First Baptist Church Thomson, Ga

In Ephesians 3:1–13, Paul pauses to marvel at the mystery once hidden but now revealed: through Jesus Christ, God has brought Jews and Gentiles together as equal members of one body—the Church. Paul, who considered himself “less than the least” of the saints, was entrusted by grace with proclaiming the incalculable riches of Christ and making this mystery known. Now God displays His multi-faceted wisdom through His Church—not only to the watching world, but even to the spiritual realm. We are part of something far bigger than ourselves, called to proclaim the riches of Christ, live out the mystery of Christ, and display the wisdom of Christ.

In this message, we are invited to remember how far we once stood from God—cut off from His people, His promises, and any real hope—so that we can more deeply rejoice that Jesus has brought us near by His own blood and made Himself our peace. Through the cross He tore down the walls that divided us from God and from one another, creating one new family in Himself. Now we are no longer outsiders but fellow citizens of His Kingdom, brothers and sisters in His household, and living stones being built together into the place where God dwells. The call is simple: come to Christ if you are still far off, belong to His people if you have been trying to live the Christian life alone, and let Him keep tearing down any walls of pride or resentment that remain.

Ephesians 2:1–10 reveals the dramatic transformation God’s grace brings to our lives. Apart from Christ, we are spiritually dead—enslaved by the world around us, the devil against us, and the flesh within us—and unable to save ourselves. But God, rich in mercy and great in love, makes us alive with Christ, raises us to a new position, and displays His grace through us. This salvation cannot be earned by good works; it is God’s gift, received through faith in Jesus. Yet while we are not saved by good works, we are saved to do good works as God’s workmanship, living out the purpose He prepared for us.

Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:15–23 is that believers would have their spiritual eyes opened to see more clearly what God has already given them in Christ. Thankful for their faith in Jesus and love for one another, Paul prays that they would know God more deeply and understand the blessings that are already theirs: the hope of His calling, the riches of His inheritance in the saints, and the immeasurable greatness of His power toward those who believe. That power is dramatically displayed in Jesus Christ, whom God raised from the dead, seated at His right hand, exalted above every authority, and made Head over the church. Our great need is not simply for God to give us more, but for Him to open our eyes to know Him better, see what we have in Christ, and live in light of it.

Ephesians 1:1–14 reminds us that before God calls us to do anything for Him, He wants us to understand all He has already done for us in Christ. In one sweeping song of praise, Paul celebrates the work of the Triune God in our salvation: the Father chose us, the Son redeemed us, and the Holy Spirit sealed us, guaranteeing the inheritance still to come. Every one of these blessings is ours “in Christ,” given according to the riches of God’s grace and ultimately “to the praise of His glory.” Rather than living as though we are spiritually poor, believers can rejoice that God has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.

As we conclude our Major Truths from the Minor Prophets series, Malachi leaves us with one final, searching question: How will we respond to God's faithful love? Though the people of Judah had returned from exile and resumed worship, their hearts had grown complacent. They honored God with their lips while giving Him their leftovers in worship and obedience. In response, God reminds them, "I have loved you," calling them back to a faith that is rooted in remembering His grace. This message challenges us to move beyond routine religion and cultivate a faith that is full—one that honors God above everything else, gives Him our best, worships Him with joy, and ultimately finds its source in Jesus Christ, who alone can transform hard hearts into hearts that love Him wholeheartedly.

As the people of Judah returned from exile, God used the prophet Zechariah to remind them that rebuilding the Temple was not enough—they first needed to return to the Lord. That same invitation remains for us today. In this message from Zechariah 1–4, we'll discover that when we return to God, He restores our relationship with Him through His gracious forgiveness, renews our purpose by calling us into His service, and empowers us by His Spirit to shine His light in the world. God's invitation is as timely now as it was then: "Return to Me, and I will return to you."

In the book of Haggai, God confronts His people for allowing their own priorities to overshadow His. Sixteen years after returning from exile, the Temple still lay unfinished while the people had become consumed with building comfortable lives for themselves. Through Haggai, God calls them—and us—to "Thank carefully about our ways" and to put Him first in every area of life. Whether in our walk with Christ, our marriages, families, work, or service to His church and His mission, God deserves first place. The encouraging message of Haggai is that when we faithfully pursue God's purposes, He promises His presence, His peace, and His provision, giving us everything we need to accomplish the work He has called us to do.

When life doesn't make sense, where do we turn? In Habakkuk, we meet a prophet who courageously brings his confusion, doubts, and questions to God as he struggles to understand the injustice and suffering around him. Through an honest dialogue with the Lord, Habakkuk learns that while God doesn't always explain His plans, He always reveals His character. As the book unfolds, the prophet's journey moves from confusion through God's gentle correction to a bold confidence, teaching us that faith isn't built on having all the answers but on trusting the God who holds the answers. Even when circumstances remain difficult, we can learn to rejoice—not because we understand everything God is doing, but because we know He is good, sovereign, and always worthy of our trust.

In Zephaniah: The Last Refuge, we explore one of the Bible's clearest pictures of the Day of the Lord—a day of certain judgment, but also of incredible hope. Zephaniah reminds us that every false refuge will ultimately fail, while calling God's people to pause before Him, pursue Him with humility, and patiently trust His perfect timing. As the book unfolds, the message shifts from judgment to restoration, revealing a God who not only saves His people but delights in them. Ultimately, the New Testament reveals that the refuge Zephaniah anticipated is found in Jesus Christ, the One in whom we are forever hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

Nahum 1 helps us discover that while nations and empires rise and fall, God alone reigns forever. Through the dramatic story of Assyria's downfall—and with timely reflections on America's 250th birthday—we'll see that the God who judges evil is the same God who protects those who trust Him. Nahum reminds us that evil never has the final word, that God is a refuge for His people in times of trouble, and that our ultimate hope is found not in any earthly nation, but in the unshakable Kingdom of God.

In Micah 6:1-8, God "sues" His people to remind them of His faithfulness and confront their empty religion. Though Israel had been rescued, blessed, and chosen to be a blessing to the world, they had forgotten their purpose and reduced their relationship with God to rituals and sacrifices. Through Micah, God reveals that He desires far more than outward religion—He wants hearts and lives that reflect His character. The Lord calls His people to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him, a message that speaks powerfully to and all believers today, and especially to men on this Father's Day. Ultimately, this passage points us to Jesus Christ, who perfectly fulfilled these requirements on our behalf and enables us, by His grace, to live lives that honor God.

Jonah 3-4 reminds us that the same grace that rescued Jonah is the grace God longs to extend to the world around us—even to people we struggle to understand, accept, or love. While God delights in showing mercy to those who repent, we often become distracted by our own comfort, preferences, and priorities, caring more about temporary things than eternal souls. Through Jonah's reluctant obedience and God's patient compassion, we are challenged to examine our own hearts and ask whether we will continue majoring in the minors, or learn to love what God loves by sharing His truth, His hope, and His compassion with a lost world.

Jonah 1–2 reminds us that while we may run from God’s call, we can never outrun His grace. When Jonah ran from God's call, he began a downward spiral that endangered both himself and others. Yet God pursued him through a storm. As Jonah reached the end of himself in the depths of the sea and the belly of the fish, he finally discovered what we all must learn: we cannot save ourselves. The central message of the book is clear: “Salvation belongs to the Lord.” No matter how far we have wandered, God’s grace is greater, and He invites us to stop running and come home to Him.

In Obadiah we discover that pride is far more than a personality flaw—it is a deceptive sin that convinces us we can live securely and successfully apart from God. Through the nation of Edom, Obadiah reveals how pride causes us to trust in false securities, damages our relationships and compassion for others, and ultimately leads to our own destruction. Yet the book is not only a warning; it is also a message of hope. While God humbles the proud, He gives grace to the humble, rescues those who depend on Him, and reminds us that every earthly kingdom will pass away, but His kingdom will stand forever. The path to true security is not self-reliance, but humble trust in the Lord.

Amos 5 is a funeral song for a nation that looked prosperous and powerful on the outside but was spiritually dying within. As the prophet confronts Israel’s empty religion, cruel injustice, moral compromise, and false confidence, he also offers hope by calling God’s people back to Him. This sermon challenges believers to seek spiritual revival by opening their ears to God’s Word, tuning their hearts to genuinely seek the Lord, and changing their ways through lives marked by righteousness, truth, justice, and compassion. In a culture drifting farther from God, Amos reminds us that true hope for America begins with Christians returning wholeheartedly to the Lord.

In this message from Book of Joel, we see how God used a devastating locust plague to wake His people up and call them back to Himself. Joel’s message is just as timely today, reminding us that in a world full of distraction, compromise, and spiritual drift, God is calling His people to return to Him with all their hearts. We are challenged to seek God faithfully, repent sincerely, and live empowered by the Holy Spirit. Even in warning, Joel’s message is filled with hope—that God delights in restoring what has been broken and pouring out His Spirit on all who call on His name.

In this Mother’s Day message from Hosea 11–14, we discover the heart of God as a loving Father who tenderly rescues, raises, and remains faithful to His children even when they wander far from Him. Through the moving imagery of a parent teaching a child to walk, Hosea reveals both the tender and tough love of God. Drawing connections to the Prodigal Son, this message calls us to return to the Father through repentance, receive His forgiveness through Christ, and renew our walk with Him in joyful obedience and restored fellowship.

This message from Hosea 1–3 reveals a powerful picture of God’s relentless, covenant love for His people. Through Hosea’s painful marriage to Gomer, we see that our sin is not just rule-breaking—it is spiritual adultery that breaks God’s heart. Yet God’s response is not to abandon us, but to confront our unfaithfulness, lovingly discipline us, pursue us in our wandering, and ultimately redeem and restore us at great cost. Just as Hosea bought Gomer back, God has come after us in our sin through Jesus Christ, paying the price to bring us home. The central truth is this: no matter how far we drift, God’s love will not let go—He is working even now to draw us back into a restored relationship with Him.

In this final message of The Law of Love series, we examine the Tenth Commandment and discover that coveting is more than wanting things—it is a heart problem rooted in trying to find significance, security, and satisfaction apart from God. Coveting fuels comparison, worry, and a host of costs because created things can never fill what only the Creator can satisfy. From Philippians 4, we learn that contentment is something we must cultivate, and as we do we find that true peace is not in having more, but in knowing Christ is enough.