Sermons on Jim:

Running From?

Contributed by Jim Kane on Feb 2, 2005

Sermon 4 of a New Year’s series based on Wilkinson’s book Experiencing Spiritual Breakthroughs.

Several years ago, I read a case study in a book whose title I cannot remember so I will summarize from a copy of the case study that I still have in my possession. It was the story of a 16-year-old named Allan. Allan, his mother, and his younger sister, were referred to an adolescent health center ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:17-24

Denomination: Church Of God

Seven Steps Of Bargaining With God

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Feb 8, 2005

This message looks at some of the excuses that Pharaoh used to justify not obeying God. How many of these do we use?

Seven Steps Of Bargaining With God: - these are the true and only 7 steps, but they are instructive. 1. “Absolutely not.” - Exodus 5:2, 4, 6-9. - don’t even want to think about or talk about God. 2. “I can make it without God.” - Exodus 7:11, 22, 24. - thinking some of God, but convinced ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 5:1-2

Denomination: Baptist

Why Is God So Willing To Answer Our Prayers?

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Sep 10, 2004

This message focuses on the 4 passages that specifically point us to God’s motives and reasons for answering our prayers.

Jesus On Prayer: 1. Most passages deal with the conditions of answered prayer: a. You’ve got to have faith. - Matthew 17:20; Matthew 21:21-22; Mark 9:23; Mark 11:22-24; John 14:12. b. You’ve got to be obedient. - John 14:15; John 15:7, 16. - also, James 5:16; 1 John 3:22. c. You’ve got to be ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:7-8

Denomination: Baptist

How Do We Please God? - Pt 1

Contributed by Jim Kane on Oct 5, 2004

How do we please God? By regularly examining our motives and priorities against God’s standards.

Recently someone in our congregation shared a photocopy of an article from the May 13, 1955 (that’s right, 1955) issue of Housekeeping Monthly entitled The Good Wife’s Guide that feature tips on how to please their husbands when they come home from work. Here are some excerpts: • Have dinner ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:2-5

Denomination: Church Of God

How Do We Please God? Pt 2

Contributed by Jim Kane on Oct 5, 2004

We please God when we follow God’s plan of salvation

Last week I spoke of pleasing God and indicated that for some the word pleasing is a negative term due to life experiences. As I prepared for this morning, I determined to define the phrase pleasing God before we go further into this series because sometimes the same phrase or word has a different ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:5

Denomination: Church Of God

How Do We Please God? - Pt 3

Contributed by Jim Kane on Oct 5, 2004

We please God when we read, believe, understand, and practice what the Bible says.

Mark Twain once said, “Never learn to do anything. If you don’t learn, you will always find someone else to do it for you.” This week has been a week of learning for every single one of us. I spent parts of four days at a seminar in Indianapolis and by the second full day had a headache from the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:14-17

Denomination: Church Of God

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

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