Through the Years (011126)
Pastor Joseph Campbell
Yearly Themes • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 41:50
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Turn to and read 2 Peter 1:12-13.
There is something that is common to all of mankind - We are forgetful.
Because of that, Peter gives us one of the responsibilities of a preacher - of the pastor:
Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
We must constantly be reminded of the Biblical truths that we have been taught because we are forgetful!
So, this morning, before I share with you our theme for 2026, I want look at the past yearly church themes; to be reminded and to be challenged to, as Peter wrote, “…be established in the present truth.”
Our theme in 2012 was…
Walk with God
Walk with God
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
Why will it be important for you to walk with God? As we go into 2026, we are walking into uncharted territory…
A Psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Our theme in 2013 was...
Focus on Health
Focus on Health
How’s your health? Your spiritual health?
But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
The word sound that is used in this passage of Scripture means healthy.
In Titus, Paul speaks of…
Sound Doctrine
Sound Faith
Sound Thoughts
Sound Speech
We should desire and strive to have a faith that is sound, healthy and vibrant. Sound faith is built upon sound doctrine. A solid, well-built home begins with a solid, well-built foundation. If there are flaws in the foundation, it will not be long before problems begin to appear in the actual structure.
Sound Doctrine
Doctrine is truth.
Is your faith grounded upon God and God’s Word?
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Sound doctrine is important because the truth is being - has always been - attacked. Don’t expect the attacks upon the truth of God and His Word to get any better in 2026. If anything they will continue to increase.
Sound doctrine is important because our greatest weapon is the truth
Sound Faith
Satan knows that he will never be able to destroy the truth. Instead he will attack our faith in the truth. Satan will do everything that he can to cause us to doubt the truth. Don’t let go of the truth!
Sound Thoughts
Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
The battle for our faith will be won or lost in our mind.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Sound Speech
In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Sound doctrine is important because it will impact our behavior. In 2020, our behavior will either be conformed to God’s Word or we will seek to conform God’s Word to our behavior!
Our theme in 2014 was...
Striving Together
Striving Together
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Often, Paul, in his letters, would address problems that the local church was facing. The church in Philippi was no different. We get a good indication from Philippians 2:3-5 of what those problems were.
Turn to and read Philippians 2:3-5.
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Their activities had wrong motivations.
They were prideful.
They were more concerned for their own affairs.
They did not have the mind of Christ - that of humility and service.
Notice what Paul goes on to say in vs. 13:
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
The work of the local church is God’s work and it is God that is at work, in us and through us! We have the opportunity as part of a local, New Testament, Independent Baptist church, to be involved in the greatest work known to man – the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Our theme in 2015 was...
Step Out of the Boat
Step Out of the Boat
And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
In today’s society, the phrase, “Walking on water,” is at times used as an example of an impossible task and at other times is used to refer to the performance of extraordinary tasks.
To God be the glory, great things He hath done, so loved He the world that He gave us His Son, Who yielded His life an atonement for sin, and opened the life-gate that all may go in.
We all understand that it is God that does great things but we must also remember & understand that God often uses men and women to accomplish those great things!
Noah and the building of the ark
Joshua and the battle of Jericho
Gideon and his 300 men defeated several hundred thousand Midianites
David defeated Goliath
Queen Esther saved the Jews from being slaughtered
Elijah on Mt. Carmel against the prophets of the grove and Baal
Will you be that one, who steps out of the boat this coming year, and is used of God to accomplish great things for the cause of Christ?
Our theme in 2016 was...
Continue
Continue
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
Regardless of how this past year went for us, we must press forward; we must keep going forward; we must not give in or give up. We must continue!
To continue we must determine - we must re-commit if necessary - to be men and women of God’s Word! Paul told Timothy...
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Our theme in 2017 was...
All In
All In
Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.
Later, Peter said...
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
Is there anyone here this morning who doubts that Christ was “All In?”
Satan has deceived countless millions – possibly even some seated here this morning - into believing the lie that it is possible to be followers of Christ while, at the same time, holding on to the pleasures of this world.
Christ came that we might have life – eternal life – and that we might experience this life – our earthly life – in a superior fashion to anything that this world has to offer. But first, we must be “ALL IN!”
Turn to and read Philippians 3:7-14.
There is only way to describe Paul’s life once he had accepted Christ – “ALL IN!”
Have you forsaken all for Christ so that you might follow Christ?
Fanny Crosby, the great hymn writer, was talking to one of her neighbors, who was complaining bitterly of his poverty. He said, “If I had wealth I would be able to do just what I wish to do; and I would be able to make an appearance in the world.” Fanny Crosby replied, “Well, take the world, but give me Jesus.” From there, she penned these words:
Take the world, but give me Jesus,
All its joys are but a name;
But His love abideth ever,
Through eternal years the same.
Are you willing to say, “Take the world, but give me Jesus?”
Our theme in 2018 was...
Back to Basics
Back to Basics
I don’t believe that we can be reminded enough to go back to basics: Loving God by loving others!
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
Never has love been so convincingly demonstrated than on that day when Jesus Christ hung upon that old rugged cross.
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best for a world of lost sinners was slain.
Have you experienced that love?
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Are you sharing that love with others?
A little girl asked a little boy in her class, “Do you love me?” He replied, “Yes.” She then asked, “Would you die for me?” He quickly answered, “No. Mine is an undying love.”
God has demonstrated His love for us in giving His Son, Jesus Christ. If we love God with all of our heart, with all of our soul, and with all of our mind and strength, it will be seen, not in how we die but in how we live and how we love others.
Our theme in 2019 was…
Hope in Christ
Hope in Christ
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Hope: A desire of some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable.
What do you have a desire for?
In this coming year, what do you desire to experience, to achieve, to obtain?
Delight thyself also in the Lord; And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
You have often heard me speak about this verse. However, we need to be reminded that before the Lord will give us the desires of our heart, we must delight ourselves in the Lord.
That word delight means to find great pleasure.
Where do you find great pleasure? What gives you great pleasure?
Blessed is the man That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; And in his law doth he meditate day and night.
For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Do you find great pleasure in God’s Word? Does God’s Word give you great pleasure?
Hope: a desire of some good...
O taste and see that the Lord is good: Blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
The Lord does not simply do good; He is good!
Do we have a desire for God?!?!?
Our theme in 2020 was…
Complete in Christ
Complete in Christ
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Christ is not the missing piece in your life; He is everything…He is your life.
Christ is not simply something that you add to your life to make up your deficiencies…He is your life.
Christ is not simply that “activity” that you try when nothing else seems to work…He is your life.
If you by faith, have been redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ than you are already complete. There is nothing more that you need to add!
Our theme in 2021 was…
Truth
Truth
But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
The books of 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus are known as the Pastoral Epistles. Timothy and Titus were two young men whom Paul was training to carry on in the Gospel once he was gone.
Paul understood the fact that truth is constantly under attack in this world. During his years of ministry he had seen the attacks on the truth. Paul knew that those attacks would continue long after he was gone.
He wanted these men - God wants us - to be rock solid in our stand upon the truth!
Do you really believe that you have the truth?
Dilbert
Dilbert
Scott Adams, 68 and the cartoonist who has drawn Dilbert, announced in May on his podcast that he was fighting aggressive, Stage 4 prostate cancer and predicted he had only months to live.
Now, nine months later and in terrible pain, Adams told his podcast audience this week that he is embracing Christianity after living most of his life as a religious skeptic and agnostic. Best known for his cartoon work, he has also authored several books critical of religion and faith.
Adams stated:
"How would I believe you believe your own religion if you're not trying to convert me?"
Commenting on that statement, a preacher stated:
“If you really believe Jesus is the only way to Heaven then you ought to be busy out there telling everybody every way that you can.”
Which leads us into the theme in 2022 and 2023…
Declare the Gospel
Declare the Gospel
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel…
Why is South Charlotte Baptist Church here? What is its purpose for being in existence?
Proclaiming the Gospel; Experiencing the miracle of changed lives!
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Our theme in 2024 was…
Truth in Love
Truth in Love
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Our theme in 2025 was…
Focus. Faith.
Focus. Faith.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Now our theme for this coming year (2026) is going to be…
Input=Output
Input=Output
Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.
While we will consider this theme more closely throughout the year, this morning I simply want to leave you with two questions to consider…
What is already in your heart?
What is already in your heart?
What are putting in your heart? What are you going to put in your heart in this coming year?
What are putting in your heart? What are you going to put in your heart in this coming year?
