Sermons on Isaac Kappy:

Running In A Standing Position Series

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Mar 23, 2015

Consider three moves of grace. Our record is cleared of sin. Our lives are conformed to Christ. And our destiny is sealed by God.

There are three great moves that God makes on your behalf – three initiatives of grace that have to do with securing and insuring your salvation. They are, first, justification, second, sanctification, and, third, glorification. In his mercy, God justifies you – that is, he pronounces ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Mind Your Thoughts Series

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Mar 23, 2015

When you "mind your thoughts," you don't have anything to worry about.

Next Sunday is Stewardship Commitment Sunday. You and I recently received pledge cards from our Finance and Stewardship Committee, and they are asking us to make a commitment about what we will give in the year 2015. There will be a time set aside in next Sunday’s service for those of us who ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4-9

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

An Acceptable Sacrifice Series

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Mar 23, 2015

If you give out of love for God, you will get what you desire most. You will get God's riches in Christ.

I once missed a great blessing. I was part of a student organization in college, and we were having a clothing drive. Our leader encouraged us to donate an article or two of clothing, but, when he did, he said, “Don’t give away something you won’t miss. Give something you really ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:10-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Comeback

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Mar 26, 2015

God makes our desert a garden; He turns our exile into homecoming.

MY MOTHER DIED when I was twenty-six. She was only fifty-seven. A few years before her death, she was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx. She fought it bravely, but, in time, it overtook her, and all too soon, by our accounts, she died. We had a service led by an Air Force chaplain at a local ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 35:1-10

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

With His Coming

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Mar 30, 2015

Jesus became vulnerable so that we might become victorious. He put himself in harm's way to drive all harm away from us.

THERE’S A STORY in the Bible about King Jehoshaphat and how, one day, he was given some distressing news. Messengers came, and they told him that the massive armies of three – not one or two, but three – nations were coming against him. “A great multitude,” they ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:1-11

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Easter Reservations

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Apr 9, 2015

Our risen Lord thrusts us into a future we’d never choose but we’d hate to lose.

THE FAMILY I GREW UP IN was highly conflicted. You would think that, for all the fighting we did, we would have gotten good at it – or, at least, that we would have seen something constructive come out of it. But the incessant bickering never seemed to bring about change; we just grew ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:1-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Vital Christianity

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Apr 13, 2015

Only a vital Christianity creates vital Christians.

Without Jesus at the center of our faith and life, what are we left with? As far as our Christianity goes, it’s going to be nothing more than some form of bland moralism, religious formalism, or an anemic spirituality that neither motivates us nor appeals to others. We must have a ...read more

Scripture: John 20:19-23

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Christmas Interruptions: Joseph Series

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Dec 8, 2014

Christmas interrupts the unraveling of your life. Your fears, like Joseph’s, are unfounded, and for the same reason: The child in Mary’s womb!

You’ve got to see this first Christmas from Joseph’s point of view. I mean, his heart was full of anticipation over his recent engagement to Mary. His head was no doubt filled with images of what his life was going to be like, and he saw nothing but blue skies and smooth seas ahead. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Christmas News: The Angels Series

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Dec 8, 2014

We need to be seized once more by heavenly realities – just as Zechariah was. We need to experience something like a shock to our smug certainties that whittle God down to a manageable size and leave us underwhelmed by the mysteries of eternity.

Angels have fallen on hard times these days. Hardly anyone thinks about them anymore…except at Christmas, of course. But even at that, people don’t much believe in them. Although…I knew a woman – a member of this church at one time: She told me that she had actually seen an ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Journey Of Faith Series

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Dec 8, 2014

It is through Jesus that God speaks to you and me – no matter how dark the times, no matter how difficult the way, no matter how unfaithful people around us may be. God speaks to us through Jesus, and he calls us to himself just as he did Ruth.

The book of Ruth is the story of an extended family living in a dangerous place during turbulent times. The story is told in four scenes, with a chapter devoted to each scene. Chapter 1 is about a journey, chapter 2 a day in the field, chapter 3 a night to remember, and chapter 4 a morning that ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 1:1-22

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Fields Of Grace Series

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Dec 8, 2014

God takes us on – just as Boaz took on Ruth – and he makes promises to us…and gracious provision. And he “works all things together for good to those who love him, who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:29).

You’ve heard the one, I ‘m sure, about the lonely frog who goes to see a fortune-teller. He’s told not to worry. She says, “You’re going to meet a beautiful young girl, and she will want to know everything about you.” “That’s great!” the ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 2:1-13

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Wings Of Mercy Series

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Dec 8, 2014

God takes us, sinners one and all – spiritual waifs, to be honest – and he “marries” himself to us. He redeems us from the estrangement sin has caused in our lives. He takes us under his wings; he covers us with his cloak. And we are restored.

One of the characters in Kent Haruf’s novel Plainsong is Victoria, a seventeen-year-old girl who is four months pregnant. When her boyfriend finds out about her condition, he breaks up with her. And when her mother finds out, she kicks her out of the house and says to her, “You got ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 3:1-13

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

My Redeemer Lives! Series

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Dec 8, 2014

God’s plan of redemption has been in process for centuries on end, but what it comes down to is this: Jesus is our greater Boaz. He is the faithful Redeemer, who has paid the price to deliver us and to recover us for an eternity of joy.

Over the last few weeks, we have turned our attention the book of Ruth in the Old Testament, and now, today, we come to our final study of this remarkable account. As we have said, the story of Ruth is told in four episodes with a chapter given to each one of them. The first chapter is the story ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 4:1-22

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