Shelbyville Community Church

The period of the Judges lasted for about 400 years. That is about the same length of time since Jamestown and Plymouth Rock’s settlements were established and 150 years longer than the thirteen original colonies declared independence from Great Britain. God is so merciful and patient with all of us. Have you been like me before and threatened you kids with a “You do that one more time and I’m goi...

Our study in the book of Judges this summer has given us some unseemly glimpses into the lives of God’s people and even His heroes. All of these stories are written for our instruction, examples to follow or avoid, warning, and encouragement. Gideon is still our character of emphasis this Sunday. Our main take away from Gideon is that he did things while he was still afraid. Gideon has a lot going...

The Lord’s rule trumps man’s rule. Do you have any siblings? Have you ever wanted to hurt them, or even kill them? That is where our story is heading this Sunday. One brother wants to be the only one standing so he can rule. He does the unthinkable, kills all his brothers. We’ll see how our striving for power and authority can affect those around us. If not blessed by God, it can cause serious pro...

Our series continues this Sunday morning in the book of Judges as we look at another broken hero. Our main character this week is a guy named Gideon. The circumstances were the same as the people were being provoked and trodden down by an enemy nation. They again cried out to God and God in His mercy raised up a deliverer. We probably will be able to identify with Gideon very easily since he was d...

We’re heading into week three in our study of the book of Judges. And just like the previous weeks, we’re going to see the sin cycle continue. As miraculous as Ehud’s defeat of King Eglon was, the victory didn’t last forever. There was 80 years of peace before a new generation grew up who didn’t know God. This week we’re going to see God deliver his people again, this time through an incredibly wi...

This Sunday we're going to continue our study in the book of Judges. Last week we setup the backdrop of the book and the call for Israel to place their complete faith in God for every aspect of their life. But, they fail to trust completely instead leaning into their own weakness, and in turn falling away from God. This Sunday we're going to look at the first major story in Judges, Ehud&...

The book of Judges begins a new chapter in the history of Israel. Unfortunately it reveals a dark period in Israel's history and serves as a warning for us today. After the death of Joshua, the nation triumphed in taking the Promised Land before descending into a destructive sin cycle. God repeatedly raised up judges to deliver His people even as their disobedience continued. The book of Judg...

Obeying Jesus trumps listening to Jesus Let’s dream together. Have you ever thought about a “dream home”? If so, where would you build it? What would it look like? Isn’t it fun to dream? My house would be ridiculous if I could have everything I’ve ever wanted in a house. I don’t even want to know how much it would cost me, haha. Did you know Jesus has a dream for you? He has a dream that you would...

A legal expert in Jewish law was trying to test Jesus' theology and asked Him what he need to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus asked him back, "What do you think the scripture says about that?" The Pharisee quoted the very essential passage from Deuteronomy 6:4-5, called The Shema, when he said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with...

It's easy to get busy and lose sight of the party. Have you ever held a large gathering, that included food? There’s a lot that goes into the preparation, to make sure there is enough and that the gathering goes well. To prepare for such a gathering, we need to require a count. This allows us to know the appropriate number and prepare the right amount of food and spaces. I had to do this for...

With all of the views on what happens after you die, is there someone’s opinion we can trust? What about someone who has actually risen from the dead? What about someone who has actually conquered death?

In Matthew 18, Jesus tells us a story about the Kingdom of God and forgiveness. The reason Jesus tells this story is simple: Life is filled with opportunity to take offense. Actually, that’s only part of the reason. Jesus also tells this story in response to a question from Peter about the limits of forgiveness. Here is how he asked it: “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times sh...

Heart disease is among the greatest killers in the United States. We are often urged by medical professionals to get our hearts checked with the hope that test could literally save our lives. While we are aware of the importance of taking care of our physical hearts, the Bible tells us our hearts play a vital spiritual role in our lives. “Above all else, guard your heart, because everything you do...

In Matthew 24:3, the disciples ask Jesus a question: “What will the end of the world be like?” And Jesus answers their question by telling three stories in a row. First, He tells the Parable of the 10 Virgins. The primary point of this parable is: “Be ready, be prepared, don’t miss the party.” Then Jesus tells the Parable of the Talents. This story would seem to say, “Don’t waste your life!” Final...

Baptism is a picture of a new life! This weekend we have the amazing opportunity to celebrate what God is doing here at SCC through the ancient practice of baptism. We’re used to thinking that baptism day is about us or the other people who made their declaration of faith alongside of us, but nothing could be further from the truth. Baptism is a celebration and picture of Christ’s loving work of s...

Once upon a time in Silicon Valley there lived a very important and educated man. He routinely worked twelve to fourteen-hour days. Even when he wasn’t at work, he found himself thinking of work so that it was not only his occupation, but his preoccupation as well. He was vaguely aware that his kids were growing up and he was missing it. But he also reasoned that he was working for them and their...

That's not fair! These three words make up a phrase that every person has said at some point in their life. Spend time with kids and give one kid a candy bar and the other kid a carrot. That's not fair! It points to our internal desire for justice. When we see something happen that doesn't seem just to us we make it known that it's not fair. This Sunday, we're going to loo...

How does a person gain and maintain good standing with God? In the parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector, each of them chooses a different approach, both of which are still alive and well today. Some, like the Pharisee, try to gain and maintain that good standing with God out of their own sense of self-righteousness. They choose the way of self. Others, like the Tax Collector, take the way of...

In our geographical area here in south Central Indiana, it’s almost planting time. We are used to seeing the corn and soybeans growing in the summer, but did you miss the week that the seeds were planted into the soil? Without the seeds being planted, there would be no fields of crops growing later in the season. Unless the soil in the field is prepared properly, the seeds won’t grow and produce t...

This Sunday we'll be teaching on the last of the three parables where Jesus taught about the joy of finding something or someone who is lost. The familiar parable of the Prodigal Son could most easily be called, "The Incredible Love of a Father." The parable begins with Jesus' words, "A man had two sons." Our study this weekend has so many applications for our lives,...

Self-help books that promise life transformation are everywhere. An article in the New York Times that is now over 10 years old reported that “the self-help movement has mushroomed into an 11 billion dollar industry devoted to telling us how to improve our lives.” The article reported that in 2013, there were over 45,000 self-help books in print. That number would probably be much larger today. Th...

When Jesus wanted to illustrate a powerful spiritual truth, He told stories. In fact, about a third of his Words are stories or parables. There are about 40 of them in the gospels. The idea of a parable is that Jesus would take an occurrence from everyday life, something people saw every day, and throw that story alongside a truth about the Kingdom of God. In fact, the word parable means “to throw...

This Sunday we're wrapping up our study in the book of Ruth. This short little story has a lot to say about finding hope in hard times. Because death, devastation, and destruction is how the book begins. But Joy, celebration, and new life is how the book of Ruth finishes. This is the gospel! That life comes after death. Everything we experience in life, both in joy and in pain, is meant to dr...

You can’t live a day without hope. Hope is why people get married and have children. Hope is why parents send their children off to school every day. Hope is why people buy ab machines and gym memberships. But what if hope isn’t just about our circumstances? What if hope is meant to spring from who we are in Christ? In the book of Ruth, we observe her go through a transformation in her identity. S...

Relationships can be fragile. We all long for them, but we also all know what it is like to be hurt by them. Over time, we come to learn that all relationships must be governed by certain principles if they are to be successful. When it comes to relationships, the Word of God is the gold standard. The principles found there bring life to all our relationships, and remind us that there is no relati...