Sermons on F Jim Cymbala:

The Controversy And Confrontation That Jesus’ Kingdom Brings Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Dec 14, 2021

A look at the three closing promises Simeon makes - all of them challenging. What do we learn from these and where do we see these happening in Jesus' ministry?

SAFE AND HARMLESS? Is Jesus’ Kingdom like “no more tears” shampoo? - Have a bottle of Johnson and Johnson baby shampoo and talk about the old “no more tears” promise. It was safe and harmless. A PIERCING SWORD: Simeon speaks of a Kingdom that is less happy and harmless and more controversial ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:25-35

Denomination: Baptist

The Problem With A Religion Of Rules Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jan 11, 2022

Two Sabbath stories bring out some key dangers of a rules-based religion.

- We have two stories here that both look into the rules the religious leaders had back in Jesus’ day concerning the Sabbath. THE PROBLEM WITH A RELIGION OF RULES: 1. WE ARE SELECTIVE ABOUT WHICH RULES WE PAY ATTENTION TO. - Matthew 12:1-5, 9-11. - The Pharisees considered themselves to be the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

How Is Jesus’ Way Different From The Law? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jan 8, 2021

This passage highlights how different what Jesus is bringing is from what the religious teachers were offering. How exactly is Jesus' way different?

THE JEWS' PLAN: 1. THEIR SYSTEM WAS THE LAW. - John 7:21-24. - The miracle that is referred to in v. 21 is almost certainly the healing at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-15). John records miracles after that, but that was the miracle that brought out the issue of healing on the Sabbath. ...read more

Scripture: John 7:14-24

Denomination: Baptist

Why Were The Religious Leaders So Blind About Jesus? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jan 11, 2021

This passage speaks to the ignorant confidence that the religious leaders possessed. How do we avoid their mistake?

WHAT'S THE HEART OF THIS PASSAGE? The religious leaders had all that knowledge and yet they didn’t know God. - John 7:28d – “You do not know Him” - The religious leaders, of course, thought they were the epitome of knowledge and understanding. They loved the status they had among the people. ...read more

Scripture: John 7:25-36

Denomination: Baptist

Kindred Spirits

Contributed by Jim Keegan on Jan 13, 2021

God has designed the created order with the foundational communities of the family and church. They reflect his gracious providential care, especially through the blessings of love, grace and a sense of belonging.

Matthew 12:46-50 [Read text] The cover photo from the Mother’s Day issue of a Christian magazine showed a neatly groomed and well dressed little brother and sister serving their mother an artistically arranged breakfast in bed on a silver platter. In a subsequent letter to the editor, a mother ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:46-50

Being A Super Servant

Contributed by Jim Moynihan on Feb 1, 2021

A super servant is faithful, obedient and unwilling to give up on the mission God has called him or her to. As a result, a super servant will be richly rewarded by going deep with God throughout their lifetime of serving him.

Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s, once appeared on the cover of their annual report in a knee-length work apron holding a mop and a bucket. He said, “I got my M.B.A. long before my G.E.D. Here M.B.A. doesn’t mean Master of Business Administration. It means Mop Bucket Attitude.” Dave got his ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 14:6-14

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Jesus’ Light Helps Us See Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Feb 2, 2021

This passage is complicated and challenging. This sermon attempts to cut it down to the four interactions and what is going in each. What's the key to seeing Jesus' light?

- This is a very challenging passage. There is a lot going on here in general. There are questions and answers that don’t always flow from one another. There are a lot of theological statements that are not easily processed. - When you add it all up, there’s a lot to handle here. I struggled ...read more

Scripture: John 8:12-30

Denomination: Baptist

Experiencing The Freedom Christ Gives Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Feb 3, 2021

This passage gives us a nice roadmap to moving from our spiritual slavery to the freedom that Christ offers.

- I’m going to take these verses in an order that allow me to make an argument from where we are to where we can be. There are a lot of important ideas in here. 1. WE ARE SLAVES TO SIN. - John 8:34. - We are all slaves to sin. We can’t overcome it. - Romans 6:6. - This, of course, is an ...read more

Scripture: John 8:31-36

Denomination: Baptist

A Friend For Life

Contributed by Jim Keegan on Feb 3, 2021

God, who has given himself to us wholeheartedly in the person of Jesus Christ, is the most faithful, gracious, loving friend and heart’s companion we could ever desire.

John 15:9-15 As with so many of the great hymns of our faith, there’s an inspirational backstory to the popular gospel song, “What A Friend We Have In Jesus.” The author of these verses was an Irishman named Joseph Scriven, who found God’s deep, faithful friendship in the midst of intense ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9-17

The Test Of Whether God Is Your Father Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Feb 5, 2021

The religious leaders were proud of their heritage as children of Abraham, but that kept them from receiving what Jesus was offering. This message looks at the test of whether God or Satan is our father as well as four danger signs that we are heading in the wrong direction.

THE TEST OF WHETHER GOD IS YOUR FATHER: The answer is found in what you do with Jesus. - John 8:42. - John 8:39b, 44. - Many focus on a generic God. - The teaching of the Kingdom is not a generic morality. - We each need to make a decision for or against Jesus. DANGER SIGNS: 1. Counting on ...read more

Scripture: John 8:37-47

Denomination: Baptist

If Only People Understood What Jesus Was Offering Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Feb 9, 2021

The problem here is not so much that the religious leaders didn't understand Jesus. It's more that they actually do understand Him. What's He saying that is so provocative?

THE CLIMAX OF THE CONVERSATION: The more they understood Jesus, the more they thought He was crazy. - John 8:48, 52a, 55-57, 59. - This is the climax of a long conversation in John 8 that we’ve handled in several sermons because there is so much content there. The further the conversation went, ...read more

Scripture: John 8:48-59

Denomination: Baptist

When Your Theology Bumps Into The Facts Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Feb 16, 2021

A lengthy story about a man born blind provides a clear picture of what happens when your theology bumps into inconvenient facts. Will you reach for God or cling to your predetermined ideas?

SEEING THE LIGHT: The man was blind but saw by believing and obeying Jesus. - John 9:1-7. a. We’ll get more into the confusion in a moment, but the disciples echo the prevailing theology of the time and presume that someone must have sinned for him to be blind. - vv. 1-2. - It was a theology ...read more

Scripture: John 9:1-41

Denomination: Baptist

A Rebuke To Forgiveness-Only Salvation

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Sep 30, 2025

This is a challenging passage. Surely Paul doesn't mean that we have to actually live like that?! What it all points us to is a false gospel that is too often preached today - "forgiveness-only" belief. What does this passage tell us about what real salvation looks like?

A COMMON BELIEF TODAY: I am “saved” and unchanged. - Matthew 7:15-20; Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 13:6-9; John 15:8. - This passage makes us uncomfortable. It sounds harsh and unrealistic. We will delve into how we are to understand it as we move forward. - A good place to start is a major reason why ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

"Woe To You": Avoiding The Pharisees’ Mistakes About Faith Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Nov 4, 2025

Jesus' criticism of the religious leaders provides several insights into what genuine faith is supposed to look like.

WRONG WAY: Jesus rejected the Pharisees’ approach to faith. - Luke 11:37-38. - Jesus gets invited to dine with a Pharisee and He goes. That in itself is interesting: Jesus is engaging with those who are His most vociferous enemies. - Why did He do that? I think there are at least a couple ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:37-54

Denomination: Baptist

What We Put In The Way Of Setting People Free Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Nov 18, 2025

Jesus came to set people free, but often we put things ahead of that. What are the specific ways we do that?

“THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE”: Jesus came to set people free from Satanic oppression. - Luke 13:10-13; John 8:32. - There was more to Jesus’ mission than this, but one of the biggest things that He did was to set people free from Satanic oppression. - This is true both in terms of exorcisms, like ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:10-17

Denomination: Baptist