Sermons on Jim Lovell:

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

An Unfinished Agenda

Contributed by Jim Kane on Apr 30, 2006

A second 2006 Post-Resurrection sermon

(1) In the circles that I travel in, especially my ministerial circles, there are several common phrases or words that I have heard a great deal in the past several years. One is (1A) ‘casting a vision.’ We read in the Old Testament, “Without a vision the people parish.” Vision is important. We ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

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

Three Tough Issues On A Woman's Role In Church

Contributed by Jim Butcher on May 2, 2006

These difficult passages deal with the controversial subjects of women being silent in church, women wearing head coverings, and male headship. This message looks at both sides of each Biblical argument.

- It’s Christmas Eve and the kids are off to bed. You pull out the box with one of their big gifts for Christmas morning. Before you’re off to bed, you just need to spend a few minutes assembling the toy. You open the box and pull out piece after piece after piece, along with several bags of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16

Denomination: Baptist

The Da Vinci Code: Fact Or Fiction (Part Four: Mary Magdalene's Big Role)

Contributed by Jim Butcher on May 5, 2006

This message looks at Mary Magdalene’s biggest scene in the Bible - not as Jesus’ wife, but as the first person to meet the risen Savior.

The Da Vinci Code’s Claim: “Mary Magdalene’s most important role was being married to Jesus.” - As we noted last week, Dan Brown claims in his book that Mary Magdalene is of monumental importance because she was married to Jesus. (We also noted that Brown claims that she had a child with Jesus ...read more

Scripture: John 20:11-18

Denomination: Baptist

The Da Vinci Code: Fact Or Fiction (Part Five: Is Absolute Truth Real?)

Contributed by Jim Butcher on May 12, 2006

This message deals with the likely possibility of people choosing to believe both the Bible and The Da Vinci Code. It addresses the issues of absolute truth and syncretism.

The Issue: “Few will choose to totally dismiss the Bible and believe instead in The Da Vinci Code; there is a greater danger, though, of many choosing to believe both the Bible and The Da Vinci Code.” - I imagine that relatively few people will choose, after having read The Da Vinci Code, to ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6

Denomination: Baptist

Not In Polite Company! Series

Contributed by Jim Cunningham on Jan 21, 2006

A sermon in a series on 2 Corinthians, on principles of giving.

Not in Polite Company! – 2 Corinthians 9 There are some things you just don’t talk about in our culture. At least not in polite company. Picture yourself at a party or in a gathering of folks who you don’t know well. What kinds of things do folks chat about? You can talk about the weather, you ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:1-15

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Poor Economics Of Sowing

Contributed by Jim Cunningham on Sep 2, 2006

Looking at the Parable of the Sower as a true parable, rather than an allegory.

We are a bit past the growing season here in NJ. But the farmers’ markets are still booming with the harvest of seeds that were planted back in the spring. We have had extreme weather this year – first wet, then dry, with a miserable heat wave in the middle. I’m not sure it has been a bumper ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:1-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed