Sermons on Jim Schaunessey:

When The Kingdom Seems Unimpressive Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Nov 19, 2025

The parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the yeast point us to a truth that's uncomfortable at first: the Kingdom might not look that impressive the first time you look at it.

UNIMPRESSIVE: Jesus acknowledges that many will initially see the Kingdom as insignificantly small. - Luke 13:18-21. - Matthew 13:31-33; Mark 4:30-32. - I guess you could say that sometimes we hype up Jesus and His Kingdom too much. - “Who wouldn’t want this?” - “It’s so obviously true and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:18-21

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 Things Look Hopeless Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Feb 26, 2025

We frequently look in other directions to try to see spiritual transformation for our churches. Our only hope is a move of the Spirit, who can bring the dead to life.

DRY BONES: There are moments that seem hopeless. - Ezekiel 37:1-3a. - The immediate context here is the life of Israel. Things had become hopeless for them. - Their disobedience had led them to a place of despair and defeat. As they looked at their ability to stand up to their enemies, the army ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

What Does It Mean That The Holy Spirit Has Been "poured Out"? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Mar 10, 2025

God promised that He will "pour out" His Spirit upon the house of Israel. It's a rich and evocative phrase. What does that mean for Christians today?

A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM: Today in America we often see a powerless Christianity. - We see a church in America that is by many measures in decline. - The numbers attending have been decreasing for many years. - We have many churches that are closing and many more that are on life support. - The ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 39:25-29

Denomination: Baptist

God Is Not Done With Israel Yet Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Mar 19, 2025

This passage gives us insights into one key scene where we find that God isn't done with Israel yet.

- It’s easy to read this passage vaguely. There are some nice phrases in there that you could use as pegs to hang a sermon on. One obvious one is the glory of God returning - it would be easy to write an inspiring sermon off that idea. - But there is another way to preach this passage and that is ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 43:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

What Does It Mean To "make Every Effort" To Enter The Kingdom? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Dec 10, 2025

This passage has two troubling phrases: "make every effort" and "try . . . and not be able." What are we to do with those? And do they mean that God is setting up difficult barriers to get into the Kingdom?

WHAT DOES "MAKE EVERY EFFORT" MEAN? It doesn’t mean that it’s nearly impossible but that you should focus your attention. - Luke 13:22-24a. - Jesus is asked an important question: “[A]re only a few people going to be saved?” (v. 23). - That's a great question. What is the nature of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:22-30

Denomination: Baptist

Five Fundamentals Of Jesus’ Relationship With Israel Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Dec 16, 2025

This passage closes out this section and gives us five insights into Jesus' troubled relationship with Israel.

- This passage provides a nice coda to the section that we have been working through. When taken as a whole, I think these few verses recenter us to the heart of who Jesus was and what He was doing. In particular, this passage highlights Jesus’ relationship with Israel. Of course, that is a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:31-35

Denomination: Baptist

A Most Unusual Parable Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jan 13, 2026

Why does this parable sound more like a life hack than a parable?

- Some life hacks, according to people online (I haven’t tried these): - "For chores that I don't like to do (like washing a big pile of dishes), I set a timer for four minutes and tell myself I will do it for four minutes, and after the time goes off, I can stop if I want to. Just giving ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:7-11

Denomination: Baptist

Why Does Jesus Tell His Disciples Not To Tell People That He Is The Christ Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jul 1, 2025

This passage provides an interesting insight into why Jesus told His disciples not to tell anyone He was the Christ.

KEEP QUIET: Proclaiming that Jesus was the Christ would create a lot of wrong expectations. - Luke 9:18-21. - It’s an odd thing to hear Jesus telling His disciples to not tell people that He is the Christ. You would generally think that He would want it proclaimed often and loudly from every ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:18-26

Denomination: Baptist

What Does It Mean To Be A Friend Of Jesus? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jul 27, 2021

This passage mentions multiple times that we are Jesus' friends. What does that mean exactly?

- “Refrigerator rights.” The idea that you become good enough friends that when you’re at their house you don’t have to ask to get something out of the refrigerator. THE PROOFS OF THE FRIENDSHIP: 1. His proof of friendship is His sacrifice. - John 15:13. 2. Our proof of friendship is our ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-17

Denomination: Baptist

A Legacy Of Love Series

Contributed by Jim Keegan on Jul 31, 2021

As Christians, we have the awesome responsibility, and the sacred privilege, to have our lives count for the greater glory of God.

A Legacy of Love Philippians 3:7-16 The mission to land a man on the moon began by President Kennedy sharing a vision in his inaugural address for achieving that ambitious objective by the end of the decade. In doing so, he stated that “we choose to do these things not because they are easy, but ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:7-16

But It’s Only Words

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Aug 10, 2021

We often dismiss our words because actions are what really matter. This sermon looks at some of the warnings the Scripture gives us about the dangers of our words.

BUT IT'S ONLY WORDS: Often we think of actions as being serious but words as being insignificant. TAKING OUR WORDS SERIOUSLY: 1. Your words reveal who you are. - Matthew 12:34-35. - We deny this: “I said it but that’s not who I am.” Like when we lie or burst out in anger. 2. Your words ...read more

Scripture: James 3:2-6, James 1:26, Matthew 12:33-37

Denomination: Baptist

Children Of Light Series

Contributed by Jim Keegan on Aug 16, 2021

May God help us to see the darkness of lust for the deadly sin it is, and to reclaim our innocence as the children of light, in all goodness, righteousness and truth.

Ephesians 5:1-12 A national conference of church youth leaders was held at a hotel in the Midwest several years ago. At first the hotel manager was impressed by the friendly Christian witness of his guests, and he interacted very openly with the conference organizers as they shared their faith ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-12