First Baptist Murfreesboro

06/02/2026

Only God can judge me...

I was reading over the sermon on the mount this morning and the passage on judge not lest you be judged. We are never to say they should go to hell.

If we do we proclaim that we are worthy of heaven and we are not. It is the grace of God that led us to faith in Christ and as such we are those who deserve hell but have mercy because of Christ.

At the same time we are to compel each other to live as we should. Hence help remove the splinter but only after we have looked into our own heart and life for the plank and removed it. So much of what we express to others in obedience is ways the Word and Spirit have worked in us to get us where we are.

Christ also immediately says don't cast your pearls before swine and give to dogs that which is Holy. This verse always gave me problems but at core it is calling us to discernment. If a person has no desire to correct their life, no desire to live for Christ, then what can we compel them to. A million dollars wouldn't change their heart it would only grant it its desires more. Where their is no desire we must recognize the deeper problem. The dead heart.

Then we are called to judge them by their fruits. For when you look to the truth of a person's profession you must look to the life. Do they express a love for Christ, a passion for people, does their home reflect it, do their finances show fidelity to Christ. Do they hate evil in their life and seek righteousness. Do they long to see the sinner saved. Do they dedicate nothing or do they dedicate all to knowing and following Christ?

We must judge ourselves by God's Word, judge the fruits of others to watch for wolves, judge ourselves as a servant to help each other to truth, and yet never judge another in such a way as to say they should go to hell. For all men should but for the grace of God.

So only God can judge me...

If this means that you have no obligation to live right in Christ to you, then God will judge you and sentence you to hell because you love to water the seeds of it here, so you will reap the glory of it when you leave.

If this means that you are following Christ and loving Him and attempting to live righteous because of it in the personal fear of God.

Then God won't judge you because you have the Spirit of Christ.

Only God can judge me...

And He will
Based on my love for Christ
Or hatred of Him

One day He will,
Judge

Are you still down with the underground?

05/29/2026

At Emerald Crossing VBS, kids will journey through Ireland's lush landscapes, exploring Psalm 23 with the Good Shepherd.

So grab your passport and get ready for an unforgettable adventure through Ireland at Emerald Crossing VBS!

For children PreK-6th grade. Pre-Register here: https://fbcmurfreesboro.breezechms.com/form/db13e9

05/27/2026

End of Year Rattler Baseball Awards. Congratulations to Alex Bonner!

05/26/2026

Obedience....

Such an ugly word in the land of freedom where we interpret that to mean we can do whatever we want and believe whatever we want, and we can. This is one thing I love about America, liberty of conscience.

But this freedom...

Cannot be embraced in Christianity. Obedience to Christ is the point after coming to faith that by the discipline of His Father, the Son of God comes to realize that what my Father says is absolutely good for me. He loves me enough to impose limits on what I can do so I don't hurt myself or others.

It is when the moral law that broke us becomes the standard for our life and we understand the guard rails we wrecked our lives in disobedience to are now there to train us to love properly.

The obedience...
the product of all true faith but the point we are at in obedience never the faith that justifies.

So we rest in the Holiness of Christ
And grow in the Holiness of obedience

For freedom without limits is Chaos.

Bible Study this Wednesday at 6 for adults

Kids quest begins at 5:30 on wednesday

Brick house youth will meet at 6 for the summer on Wednesdays.

See you soon!
In love,
Damian Rodgers

05/24/2026

Our church live feed will be on my personal page this morning. Just search Damian Rodgers

We have a young man coming to sing who I want to be able to go back and watch

05/17/2026

Register your child for VBS!

05/17/2026

05/14/2026

Ambassador...

An ambassador lives in a foreign land and represents the values, king, and nation that sent him. Seeking the policies of that place and to implement them where he is.

Our citizenship is heaven when we are a new creation in Christ and the land that once occupied our heart and consumed our thoughts becomes foreign to us. We become a peculiar people, estranged with what we once were and in love with Christ and the thought of Him. Zealous for good works in His name.

Individual representatives of heaven, with a passion for its king, with a heart toward righteousness, and a love to see people reconciled to God.

An ambassador...

Moves surrounded but empowered by the nation and king that sent him. And an ambassador from a third world country in a first world country may feel the weight of a greater country but for the ambassador of Christ the power of His country dwarfs all others combined and the power of the one who reigns is the power of the one who turns the kings hearts of all other nations the way that He wills.

So this ambassador...

Has no fear of being dominated by the foreign land in which he ministers, for the one who sent Him is the magistrate of all and is never out of control or far from his ambassador. In fact, the power of the king is at work within him to see to his work. A flowing power from an infinite source into a simple human being to make a powerful ministry.

So ambassador...

Know that you are no citizen of a worldly kingdom destined to fall under the future leadership of a simple man. Rather you are a simple man with an other worldly citizenship empowered by the creator of man to represent.

So
REPRESENT your nation
REPRESENT it's policy
REPRESENT it's King

Present it's mercy, again, and again and again

Compel them to step foot in the embassy so they may attain citizenship in eternity for you are...

Christ's Ambassador.

2 Corinthians 5:20
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

05/13/2026

Stop Playin...

Jesus has to go from the one who grants you the desires of your flesh, to the One who your flesh desires.

Until then, your God is your belly.

Don't play...
The hunger games.

John 6:53-58
[53] Jesus said to them,
“Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. [54] Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. [55] For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. [56] Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. [57] Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. [58] This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

Hope to see everyone at church tonight. We will begin the discourse that leads up to Jesus telling the crowds I am the bread of life.

Youth and children at 5:30
Adult worship and prayer at 6.

In Christian love,
Damian Rodgers