Sermons on Jim:

Why Were The Religious Leaders So Blind About Jesus? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jan 11, 2021

This passage speaks to the ignorant confidence that the religious leaders possessed. How do we avoid their mistake?

WHAT'S THE HEART OF THIS PASSAGE? The religious leaders had all that knowledge and yet they didn’t know God. - John 7:28d – “You do not know Him” - The religious leaders, of course, thought they were the epitome of knowledge and understanding. They loved the status they had among the people. ...read more

Scripture: John 7:25-36

Denomination: Baptist

Kindred Spirits

Contributed by Jim Keegan on Jan 13, 2021

God has designed the created order with the foundational communities of the family and church. They reflect his gracious providential care, especially through the blessings of love, grace and a sense of belonging.

Matthew 12:46-50 [Read text] The cover photo from the Mother’s Day issue of a Christian magazine showed a neatly groomed and well dressed little brother and sister serving their mother an artistically arranged breakfast in bed on a silver platter. In a subsequent letter to the editor, a mother ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:46-50

What Is Having The Spirit Supposed To Look Like? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jan 15, 2021

Jesus cries out on the last day of the Feast. This is a big message and He gives us insight into what will happen when He is glorified: streams of living water flowing from His believers through the Spirit. But, sadly, we today are not experiencing that the way that we should.

INTRO: - This is a climactic moment. We’ve been talking the last few weeks about this extended scene that happens at the Feast of Tabernacles. There have been debates and discussions. There have been misunderstandings and confusion. Now we come to a moment when Jesus has something to shout ...read more

Scripture: John 7:37-39

Denomination: Baptist

What Does The Bible Say About The Christian’s Relationship With The Government?

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jan 25, 2021

What do Paul and Peter have to say about the Christian and government? Is the church allowed to pursue the violent overthrow of secular governments? What should be our focus if it's not the accumulation of earthly power?

- We are going to dig into a subject this morning that is challenging. We are going to be talking about church and state. It’s one we don’t talk about particularly often. - As we start, I want to acknowledge up front that these passages are difficult. I want to say that I don’t like everything ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:1-7, 1 Peter 2:13-17

Denomination: Baptist

Shouldn’t I Trust What The Preacher Says? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jan 27, 2021

This passage showcases the myriad of problems created when you have self-confident religious leaders. How do we avoid that problem with today's preachers?

OF COURSE I SHOULD: If the preacher is God’s messenger, shouldn’t I trust what he says? - Many presume that they should just trust everything that the preacher says. - This passage is a reminder to us in a myriad of ways that religious leaders aren’t always on point. SO MANY MISTAKES IN THIS ...read more

Scripture: John 7:40-52

Denomination: Baptist

Being A Super Servant

Contributed by Jim Moynihan on Feb 1, 2021

A super servant is faithful, obedient and unwilling to give up on the mission God has called him or her to. As a result, a super servant will be richly rewarded by going deep with God throughout their lifetime of serving him.

Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s, once appeared on the cover of their annual report in a knee-length work apron holding a mop and a bucket. He said, “I got my M.B.A. long before my G.E.D. Here M.B.A. doesn’t mean Master of Business Administration. It means Mop Bucket Attitude.” Dave got his ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 14:6-14

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Jesus’ Light Helps Us See Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Feb 2, 2021

This passage is complicated and challenging. This sermon attempts to cut it down to the four interactions and what is going in each. What's the key to seeing Jesus' light?

- This is a very challenging passage. There is a lot going on here in general. There are questions and answers that don’t always flow from one another. There are a lot of theological statements that are not easily processed. - When you add it all up, there’s a lot to handle here. I struggled ...read more

Scripture: John 8:12-30

Denomination: Baptist

Experiencing The Freedom Christ Gives Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Feb 3, 2021

This passage gives us a nice roadmap to moving from our spiritual slavery to the freedom that Christ offers.

- I’m going to take these verses in an order that allow me to make an argument from where we are to where we can be. There are a lot of important ideas in here. 1. WE ARE SLAVES TO SIN. - John 8:34. - We are all slaves to sin. We can’t overcome it. - Romans 6:6. - This, of course, is an ...read more

Scripture: John 8:31-36

Denomination: Baptist

A Friend For Life

Contributed by Jim Keegan on Feb 3, 2021

God, who has given himself to us wholeheartedly in the person of Jesus Christ, is the most faithful, gracious, loving friend and heart’s companion we could ever desire.

John 15:9-15 As with so many of the great hymns of our faith, there’s an inspirational backstory to the popular gospel song, “What A Friend We Have In Jesus.” The author of these verses was an Irishman named Joseph Scriven, who found God’s deep, faithful friendship in the midst of intense ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9-17

The Test Of Whether God Is Your Father Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Feb 5, 2021

The religious leaders were proud of their heritage as children of Abraham, but that kept them from receiving what Jesus was offering. This message looks at the test of whether God or Satan is our father as well as four danger signs that we are heading in the wrong direction.

THE TEST OF WHETHER GOD IS YOUR FATHER: The answer is found in what you do with Jesus. - John 8:42. - John 8:39b, 44. - Many focus on a generic God. - The teaching of the Kingdom is not a generic morality. - We each need to make a decision for or against Jesus. DANGER SIGNS: 1. Counting on ...read more

Scripture: John 8:37-47

Denomination: Baptist

If Only People Understood What Jesus Was Offering Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Feb 9, 2021

The problem here is not so much that the religious leaders didn't understand Jesus. It's more that they actually do understand Him. What's He saying that is so provocative?

THE CLIMAX OF THE CONVERSATION: The more they understood Jesus, the more they thought He was crazy. - John 8:48, 52a, 55-57, 59. - This is the climax of a long conversation in John 8 that we’ve handled in several sermons because there is so much content there. The further the conversation went, ...read more

Scripture: John 8:48-59

Denomination: Baptist

When Your Theology Bumps Into The Facts Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Feb 16, 2021

A lengthy story about a man born blind provides a clear picture of what happens when your theology bumps into inconvenient facts. Will you reach for God or cling to your predetermined ideas?

SEEING THE LIGHT: The man was blind but saw by believing and obeying Jesus. - John 9:1-7. a. We’ll get more into the confusion in a moment, but the disciples echo the prevailing theology of the time and presume that someone must have sinned for him to be blind. - vv. 1-2. - It was a theology ...read more

Scripture: John 9:1-41

Denomination: Baptist

Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment

Contributed by Jim Keegan on Feb 18, 2021

“Mercy triumphs over judgment” is one of the most important declarations in all of scripture-- both for our own salvation, and in how we reflect God’s love for a fallen world.

Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment James 2:13 (Read Mark 1:40-45) Spiros Zodhiates was a Greek scholar and Christian leader who told of once preaching on the love of God to a leprosy colony in India. Their members were so moved by his message that they came forward to embrace him afterwards. He said ...read more

Scripture: James 2:13, Mark 1:40-45

Grant Us Wisdom

Contributed by Jim Keegan on Feb 22, 2021

We live in the Information Age, a time in which entire libraries of knowledge are available to us. And that’s a blessing. But as followers of Jesus, let’s also remember that wisdom and understanding are even more crucial to making a difference for God in our generation.

Read Luke 2: 39-52 When I was a young boy, I had what should have been a teachable moment. My mother, siblings and I were just returning home from being out for the afternoon, and as she pulled in the driveway she said, “I want everyone to come straight into the house. We’re going to eat very ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:39-52

Three Questions About Our Good Shepherd Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Feb 24, 2021

There is a lot in this passage. This message tries to boil it down to the big truths by asking three questions about our "good shepherd."

- At one level, this is a simple passage: Jesus is the Good Shepherd. - At another level, this passage is not simply understood. There is conflicting imagery (how is Jesus the shepherd and the gate?). It is difficult to get all the pieces to fit cleanly. - I echo a little the sentiment of v. 6 ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-21

Denomination: Baptist