1:1, John 3, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 Corinthians 12-13, Matthew 5-7, Matthew 18, Acts 2, 3, and 10, Colossians 4, Matthew 9, Luke 11, James 5:13

This sermon addresses the universal human struggle with peace, demonstrating that genuine peace cannot be found in worldly circumstances, relationships, or material possessions, but only through Jesus Christ. Pastor Brent Sivnksty establishes that while the world celebrates peace during Christmas, true peace requires more than the absence of conflict—it demands a personal relationship with Christ. Through the lens of Colossians 3:15, the message emphasizes three foundational truths: peace is only found in the person and work of Jesus Christ, those who have peace with God can know peace from God, and believers must actively allow Christ's peace to rule in their hearts. The sermon challenges Christians to submit to Christ's authority, allowing His peace to act as a referee or umpire in their lives, making decisions based on God's Word rather than emotions or circumstances. Pastor Brent emphasizes that biblical thoughts must lead to biblical actions, which then produce biblical feelings—not the reverse.

Key Points:

• True peace is only found in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is identified as the Prince of Peace
• Peace with God comes through justification by faith in Christ's death and resurrection, not through works or religion
• Believers who have peace with God have access to peace from God through their relationship with Christ
• Many Christians fail to experience God's peace because they don't "let" or allow it to rule in their hearts
• The peace of Christ must "rule" (act as referee/umpire) in our hearts, making decisions based on God's Word
• Biblical peace requires submission to Christ's sovereign authority and trust in His promises
• Biblical thinking must precede biblical action, which then produces biblical feelings—not the other way around
• Common obstacles to peace include fear of the known and unknown, financial problems, health issues, fear of failure, fixation on others, loneliness, temptation, spiritual defeat, irritations of life, and resistance to change
• A thankful heart is necessary to maintain a peaceful heart, while ingratitude produces discontentment and strife
• Personal peace with God affects our relationships with others in the body of Christ

Scripture References:

• Colossians 3:1, 15 (primary text)
• Isaiah 9:6
• Acts 10:36
• Ephesians 2:13-17
• Ephesians 6:15
• Colossians 1:20
• Romans 5:1-5
• John 16:33
• John 14:27
• Philippians 4:6-7
• 2 Peter 1:2
• Isaiah 26:3
• Romans 12 (end of chapter)
• Romans 15:33

This Christmas sermon challenges the romanticized view of Christ's birth by examining the real hardships, inconveniences, and suffering that Mary and Joseph endured. Pastor Joe Fant emphasizes that God orchestrated every difficult detail of the nativity—from the forced 70-80 mile journey to Bethlehem while Mary was nine months pregnant, to the rejection at the guest house, to giving birth among animals—to accomplish His divine purpose. The message reveals that God works through our suffering and inconveniences for our ultimate good and His glory, just as He used 60 million people's inconvenience during Caesar Augustus's census to position Christ exactly where He needed to be born. The sermon calls believers to view their own hardships through eyes of faith, trusting that God is working a bigger picture than we can see, developing steadfastness and endurance in our lives while accomplishing His redemptive purposes.

Key Points:

• God works through hardship and inconvenience to accomplish His divine purpose for our good and His glory
• The Christmas story was anchored in real history with real suffering, not a romanticized fairy tale
• Mary and Joseph endured a forced journey of 70-80 miles while Mary was nine months pregnant
• God orchestrated 60 million people to travel during the census so Christ could be born in Bethlehem
• Mary gave birth in a stable, rejected from the guest house, experiencing isolation from family and friends
• The humble circumstances of Christ's birth demonstrated He came as a servant-king who understands the outcast
• The shepherds—society's outcasts—were the first to worship, emphasizing Christ came for the lowly
• All suffering in our lives is for a reason: to test our faith and produce steadfastness
• God permits what He hates to accomplish what He loves
• If God can redeem the murder of His own Son, He can redeem any hardship we face
• We must look at our circumstances with eyes of faith, trusting God's bigger picture

Scripture Reference:

• Luke 2:1-21 (primary passage)
• 1 Chronicles 24 (referenced regarding Zachariah's temple service)
• James 1 (referenced regarding trials testing faith and producing steadfastness)

This sermon explores the profound theological truths embedded in Galatians 4:4-5, examining why God sent His Son into the world. The message centers on the core statement that "God sent His Son to redeem those who were under the law," unpacking four essential reminders about Christ's coming. The sermon emphasizes that Jesus' birth was not accidental but perfectly timed in God's sovereign plan, that He came as truly human while remaining truly God, that He fulfilled the law through righteous obedience, and that through Him believers receive adoption as sons and daughters of God. Pastor Joe Fant challenges the congregation to understand that salvation is not merely about being declared righteous (justification) but also about being brought into God's family (adoption), giving believers a personal relationship with God as "Abba, Father." The message concludes by affirming that Christians possess an "alien righteousness"—the righteousness of Christ Himself—rather than any self-generated goodness.

Key Points:

• Jesus came at the right moment—when the fullness of time had come, perfectly orchestrated politically (Roman peace and roads), theologically (all Old Testament prophecies and types complete), and historically (unified language and transportation systems)
• Jesus came in real humanity—truly born of a woman, experiencing complete human suffering, rejection, pain, and loss, yet without sin through the power of the Holy Spirit
• Jesus came in righteous obedience—born under the law to fulfill it perfectly, doing what no human could do, keeping every requirement of God's law
• Jesus offers received adoption—believers are adopted as sons (both men and women receive full inheritance), brought from the courtroom of justification to the living room of God's family
• The law was given to show humanity's inability to save themselves, pointing them to their need for Christ
• God's timing is always perfect—He is never early and never late in His providential plan
• Christians have a real man in heaven (Jesus) interceding for them who understands their human experience
• Believers possess the righteousness of Christ, not their own self-righteousness

Scripture Reference:

• Galatians 3:23—4:7 (primary focus on Galatians 4:4-5)
• 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
• Psalm 51:5
• Romans 3:10-12
• Ecclesiastes 7:20
• Luke 1:34-35
• Galatians 3:21-22
• Hebrews 2:11
• Hebrews 4:15-16
• Deuteronomy 21:23

This sermon explores Isaiah 9:6's prophecy of the Messiah by examining the historical context of 8th century BC Israel, when both northern and southern kingdoms had fallen into political corruption, moral debauchery, and spiritual darkness. Pastor Joe Fant demonstrates how God, through the prophet Isaiah, promised a coming child who would be the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. This prophecy was fulfilled 700 years later when Jesus began His ministry in Galilee—the very region Isaiah identified. The sermon emphasizes that while human governments and political alliances fail, Jesus established an eternal kingdom of justice and righteousness. God pursues His people even in their darkest moments, and the baby in the manger represents God's zealous love for His people, offering hope, victory over sin and death, and eternal joy to those who turn to Him in faith.

Key Points:

• The historical context reveals three types of darkness in Isaiah's time: political (corrupt kings seeking pagan alliances), moral (idol worship and child sacrifice), and spiritual (turning to demons and necromancers instead of God)
• King Ahaz in the south and King Pekah in the north both rejected God and led the people into wickedness, seeking protection from Assyria through political alliances rather than trusting God
• Isaiah prophesied that the regions first devastated by darkness (Zebulun and Naphtali in Galilee) would be the first to see the great light
• Jesus fulfilled this prophecy by beginning His ministry in Galilee, bringing the light of the gospel to the darkest places first
• The victory Jesus won through His death and resurrection surpasses even Gideon's miraculous victory over 135,000 Midianites with only 300 men
• Jesus is the child born and son given who possesses perfect government, eternal wisdom, divine power, and brings true peace
• The solution to darkness is unwavering loyalty to Scripture and proper fear of the Lord, not looking to worldly solutions
• God pursues His people even when they are far from Him, demonstrating His zeal and love through sending prophets, His Word, and ultimately His Son

Scripture Reference:

• Isaiah 9:1-7 (primary focus on verse 6)
• Isaiah 8:12-22 (context of darkness and calling to Scripture)
• Isaiah 1:2-4, 21-23 (description of Israel's moral corruption)
• 2 Kings 16 (King Ahaz's wickedness)
• 2 Kings 15:27-28 (King Pekah's evil reign)
• Matthew 4:12-17 (Jesus beginning ministry in Galilee, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy)
• John 1:1-14 (Jesus as the Light of the world)
• 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 (victory over death through Christ)

This Christmas sermon traces the theme of redemption from its first promise in Genesis 3, demonstrating that Christ's coming was purposeful and prophesied from humanity's fall. Pastor Joe Fant establishes that before we can accept a rescuer, we must recognize our need to be rescued. Through the account of the fall, four critical needs for a redeemer are revealed: the need for accurate revelation of God's word in a world that twists truth, the reminder to walk by faith rather than sight, the necessity of God seeking us out when we hide in sin, and the reversal of the curse that affects all creation. The sermon culminates in the promise that the Redeemer will conquer Satan, provide protection through covering (symbolized by God clothing Adam and Eve with animal skins), and give eternal life through death. Multiple shadows of grace appear throughout Genesis 3, including God cursing the ground rather than humanity directly, God seeking out Adam and Eve rather than abandoning them, and God preventing eternal life in a sinful state by removing access to the tree of life. The message connects the manger to the cross, showing that the Christ child came with the specific purpose to seek and save the lost.

Key Points:

• We need a redeemer to accurately reveal the word of God, as both Satan and humans twist Scripture to their own ends
• We need a redeemer to remind us to walk by faith and not by sight, as sin promises satisfaction through what we see but delivers only consequences
• We need a redeemer to seek us out, because left to ourselves we will continue running from God and trying to cover our own sin
• We need a redeemer to reverse the curse that affects all creation, bringing pain in childbearing, toil in work, and ultimately death
• The promised redeemer will conquer Satan (crushing the serpent's head while having his heel bruised)
• The promised redeemer will provide protection through covering (pictured in God clothing Adam and Eve with animal skins requiring sacrifice)
• The promised redeemer will give life through death (God's mercy in preventing eternal life in a sinful state)
• Sin produces hiding, fear, and shame—emotions leveraged by Satan but never used by God for good
• Grace appears throughout the fall narrative: God curses the serpent and ground but not humanity directly, dialogues with his children, and protects them from eternal sinfulness

Scripture Reference:

• Genesis 3 (primary focus—the entire chapter)
• Genesis 1:26-27, 31 (creation of humanity in God's image)
• Genesis 2:15-17 (the command regarding the tree of knowledge of good and evil)
• Luke 19:10 (the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost)
• John 1 (Jesus as the Word)
• Hebrews 1 (Jesus as the exact imprint of God's nature)
• John 3 (Nicodemus and the need for new birth)
• James 1 (each person's own designer lust)
• Isaiah 61 (being clothed in righteousness)
• 1 Timothy (creation order and gender roles)