Sermons on Jim Reeves:

The Good News And The Bad News About God Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jun 9, 2020

We all like to make our own estimations of what we think God is like. This passage is a reminder to us that we must accept God for who He is, not who we wish He was.

- Opening image: the result explosion of Facebook avatars. They are cute and fun and I don’t have a problem with them. But if I may make a gentle observation: some of you don’t look like you think you look! - I’m sure some people intentionally upgraded their appearance, but there are others who ...read more

Scripture: Amos 7:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

When We Ask God To Go Away Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jun 16, 2020

There are times when we instantly reject the message of God because it offends us and hurts us. We don't even want to consider it's true. But what happens when we ask God to go away?

- Image: a broken mirror with most of the pieces missing. - Maybe do the image as a drawing on a piece of butcher paper, with four of the ten pieces colored in blue to look like a mirror. - Discuss how little of yourself you would know if you had such a limited mirror. We look at ourselves and ...read more

Scripture: Amos 7:10-17

Denomination: Baptist

Longing For The Good Old Days

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jun 19, 2020

Many Christians long for a bygone era of glory - the early church, perhaps, or the 1950s. This sermon looks at that desire to go backward and where we should focus instead.

LONGING FOR THE "GOOD OLD DAYS": 1. THE EARLY CHURCH. - Acts 2:1-4, 41-47; Acts 15:1-41; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13. - Probably the first time that comes to mind is the early church as the “good old days.” - And as we look at Acts 2:1-4, 41-47, there is much to rejoice in. - But we have to ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Would God Ever Take Away His Word? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jun 24, 2020

What would it mean if God withdrew the knowledge of His Word?

- Unpack vv. 11-12 and the threat to take away the word of the Lord. - We don’t really know what to do with that. Let’s try to figure it out. WHAT MIGHT THAT LOOK LIKE? 1. Rejecting God’s truth, people do what they want. 2. Things start falling apart. 3. The consequences of their sin make ...read more

Scripture: Amos 8:9-13

Denomination: Baptist

Trying To Escape God’s Judgment Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jun 26, 2020

We don't like to think about the Day of Judgment. And when we do, we like to impose our own thoughts on how it will go. What does this passage tell us about our ability to get away from God's judgment?

- There are additional things going on in this passage, but I want to focus on the overarching idea: trying to escape the judgment of God. UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTHS: 1. GOD IS THE JUDGE. - Genesis 18:25. - God plays many roles – Creator, Sustainer, Father. He also plays the role of Judge. 2. HE ...read more

Scripture: Amos 9:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

Is It Naïve To Be Hopeful Amid All The Despair? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jul 7, 2020

The book of Amos contains some challenging and painful truths. Now, as the book ends, there is a word of hope. It speaks to us in our worry: is it naive for us to be hopeful amid all this world's despair?

- Set up a collapsed tent on state where the pulpit normally is. This is the image for the sermon. LIVING IN FRAUGHT TIME: Right now there is much to worry over. - Amos 9:11 – “David’s fallen tent.” - Think of all the references in the Old Testament to the “house of David.” With that in ...read more

Scripture: Amos 9:11-15

Denomination: Baptist

Is This Vision From God?

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jul 22, 2020

When is a vision actually from God?

A DIVINE VISION? Not every spiritual vision is from God. - People sometimes get overly impressed by spiritual visions. People sometimes uncritically accept any claim of a spiritual vision without considering whether it’s true or not. - We want to discuss spiritual vision in this message and ...read more

Scripture: Job 4:12-21

Denomination: Baptist

Unrepentant Sin Of The World Versus Unrepentant Sin Of The Church Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 14, 2020

Does God treat the unrepentant sin of the church differently than the unrepentant sin of the world?

AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE: Amos opens with God’s wrath for everyone. - Amos 1:1-2:16. - Maybe just focus on the nations’ part under this point. - What does the “three sins, even four” mean? - God is not saying, “I would stop if you would do three or four sins,” although it kind of sounds like ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Is God’s Will An Inscrutable Mystery? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 21, 2020

Many complain that God's will is impossible to discern. God proclaims here, though, that He is regularly and clearly speaking through His prophets.

KEEPING US IN THE DARK? Is God’s will an inscrutable mystery? - Amos 3:3-7. - It is a common complaint that God’s will is an inscrutable mystery? Who can discern that hand of God? Who can understand the mind of the Lord? - And so many presume that because it is an impossibility to understand ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3-7

Denomination: Baptist

Salt Of The Earth

Contributed by Jim Keegan on Apr 29, 2020

The phrase "salt of the earth" has become a commonly used expression in our society. The dictionary defines it as used in reference to "a very good and honest person or group," but that doesn't begin to do justice to what Jesus had in mind in this teaching.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” (Matthew 5:13) Salt today has become such a commonplace part of our lives, available in every home or restaurant, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13

Ask And You Will Receive

Contributed by Jim Keegan on May 1, 2020

Faithful, believing, heartfelt prayer is a game-changer.

“Ask and You Will Receive” After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, in which evangelist D.L. Moody’s church was destroyed, he decided to take a trip to England as a sort of educational sabbatical while the new sanctuary was being built. He wanted to learn from some of his British counterparts in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:7-11

Strength For Today

Contributed by Jim Keegan on May 6, 2020

Jesus wants us to see the alternative to worry: a life of peace and joy and trust.

“Strength for Today” “I tell you, don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34

The False Security That Our Wealth Brings Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on May 12, 2020

God thunders His displeasure with the wealthy. How can we find our security in God instead of money?

A GATED COMMUNITY: Money can bring a false sense of security. - Amos 3:15. - Some aspects: a. We use it separate ourselves. - You see this physically in the way in most places neighborhoods are divided by income. We’ve reached a certain level and so we don’t have to hang out with those from ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:13-15

Denomination: Baptist

Worship That Displeases God Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on May 15, 2020

Israel was worshiping. They were even boasting about their worship. Yet it displeased God. What can we learn from them?

GOOD WORSHIP? Israel had lots of religious activity, but it was not pleasing to God. - Amos 4:4-5. - Religious activity is not always pleasing to God. - How can worship be bad? - It’s helpful to understand how evil works. Evil doesn’t usually come up with something altogether new. Instead, it ...read more

Scripture: Amos 4:4-5

Denomination: Baptist

God’s Goal In Bringing Hardship Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on May 20, 2020

It's shocking to many that God sometimes is the cause of hardship in our lives. When that happens, what is He hoping to accomplish?

“HE SAID WHAT?!”: Sometimes hardship is from God. - Amos 4:6-12. - This passage might have been shocking to you. “What do you mean God did all these things?” Today we sometimes think of Him exclusively as a kindly grandfather who would never say a cross word to anyone. That, however, is not ...read more

Scripture: Amos 4:6-13

Denomination: Baptist