Sermons on James Nichols:

Choices

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on May 27, 2005

Knowing that life is filled with choices , we must as Jacob of old, wait upon the Lord (Gen. 49:18). Jacob’s descendants likewise had to make choices, but they chose to go against God and His love:

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: Eamon De Valera was an Irish statesman who served three times as prime minister of Ireland and subsequently as her president. After the Easter rebellion of 1916, De Valera was sentenced to penal servitude. While traveling to prison, he took out his pipe and was about to ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 13:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

Repentance

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on May 27, 2005

Hosea calls for repentance (vv. 1-3) and God promises restoration (vv. 4-8). God had to punish Israel for its gross and repeated violation of His law, but He would do so with a heavy heart. The preceding chapters have painted a very drab picture (v. l). N

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: Thomas Jefferson founded the University of Virginia. The misbehavior of students led to a riot in which professors who tried to restore order were attacked. The following day a meeting was held between the university’s board, of which Jefferson was a member, and defiant ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 14:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Quiet Time

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Sep 8, 2004

How do I balance activity with solitude?

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE It is said that Andrew Bonar, a great man of prayer, had three rules: (1) Not to speak to any man before speaking to Jesus; (2) Not to do anything with his hands until he had been on his knees; (3) Not to read the papers until he had read his Bible. - (Keith L. Brooks, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:35-39

Denomination: Baptist

Faith

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Sep 8, 2004

The faith of four friends - Jesus heals a man sick with palsy.

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: During an especially trying time in the work of the China Inland Mission, Hudson Taylor wrote to his wife, “We have twenty-five cents—and all the promises of God! (Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching & Preachers, W. Wiersbe, p. 242) Jesus chose Capernaum as the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Legalism

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Sep 8, 2004

Are you too caught up in man-made laws?

The story was told some years ago of a pastor who found the roads blocked one Sunday morning and was forced to skate on the river to get to church, which he did. When he arrived the elders of the church were horrified that their preacher had skated on the Lord’s Day. After the service they held a ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:23-28

Denomination: Baptist

Christian Liberty

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Mar 28, 2005

Sometimes its hard to know when to defer to the weaker brother. Paul gives a simple rule of thumb to help in making that decision.

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: A prayer before the U.S. Senate. “Lord Jesus, thou who art the way, the truth, and the life; hear us as we pray for the truth that shall make all free. Teach us that liberty is not only to be loved but also to be lived. Liberty is too precious a thing to be buried in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:23-33

Denomination: Baptist

Diversity

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Mar 28, 2005

In the body there is a diversity of gifts. There is a tendency among Christians for some people to magnify the "sensational" gifts. Some believers feel very guilty because they possess gifts that do not put them in the limelight. It is this attitude that

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: You may remember a few years ago when Snoopy, the lovable beagle in the Peanuts cartoon, had his left leg broken. Hundreds wrote letters to Snoopy or sent sympathy cards. Snoopy himself philosophized about his plight one day while perched on top of his doghouse and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12-26

Denomination: Baptist

Spiritual Gifts

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Mar 28, 2005

For a third time, Paul stresses the fact that God, not man, assigned the gifts (vv. 18, 24, 28). God gives to each person and each congregation just the gifts it needs when they are needed. No individual believer possesses all the spiritual gifts. Each be

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: This story was related by Donald Grey Barnhouse. Several years ago, two students graduated from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. The highest ranking student in the class was a blind man named Overton and, when he received his honor, he insisted that half the credit ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:27-31

Denomination: Baptist

Communication

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Mar 28, 2005

Paul’s statement in verse 10 gives us good reason to believe that he was referring to known languages and not some “heavenly” language.

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: The story is told about three kids bragging about their fathers: The first one said, “My dad’s so smart he can talk for one hour on any subject.” The second one said, “My dad’s so smart he can talk for two hours on any subject.” Finally, the third one said, “My dad’s so ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Organized

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Mar 28, 2005

Two things are specifically emphasized in this passage: 1. "Let all things be done unto edifying" (v. 26). 2. "Let all things be done decently and in order" (v. 40).

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: In a Peanuts cartoon Lucy demanded that Linus change TV channels, threatening him with her fist if he didn’t. “What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?” asks Linus. “These five fingers,” says Lucy. “Individually they’re nothing but when I curl ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:26-40

Denomination: Baptist

Resurrection

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Apr 6, 2005

These verses reveal the essential nature of the resurrection of Christ so far as Christian truth is concerned. There were people in Corinth who were saying there was no resurrection. Paul presents logical consequences of denying the resurrection:

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: D. L. Moody, the great evangelist of the nineteenth century, assigned some ministerial students to conduct evangelistic tent meetings throughout the city of Chicago. The students were to preach nightly sermons as a means of winning souls for Christ and to practice their ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

Denomination: Baptist

Body

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Apr 6, 2005

The apostle Paul opens up discussion concerning the nature of the resurrection body. He deals with two questions which foolish objectors raise (v. 35). The first question implies that resurrection is impossible; the second, that it is inconceivable.

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: In March of 1981, President Reagan was shot by John Hinckley, Jr. , and was hospitalized for several weeks. Although Reagan was the nation’s chief executive, his hospitalization had little impact on the nation’s activity. Government continued. On the other hand, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:35-44

Denomination: Baptist

Changed

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Apr 6, 2005

In the previous passage, we were told that the body is buried in corruption because it is going to decay; but it is raised with such a nature that it cannot decay. With this change there is no decay or death in heaven.

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: It was not until 1850 that our world reached the one billion mark. By 1930 we reached two billion. It took only thirty more years for the world’s population to reach three billion. We have now arrived at six billion. Statisticians tell us that by the end of this century ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:45-50

Denomination: Baptist

Steadfast

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Apr 6, 2005

Paul’s doctrinal declarations led to practical directives and this chapter’s conclusion was no exception. We will be given new bodies when Christ returns and these bodies will be without disabilities (vv. 52-53). This means that death should no longer be

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: William Carey, the “father of modern missions,” wanted to translate the Bible into as many Indian languages as possible. He established a large print-shop in Serampore where translation work was continually being done. Carey spent hours each day translating Scripture, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:51-58

Denomination: Baptist

Giving

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Apr 6, 2005

In this passage, Paul answers a question the Corinthian believers had asked about a collection he was taking for the poor and then shares his personal travel plans. The Corinthians had apparently heard from the Galatian churches that he was taking an offe

THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PASSAGE: On the way home from church the father was complaining, "That church service, the sermon was too long, the music was too loud and the building was too hot." His son in the back seat replied, "I don’’t know, Dad, I thought it was a pretty good show for a buck." (Source ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 16:1-12

Denomination: Baptist