Sermons on Jim Croce:

Looking At Your Own Faith Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Sep 25, 2020

Paul encouraged the Corinthians to examine their own faith. What does that look like?

WHO'S IN? There are a lot of questionable boundary markers for the Christian faith. - If you read the obituary page, you will discover some marvelous realities. Among them: a. Upwards of 90% of people are going to heaven. b. People are members of church despite the fact that they haven’t ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13:5-6

Denomination: Baptist

How Does Personal Spiritual Growth Connect To The Church? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Sep 30, 2020

Paul closes out his second letter to the Corinthians with a plea from his heart for their spiritual growth. Why do we today so seldom see that at a practical level in our churches?

- I should note as we begin that v. 8 is a difficult verse. Its meaning is not clear. It’s not essential to grasp that verse in order to be able to understand the larger point that Paul is making, so we’re just going to lay it aside this evening. There’s not any benefit tonight in spending a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13:7-10

Denomination: Baptist

God Is Love

Contributed by Jim Keegan on Oct 19, 2022

God wants us to live in the blessing, joy and peace of knowing that we’re his beloved children.

1 Corinthians 4:3-5; 1 John 4:9-18 (selected verses) I spent a summer while I was in seminary as a student minister at Acadia National Park in Maine, where I was assisted by a young volunteer named Martha. Martha was an old soul, wise beyond her years. I say that because during that summer ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:9-18, 1 Corinthians 4:3-5

Reading The Bible Literally

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Oct 7, 2020

Paul's instruction that the Corinthians were to "greet one another with a holy kiss" provides a nice open door for discussing whether we are to take the Bible literally. This message looks at four considerations that we need to keep in mind to read the Bible correctly.

- I have four questions for you as we begin. Let me hear an “Amen” if you agree with what I say: a. The Bible is the Word of God. b. We believe in the Bible. c. The Bible is literally true. d. When I came into church, I greeted everyone with a holy kiss. - Where were all the cries of “Amen” ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13:12

Denomination: Baptist

The Problem Of Weeds

Contributed by Jim Keegan on Oct 14, 2020

This parable may very well be one of the most important teachings for the church to hear in helping us to understand the nature of our witness for good in the world.

The Problem of Weeds Read Matthew 13:24-30 Everyone who has ever farmed or gardened, or taken care of a lawn, is only too familiar with the vexing reality of weeds. Weeds are essentially a mundane example of the fall of Creation and the presence of sin in the world. The dictionary defines them ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-43

What Jesus Brings Us Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Oct 21, 2020

This passage early in John gives us important answers to what John did, who Jesus is, and what Jesus brings us.

WHO JOHN THE BAPTIST IS: He is the witness. - John 1:6, 7, 8, 15. a. He was sent from God. - v. 6. b. He was a witness to the light. - v. 7. c. He was not the light. - v. 8. d. He declared Jesus was God Incarnate. - v. 15. WHO JESUS IS: He is God. - John 1:9, 10, 11, 14, 18. a. He ...read more

Scripture: John 1:6-18

Denomination: Baptist

In This Together

Contributed by Jim Keegan on Sep 30, 2022

We need each other in order to become whole and to live in the fullness of God’s blessing.

In May of 1953, two men became the first in history to summit Mount Everest: Edmund Hillary, a New Zealand beekeeper and explorer, and a man named Tenzing Norgay, his Sherpa guide from Nepal. Hillary’s name remains famous for this inspiring achievement, but how many of us remember Tenzing Norgay? ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:8-13

Where Does This Salvation Place Me? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Dec 5, 2023

What is the position that this salvation puts me in?

WHERE DOES THIS SALVATION PLACE ME? I have peace with God. - Romans 5:1-2. - Pieces of this passage: a. We talked in the last sermon about being justified by faith. - v. 1a. b. Where that salvation places me is that I now have peace with God. - v. 1b. c. Jesus made that happen. - v. 1c. d. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1-21

Denomination: Baptist

How Do We Live Out This Salvation? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Dec 11, 2023

Paul now shifts to a major misunderstanding about grace and explains what living out this salvation should look like.

A LOOPHOLE? Can we just keep sinning and use grace as an excuse? - Romans 6:1-2. a. Grace is the means by which salvation comes to us, but grace is easily misunderstood. - v. 1. - We closed out with grace last week. It’s the reality that we cannot earn our salvation but we receive it as a free ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:1-23

Denomination: Baptist

Grace And Peace

Contributed by Jim Keegan on Jan 3, 2023

Paul begins every one of his thirteen letters with these words of blessing: “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” It’s arguably the greatest of all the biblical benedictions, but it goes mostly ignored.

Franklin Roosevelt was greeting guests at the White House one evening as they came through the reception line. He disliked this ritual, however, since everyone always spoke their rehearsed lines without actually listening to what was said. So, feeling mischievous that evening and to test his ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:4-8, Romans 5:1

If I’ve Received Salvation, Why Do I Still Struggle? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Dec 18, 2023

Romans 7 delves into the struggles we as Christians experience in this world: wanting to follow God yet often caught up in our sin nature. What does Paul teach us about how we are to look at that reality?

DEAD MAN WALKING: Dying with Christ is important because it means we’ve been freed. - Romans 7:1-4a. - Chapter 7 obviously flows from chapter 6. Last week in chapter 6 the big ideas we talked about were the (a) we are dead to sin and alive to Christ and (b) that we have to choose if we are going ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:1-25

Denomination: Baptist

Rising Popularity And The Upside-Down Kingdom Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on May 25, 2021

A golden opportunity for increased popularity presents itself, but Jesus uses the occasion to talk about what glory looks like in His "upside-down" kingdom.

THE MOST POPULAR GUY IN TOWN? Jesus’ popularity reaches a new level when even the Greeks are interested in Him. - John 12:20-22. A RELATED IDEA? Jesus’ response is focused on glory. - John 12:23. - Is Jesus interested in glory the way that everyone else is or is He pointing them toward ...read more

Scripture: John 12:20-34

Denomination: Baptist

How God Responds To Our Generosity

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 16, 2019

It's difficult to be generous with our money. Seeing how God has promised to respond to our generosity is encouraging and that's exactly what this passage provides.

SCARED TO BE GENEROUS: “I would be more generous, but I’m barely making it now.” - We all know that generosity is admirable. We know that it’s embarrassing to be identified as being stingy. - But we struggle to be generous. One of the reasons that we don’t end up being as generous as we would ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:8-9

Denomination: Baptist

What Prosperity Gospel Preachers Don’t Want You To Know Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 22, 2019

This passage includes the words "you will be made rich." Does that mean the prosperity gospel is true? Or is this passage actually pointing us toward using God's blessings in a way that doesn't further the American Dream?

A SWEET SOUND TO A PROSPERITY GOSPEL PREACHER: “You will be made rich.” - 2 Corinthians 9:11a – “You will be made rich.” - As most of you know, there is a heretical teaching that God’s purpose in your life is to shower you with material and financial blessings. Under this teaching, signs of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:10-11

Denomination: Baptist

What Are The Results Of My Generosity? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 24, 2019

What can I expect to see happen when I am generous? Obviously, the financial need will be met, but is there more beyond that? This passage points to 7 results.

THE RESULT OF MY GENEROSITY? We usually presume the only result of my generosity is that a need gets met. - There is a need expressed, someone gives, and so that need gets met. Game over, end of story, right? - We’ve been digging for weeks now into chapter 9, which has so much to teach about ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:12-15

Denomination: Baptist