Sermons on Abraham And Isaac:

Jan's Triumph

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Jan 9, 2015

God's love has made us His children, and it will make us like His Son.

One thing I learned about Jan: She never felt the need to control others. I don’t mean by that that she had no boundaries or no expectations of us. She wanted us to be our best selves. But she didn’t see the need to coerce us. She didn’t need us to be a certain way for her to be ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:1-3

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Bob's Legacy

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Jan 9, 2015

Don't just be religious. Make your life a spiritual quest.

Bob’s house was well built, by which I mean that his life was well-grounded. That’s what the Bible means – at least, most times – when it talks about building houses. We saw in Proverbs where it says, “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:38-48

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

God Is Above Us Series

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Jan 12, 2015

There are aspects of God that we cannot know. God is above us -- far above us.

This would be Moses’ second trip up the mountain to meet God. The first trip had ended in disaster. God had given him the tablets of the law, written in stone, and he was coming down the mountain to give them to the people. But he heard something unexpected. He heard what sounded like loud ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 33:17-23

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Before The Harvest

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Jan 12, 2015

The wheat and the weeds, then, grow side by side – and will, until the harvest. Then, according to Jesus, there will be a separation.

This is a simple tale, isn’t it? Or, so it seems. But there’s actually more to Jesus’ story than meets the eye. If you and I were to look down the page just a few verses, what we would find is Jesus’ explanation of this parable and what it means. As he lays it out, he ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-30

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Can The Dead Hear?

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Jan 12, 2015

When the heart goes out of our faith, then the life goes out of our church. A vital congregation has its source in God.

Nobody wants to be a part of a dead church. Not even Jesus! In the last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation, we find Jesus speaking to the church in a city called Sardis, and you know what he says? He says: “I know your works; you have a name [for] being alive, but [actually] you are ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Claim, A Commandment, And A Promise

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Jan 12, 2015

Casual Christianity is worthless and brings neither glory to God nor satisfaction to the soul.

I love fast food. I know I shouldn’t, but I do. Actually, I don’t really love it; I’m just comfortable with it. It’s quick. It’s easy. And it’s cheap. It’s not good for me, I know. The last time I ate a Big Mac, I checked the calorie count. If you eat just ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

God Is Near Us Series

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Jan 29, 2015

God has good cause to be angry with us, but, because of his grace, he is not.

Dr. Richard Cutter was my Greek professor at Baylor. One day, during class, he was lecturing along, and I was having a hard time keeping up. I glanced over at the notes of the student sitting next to me, hoping to get from him something that I had missed. That’s okay, isn’t it? I mean, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 57:14-16

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Judged By Whose Righteousness?

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Feb 7, 2015

The claim to innocence can be rightly made only by the Savior, but, instead of seeking to escape judgment, He submitted Himself to wrath for my sake.

If you're like me when you read Psalm 7, you may find your heart resonating with the opening verses: [1] O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, [2] lest like a lion they tear my soul apart, rending it in pieces, with none to deliver” ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 7:1-8

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Jealous For The Name

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on May 29, 2018

Jesus teaches to long for the name of God to be held in esteem.

I THINK I MUST HAVE BEEN in the fourth or fifth grade, and I’d come into the proud ownership of a brand new baseball. I mean, it was the real deal. The core was firm, the skin was tight, the threads were prominent and taut. It even had the word “Official” on it. It was a gem. So I got up a game ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:13-16

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Thy Will Be Done Series

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Jun 9, 2018

When we pray, "Thy will be done," we are committing ourselves to desire, discover, and do the will of God with grateful hearts.

Warren Wiersbe says that, from time to time, he has counseled with people who were actually afraid of the will of God. They were terrified at the thought of surrendering themselves completely to him. The idea disturbed them because they had concluded that the will of God was something painful and ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:9-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Whose Story Is It?

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Jun 9, 2018

Are the star of your own story with God playing a supporting role, or are you in a story that’s bigger than you, with God in the lead and you in the supporting role?

Bill Clem opens his book, Disciple, with two scenarios. One has to do with a couple of guys who are theater majors in college, and they grow impatient with all the hoops they have to jump through to finish their degree. They just want to be producing plays and directing and acting in them. So, one ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Christmas Grace: The Shepherds Series

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Dec 15, 2014

This Child, this Christ, would be prophet, priest, and king -- showing God's way, ruling His people with compassion, and offering Himself as the sacrifice for their sins.

8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then the angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for, see – I am ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Savior And Lord

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Dec 19, 2014

By his sacrifice of himself, Jesus has proven his love for us. And because of that we worship him. We acknowledge him as Savior and Lord not because we have to but because we want to!

Do you remember the story of the emperor’s clothes? If I am recalling it right, someone persuaded the emperor to buy a suit of clothes that only people with the most exquisite taste in fashion could see. Of course, the emperor could not see the clothes, nor could anyone else – because ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:10-11

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Our Inheritance

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Dec 27, 2014

A funeral sermon in which we learn about the person something of her relationship to herself, to others, and to God.

Jutta was one of those people that make a preacher’s job easier – or really, the job of anyone who speaks in public. I came to know Jutta at the vespers service held each Thursday evening at the Manor. She always sat close to the front – on the second row, in fact – ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:11-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Christmas Journeys: The Magi Series

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Dec 27, 2014

We ought to take our cue – not from Herod, who rejected God’s gift of Jesus – but from the wise men, who received it with glad and thankful hearts.

This is the last of our series on the theme of Faces at the Manger. We started with Joseph, remember, and we continued with the angels, the shepherds, and Mary, the mother of our Lord. And now we conclude with the wise men, or the magi, as they are sometimes called. Technically, they did not ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed