Sermons on Jim Patrick:

When We Decide Evangelism Isn’t For Us To Do Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jan 22, 2025

This is a passage about a watchman. The analogy fits with our responsibility today to share the Good News. Unfortunately, that's a responsibility we often neglect.

OPTIONAL? Many Christians do not see evangelism as a responsibility. - Ezekiel 33:1-11; Matthew 28:16-20. - [Unpack the responsibility to share but not the “blood on our hands” part.] - Unpack the passage and the responsibility that is put on the watchman. Explain the watchman analogy in that ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 33:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

What Does It Mean That God Has Given Us An "inheritance"?

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jan 29, 2025

It's an odd phrase: we have been given an "inheritance" in Christ? What does that mean? It's not like God is going to die! The phrase doesn't actually point us toward death but toward the Exodus. What can we learn from that reference?

WHAT IN THE WORLD DOES THAT MEAN? What does Paul mean when he speaks of us having an “inheritance” in the Lord? - Ephesians 1:14; Colossians 1:12; Colossians 3:24. - This is a phrase that has bothered me for a long time and I didn’t really have a great answer to it. There are a few places in his ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:13-14

Denomination: Baptist

When We Think God Has Failed Us Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Feb 6, 2025

Israel loves what Ezekiel has to say, but they don't obey His teaching. What does God have to say about that?

WHY DID GOD FAIL US? Israel was shocked that God had let them down. - Ezekiel 33:21-24. - This passage as a whole is God giving an explanation to Israel of what’s going on because they are nowhere near an accurate understanding of the situation. - Verse 21 opens the passage with the reality of ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 33:21-33

Denomination: Baptist

What Can I Expect From Christ As My Shepherd? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Feb 19, 2025

The abject failure of the shepherds of Israel point to a Good Shepherd who will actually care for Israel.

SCATTERED: God has concern for the weak sheep. - Ezekiel 34:4-6. - Matthew 9:36. - Let’s start with the accusation that God is bringing against the shepherds of Ezekiel’s day. - Just so we’re all on the same page: we obviously are not talking about literal shepherds. Rather, we are talking about ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 34:1-31

Denomination: Baptist

When God Is Not Doing It For Us Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Feb 20, 2025

God tells Israel that He is not doing this for their sakes but for the sake of His name. What can we learn from that?

THE PROBLEM: God’s name is being profaned among the nations because of God’s people. - Ezekiel 36:22 (“My holy name, which you have profaned among nations”), 23 (“My great name, which has been profaned among the nations”). - The Hebrew word for “profane” here can also mean “defile, pollute, ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 36:22-23

Denomination: Baptist

When The Glory Of God Departs Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Aug 2, 2024

The departure of the glory of God from the Temple was a milestone event. Was God forsaking His promises to Israel?

- It’s worth noting as I get started this evening that this is a wild chapter with a lot of interesting and unusual details. Those parts of the chapter are worth a Bible study unto themselves to unpack those meanings. This sermon, though, is not that Bible study. - Instead, we will be focusing ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 10:3-4

Denomination: Baptist

When You Have To Say No Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jul 14, 2023

Right after the violently negative response at Nazareth, Jesus finds adoration at Capernaum. But that doesn't mean everything is good there.

TALK OF THE TOWN: After rejection at Nazareth, Jesus finds adoration at Capernaum. - Luke 4:31-37 (especially vv. 32 and 36). - cf. vv. 24-30. THE PROBLEM: Two missions were in conflict. - Luke 4:32, 36, 38-39, 42-43. - What a great situation in many ways: a. They were amazed at His ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:31-44

Denomination: Baptist

Why Was Jesus So Popular? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jul 18, 2023

This passage gives us insight into why Jesus became so popular so quickly. It also points out to us something that we emphasize in the modern American church that was not a part of Jesus' popularity.

VERSE 15 IS THE CENTERPIECE OF THIS PASSAGE: This is a story and testament to Jesus’ quickly rising popularity early in His ministry. - Luke 5:15. - It would be easy to see this passage as another miracle story, but I think it serves a more specific purpose in Luke’s gospel. Jesus has just called ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:12-16

Denomination: Baptist

A Solution To Most Arguments Among Christians Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Sep 15, 2023

This sermon series looks at Romans 14. This opening sermon examines the big picture of how Christians should handle these issue we disagree on.

A FACT OF LIFE: There are going to be disputable matters Christians disagree on. - Romans 14:1b, 2, 5a. - Verse 1b introduces the term “disputable matters.” Now Paul has a lot to say about this and we are going to unpack this chapter over the next five weeks and detail the major points he makes. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:1-2

Denomination: Baptist

The Antidote To The ‘kindly Grandfather’ God Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 16, 2024

This passage is a stark contrast to the "kindly grandfather" image of God that many had. What are the specific ways that shows up here?

JUDGMENT-FREE ZONE: Many people like to think of God as a kindly grandfather. - Ezekiel 5:1. - There is a popular conception of God as a kindly (and slightly senile) grandfather in the sky. He’s not going to rebuke you for anything you’re doing. He’s going to ask if everyone had a good time. And ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 5:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

When Money Isn’t Valuable Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 29, 2024

This verse depicts a scene where formerly-valued gold and silver becomes worthless. What can we learn about money from this scenario?

EZEKIEL'S PROPHECY: There will time when money won’t be valuable. - Ezekiel 7:19. - Earlier in the chapter (vv. 1-6), multiple references to the End. Other references in this passage to economic instability (vv. 12-13 on property). - Disaster and catastrophe will come upon this people. This ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 7:19

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

Blessings In Disguise

Contributed by Jim Keegan on Jan 18, 2023

Hand-in-hand with God’s blessing there is always testing to deepen our bonds of intimate love and trust. Those two forces work together for our good.

We see in this familiar passage two of the foundational stories of the Gospel: Christ’s blessing by God, followed very closely by his temptation. These are also the two universal realities of the spiritual life: both blessings and trials. After his baptism, Jesus saw the Spirit descending on ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

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

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