Psalm 1 sets before us two ways: the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked. The world promises happiness through its counsel, its approval, and its well-traveled path, but the psalmist shows that true blessedness is found only in the Lord.

Pastor Ben Smith explains the danger of worldly wisdom, the blessing of righteousness, and the certainty of true judgment. The righteous delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on it day and night. They are firmly planted, supplied by God’s provision, and fruitful in season. The wicked, however, are like chaff that the wind drives away.

This sermon calls listeners to examine which way they are walking. The counsel of the wicked leads to death, but delighting in the Lord leads to eternal blessing in His presence.

To learn more, visit BenSmithSr.org.

In Luke 10:1–16, Jesus appoints seventy others and sends them out ahead of Him. They are sent to proclaim that the kingdom of God has come near. Jesus tells them that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

Pastor Ben Smith explains that the mission of the kingdom is to preach the kingdom, endure hardship, and serve the King. The gospel does not need updating, revising, modernizing, or reinterpreting. The faithful church preaches the same message proclaimed by John the Baptist, Jesus, the apostles, and the church throughout the centuries.

This sermon calls believers to let go of personal pride and personal privilege, trust the Lord of the harvest, and surrender all for the sake of Christ and His kingdom.

To learn more, visit BenSmithSr.org.

In Mark 9:38–50, Jesus gives His disciples sobering warnings about sin, stumbling, and hell. John complains that someone outside their group was casting out demons in Jesus’ name, but Jesus teaches that God is not limited to those we expect Him to use.

Pastor Ben Smith explains that the people of God must guard their relationship to others and their own pursuit of holiness. Jesus warns against causing others to stumble and then uses shocking language to show the seriousness of sin. It is better to suffer loss in this world than to cling to sin and face eternal condemnation.

This sermon calls believers to take sin seriously, guard their testimony, and live as salt in the world.

To learn more, visit BenSmithSr.org.

In Matthew 21:28–32, Jesus tells the parable of two sons. One son refuses his father’s command but later regrets it and obeys. The other son says the right words but does not obey. Jesus tells this parable in response to religious leaders who challenged His authority while rejecting the message God had sent through John.

Pastor Ben Smith explains that outward declarations, religious appearance, and pleasing the right people cannot substitute for true obedience. The issue is not merely whether a person knows what to say, but whether the heart is devoted to God.

This sermon calls listeners to examine the difference between saying Jesus is Lord and living in submission to His lordship. True obedience bears witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

To learn more, visit BenSmithSr.org.

In Matthew 18:1–4, the disciples ask Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Their question reveals a worldly concern for status and position. Jesus answers by calling a child to Himself and teaching that unless they turn and become like children, they will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Pastor Ben Smith explains that Jesus redirects the disciples from the wrong question to the essential question. Before considering greatness in the kingdom, one must consider entrance into the kingdom. Jesus calls sinners to humble repentance, turning from sin and self to Christ.

This sermon shows that pride keeps sinners from salvation, but humility leads to repentance. Kingdom greatness is not found in worldly recognition, but in submission to the will of God through Christ.

To learn more, visit BenSmithSr.org.

In Matthew 6:33, Jesus commands, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” This command comes in the context of Jesus’ teaching about worry and anxiety. Our fears over provision often reveal that our hearts are more focused on the temporary than the eternal.

Pastor Ben Smith explains that seeking first the kingdom requires a reordering of priorities. God’s people are called to seek His rule, pursue His righteousness, and trust His provision. Worry focuses on our needs and our inability to meet them; prayer turns our attention to the power, providence, and provision of God.

This message calls believers to reject the anxiety of self-rule and live with singular devotion to the kingdom of God.

To learn more, visit BenSmithSr.org.

In Matthew 5:17–20, Jesus teaches that He has not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them. His kingdom is not opposed to the testimony of God in the Old Testament. Rather, His life, death, and resurrection accomplish what the law required and what the prophets proclaimed.

Pastor Ben Smith explains that the kingdom of God is eternal, that greatness in the kingdom is tied to obedience to God’s Word, and that entrance into the kingdom requires a righteousness greater than the scribes and Pharisees could provide. The message presses home the impossibility of self-made righteousness and the sufficiency of Christ’s fulfilled righteousness.

The hope of heaven is not found in God ignoring sin, but in Jesus atoning for sin and making sinners righteous before God.

To learn more, visit BenSmithSr.org.

In Matthew 4:17, Jesus begins His public ministry with a clear and urgent message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This episode considers the meaning and necessity of repentance in light of the coming kingdom of God.

Pastor Ben Smith explains that repentance is a word of confrontation, action, and truth. It confronts the sinner’s direction, righteousness, and authority. It calls for more than regret or religious interest; it calls for submission to Christ. The kingdom has come in the arrival of Jesus, and the fullness of that kingdom will come when He returns.

This sermon helps listeners understand why repentance is essential to the gospel, why the call to repent cannot be separated from salvation, and why today remains the day to respond to the gracious warning of God.

To learn more, visit BenSmithSr.org.