Sermon Listening Guides & Outlines

Pastor Ben Smith’s notes for preaching 2 Corinthians 1:1-11. Includes pulpit notes and outline handout.

Counterfeit faith is eternally dangerous because it can look genuine while leaving a person in darkness, deception, and destruction. In 1 John 1:5-10, the apostle John writes with pastoral urgency to help believers discern the difference between empty profession and true fellowship with God. Because God is light and in Him is no darkness at all, those who know Him must be transformed by His truth, brought into fellowship with the saints, and led into honest confession of sin.

A Comprehensive Study Through the Foundation of Scripture

Dive deep into the opening chapters of Genesis with this collection of 22 expository sermon manuscripts by Ben Smith, Sr. Volume 1 provides both profound theological insight and practical application as it explores God's creation, man's nature, the curse of sin, and the foundation of redemption. Volume 2 traces the spread of sin through the generations, God's grief over man’s wickedness, the judgment of the flood, the grace shown to Noah, God's covenant faithfulness, the Table of Nations, the prideful rebellion at Babel, and God's unfailing faithfulness in preserving His redemptive promise.

In Genesis 11:10–32, the biblical record moves from the rebellion of Babel to the genealogy of Shem leading to Abram. At first glance, this passage may seem like little more than a list of names, but within this genealogy is a glorious testimony to the faithfulness of God. Even when nations rise and fall, truth is polluted, and the faithful drift away, God is still preserving His word and accomplishing His redemptive plan.

This sermon examines how God’s faithfulness is displayed throughout history, despite man’s corruption, and forever according to His word. From Shem to Abram, and ultimately from Abraham to Christ, Genesis 11:10–32 encourages believers to trust that God has been, is, and will forever be faithful to keep His promises and accomplish His saving purposes.

Pride is one of the most deadly dangers of the human heart because it tempts us to believe that our ability, effort, intelligence, and strength can free us from dependence on God. In Genesis 11:1–9, the people of Babel sought to make a name for themselves, resist the command of God, and establish a city and tower devoted to their own glory.

This sermon manuscript examines the deadly pride of man through the rebellion at Babel, showing how pride corrupts God’s good gifts, elevates human preference over obedience, seeks self-sufficiency apart from God, and imagines mastery over life itself. Through careful exposition and pastoral application, this message calls believers to reject pride, humble themselves before the living God, and walk in faithful obedience to His Word.

Genesis 10 can seem, at first glance, like a chapter of names and nations that is easy to overlook. Yet behind this record is a powerful testimony to the sovereignty of God over every person, family, tribe, and nation on the earth. In a world marked by division, pride, false religion, and misplaced confidence in human power, this passage reminds us that there is one Creator, one truth, and one human family under the sovereign rule of God.

In this sermon, “God of All Nations,” Genesis 10 is unfolded to show that God is sovereign over all people, sovereign over human efforts, and sovereign over the fulfillment of His will. This manuscript seeks to help believers read even a difficult biblical chapter with confidence, seeing how the Table of Nations testifies to the authority of Scripture, the unity of humanity, the futility of human pride, and the certainty of God’s redemptive purpose in Christ.

In a world where faithfulness to Christ often brings suffering, believers can be tempted to question whether God is truly at work. When opposition rises, and the church appears weak, it may seem as though the powers of this world are prevailing. Scripture speaks directly into this tension, reminding us that what appears to be defeat is often the very place where God’s victory is most clearly displayed.

This sermon walks carefully through 1 Peter 3:18–22, showing how the resurrection of Jesus Christ stands as God’s decisive declaration of victory over sin, death, and every opposing force. Through clear exposition and pastoral application, this message calls believers to find enduring encouragement in Christ’s victorious suffering, proclamation, and reigning life.

Salvation is often reduced to what we are saved from, but Scripture makes clear that it also transforms how we live before God. In 1 Peter 1:17–21, the apostle Peter calls believers to live in reverent holiness, grounded not in fear of judgment but in the certainty that they have been ransomed by the precious blood of Christ.

This sermon walks carefully through Peter’s argument, showing how the believer’s life is shaped by the finished work of Christ, the eternal will of God, and the living hope secured through the resurrection. With pastoral clarity and biblical depth, this message calls Christians to live with confidence—not in themselves, but in the redemption accomplished for them.

How should a believer respond when confronted with sin—whether in their own life or in the life of another? In a world that often celebrates sin or treats it lightly, Scripture calls Christians to a radically different response. Genesis 9:18–29 presents a sobering picture of human failure, even in the life of a man like Noah, and forces us to wrestle with the reality of sin’s danger, shame, and consequences.

In this sermon, the passage is carefully unpacked to show three biblical principles for responding to sin in a way that honors God. Through the contrasting responses of Ham, Shem, and Japheth, we are taught to recognize the danger of sin, the shame of sin, and the blessing of God’s grace. This message calls believers to vigilance, humility, and a deeper understanding of grace that produces righteousness rather than indifference.

This sermon will challenge you to examine your own heart, strengthen your resolve against sin, and rest in the sustaining grace of God that preserves His people even in their failures.

In a world corrupted by sin, many misunderstand the meaning of God’s grace. Some interpret grace as permission to ignore God’s law. Others assume that God’s patience means He will never judge sin. Yet Scripture teaches that God’s grace does not ignore sin’s corruption—it provides a way for man to live under God’s provision while His judgment is mercifully restrained.

In Genesis 9:1–17, God speaks to Noah after the flood and establishes His covenant with humanity and every living creature. In this passage, God reaffirms His created purpose for mankind, establishes laws to restrain wickedness, and gives a visible sign of His covenant through the rainbow. Each of these acts reveals an aspect of God’s amazing grace.

This sermon explores how believers experience God’s grace through the fulfillment of His eternal will, the provision of His law, and the patience of His covenant promise. Even in a world marked by sin and conflict, God’s grace remains evident in His sovereign purpose, His righteous order, and His faithful promises.

In every generation, God’s people wrestle with competing loyalties, distractions, and the subtle temptation to give their worship to lesser things. The post-flood world presented Noah with overwhelming pressures—survival, rebuilding, scarcity, and uncertainty—yet his first act upon leaving the ark was not to secure shelter or food but to build an altar to the Lord. This reveals the tension at the heart of Genesis 8:20–22: the God who judges sin in holiness is also the God who extends astonishing grace, and true worship rises from hearts awakened to both realities.

This sermon walks through Noah’s altar with pastoral clarity, showing how holy worship flows from submission to God’s sovereignty, thanksgiving for His mercy, and dependence on His sustaining grace. Through exposition rooted in the text, it demonstrates how Noah’s offering testifies to his remembrance of God, his awareness of personal sin, and his recognition that salvation rests entirely on divine grace.

The message concludes with rich application for believers today. When we see the depth of our sin and the greatness of God’s mercy—ultimately fulfilled in Christ—we learn, like Noah, that worship is not optional, occasional, or consumer-shaped. It is a life offered wholly to the God who saves.

A Comprehensive Study Through the Foundation of Scripture.

Genesis 5–11 traces the spread of sin through the generations, God's grief over man’s wickedness, the judgment of the flood, the grace shown to Noah, God's covenant faithfulness, the Table of Nations, and the prideful rebellion at Babel. These chapters confront us with the depravity of man, the seriousness of judgment, and the unfailing faithfulness of God to preserve His redemptive promise.

What's Inside

This 294-page sermon manuscript collection includes eleven expository sermons from Genesis 4:25–11:32, each written to help believers understand the text, trust God’s promises, and live faithfully in a world marked by sin and rebellion.

• Call On The Name of The Lord (Genesis 4:25–5:32) - Encouragement that God preserves His will and knows those who are His.

• The Depravity of Man (Genesis 6:1–8) - Exposing the total corruption of man and the grace of God shown to Noah.

• Trust and Obey (Genesis 6:9–22) - Considering Noah’s righteous obedience in response to the word of God.

• Repent and Be Saved (Genesis 7) - Warning of God’s judgment and the only refuge found in salvation.

• Great is Thy Faithfulness (Genesis 8:1–19) - Rejoicing that God remembers, preserves, and delivers His people.

• Holy Worship (Genesis 8:20–22) - Examining Noah’s worship after the flood and the faithfulness of God’s promise.

• Amazing Grace (Genesis 9:1–17) - Seeing God’s gracious covenant with Noah and His mercy toward the world.

• Righteous Response to Sin (Genesis 9:18–29) - Learning how righteousness responds to sin with truth, sobriety, and faithfulness.

• God of All Nations (Genesis 10) - Tracing the nations from Noah’s sons and seeing God’s sovereign rule over all peoples.

• The Deadly Pride of Man (Genesis 11:1–9) - Warning against the prideful attempt to make a name apart from God.

• Forever Faithful (Genesis 11:10–31) - Seeing the faithfulness of God as He preserves His redemptive promise from Shem to Abram.

Seasons of waiting often expose the deepest fears of the human heart—questions about whether God still sees, still cares, or still acts on behalf of His people. Noah experienced such a season as he and his family waited in the ark for more than a year, surrounded only by water and silence. In Genesis 8:1–19, Scripture draws us into that place of uncertainty to show that even when God seems silent, He is never absent. His faithfulness does not waver with circumstances, emotions, or time.

This sermon explores how God reveals His unwavering faithfulness in three profound ways: by remembering His people in grace, by encouraging His saints with signs of His ongoing work, and by speaking His word to declare new beginnings. Through the unfolding narrative of Noah’s deliverance, we see the character of God on brilliant display—faithful in judgment, faithful in salvation, and faithful to every promise He has spoken.

For believers navigating seasons of loneliness, discouragement, or long-suffering, this passage offers deep comfort. Noah’s testimony reminds the church that God remembers His people, encourages them in their waiting, and speaks with unchanging authority. This message invites Christians to trust God’s steadfast faithfulness in every season of life.

A Comprehensive Study Through the Foundation of Scripture

Genesis 5–11 traces the spread of sin through the generations, God's grief over man’s wickedness, the judgment of the flood, the grace shown to Noah, God's covenant faithfulness, the Table of Nations, and the prideful rebellion at Babel. These chapters confront us with the depravity of man, the seriousness of judgment, and the unfailing faithfulness of God to preserve His redemptive promise.

Physical Format

This 294-page booklet is printed on 5.5 × 8.5-inch pages and bound with durable plastic comb binding (6.25 × 8.5 × 1 inches), making it easy to lay flat for study, teaching preparation, or note-taking. The convenient size fits perfectly in a Bible study bag or on your desk.

The manuscript collection includes eleven expository sermons from Genesis 4:25–11:32, each written to help believers understand the text, trust God’s promises, and live faithfully in a world marked by sin and rebellion.

• Call On The Name of The Lord (Genesis 4:25–5:32) - Encouragement that God preserves His will and knows those who are His.

• The Depravity of Man (Genesis 6:1–8) - Exposing the total corruption of man and the grace of God shown to Noah.

• Trust and Obey (Genesis 6:9–22) - Considering Noah’s righteous obedience in response to the word of God.

• Repent and Be Saved (Genesis 7) - Warning of God’s judgment and the only refuge found in salvation.

• Great is Thy Faithfulness (Genesis 8:1–19) - Rejoicing that God remembers, preserves, and delivers His people.

• Holy Worship (Genesis 8:20–22) - Examining Noah’s worship after the flood and the faithfulness of God’s promise.

• Amazing Grace (Genesis 9:1–17) - Seeing God’s gracious covenant with Noah and His mercy toward the world.

• Righteous Response to Sin (Genesis 9:18–29) - Learning how righteousness responds to sin with truth, sobriety, and faithfulness.

• God of All Nations (Genesis 10) - Tracing the nations from Noah’s sons and seeing God’s sovereign rule over all peoples.

• The Deadly Pride of Man (Genesis 11:1–9) - Warning against the prideful attempt to make a name apart from God.

• Forever Faithful (Genesis 11:10–31) - Seeing the faithfulness of God as He preserves His redemptive promise from Shem to Abram.

The judgment of God is coming, and God has provided a way of salvation. Genesis 7 confronts us with a sobering reality: there is both mercy and finality in God’s dealings with humanity. The ark stood in Noah’s day as a witness of hope and judgment—hope for those who believed and entered in, judgment for those who ignored the warning.

In this sermon from Genesis 7, we consider three defining truths: God’s Word saves, God’s grace is now—but not forever, and God’s judgment is sure. Through careful exposition of the text and faithful application to the present day, this message calls hearers to repentance and to trust in the greater Ark—Jesus Christ. As Noah obeyed and was delivered, so today salvation belongs to those who repent, believe, and submit to the Lordship of Christ.

This manuscript is written to shepherd hearts toward urgency, clarity, and confidence in the gospel. It reminds believers that obedience is not burdensome, but the pathway of life, and it pleads with sinners not to delay while the door of grace remains open.

In a culture obsessed with personal autonomy and self-determination, Trust and Obey confronts the modern idol of the self with the timeless truth of God’s absolute sovereignty. Rooted in Genesis 6:9–22, this 27-page sermon manuscript carefully unfolds Noah’s response to God’s word in a world that had rejected His authority—and calls today’s believers to the same faithful obedience.

This sermon presses beyond surface-level discussions of the ark and the flood to focus on the heart of the passage: God Himself. Through clear exposition and pastoral clarity, readers are guided to see that obedience is not a way to earn God’s favor, but the inevitable response of genuine faith in a sovereign, gracious God. Noah’s life becomes a compelling model of how God’s character defines our lives, God’s Word determines our behavior, and God’s sovereignty must rule our hearts.

In an age where sin is normalized and wickedness often celebrated, Genesis 6 reminds us that our day is not unique—and that God has never been blind to human rebellion nor absent in His grace. The Depravity of Man is a clear, sobering, and hope-filled exposition of Genesis 6:1–8 that confronts the reality of human sin while magnifying the initiating, undeserved grace of God.

This sermon traces the rapid moral collapse of humanity from Adam to Noah, setting our present cultural moment in biblical perspective. While many are tempted to believe that today’s wickedness is unprecedented, Scripture reveals that the antediluvian world was marked by near-universal rebellion—yet even then, God preserved a righteous witness and extended saving grace. The result is a timely call for Christians to live righteously, preach faithfully, and rejoice deeply in grace.

In a world where rebellion seems to multiply and faithfulness feels increasingly rare, Genesis 4–5 offers a steadying word of hope: God has never depended on the crowds to accomplish His purposes. He preserves a remnant, knows His people by name, and faithfully advances His redemptive plan.

Call On the Name of the Lord is a full expository sermon manuscript that walks through Genesis 4:25–5:32, contrasting the way of Cain with the faithful line of Seth. While Cain’s descendants boast cultural achievement and numerical growth, Seth’s line is marked by something far more enduring—they call upon the name of the Lord. This sermon encourages believers living in discouraging days by anchoring their hope in God’s sovereignty, promise-keeping, and intimate knowledge of His people.

Drawing connections from the antediluvian world to later moments in church history—and ultimately to the present—the sermon reminds readers that God’s work is never threatened by widespread unbelief. From Adam to Noah, from underground churches to today, God has always preserved His own.

This sermon provides a clear, biblical defense of the sanctity of human life, directly addressing the issue of abortion. The expositional look at Leviticus 18 shows how Christians are called to honor life, submit to God’s Word, and recognize His ownership over every person. This 25-page resource includes the full sermon manuscript, a fill-in-the-blank listening guide, a completed outline, and reflection questions to help you engage deeply with Scripture and respond faithfully to God’s call to protect life.

A Four-Sermon Collection for the Christmas Season

Celebrate the Advent season with this collection of 4 expository sermon manuscripts by Ben Smith, Sr. This resource provides rich theological insight into the prologue of John's Gospel, exploring the eternal nature of Christ, the gift of salvation, and the hope of redemption found in Jesus—the Promised King.