Sermons on F Jim Cymbala:

Quest For Purpose Series

Contributed by Jim Drake on Apr 10, 2007

Christians today have both a negative and a positive role in society. The negative role is to restrain evil. The positive role is to spread the Gospel and do good works.

1. The first purpose God has for the church today is preservation 2. The second purpose God has for the church today is propagation MATTHEW 5:13-16 I’ve got a book at home called Seven Men Who Rule the World from the Grave. Some of the names might not ring a bell. Names like Julius Wellhausen, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16

Denomination: Baptist

Foolish Or Filled? Series

Contributed by Jim Drake on Apr 22, 2007

In order to be in the will of God, believers today must be filled with the Holy Spirit. Anything else is utterly ridiculous.

1. Two contrasts and two comparisons (17-18) 2. To be filled with the Spirit is to overflow with praise (19) 3. To be filled with the Spirit is to overflow with thankfulness (20) 4. To be filled with the Spirit is to overflow with humility (21) EPHESIANS 5:17-21 I love my kids with all my heart. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:17-21

Denomination: Baptist

Why Can't I Seem To Muster Enough Faith To Get My Prayer Answered?

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 27, 2007

What did Jesus mean when He spoke of all things being possible in prayer if only we have faith?

A CRY FROM OUR HEART: “Why wasn’t my prayer answered?” - Mark 9:17-18. - We look at our situation, whatever it may be, and wonder why our prayer wasn’t answered. - We really wanted that job, but we didn’t get it. - We really wanted to get pregnant this month, but it didn’t happen. - We really ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:14-29

Denomination: Baptist

The "S" Word: Husbands And Wives Series

Contributed by Jim Drake on Apr 30, 2007

God gave us marriage as a picture of Christ’s love for His church. We faithfully show the world His love for us in the way we accurately display that picture in our marital submission.

1. Marital submission is about a mutual position 2. Marital submission is about a marvelous preparation 3. Marital submission is about a mysterious picture EPHESIANS 5:22-33 On June 14, 2000, Southern Baptists created a firestorm of controversy. Leaders of our convention were all over the TV ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:22-33

Denomination: Baptist

The Da Vinci Code: Fact Or Fiction (Part One: Can The Bible Be Trusted?)

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 5, 2006

In the light of The Da Vinci Code’s accusation that what we read in the Bible is fiction, this message looks at four of the main accusations against the accuracy of the Bible and explains why the Bible can be trusted.

- Why are we going to talking about The Da Vinci Code over the next few weeks? Well, there’s a couple of reasons: 1. Dan Brown’s book makes some serious claims about Jesus that strike at the heart of what we believe. Because of the enormous popularity of this book and the likely blockbuster ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12-13

Denomination: Baptist

Excusing Our Sin: "I'm A Good Person"

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 5, 2006

This message looks at what we really mean when we say, "He’s a good person" and what the Biblical standard is to be able to say that.

1. Our Belief: “I’m a good person.” 2. Some Examples Of God’s Standards: a. It’s a blot on our record every time we get angry at a friend without cause. - Matthew 5:21-22. - We’ll say, “Well, at least I’m not a murderer,” but here we see that we’re in danger of judgment for our unjustified ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:9-20

Denomination: Baptist

The Da Vinci Code: Fact Or Fiction (Part Two: Did Jesus Claim To Be God?)

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 14, 2006

In his book, Dan Brown claims that the deity of Jesus was a fourth-century creation. This sermon looks at Jesus’ own statements on the subjects and then examines the three ways we can respond to those statements.

The Da Vinci Code Claim: “The deity of Jesus was invented at the Council of Nicea (325 A.D.).” - A character in Brown’s book states, “Until that moment [the Council of Nicea] in history, Jesus was viewed by his followers as a mortal prophet. . . a great and powerful man, but a man nonetheless. A ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:5-7

Denomination: Baptist

The Road To Damascus

Contributed by Jim Kane on Apr 30, 2006

March 5, 2006 Communion Meditation and the first sermon of the 2006 Lenten Series

(Introduction to meditation was from Creative Communications for the Parish’s dramatic introduction, ‘This Lenten Road: The Road to Damascus’ © 2004 by Creative Communications for the Parish.) (1) Many years ago along one of our coasts a Navy Captain looked into the dark night and saw faint ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:1-20

Denomination: Church Of God

The Road To The Wilderness

Contributed by Jim Kane on Apr 30, 2006

Second sermon for Lent 2006

(The introduction to this sermon was dramatic reading from the Lenten Series, ‘The Lenten Road,’ published by The Center for Creative Communication for the Parish. © 2004) (1) Look at this photo for a moment. It’s magnificent! It’s majestic! It’s appealing! It’s warm! It’s sunny! What a beautiful ...read more

Denomination: Church Of God

The Road To Jerusalem

Contributed by Jim Kane on Apr 30, 2006

Third Sermon for Lent 2006

Dramatic Introduction: ‘The Road to Jerusalem’ written by Arden and Peter Mead and published by the Creative Communications for the Parish, © 2004. (1) This past week there have been roads in our state and across the center of this nation and elsewhere that has not been hospitable to drivers. An ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:21-26

Denomination: Church Of God

The Road To Jericho

Contributed by Jim Kane on Apr 30, 2006

A communion meditation for April 2, 2006 and the fourth sermon in a 2006 Lenten Series

Dramatic Introduction: ‘The Road to Jericho’ written by Arden and Peter Mead and published by the Creative Communications for the Parish, © 2004 In their comments on our main text, Arden and Peter Mead ask the question, ‘Where do you picture yourself in the story of the Good Samaritan? With what ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Denomination: Church Of God

The Bethany Road

Contributed by Jim Kane on Apr 30, 2006

The fifth sermon of a 2006 Lenten Series

Dramatic Introduction: ‘The Bethany Road’ written by Arden and Peter Mead and published by Creative Communications for the Parish, © 2004 (1) Sermon titles are a challenge for a pastor. There is an art to selecting a suitable title but it can be quite difficult to do so. Some pastors have simply ...read more

Scripture: John 12:1-19

Denomination: Church Of God

The Road To Gethsemane

Contributed by Jim Kane on Apr 30, 2006

2006 Maundy Thursday meditation

(The meditation began with a dramatic dialogue, ‘The Road to Gethsemane.’ © 2004 by Creative Communications for the Parish) “The road to Gethsemane,” writes Arden and Peter Mead, “is a road to prayer.” It is a road to prayer because Jesus tells the disciples to ‘keep alert and pray.’ This begs the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:36-46

Denomination: Church Of God

The Tale Of Two Rooms

Contributed by Jim Kane on Apr 30, 2006

A 2006 post-Easter sermon

(1) When failure strikes, where do you go to regroup? I asked that question to several persons this week and here is what some of them said: (1A) One of them offered several different groups of people but ultimately said, “I drop to my knees, and pour my pain before the throne of God, and ask for ...read more

Scripture: John 20:19-23

Denomination: Church Of God

The Da Vinci Code: Fact Or Fiction (Part Three: Was Jesus Married?)

Contributed by Jim Butcher on May 2, 2006

This message deals with the Da Vinci Code’s lies about Jesus being married to Mary Magdalene and having fathered a child with her.

DAN BROWN’S CLAIMS: “Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene. They had a child. After Jesus’ death, Mary fled to France. Today, there are physical descendants of Jesus’ bloodline.” - The Da Vinci Code makes some wild assertions here. Brown claims that after Jesus’ death Mary fled to France in the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:31

Denomination: Baptist