Sermons from Harvest Bible Chapel Barrie: Recent Episodes
Pastor Todd Dugard • Harvest Bible Chapel Barrie
The ministry of Harvest Bible Chapel is focused on glorifying God through the fulfillment of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) in the spirit of the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-39). We welcome you to find life in Jesus Christ at Harvest. As a church community we are passionately seeking to know our God in a deeper way, and we invite you to join us in that pursuit!.
Some of us live our lives in prose. Others in poetry. There are logic people and lyric people. Those who are grounded and those who float through life on a song. That’s stereotyping a bit, but the general principle holds. That’s what’s beautiful about this current series on the life of David. One week we look at an episode from his life and the next we study the song he wrote about it. Having looked at the narrative last week, we turn to the song this week. In the ascription to Psalm 59, we read, “To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.” In the verses that follow, we see David’s heart. Not merely facts but deep emotion and spirit and will. As we look at this psalm on Sunday, we’ll see what the worship of God looks like as we navigate despairing situations in our lives. And we’ll cap off the service with the Lord’s Table and a little extra worship in song.Series: The Great ExchangeTodd DugardMessage: 3 – From despair to worship Part 2Harvest Bible ChapelText: Psalm 59Sept 29, 2024Life is hard, and the Scriptures give us voice to come to our God boldly and openly to express our pain, frustration, despair, and even anger.David G. BarkerI will worship God in the midst of despair with……an unashamed plea for help (v. 1-2)The only person who dares wake up a king at 3:00 AM for a glass of water is a child. We have that kind of access.Timothy KellerHebrews 4:16…an unburdened conscience (v. 3-5)The voyage through every psalm is incomplete until it harbours in Christ. He is always the destination, as well as the origin and way.Chad BirdHebrews 10:10…a full grasp of the enemy (v. 6-7, 14-15)If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.Sun Tzu, The Art of War…a complete confidence in his plan (v. 8-13)If you wake up feeling fragile, remember that God is not, and then trust him to be everything you need today.Desiring God…a full-throated song of praise (v. 16-17)
There are a ton of reasons why people walk away from God or, as some say, “lose their faith.” Very often it is related to difficulties and trials that they face which end up being too strong for them to bear. In such cases, some people despair and crack under the pressure and may even blame God for their circumstances. The fact that all of us likely know someone like this punctuates the point that we need to have our theology worked out before we face deep waters. We need to be prepared knowing that for a believer, it is possible to go from despairing of life to the worship of God. As we look at 1 Samuel 16:14 to 19:17 on Sunday, we’ll see David in a precarious situation that threatened to shipwreck his relationship with God. The narrative will help us see that we can indeed trust his perfect plan. This message will also prepare us for a look at Psalm 59 next Sunday where David writes a song about the experiences we’ll look at this week.Series: The Great ExchangeTodd DugardMessage: 2 – From despair to worship: Part 1Harvest Bible ChapelText: 1 Samuel 16:14-19:17Sept 22, 2024To go from despairing of life to the worship of God I must……accept that “bad” things happen to “good” people (19:1a)Why do bad things happen to good people? That only happened once, and he volunteered.R. C. Sproul…surround myself with faithful friends (19:1b-7)Matthew 10:36–37Biblical friendship exists when two or more people, bound together by a common faith in Jesus Christ, pursue him and his kingdom with intentionality and vulnerability. Rather than serving as an end in itself, biblical friendship serves primarily to bring glory to Christ, who brought us into friendship with the Father. It is indispensable to the work of the gospel in the earth, and an essential element of what God created us for.Jonathan Holmes, The Company We Keep…acknowledge the sovereignty of God (19:8-10)Under divine providence everything ultimately was attributed to him; why not say he did it in the first place?Walter Kaiser, Hard Sayings of the BibleGod brough redemption and forgiveness to anyone who would believe. It goes against all the normative patterns that we follow like power and strength are better than weakness, winning is better than losing, big is better than small, health is better than sickness, comfortable living is better than suffering, to gain is better than to suffer sacrifice and loss...The message that we proclaim, the message of the gospel, is based in a complete reversal of power and conquest. The cross of Jesus Christ, a symbol of death and shame and weakness and suffering, stands at the heart of our faith.David BarkerIsaiah 53:10aRomans 8:18Romans 8:28…trust his perfect plan (19:11-17)Psalm 59:9
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who approach life in prose and those who move through it poetically. You are either one who sees the cold hard facts of life and who meet events and circumstances with rationality, or you are among those who are more emotive, expressing deep feelings—positive and negative—when facing all that life throws at us. While one group may struggle to understand the other, God has fashioned both in us as human beings. We reflect his image in the prose and the poetry. And this is no better illustrated than in the life and times of King David of Israel. In 1 and 2 Samuel we have the bare facts account of his upbringing, his anointing, his exploits, his failures and his passing. And in the Psalms, we have his heart. In words laden with deep emotion—both joy and sorrow—we have the poetic perspective on the same life-altering events. In this 15-part series, we’ll explore the narratives and the songs of David’s life, and in both the prosaic and poetic words we’ll find God at work transforming our lives day by day, taking us from what we were to what we can be in Christ. Just as he did for David.Series: The Great Exchange: God’s transformational work in our daily livesMessage: 1 - God Works Through the OrdinaryText: 1 Samuel 16:1-13Dr. David BarkerSeptember 15, 20241. Encounter with God- Marginalized, ordinary- Rejection- Breaks the patterns2. Ourselves- Good news- Heart- Confidence- Expectations3. The world- Foil- Shepherd- CrossThis Poor Man Called: Stories and Songs of DavidDr. David BarkerVolume 1 - https://a.co/d/alLJJxDVolume 2 - https://a.co/d/dwlHubh
Before we get into our first series on September 15, we’ll launch our new ministry year this Sunday with a single message in Isaiah 43:16-21 where God says to his people, Israel, “Behold, I am doing a new thing,” and that’s what we have in front of us: a new thing for 2024-2025. This will be our 24th ministry year launch, and we’re excited about what is in front of us over the next twelve months.Single: Ministry Year LaunchTodd DugardMessage: I am doing a new thingHarvest Bible ChapelText: Isaiah 43:16-21September 8, 2024As we launch into a new ministry year, let’s clarify and commit to……the power behind it all (v. 16-17)Prayer Night - Sunday, September 15 at 6 p.m.…the past we’ve left behind (v. 18)The past can teach, but it must not bind. The gaze must ever be forward to what God will yet do.J. Alec MotyerLet the grand past be overtopped by the more glorious future. Cultivate hope not remembrance.H. C. Leupold…the promise we’ve been given (v. 19)…the people we’re to be (v. 20)1 Corinthians 3:11Ephesians 1:7John 1:12…the purpose we’re to fulfill (v. 21)Harvest exists to glorify God by making more and better disciples of Christ who love God and love people.Our roots go deep into the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century...What was God accomplishing back then? I think of it this way. [God] hauled the ship that we call the church into dry dock, scraped away 1,500 years’ worth of encrusted human traditions that were slowing it down, refitted that ship with fresh gospel understandings, and relaunched a seaworthy vessel that is still going strong. But reformation must never stop. Our constant tendency is toward rudderless inconsequentiality, and God is constantly getting us back on course to our true destiny. What then is reformation? Reformation is God renewing in our hearts a passionate clarity about his purpose for us. It is God reawakening in us a love for his truth and his standards. It is God preparing us for the display of his glorious salvation as we reshape every aspect of our lives and our churches to that end.Raymond C. Ortlund Jr. and R. Kent HughesIsaiah: God Saves SinnersMy new ministry year personal commitment: (Check all that apply)□ Become a follower of Christ and get baptized□ Commit to regular Sunday worship□ Give to the mission□ Become a member□ Read the Word and pray□ Join a group□ Get on a serving team□ Invite others to meet Jesus
This week as I have been preparing the message, I have found myself humming and singing lines from the Impressions 1960s hit, “People Get Ready” (much to the chagrin of those around me!). It is a great gospel-inspired song about the return of Christ, comparing his return to a train, “picking up passengers coast to coast”, while some are ready, others are not.The end times and the return of Christ are always captivating topics for Christians. But spend a couple of minutes on YouTube and you will find there is much confusion out there .If you are anything like me, it can be hard to keep all your terms and categories straight (e.g. pre-, mid-, and post-tribulation, amillennial, premillennial, postmillennial etc.). While it is important to understand what Scripture says about these things and to be aware of our times and to have a sense of what may come, these things don’t speak to how we should live as we await Christ’s return. However, if you join us this Sunday, we will be looking at the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) and what it says about how we can be ready as we wait for Christ’s return.Series: Simple Stories: How the parables of Jesus change everythingNathan HooperMessage: 10 – Ten virginsHarvest Bible ChapelText: Matthew 25:1-13September 1, 2024To be ready for Jesus’ coming, I will……rest in him (v. 1-5)Ephesians 2:8–10Psalm 4:8Matthew 11: 28–30The reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven't yet come to the end of themselves. We're still trying to give orders and interfering with God's work within us. The rest he offers is the rest of meekness, the blessed relief which comes when we accept ourselves for what we are and cease to pretend.A.W. Tozer…anticipate the Day (v. 6-10)2 Corinthians 4:16–18God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfill His promises, leading us along the best and straightest paths to Himself.Dietrich Bonhoeffer…know what is at stake (v. 11-13)Matthew 25:34, 41This is another sobering reality that Christians must always keep in mind. If something is God’s perfect plan and purpose, it is infinitely glorious. No dimension of the gospel, absolutely no dimension of God’s work, reflects anything less than that infinite glory. If we are embarrassed by the biblical teaching concerning judgement, we are embarrassed by the gospel, embarrassed by Christ and embarrassed by the true and living God.Albert MohlerOn the day that Jesus returns, our hearts will be exposed. The true nature of who we are before God will come to light. Nothing will be hidden; everything will be revealed. All the things we like and presume to cover up will be made known...Many people will be shocked on the last day to find out that the road they have been on, a road they thought was the narrow road leading to heaven, was actually the broad road that leads to hell.David Platt
This Sunday, we are happy to have Julian Freeman here again to preach about the parable of the lost treasure in our “Simple Stories” series. For those of you who might have missed Julian the first time he preached, he is a member of our Harvest family who previously served as a pastor for many years. We look forward to hearing what God has laid on his heart as we look at this brief but powerful parable.Series: Simple Stories: How the parables of Jesus change everythingJulian FreemanMessage: 9 – Hidden treasureHarvest Bible ChapelText: Matthew 13:44August 25, 2024I will live like the kingdom is a treasure when I see…...my poverty....my purchase.Romans 5:6–8Ephesians 5:25–27...my place in the story.James 1:121 Peter 5:6Mark 10:28–30Matthew 25:23
You voted and we’ve preached the “parables” you voted for. Like a couple of your other suggestions, this week’s passage might not actually be parables but metaphor. In Matthew 5:13-16, as part of the amazing Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says that believers are “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.” These categorical pronouncements mark our identity as Christians and call us to live out what has been declared to be true about us. That is to say, now that we know who we are, we can set our minds to the mission. Or, to say it another way, with our being established, we can focus on the doing. Whether it is a parable or not, the images of “salt” and “light” are powerful ones for us to consider. So much changes if we understand what Jesus is saying. It's going to be good to get to be together with you to unpack it all on Sunday.Series: Simple Stories: How the parables of Jesus change everythingTodd DugardMessage: 8 – Salt and LightHarvest Bible ChapelText: Matthew 5:13-16August 18, 2024Don’t let your abilities take you where your character can’t keep you.If I’m to be a Christian, I’ll know……who I am in Christ (v 13a, 14a)John 8:12Your life as a Christian should make non-believers question their disbelief in God.Dietrich Bonhoeffer…what my relationship to the world is to be (v 13b, 14b, 15)Identity amnesia always leads to identity replacement. When you forget your identity in Christ, you search for identity in people, places and things.Paul David TrippThe glory of the gospel is that when the Church is absolutely different from the world, she invariably attracts it. It is then that the world is made to listen to her message, though it may hate it at first.D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones…how I am to make an impact for the Kingdom of God (v 16a)Christian saltiness is Christian character as depicted in the Beatitudes, committed Christian discipleship exemplified in both deed and word.John Stott…and why God gets all the credit (v 16b)The gospel says you are more sinful and flawed than you ever dared believe, but more accepted and loved than you ever dared hope.Timothy Keller
I find gardening from scratch to be so fascinating. One small seed turning into something glorious—flowers, vegetables, fruit, trees—blows my mind. It is a picture that resonates with just about everyone. And Jesus used the idea of planting a seed in one of his parables to make a point about the power of God to bring about his kingdom on earth. As we consider what he said in that short parable in Mark 4:30-32, we’ll see that God’s power in our lives is not like the world’s power and often seems insignificant even while it is at work in unseen ways, always resulting in remarkable blessings from his hand. I’m eager, as always, to get at that with you on Sunday.Series: Simple Stories: How the parables of Jesus change everythingTodd DugardMessage: 7 – The SeedHarvest Bible ChapelText: Mark 4:30-32August 11, 2024God’s power in my life……is not like the world’s power (v 30)…often seems insignificant (v 31)…is at work in unseen ways (v 32a)Hebrews 11:1John 20:29…always results in the remarkable (v 32b)Underdogs win all the time. Why, then, are we shocked every time a David beats a Goliath? Why do we automatically assume that someone who is smaller or poorer or less skilled is necessarily at a disadvantage?Malcolm Gladwell, David and GoliathThe world may underestimate the underdog, but deep down they hold the power to surprise.Malcolm Gladwell, David and GoliathMark 4:27Hebrews 1:3aColossians 1:15–17
I do hope you have been inspired, blessed, encouraged, challenged, and even a bit shocked at what you’ve been hearing in these messages in the parables of Jesus. What a summer of strong preaching it has been here already. I’ll do my best this Sunday to keep that up as we look at Luke 16:1-13 and the parable of the shrewd manager. It’s a weird one in that the principal character does something that is unethical to secure a better outcome for himself. And Jesus commends his shrewdness. It’s puzzling to say the least. What Jesus intends is a primer on the wise use of money, a reoccurring theme from Jesus in Luke’s Gospel. I’m eager to get into it with you on Sunday. If you don’t want to hear a message on money, you should most definitely stay away.Series: Simple Stories: How the parables of Jesus change everythingTodd DugardMessage: 6 – The shrewd managerHarvest Bible ChapelText: Luke 16:1-13August 4, 20241 crisis that everyone will face… (v. 1-2)• Nothing in this life lasts forever2 possible fixes… (v. 3-8a)• Foolishly waste your possessions on temporal pleasure• Wisely invest your possessions in future gloryShrewd – sharp-witted; have acumen; apply wisdom in a practical way; clever3 ways to get it right… (v. 8b-9)• Imitate the shrewdness of the world (v. 8b)How can we manage our money for eternity?Diligently earn itResponsibly save itWisely spend it2016 series: Jesus on Moneyhttps://www.harvestbible.ca/sermons/?wpfc_sermon_series=jesus-on-money• Bless others with what you have (v. 9a)• Watch for the eternal ROI (v. 9b)4 values undergirding it all… (v. 10-13)• God cares about the small stuff and so should you (v. 10)• Salvation is authenticated by how you handle money (v. 11)Wealth has been given to us by God in trust to use in the service of others.David E. Garland• Everything you own actually belongs to God (v. 12)Psalm 24:1• God won’t compete with money for your affection (v. 13)
One of the temptations of our age has been to pick and choose the parts of the Bible we believe. We allow our experiences, perspectives and ideals to inform what the Word of God says and means to us, and how we live as a result. It’s the prevailing idea behind the “deconstruction” or the “unhitch from the Bible” movements, leading so many to abandon the truth, forgoing the teaching of the Scriptures that the Church has held to for thousands of years to selfishly believe what they want, and what fits into their categories.At Harvest, we have a high view of the Scriptures as the inspired, inerrant, sufficient, authoritative Word of God. God speaks to us from his Word, and we respond by believing it in faith, and living it out, even when it’s hard. As our summer series, Simple Stories, continues this week, we come to another hard-hitting parable of Jesus, in which he unpacks some of the truths that this world loves to ignore. But for those of us who believe what he says, and are living in light of it, it’s truth that brings hope which transcends this life and brings the utmost comfort and peace in the midst of hardship. The message is clear and urgent. How we respond to the truths of God’s Word and the gospel of Jesus Christ that it proclaims will echo into eternity. How will you respond?Series: Simple Stories: How the parables of Jesus change everythingJordan CorosMessage 5 - Rich Man & LazarusHarvest Bible ChapelText: Luke 16:19-31July 28, 2024Do I believe that God’s Word is sufficient……to navigate what I can see… (v. 19-21)1 Timothy 6:17I don’t always feel His presence, but God’s promises do not depend on my feelings; they rest upon his integrity.R.C. Sproul…in light of what I cannot yet see? (v. 22-31)Hebrews 9:27This second plea may seem to reflect a concern on the part of the rich man for others, but his family was regarded as an extension of himself. In looking out for his brothers, the rich man is still looking out for his own interest.David GarlandJohn 5:46Luke 24:27The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men.Westminster Confession of Faith, 1646
We’re back to our summer series this week, continuing to look at the parables of Jesus, simple stories that change everything. That’s most certainly the case as we come to one of the most well-known stories in all of Scripture. Even non-believers know this story, whether they know the exact origin of it, or not. If anyone helps someone in need, especially if they don’t know them, then we say that they are a Good Samaritan.But the familiarity of this story cannot lead us away from the fact that what Jesus says in Luke 10 absolutely rattles the cage of a lawyer who, in seeking to justify himself, questioned Jesus. As commentator Daniel Emery Price wrote, “Self-justifying is a dangerous game to play with God in the flesh. Because he has stories. Scandalous, self-justifying, heart-seeking missile type stories. This is one of them.” The parable of the Good Samaritan is so much more than just being good to people, Jesus assaults our preconceived notions about what the Kingdom looks like, how to receive it, and how to live in light of it.Series: Simple Stories: How the parables of Jesus change everythingJordan CorosMessage 4 - The Good SamaritanHarvest Bible ChapelText: Luke 10:25-37July 21, 2024The magic of parables is that they give us a glimpse of the transcendent through the lens of ordinary existence.David GarlandIf I’m going to inherit eternal life, I must… (v. 25-28)Galatians 2:16There remains a massive difference between answering correctly theologically and living perfectly practically.Thabiti Anyabwile…let Jesus be the good Samaritan for me… (v. 29-37a)Romans 5:8Don’t first conjure up the character of the good samaritan. First be the fallen man. First experience the compassion of this loving Outsider. Then go and do likewise. This is not a simple morality tale. The centre is not our resolve to be good samaritans. The centre is Christ himself.Glen Scrivener…so he can be the good Samaritan through me. (v. 37b)1 John 4:19Our love for our neighbour, especially the neighbour who is very different than us, is proof of our love for God. Our theology, no matter how good, becomes irrelevant and idolatrous when it’s not used in service of loving God and neighbour.Rich VillodasGalatians 6:101. Am I willing to give of my money?2. Am I willing to give of my time?3. Am I willing to be interrupted?4. Am I willing to put myself on the line?5. Am I eager to show mercy, or eager to limit who deserves mercy?He shows mercy to us because of his own goodness, while we show mercy to one another because of God’s goodness. He has compassion on us so that we may enjoy him completely, while we have compassion on another that we may completely enjoy him.Augustine, Christian Instruction
We’re going to celebrate all that God did this past week with family-oriented services at 9 and 11 a.m. There will be Harvest Kids provided only for ages 0-3 years old. All other kids are to be in the worship centre with their families. We’ll have some camp worship, a highlight video, a shorter message on Psalm 103 from Jordan and some more big people worship. It’s going to be a great time together on Sunday. Campers and leaders, wear your High Five t-shirts! Please wash them first, though. It’s been a long week!Jordan CorosMessage: Bless The LordHarvest Bible ChapelText: Psalm 103July 14, 2024I will rightly bless the Lord when I…1. Remember his gracious benefits (v. 1-5)Psalm 25:111 John 1:9God invites sinners to repent and find immediate forgiveness. But while sinners may fast and pray for healing, they aren’t necessarily granted it. The timing for healing is up to God, and sometimes that means healing is delayed until the life to come.Michael WilcockColossians 1:13-14Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself?Martyn Lloyd Jones, Spiritual Depression2. Rejoice in the glory of his character (v. 6-19)This matchless sovereignty is the pledge of our security, the pillar upon which our confidence may safely lean.Charles Spurgeon3. Respond in wholehearted praise (v. 20-22)
Throughout history there have been significant events that have truly defined a generation—the world wars, moon landing, civil rights movement, the end of the Cold War, 9/11, the tech revolution and the global pandemic more recently. But nothing has truly changed the world like the coming of Jesus Christ. Whether people know it and believe it or not, Jesus’ coming truly changes everything, for everyone.In our passage this weekend Jesus challenges the preconceived notions of those who came to confront him on the issue of fasting, or lack thereof. In it we see him explode the little boxes that they tried to put him in, declaring powerfully that his message and ministry are unique and truly unlike anything else. This has massive implications for us as we consider our lives today and what we, like those who challenged Jesus, might be holding onto to our own detriment. Jesus has brought about his new way to bring joy, purpose and peace…will you fully surrender to him and the good thing he wants to do in your life?It’s been a great start to our summer preaching series. So grateful to Julian and Pastor Nathan for their faithful proclamation of the Word! For those who are interested, here’s where we’re headed for the rest of the series:Series: Simple Stories: How the parables of Jesus change everythingJordan CorosMessage: 3 - New cloth on old coat, new wine in old wineskinsHarvest Bible ChapelText: Matthew 9:14-17July 7, 2024Jesus’ coming changes everything, so I can…...live with joy now and forevermore. (v. 14-15)Matthew 28:19–202 Corinthians 6:10What the world needs from the church – from us – is our indomitable joy in Jesus in the midst of suffering and sorrow.John Piper...leave behind my old loyalties. (v. 16-17a)Matthew 5:17Why do Christians fast?https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/why-do-christians-fastFasting for beginnershttps://www.desiringgod.org/articles/fasting-for-beginners...cling to him to preserve me. (v. 17b)Remember, sinner, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee – it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee – It is Christ; it is not even thy faith in Christ, though that is the instrument – it is Christ’s blood and merits.Charles Spurgeon
Join us this week as we continue our summer series, Simple Stories: How the Parables of Jesus change everything, as we look at the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32. This is one of the most well-known parables of Jesus within the church, but also in our culture at large. We often see the major themes reflected in literature, songs and movies; movies such as old classics from Quo Vadis to the Lion King. However, as familiar as people might be with this story, there is a lot more going on than many would realize. As we look into the context and try to put ourselves into the culture of first century Palestine, we gain a better understanding of what Jesus was saying. In this parable, Jesus offers some essential teaching on what it means to be saved, to be lost and found, to be spiritually dead and alive in Christ. While these truths may have hit hard for those who were self-righteous, at the same time they brought hope to repentant sinners who were given a glimpse of the overwhelming love of God.Series: Simple Stories: How the parables of Jesus change everythingNathan HooperMessage: 2 - The prodigal sonHarvest Bible ChapelText: Luke 15:11-32June 30, 2024In order for us to be made alive in Christ, we must…… recognize that we are dead in our sin (v. 11-20)If you are aware of your sin, you are aware of it only because you have been visited by amazing grace. Don’t resist that awareness. Silence your inner lawyer and all the self-defending arguments for your righteousness. Quit relieving your guilt by pointing a finger of blame at someone else. And stop telling yourself in the middle of a sermon that you know someone who really needs to hear it.Paul David Tripp – Journey to the Cross… understand that we can do nothing to bring this about (v. 25-30)Recognizing a Pharisee1. Pharisees know what to say, but do not do what they say.2. Pharisees practice their faith to be seen by others.3. Pharisees keep people from Jesus and his grace.4. Pharisees add their convictions and traditions to the word of God.5. Pharisees lack love for people in need.6. Pharisees cover sin instead of confessing and repenting.The Making of a Modern Day PhariseeMarshall Segal, Desiring GodMercy and forgiveness must be free and unmerited to the wrongdoer. If the wrongdoer has to do something to merit it, then it isn't mercy, but forgiveness always comes at a cost to the one granting the forgiveness.Tim Keller, The Prodigal God… humbly receive his grace and be restored by him (v. 21-24, 28, 31-32)Romans 5:81 John 4:10Galatians 2:20
We love a good story. From the earliest years of our development, we’re captivated by fairy tales and storybooks, and as we grow older, we regularly come back to movies and TV shows that once captured our imagination and interest. The good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ is itself a story, summarized in one of the most well-known verses in all of Scripture, John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” We love hearing stories, telling stories, reading stories, and it’s this love of story that Jesus capitalized on as he taught throughout his earthly ministry in parables.As one author wrote: “The parables are like hand grenades. Jesus took them out and set them before his hearers. Then...he pulled the pin out. Listen carefully because the parable explodes. If you miss the blast of the story, you have missed the power of the parable.” Jesus’ parables open our minds and hearts to hear and receive the profound truths of the kingdom of heaven. Through this series we’ll look at ten of these stories to grow in our walk with Christ. May the Lord explode our hearts and our minds as the simple stories of Jesus change everything for us.This 10-week series will be taught by four different preachers from our staff and membership through the summer with the specific parables chosen through the survey you completed in the spring.Series: Simple Stories: How the parables of Jesus change everythingJulian FreemanMessage: The secret of the Kingdom of GodHarvest Bible ChapelText: Mark 4:1-20June 23, 2024We all remain outsiders to the Kingdom unless God’s grace brings us in. Thisgrace comes to me as I……come to hear the Word for what it is (v. 1-13)Matthew 13:33Matthew 13:44Matthew 13:47-50Mark 10:42-44Matthew 21:45-46…come to Christ with empty hands (v. 14-19)…come to treasure the Word like my life depends on it (v. 20)A Gospel Primer for Christians: Learning to See the Glories of God's Lovehttps://a.co/d/03RbPUZx
Nothing like a good riot to get people engaged and thinking! That’s what happened in the city of Ephesus when the gospel started to affect not only the worship of the local goddess, Artemis, but also the local artisan industry that was tied to it. Nothing like an economic/religious crisis to provoke people to action. Just another day at the office for the Apostle Paul and his entourage of church planters, evangelists and missionaries. As we look at Acts 19:21-41 on Sunday, we’ll be challenged to see what kind of person we are in light of the people we see in the passage. Are we “resolved in the Spirit,” no matter what, to live for Jesus Christ no matter where that takes us, what that means for us, and how it changes things for us?Series: The Acts of the ApostlesTodd DugardMessage: 53 – No little disturbanceHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 19:21-41June 16, 2024There are four kinds of people in the world...…those who are all about the money (v. 23-31)Acts 17:29The gospel is always at its most controversial when it comes into conflict with economic interests.John B. PolhillMatthew 6:19–21Matthew 6:24…those who have no clue (v. 32-34)…those who live and let live (v. 35-41)…and those who are “resolved in the Spirit” (v. 21-22)Which kind am I?
Why are we so uncomfortable with the idea that we’re to fear God? Whenever it comes up, we get responses ranging from, “That’s just wrong; God is a God of love not fear” to “When it says ‘fear’ it means ‘awe’ or ‘reverence’” when in fact, the real response to the presence of God by sinful humans, even believing ones, is terror. There’s no escaping that, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). Not reverence. Not awe. Fear. Bone-rattling terror. We see it when Moses, Isaiah, Paul, and John came somewhat close to God’s presence. “Woe is me!” said Isaiah, “For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Daniel recounted what he saw in his vision of the throne room of God, and no one would deny the frightening nature of the scene (Daniel 7:9-10). In our passage this Sunday, “Fear fell upon” the residents of Ephesus because there were some who were toying with the name of Jesus and with evil spirits. Ultimately, “The name of the Lord Jesus was extolled” and the gospel had its effect and people were converted. As we study Acts 19:11-20 together, we’ll see what is means for us to truly fear God.Series: The Acts of the ApostlesTodd DugardMessage: 52 – Fear fell upon them allHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 19:11-20June 9, 2024If I truly feared God……I would perhaps see more miracles (v. 11-12)The miracles wrought by the apostles are never presented as ends in themselves but always as opportunities, assistance to faith and commitment.John B. Polhill…I would not be so flippant with his name (v. 13-14)Exodus 20:7What does it really mean to take the Lord's name in vainKevin deYounghttps://www.crossway.org/articles/what-does-it-really-mean-to-take-the-lords-name-in-vain/Matthew 15:8…I would worship him more intensely (v. 15-17)Fear – a state of severe distress, aroused by intense concern for impending pain, danger, evil.L&N 25.251It's very important that we learn to fear God in order that we may fear nothing else.Elisabeth ElliotThe fear of the Lord is the humble recognition of who God is and the appropriate human response to him.Wendy Widder…I would be done with anything remotely evil in my life (v. 18-19)…I would witness the Word of God’s powerful effect all around me (v. 20)John 5:39The fear of the LORD is such a reverential awe of God that grips your heart that you're willing to listen to His wisdom, you're willing to submit to His commands, you're willing to surrender your will to His will, and you're willing to rest in the awesome promises of His grace. The fear of the LORD makes you run toward Him, not away from Him and causes you to live in a way you would not live apart from Him. It's the fear of the LORD that caused David to walk into that valley of Elah and to challenge that great warrior, Goliath. It's the fear of the LORD that made Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego unafraid of the threats of Nebuchadnezzar. And, it’s the fear of the LORD that has propelled all of His saints to live as soldiers of light in a darkened world.Paul David Tripp
Some Christians are quite into the Holy Spirit. Some Christians act like they don’t even know there is a Holy Spirit. In this week’s message in Acts 19:1-10, we’ll see a small group of believers who had no idea who or what the Holy Spirit was. It provides us with an opportunity to see how we do at recognizing and inviting the Holy Spirit’s presence and work in and through our lives. This message will be a primer on our pneumatology, the study of the Holy Spirit.Series: The Acts of the ApostlesTodd DugardMessage: 51 – There is a Holy SpiritHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 19:1-10June 2, 2024There is a Holy Spirit who……indwells me at conversion (v. 1-2)1 Corinthians 12:13John 3:5Romans 6:3–4…blesses me through baptism (v. 3-5)…empowers me in serving (v. 6-7)As throughout Acts, there is no set pattern. The Spirit came at various times and in various ways. What is consistent is that the Spirit is always a vital part of one’s initial commitment to Christ and a mark of every believer.John B. PolhillCognitive Scientist Ted Talkhttps://www.facebook.com/reel/9854089799766181 Corinthians 12:7The essence of being baptized with the Holy Spirit is when a person, who is already a believer, receives extraordinary spiritual power for Christ-exalting ministry.John PiperYou will be baptized with the Holy Spirit - resource by John Piperhttps://www.desiringgod.org/messages/you-will-be-baptized-with-the-holy-spiritHoly Spirit chart: https://www.hbc.info/holyspirit…leads me while on mission (v. 8-10)
There should be no debate that the way of a Christian is the way of God. We’re not making anything up on our own, instead, it is the Scriptures that lay out the path that every faithful believer will walk with the Holy Spirit’s help. In Acts 18:18-28, the Apostle Paul makes his way back to Antioch, his sending church, to report on his mission. Meanwhile, a man named Apollos enters the scene and ministers in Ephesus. The two episodes provide a picture of what it means to both teach and live out “the way of God.” What we’ll see in the passage is that embracing the way of God changes everything for us. It changes what we worship, how we walk, the work we do, and what we witness to. Those four W’s should be familiar to you if you’ve been around Harvest for any length of time.Series: The Acts of the ApostlesTodd DugardMessage: 50 – The way of GodHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 18:18-28May 26, 2024Embracing the way of God changes everything (v. 18-23)…Deo volente – If God wills…It changes what I worship (v. 24-25a)Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship.David Foster WallaceEveryone has to live for something, and if that something is not God, then we are driven by that thing we live for.Timothy KellerEverybody Worships Something - Timothy Kellerhttps://www.monergism.com/everybody-worships-somethingRomans 12:11Ephesians 5:1–2Revelation 2:4Some of us love what we do for Jesus more than we love Jesus. We love our small groups. We love our ministry. All wonderful stuff, but these have replaced him. Thus, Jesus says, you have LEFT, not lost, your first love because LEFT implies distraction.We’ve become distracted by things that are not him. Not our first love. Now, this is not the sequential or orderly term for “first” (do this, then this, and then this, etc.), it’s the essence-term for “first.” It is that which establishes and judges the priorities in your life.What Jesus says is, you have LEFT your first love. You have chosen to love something more. And the dastardly irony is this: it’s the right stuff that you love more.paraphrased from a sermon by Crawford Loritts…it changes how I walk (v. 25b-26)…it changes the work I do (v. 27)Ephesians 2:8…it changes what I witness to (v. 28)Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.Henry Thomas BuckleA true disciple of Jesus worships Christ, walks with Christ, works for Christ, and witnesses for Christ.
Where do you go in times of discouragement, desperation or spiritual dryness? There are many things that the world would tell us will help us with those things, all of which lead us to deeper despondency and distance us from the only one who can really satisfy. Maybe you’re feeling that discouragement and despair these days, maybe you’re in that place, struggling to find your way through.There’s every indication that this is exactly where the Apostle Paul was as he made his way to Corinth. This second missionary journey that he had been on was rife with challenges; he had been imprisoned in Philippi, chased out of Thessalonica and Berea and mocked in Athens. Despite the way the Lord had been working, he was feeling the effects of the challenge of gospel ministry. As we turn our attention to Acts 18:1-17 this Sunday, we’ll see the Lord encourage Paul in a profound way through all the ups and downs of his time there. We’ll consider how we’re seeing God work in our own lives and the way that should encourage and motivate us to mission, just like it did for Paul. As John Calvin put it many years ago, “No one will calmly and quietly submit to bear the cross except those who have learned to seek their happiness beyond this world.”Series: The Book of ActsJordan CorosMessage 49 - I have many in this city who are my peopleHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 18:1-17May 19, 20241 Corinthians 2:3As I work for the kingdom, am I seeing God work in…1. …the people? (v. 1-5a)Romans 16:3–4Ministry Partnershttps://www.harvestbible.ca/ministries/our-ministry-partners/2. …the challenges? (v. 5b-6)Mark 16:15Matthew 5:113. …the successes? (v. 7-8)Take myself as an example. I opposed indulgences and all the papists, but never with force. I simply taught, preached, and wrote God’s Word; otherwise I did nothing.And while I slept, or drank Wittenberg beer with my friends Philipp and Amsdorf, the Word so greatly weakened the papacy that no prince or emperor ever inflicted such losses upon it. I did nothing; the Word did everything.Martin Luther4. …the promises? (v. 9-11)1 John 4:18Romans 8:285. …the unexpected? (v. 12-17)To be cast down is often the best thing for us...It is an unspeakable consolation that our Lord Jesus knows this experience.Charles Spurgeon
Too many people, even Christians, have a mistaken notion that God is distant. It’s “The Big Man in the Sky” idea. Some go so far as to see God as distant and detached. Something that’s know as Deism. But the God of the Bible is anything but. Yes, he is transcendent in the sense that he is “other” than us. Yet he is also immanent; close; personal. In Sunday’s passage, Acts 17:16-34, the Apostle Paul finds himself in Athens in a place called the Aeropagus, meeting with the city’s thinkers and philosophers. He spends considerable time there meeting with them and discussing the gospel of Jesus Christ, and he makes the statement that God is “not far from each one of us.” What a reassuring thing to know! God is close. Even in the depths of our sin and even with the sense that we might have that we are “so far from God,” yet he is right there. We’ll unpack all of that from the passage this Sunday.Series: The Acts of the ApostlesTodd DugardMessage: 48 – He is not far from each one of usHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 17:16-34May 12, 2024So that people who don’t yet know Jesus would come to see just how closethey are to him, I must……first, show genuine concern for their spiritual state (v. 16-21)Provoked; παροξύνομαι: to be upset at someone or something involving severe emotional concern. In some languages the expression must be rendered idiomatically as ‘his heart was eating him’ or ‘his stomach was hot.’L&N 88.189Epicureanism – materialists; what is seen is relevant; no afterlife; not atheistic, but gods are not involved with humanity; “if there’s a god, why so much suffering?”; religious skeptics; value happiness and see it stemming from the absence of pain, suffering; “a good life is a pleasurable life.”Stoicism – believe in divine providence; pantheists; divinity found in all nature, matter; “divine spark” binds everything together; pursue reason, logic; high ethic; believe in self-sufficiency and a universal brotherhood.…then relate the gospel to their specific situation (v. 22-26)The gist of the speech is...thoroughly rooted in Old Testament thought throughout. The main theme is God as Creator and the proper worship of this Creator God. The language often has the ring of Greek philosophy, for Paul was attempting to build what bridges he could to reach the Athenian intellectuals.John B. Polhill…presenting Jesus as the clear alternative (v. 27-28)Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.Dumb Quote by SomeoneRomans 10:14–15…and not equivocating at all on the error of their ways (v. 29-34)The big 3 of the gospel:(1) Everyone must repent;(2) There is a coming judgment; and(3) Jesus’ resurrection from the dead secures our salvation.When the whole world is running towards a cliff, he who is running in the opposite direction appears to have lost his mind.C. S. Lewis
Peace. The absence of strife. Most often, we think of peace in terms of wars and conflicts, of relational discord, or of personal anxiety and stress. How can we be at peace? How can we end the turmoil? It is a worthy pursuit in any of those areas, and without minimizing any of that, we must still acknowledge that the most important peace we can seek after is that which comes when we are reconciled with God. In fact, to first resolve the matter with God brings peace in all other areas of our lives. We know from the Scriptures that Jesus Christ came as the “prince of peace” to break down “the dividing wall of hostility” that separates us from God. A wall built with our sin. A wall that could only be brought down by his shed blood.In Acts 10:36, while preaching to a group of Gentiles, Peter says that God preached “the good news of peace through Jesus Christ,” and it is that good news that offered them and us the forgiveness of our sin and reconciliation with God. We’ll be looking at Acts 10:34-48 as we consider seven gospel realities in that encounter that Peter had in Caesarea.Series: The Book of ActsMessage: Good news of peacePastor Todd DugardActs 10:34-48November 21, 2021If you don’t yet know Jesus, you need to know the 7 gospel realities. The gospel is…1) Barrier-free (v. 34-35)2) Peace-giving (v. 36)3) Jesus-saturated (v. 37-41)4) Mission-focused (v. 42)5) Faith-dependent (v. 43)6) Spirit-enabled (v. 44-46a)7) Baptism-declared (v. 46b-48)
The Jews of Berea never imagined that they would become the poster children for diligent study of the Scriptures, and that 2000 years later camps, churches, colleges and more would be named after them for that very reason. As we look at Acts 17:10-15 this Sunday, we’ll be inspired and challenged by these who, “were more noble” and who, “received the word with all eagerness.” Oh God, let that be us too! Read the passage ahead of time and come ready to hear, believe, and act upon the Word of God.Series: The Acts of the ApostlesTodd DugardMessage: 47 – Examining the Scriptures dailyHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 17:10-15May 5, 2024Love for Christ, love for God’s Word, and love for the church. Remove one, the other two will fall in time. All three together, operating in healthy mutual reinforcement, make a supernatural Christian before whom the devil trembles, however ordinary they may appear otherwise.Dane OrtlundHow do I receive the Word of God?Open-mindedly? (v. 10-11a)noble — a willingness to learn and evaluate something fairly; to be open-minded.L&N 27.48Response to the Word:• I hear and believe and act upon• I hear and reject the truth and don’t act upon• I hear and believe but don’t act uponActs 17:3The Christian Scriptures:P75 Manuscript:Eagerly? (v. 11b)Diligently? (v. 11c)Prophecies Fulfilled in Jesus and Israel:https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-6-prophecies-fulfilled-jesus-and-israelLuke 24:44–48The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me...A simple layman armed with Scripture is to be believed above a pope or a cardinal without it.Martin LutherPractical ways to be diligent in the study of the Word:1 – Get a Bible2 – Use a pen3 – Subscribe to a reading plan4 – Use additional resourcesharvestbible.ca/resourcesTransformationally? (v. 12)2 Timothy 2:15Bravely? (v. 13-15)
Whenever you see a list of the top reasons for fights between couples, money is always at or near the top. It makes sense. A spender marries a saver and they fight. A spender marries a spender and they fight. When two savers get married, I’m thinking they probably get along just fine as they shop at their favourite thrift store. Because money can be such a flashpoint in our homes, it makes sense that “Handling the Money” needs to be part of our family series. God’s plan for your home to be awesome includes principles of managing your finances.Take advantage of the resource page we have set up with books and videos, as well as the previous messages in this series and information on the Biblical Soul Care sponsored events that we have put together on parenting. If you have any questions about the family, email them in to us at thefam@harvestbible.ca or text to 705.999.7788, and in the message on March 3, Pastor Roger and I will do our best to answer them.Sermon NotesSeries: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Todd DugardMessage: 35 - When the gentiles heardHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 13: 42-52January 14, 2024 When the Word of God is preached… https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/col... https://bibleleague.ca/bible-engageme... …I want more (v. 42- 44) Do not taste what you do not want to hunger after. Psalm 19: 7-11 https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/2... https://www.biblica.com/resources/rea... https://www.fivedaybiblereading.com https://www.thebiblerecap.com https://biblestudytogether.com/top-be... …I see the opposition to it (v. 45-47, 50-51) When facing opposition to sharing the gospel: 1. Accept it as natural consequence 2. Shake it off 3. Keep preaching …I respond in worship (v. 48) Romans 12: 1-2 …I want others to hear it too (v. 49) John 1: 45 John 4: 29 1 Corinthians 1: 23-24 …I am filled with joy and the Holy Spirit (v. 52) https://research.lifeway.com/2021/01/... Psalm 19: 7-14
Whenever you see a list of the top reasons for fights between couples, money is always at or near the top. It makes sense. A spender marries a saver and they fight. A spender marries a spender and they fight. When two savers get married, I’m thinking they probably get along just fine as they shop at their favourite thrift store. Because money can be such a flashpoint in our homes, it makes sense that “Handling the Money” needs to be part of our family series. God’s plan for your home to be awesome includes principles of managing your finances.Take advantage of the resource page we have set up with books and videos, as well as the previous messages in this series and information on the Biblical Soul Care sponsored events that we have put together on parenting. If you have any questions about the family, email them in to us at thefam@harvestbible.ca or text to 705.999.7788, and in the message on March 3, Pastor Roger and I will do our best to answer them.Sermon NotesSeries: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Todd DugardMessage: 35 - When the gentiles heardHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 13: 42-52January 14, 2024 When the Word of God is preached… https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/col... https://bibleleague.ca/bible-engageme... …I want more (v. 42- 44) Do not taste what you do not want to hunger after. Psalm 19: 7-11 https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/2... https://www.biblica.com/resources/rea... https://www.fivedaybiblereading.com https://www.thebiblerecap.com https://biblestudytogether.com/top-be... …I see the opposition to it (v. 45-47, 50-51) When facing opposition to sharing the gospel: 1. Accept it as natural consequence 2. Shake it off 3. Keep preaching …I respond in worship (v. 48) Romans 12: 1-2 …I want others to hear it too (v. 49) John 1: 45 John 4: 29 1 Corinthians 1: 23-24 …I am filled with joy and the Holy Spirit (v. 52) https://research.lifeway.com/2021/01/... Psalm 19: 7-14
Whenever you see a list of the top reasons for fights between couples, money is always at or near the top. It makes sense. A spender marries a saver and they fight. A spender marries a spender and they fight. When two savers get married, I’m thinking they probably get along just fine as they shop at their favourite thrift store. Because money can be such a flashpoint in our homes, it makes sense that “Handling the Money” needs to be part of our family series. God’s plan for your home to be awesome includes principles of managing your finances.Take advantage of the resource page we have set up with books and videos, as well as the previous messages in this series and information on the Biblical Soul Care sponsored events that we have put together on parenting. If you have any questions about the family, email them in to us at thefam@harvestbible.ca or text to 705.999.7788, and in the message on March 3, Pastor Roger and I will do our best to answer them.Sermon NotesSeries: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Todd DugardMessage: 35 - When the gentiles heardHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 13: 42-52January 14, 2024 When the Word of God is preached… https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/col... https://bibleleague.ca/bible-engageme... …I want more (v. 42- 44) Do not taste what you do not want to hunger after. Psalm 19: 7-11 https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/2... https://www.biblica.com/resources/rea... https://www.fivedaybiblereading.com https://www.thebiblerecap.com https://biblestudytogether.com/top-be... …I see the opposition to it (v. 45-47, 50-51) When facing opposition to sharing the gospel: 1. Accept it as natural consequence 2. Shake it off 3. Keep preaching …I respond in worship (v. 48) Romans 12: 1-2 …I want others to hear it too (v. 49) John 1: 45 John 4: 29 1 Corinthians 1: 23-24 …I am filled with joy and the Holy Spirit (v. 52) https://research.lifeway.com/2021/01/... Psalm 19: 7-14
Whenever you see a list of the top reasons for fights between couples, money is always at or near the top. It makes sense. A spender marries a saver and they fight. A spender marries a spender and they fight. When two savers get married, I’m thinking they probably get along just fine as they shop at their favourite thrift store. Because money can be such a flashpoint in our homes, it makes sense that “Handling the Money” needs to be part of our family series. God’s plan for your home to be awesome includes principles of managing your finances.Take advantage of the resource page we have set up with books and videos, as well as the previous messages in this series and information on the Biblical Soul Care sponsored events that we have put together on parenting. If you have any questions about the family, email them in to us at thefam@harvestbible.ca or text to 705.999.7788, and in the message on March 3, Pastor Roger and I will do our best to answer them.Sermon NotesSeries: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Todd DugardMessage: 35 - When the gentiles heardHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 13: 42-52January 14, 2024 When the Word of God is preached… https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/col... https://bibleleague.ca/bible-engageme... …I want more (v. 42- 44) Do not taste what you do not want to hunger after. Psalm 19: 7-11 https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/2... https://www.biblica.com/resources/rea... https://www.fivedaybiblereading.com https://www.thebiblerecap.com https://biblestudytogether.com/top-be... …I see the opposition to it (v. 45-47, 50-51) When facing opposition to sharing the gospel: 1. Accept it as natural consequence 2. Shake it off 3. Keep preaching …I respond in worship (v. 48) Romans 12: 1-2 …I want others to hear it too (v. 49) John 1: 45 John 4: 29 1 Corinthians 1: 23-24 …I am filled with joy and the Holy Spirit (v. 52) https://research.lifeway.com/2021/01/... Psalm 19: 7-14
Join us in person at 7 George Street or on the livestream at one of the three service times: 7, 9 and 11 a.m. as we celebrate the unbelievable resurrection of Jesus Christ! I’ll be continuing our special series, “Is Easter Unbelievable?” with a look at the question of Jesus’ resurrection. Is it credible? This will be a celebratory service with plenty of exuberant music, the shout, confetti cannons and lights. Together with Good Friday, these two days represent the most important days in history. Join us for the celebration!Series: Is Easter Unbelievable?Todd DugardMessage: 3 - Is Jesus' resurrection credible?Text: Various ScripturesHarvest Bible ChapelMarch 31, 2024Luke 24:5b–6aScience cannot disprove the resurrection because miracles aren’t something that science is equipped to address.Rebecca McLaughlinNatural science describes the normal reproducible working of the world of nature. Miracles like the resurrection are inherently abnormal.Ian HutchinsonThe common assumption that science offers us an alternate hypothesis to faith in God is quite misleading.Rebecca McLaughlinYou can confidently believe that Jesus was resurrected from the dead because of……how that message spread (Acts 1:8)Christus, the founder of the name, had undergone the death penalty in the reign of Tiberius, by sentence of the procurator Pontius Pilatus, and the pernicious superstition was checked for a moment only to break out once more, not merely in Judea, the home of the disease, but in [Rome] itself, where all things horrible or shameful in the world collect and become fashionable.TacitusThe extraordinary spread of Christianity, both numerically and geographically, doesn’t prove that Jesus really rose again. But how can a man born into a subjugated ethnic group in an obscure Roman province who lived poor, died young, who never wrote a book, raised an army, or sat on a throne—has come to be the most impactful human in all human history does require some kind of explanation.Rebecca McLaughlin…what that message said (1 Corinthians 15:14)1 Corinthians 15:19…what the Romans did (John 19:31-34)…what the women saw (Luke 24:10-11; John 20:2, 15-16, 18)Women were thought by educated men to be gullible in religious matters and especially prone to superstitious fantasy and excessive religious practices.Richard BauckhamAfter death [Jesus] rose again and showed the marks of his punishment and how his hands had been pierced. But who saw this? A hysterical female, as you say, and perhaps some other one of those who were deluded by the same sorcery.CelsusThe historical evidence for the resurrection is as good as for almost any event of ancient history.Ian HutchinsonActs 17:28FOR FURTHER STUDY:Making Sense of God: Finding God in the Modern WorldTimothy Kellerhttps://a.co/d/cjUdb1IHandbook of Christian Apologetics: Hundreds of Answers to Crucial QuestionsPeter Kreeft, Ronald K. Tacellihttps://a.co/d/aXgRGH9Confronting Jesus: 9 Encounters with the Hero of the GospelsRebecca McLaughlinhttps://a.co/d/4jl9z8uConfronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World's Largest ReligionRebecca McLaughlinhttps://a.co/d/fjbZ2GGThe Case For ChristLee Strobelhttps://a.co/d/1gkkbB3The Case For Christ MovieAvailable to rent from Apple TVI Believe in the Death of Julius Caesar and the Resurrection of Jesus ChristSteve Bateman (article)https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/resurrection-jesus-christ/
Join us in person at 7 George Street or on the livestream at 9 and 11 a.m. as we reflect on the crucifixion of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Pastor Patrice Charade will continue our special series “Is Easter Unbelievable?” with a look at the question of Jesus’ death. Was it ethical? This will be a quieter, contemplative time of worship meant to help you enter into the spectre of the sacrificial death of Christ. We will also be observing the Lord’s Table as part of our time together. If you are taking in the service on the livestream, have bread or cracker and wine or juice ready.Series: Is Easter Unbelievable?Message: 2 - Is Jesus' death ethical?Patrice CharadeText: Various ScripturesHarvest Bible ChapelMarch 29, 2024Know the Jesus, who died……a heroic death (Mark 10:45, Phil. 2:8)…stepping into my mess (Psalm 53:3b, Rom. 3:23, 1 John 1:8a)…to save me from my sin (Rom. 3:23-24, John 3:16-17, John 3:36)…showing me his incredible love (John 15:13, 1 John 4:9, Rom. 5:6-8)FOR FURTHER STUDY:Making Sense of God: Finding God in the Modern WorldTimothy Kellerhttps://a.co/d/cjUdb1IHandbook of Christian Apologetics: Hundreds of Answers to Crucial QuestionsPeter Kreeft, Ronald K. Tacellihttps://a.co/d/aXgRGH9Confronting Jesus: 9 Encounters with the Hero of the GospelsRebecca McLaughlinhttps://a.co/d/4jl9z8uConfronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World's Largest ReligionRebecca McLaughlinhttps://a.co/d/fjbZ2GGThe Case For ChristLee Strobelhttps://a.co/d/1gkkbB3The Case For Christ MovieAvailable to rent from Apple TVI Believe in the Death of Julius Caesar and the Resurrection of Jesus ChristSteve Batemand (article)https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/resurrection-jesus-christ/
It is an “outrageous claim that, almost two millennia ago, a man who had died an unbelievably horrible death came back to unbelievably wonderful life—and offers to include us in this life, if we will trust in him.” Christians believe that very account of Jesus Christ, and Easter celebrates it. There are many, though, who do not trust him, finding the claim to be too outrageous. Too unbelievable. And that is the question we want to explore and answer this Easter season. Using Rebecca McLaughlin’s short book as our guide, we’ll explore four key questions that are most frequently asked concerning Jesus, his death and resurrection. All of which leads to the critical question of personal faith. We’ll be giving away free copies of the book throughout the series. Invite friends and family to join you in person or online for this impactful series.Series: Is Easter Unbelievable?Todd DugardMessage: 1 – Is Jesus’ life historical?Harvest Bible ChapelText: Various ScripturesMarch 24, 2024Galatians 1:81 Timothy 2:5[This study will] look at the outrageous claim that, almost two millennia ago, a man who had died an unbelievably horrible death came back to unbelievably wonderful life and offers to include us in this life, if we will trust in him.Rebecca McLaughlinConsider the Jesus who lived……I know his story (Mark 10:45; Luke 24:46-47)People said that his words alone could stop storms, heal the sick, and even raise the dead. He claimed that he was indeed God’s Son and that he was the much-anticipated Christ.Rebecca McLaughlin…I hear the evidence (Matthew 8:26; Mark 8:33; Mark 14:26-31, 66-72)The reality is that whatever else you may think about Jesus, he certainly did exist...and this view is held by virtually every expert on the planet.Bart Ehrman[The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are] the oldest and best sources we have for knowing about the life of Jesus [and that this is] the view of all serious historians of antiquity of every kind, from committed evangelical Christians to hardcore atheists.Bart Ehrman…I acknowledge the sources (John 21:25)…I need his message (John 6:68)John 6:53-56John 6:60John 20:3FOR FURTHER STUDY:Making Sense of God: Finding God in the Modern WorldTimothy Kellerhttps://a.co/d/cjUdb1IHandbook of Christian Apologetics: Hundreds of Answers to Crucial QuestionsPeter Kreeft, Ronald K. Tacellihttps://a.co/d/aXgRGH9Confronting Jesus: 9 Encounters with the Hero of the GospelsRebecca McLaughlinhttps://a.co/d/4jl9z8uConfronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World's Largest ReligionRebecca McLaughlinhttps://a.co/d/fjbZ2GG
It is quite alright for Christians to be appropriately annoyed. That is to say, annoyed over the right things in the right way. Motive matters. Method matters. In Acts 16:16-24, the Apostle Paul is “greatly annoyed” by a demon-possessed girl who was being exploited by her handlers. He’s annoyed by the demon. By the men who are abusing this young girl. He’s annoyed by what’s being said. And he’s annoyed by the distraction it all is to the message he’s preaching and the ministry he’s trying to have. So, he solves the problem but not without consequences. The narrative provides another opportunity for each of us to consider our own motives and methods when it comes to the mission and ministry that Jesus has entrusted to us.Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Todd DugardMessage: 44 – Greatly AnnoyedHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 16:16-24March 17, 2024When I’m on mission for Jesus…The strategy: simple (v. 16a)Harvest exists to glorify God by making more and better disciples of Jesus who love God and love people.The message: clear (v. 16b-17)Luke 23:40–41Acts 4:11–12James 2:191 John 2:3–6The power: God’s (v. 18)The expectations: managed (v. 19-22)The cost: paid (v. 23-24)
"How do I know when God is calling me to something?” It’s a question I get regularly as someone in youth ministry, but it’s not a question unique to the teenage years. It’s something we’ve all been left wondering at one time or another. “What should I do here?” “Do I take that job or not?” “Do we move over there or stay here?” “Is this an open door or a closed door?” As the work of establishing the church continues, Paul and his crew set out on the second missionary journey. This is a pivotal point in the expansion of the gospel, and in it we see God clearly directing the path of his servants. As we look to Acts 16:6-15 this Sunday, we’ll consider this story and seek to understand what truly following the call of God looks like in our own lives. I hope you’ll join us.Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Jordan CorosMessage: 43 – Come...help usHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 16:6-15March 10, 2024The most important things we have to do as Christians are the things we are most powerless to do.Kevin DeYoungHarvest Mission Statement - We glorify God by making more and better disciples of Jesus Christ who love God and love others.Following the call of God in my life means, I…1. Let him lead me. (v. 6-10)How God speaks to me:1. Through his Word.2.Through his Word, from someone else.3.Through someone else.4.Through the Holy Spirit, to my spirit.5.Through dreams or visions.James 4:14–152. Let him use me. (v. 11-13)Authentic turning points in history are few. But surely among them this Macedonian vision ranks high. Because of Paul’s obedience at this point, the gospel went westward and ultimately Europe and the Western world were evangelized. Christian response to the call of God is never a trivial thing. Indeed, as in this instance, great issues and untold blessings may depend on it.Richard Longnecker1 Corinthians 9:16Letting God use me means:1. I’m available.2. I’m committed.3. I’m humble.3. Let him bless me. (v. 14-15)
It is tough when Christians don’t get along. Tougher still when we see mature, respected Christian leaders not get along. It is comforting (is that the right word?) to know that such discord was happening all the way back at the beginning of the church. Having examples of the flawed nature of the church and her leaders provides us with cover for the same happening today. It doesn’t excuse it, but it does explain it, and it allows us to see that such things are normal in a sin-sick world even among Christian leaders. Perhaps the most famous of such examples is that of Paul and Barnabas and their “sharp disagreement” over John Mark’s qualification for vocational ministry. The church’s two most prominent and respected leaders split over it with the sad reality that a resolution is never recorded. We’re blessed to have Pastor Leo Klus here on Sunday to walk us through Acts 15:26-16:5 and help us see some truths that will help us navigate conflict and controversy when it happens in the church.Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Leo KlusMessage: 42 – A sharp disagreementHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 15:36-16:5March 3, 20241. Stay the course by living on mission (15:36)Three principles for living on mission#1 - He lives a gospel-centred life#2 - He knew that meant to use his gifts for Christian community#3 - He lived his life in light of eternity2. Know that God will teach and surprise us from conflict (15:37-41)Top 5 common reasons for conflict amongst believers#1 – Theological#2 – Methodological#3 – Preferences#4 – Sin#5 – Relational3 warning signs that unity is not being maintained#1 – The issue has become the controlling passion of your life#2 – You begin to attack the person and not the problem#3 – Your passion and love for Jesus declines3. Pray that God will bring gospel-centred people into our lives (16:1-5)
We’ve pounded the nail for the past two weeks, conflict and crises in the church are inevitable. We’re human. We’re sinful. Perfection awaits, but meanwhile we’re stuck here with the temptations that are common to all. What has been awesome to see in this matter is how the leaders of the church handled a crisis that was threatening to disrupt and derail the gospel mission everywhere. Gripped by the Word, compelled by their compassion for the lost, and respectful of each other, these leaders came to a consensus and resolved the matter in a way that glorified God and advanced the church and her mission in the world. As we look at Acts 15:22-35 this Sunday, we’ll see the good that comes on the other side of conflict and controversy, and we’ll see how God redeems the messes we get ourselves into.Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Todd DugardMessage: 41 – It seemed goodHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 15:22-35February 25, 2024On the other side of this trial, I’ll be a better man;I will know the sweet deliverance of my Father's mighty hand; I will have another battle won upon which I can stand;I'll grow closer to my Saviour as I trust his master plan;I'll know him better; I will be better; I'll be a better man.Billy and Sarah Gaines (https://youtu.be/3lWdsEB7TP4?si=65iVesrWwYRLWlUX)Romans 8:18Romans 8:28Psalm 27:13John 10:10I’ll enjoy good on the other side of conflict and controversy when……leaders lead (15:22)…communication is clear (15:23-27)In the absence of information, people make it up.Clear communication depends on:1. The authority2. The content3. The recipients4. The tonality5. The method6. The frequency7. The timing…grace and truth abound (15:28-29)John 1:14Imagine the devil's devastation when he succeeds in wounding a church only to find her, though in pain, not in division or disarray, but eyes lifted to heaven and set on grace. A gracious church might get knocked down, but when she gets up, she's walking around in snakeskin boots.Jared C. Wilson…and peace returns (15:30-35)Ephesians 2:14The only perfect church is the heavenly assembly, and this does not meet at 10:30 a.m. each Sunday a short drive from your house. So, until you're called to join the throng around God's throne, you're called to belong to a church in which others will get things wrong—and so will you.Sam Allberry
I recently saw a picture of a clever church sign that I think rings true. It said, “Acting like the perfect church is like dressing up for an X-ray.” Despite all of our best efforts, the perfect church does not exist, and as much as we might try, we can’t hide our flaws. As communities of redeemed sinners, conflict and controversy are a given. This has been true for most of us in our personal experience. It has been true throughout church history and it was true of the early church in Acts 15 as they sought to deal with conflict surrounding circumcision and how to handle the influx of Gentile converts. This was an issue with massive implications and was also a pivotal moment in the history of the church. This Sunday we will be looking at the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:12-21, and the wonderful example it provides of how to address and deal with conflict in the church. As we investigate what happened there, we can identify a pattern that we can apply when dealing with conflict in the church today.Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Nathan HooperMessage: 40 – A people for his nameHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 15:12-21February 18, 2024During conflict and controversy, I will……listen to the counsel of godly leaders (v. 12-14)Satan's greatest ambassadors are not pimps, politicians, or powerbrokers, but pastors. His priests do not peddle a different religion, but a deadly perversion of the true one.Tim ChalliesFour tests to help us discern godly leaders:1. The test of the fruit of behaviour2. The test of sound doctrine3. The test of submission to Scripture4. The test of teaching the pure gospel of justification by faith…believe the teaching of God’s Word (v. 15-18)Our teachers, our friends, our science, our studies, even our eyes can deceive us. But the Word of God is entirely true and always true: God's Word is firmly fixed in the heavens; it doesn't change. There is no limit to its perfection; it contains nothing corrupt. All God's righteous rules endure forever; they never wear out.Kevin DeYoungCouncils have no authority in church unless it can be shown that their conclusions are in accord with Scripture.John StottEphesians 4:31-32…move forward together in unity (v. 19-21)Romans 14:17-19Philippians 2:3-4Our relationship with each other is the criterion the world uses to judge whether our message is truthful - Christian community is the final apologetic.Francis Shaeffer
If you’ve never been in a church that experienced conflict and controversy, you’re the very definition of a unicorn.Such things, sadly, are a normal part of church life. Whereas some would look at contention in the church as an indication that our faith is bogus and the church a sham, it is, in fact, a legitimizing of who we are and what we’re in this world to do. The first church conflict in history happened in the first church ever established. It was likely just weeks after the events of Pentecost that launched the gospel mission and the church in Jerusalem that serious challenges arose. First, the deaths of a couple who were lying about their giving (Acts 5) and then complaints about certain widows being forgotten in the distribution of food (Acts 6). Right out of the gate, the church was facing conflict and controversy. By the time we get to Acts 15, we have a conflict that is widespread and struck at the theological core of the gospel with the implication that reaching the Gentiles with the message of Christ was being compromised by doctrinal error.Over the next four messages, we’ll look at the Jerusalem Council that was called to address the controversy and deal with the conflict. The fourth message will look at a separate conflict that came between the Church’s two leading missionary, church planting, evangelists, Paul and Barnabas. These four messages will help us all make sense of these conflicts and controversies and respond biblically when they inevitably happen. We’ll get a start on it this Sunday with a look at Acts 15:1-11.Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Todd DugardMessage: 39 – Much debateHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 15:1-11February 11, 2024When conflict and controversy hit the church, I will……recognize the error (v. 1)Matthew 5:17…respond appropriately (v. 2)dissension; also dispute, argument;to engage in intense and emotional expressions of different opinions - to quarrel - L&N 33.448a lack of agreement respecting policy leading to strife, discord, disunity - BDAG…remain on mission (v. 3-4)…respect the process (v. 5-6)…return to the Word (v. 7-11)Top 10 terrible ways to navigate controversy and crisis in the church:10. Denial9. Being conflict-averse8. Putting relationships first7. In my opinion6. Past experience5. Prejudices4. Majority ruleA lie doesn't become truth, wrong doesn't become right, and evil doesn't become good, just because it's accepted by a majority.Brooker T. Washington3. Loudest voice2. Emotion1. Listening to rumours and gossip
I don’t feel like I hit the ground running most days. There are pressures and challenges, decisions that must be made, aches and pains (betraying my age), and scar tissue from relationships that went badly. I face temptation and too often give in. In a word, I am weak. I am, like every other human being, in need of strength for each day. Some admit it. Others are in denial. We all need to be strengthened to face a world that takes and does not give back in the same proportion.In this Sunday’s passage, we’ll see Paul and Barnabas backtracking along the route they had followed on their first missionary journey. Along the way, they returned to the cities in which they had previously preached the gospel, “strengthening the souls of the disciples.” What follows is what that strengthening looks like in the life of a believer: continuing in the faith, enduring every trial, under the care of spiritual leaders, growing in prayer, and on mission to share the gospel with others. That’s what it means to be strong as a Christian. And that’s what we’ll look at together in Acts 14:19-28 this Sunday.Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Todd DugardMessage: 38 – Through many tribulationsHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 14:19-28February 4, 2024I’ll be strengthened as a Christian—no matter what—if I am… (v. 19-22a)…continuing in the faith (v. 22b)2 Timothy 3:10–12One can know a great deal about God without much knowledge of him.J. I. Packer, Knowing GodThose who know God...• Have great energy for God• Have great thoughts of God• Show great boldness for God• Have great contentment in GodJ. I. Packer, Knowing GodKnowing God: https://a.co/d/3YUL0dE…enduring every trial (v. 22c)James 1:2–42 Corinthians 11:23b–28…following spiritual leaders (v. 23a)Hebrews 13:17…praying and seeking prayer (v. 23b)James 5:16b…telling others about Jesus (v. 24-28)
Vain. Meaningless. Empty. Useless. Futile. That’s the word that the apostles used to describe the worship to which the people in Lystra had devoted themselves. They were so wrapped up in their own ideas, passions and traditions that they missed an obvious work of God that happened right in front of them. Even when they were challenged to see it differently, they doubled down on their own narrative rather than believe the truth. I don’t even need to draw a line from that account to our own day. The suppression of truth is standard operating procedure in our culture. It is an artform. And it is dogma…not to be disputed. As we look at Acts 14:8-18 on Sunday, we’ll be challenged to see what’s truly of value and what is vanity, meaningless, empty, useless and futile. Come ready to hear God’s Word and respond.Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Todd DugardMessage: 37 – Turn from these vain thingsHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 14:8-18January 28, 2024One man’s trash. Another man’s treasure.When I turn from what is worthless in life……to what is truly of value (v. 8-13)Matthew 13:45–46…it humbles me (v. 14-15a)…and compels me to share this truth (v. 15b-17)The Living God is...(1) One God;(2) Creator of all;(3) Patient and merciful;(4) Sovereign over all.Vain – Persons or things that are of no use; idle, empty, fruitless, useless, powerless, lacking truth.BDAG…even as many remain ignorant to it (v. 18)If there is a story, it is driving toward a conclusion...if history is unfolding in a deliberate and controlled way, you can be certain that what happens in the world is not just a series of isolated, disconnected, arbitrary events. Instead, there is a purpose moving forward toward a conclusion. This story never runs off-script. It continues deliberately and perfectly toward its satisfying closing scene.Tim Challies, Josh Byers, Visual TheologyWhen I turn from what is worthless in life to what is truly of value, it humbles me and compels me to share this truth even as many remain ignorant to it.
We continue our study in Acts this Sunday, and we’ll be starting chapter 14 looking at Acts 14:1-7. Here we find Paul and Barnabas in Iconium preaching the gospel (as usual). Though they continue to face repeated opposition this week’s passage makes a point of letting us know that in light of this, these two apostles spoke with great boldness for the Lord. This is a very different reality for many of us who, when there is any kind of backlash or hint of negative repercussions to sharing the good news, will often fall flat on our faces. The fact remains that in spite of the great number who reject Jesus, people who don’t know him need to hear the gospel preached. So, the questions we are faced with are these: are we truly committed to the mission? Are we passionate enough about Jesus that we will keep on when things don’t come about as “easy”?Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Patrice CharadeMessage: 36 – Speaking boldly for the LordHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 14:1-7January 21, 2024When I boldly share the gospel with others……some are drawn to the Saviour (v. 1)Romans 1:16Romans 10:17Romans 10:14–15…conflict with others is inevitable (v. 2, 4-6)Cling to Jesus under pressure because you can count on his promises, and he will give you the stability you need.Darryl DashAs one sees the apparent defeat of the right, and the triumphing of might and the wrong... it seems as though Satan were getting the better of the conflict. But as one looks above, instead of around, there is plainly visible to the eye of faith a Throne... This then is our confidence: God is on the Throne.A.W. Pink…lines will be drawn (v. 4)Ephesians 4:14…and the mission must continue (v. 7)Why do we desire the spread of the gospel throughout the world? Not out of a sinful imperialism or triumphalism, whether for ourselves or the church or even “Christianity.” Nor just because evangelism is part of our Christian obedience (though it is). Nor primarily to make other people happy (though it does). But especially because the glory of God and of His Christ is at stake. God is King, has inaugurated His saving reign through Christ, and has a right to rule in the lives of His creatures. Our ambition, then, is to seek first His kingdom, to cherish the passionate desire that His name should receive from men the honor which is due to it.John StottMark 16:15
Whenever you see a list of the top reasons for fights between couples, money is always at or near the top. It makes sense. A spender marries a saver and they fight. A spender marries a spender and they fight. When two savers get married, I’m thinking they probably get along just fine as they shop at their favourite thrift store. Because money can be such a flashpoint in our homes, it makes sense that “Handling the Money” needs to be part of our family series. God’s plan for your home to be awesome includes principles of managing your finances.Take advantage of the resource page we have set up with books and videos, as well as the previous messages in this series and information on the Biblical Soul Care sponsored events that we have put together on parenting. If you have any questions about the family, email them in to us at thefam@harvestbible.ca or text to 705.999.7788, and in the message on March 3, Pastor Roger and I will do our best to answer them.Sermon NotesSeries: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Todd DugardMessage: 35 - When the gentiles heardHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 13: 42-52January 14, 2024 When the Word of God is preached… https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/col... https://bibleleague.ca/bible-engageme... …I want more (v. 42- 44) Do not taste what you do not want to hunger after. Psalm 19: 7-11 https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/2... https://www.biblica.com/resources/rea... https://www.fivedaybiblereading.com https://www.thebiblerecap.com https://biblestudytogether.com/top-be... …I see the opposition to it (v. 45-47, 50-51) When facing opposition to sharing the gospel: 1. Accept it as natural consequence 2. Shake it off 3. Keep preaching …I respond in worship (v. 48) Romans 12: 1-2 …I want others to hear it too (v. 49) John 1: 45 John 4: 29 1 Corinthians 1: 23-24 …I am filled with joy and the Holy Spirit (v. 52) https://research.lifeway.com/2021/01/... Psalm 19: 7-14
As we resume our study in Acts, we’ll be looking at the latter part of the Apostle Paul’s sermon at the synagogue in Antioch Pisidia in Acts 13:26-41. The focus of this section is clearly on Jesus Christ which compels the hearer to do something with what they now know about him. That, it seems, is the point of every sermon centred on the gospel: what will I do with what I’ve just heard? Some dig their heels in and resist the Spirit. Others turn in faith, eager to respond to God’s kind offer of salvation. How will you respond to Jesus this coming Sunday? Eternity hangs in the balance.Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Todd DugardMessage: 34 - Through this manHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 13:26-41January 7, 2024This man, Jesus, was… …human like us, yet knowable as God (v. 26-27)…innocent of all sin, yet condemned (v. 28)…crucified, yet resurrected from the dead (v. 29-31)…a long-ago promise, yet powerfully fulfilled (v. 32-37)And so, through this man, I am offered……forgiveness of my sin (v. 38)…freedom from working for my salvation (v. 39)Romans 10:13…faith to overcome my unbelief (v. 40-41)Ephesians 2:8–9
When Nehemiah heard of the state in which Jerusalem found itself, he immediately resorted to praying to God. What is our response inclined to be upon hearing bad news? Is it to run and pray to God? The reality is, whether it’s because of bad news, for our daily needs, or simply to spend time talking with God, Christians don’t pray nearly enough. Join us as we are challenged from Nehemiah chapter one to approach God eagerly in prayer.Patrice CharadeMessage: The Great and Awesome GodHarvest Bible ChapelText: Nehemiah 1:1-11December 31, 2023Christians do not pray enough.John PiperPrayer is the open admission that without Christ we can do nothing. And prayer is the turning away from ourselves to God in the confidence that He will provide the help we need. Prayer humbles us as needy and exalts God as wealthy.John PiperI will approach God eagerly in prayer when I know… [v. 1-3]…who he is. [v. 4-6]…what he has done. [v. 6-10]…why I still need him. [v. 11]
This world we live in needs hope. The people in your life, who do not yet know Jesus, need hope. And the culture we live in provides little more than empty promises and vain hope. And this season where much of the world pauses to celebrate Christmas provides one of the best opportunities to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ. Hope for a world in need. Wrapped in swaddling cloths. Lying in a manger.We will be concluding our short Nativity series in our Christmas Eve services this Saturday and Sunday as we look at the last of the three babies, Jesus, the son of Joseph and Mary. He is the fulfillment of the promise and hope given in the births of the two previous babies, Seth and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. To catch up on those messages, check out the sermon archive.Series: Three Babies; One PromiseTodd DugardMessage: 3 – Joseph & Mary’s baby, Jesus (Fulfillment)Harvest Bible ChapelText: Matthew 1:1-25December 23 & 24, 2023Will you believe God for the ultimate fulfillment of his promise?Recognize what’s wrong (v. 18-19)See it in terms of the human condition (v. 1-17)Romans 3:23Understand the divine remedy (v. 20-23)Embrace the redemptive plan (v. 24-25)
You’ve probably heard this saying before: “Faith over fear.” It’s one of those classic Christian cliches that is undeniably true but can be categorically unhelpful, especially when it’s offered up carelessly in the throes of a challenging season. Our world isn’t helpful in this by the way. Peace and hope don’t get the same kind of attention that fear does. News outlets, social media pages, politicians and more breed fear by stoking the fires of our emotions through picking the worst possible stories to report on or depicting current events as one more rung on the ladder down to a dystopian nightmare or seeking to get our support by causing us to fear the “other team” and what they might do if they get elected. No wonder doom scrolling has become such a problem. All around us all we see is fear, fear, fear. The question this all comes down to, ultimately, is this: who will you trust?That was the case for the nation of Judah and King Ahaz as they found themselves in the middle of a seemingly dire set of circumstances. But in the middle of it all, God’s Word came to them through the prophet Isaiah. God’s promises came to them, personified in a baby born then, to remind them of who God is and what he said he will do. That child was a picture of the greater promise God would fulfill in another baby born hundreds of years later, who would be the hope for the world. God fulfills his promises, and his word for us today is the same as it was to his people so many years ago: trust me.Series: Three Babies; One PromiseJordan CorosMessage: 2 – Isaiah & His Wife’s Baby: Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (Hope)Harvest Bible ChapelText: Isaiah 7-8December 17, 2023Will you believe God’s promise for an eternal hope?...Recognize what’s wrong (7:1-9)2 Kings 16:2–3...See it in terms of the human condition (7:10-12)Man’s nature, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols. Man’s mind, full as it is of pride and boldness, dares to imagine a god according to its own capacity.John Calvin...Understand the divine remedy (7:13-25; 8:1-10)...Embrace the redemptive plan (8:11-22; Matthew 1:20-23)
Hope for a world in need The arrival of a newborn baby is cause for celebration. That little bundle of joy brightens days, brings smiles and warms hearts. It is remarkable that though the infant is utterly dependent on the mother, it is the birth of such a helpless child that delivers something to the others that they didn’t have before. Encouragement. Happiness. A sense of fulfillment. Of hope. And promise. There are many births recorded in the Scriptures; each one a strategic moment and a turn of history. This is no more obvious than in the birth of three babies in particular: Seth, Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz and Jesus. The three are tied together in the covenant made by God with humanity. The first is the child of promise given in the years immediately following the fall into sin and the curse of death. The second a hopeful sign in troubled times that God had not forgotten his promise. And the third the fulfillment of all God had said; God in the flesh, the infant born to Mary and celebrated by Christians during the Christmas season. These three babies point us to the promise and hope we need as we navigate the darkness and difficulties of the world in which we live. This three-part teaching series will examine the birth of these three babies and give us a reason for celebration and joy at their birth.Series: Three Babies; One PromiseTodd DugardMessage: 1 – Adam and Eve's baby: Seth (Promise)Harvest Bible ChapelText: Genesis 3:15; 4:1-26; Luke 3:38December 10, 2023Will you believe God’s promise to make things right?Recognize what’s wrong (Genesis 4:1-24)Genesis 1:28bHebrews 11:41 John 3:12bSee it in terms of the human condition (Genesis 3:15a)Romans 5:12Understand the divine remedy (Genesis 3:15b)Romans 16:20Romans 6:5Embrace the redemptive plan (Genesis 4:24-26; Luke 3:38)When Cainite civilization began to rise and worship at the shrines of abundance and art and technology—when abuse and violence and the devaluation of life became commonplace—when vengeance became exponential—when men fancied that they were captains of their souls—Sethite civilization began to proclaim the name of the Lord, the Captain of their salvation!R. Kent HughesCain’s firstborn and successors pioneer cities and civilized arts, but Seth’s firstborn and successors pioneer worship.Kenneth MathewsOur text provides us a paradigm, an outline to understand civilization and culture today and its ostensible rise with the increase in abundance, music, arts, and technology. It rises impressively, but in its rise there is demise because of sin. The only hope is to call upon the name of the Lord. This is the only hope for culture. This is the only hope for your soul. This is the only hope for the church—to call upon the name of the Lord, who is Jesus Christ.R. Kent HughesJesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.Luke 3:38
I wonder if you think about your relationship with God in this way: that most of the time he is simply putting up with you. That’s pretty much the heart behind the idea of God’s patience or what has often been translated as long suffering. God suffering long over our many frailties and failures, forgiving our continuing sins, dispensing his abundant grace to the undeserving. It is a good reminder for us lest our egos become too inflated and think too highly of ourselves. Humility and brokenness are the marks of a genuine son or daughter of the King. In Sunday’s message in Acts 13:13-25 we’ll hear the first part of a sermon that the Apostle Paul preaches in a synagogue in the Pisidian city of Antioch (a different Antioch than the one they had come from in Syria). In that sermon, Paul unapologetically exalts the Lord and makes the note that God “put up with” his people in the wilderness. We’d be naïve to think it was any different today with us. There’s a ton for us to mine out of this passage…all of it pointing to the Lord’s great patience with us.Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Todd DugardMessage: 33 – He put up with themHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 13:13-25December 3, 2023God patiently puts up with me (v. 13-16, 18)He chooses; I am chosen (v. 17a)Romans 10:13John 15:16aEphesians 1:4a1 Peter 2:9aHe makes me great; I receive his kindness (v. 17b)1 Corinthians 4:7bJames 1:17aHe leads; I follow (v. 17c)He promises; I benefit (v. 19)2 Corinthians 1:20He delivers; I am secure (v. 20)1 Corinthians 15:26Revelation 21:4aHe gives me what I want; I get what I deserve (v. 21)He fixes it; I am loved (v. 22)He saves; I am forgiven (v. 23)He calls; I respond in faith (v. 24)He alone is worthy; I am not at all (v. 25)Maps in this series are taken from The MacMillan Bible Atlas by Yohanan Aharoni and Michael Avi-Yonah (out of print)
A couple of significant shifts happen in Acts 13. The book has primarily focused on Peter through chapter 12, but for the rest of Acts it will tell the story of Paul’s missionary journeys. Along with that, the emphasis moves from preaching to Jews in Judea and Galilee to taking the gospel to Gentiles in regions throughout the Roman world. As we look at Acts 13:1-12 this Sunday, we’ll see that the church in Antioch set apart Paul and Barnabas for a specific mission that begins on Barnabas’ home island of Cyprus. What we’ll see is that the mission of the church is the mission of each individual believer as well. The question that must be asked is, “What role do I play in particular?”Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Todd DugardMessage: 32 – Set apart for meHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 13:1-12November 26, 2023The mission of the church is also my mission to......build up the believers (v. 1-2a)A Church on mission is:Centred on the WordRaising up godly leadersCommitted to worship and prayerProphecy is the speaking of an inspired word from God for the edification and direction of the community.John B. Polhill...listen for the Spirit’s voice (v. 2b)...send out more planters (v. 3-5)Faith is believing the Word of God and acting upon it no matter how I feel knowing God promises a good result....keep the gospel at the centre (v. 6-11)Matthew 5:111 Corinthians 15:1-4, 11b...watch for unexpected conversions (v. 12)Text number: 705.999.7788
A bad thing happens in the passage we have in front of us this Sunday. A gruesome thing. The wretched King Herod Agrippa dies a horrific death. He is described, in the end, as a man who, “did not give God the glory.” That description fits most people on earth right now, and it begs the question, how do I know if I’m giving God the glory with my life? As we look at Acts 12:20-25 we’ll see what that looks like and pledge ourselves to glorifying God with how we live.Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Todd DugardMessage: 31 – He did not give God the gloryHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 12:20-25November 19, 2023Exodus 20:3God is glorified in me when I know......who I am (v. 20-22)He put on a garment made wholly of silver, and of a contexture truly wonderful, and came into the theatre early in the morning; at which time the silver of his garment being illuminated by the fresh reflection of the sun's rays upon it, shone out after a surprising manner, and was so resplendent at to spread a horror over those that looked intently upon him.Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews, 19.8.2And presently his flatterers cried out…that he was a god; and they added, “Be thou merciful to us. For although we have hitherto reverenced thee only as a man, yet shall we henceforth own thee as superior to mortal nature.”Josephus...who he is (v. 23)Isaiah 42:8aUpon this the king did neither rebuke them, nor reject their impious flattery.JosephusA severe pain also arose in his belly; and began in a most violent manner…His pain was become violent. Accordingly, he was carried into the palace…And when he had been quite worn out by the pain in his belly, for five days, he departed this life.JosephusEight ways I steal God’s glory:(1) I boast in my accomplishments(2) I complain about my life(3) I dismiss the miraculous(4) I think I am indispensable to God(5) I consider myself better than others(6) I put myself at the centre of the story(7) I re-interpret the Word to suit my own desires(8) I believe that my good works help save and/or keep me in the faithActs 14:14-15Tyrants may be permitted for a time to boast and bluster, oppressing the church and hindering the spread of the gospel, but they will not last. In the end, their empire will be broken and their pride abased.John StottThe glory of God is the manifestation of his holiness; it is the radiance of all that he is in his absolute perfection being revealed.Philippians 2:5-11...what he says (v. 24)Isaiah 55:11...what I am to be doing (v. 25)Humanity’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
Pretty much everyone loves a little comedy, right? If that’s you, you’ll appreciate the account of Peter’s deliverance from prison and certain execution in Acts 12:1-19. Peter’s groggy response to the angel and Rhoda’s flightiness provide some comic relief in the midst of a tense situation. Behind it all is a God reassuring his people that everything is fully in control. With darkness all around them, the light of Christ was shining. We’ll examine how that light impacts the life of every Christian.Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Todd DugardMessage: 30 – A light shone in the cellHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 12:1-19November 12, 2023Revelation 21:23-25Having the light of Christ......I discern the darkness more easily (v. 1-5a, 17-19)...I seek the Lord more earnestly (v. 5b, 12)The Christians used their most effective means of assistance. They prayed.John B. Polhill...I anticipate his intervention more eagerly (v. 6-11)You don’t know who you are until you know God, and you don’t know how to live until you’ve settled the question of how to die.Alistair Begg...I bind myself to the church more enthusiastically (v. 13-16)On demand: Good.Livestream: Better.In person: Best!
It was great to get back into the Book of Acts last Sunday after a two-year hiatus. What a challenge these passages are going to be to us each week! As we turn our attention to Acts 11:19-30 this Sunday, we’ll see the character and actions of those who have a steadfast purpose to live for and serve Christ in this life. Often that comes at great cost. If you’d like to work through previous messages in this series, the archive has the previous messages covering Acts 1-10 and last week’s message in the first part of Acts 11.Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Todd DugardMessage: 29 – With Steadfast PurposeHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 11:19-30November 5, 2023Most people fail, not because of lack of desire, but, because of lack of commitment.Vince LombardiThe widespread relativism in our culture undermines any clarity about what to be committed to. This is because it leaves us unsure as to what, if anything, is most worthy.Arthur W. Lindsley2 Corinthians 4:18As a Christian, I steadfastly purpose to......work within the conditions God sets out for me (v. 19a)We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.C. S. Lewis...innovate appropriately in fulfilling the mission (v. 19b-20)...reflect the gospel in my life and ministry (v. 21-26)James 2:19The Greek expression translated as "devotion" describes the purpose of one's will, the resolve to believe in the crucified, risen, and exalted Jesus as Israel's Messiah, Lord, and Saviour of the world, to rely on God for the atonement of sins through Jesus' death, to count on Jesus for reconciliation with God, and to depend on the Holy Spirit for the transformation of one's life and behavior.Eckhard J. SchnabelI wish not merely to be called Christian, but also to be Christian.Ignatius...act with compassion toward those in need (v. 27-30)My giving should be:(1) Generous(2) Sacrificial(3) Willing and even eager(4) Regular(5) Cheerfully given(6) Trusting of God’s provision for me(7) Out of gratitude for my salvationMost professing Christians fail in the Christian life, not because of lack of believing in God, but, because of lack of a steadfast purpose to truly live out the gospel of Jesus Christ.
It has been two years since we last heard a message from our multi-year series in the Book of Acts. Well, we’re back to it this Sunday! Finally! As we pick up the action (Acts is a narrative history of the inauguration and spread of the early church), we will be looking at Acts 11:1-18 which is a recap of what happened in chapter 10 when The Apostle Peter received a crazy dream from the Lord and then Gentiles showed up at his door fulfilling the vision he had seen. In the passage this week, some Christians were having a hard time believing what had happened because of their traditions and preconceived notions of what the church ought to be. The Holy Spirit challenged that head on. It isn’t hard to see how that applies today. How will you and I handle it when God pushes up against our comfort zone? I’m eager to look at that with you on Sunday.Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Chapters 11-16)Todd DugardMessage: 28 – They fell silentHarvest Bible ChapelText: Acts 11:1-18October 29, 2023Proverbs 17:28When God is at work, I will…Expect the unexpected (v. 1-15)Three Pentecosts in Acts:Acts 2:4 Jewish PentecostActs 8:14 Samaritan Pentecost;Acts 10:44 Gentile PentecostJames 2:1Look to his Word (v. 16)Salvation is given by God, it comes through listening to the message about Jesus, and it involves the reception of the Holy Spirit and baptism.Eckhard J. Schnabel2 Peter 1:20-212 Timothy 3:16-17The only thing that keeps me stable and settled in these days of uncertainty is the absolute dependability of God's Word.Elisabeth Elliothttps://elisabethelliot.org/Stay out of his way (v. 17-18a)Top 8 ways I get in the way of God:(1) Unrepented sin(2) Theological bias(3) Entrenched tradition(4) Complacency/Comfort(5) Incompatible plans(6) Thinking I know better(7) Doubt/lack of faith(8) Being a control freakGive him the glory (v. 18b)
“Be not like a horse or a mule without understanding.” That’s good advice, don’t you think? That line is found in Psalm 32:9a and is part of a beautiful declaration and prayer of contrition to God with assurances of mercy and forgiveness from the Lord. And that’s the passage that Pastor Lee Ballantine of Harvest Ayr, Scotland will be bringing to us this Sunday. Come ready to hear a challenging and comforting message from God’s Word, spoken with a charming Irish accent which, without a doubt, will make it sound way more inspiring!Lee BallantineThe Joy of ForgivenessHarvest Bible ChapelText: Psalm 32October 22, 2023In your ears, what does repentance sound like? We think of groaning and grovelling, of grinding teeth and weary resolve. But what does repentance really sound like? When it has completed its work, it sounds like joy.Bryan ChapelIn Jesus, God doesn’t count my sin (v. 1-2)Romans 4:6-8So, I don’t need to cover up my sin (v. 3-5)Ephesians 1:7And can know the joy of confessing my sin (v. 6-11)1 John 1:8–9
We will wrap up our 5-message series in the Letter of Jude this Sunday with a look at the closing doxology; two verses of high-impact vertical focus. As we have considered the contemporary trend around deconstruction of the faith—something many have done leading to a rejection of Jesus and his gospel—we will be encouraged and exhorted to look to Christ alone for the building material necessary to construct or reconstruct a life founded on a faith that endures. Jude’s concern has been for a first century local church beset by false teaching; a concern that requires vigilance in our day as false teachers influence us through social media and innocent web searches. We must not let our guard down but rather, as Jude wrote, “contend for the faith.”Series: Deconstructed-Reconstructed (Jude)Todd DugardMessage: 5 – Glorifying the only God and SaviourHarvest Bible ChapelText: Jude 1:24-25October 15, 2023Doxology – a short hymn, song or poem praising God, sung or said as part of a Christian church service.—Cambridge Dictionaryδόξα (doxa) (Greek) – a manifestation (revealing) of power characterized by glory which causes wonder, amazement.—L&N 76.13When I build my life on Jesus, I have…… (v. 24)…present confidence…future hope1 Peter 1:19Romans 8:302 Corinthians 3:18Lasting transformation is a spiritual consequence of “beholding the glory of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18). That’s why we’re here: to behold. To set our sights on a higher love. To see who Adam hid from, who the psalmist sang to, who the prophets spoke for, who the disciples walked with, and who Jesus made known.Jackie Hill Perry, Holier Than Thou…and unending joy…because he is… (v. 25)…the onlyJohn 14:6Acts 4:12…saving…glorious1 Peter 1:16…majestic…sovereignPhilippians 2:10-11…authoritativeDeconstruction is a shift from the authority of the Bible (absolute truth) to the authority of self. It is a move from a truth-quest to a happiness-quest.Alisa Childers; Frank Turek…and eternal God…worthy of my devotion and praise.RESOURCESHolier Than Thou: How God’s Holiness Helps Us Trust Him by Jackie Hill Perryhttps://a.co/d/hbxvbOjAddressing Deconstruction in the Church: An Interview with Barnabas Piper and Jason Minhttps://sola.network/article/addressing-deconstruction-in-the-church/A Diary of Private Prayer by John Bailliehttps://a.co/d/fxj2qKQThe Valley of Vision - A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotionshttps://a.co/d/0NuDwOIThe Prisoner in the Third Cellhttps://a.co/d/3rrTEfYDoctrine and Obedience Are Friendshttps://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/columns/straight-paths/doctrine-and-obedience-are-friends/The Most Dangerous Form of Deconstructionhttps://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/february-web-only/russell-moore-deconstruction-faith-church-dangerous-form.htmlAnother Gospel?: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity by Alisa Childers and Lee Strobelhttps://a.co/d/fXuuEaTThe Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back? by Michael Grahamhttps://a.co/d/etjiIIqI Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion but Found My Faith by Lecraehttps://a.co/d/7lFqs2HBefore You Lose Your Faith: Deconstructing Doubt in the Churchhttps://a.co/d/6r7v4lgAlisa Childers podcastshttps://alisachilders.com/podcast/Cross Examined podcastshttps://crossexamined.org/podcasts/Red Pen Logichttps://www.youtube.com/c/RedPenLogichttps://www.facebook.com/redpenlogichttps://www.instagram.com/redpenlogic/
Nathan HooperMessage: What did I do to deserve this?Harvest Bible ChapelText: Luke 18:9-14October 8, 2023As grateful Christians, justified by grace,……we understand what we deserve as the result of our sinfulness.(v. 9-13)If there were only thirty righteous persons in the world, I and my son should make two of them; but if there were but twenty, I and my son would be of the number; and if there were but ten, I and my son would be of the number: and if there were but five, I and my son would be of the five; and if there were but two, I and my son would be those two; and if there were but one, myself should be that one.- Rabbi Simeon, the son of Jochai (Bereshith Rabba, s. 35, fol. 34.-- from Clarke’s Commentary)Romans 3:23-24Romans 6:23… we rightfully trust in the mercy, power and holiness of God.(v. 13)Mercy is not a feeling that (God) drifts into when he is in a generous mood. It is the ever-flowing fount of the deepest part of his heart.Adam RamseyHoly is the way God is…He does not conform to a standard. He is that standard.AW Tozer... we are freed from the bondage of sin to truly live for Christ! (v. 14)(God) has given us our identity in order that his identity might be proclaimed through us. God made us who we are so we could make known who he is. Our identity is for the sake of making known his identity. The meaning of our identity is that the excellency of God be seen in us.John PiperTrue humility is not thinking less of yourself, It's thinking of yourself less.C.S. Lewis
Seriously. People think churches should be perfect, never experience conflict, and never split. So naïve. I’ll admit that reaching for that ideal is a good thing, but the reality of attempting to do what we’re doing in building the church requires a more realistic view of things. Bottom line: Satan doesn’t want the church to thrive, and he has many human agents who do his bidding in local churches just like ours. And that’s why Jude wrote his letter. In the passage in front of us on Sunday (Jude 1:17-23), he makes the point that it is a given that there will be ungodly people in the church and that they will cause division, and so the faithful Jesus-loving, gospel-centred members must fight it. They’ll do that by building up their faith through praying in the Spirit, keeping everyone reminded of God’s love, by waiting expectantly for the day Jesus will break through the clouds and end all the nonsense. In the meantime, to keep our focus on what’s important, we should be showing compassion to those struggling in their faith.Series: Deconstructed-Reconstructed (Jude)Todd DugardMessage: 4 – Building yourself up in the faithHarvest Bible ChapelText: Jude 1:17-23October 1, 2023Ungodly people in the church will cause division. (v. 17-19)Matthew 7:15Acts 20:29-301 Timothy 4:1-2Proverbs 6:16-19Ephesians 4:3Titus 3:10-11So, fight it. Build up your faith by… (v. 20a)…praying in the Spirit (v. 20b)…keeping everyone in God’s love (v. 21a)1 John 4:9-10…waiting for the day (v. 21b)Revelation 21:4…and showing compassion to those struggling (v. 22-23)RESOURCESA Diary of Private Prayer by John Bailliehttps://a.co/d/fxj2qKQThe Valley of Vision A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotionshttps://a.co/d/0NuDwOIThe Prisoner in the Third Cellhttps://a.co/d/3rrTEfYDoctrine and Obedience Are Friendshttps://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/columns/straight-paths/doctrine-and-obedience-are-friends/The Most Dangerous Form of Deconstructionhttps://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/february-web-only/russell-moore-deconstruction-faith-church-dangerous-form.htmlAnother Gospel?: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity by Alisa Childers and Lee Strobelhttps://a.co/d/fXuuEaTThe Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back? by Michael Grahamhttps://a.co/d/etjiIIqI Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion but Found My Faithhttps://a.co/d/7lFqs2HBefore You Lose Your Faith: Deconstructing Doubt in the Churchhttps://a.co/d/6r7v4lgAlisa Childers podcastshttps://alisachilders.com/podcast/Cross Examined podcastshttps://crossexamined.org/podcasts/Red Pen Logichttps://www.youtube.com/c/RedPenLogichttps://www.facebook.com/redpenlogichttps://www.instagram.com/redpenlogic/
To be fair, this message isn’t only about loud-mouthed boasters. It is also about blasphemers, rebels, the presumptuous, empty-shirts, grumblers, malcontents and all those who are only in it for what they can get out of it. Should be a fun Sunday together. The passage is Jude 1:8-16 and it is a doozy. The outline is five “Don’t…” imperatives. And the point of the whole thing is to not be like “certain people” who resist God in a myriad of ways. Jude (and the Holy Spirit) thought it to be something we needed to read all these years later. These people present an existential threat to the local church, and so we’ll dive into it together on Sunday.In case you missed it, we are compiling a resource list for this series, Deconstructed-Reconstructed, as we examine this important topic. You can find the list in the sermon notes each week and on social media.Series: Deconstructed-Reconstructed (Jude)Todd DugardMessage: 3 – Loud-mouthed boastersHarvest Bible ChapelText: Jude 1:8-16September 24, 2023Don’t be like “certain people” who resist God.Don’t presume upon him (v. 8-9)Don’t distort his word (v. 10-11)1 Corinthians 2:14A Christian who remains stuck with an elementary understanding of doctrine is a Christian who is in danger of abandoning Christ.Darryl DashLife itself has a way of forcing us to deal with theology—that is, what we believe—sooner or later. The difficult experiences of life raise important questions about God and what he is up to. We especially must be focused in the deeper matters of the faith if we are to withstand the fire of persecution. Those who are shallow theologically manifest that superficiality in the face of strong challenges that oppose continued commitment to Christ.George GuthrieDon’t chase after the wind (v. 12-13)Ecclesiastes 2:10-11Don’t rebel against him (v. 14-15)Don’t pursue self-interest (v. 16)Philippians 2:3-4RESOURCESThe Prisoner in the Third Cell by Gene Edwardshttps://a.co/d/3rrTEfYDoctrine and Obedience Are Friendshttps://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/columns/straight-paths/doctrine-and-obedience-are-friends/The Most Dangerous Form of Deconstructionhttps://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/february-web-only/russell-moore-deconstruction-faith-church-dangerous-form.htmlAnother Gospel?: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity by Alisa Childers and Lee Strobelhttps://a.co/d/fXuuEaTThe Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back? by Michael Grahamhttps://a.co/d/etjiIIqI Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion but Found My Faithhttps://a.co/d/7lFqs2HBefore You Lose Your Faith: Deconstructing Doubt in the Churchhttps://a.co/d/6r7v4lgAlisa Childers podcastshttps://alisachilders.com/podcast/Cross Examined podcastshttps://crossexamined.org/podcasts/Red Pen Logichttps://www.youtube.com/c/RedPenLogichttps://www.facebook.com/redpenlogichttps://www.instagram.com/redpenlogic/
I was born and raised until age 13 in Québec. I’m an anglophone but entered the first iteration of French Immersion when I started grade 4. When we moved to Ontario, I carried on with the program through to the end of high school with a third of my secondary credits being classes in French. I was fluent in the language and given a Certificate of Bilingualism when I graduated. But living in English Canada for all these years, I have had few opportunities to speak French, and my language skills are, at best, rough. When I get the opportunity to spend time in a francophone context, the words and phrases begin to come back pretty quickly. I remember what I once knew. It is a fact that unless we continue to rehearse and use what we know, it slips into some deep recess of our brain and is all but unretrievable without some effort to remember what we once knew well.That is Jude’s point in addressing the significant challenges that his readers were facing with respect to false teachers. He wrote, “I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it…” and goes on to begin a recounting of basic gospel principles. And that’s what we’ll look at in Jude 1:5-7 this Sunday. Contending for the faith starts with reminding myself constantly of the gospel. In the language of our series, if we are to deconstruct and then properly reconstruct our faith, it must be on the basis of these gospel principles. Otherwise, the false teachers have their way with us and the building of our life and faith crumbles.Series: Deconstructed-Reconstructed (Jude)Todd DugardMessage: 2 – Remembering what you once knewHarvest Bible ChapelText: Jude 1:5-7September 17, 2023In truth, there are only two kinds of people; those who accept a set of beliefs and know it, and those who accept a set of beliefs and don't know it.—G.K. Chesterton, OrthodoxyTo contend for the faith means reminding myself that……unbelief destroys—am I a believer? (v. 5)Romans 2:29Israel’s apostasy stands as a warning to all those who think that an initial commitment secures their future destiny without ongoing obedience.Thomas R. SchreinerWe are not told in the Sermon on the Mount, ‘Live like this and you will become a Christian’; rather we are told, ‘Because you are a Christian live like this.’Martyn Lloyd-Jones…pride imprisons—am I humble? (v. 6)1 Peter 5:5bWhen others tell me that the reason I left the Church was simply because I really didn’t know the ‘One True God’, the truth is, I did. The problem was that in order for me to keep believing in 'Him', I had to keep abandoning myself. So instead, I chose ME for the first time.For many people, deconstruction isn’t about submitting to God. It’s about choosing to be your own god.redpenlogicPride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you.Andrew Murray, Humility: The Journey Toward HolinessHumility is the displacement of self by the enthronement of God.Andrew MurrayMatthew 16:24…immorality condemns—am I pursuing holiness? (v. 7)ἐκπορνεύω; ekporneuō – to engage in sexual immorality of any kind, often with the implication of prostitution; to engage in illicit sex, to commit fornicationL&N 88.271Ezekiel 16:49-50Sometimes we don't want God to be real because we want permission to sin without consequence. We want an intimate God on Sundays and an impersonal God who looks the other way for the rest of the week.Lecrae, I Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion but Found My FaithRESOURCESAnother Gospel?: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity by Alisa Childers and Lee Strobelhttps://a.co/d/fXuuEaTThe Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back? by Michael Grahamhttps://a.co/d/etjiIIqI Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion but Found My Faithhttps://a.co/d/7lFqs2HBefore You Lose Your Faith: Deconstructing Doubt in the Churchhttps://a.co/d/6r7v4lgAlisa Childers podcastshttps://alisachilders.com/podcast/Cross Examined podcastshttps://crossexamined.org/podcasts/Red Pen Logichttps://www.youtube.com/c/RedPenLogichttps://www.facebook.com/redpenlogichttps://www.instagram.com/redpenlogic/
With the start of a new ministry year, we’re also starting a new five-part preaching series in the Letter of Jude.How did we come to the conclusion, as Christians, that the faith we have in Jesus wouldn’t need some tearing down and rebuilding from time to time? It is not that the gospel itself provided a poor foundation or that the construction materials of faith were less than adequate, but that the manner in which we as humans put it all together was marred by our sin and weaknesses, resulting in a building that lacked structural integrity. It is a faith-filled Christian, not a weak one, who says, “Let’s tear this down to the essential biblical building materials and make it better.” To preserve a faulty structure, preserving human traditions and institutions at all costs, is to put everyone in the house at risk of it collapsing.We live at a time when the threats to the gospel from those outside of the faith are significant, but not nearly as dangerous as those from within the believing community. Those who once professed faith in Christ but who have, as they say, “deconstructed” their faith, lead others to abandon what they once believed and practiced. They ask good questions, but refuse the answer. Faithful Christians should have no fear of deconstruction and should, in fact, scrutinize, inspect, tear down, and rebuild their faith throughout their lives resulting in a stronger building in which to live out their faith in Jesus.In what is a timely message to our generation, the short Letter of Jude provides insight into what it means to tear down but also rebuild our faith in Jesus Christ.Series: Deconstructed-Reconstructed (Jude)Todd DugardMessage: 1 – Contending for the faithHarvest Bible ChapelText: Jude 1:1-4September 10, 2023As a Christian, I must contend for the faith by……trusting what God says about me (1:1-2)…understanding what I believe (1:3)The 5 Gospel-Centred Essentials: Verbal Inspiration, Virgin Birth, Vicarious Atonement, Victorious Resurrection, and Visible ReturnDeconstruction is the process of systematically dissecting and often rejecting the beliefs you grew up with. Sometimes the Christian will deconstruct all the way to atheism. Some remain there, but others experience a reconstruction. But the type of faith they end up embracing almost never resembles the Christianity they formerly knew.Alisa Childers, Another GospelA reconstructed faith will require recovering Christian orthodoxy, not departing from it.Trevin Waxto contend – to exert intense effort on behalf of something—to struggle forL&N 39.30…and by being aware of threats within the church (1:4)9 current perversions of the grace of our God…“me” at the centre of the story;God not knowing things;distortions of the Trinity;undermining of the authority of the Scriptures;the elevation of one person to celebrity status;political engagement as the means of fulfilling the gospel mission; downplaying holy living as the fruit of genuine faith;adding to or subtracting from the simplicity of the gospel;caving into the culture to affirm what is biblically unaffirmable.Discernment plays a vital role in surviving the spiritually treacherous times we live in. We must continue to value and embrace historical roots and doctrinal truths. Times will change, but not truth. Methods will change, but not history. Each generation of believers has the serious responsibility to anchor its beliefs anew in the unchanging doctrines laid out in the Scriptures.When you encounter new teachers and new ideas, listen carefully to those who are teaching. Listen to what is said and what is not said. Listen to what is conveniently left out. Listen to the wording, listen to the subtle phrases, listen to the implications. Then look closely at those who are following. Do they know their Bibles? Are they serious about their faith? Are they sharing Christ with others? The answers to these questions will give a strong cause to the meaning behind the message.Charles R. Swindoll.
I’ll admit it…I’m guilty of not fully reading the lists of names in the Bible sometimes. You know what I’m talking about. The book of Numbers is the graveyard for your Bible reading plan every year. You skip over the genealogy chapters. You tune out for the last few verses of the letters in the New Testament because you have no idea who they're talking to or about and it doesn’t have any impact on your life right now. I’ve done it too.WOW are we ever missing out...As we conclude our series in the letter of Paul to the Colossians, we come to Paul’s final greetings from and to specific people and the truth is THERE’S SO MUCH HERE FOR US! Each of these people represent a very real gospel story that we can see and learn from! After all, their names and the specific things Paul has to say about and to them were inspired by the Spirit to be recorded for a reason!I’m REALLY excited to spend time in God’s Word with you on Sunday. Do yourself a favour and read through the passage, Colossians 4:7-18, before you make it on Sunday and pray with me that God would open our hearts to see these truths and to commit to them as we seek to be a part of and build a community of faith, centred on the gospel.Series: Invisible God; Visible Faith (Colossians)Jordan CorosMessage: 10 – The community of faithHarvest Bible ChapelText: Colossians 4:7-18September 3, 2023As a community of faith, centred on the gospel, we must commit to…Encouragement (v. 7-9)In the digital age, one of the most upside down things the church can offer is the invitation to be analog, to come out of hiding from behind our digital walls, to bridge our technological divides, and to be human with one another in the truest sense—gathering together to be changed and transformed in real time, in real space, in real ways.Jay Kim, Analog Church: Why We Need Real People, Places and Things in the Digital AgePhilemon 17Someone Needs Your Encouragementhttps://www.desiringgod.org/articles/someone-needs-your-encouragementGrace (v. 10-11)Grace is getting what you don’t deserve.Acts 19:29Acts 15:39God’s plan for his church is…offering hurting, tired, worn-out, needy sinners like you and me a place to belong, a place to identify, a place to encounter the profound, transformative, healing, restoring grace of Jesus Christ.Barnabas Piper, BelongDiligence (v. 12-14)Hebrews 10:24-25This, then, is how you belong: follow in Jesus’ footsteps, with the help of the Holy Spirit, by laying down your life for the benefit of your church and giving yourself joyfully and wholeheartedly to loving Jesus and His people.Barnabas Piper, Belong2 Timothy 4:10Perseverance (v. 15-18)God became a man for this purpose: since you, a human being, could not reach God, but you can reach other humans, you might now reach God through a man…God became a man so that in following a man — something you are able to do —you might reach God, which was formerly impossible to you.Augustine
We have the Four Pillars at Harvest that define what we put front and centre as a church. Two of those pillars are “witness” and “prayer,” and it is these two that are the emphasis of this week’s passage, Colossians 4:2-6. As he nears the end of his letter to the church in Colossae, the Apostle Paul provides some final instructions for his readers, and he points them to prayer and the sharing of the gospel with those still outside of the faith. After 22 years of having these four pillars, I can say with a sad confidence that of the four, these two are the weakest and the hardest for us to practice. And so, this message is one that our Harvest family needs to hear again and again: if Christ is our life, we must pray for opportunities to witness, learn how to share the message, assume the risks of doing so, have a heart for those who do not yet know Christ and always communicate the message with grace and truth. Series: Invisible God; Visible Faith (Colossians) Todd DugardMessage: 9 – The appeal of faith Harvest Bible ChapelText: Colossians 4:2-6 August 27, 2023Christ is my life, and so I will… …pray for opportunities to witness (v. 2-3a)If we don’t pray nothing else matters. Work as if everything depends on the working and pray as if everything depends on the praying. Continue steadfastly (προσκαρτερεῖτε) – to continue to do something with intense effort, with the possible implication of doing it despite difficulty.L&N 68.68[This is] the “door” that allows the word of God into the hearts, minds, and lives of people and communities.N. T. WrightGod…open to us a door for the word… in London.God…open to us a door for the word… in Harvest Kids, Awana, Harvest Youth, Harvest Young Adults; through our livestream and in person services.God…open to us a door for the word… with family; friends; co-workers; neighbours; strangers. …learn how to share the message (v. 3b, 4)Come & SeeGo & TellStop & ShareFive Gospel Wordshttps://www.harvestbarrie.ca/5-gospel-words/ …assume the risks of doing so (v. 3c)Matthew 10:37-39 …have a heart for those outside of the gospel (v. 5) Evangelism is first and foremost about our hearts, not our methods. The how-to is important, but the lack of want-to is often the most obvious problem.Tony Merida, Love Your Church Acts 4:20Acts 20:22-24 …communicate with grace and truth (v. 6)"Seasoned with salt" was used to refer to witty, amusing, clever, humorous speech. Their saltiness will prevent them from being ignored as irrelevant bores…Godliness is not to be equated with stodginess. Flat formulas or lifeless platitudes do not capture the gospel's excitement. It must be made palatable with a savory combination of charm and wit.David Garland.
What do husbands and wives, parents and kids, slaves and masters have in common? Well for one, if they happened to be first century Christians in the city of Colossae, they all received a specific mention in Paul’s letter to their church. The section in Colossians 3:18-4:1 is a condensed version of what Paul said to the same three groupings in far more detail in Ephesians 5:22-6:9. What Paul says about these relationships flows out of earlier instructions about putting off the old self and putting on the new self with its practices. These “practices” are then explored in terms of some of our most common, vital and challenging relationships. These are the proving ground for the virtues of Christ that we are to be clothing ourselves with as Christians. The three relationship categories provide examples of six gospel principles that we as Christians should be applying in our daily lives.Series: Invisible God; Visible Faith (Colossians)Todd DugardMessage: 8 – The application of faithHarvest Bible ChapelText: Colossians 3:18-4:1August 20, 2023In all of my relationships, I must apply the gospel principles of……submission (3:18)…love (3:19)Men more naturally respect but struggle to love.Women more naturally love but struggle to respect (submit).Wives tend to react in ways that feel disrespectful to the husbands—thus the command to respect/submit.Husbands tend to react in ways that feel unloving to the wife—thus the command to love.Paraphrased from Love and Respect…obedience (3:20)…sensitivity (3:21)Recognizing the importance of fathers doesn’t dismiss the importance of mothers in the lives of young men. It’s about acknowledging that male role models are important and that their absence has consequences.Jamil JivaniThe National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI), a non-profit organization working to end fatherlessness in the United States, claims “there is a father factor in nearly all social ills facing America today.” This bold statement is backed up by research that shows fatherless children are more likely to have behavioural problems, live in poverty, experience abuse or neglect, use drugs or alcohol, repeat grades in school, become teenage parents, and go to prison. The research also shows that adolescent boys with absentee fathers are especially likely to engage in criminal and other delinquent behaviours.Jamil JivaniThe Consequences of Growing up without a Fatherhttps://thewalrus.ca/the-consequences-of-growing-up-without-a-father/#:~:text=Statistics%20Canada%20reports%20that%2012.8,without%20fathers%20in%20the%20home…servanthood (3:22-25)…justice (4:1)
Most people like courtroom dramas. Unless you’ve been to court yourself, everything you know about the criminal justice system you learned from Law & Order and its many spin-offs. While there are big differences between the Ontario Court of Justice and what you see on TV, at least one thing is the same: you need evidence to get a conviction. Evangelist Billy Graham often asked this question in his sermons: “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” It's a sobering question. And as we look at Colossians 3:12-17 this Sunday, we’ll expand it out to three questions that get to the heart of showing evidence of genuine faith. We’ll see what it means to be a true Christian.Series: Invisible God; Visible Faith (Colossians)Todd DugardMessage: 7 – The evidence of genuine faithHarvest Bible ChapelText: Colossians 3:12-17August 13, 2023If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?Billy GrahamMatthew 7:21-23Three essential questions for every professing believer…Question #1 – Am I even a Christian? (v. 12a)Christ is either Lord of all, or is not Lord at all.J. Hudson TaylorA true Christian can say:(1) I am chosen(2) I am forgiven(3) I am lovedQuestion #2 – Am I wanting to be more virtuous? (v. 12b-14)Am I growing in these 7 Christian virtues?Compassion – I yearn to show mercy to peopleKindness – I am generous and good to peopleHumility – I don’t think too much of myselfMeekness – I am gentle with peoplePatience – I endure calmly even when provokedForgiveness – I don’t hold other’s sin against themLove – I intentionally and sacrificially put others before me no matter who they are or what they’ve doneQuestion #3 – Am I doing what’s necessary to get there? (v. 15-17)A true Christian has a heart that is: as we saw,(1) at peace(2) filled with gratitude(3) saturated with the WordThe way we treat the Word of God is the way we treat the God of the WordWarren Wiersbe(4) overflowing in worship(5) eager to serveThe Col3:12-17 Cyclehttps://www.harvestbarrie.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Col3-Cycle-1.png
I’m what you might call a “war buff.” That is to say, I like learning about the history of various wars. I’m especially drawn to the two world wars. It was an incredible privilege on my recent sabbatical to be able to travel to Europe and visit Vimy Ridge, Beaumont Hamel, and the Somme battlefields (World War I) and the D-Day beaches in Normandy (World War II). Now, that’s my set up to say that this week’s outline of Colossians 3:1-11 reflects battlefield imagery. My outline does but not the passage. Yet, when I read, “put to death what is earthly in you” in 3:5, I thought about other New Testament passages with warfare imagery, and considered how hard it is to do what Paul is exhorting us to do here, and all I could think of was, “This is war!” And it is. Come, ready on Sunday to enlist in this spiritual warfare over evil and sin. It is a battle that rages not only in the world around us but in each of our hearts.Series: Invisible God; Visible Faith (Colossians)Todd DugardMessage: 6 – The battleground for the faithHarvest Bible ChapelText: Colossians 3:1-11August 6, 2023I engage in the battle for the faith knowing......there is a clear objective (v. 1-2)...it is a just cause (v. 3)Thomistic Philosophyhttps://aquinasonline.com/...it is a guaranteed win (v. 4)Matthew 25:31-33...there is a clear plan of attack (v. 5, 7-10)...the stakes are high for those not yet won over (v. 6)...I am following a proven commander into battle (v. 20a)
Our summer series has us diving into Paul’s impactful letter to the Colossians. Pastor Leo Klus and our youth director, Jordan Coros, have brought a powerful word in the first four messages. As we come to Colossians 2:16-23 this Sunday, we’ll be looking at “Obstacles to faith.” I’m sure you already have your own experiences with obstacles to your faith as you have sought to live out your Christian life and walk with the Lord. To deny the existence of obstacles, difficulties, doubts, competing belief systems and sin-fueled drifts would be foolish. Every one of us faces obstacles in living for Jesus. We were never promised a smooth road. Jesus promised us just the opposite. In this week’s passage, the Apostle Paul exposes three particular obstacles that relate not only to what the believers at Colossae were facing, but curiously, related perfectly to the times we’re living in today: rules-based religion, gospel-plus-something religion, and self-made religion. The passage gives us what we need to overcome each one. I’m eager to share that with you on Sunday.Series: Invisible God; Visible Faith-Paul’s letter to the ColossiansMessage: 5 – Obstacles to faithText: Colossians 2:16-23Todd DugardHarvest Bible ChapelJuly 30, 2023As you follow Jesus, do not expect your personal weaknesses and unwelcome character traits to disappear. They will not. Do not expect to get everything right all the time. You will not. Do not expect, as a disciple, that life will be a little easier for you than for unbelievers. Most likely, it will be more difficult, for the world is an unwelcome place for citizens of the kingdom of God.Chad Bird, Limping with GodThe obstacles to faith are overcome when I hold fast to Christ alone. Obstacle #1 – Rules-based religion (v. 16-17a)Mark 7:6-7 …is overcome by believing Christ is all there is (v. 17b)Obstacle #2 – Gospel-plus-something religion (v. 18-19a)Acts 4:12Natural man’s sin is precisely this: he wants the benefits of God without God himself.R. C. SproulEverybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship.David Foster Wallace…is overcome by experiencing the life he gives me (v. 19b)Obstacle #3 – Self-made religion (v. 20b-23)Grace is the beginning, the middle, and the end of the entire work of salvation; it is totally devoid of human merit.Herman Bavinck…is overcome by dying to this world (v. 20a)For the Christian, death is therefore not a state of impotence; rather it foreshadows the coming victory.David W. Pao
There’s a lot going on in this Sunday’s services. Miss Jeannie and our High Five campers will be helping out with the first couple of songs, and then Jordan and our Harvest Youth Yukon team will be reporting on their recent mission to Whitehorse. I know this is going to be one of those incredibly encouraging times together as we rejoice in what God is doing in and through the Harvest Kids and Harvest Youth. Jordan will also be resuming our series, Invisible God; Visible Faith, in the letter to the Colossians with a message in Colossians 2:6-15 titled, “Built up in the faith.” Be here in person at 9 or 11 a.m. at 7 George Street or join us online at the same two times. The services will also be available in full and on demand on our YouTube channel. We look forward to having you with us.Jordan writes:I read this line in a book this week, “The church is always only a few generations away from losing the gospel” (Dane Ortlund, Surprised by Jesus). Don’t believe it? Here’s another quote from D.A. Carson: “I have heard a Mennonite leader assess his own movement in this way. One generation of Mennonites cherished the gospel and believed that the entailment of the gospel lay in certain social and political commitments. The next generation assumed the gospel and emphasized the social and political commitments. The present generation identifies itself with the social and political commitments, while the gospel is variously confessed or disowned; it no longer lies at the heart of the belief system of some who call themselves Mennonites.”We’ve seen it all throughout history. When the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the exclusivity of it for salvation is not treasured as it ought to be, it is quickly lost. This is why Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians. The church at Colossae faced challenges to the profoundly wonderful, eternal and simple truth of the gospel. False teachers were trying to take believers away from the wholly effective work of salvation by faith alone in Christ alone by adding to it, so Paul warns them and reminds them of the reality of the truth that Jesus Christ is all they need. When he is all that I need my faith will grow, no matter what challenges to the truth I face. That’s what we’ll see as we look to the Word together again on Sunday. I’m excited to walk through this with you and am praying that the Lord will challenge you as much as he has challenged me through this passage.Series: Invisible God; Visible Faith-Paul’s letter to the ColossiansMessage: 4- Built up in the FaithText: Colossians 2:6-15Jordan CorosHarvest Bible ChapelJuly 23, 2023My faith will grow when I accept that Jesus is all I need.1. He defines what I do. (v. 6-7)1 John 1:9The fundamental means of change is deeper and deeper reflection on the very gospel that rescued us in the first place. It sounds backward, but the path to holiness is through (not beyond) the grace of the gospel, because only undeserved grace can truly melt and transform the heart. Disobedience is not healed with obedience. Morality can reform but never transform, immorality…The route by which the New Testament exhorts radical obedience is not by tempering grace, but by driving it home all the more deeply.Dane Ortlund2. He defines what is true. (v. 8-10)a. Affirm his deityb. Affirm his authority3. He defines who I am. (v. 11-15)1 Peter 2:24-25By stripping Jesus and stringing him to a wooden implement of death, political and religious powers thought they were subjecting to shame a peasant Jew with a handful of followers and concurrently eradicating his pernicious influence. All the while, Colossians contends, other forces were at work. Those sinister forces that sought to render impotent “a radical Jew” causing disquiet were themselves defeated and disgraced.Todd Still
This week, we once again welcome Leo Klus as our guest speaker. Leo and his wife Kim are heading up an Acts 29 initiative in London (ON) called, Sojourn Church, that we at Harvest have the privilege of supporting. For more information, please go to sojournchurch.caOn Sunday, Leo will bring us the third sermon in our “Invisible God, Visible Faith” series, preaching a message entitled, “The Proclamation of Faith” based on Colossians 1:24-2:5. In this passage, Paul highlights his commitment to the full Gospel and his desire to see the Colossian church grow together as mature disciples. Of course, there are many ways that we might apply this in our own context as we consider our own commission to serve God by revealing his truth despite the personal cost, and as we consider, the importance of developing confident and mature believers who are united in the truth of God’s Word. We look forward to hearing what God has laid on Leo’s heart this week.Series: Invisible God; Visible Faith-Paul’s letter to the ColossiansMessage: 3 – The Proclamation of the faithText: Colossians 1:24-2:5Leo KlusHarvest Bible ChapelJuly 9, 20231. The MESSAGE of ministry is the revealed mystery of Christ (1:25b-27, 2:2b)2. The GOAL of ministry is making mature disciples (1:28-2:1)Ephesians 4:143. The COMFORT of ministry is unity and assurance (2:2-3)Ponder it deeply. Pray for it daily. Plunder its riches. Protect it from defilement. Penetrate its mysteries. Prize it above all earthly wealth, all human wisdom, all fleshly gain. There’s nothing you could ever hope to know about God, his will and his ways, that you won’t find in Jesus. He alone is the treasury of divine wealth and wisdom.Sam Storms4. The PROTECTION of ministry counteracts deception (2:4-5)
Last week we had the pleasure of hearing from Leo Klus as we began our summer series in the book of Colossians. In his first message, he walked us through verses 1-14 of chapter one, focusing on one of the most powerful prayers in the Bible and how to apply it personally. This week, he will be speaking from verses 15-23, that include one of the strongest Christological passages in all of scripture! In his attempt to address those in Colossae who were adding to the Gospel, Paul provides a worshipful and comprehensive picture of who Christ is, his centrality to our faith and his pre-eminence over all creation!In our world today, we regularly interact with those who would limit the person and power of Jesus, referring to him simply as a good person or teacher or one of many paths to God. Even in our own teaching and worship, we can limit him in our attempts to understand and explain him. However, if we are to maintain Scriptural integrity, we must affirm that Jesus is both fully man and fully God. Join us as Leo provides a wonderful reminder that Jesus is the Supreme God of all things, the Creator of all things, the Sustainer of all things and the Reconciler of all things. Come expecting to be challenged and encouraged!Series: Invisible God; Visible Faith-Paul’s letter to the ColossiansMessage: 2 – The object of faithText: Colossians 1:15-23Leo KlusHarvest Bible ChapelJuly 2, 20231. He is the supreme God of all things (v. 15)2. He is the creator of all things (v. 16)3. He is the sustainer of all things (v. 17-19)4. He is the reconciler of all things (v. 20-23)Because of the fall of Adam, the unity, harmony, and consonance of the original creation have suffered a devastating rupture. That pristine beauty of Eden has been horribly marred. Disharmony was brought to bear on God’s handiwork. Alienation (between God and man, between man and man, and between man and nature) now characterizes the cosmos. In a word, the totality of creation is mired in disruption and suffers from what one can only describe as moral, spiritual, and physical discombobulation. This is clearly Paul’s point in Rom. 8:18–23, where he speaks of the creation being subjected to futility.Sam Storms
We all appreciate seeing the things we believe in. “Seeing is believing” is a common mantra. The disciple Thomas, in the days after Jesus was crucified, was of that camp. He said, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe" (John 20:25). Thomas echoes the sentiment of many today. And yet, the preacher matter-of-factly declared that, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). It is the fact of God’s invisibility that compels and even propels the faith of believers. It is faith that stretches us and grows us in advance of the day that we will, according to his promise, see him face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). The short letter of Paul to the Colossians is a primer on this matter of faith. Presenting God in all of his unseen glory, the Christian is called upon to live a life of faith in Jesus Christ. This series will take us through the letter verse-by-verse to see the various aspects of faith and their application to our daily lives.We’re excited to welcome Leo Klus from Sojourn Church in London, a church we are helping to plant, for the next three weeks to get this series started. Come ready and eager to hear the Word on Sunday. The Lord has good things in store for us!Series: Invisible God; Visible Faith-Paul’s letter to the ColossiansMessage: 1 – A prayer of faithText: Colossians 1:1-14Leo KlusHarvest Bible ChapelJune 25, 20231. GOSPEL: My prayer must be grounded in the gospel (v. 4-8)2. KNOWLEDGE: Growing in the knowledge of God is not optional for me (v. 9)3. WALK: The way I live my life will reveal my priorities (v. 10)4. POWER: God wants to strengthen me for his purposes (v. 11)5. IDENTITY: My confidence to approach God is based on who he says I am (v. 12-14)
We had our Annual Members Meeting last week and as is our custom, our Finance Director, Wendy Brouwer, took us through a comprehensive run through of our finances from last year, and where we are this year-to-date. The report was incredibly encouraging, especially where we’re at this year. You are a generous church, and we as your staff team thank God often for that.Generosity is a mainstay of the Christian life, and in many ways a non-generous Christian is an oxymoron. Tim Keller once wrote: “A lack of generosity refuses to acknowledge that your assets are not really yours, but God’s.” That was the heart clearly evident in the Philippian church as Paul commends their partnership and generosity toward him in the final words of his letter. As we carefully consider the steps we take in our walk with Christ, we must look intently at how our giving is honouring God or not. In today’s economic climate with the pressures we face, I’d contend that careful consideration is just as if not more important today.We’ll wrap up our three-year, intermittent look at the letter of Paul to the Philippians this Sunday. It’s been a wonderful journey for me personally, and I pray for you as well. Next week we’re excited to have Leo Klus join us to kick off a 10-week series in Colossians (yes…we’re simply turning the page to the next book, next week!), called “Invisible God: Visible Faith.” Excited about all of these things.Series: Joy UnleashedMessage 14- Joy in God-honouring generosityText: Philippians 4:14-23Jordan CorosHarvest Bible ChapelJune 18, 2023Give me five minutes in a person’s check book and I’ll tell you where their heart is.Billy GrahamMatthew 6:21My giving honours God when it’s done...1)...out of gospel partnership (v. 14-16)As he served the Philippians sacrificially, they have given to him sacrificially, but all in the greater course of serving the gospel.David Garland2 Corinthians 8:1-32)...out of a desire for gospel growth (v. 17)2 Corinthians 9:10-12In all my years of service to the Lord, I have discovered a truth that has never failed and has never been compromised. That truth is that it is beyond the realm of possibilities that one has the ability to out give God. Even if I give the whole of my worth to Him, He will find a way to give back to me much more than I gave.Charles SpurgeonMatthew 25:21Matthew 6:3-43)...out of a heart that worships God (v. 18)Hebrews 11:64)...out of God’s glorious provision (v. 19-23The most obvious lesson in Christ’s teaching is that there is no happiness in having or getting anything, but only in giving.Henry Drummond
I, like many of you, lament and grieve the status of our world today. It’s hard and heartbreaking to watch and see what’s going on around the globe but also in our country, evidenced by what’s happening in our schools, which in my lifetime has moved from reciting the Lord’s Prayer to replacing our country’s flag during the month of June. I grieve the reality of what’s being taught to our children. I grieve the reality of abortion, the status of mental health, the brokenness of politics (was it ever really “whole”?), I could go on and on. This is of course, not to mention at all the depth of hurts, sorrows and struggles that each of us carry in our personal lives. There is so much unrest today, you and I both know it. Tim Keller wrote a book called, “Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering.” Like many of Keller’s books, it was a game-changer for me. One of the quotes I remember most was this: “Look at Jesus. He was perfect, right? And yet he goes around crying all the time. He is always weeping, a man of sorrows. Do you know why? Because he is perfect. Because when you are not all absorbed in yourself, you can feel the sadness of the world. And therefore, what you actually have is that the joy of the Lord happens inside the sorrow. It doesn’t come after the sorrow. It doesn’t come after the uncontrollable weeping. The weeping drives you into the joy, it enhances the joy, and then the joy enables you to actually feel your grief without its sinking you. In other words, you are finally emotionally healthy.” There is a resilience that God wants us to live with in this world. Paul knew it. It was why he was able to write to the Philippians and say, “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.” There is a depth of joy that comes from having the secret that Paul knew: When we have Christ we have all that we need. No matter what comes in our lives, the heights of happiness, the depths of despair, there is a joy that transcends all of it. Series: Joy unleashedMessage 13 - Joy in God-glorifying resilienceText: Philippians 4:10-13Jordan CorosHarvest Bible ChapelJune 11, 2023 You don’t really know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.Tim Keller I can have joy, no matter what, when I live… Grateful for gracious gifts (v. 10) James 1:17 Content in every circumstance (v. 11-12) Art of Divine Contentmenthttps://www.ccel.org/ccel/watson/contentment.html 1 Corinthians 4:111 Corinthians 11:24–28 Dependant on Christ alone (v. 13) Hebrews 13:5 One mark of maturity in Christ is that the mature know how to depend on the Lord in every situation of life, not only in those for when they assume they need help.Richard R. Melick, Jr.
This week we will have the privilege of hearing from guest speaker, Jon Miller. Many of you will remember Jon from his days here at Harvest. Since that time, he has continued to serve in a variety of settings, and he now serves as the Chief Ministry Officer with Scott Mission. In this role, he oversees all aspects of ministry and programs including their frontline services such as the emergency men’s shelter, food and clothing bank, and hot meal program. He also oversees their Christ-centered transformational ministry programs including spiritual formation, counseling, case management, addiction recovery, Scott Mission Camp, etc. He currently resides in Burlington with his wife, Adriene and their four children.Message: Transforming PowerHarvest Bible ChapelText: Mark 5:1-20Jon MillerJune 4, 20231. Confront my own BROKENNESSEphesians 6:10-13John 10:102. Submit to his AUTHORITY3. Be ready for RESISTANCEA desperate attempt to gain control over him and to render him harmless in accordance with the common assumption of that period that the use of the precise name of the adversary gave one mastery over it.1 Peter 5:8-91 John 2:15-174. Go and tell the STORY of what God has doneMark 5:15Ephesians 2:1-5
Do you remember when you were a kid, you’d pull into the driveway of someone’s house and before you hop out of the car your parents would give you the “this is what we expect of you” talk, where the proper behaviour for this event was clearly laid out? “Say hello, use your manners, don’t break anything, eat the food even if you hate it etc. etc.” Those were important moments for us to learn the way to conduct ourselves in light of the family we’re a part of, the place we are in and the people we spend time with.That’s essentially what Paul gives to the Philippian church in the passage we’ll look at this Sunday. What he says in these verses is really not anything new in this letter, but a rehearsing of all that he’s said already, a clear laying out of the ways they should be living. How are we as believers supposed to conduct ourselves in light of the gospel? How does the gospel affect our attitudes and our actions? The Lord will unpack all of these things for us as we continue our look at Philippians chapter 4 this weekend.Series: Joy UnleashedJordan CorosMessage: 12 – Joy in gospel conductHarvest Bible ChapelText: Philippians 4:4-9May 28, 2023If the gospel has changed me, I will be……joyful no matter what (v. 4)The first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day is to have my soul happy in the Lord.George MüllerJohn 10:27–292 Corinthians 6:10…gentle with everyone (v. 5)“Gentleness” puts up with other people’s faults and when provoked will not seek revenge. It is a spirit that is open, conciliatory, and trusting of one’s neighbour, and it is the opposite of being contentious and self-seeking.David GarlandMatthew 11:29Bear with others now, that God may bear with you then.John Barber Lightfoot…praying away anxiety (v. 6-7)The way to be anxious about nothing is to be prayerful about everything.Robert Rainy…prioritizing proper things (v. 8-9)2 Corinthians 10:5
One of our favourite sayings around here is “we’re a mob of misfits”, it gets to the heart of the reality of the local church and the essence of the patient, grace-filled community we’re seeking to cultivate here. We’re sinners, broken and needy, trying to walk through this life pursuing Jesus together. None of us have this locked down, none of us are perfect, so inevitably conflicts will arise. But the good news for us is that’s not new.The church in Philippi had a lot of things going for them, so much so that Paul called them, “his joy and crown” in Philippians 4:1. They were his “crowning achievement”, he was proud of them and they filled him with great joy. But even this church wasn’t impervious to challenges and conflicts. In the passage we’ll look to on Sunday morning, we’ll see Paul’s heart for this church and how he encourages them to resolve conflict. There’s much for all of us to glean from here, as we are the body of Christ together (1 Corinthians 12:12-14), and if we’re going to have the kind of gospel unity we’re called to live with and strive for, resolving conflict in a way that honours the Lord is essential.Series: Joy UnleashedJordan CorosMessage: 11 – Joy in gospel unityHarvest Bible ChapelText: Philippians 4:2-3May 21, 2023Resolving conflict is essential to gospel unity, so I……seek it eagerly (v. 2a)...the apostles directness confirms how close he felt to this church; one does not take risks of this sort unless one can depend on thick cushions of love and trust to absorb the impact of a rebuke.Moises SilvaActs 15:39–40Keep short accounts with God and men…with the mind of Christ (v. 2b)Acts 4:32Romans 12:6-8Romans 15:5-61 Corinthians 1:102 Corinthians 13:111 Peter 3:8The gospel does not erase our distinctions or our disagreements. In fact, the unity that God’s people share in the main things—the gospel of Christ and the truth of His word—frees us to acknowledge our distinctions and disagreements on secondary matters. Christian unity does not lie ultimately in our politics, our social status, or what colour we think the carpet should be, but in the one whom we know to be “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).Alistair Begg…and the help of others (v. 3a)Hebrews 3:13…knowing the eternal reality we share (v. 3b)Revelation 3:5
Our last message in Revelation. I have to admit, I’m a little sad about it. As we look at the last few verses, we’ll hear Jesus’ final appeal to his church, and we’ll ask ourselves four important questions as we work through the passage. One of those questions simply asks, Will I hear his heart for all to come? That was a big part of a conversation I had with one of our faithful members last Sunday with them telling me that they have been struck by the patient delaying of God as he appeals over and over again for unbelievers to repent and turn to him to find life in Jesus. Unsurprisingly, we see that one more time in these final verses.Series: Great & Amazing—Revelation (Part 2)Todd DugardMessage: 33 – Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!Harvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 22:6-21May 14, 2023Some people are so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good.Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.C. S. Lewis, Mere ChristianityWill I heed Jesus’ final appeal to his church?Will I trust the truth of his Word? (v. 6-9)2 Timothy 3:16Matthew 24:26Not every “church” is Christ’s, not every “pastor” is ordained by the Spirit, and not every “Christian” is saved.Proverbs 30:5Will I preach to those who have not yet believed? (v. 10-15)Matthew 28:18–19aWill I hear his heart for all to come? (v. 16-19)The gospel is this. We are more sinful and flawed than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.Timothy KellerWill I be encouraged as I eagerly await the day? (v. 20-21)There should be a great antithesis between the Christian and the world. Ethics. Worldview. Affections. Culture. Motivations. Everything is different for the Christian.Grant R. CastleberryRevelation 15:3b
I wonder what he really looks like. We have all these paintings and depictions of Jesus that people have created of him based on almost no information whatsoever. What we know for sure: he was Jewish, male, able-bodied and bearded. All we know of his height is that he was taller than Zacchaeus. Based on where he’s from we could conclude that he was olive-skinned and dark-haired. What we don’t know about his appearance, but seems to be commonly accepted is his hair length, build, height and facial structure. There’s a common look in all of the art, but all of that is speculative or artistic impression. One final Scriptural detail rounds it out; “He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2b). He was unremarkable. Ordinary looking. But that all changes with the apocalyptic visions John received. In this week’s passage, Revelation 22:1-5, we’ll read that, “The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in [New Jerusalem], and his servants will worship him,” and “They will see his face.” Having never seen him. Knowing him by faith alone. We’ll instantly know that it is him. Our faith made sight. What a moment that will be. What implications it has for us now.Series: Great & Amazing—Revelation (Part 2)Todd DugardMessage: 32 – They will see his faceHarvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 22:1-5May 7, 2023Isaiah 53:2bWhen I see the face of Jesus, I will……experience life as was originally intended (v. 1)Psalm 46:4Genesis 1:11…find healing for all my sin-caused troubles (v. 2)Philippians 2:12b…overcome the wayward orientations of my heart (v. 3)Galatians 3:13Romans 12:1…finally lockdown my true identity (v. 4)…engage in the work I was created to do (v. 5)In the end time God will replicate in escalated fashion what his design for humans was at the creation.Buist M. FanningRevelation 22:1-5 reverses, restores and elevateswhat was given and lost in Genesis 1-3:harvestbarrie.ca/genesis-revelation
I find the description of New Jerusalem in Revelation 21:9-27 to be overwhelming. Commentators do too, apparently. Some interpret New Jerusalem as the people of God themselves. Others as the city the people of God live in on the New Earth. Still others concede that it may be both. What is obvious is how awesome the city is. The details are striking and the measurements precise. The building materials are precious beyond our imagination; things such as TRANSPARENT GOLD! It blows the mind. It is meant to blow the mind. It is as if God is saying through the Apostle, make no attempt to understand this simply accept and anticipate the glory that awaits. Push through everything and anything as you contemplate the inexplicable awesomeness that awaits you. Somehow, I have to preach this on Sunday. We’ll see what happens.Series: Great & Amazing—Revelation (Part 2)Todd DugardMessage: 31 – No night thereHarvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 21:9-27April 30, 2023It would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory2 Corinthians 4:17The glory of God chases away the night……inviting me into an eternal union with Christ (v. 9-10)…made radiant and precious before all (v. 11)Revelation 4:3Romans 8:18…bound with the one people of God (v. 12-14)Ephesians 2:13-14Moving from the darkness of withdrawal and withholding into the light of Christ, moves us into true belonging. We encounter the healing of Jesus Christ as he cleanses us from the filth and infection of sin and we encounter joyful unity with other Christians who have also entered the light.Barnabas Piper, Belong…dwelling together in the perfected creation (v. 15-21)Our anticipated future has a strong influence on our present identity and conduct, and if we live in light of that future now, we will bear living witness to the world around us that human life can be different from what we all have come to accept as the status quo.Buist M. Fanning…and enjoying unhindered relationship with God forever (v. 22-27)It is doubtful that John intended to give astronomical information about the new world; his purpose is to affirm the unsurpassed splendor which radiates from the presence of God and the Lamb.George Eldon Ladd
We’re not always that great at discerning our own motives. Why do I do a certain thing? Why do I like this rather than that? Why are my priorities arranged as they are? It’s not easy to admit, but God is far better at knowing these things about me than I am. He is, after all, the Creator. We are made in his image. And he is untainted by sin and its corrupting influence. I say that as the foundation for saying this, whether I realize it or not, the deepest longing of my heart is to be with God. Every pursuit in my life is, in the end, an attempt to feel fulfilled. No matter what I pursue, though, it comes up empty because the true longing of my heart is to be with God. He alone satisfies. And I instinctively feel that every time I turn to Revelation 21:1-8. I don’t think any other passage of Scripture evokes as much emotion for me as this one. And it is because, when I read it, I know that God is right. This is my longing…to be with him. And nothing this life offers comes close. Join us Sunday as we look at message 30 in our series, Great and Amazing, in the Book of the Revelation.Series: Great & Amazing—Revelation (Part 2)Todd DugardMessage: 30 – He will dwell with themHarvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 21:1-8April 23, 2023Whether I realize it or not, the deepest longing of my heart is to be with God, exchanging……the old for the new (v. 1)2 Corinthians 5:17…estrangement for intimacy (v. 2-3)Direct, unmarred fellowship between God and his people is the goal of all redemption.George Eldon LaddYou contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.Jonathan Edwards…brokenness for wholeness (v. 4)"Is everything sad going to come untrue?"…despair for hope (v. 5)Isaiah 53:5Jesus Christ's earthly ministry was one of giving back to undeserving sinners their humanity. We tend to think of the miracles of the Gospels as interruptions in the natural order. Yet ...miracles are not an interruption of the natural order but the restoration of the natural order. We are so used to a fallen world that sickness, disease, pain, and death seem natural. In fact, they are the interruption.Dane Ortlund, "Gentle and Lowly" (citing Jürgen Moltmann)…want for satisfaction (v. 6)…confusion for identity (v. 7)…sin and death for life (v. 8)
Divisiveness reigns in the world today. We don’t have to listen very carefully to hear the world tell us that there’s someone we should hate or something we should be disgusted by. In a culture which proclaims “love” and “acceptance” of everyone no matter what, the amount of disunity and disruption that we see across the board is staggering.This is where the gospel of Jesus Christ stands out so wonderfully and beautifully. This is where the truth of the people of God coming from every tribe, every tongue, every nation stands in remarkable contrast to the world we’re a part of. It doesn’t matter where you come from, where you’ve been, where you go, what language you speak, what colour your skin is, what age bracket or tax bracket you’re in, there is oneness in the family of God through Jesus Christ and that’s exactly what Jesus prays for in this final part of this most powerful prayer ever prayed.As we wrap up our four-week look into this extended prayer Jesus makes to the Father in John 17 we’ll unpack the kind of gospel-founded unity that must exist in the body of Christ, how we get it, why it’s so important and what it results in for us.Series: The Most Powerful Prayer Ever PrayedJordan CorosMessage: 4-That the world may believeHarvest Bible ChapelText: John 17:20-26April 16, 2023 (Easter Sunday)Jesus prayed that I would be one with all believers…1. Believing the gospel (v. 20-21)Our evangelistic efforts do not depend on our own piety or persuasiveness.Robert MounceGalatians 2:202. Reflecting his glory (v. 22)John 1:14Luke 24:27Jeremiah 32:393. Impacting the world (v. 23)The glory of the gospel is that when the church is absolutely different from the world, she invariably attracts it.Martyn Lloyd-Jones4. Immersed in his love (v. 24-26)At that time they saw Christ’s glory as someone shut up in the dark sees a feeble and glimmering light through small cracks. Christ now wants them to go on to enjoy the full brightness of heaven.John CalvinJohn 14:3Matthew 16:15-17The Example of Christ in Loving Others1. Bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:1)2. Instruct one another (Romans 15:14)3. Forgive one another (Ephesians 4:2)4. Pray for one another (James 5:16)5. Submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21)6. Encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18)7. Stir one another up to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24)
th a look at the first five verses, and on Sunday, we’ll unpack John 17:14-19, looking at what it means to be in the world as believers but not of it, framing it with his triumphant resurrection. Series: The Most Powerful Prayer Ever PrayedTodd DugardMessage: 3- Not of the worldHarvest Bible ChapelText: John 17:14-19April 9, 2023 (Easter Sunday) Jesus prayed that, as a believer, I would know to be… …in the world (v. 14-15a) The prayer of Jesus was not for God to send something like "rescue planes" to evacuate the disciples from their hostile setting in the world. Such a plan would destroy God's mission through them. Nor was it to wrap them in some plastic, danger-free safety casing where they would never encounter evil. But the prayer of Jesus was to protect them from succumbing to the onslaught of evil or the evil one.Gerald L. Borchert …but not of the world (v. 16)…rejecting its lies (v. 15b) John 8:44 …and embracing his truth (v. 17) 7 essential truths about our world: 1 - God created everything and declared it good but sin entered the creation and human beings are now fallen and, by nature, sinners. Romans 3:23; 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3;2 - That sin separates us from God. Isaiah 59:2; Ephesians 2:12; 4:18;3 - The consequence of our sin is death, both physical and spiritual. Genesis 2:17; Ezekiel 18:20; Romans 5:12; 6:23;4 - But, Jesus, God in human flesh, died for our sins, in our place, as our substitute. Isaiah 53; Romans 3:21-25; 5:8-10; Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 1:3-4; Ephesians 5:1-2; Hebrews 9:26; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 Peter 3:18;5 - That is to say, Jesus paid the price for our sins. 1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 2:24; 3:18;6 - And his sacrifice satisfied the wrath of God. John 3:36, Romans 3:24-25; 5:9; Hebrews 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 4:10;7 - So that we could be reconciled to God. Romans 5:10-11; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; Colossians 1:20; Ephesians 2:16[adapted from Alisa Childers, Another Gospel]. For further reading…Another Gospel by Alisa ChildersIs Easter Unbelievable by Rebecca McLaughlinThe Reason for God by Timothy KellerMaking Sense of God by Timothy KellerMere Christianity by C. S. Lewis …and committing myself to his work in the world (v. 18) 1 Timothy 1:15 …because he committed himself to me (v. 19) I’m not suffering from anything that a good resurrection can’t fix.Don Carson
Series: The Most Powerful Prayer Ever PrayedJordan CorosMessage: 2- I am coming to youText: John 17:6-13Harvest Bible Chapel BarrieApril 7, 2023 (Good Friday) Jesus’ prayer reveals his purpose for me. That I may know his gospel… (6-8) …join his family (9-11) …be free from sin (12) …and be filled with joy (13)
In the final moments of someone’s life, their priorities and most fundamental concerns become very clear. Many want to spend that time surrounded by those they love the most, reliving their most treasured memories or visiting their favourite places. They do whatever is necessary to make sure that those they care about are well taken care of. In the same way, at the end of his farewell to his closest followers, Jesus’ deepest priorities and concerns are revealed in a prayer to the Father.Throughout the gospels we have a record that Jesus prayed, but in only one place do we see an extended recording of what Jesus prayed. In John 17, just hours before he would go to the cross, to take the full weight of the wrath of God against sin, to make a way by which all who would find life in his name could be forgiven, in the presence of his disciples, Jesus lifted his eyes to the heavens and prayed to his Father. It’s an incredible, unique passage of Scripture that gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the relationship between God the Father and God the Son and it unpacks clearly for us what Jesus was all about, and how we should be living our lives, in fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer, as he prayed for us.In the final moments of his life, Jesus prays the most powerful prayer ever prayed. Over these four weeks we’ll look at this intimate moment between the Son and the Father and consider whether Jesus’ priorities are ours.Series: The Most Powerful Prayer Ever PrayedTodd DugardMessage: 1 – The hour has comeHarvest Bible ChapelText: John 17:1-5April 2, 2023There is no voice which has ever been heard, either in heaven or in earth, more exalted, more holy, more fruitful, more sublime, than the prayer offered up by the Son of God himself.Philip MelanchthonTo pray as Jesus prayed means that I should also pray......heaven-directed (v. 1a)God as Father, Gerald Brayhttps://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/god-as-father/...Christ-centred (v. 1b-2)A template for prayer:Jesus prayed... I will pray...Father, the hour has come... Father, I’m going through a thing...glorify your Son please do a work in me through thisthat the Son may glorify you. so that I would glorify youRomans 8:26b...mission-oriented (v. 3-4)...keeping-the-big-picture-in-mind prayers (v. 5)
Perhaps the most unenviable task any preacher ever has to perform is to preach on the topic of hell. Beyond the fact that eternal torment is beyond the current culture’s ability to grasp, even many Christians are finding it difficult to fathom. The discomfort is warranted. No one wants anyone to end up on the wrong side of eternity. Even the LORD expresses his heart about hell when, in Ezekiel 33:11, God instructs the prophet with this, “Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?” There’s simply no room to make light of what awaits those who reject God’s kind offer of salvation through the gospel of Jesus Christ. No one, not even God, revels in the death of the unredeemed.This Sunday we approach what I believe are the most difficult five verses in all of Revelation. In Revelation 20:11-15, we read of the Great White Throne judgment where those whose names are not found in the Book of Life of the Lamb are condemned to the Lake of Fire. This glimpse at the very last day has stood as a warning to every generation. In its painful description of the final judgment there is a call to the reader to repent and avoid this judgment altogether, to stand in awe of the presence of God and receive that which Christ has done to save any who turn to him in faith.Series: Great & Amazing—Revelation (Part 2)Todd DugardMessage: 29–Books were openedHarvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 20:11-15March 26, 2023I avoid the great white throne judgment of God by......standing in awe of his presence (v. 11)Isaiah 51:6b2 Peter 3:10bTo make yourself available to experience awe in the presence of God, it must be…You aloneYou and a fewYou and the church...admitting that what I do will not save me (v. 12-13)...prioritizing my eternal destiny (v. 14)Five correctives concerning hell:(1) God doesn’t delight in condemning people to hell.Ezekiel 33:11(2) No, everyone is not saved in the end. That would be unjust.I Don’t Want to Be a Universalist (Christianity Today) https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2023/march/mouw-heaven-cheap-i-dont-want-to-be-universalist.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=article&fbclid=IwAR2ZC5O8Bsns2aKynM2-dAcL3KJJzd-UKkV0b9DFxr5o0pIEVGlolTxdSMQThere are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened―C. S. Lewis, The Great Divorce.(3) Nor are people annihilated, but instead face eternal torment.(4) Imagery aside, hell’s greatest horror is that it is the absence of God.(5) Denying that hell is a thing simply delays the inevitable....receiving that which Christ has done to save me (v. 15)1 John 1:9Acts 4:12
It is a good day when we look at the book of Revelation, not to give ourselves over to the impossible and unhelpful pursuit of parsing and speculating over every prophetic detail, but rather to see in its visions impact and application to our lives now. Revelation has always been and is, “A call for the endurance and faith of the saints” (Revelation 13:10b.)As we get into Revelation 20:1-10 this Sunday, we’ll see God finally and completely dealing with the problem of evil, and we’ll witness the judgment of those who authored it, seeing the vindication of the victims of evil through the ages. We’ll all be reminded that evil’s best work is done in the shadows, through deception, but that its end is at hand and our hope of being free of it forever soon realized. The Revelation that John is seeing is building toward the exciting finale, the climax of all history!Series: Great & Amazing—Revelation (Part2)Todd DugardMessage: 28–The Thousand YearsHarvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 20:1-10March 19, 2023Romans 11:33–36When God finally and completely deals with the problem of evil, I will......witness the judgment of those who authored it (v. 1-3)Understanding Progressive Dispensationalismhttps://www.harvestbarrie.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Progressive-Dispensationalism_Final.pdf...experience the vindication of its victims (v. 4-6)Psalm 13:1Psalm 26:1Romans 3:19b...resist its ongoing deception (v. 3, 8)What every human being is seeking:Identity — Who am I?Destiny — Where am I going?Purpose — What am I doing here?John 8:44b...and enjoy freedom from it forever (v. 7-10)Even after Christ himself has reigned over humanity during the millennium, when the deceiver is set free from his prison, he finds people’s hearts still responsive to his seductions. This makes it plain that the ultimate root of sin is not poverty or inadequate social conditions or an unfortunate environment; it is the rebelliousness of the human heart. The millennium and the subsequent rebellion of humanity will prove that people cannot blame their sinfulness on their environment or unfortunate circumstances; in the final judgment, the decrees of God will be shown to be just and righteous.George Eldon Ladd
Most of us have some sense of what it means to be mature. As we think about it, we might have in mind a responsible person with a calm demeanour, who never gets upset and always says wise things! However, while these qualities are wonderful and worth pursing, they could be true of anyone, like the Dalai Lama, Mahatma Gandhi or your local, neighbourhood yoga instructor! Christian maturity is different, it’s not something that we can conjure up in our own strength; it is a product of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul is essentially challenging the church to “grow up”. As we investigate this passage on Sunday, we’ll discover some essential elements of Christian maturity that we should all seek to develop. There is always room to grow!Nathan HooperMessage: That’s Really MatureHarvest Bible ChapelText: 1 Corinthians 3:1-17March 12, 2023No matter where you are at in your Christian walk, there’s always room to grow! (v. 1-4) A mature Christian...•has a realistic view of themselves and others (v. 5–9)•has Christ as the foundation of their lives (v. 10–11)A proper foundation does more than just hold a house above ground. It also keeps out moisture, insulates against the cold, and resists movement of the earth around it. Oh, and one more thing: It should last forever.thisoldhouse.com•sets their priorities with eternity in view (v. 12–15)When we read “growth” we almost inevitably think of size or numbers...But that is not the way growth is being depicted here...Growth, then, should be defined as an increase of the reality and presence of God in our midst.Barnabas Piper, “Belong”But whatever you do, find the God-centered, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated passion of your life, and find your way to say it and live for it and die for it. And you will make a difference that lasts. You will not waste your life.John Piper, “Don’t Waste Your Life”•understands themselves as a temple of the Holy Spirit (v. 16–17)Holiness is not ultimately about living up to a moral standard. It’s about living in Christ and living out of our real, vital union with him.Kevin DeYoung, “The Hole in our Holiness”
Well, it’s not really about the horse, is it? It is all about the rider on that horse. Revelation 19:11-21 is filled with imagery and metaphor that John saw in his vision. It is a spectacular scene with our Saviour riding in and the armies of heaven following. The picture that we get of Jesus in these verses represents a clear, but often unexpected, depiction of the Lord. We see him as one who is awesome in his power and decisive in his judgment on evil. The passage is, as theologians would say, representative of a “high Christology.” The call to us as believers in this message will be just as clear: Ride with Jesus and see the end of evil wrought simply at his word. Series: Great & Amazing—Revelation (Part2)Todd DugardMessage: 27–A white horseHarvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 19:11-21March 5, 2023Ride with Jesus......and see the end of all evil (19:17-21)The second coming of Christ is an absolutely essential theme in New Testament theology. In his cross and resurrection, Christ won a great victory over the powers of evil; by his second coming, he will execute that victory. Apart from his return to purge his creation of evil, redemption remains forever incomplete.George Eldon LaddRevelation 3:101 Thessalonians 4:16–17Podcast: John Piper Answers Common Questions about the Second Cominghttps://www.crossway.org/articles/podcast-john-piper-answers-common-questions-about-the-second-coming-john-piper/What Is the Rapture?https://www.crossway.org/articles/what-is-the-rapture-1-thessalonians-4/...wrought simply at his word (19:11-16)To modern Christians ‘the Word of God’ is primarily the Bible. In the New Testament, the Word of God is primarily the good news of the gospel, whether proclaimed by Jesus or by the apostles. Christ in his own person is the Word of God par excellence—the embodiment of God’s total redemptive plan.George Eldon LaddRevelation 1:7
Did you know that you are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb? The call is going out every minute of every day to people all over the world to join the celebration that will mark the culmination of history and the passing of evil. If you accept the invitation, you will spend your lifetime getting ready for the big day by clothing yourself in righteousness and carefully heeding his Word day by day. In our look at Revelation 19:1-10 this coming Sunday, we’ll hear about this wedding banquet and we’ll come to understand the nature of the invitation to attend, not simply as a guest but as the Bride herself.Series: Great & Amazing—Revelation (Part2)Todd DugardMessage: 26–The Marriage Supper of the LambHarvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 19:1-19February 26, 2023You are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb (v. 9a), so......join the celebration (v. 1, 4-7a)James 2:1-9...that marks the passing of evil (v. 2-3)1 John 2:17...and get ready for the big day (v. 7b)...by clothing yourself in righteousness (v. 8)The moment that we reconcile God’s sovereignty in choosing us for salvation (election) with our freewill to choose to be saved, we become unbiblical because the Bible does not reconcile them.David Barker (paraphrased)Ephesians 2:8–9Galatians 3:27...and carefully heeding his Word (v. b-10)
It is advice worth listening to: “steer clear”. Steer clear of that restaurant, neighbourhood, traffic delay, or person. So much heartache is avoided when we listen to wise counsel. In Revelation 18:4, a voice from heaven says, in essence, “Steer clear of the world lest you get pulled in by her sin and share in her judgments” (my paraphrase). Given the source, I’d suggest that it is advice we should listen to! As we look at this verse and the rest of the chapter on Sunday, we’ll see a series of lament songs sung by the people of the earth who have failed to repent but tearfully mourn the loss of all they had. As God lays waste to the world we’ve all known, we’ll hear a distinct call to not only steer clear of all that but also to lift our praises to God for his decisive judgment on the world system that vehemently and violently opposed his gospel and his kingdom.Series: Great & Amazing—Revelation (Part2)Todd DugardMessage: 25–Laid wasteHarvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 18:1-24February 19, 2023As a believer, I must steer clear of the world’s... (v. 4)...hopeless destiny (v. 1-3)Matthew 12:31...corrupt ways (v. 5-8)...pathetic lament (v. 9-19)μεταμέλομαι (metamelomai)– “I’m sorry I was caught.”μετανοέω (metanoeo)– “I regret my sin, see it for what it is, and want to do whatever it takes to not do it again.”Repentance = sorrow for sin + agreement with God about it + turning from that sin to righteousness....utter destruction (v. 21-24)Come as you are but don’t stay that way.Barnabas Piper, BelongI am justified (declared righteous) at themoment of conversion, and I am, in an ongoing way, being sanctified over a lifetime in anticipation of receiving my glorified body in the eternal presence of Christ.Christians should be in the world but not of the world.John 17:14–16And instead, praise the Lord for his just judgment of her (v. 20)This is not a gleeful song of personal vengeance, but an announcement of the vindication of God’s justice and righteousness. It must always be kept in mind that background for such a song of vindication is the question whether God’s rule or Satan’s deceptive power is to triumph in human affairs... ...a song of vindication of this sort, far from being one of personal revenge, is a cry of rejoicing that God at the end will show himself to be God in the face of all satanic foes.George Eldon Ladd___________Sohail Family Amazon registry:https://www.amazon.ca/registries/custom/2FKJE0D5KG30D/guest-view
James asks a shocking question of his readers in the New Testament letter that bears his name: “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” (James 4:4). Just before he asked them that he called them, “You adulterous people!” No holds barred, I guess. And before that he made the observation that their passions were at war within them. Note that he was writing to Christians. It was and is a tough but needed message because we are indeed in a battle with our own flesh and the world around us and our enemy is looking for any hint of us giving in. “Friendship with the world is enmity with God.” As we look at Revelation 17 this Sunday, we’ll see that battle in its final form. God wants us to have our eyes wide open to our enemy’s tactics and to have full confidence in who he is as King of kings and Lord of lords, and to know who he says we are, “called and chosen and faithful.”Series: Great& Amazing—Revelation (Part2)Todd DugardMessage: 24–The Lamb will conquer themHarvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 17:1-18February 12, 2023Manlooking: The inability of those with XY (male) chromosomes to see anything that is clearly in sight. They require a XX (female) chromosome member of the population to guide their eyes to the item within plain view.The Urban DictionaryGod wants my eyes to be opened to the world’s......deceptive beauty (v. 4a)...adulterous ways (v. 2-3, 4b-5)...vicious persecution of believers (v. 6a)We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, the world of sports or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum.A. W. Tozer...unseen source of power (v. 6b-13, 18)The woman has formed an adulterous connection in every epoch of her history with the then existing world power.George Eldon Ladd...self-destructive path (v. 15-16)...ultimate demise (v. 14a,17)and for my confidence to be in......who he is (v. 14b)...and who he says I am (v. 14c)
I received this message from a Harvest member a few of weeks ago: “I see we are back in Revelation. I look forward to hearing a warm and uplifting sermon on chapter 16.” Do you hear the sarcasm in there? She continued, “I just finished reading through the Bible at the end of last year, and as I read chapter 16 my thoughts immediately went to: how are you (ever!) going to use it to encourage the congregation!” I answered her at the time by pointing to the worship moments in the midst of the judgments and the fact that God’s justice was finally vindicating all those who had been oppressed for their faith. I also mentioned the power and awesomeness of God on display. In other words, Revelation 16, while dealing with the wrath of God on unbelievers, is full of encouragement for those who have believed in the Lamb of God and turned to him for their salvation. I told her, “I can’t wait” to preach it! Her reply? “Okay, okay!” And so, here we are at Revelation 16; God pouring out his wrath on the earth and declaring at the end, “It is done!” There is a call in this chapter for every one of us to be awake and ready for that Day. Truly can’t wait to preach it this Sunday.Series: Great& Amazing—Revelation (Part2)Todd DugardMessage: 23–It is done!Harvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 16:1-21February 5, 2023When God, in his sovereignty, says “It is done!” (v. 17), I will......see his terrible wrath poured out on the earth (v. 1-4)...hear the angels proclaim his perfect justice (v. 5-7)Revelation 6:10...witness the folly of those who refuse to repent (v. 8-11, 18-21)...prepare myself for Jesus’ imminent arrival (v. 12-16)Hebrews 12:2–3
It is both overwhelming and encouraging to ponder the dual-notion of God’s transcendence and his imminence. That is to say, he is completely “other” than us in his power and holiness, and yet he is also near to us in his comfort and care. To say it another way, he is a fearsome friend. And this description of our God will come through in our look at Revelation 15 this Sunday. This is a shorter chapter, but one with a tremendous punch as we once again get to see a heavenly worship service and hear song lyrics that exalt the God who is “great in his otherness” and “amazing in his nearness.”Series: Great& Amazing—Revelation (Part2)Todd DugardMessage: 22–All nations will comeHarvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 15:1-18January 29, 2023Every end time event points to a God who is...(v. 1)...great in his otherness! (v. 2-3b,5-8a)He is the Lord God the Almighty, in whose light the powers of the beast are limited. His ways, even in allowing the saints to suffer, are just and true. He is in fact the King of the ages... In this time of great tribulation when the beast seemed to have unlimited power to enforce his demonic purpose upon men and persecute the saints—in the darkest hour of human history when it truly seemed that Satan was the god of this age, the martyrs sing a hymn of praise to God, recognizing that he is the true and living God. They exalt the name of God because, contrary to outward appearances, he is indeed the King of all the ages, including the time of martyrdom.George Eldon LaddI will fear him! (v. 4a)Fear – to have profound reverence and respect for deity, with the implication of awe bordering on fear; to reverence, to worship.L&N, 53.58...amazing in his nearness! (v. 3c, 8b)Revelation 21:3John 14:15–18aJohn 16:5–7To those who love him and long for him—who cry out with the psalmist, “For me it is good to be near God” (Psalm 73:28)—his omnipresence soothes us with both comfort and courage. For if God is everywhere, then God is always near.Adam Ramsey, Truth on FireI will worship him! (v. 4b)Jesus is my fearsome friend.
Series: Great& Amazing—Revelation (Part2)Todd DugardMessage: 21–The eternal gospelHarvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 14:1-20January 22, 2022You must believe the eternal gospel......because it offers the only way to be redeemed (v. 1-5)...having been made available to all (v. 6-7)Acts 1:8...who look to escape the wrath of God (v. 8-11,14-20)1 John 4:10Propitiation means “averting the wrath of God by the offering of a gift.” It refers to the turning away of the wrath of God as the just judgment of our sin by God’s own provision of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.Ligon DuncanIt would be hard to exaggerate the differences between the pagan and the Christian views of propitiation. In the pagan perspective, human beings try to placate their bad-tempered deities with their own paltry offerings. According to the Christian revelation, God’s own great love propitiated his own holy wrath through the gift of his own dear Son, who took our place, bore our sin and died our death. Thus, God himself gave himself to save us from himself.John StottThe real horror of being outside of Christ is that there is no shelter from the wrath of God.Eric Alexander...and find rest through faith in Jesus (v. 12-13)I believe the eternal gospel because it offered me the only way to be redeemed, having been made available to me as I looked to escape the wrath of God and find my rest through faith in Jesus.
The idea of being “entrusted” with what we have to do as a church is found, among other places, in the parable of the talents told by Jesus in Matthew 25:14-30. The story is simple enough. A landowner entrusted three of his servants with varying amounts of money while he was away. The assumption is that these servants would use what was given to them to make more money which would then be presented back to their master. Two of them did just that and a third did not, choosing rather to bury the money and return it to the master when the time came. The point of the parable is simple: “To everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” Jesus, of course, is less interested in business principles and more interested in building the Kingdom of God. This parable is about the mission and ministry of the church. It is about professing Christians taking what God has given them and using it to produce more.That parable will form the basis for a special message this Sunday that will focus on what we need to know as a church as we enter into 2023. Things have changed over the past three years as a result of forces outside of our control. God has continued to entrust our church with so much—in people, in facilities, in financial strength—and the question continues to be: what will we do with what we’ve been given? And the question applies to Harvest as a whole, but only insofar as each of us as individuals answers the question for ourselves since the body is made up of individual members (See 1 Corinthians 12).Todd DugardMessage: Entrusted to us: What we need to know as we enter 2023Harvest Bible ChapelJanuary 15, 2023Entrust – to hand over to or to convey something to someone, particularly a right or an authorityL&N 57.77God will not honor a church with unusual capacity that does not attempt to multiply, plant, and revitalize.Sam Rainer5 expectations to meet• We expect you to giveJesus on Money series- https://www.harvestbarrie.ca/series/jesus-on-money/• We expect to be able to communicate with you• We expect you to be personally practicing spiritual disciplinesDarryl Dash sermon series- https://www.harvestbarrie.ca/series/8-habits-for-growth/• We expect you to care for one another• We expect you to be a dispenser of grace4 priorities to embrace• Don’t miss Sunday• Get in a group• Become a member• Join a team3 interesting things to be aware of• We have changed• We are apoliticalToo conservative for liberals, too liberal for conservatives= every Christian following the whole Jesus.Scott Sauls• We have a historyIt's our history. Better or worse, it's our history.We're not going to lock it in the basementor brush it with a new coat of paint. It's our history.Abby Bartlett (The West Wing)2 BIG emphases to appreciate• Expository Preaching• Contemporary Worship1 mission to accept• To make more and better disciples of Jesus who love God and love peopleVision and values document - harvestbarrie.ca/visiondocumentThe church is not an institution for perfect people. It is a sanctuary for sinners saved by grace, a nursery for God's sweet children to be nurtured and grow strong. It is the fold for Christ's sheep, the home for Christ's family. The church is the dearest place on earth.Charles H. Spurgeon
One of the more monumental moments of the past year was the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, truly a “where were you when” type moment. I remember exactly where I was: sitting in a waiting room of the passport office, trying desperately to get a proof of citizenship for my youngest daughter before we left the country. Amidst my frustration with a backlogged system, the news of the passing of her late majesty put everything into perspective: I am blessed to live in a country where the most inconvenient thing I had to experience that day was a longer-than-normal wait to get a document which proved my daughter’s citizenship in this wonderful country…but also that my citizenship is ultimately not Canadian.At the moment of conversion, we are issued a “new passport,” a new proof of citizenship in the form of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling to confirm the new reality that we have in Jesus the Son as God the Father planned and put forth. Of this Paul says in Philippians 3:20, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ”. As Christians, we live as exiles on earth awaiting the time when Jesus will come to take us home. Until then we’ve got work to do which Paul unpacks for us in the verses that surround verse 20. We’ll unpack these things together and with the Spirit’s help, come to a greater understanding of what it means to live as Kingdom Citizens here on earth.Her late majesty, Queen Elizabeth II has gone home to be with the one she called her Lord and Saviour. One day, we too will experience the fulfillment of joy in our kingdom citizenship, but until then that reality has important implications for us here and now.Jordan CorosSeries: Joy UnleashedMessage: 10 - Joy in Kingdom CitizenshipHarvest Bible ChapelText: Philippians 3:17-4:1January 8, 2023As a citizen of heaven, I...1. Imitate the servants of Christ (3:17)Every Christian is to become a little Christ. The whole purpose of becoming a Christian is simply nothing else.C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity1 Corinthians 11:1My Lord, I have nothing to do in this World, but to seek and serve thee; I have nothing to do with a Heart and its affections, but to breathe after thee. I have nothing to do with my Tongue and Pen, but to speak to thee, and for thee, and to publish thy Glory and thy Will. What have I to do with all my Reputation, and Interest in my Friends, but to increase thy Church, and propagate thy holy Truth and Service? What have I to do with my remaining Time, even these last and languishing hours, but to look up unto thee, and wait for thy Grace, and thy Salvation?Richard Baxter2. Forsake the enemies of Christ (3:18-19)John 17:163. Believe the promises of Christ (3:20-21)We are here so that the outside world would look at us and see something different and ask, “You guys aren’t from around here, are you?” No, we aren’t. Our citizenship is in heaven, and we’re waiting for our Saviour to come from there to here and make all things new.Tony Merida, Love Your Church1 John 3:34. Stand firm in the work of Christ (4:1)
Some biblical stories stay with believers because they make God’s loving provision so obvious. In a world that obscures God’s loving activity, we need this clarity as we head into 2023. This weekend, while we have everyone together, we’ll look at how God showed up to help people who had nothing left. Life is precarious. Unfortunate events can leave us in desperate situations. You only need to look around the city of Barrie to realize that some people literally struggle to survive every day. Under extreme pressure, we may be tempted to lose hope for deliverance and give up. And yet, we have clear indications in Scripture that God can turn a desperate situation around if we will choose to trust his promises to us. We’ll see God’s love for people who are in need play out in 1 Kings 17:8-24 as Elijah, the famous prophet of Israel, is sent to meet a widow and her son who no longer have enough food left to survive. And…if you have young children with you for the service, they’ll be able to follow along with illustrations as we read and learn together.Pastor Dwayne FrancoisMessage: When there’s nothing leftHarvest Bible ChapelText: 1 Kings 17:8-25January 1, 2023When there’s nothing left to offer,God’s Word directs us,while his power sustains usso that our fears are overcome by his faithfulness.
God made a promise. It is a good thing he did. We’d have no hope otherwise. Caught in the web of human depravity built into the very fabric of our beings, we have no recourse but the grace and mercy of God. Thankfully, God sent his Son to redeem us. He offers us the forgiveness of our sin and the blessing of life eternal through Jesus Christ. This gospel—good news—message is what Christmas announces. Quite apart from the religious and non-religious traditions we have packed around this holiday, the essential message is what God announced through the prophecy he gave to Zechariah, John the Baptist’s dad, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people (Luke 1:68).Series: All This Took Place - Christmas SeriesTodd DugardMessage: 4 - That we should be savedHarvest Bible ChapelText: Luke 1:57-80December 23-24, 2022The visitation of Christ to earth......addresses humanity’s most pressing need (v. 68-69)...fulfills God’s longstanding promise (v. 70-75)...offers you a life-altering choice (v. 76-79)
The heart-wrenching atrocity committed by King Herod that saw to the killing of all male children under two years old in Bethlehem failed in its objective to eliminate the Messiah, the true heir to Israel’s throne. Having been warned about the impending massacre (Matthew 2:19-23), Joseph and Mary took their toddler son, Jesus, to the safety of Egypt. Sometime later, with the threat gone, Joseph received a message in a dream that it was safe to return to Israel, and to their hometown of Nazareth. Matthew’s gospel tells us that their return fulfilled a prophecy, “that he would be called a Nazarene.” This short and simple recounting of a somewhat bland episode in Jesus’ life nevertheless carries an important message for us in how God continues to move in the world, how the enemy responds to his movements and how we too ought to be engaged in all that is happening. I hope you’re eager to hear God’s Word and respond to it on Sunday morning.Series: All This Took Place - Christmas SeriesTodd DugardMessage: 3 - He would be called a NazareneHarvest Bible ChapelText: Matthew 2:19-23December 18, 2022The coming of the Christ child makes me aware that......God is on the move (v. 19)...and that Satan also is on the move (v. 20)He was a man of great barbarity toward all men equally, and a slave to his passion.JosephusRevelation 12:4b-51 Peter 5:8Thus, I should be on the move......actively obeying God’s Word (v. 21)...and carefully discerning the times (v. 22)...while normally living my life (v. 23)Isaiah 53:2Matthew 13:54b–56There are no little people in God’s sight, so there are no little places. To be wholly committed to God in the place where God wants him—this is the creature glorified...This is the way of the Christian.Francis Schaeffer
As we continue on in our series, “All this took place” we come this week to a few more of the prophecies Jesus fulfilled in his entrance into this earth, and specifically the way that three sets of characters responded to his arrival. The wise men, Herod and the religious leaders, and Mary and Joseph were all presented with a choice to make in how they would respond to the purpose for which Jesus came. In the same way, we must respond to Jesus’ coming, even if that means challenging and potentially even painful realities for us.Series: All This Took Place - Christmas SeriesJordan CorosMessage: 2 - Out of Egypt I called my SonHarvest Bible ChapelText: Matthew 2:1-18December 11, 2022How will I respond to Jesus’ arrival?1) The wise men worshipped him. Will you? (v. 1-2, 9-12)Numbers 24:17The God who two thousand years ago sovereignly arranged the stars in the sky, the God who sovereignly directed these magi to the Messiah, is the God who has sovereignly arranged your life and every detail in it — your family, your job, your school, your background and your relationships.David PlattPhilippians 2:10–112) Herod was threatened by him. Are you? (v. 3-8, 16-18)Psalm 2:2John 15:18–193) Mary and Joseph trusted him. Do you? (v. 13-15)
Every year at Christmas the story of Jesus’ coming is told in homes around the world. The standard narrative is recounted: the angels appear to Mary and Joseph, the census takes the pregnant mother and father to Bethlehem, where no room is found for them. The baby is born, and laid in a manger, shepherds come and worship, angels appear. All of it. While the story is nostalgic for many and the tradition is treasured, the weight of the story is often lost in our usual retelling. We breeze over Matthew’s far-reaching comment, “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken…”Jesus’ birth was the critical moment in the multi-phased rollout of God’s rescue plan for humanity—a plan he had put in place from the foundation of the world. The Son of God’s coming to rescue people from their sins was foretold by prophets who spoke hundreds of years before the baby would be born and laid in the feeding trough in Bethlehem. Every fulfillment of ancient prophecy proclaims the faithfulness of God, his sovereignty and the beauty of his providence.This Christmas season we’ll look at three of the prophetic messages fulfilled in the nativity story, in order to get a greater glimpse of his goodness, to expand our understanding and to encourage our faith in the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ so many years ago.I’m excited to begin this series on Sunday and hope you’ll join us.Series: All This Took Place - Christmas SeriesJordan CorosMessage: 1 - They shall call his name ImmanuelHarvest Bible ChapelText: Matthew 1:18-25December 4, 2022Jesus’ coming changes everything for me...1. Turning my world upside down (v. 18-21)When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.Dietrich Bonhoeffer2. Miraculously fulfilling God’s promise (22-23)There is no hint of pagan deity-human coupling in crassly physical terms. Instead, the power of the Lord, manifest in the Holy Spirit…miraculously brought about the conception.D.A. CarsonA) The true humanity of JesusSometimes we get the idea that Jesus came out of the womb using words like “kingdom,” “righteousness,” “substitution,” and “propitiation,” but that’s not the case.David PlattMatthew 13:54-56B) The true divinity of JesusJohn 10:17-18C) The supernatural reality of salvation2 Corinthians 5:213. Compelling me to faithful obedience (24-25)John 6:38
We often see in the Scriptures, the rhetorical question, “Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?” (Psalm 113:5-6). Indeed, who is like the Lord?! The answer is a resounding: NO ONE! But in Revelation 13:4, the same question is asked of another by a no-less-passionate multitude of worshippers: “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?” The power of this beast, who is otherwise known as the Antichrist, is so impressive that the vast majority of people of earth pledge their loyalty to him, taking his mark on themselves and defying God in the process. Yet God is at work and is, in fact, granting Satan and his minions their last chance to deceive and subvert. And God’s people are showing genuine faith, enduring every crushing persecution that they face from the Beast, revealing the unshakeable security they have as those whose names are written, “in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain” (Revelation 13:8).Series: Great & Amazing—Revelation (Part 2)Todd DugardMessage: 20–Who is like the beast?Harvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 13:1-18November 27, 2022Four Spiritual Laws (https://campusministry.org/docs/tools/FourSpiritualLaws.pdf)Law 4: We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord; then we can know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives;I must acknowledge God’s sovereignty over all...Lest I......worship falsely (13:1-4)The sea [is] a symbol of the agitated surface of unregenerate humanity, which is likened to a seething caldron of confused national and social life out of which great historical movements arise.George Eldon LaddIsaiah 57:20Revelation 17:15Psalm 113:5...believe erroneously (13:5-8a)Matthew 24:5, 11-12...and hope vainly (13:11-18)Hope is a confident expectation and desire for good things in the future.John PiperRather than hearing the call to......endurance(13:10b)Matthew 24:13Hebrews 12:1-2...faith (13:10c)Faith is believing the Word of God and acting upon it no matter how I feel knowing God promises a good result.Ron Allchin...and hope in Christ (13:8b-10a)
In our study of the book of Revelation, we have already seen that there is an unseen warfare that is raging in the spiritual realm that affects life where we live. Frequently in the New Testament, we are encouraged to “take up the armour of God” and to remember that “weapons of our warfare are not physical” not to mention all of the injunctions to be vigilant, watchful. In this war, we are facing a formidable adversary in the Devil. He is an enemy that we should not be complacent about. Nevertheless, we have already been granted the victory through Christ. The battles have been won. In effect, the war is over, even while we await the final fulfillment of these things. All of this has implications for us as believers. As we look at Revelation 12 this Sunday, we’ll explore those implications.Series: Great & Amazing—Revelation (Part 2)Todd DugardMessage: 19–War arose in heavenHarvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 12:1-17November 20, 2022As spiritual war rages in the unseen realm, I must......keep my focus on Christ and the Church (v. 1-2, 4b-6, 13-16)2 Corinthians 10:3–6...knowing that the enemy is formidable (v. 3-4a,7, 12b, 17)The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.Charles BaudelaireThere are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both.C. S. Lewis...but has already been soundly defeated (v. 8-12a)Mark 8:34b–35In the book of Revelation, Jesus Christ is titled "Lion" only one time and "Lamb" 29 times. We miss something of the sweetness, tenderness, and loveliness of Jesus when we don't recognize that He is inclined more toward mercy than judgment.Dustin Benge
I get how unbelievers can miss what God is doing in the world. I understand how they can explain away what they see in creation and how they can deny the existence or involvement of God based on how broken the world is. I can see how they would conclude that they can live without God, if he exists at all. But the ability to deny his existence is coming to an end. In time, God will reveal himself in ways that are simply undeniable. In Revelation 11:15-19, John sees another scene of heavenly worship as the 7th trumpet sounds accompanied by, “flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.” Signs that are unmistakably divine in origin. All of it announcing that the kingdom of this world has given way to the kingdom of God. Which begs a question, to what extent is the kingdom of this world giving way to the kingdom of God in our own hearts in advance of that final day? That’s what we’ll look at together on Sunday. I'm eager to work it out with you from the Word.Series: Great & Amazing—Revelation (Part 2)Todd DugardMessage: 18–Peals of ThunderHarvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 11:15-19November 13, 2022Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.The kingdom of God in me means......grateful surrender to his reign (v. 15,17)Thank you, God, for...1.2.3.4.5.6.7.No one knows how bad they are till they have tried very hard to be good.C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (paraphrased)World: “Follow your heart.”Jesus: “Follow me.”World: “Believe in yourself.”Jesus: “Believe in me.”World: “Discover yourself.”Jesus: “Deny yourself.”World: “Be true to you.”Jesus: “Be true to me.”Matt Smethurst...humble worship before his throne (v. 16)Ephesians 2:8–9...joyful rest in his justice (v. 18)Biblical justice is not first of all a set of bullet points or a set of rules and guidelines. It is rooted in the very character of God and it is the outworking of that character, which is never less than just.Tim KellerJustice in the Bible, Timothy Keller - https://quarterly.gospelinlife.com/justice-in-the-bible/...firm confidence in his plan (v. 19)Revelation 21:3
This Sunday we’ll be in Revelation 11:1-14, looking at the account of the two witnesses who will prophesy just prior to the sounding of the 7th trumpet. While they fall victim to their persecutors, the effect of their preaching is the widespread conversion of ethnic Jews, who from the 1st Century, had rejected their Messiah, Jesus. These two witnesses lay out a series of key principles for every Christian. We are all charged with being witnesses for Christ, and as the last days continue on, our task remains as vital as ever.Series: Great & Amazing—Revelation (Part 2)Todd DugardMessage: 17–Great fear fellHarvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 11:1-14November 6, 2022I solemnly affirm that the evidence to be given by me shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.Canada Evidence ActAs a witness of Jesus, I know that......there is a dividing line between those who are inside and those who are outside of God’s kingdom (v. 1-2)...and I have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to appeal to those outside to turn to Christ (v. 3-6)Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6...fully aware that I will be fiercely opposed by those who despise the gospel (11:7-10)The language of the unsaved is, ‘We will not have this Man to reign over us’ (Luke 19:14). The attitude of the Christian is, ‘For to me to live is Christ’ (Philippians 1:21) to honour, please, and serve Him.Arthur Pink, The Cross and Self...but also, that God, in the end, will bring about the conversion of many for his own glory (11:11-14)A partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”Romans 11:25b-27
We are blessed this Sunday to have Pastor Scott Hamilton bringing the Word. Scott planted Harvest Glasgow, Scotland in 2009 and Harvest Barrie has enjoyed a strong partnership with them from the beginning. In the last year, they were able to plant their first daughter church south of Glasgow in the seaside city of Ayr. Scott will be giving us time to consider what it looks like to purposefully and passionately pursue Jesus for all he is and with all we are. What we’ll see together as he takes us through 2 Corinthians 3 is an invitation to something deeper. Scott is eager to dig into this with us! He loves his visits to Barrie and we love having him here!Scott HamiltonMessage: Rooted Discipleship: The Power of God that Changes LivesHarvest Bible ChapelText: 2 Corinthians 3:7-18October 30, 2022Where are the young men and women of this generation who will hold their lives cheap, and be faithful even unto death, who will lose their lives for Christ’s, flinging them away for love of him? Where are those who will live dangerously, and be reckless in this service? Where are the men of prayer? Where are the men who count God’s Word of more importance to them than their daily food? Where are the men who, like Moses of old, commune with God face to face as a man speaks with his friend? Where are God’s men in this day of God’s power?Howard GuinnessLiving such as tells a story of transparent transformation (v. 1-3)Growing confidence in Jesus for the life we are called to (v. 4-6)It’s not self-confidence I lack but Son-dependenceIt’s not credit I claim but Christ’s powerIt’s not laying down the law but laying hold of new lifeGetting after the things of growth towards a greater glory (v. 7-11)Finding freedom from things that are fatal and fallen (v. 12-17)Hebrews 4: 16Seeing Jesus more clearly through every conversation (v. 18)It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus.Robert Murray McCheyne
After a tough message last week in Revelation 9, we get a little breather as the apocalyptic action takes a pause. The next two messages in Revelation 10:1-11 and 11:1-14 are an interlude before we get to the seventh trumpet in 11:15-19. For this Sunday, we’ll be reminded about the centrality of the gospel and the authority of God’s Word in our lives with all of the implications that brings. This message will certainly challenge us in our commitment to the Word, but it will also be comforting as we reflect on the goodness of God in giving us his Word; speaking to us and assuring us of his plan to save humanity. We’ll be brough face-to-face with God’s Word. And it will bless us. Series: Great & Amazing—Revelation (Part 2)Todd DugardMessage: 16 - Take the scrollHarvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 10:1-11October 23, 2022 William Tyndale: https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/scholarsandscientists/william-tyndale.html When I am brought face-to-face with the Word of God… …I must submit to its authority (v. 1-3) Matthew 28:19a …revel in its mystery (v. 4-7) …internalize its message (v. 8-9a) Jeremiah 15:16 …anticipate its varied effects (v. 9b-10) The full counsel of God contains a word of judgment as well as mercy, and the messenger of the gospel must be faithful to both aspects of his message. But the man who knows the love of God and the compassion of Christ can never take delight in preaching the wrath of God or find satisfaction of spirit in proclaiming divine judgments. He must always do this with a broken heart, with a bitter spirit, following the example of his Lord who wept over those upon whom God’s judgment was to fall.George Eldon Ladd 2 Corinthians 2:15–17 …and carry it with me on mission for Christ. (v. 11) Acts1:7-8
God offers humanity the greatest gift that can be offered: life. But Christians are sad witnesses to the reality that most reject that gift, preferring the siren call of this world, of false religion and of their own desires. As we jump back into Revelation this Sunday, we’ll see in chapter 9 the hard truth about God’s imminent judgment and the tragedy of human pride that keeps people from turning to God even when all of the evidence points to him. Throughout Revelation we see that God graciously delays judgment to provide time and space for repentance, and yet they do not repent. We’ll look at this difficult chapter from the perspective of the believer, knowing that our agreement with God and turning to him has allowed us to escape all that awaits the unrepentant Series: Great & Amazing—Revelation (Part 2)Todd DugardMessage: 15 - Death will flee from themHarvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 9:1-21October 16, 2022 When I agree with God’s Word and turn to him, I escape… …the torment of future judgment (v. 1-5, 12-19) …the terror of facing God (v. 6) …the trauma of sin’s effects (v. 7-11) 9 descriptors of the locust-like demons: (1) Wartime Mindset - Ephesians 6:11a (2) Victorious - 1 John 4:4 (3) Intelligent - Romans 12:2a (4) Swift - 2 Timothy 2:22, Psalm 119:11 (5) Ferocious - 1 Corinthians 10:13 (6) Formidable - 1 Corinthians 10:13 (7) Intimidating - James 4:7 (8) Effective - Ephesians 6:11b (9) Under Authority - Revelation 7:10b …the tragedy of human pride (v. 20-21) True repentance has a double aspect; it looks upon things past with a weeping eye, and upon the future with a watchful eye.Robert South John reveals that these events signify God’s judgement, but that conclusion isn’t evident to unbelievers. They are just as likely to interpret what is happening as the result of chance, fate, or chaos of the world. The judgements should lead unbelievers to repentance, but they rationalize what is happening and spin out another reality.Thomas R. Schreiner
We are welcoming back Pastor Darryl Dash as he takes us through the content of his book, 8 Habits for Growth. Last week was a simple and yet powerful reminder of what we need to do to grow as Christians. This short series is so practical. Darryl will be back at his book table in the west lobby following the service for those wanting to grab a copy of his two books. Many of you bought books last week, but he sold out of his first book. They are also available on Kindle from Amazon. If you missed message one, watch it before Sunday. Series: 8 Habits of GrowthDarryl DashMessage: 2 - Core habits for growthHarvest Bible ChapelText: Hebrews 13:17October 9, 2022 Remember, consider, and imitate those who taught you the Word by practicing four key habits. Four common habits of people who grow: Growing believers engage the Bible (Psalm 1:2-3) Growing believers speak with God (Matthew 7:7-8) Growing believers worship and belong (Ephesians 4:15-16) Growing believers adapt these habits into their lives
For the next two Sundays, October 2 and 9, we will welcome Pastor Darryl Dash to Harvest to take us through the content of his book, 8 Habits for Growth. Darryl will make the case that the key to real life transformation as a believer is to dedicate ourselves to habits that reflect who we are in Christ. These messages will be filled with hands-on, practical application of biblical principles for being a disciple of Jesus. There will be a book table in the west lobby for those wanting to grab a copy of his book. It is also available on Kindle from Amazon. Series: 8 Habits of GrowthDarryl DashMessage: 1 - Habits of preparationHarvest Bible ChapelText: 1 Peter 1:13October 2, 2022 Preparation is essential, even —especially —when it comes to our spiritual lives. Some are all ungirt, and have their garments hanging loosely about them, so that they are unable to do anything effectively … I would say that I think the short way of putting it is this, “Pull yourself together.”Charles Spurgeon Four habits to prepare yourself for growth: Make time(Luke 10:41-42) Rest and refresh(Exodus 20:8) Care for your body(1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Simplify and prioritize(Hebrews 12:1)
One of the observations repeatedly made by reporters covering the Queen’s funeral, was how quiet the thousands upon thousands of mourners on the streets were. The noise you would expect with such numbers in downtown London simply wasn’t there. Instead, there was in its place a hushed reverence that comes with an overwhelming sense of the gravity of the moment. Similarly, as the dramatic events of the last days continued to roll out in front of him, John noted in Revelation 8:1 that, “There was silence in heaven for about half an hour” when the Lamb opened the seventh seal on the scroll. One commentator said that the moment was filled with, “dreadful anticipation” of what God was about to do. John’s description of that moment is a reminder to all of us, Christian and non-Christian alike, that when heaven stops in expectant silence, we should anticipate God’s next big move and respond accordingly. That’s what is ahead of us on Sunday as we continue our series, “Great and Amazing” in the book of Revelation. Series: Great& Amazing — Revelation (Part 2)Todd DugardMessage: 14 – Silence in heavenHarvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 8:1-13September 25, 2022 When heaven stops in expectant silence…(v. 1) …I should anticipate God’s next big move (v. 2) What fascinates me is that hardly anyone is wondering what we're actually doing on this planet. Most accept the work-eat-entertainment-sleep cycle as life and have no desire for a deeper understanding of our purpose in this universe.@IAmAaronWill Colossians 3:3Philippians 1:21 …knowing that he will answer the prayers of the saints (v. 3-5) Such prayers allow us to place our deep hurts before God and know that he will deal justly with those who have mistreated us. Thus we can overcome these deep hurts and love the unlovely.Grant R. Osborne …bringing about his will on earth (v. 6-12) The six gods of our age:• The god of comfort• The god of escape• The god of science• The god of celebrity• The god of wealth• The god of sexuality The kingdom of Christ is already here through his church. Our churches are outposts or embassies of Christ rule and reign. And yet we are still waiting for the return of the King with his kingdom in full. Dayton Hartman, Jesus Wins For the believer, knowing that Jesus will come back and that he wins ought to drive us to live differently and distinctly from the world around us—to do for others what Jesus has done for us.Dayton Hartman, Jesus Wins Jesus Wins: The Good News of the End Times by Dayton Hartmanhttps://www.amazon.ca/Jesus-Wins-Good-News-Times/dp/1683591305/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1EARBTX5WAS4S&keywords=jesus+wins&qid=1664068959&sprefix=jesus+wins%2Caps%2C87&sr=8-1 The Acts 29 Podcast "Dayton Hartman on Eschatology"https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ll4Ix8Qqo1ApfLQDun5no?si=760a74a3984940a9 …in advance of the final, terrible judgment to come (v. 13)
Most Christians struggle with the purpose of the book of Revelation. Wanting to satisfy our insatiable appetite for knowing the future, we see Revelation merely as a source of information about what will happen as history moves toward its closing act. But that is not at all the purpose of the visions. No matter your view of the end times, Revelation is a love letter from God to his people, and it teems with incredibly encouraging implications for us as Christians. As we look at Revelation 7 this Sunday, we notice that it is a pause in the action between the opening of the sixth and seventh seals on the scroll. It is an interlude meant to provide us with additional and necessary information as we move forward. What we’ll see in the chapter are two separate and distinct visions that land at very different places on the timeline. Together, these visions assure us, as God’s own people, that he is firmly in control no matter how unravelled things may seem to us. Series: Great& Amazing — Revelation (Part 2)Todd DugardMessage: 13 – Clothed in white robesHarvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 7:1-17September 18, 2022 Grasp the nature of time:(1) We live in time; God is outside of time.(2) Time is a creation-act of God;Genesis 1:5(3) Time has a beginning and an end; eternity has neither;(4) The redemptive plan, which from our perspective occurred on earth at a certain point in time, in reality was accomplished in eternity, outside of time;Revelation 13:8(5) Everything that John saw in the visions is already fully accomplished;(6) John sees them in sequence because he, like us, is time-bound;(7) Implication: believers should be hope-filled and confident in their faith no matter their earthly circumstances;1 Corinthians 15:54-57 As one of God’s own people, I am… …advantaged by his mercy (7:1) We cannot too often emphasize that apocalyptic language does not convey its message in precise photographic style, but more in the style of modern surrealistic art with great fluidity and imagination. George Eldon Ladd 2 Peter 3:9 …sealed by his Spirit (7:2-3) Ephesians 1:13 …aware of his grace for Israel (7:4-8) Apocalyptic pictures are not meant to be photographs of objective facts; they are often symbolic representations of almost unimaginable spiritual realities.George Eldon Ladd Four part sermon series "The People of God" (2007; audio only)https://www.harvestbarrie.ca/series/the-people-of-god-israel-the-church-and-gods-plan-for-his-own/ …standing with all nations (7:9) …eager to join in worship (7:10-12) …grateful to be cleansed of my sin (7:13-14) …longing for the day to come (7:15-17)
We’re resuming our series, Great & Amazing, in the Book of Revelation this Sunday with a look at Revelation 6, the opening of the seven seals. As the scene unfolds before John’s eyes, he sees an increasingly desperate and decaying world around him depicted as four horsemen. One stands out from the rest as more hopeful. The others bring destruction and death. By the end of the chapter, the question is asked by unbelievers who are facing the onslaught of God’s wrath, “Who can stand?” And the answer is made clear: only those who belong to the Lamb and who claim his victory. If you want to be better prepared for Sunday, read Revelation 6, but also understand that what we’ll study Sunday parallels Jesus’ prophetic teaching in the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24-25 (cf. Mark 13; Luke 21). Series: Great& Amazing — Revelation (Part 2)Todd DugardMessage: 12 – Who Can Stand?Harvest Bible ChapelText: Revelation 6:1-17September 11, 2022 Q. Who can stand in the face of…(6:17b) …violence? (6:3-4) …economic disparity? (6:5-6) …disasters and disease? (6:7-8) …persecution and martyrdom? (6:9-11) In the past year, 360 million Christians, or 1 in 7 believers around the world, suffered significant persecution for their faith. Every day in 2021, an average of more than 16 believers were killed for following Jesus. With close to 6,000 total martyrs, 2021 saw a 24% increase in Christians killed for the faith.Lifeway Researchhttps://research.lifeway.com/2022/01/28/1-in-7-global-christians-faced-persecution-in-2021/ A. Those who await the vindication of God… (6:12-17) These severe disruptions point forward to the ultimate escalation soon-to-come, the dissolution of the present sky and earth in connection with the arrival of the new creation of Revelation 21-22.Buist M. Fanning …having the firm hope of Christ’s victory (6:1-2)
The past two and a half years have brought many changes to our lives. One effect of the pandemic has been a drop-off in those willing to volunteer their time. There may be some legitimate reasons why a given person may not be able to return to serving as they once did, but for most it is a choice based on ease. It is interesting that churches across the spectrum have had challenges when it comes to serving. Volunteers, as we call them, are few and far between compared to pre-pandemic numbers. Pretty much the first thing any pastor says when asked about the effects of the pandemic on their church is that there aren’t enough people serving. This ought not to be so in the church. Our motivation for using our time and talents is grounded in mission and our love for God and people. As we close out our series, Means of Grace, this Sunday, we’ll look at serving as a further way that God dispenses his grace to both the server and the ones receiving that service. We’ll be looking at various passages in the letters of Paul as well as Jesus’ stunning account of the final judgment in Matthew 25:31-46, where he speaks of the difference between the sheep and the goats. Series: Means of Grace (Summer series)Message: 10 - ServiceText: Various scripturesTodd DugardHarvest Bible ChapelSeptember 4, 2022 Am I serving……gladly?…under compulsion?…not at all? Community groups in Toronto have seen a decline in the number of volunteers over the past year and experts say pandemic fatigue, fear of getting infected with COVID-19 and financial barriers are all contributing to the drop.Sara Jabakhanji, CBC News July 20, 2022 My work for Christ is a means of his grace to me and to those I serve. • I am equipped to serve (1 Corinthians 12:1-11, Romans 12:4-8) Spiritual gift assessment tool: https://www.cru.org/us/en/train-and-grow/quizzes-and-assessments/what-type-of-spiritual-gifts-do-you-have-quiz.html • I am part of God’s ministry plan (Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Timothy 4:16) • I am to serve even when it is hard(2 Corinthians 12:7-10) 2 Corinthians 11:23b-28 • I will be judged if I don’t serve (1 Corinthians 3:12-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Matt 25:31-46) • I serve with my focus on the finish line (2 Timothy 4:7) Serving Commitment Card download Front: https://www.harvestbarrie.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HBC-Serving-Card-01.jpg Back: https://www.harvestbarrie.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HB
I’m excited to have Leo Klus back with us as we continue the Means of Grace series. Each week God has shown us another picture of how compassionate and loving he is. His love goes far beyond our expectations! This week, we’re pausing in the familiar territory of Luke’s Gospel to consider our worship. The Holy Spirit graciously leads past obstacles to passionate worship so we can experience the fruit of devotion to Christ. Luke 7:36-50 captures the unashamed adoration of a woman whose life is changed when she starts to worship Jesus. Series: Means of Grace (Summer series)Message: 9 - We bow downText: Luke 7:36-50Leo KlusHarvest Bible ChapelAugust 28, 2022 Understand the situation Obstacles to passionate adorationa. Prideb. Cynicismc. Legalism The fruit of passionate adorationa. Hunger for Godb. Brokenness before Godc. Affection for God
This Sunday we have a guest speaker, Leo Klus, who is a good friend of Pastor Todd and has served our church well as a consultant in the past. Leo has also served as an executive pastor in three churches in Chicago and London. On Sunday we will look deeper into Mark 4:35-5:20 as we continue our series “Means of Grace”. This is a good time to read through these Bible chapters and become familiar with this Scripture as you prepare for Sunday. Leo expresses that “The Other Side” is central to the heart of Jesus. Series: Means of Grace (Summer series)Message: 8 - The other sideText: Mark 4:35 - 5:20Leo KlusHarvest Bible ChapelAugust 21, 2022 The other side… Is central to Jesus’ heart Is the “realm of hopelessness” In the lives of Christians, the emphasis of the NT is not onthe influence of demons but on the sin that remains in thebelievers life. Nevertheless, we should recognize that sinningdoes give a foothold for some kind of demonic influence inour lives. Thus Paul could say, “Be angry but do not sin; donot let the sun go down on your anger, and give noopportunity to the devil” (Eph 4:26). If we have areas ofcontinuing sin in our lives, then there are weaknesses andholes in our ‘breastplate of righteousness’, and these areareas in which we are vulnerable. Wayne Grudem Reveals the power and majesty of Jesus Will respond…one way or the other
One day, Jesus engaged an invalid at the pool of Siloam. He asked him if he wanted to be healed. That seems like a silly question. Who would not want to be healed? Jesus’ question becomes pointed when he tells the man to get up and walk. Leaving any other ideas about how to get healed behind, the man had to trust Jesus. And he did! The ministry of Soul Care is about helping people find healing for their souls. I am excited to look at how to find healing through a surprising means of grace in Hebrews 12:12-17. But take warning! You are going to have to decide. Do you want to be healed, and will you trust Jesus? Series: Means of Grace (Summer series)Message: 7 - Do you want to be healed?Text: Hebrews 12:12-17, John 5:1-18Roger FreemanHarvest Bible ChapelAugust 14, 2022 Healing is found in life’s trials. Christianity is not about how to escape from the difficulties of life - it is about how to face the difficulties of life.Alistair Begg Healing is found in weakness. Healing is found in our choices. Proverbs 4:26-27Romans 12:2 Straight paths are distinct Straight paths are difficult Acts 13:8-101 Kings 18:21Proverbs 4:26-27 “Profane” — not in the abuse of language but, rather, against God (pro is before or against; fanus is temple). It means against the temple; godless. Esau despised his birthright, counting it only worth a pittance.Dr. J. Vernon McGee Healing is found in Jesus. 2 Samuel 22:372 Samuel 22:20Psalm 23:3Isaiah 53:4-51 Peter 2:24
Cheryl and I recently spent some vacation days in the area where we used to live in Southern Ontario. It is a county of rolling hills, beautiful farmland on the shores of Lake Erie, and just enough off the beaten path to have a noticeably calmer pace of life compared to what we experience here in Barrie. We remarked that our time there was peaceful, awesome and a means of God’s grace to us for those five days. It was a sabbath rest. As we come together to hear God’s Word on Sunday, we’ll be looking at Hebrews 4:1-13 and the promise of God with respect to rest. As the preacher of Hebrews (it’s a sermon manuscript) said, “Let us therefore strive to enter that rest.” This is something we must give our attention to as Christians. Come ready to hear God’s Word and be challenged about God’s design for us and his insistence that we find our rest in him for now and for eternity. Series: Means of Grace (Summer series)Message: 6 - RestText: Hebrews 4:1-13Todd DugardHarvest Bible ChapelAugust 7, 2022 God gives me rest as a means of his grace… …but I will fail to experience it apart from Christ (v. 1) At the heart of worship is rest—a stopping from all work, all worry, all scheming, all fleeing—to stand amazed and thankful before God and his work. There can be no real worship without true rest.Mark Buchanan, The Rest of God (https://www.amazon.ca/Rest-God-Mark-Buchanan/dp/0849918707/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2C5K5ZKQ0SGU4&keywords=the+rest+of+God&qid=1659728703&sprefix=the+rest+of+god%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-1) …so, I must listen and believe his promise (v. 2-7) The Lord of the Sabbath message:https://www.harvestbarrie.ca/sermons/lord-of-the-sabbath/ …awaiting rest’s ultimate fulfillment (v. 8-10) …while striving to enjoy that grace now (v. 11-13) Sabbath is when we stop. We slow down. We play, we rest, we dream, we wonder. We cease from that which is necessary and turn to that which gives life. And in the hush that descends, we listen.Mark Buchanan, The Rest of God
We’re spending the summer talking about the means of grace; the conduits by which God delivers his kind favour to us. Obvious ones include reading the Word, prayer, worship, the Lord’s Table and baptism. Less obvious ones include two that we will look at over the next two Sundays: friendship and rest. Thinking of your friendships, have you considered that God uses these relationships to show you his grace? Not to mention that he will use you to deliver grace to others. On Sunday, we’ll look at the short letter from Paul to Philemon because it gets to the heart of Christian friendship and the delivery of grace through it. On its face, the letter is an appeal from one dear friend to another about the status of a third person known to both. Such a letter could not be written unless a deep, abiding friendship existed. And it is that secondary purpose for the letter—the underlying friendship—that will guide our time in the Word. There’s something for everyone in this message. We all need a primer on how to be the right kind of friend, informed not by the world’s ideas of friendship, but God’s. Series: Means of Grace (Summer series)Message: 5 - FriendshipText: PhilemonTodd DugardHarvest Bible ChapelJuly 31, 2022 As a Christian, my friendships will serve as a means of grace… …if they receive the proper time and attention (v. 1-7) κοινωνία (koinonia) – an association involving close mutual relations and involvement; close association, fellowshipLouw and Nida …knowing that such relationships can be put on the line(8-20) Matthew 10:37 I don't need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better.Plutarch Proverbs 27:6aProverbs 18:24 The significance of friends is found in their quality, not quantity.Bruce Waltke John 15:13 …because we are to always assume the best of each other (21-24) My friendships will serve as a means of grace if they receive the proper time and attention, knowing that such relationships can be put on the line because we are to always assume the best of each other. Resource:5 Things Satan doesn't want you to know about friendshiphttps://evangileqc.com/author/geoffreyjwright/
We’re looking forward to having Pastor Kaj Ballantyne at Harvest this Sunday. Kaj is the lead pastor at Harvest Muskoka, one of the churches we planted in partnership with Harvest Bible Fellowship. Concerning his message, Kaj writes, If you spend any time around young kids, you see how unafraid they are to ask questions about everything they see around them – from the big questions like, “Why is the sky blue?”, to the repetitive, “Are we there yet?” to the deep heart questions like, “How much do you love me?” If you think about it, questions have this way of drawing us deeper into relationship and so Scripture is full of people approaching God with all sorts of questions. Although God does not promise to answer all our questions, there are some very important questions that God wants us to ask because he wants us to know the answer. In fact, they are questions that God loves us to ask because he knows that the answers are allowing us to daily experience his amazing grace. His message is titled, “Answering the biggest questions of the Christian life” and will be looking at Romans 8:31-39. I know this will be an impactful time in the Word as it always is when Kaj joins us. Series: Means of GraceMessage: 4 - Answering the biggest questions of the Christian lifeText: Romans 8:31-39Kaj BallantyneHarvest Bible ChapelJuly 24, 2022 I. THE GOAL OF THIS SERMON: A. Worship B. Encouragement C. Boldness II. HARD QUESTIONS WITH LIFE CHANGING ANSWERS A. Who can be against us? (v. 31-32) B. Who can condemn us? (v. 33-34) C. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? (v. 35-39)
When you visit a bookstore or bookstand you shouldn’t have much trouble finding something to read on the topic of self-improvement. Books on personal improvement are all over the place. Many of us want tips and insights because making a personal change for the better is hard. Thankfully, when we come to Jesus, we find grace through him to grow, mature, leave sin behind, and live in a new empowered way. Adopting Jesus’ thinking changes us. He helps us live for him and overcome temptation and troubles. We’ll need to dig into 1 Peter 4:1-19 to see how this played out in a culture that was hostile to the gracious changes Jesus brings to a believer's life. You can read through the passage a few times to have it in mind and you can review 1 Peter’s main themes with this helpful video from the highly commendable Bible Project. Series: Means of Grace (Summer series)Message: 3 - He changes meText: 1 Peter 4:1-19Dwayne FrancoisHarvest Bible ChapelJuly 10, 2022 Romans 12:2Colossians 3:9Romans 8:52 Corinthians 5:17 Jesus’ thinking motivates me to… …live for more than my pleasure (v. 1-6) …love beyond lip service (v. 7-11) Proverbs 10:12 Oh, I have days I lose the fightTry my best but just don't get it rightWhere I talk a talk that I don't walkAnd miss the moments right before my eyesSomebody with a hurt that I could have helpedSomebody with a hand that I could have heldWhen I just can't see past myselfLord, help me beLittle more like mercy, a little more like graceA little more like kindness, goodness, love, and faithA little more like patience, a little more like peaceA little more like Jesus, a little less like me--Lyrics from A little less like Me (Zach Williams) …last through my fiery trial (v. 12-19) John 15:18-20Luke 22:42
Every sincere believer needs the highest reminder of Jesus' grace to help us move through the challenges of being a Christian in a world opposed to Jesus’ way. We can choose to see ourselves as causalities in the clash between the world and the kingdom of God or as people on the winning team receiving grace through Jesus our saviour. Take this to heart, God knows what you go through and uses your unjustified suffering to fulfill his plans. Despite public disapproval, the church continues to take root and grow beside the competing ideas our culture offers because God’s grace gives meaning to any suffering we endure for Jesus. In Christ, you can take the unfair criticism, handle the extra pressure, manage the social rejection, suffer the injustices all because salvation delivers grace to you. No trial can remove the grace of salvation. So, as we study 1 Peter 3:18-22 we will learn to lean fully on our gracious saviour, Jesus Christ.Series: Means of Grace (Summer series)Message: 2 - Our gracious SaviourText: 1 Peter 3:18-22Dwayne FrancoisHarvest Bible ChapelJuly 3, 2022Four ways to fully embrace your gracious Saviour… Let Jesus settle your sin problem (v. 18)Romans 5:6-9 Let Jesus preach to your enemies (v. 19)Verse 19 Head Scratchers:When did Jesus go and preach?What did he preach?Who are the spirits in prison?Competing Ideologies: liberalism, conservatism, socialism, communism, theocracy, agrarianism, totalitarianism, democracy, colonialism, and globalism. (helpfulprofessor.com) Let Jesus restart your life (v. 20) Let Jesus handle your appeal to God (v. 21-22)
God has ways of delivering his grace into our lives. Grace, by its very definition, is a gift. There is no earning it and we certainly do not deserve it; God freely dispenses his unmerited favour to those who exercise faith in him. This dispensing happens through what are commonly understood to be the means of grace. The means of grace are the delivery method. The most essential of these are prayer, the preaching and study of the Scriptures, baptism and the Lord’s Table. When we practice these disciplines and observe the ordinances, God’s grace flows to us. Other means of grace include friendship, sabbath rest, witnessing and service, and generosity. Without his grace in our lives, we are entirely lost. For this reason alone, the Christian should access the flow of grace by all means possible. Series: Means of Grace (Summer series)Message: 1 - Grace to youText: Galatians 1-3Todd DugardHarvest Bible ChapelJune 26, 2022 My standing with God is based entirely on his grace (1:3-5)… Grace is God’s undeserved and unearned favour. God loves people because of who God is, not because of who we are.—Philip Yancey, What’s So Amazing About Grace?https://www.amazon.ca/Whats-So-Amazing-About-Grace/dp/0310245656/ref=sr_1_1?crid=MS5HC6DAMGPE&keywords=what%27s+so+amazing+about+grace&qid=1656183548&sprefix=what%27s+so+ama%2Caps%2C75&sr=8-1 …but grace is easily compromised by distortions of the gospel (1:6-10) Where the righteousness of the law rules, the righteousness of grace cannot; and again, where the righteousness of grace reigns, the righteousness of the law cannot; one of them must always give way to the other.—Martin Luther It would be, as if to say, Christ is a good workman and has indeed started the building, but he has not finished it and for this we need our own moral and religious works.—Martin Luther (paraphrased) The doctrine of grace can by no means stand with the doctrine of the law. The one must simply be refused and abolished, and the other confirmed and established.—Martin Luther …and thus, I feel the need to earn God’s favour (1:11-2:14) Ephesians 2:8-9 The means of grace are God’s appointed instruments by which the Holy Spirit enables believers to receive Christ and the benefits of redemption. Although He could have chosen to reveal Christ immediately to His people, He has determined instead to do so through certain means. God assigned the Word, sacraments, and prayer to be the foremost means by which He communicates Christ and His benefits to believers.—Nick Batzig The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption are his ordinances, especially the Word, sacraments and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation.—Westminster Shorter Catechism; Q88 …rather than receiving his grace by faith alone (2:15-21) …in the power of the Spirit and not the flesh (3:1-14) If we are to grow in grace, we must acknowledge that God has appointed certain means for that growth. We should approach these means with eager anticipation and childlike reliance on the One who adds His blessing to them, and we must rest content in a right use of them, knowing that God has promised to bless them as we use them with repentant and believing hearts.—Nick Batzig LINKS: What Is a Means of Grace?https://tabletalkmagazine.com/article/2020/06/what-is-a-means-of-grace/ Means of Gracehttps://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/means-of-grace Why the Ordinary Means of Grace Must Be Central in Our Gatheringshttps://www.9marks.org/article/why-the-ordinary-means-of-grace-must-be-central-in-our-gatherings/ The Ordinary Means of Gracehttps://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/columns/straight-paths/the-ordinary-means-of-grace/
One of the most stunning images in the Bible is found in Revelation 5, the passage we’ll be looking at together on Sunday. The Apostle John, who is receiving the revelation from Jesus, comes face-to-face with the Lion of Judah, who he sees as the Lamb of God who was slain. Lion and Lamb. In this scene, we have innumerable angelic beings worshipping God in the heavenly realm because he alone was worthy to open the scroll and reveal the full redemptive plan of God. It is another overwhelming picture of what awaits us in eternity, focussing on the reason for the rejoicing: that the Saviour died and yet lived to provide us a way, to end our sorrow and to join the angels in worship for all eternity. Series: Great & Amazing - RevelationMessage: 11 - I began to weep loudlyText: Revelation 5Todd DugardHarvest Bible ChapelJune 19, 2022 Revelation 21:4 God’s redemptive plan is the only hope, so I must… …know the history:God has always had this plan (v. 1) …acknowledge the tragedy: no one is worthy (v. 2-4) Psalm 30:5b …experience the victory: the Lamb was slain (v. 5-7) Isaiah 53:7b The final victory of Christ as the Lion of the tribe of Judah—as the conquering Messiah—is possible only because he has first suffered as the Lamb. Here is a great mystery, which the New Testament affirms but does not explain because it involves ineffable realities at the point where God’s spiritual world intersects man’s historical world. Christ’s worthiness and ability to break the seals of the scroll of human history and destiny are dependent on the victory he won in his incarnate life. If he had not come in humility as suffering Saviour, he could not come as conquering Messiah.George Eldon Ladd …give the glory: all of heaven rejoices (v. 8-14)
’ve been listening to a new song by Red Rocks Worship all this week. It’s been on repeat. I’ve watched the videos on YouTube of the full band version as well as the acoustic one. The song opens with these lyrics…Gathered at the highest throneWelcomed by a melodyAnthem I have always knownA song that's always been in meAll glory and honour, dominion and power, to youOur worship director, Iddo, brought the song to me because, over the next two Sundays, we’ll be looking at Revelation 4-5 in our current series. Jesus gave John a look through the door into eternity and the first thing he saw? “Behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne.” That throne is referred to a dozen times in these two chapters. The one who sits on that throne is the indisputable focal point of eternity. Knowing him changes everything then and now.Series: Great & Amazing - RevelationMessage: 10 - A throne stood in heavenText: Revelation 4Todd DugardHarvest Bible ChapelJune 12, 2022The top 5 purposes for the Revelation: Blow our minds Challenge spiritual rebellion Encourage persecuted believers to endure Reveal “the future” Exalt Jesus Christ[John’s vision of the scene in heaven gives] the appropriate perspective from which to view and make sense of what is happening on earth. This scene is the theological fountainhead and anchor point for the whole document.M. Eugene Boring as quoted by Buist M. FanningThe vision of worship in eternity……inspires us with the hope we need (v. 1-2)However fearful or uncontrolled the forces of evil on earth may seem to be, they cannot annul or eclipse the greater fact that behind the scenes God is on his throne governing the universe.George Eldon Ladd…overwhelms us with his awesome power (v. 3-6a)The apocalyptic literature of the Bible should wash over us like a wave of the sea.David Barker…humbles us in light of his holy, holy, holy-ness (v. 6b-10)…encourages us by his authority over all things (v. 11)
Part of our history includes some challenging seasons that caused heartache and strained relationships. Two significant times of struggle come to mind. One of those involved the dissolution of our former fellowship in 2017 and a season of estrangement from the church that founded us. It was our elders’ desire to one day see the relationship restored, and by God’s grace, that day is here. We are excited to have Pastor Jeff Bucknam, the lead teaching pastor from Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago, here to preach on this anniversary weekend. He will be bringing a word to us from Hebrews 12:1-2 that I anticipate will challenge and encourage us in our life and mission for Christ.Message: Just Keep RunningText: Hebrews 12:1-2Jeff BucknamHarvest Bible ChapelJune 5, 2022Hebrews 3:14 Embrace Your Race (v. 1)Hebrews 11:32-38John 21:18-22 Run Without the Robe (v. 1)Luke 8:14 Welcome the Witnesses (v. 1-2)
On the one hand, this is the hardest of the seven letters. On the other, it is still filled with hope. In this final letter of the seven letters in Revelation 2-3, Jesus extends grace to a church that had almost completely lost its way. They are described by Jesus as “lukewarm,” neither hot or cold which is preferred. Think coffee or tea. Great when it is hot. Great when it is ice cold. But terrible lukewarm. Jesus wants his church to be crisp, clean and refreshingly cold like a tall glass of ice tea or piping hot like a good cup of joe. The lukewarm church is spewed out. Unfit to be consumed. Unworthy to be called a church.Series: Great & Amazing - RevelationMessage: 9–Neither cold nor hotText: Revelation 3:14-22Todd DugardHarvest Bible ChapelMay 29, 2022Jesus is the faithful and true witness and so we must give ourselves fully to him……setting aside our complacency (v. 15)…receiving his stern rebuke (v. 16)…doing a deep dive on our sin (v. 17)You will never make yourself feel that you are a sinner, because there is a mechanism in you as a result of sin that will always be defending you against every accusation. We are all on very good terms with ourselves, and can always put up a good case for ourselves.D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Seeking the face of God: nine reflections on the Psalms…accepting his wise counsel (v. 18)Matthew 6:19-20John 9:25bJohn 9:39…knowing his heart for us (v. 19)Proverbs 3:11-12…opening the door to his abundant grace (v. 20)…obtaining eternal blessings from him (v. 21-22)You won’t conquer what you won’t confront.Tai Adeboboya
What a relief to get to the sixth of seven letters and know that there’s no rebuke attached to it. Jesus commends and encourages them. That’s it. After the challenging messages we’ve heard already, this comes as welcomed relief in advance of hearing a very tough seventh and final letter next Sunday! The church in Philadelphia—the city of brotherly love—was reassured by Jesus in this letter in light of the crushing burdens they were facing as believers. For anyone who is feeling the weight of things right now, my hope is that you would be encouraged by the Word this week.Series: Great & Amazing - RevelationMessage: 8–You have kept my wordText: Revelation 3:7-13Todd DugardHarvest Bible ChapelMay 15, 2022Jesus opens and closes all doors (v. 7), and so we should be encouraged…Matthew 16:19…to persevere in his work (v. 8)With great power comes great responsibility.Uncle BenWe glorify God by making more and better disciples of Jesus who love God and love people…to await his vindication (v. 9)Isaiah 60:14…to lean hard on his promises (v. 10-13)Revelation 21:22
We’re continuing our hard-hitting journey through the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3 with a look at the letter to the church in Sardis. This church gets only the slightest of commendations and a stern warning to “Wake up!” This is a timely message because many professing believers were lulled into a sleepy sense of complacency over the last two years. The #1 issue facing churches around the world is finding people to serve as they did pre-pandemic. But to claim to be a Christian and not be serving is an act of hypocrisy, according to Jesus. I won’t hide it from you: this promises to be another difficult message to hear. Series: Great & Amazing - RevelationMessage: 7–Wake upText: Revelation 3:1-6Todd DugardHarvest Bible ChapelMay 15, 2022 Hypocrite: one who pretends to be something they’re not Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, exposes our hypocrisy, so we must…(v. 1) …acknowledge the problem (v. 2) …return to the gospel (v. 3a) 8 Habits for Growth (https://www.amazon.ca/8-Habits-Growth-Darryl-Dash/dp/0802423655/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2T91ZAMXGE3ZV&keywords=darryl+dash+habit&qid=1652562943&sprefix=darryl+dash+habit%2Caps%2C71&sr=8-1) A Habit Called Faith: 40 Days in the Bible to Find and Follow Jesus (https://www.amazon.ca/Habit-Called-Faith-Pollock-Michel/dp/1540900533/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3DY2GFD56221&keywords=40+habits&qid=1652562974&sprefix=40+habits%2Caps%2C67&sr=8-2) Opening Evangelism’s Overlooked Back Door, Jen Pollack Michel (https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/opening-evangelisms-overlooked-back-door/) The Leadership Series (https://theleadershipseries.church/) The gospel is central in my life when I…• Start or keep attending worship every week;• Start or keep reading the Bible daily;• Start or keep praying even when I’m not sure what to say;• Start or keep connecting with the community of faith. …anticipate his coming (v. 3b) The Christians in Sardis must take heed and prepare themselves spiritually so that Christ’s coming will not have that hostile character to it. Buist M. Fanning …get with faithful believers (v. 4) Bad company corrupts good character.1 Corinthians 15:33 …long to hear Jesus say our name (v. 5-6)
I realize that we’re only six messages into this series, Great & Amazing, in the Book of the Revelation, but it has already seemed like a lot to take in. The passages we’ve looked at are powerful and challenging; stop-you-in-you-tracks kind of stuff. This book is exposing our sin but also laying out a path of hope and blessing for us as the world applies pressure to those who live by faith in Christ. That’s why these messages and this book continue to be so relevant for today. In this next message in Revelation 2:18-29, we’ll hear what Jesus said to the church in Thyatira. With his glory and awesomeness on display, we will be compelled to live passionately and purely for the Lord in the face of strong temptation to betray him. In light of who he is, how could we do anything else? Series: Great & Amazing - RevelationMessage: 6–Hold fast what you haveText: Revelation 2:18-29Todd DugardHarvest Bible ChapelMay 8, 2022 Jesus is awesome and glorious (v. 18), and so we must be passionate and pure about… …our own good works (v. 19) …resisting the world’s influences (v. 20-21) The gift of prophecy has far more to do with the FORTHTELLING of known truths and much less to do with the FORETELLING of the future. …living in light of God’s coming judgment (v. 22-23) …holding fast to what has been entrusted to us (v. 24-29) ENVISAGE BABY BOTTLE DRIVE https://www.envisagepregnancy.ca/baby-bottle-campaign/ Chart below: Vaughan Roberts, 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘊𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩 (IVP, 2011)
In the days when I used to preach at floor-level, wandering along the front and up and down the aisles, I was able to get up close and personal with people. One time, using a sword as an object lesson, I swung it wildly, almost clipping Liz in the front row. I have noticed that she doesn’t sit anywhere near the front anymore. Hasn’t for years. Understandable, I guess. But where’s your faith! ;-) I’m telling you this because I’m bringing out the sword again this Sunday. A few weeks ago, in Revelation 1:16, we heard this description of Jesus: “from his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword.” As we look this Sunday at the letter to the church in Pergamum, that description of the Lord comes back and is relevant to the challenge Jesus puts in front of this church; these are “The words of him who has the sharp, two-edged sword” (Revelation 2:12). We know from passages like Hebrews 4:12 and Ephesians 6:17 that this sword is the Word of God, and the church in that city was having trouble with false teaching that was creeping in, and that’s something that every church today is dealing with. Once again, this is a timely and relevant message for our church. Come ready to hear the Word and respond. Series: Great & Amazing - RevelationMessage: 5–Therefore repentText: Revelation 2:12-17Todd DugardHarvest Bible ChapelMay 1, 2022 Jesus wields the sharp, two-edged sword (v. 12), and so we must always berepenting… (v. 16a) …as we have already done (v. 13) Pergamon image and info: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1457/ …in order to root out error (v. 14-15) The term “deconstruction” is being used prescriptively [today] …especially [toward] those questioning what they’ve grown up with; [it is being recommended] as a courageous thing to do. [But] to applaud or even recommend deconstruction lands somewhere between unhelpful and dangerous.—John Stonestreet and Timothy D Padgett, Breakpoint Scripture (especially the Psalms) not only creates plenty of space for doubting and questioning, but describes how God meets us in our questions and doubts. So, if all that is meant by deconstruction is asking tough questions about God or faith, that’s a normal part of the Christian life and need not mean deconversion.—Stonestreet and Padgett "The problem with deconstructing faith"https://www.breakpoint.org/the-problem-with-deconstructing-faith/ "We should talk about Disney"https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/lets-talk-about-disney/ …avoid a battle with God (v. 16b) …and instead find what we’re looking for in him alone (v. 17) Human history is the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.C. S. Lewis Jesus wields the sharp, two-edged sword, and so we must always be repenting, as we have already done, in order to root out error, avoid a battle with God, and instead find what we’re looking for in him alone.
After a fantastic Good Friday and Easter Sunday weekend, we’re back to our current series, Great & Amazing, in the Book of Revelation. We’ll be looking at Revelation 2:8-11 and the letter to the church at Smyrna. In this letter, Jesus comes as the first and last and the one who was raised from the dead. The message: we must not fear anything that we face. For that church, it was intense persecution for living out and preaching the gospel to a hostile world around them. This will be another challenging message.Series: Great & Amazing - RevelationMessage: 4–Be faithful unto deathText: Revelation 2:8-11Todd DugardHarvest Bible ChapelApril 24, 2022How strange this fear of death is! We are never frightened at a sunset.George MacDonaldJesus is the first and last and was raised from the dead (2:8), and so we must not fear... (2:10a)...our current difficulties (2:9)Christ reminds them, however, of the paradoxical status of God’s people in a sinful world: they are often poor in this world's wealth (outward, material, fleeting), but ‘rich’ inwardly, spiritually, and eternally.Buist M. Fanning...our future path (2:10b)There are no promises of an easy life in Scripture. Instead, there are promises of divine comfort and blessing in the midst of suffering.Grant R. OsborneThe early church was married to poverty, prisons, and persecutions. Today, the church is married to prosperity, personality, and popularity.Leonard RavenhillTo prepare for whatever the future holds:(1) I will take nothing I have now for granted(2) I will not exaggerate my current situation(3) I’ll take my faith seriously now...our eventual death (2:10c-11)Mark 8:34bJohn 16:33bActs 5:41Philippians 1:292 Timothy 3:12Polycarp Article, Christianity Todayhttps://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/martyrs/polycarp.html
Augustine called him, “Latro laudabilis et mirabilis,” that is to say, a thief to be praised and wondered at. He is among the most unknown and enigmatic characters in the Bible. He appears, unnamed, in one narrative alone, and everything we know about him fits into a few brief verses. He was a convicted and confessed criminal being executed along with another of his kind and, providentially, Jesus of Nazareth. In the six hours that the three of them hung on their respective crosses, two spiritual transactions were made. One resulting in despair and death and the other in hope and eternal life.As we approach Good Friday and Easter Sunday, we will examine the encounter between Jesus and these two criminals, and we’ll hear the gospel message of hope proclaimed unencumbered by anything but grace on God’s part and faith on ours. In the end, we’ll see that the whole thing is something to be praised and wondered at.Message: You will be with me in paradiseText: Luke 23:39-43Jordan CorosHarvest Bible ChapelApril 17, 2022 Heaven and Hell are not places far away. Charles Spurgeon Hebrews 9:27He detested Jesus (Matthew 27:44; Luke 23:39)…as you do (James 4:4; Romans 3:22b-23) Matthew 27:40-44 It is the glory of God not honoured; the holiness of God not reverenced; the greatness of God not admired; the power of God not praised; the truth of God not sought; the wisdom of God not esteemed; the beauty of God not treasured; the goodness of God not savored; the faithfulness of God not trusted; the promises of God not believed; the commandments of God not obeyed; the justice of God not respected; the wrath of God not feared; the grace of God not cherished; the presence of God not prized; the person of God not loved. John Piper Numbers 32:23He appealed to Jesus (Luke 23:40-42)…as you must (Romans 10:9; Acts 4:12)He was saved by Jesus (Luke 23:43)…as you may be (Romans 5:10; 1 Peter 1:3b-5) If Jesus could save this unnamed criminal—and he did—he can save anyone; he can even save you. John 6:37
Augustine called him, “Latro laudabilis et mirabilis,” that is to say, a thief to be praised and wondered at. He is among the most unknown and enigmatic characters in the Bible. He appears, unnamed, in one narrative alone, and everything we know about him fits into a few brief verses. He was a convicted and confessed criminal being executed along with another of his kind and, providentially, Jesus of Nazareth. In the six hours that the three of them hung on their respective crosses, two spiritual transactions were made. One resulting in despair and death and the other in hope and eternal life. As we approach Good Friday and Easter Sunday, we will examine the encounter between Jesus and these two criminals, and we’ll hear the gospel message of hope proclaimed unencumbered by anything but grace on God’s part and faith on ours. In the end, we’ll see that the whole thing is something to be praised and wondered at. Message: The due rewards of our deedsText: Luke 23:39-43Todd DugardHarvest Bible ChapelApril 15, 2022 He detested Jesus (Matthew 27:44; Luke 23:39) He appealed to Jesus (Luke 23:40-42) He was saved by Jesus (Luke 23:43)
Having gotten a good start on our new series, Great & Amazing, in Revelation over the past two Sundays, we now look ahead to seven messages that are directed at seven local churches. The messages sent by Jesus to these churches stand as encouragement and exhortation for us today. We are being compelled to, “hear what the Spirit says to the churches” today. To our church. And in this first letter we are challenged to not abandon or to recapture, “the love [we] had at first.” Firing on all cylinders and having the best ministry and yet failing to love, we’ll see, is an abject and utter failure. We’ll take a hard look at ourselves as a church this Sunday as we look at Revelation 2:1-7. Series: Great & Amazing - RevelationMessage: 3 - You have abandoned the loveText: Revelation 2:1-7Todd DugardHarvest Bible ChapelApril 10, 2022 Jesus is in the midst of his church (2:1), and so we must love as we first loved… …building on the good that is happening (2:2-3. 6) …repenting of what’s not so good (2:4-5a) Hebrews 12:61 Corinthians 13:1-3 Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person’s ultimate good as far as it can be obtained.C.S. Lewis …heeding the divine warnings (2:5b, 7a) …trusting the promise of eternal life (2:7b)
We got a solid start to our new series in Revelation last week. Thank you for your eagerness for the Word. It is encouraging to see you leaning into the preaching like that. As we continue into the latter part of Revelation 1 this Sunday, we’ll see a description of Jesus that laid John out. “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead,” Such is the response to seeing Jesus in his glory. I imagine that John struggled in his description. That words failed him. But knowing that it all but stopped his heart and compelled him to the ground shows the magnitude of what it means to see Jesus face to face. Whatever years John had left on this earth after that, he would have been changed in a way that is indescribable. What if we could capture a sense of that change now? What if we could be transformed now by the mere thought of standing in the presence of Jesus? What if John’s description and experience were enough for us? As we look at Revelation 1:9-20, we’ll answer those questions. Series: Great & Amazing - RevelationMessage: 2 - As though deadText: Revelation 1:9-20Todd DugardHarvest Bible ChapelApril 3, 2022 The awesomeness of Jesus… …meets me where I am (1:9-11) This [tribulation] is not merely the annoying problems of life in an imperfect world; it is the trouble that Christians encounter because of their allegiance to Christ in a world set against him.Buist M. Fanning …stops me in my tracks (1:12-18) Isaiah 6:5 …determines the course of my life (1:19-20) The literary approach to the book of Revelation:Chapter 1 – the things that you have seen;Chapters 2-3 – those that are;Chapters 4-22 – those that are to take place after this
There is much about the book of Revelation that is uncertain. There are wild and fascinating images that stretch the imagination. There are events that could be categorized as worthy of the science fiction movie genre. There are creatures and people who make grand pronouncements that shift the course of world events. So much of this is difficult to pin down and interpret, leaving the reader puzzled. And yet, there is much about Revelation that is certain. It is the final chapter of the story of God, humanity, and redemption that began with the creation and continued through every page of the Scriptures. It is undeniably, as one commentator put it, “God-saturated,” depicting the Lord as one who is not only near but fully engaged in a world that is falling to pieces. With certainty, it gives the reader glimpses of the end, of heaven, of sincere worship, and of evil’s ultimate and final demise. Thus, it can be said with certainty that the Revelation of Jesus Christ is a book of hope. It is intended to build and sustain the faith of all who read and study it. It was given to the Apostle John to give to the Church to overwhelm the believers with God’s awesomeness and sovereign control over history and over the future. As the book is read and studied, it is much less about attempting to interpret every little detail and much more about God’s perfect plan to redeem humanity and a constant encouragement to keep living for Jesus in light of the great and amazing things he is doing now and will yet do. Series: Great & Amazing - RevelationMessage: 1 - Blessed is the oneText: Revelation 1:1-8Todd DugardHarvest Bible ChapelMarch 27, 2022 I am promised the eternal blessings of God if I am… …attentive to his Word (1:1-3) When studying Revelation and eschatology it is all too easy to lose sight of the call of Christ in Revelation, which is to live victoriously as overcomers of sin, the world, and the devil and to remain faithful to him at all costs because he will make all things right in the end. Whatever view one thinks best reflects the teaching of Scripture, it must always be kept in mind that Scripture always presents the doctrine of last things as a motivation for faithful living.Alan S. Bandy, Views of the Millennium …adoring of his Son (1:4-5a, 8) …assured of his love (1:5b) 1 John 3:1 …accepting of his gospel (1:5c-6) So far as I can see, every Bible passage about the return of Christ is written for a practical purpose –not to help us develop a theory of history, but to motivate our obedience.John Frame …awaiting his coming (1:7)
Springtime always brings hope. The weather starts getting nicer, the days longer, our mood changes significantly. Even as I’m writing this, my window is open, the sun is shining into my office, and I find myself looking forward to the warm summer days and hoping that the cold of winter is gone for good (probably just wishful thinking, this is Canada after all). But the hope of spring and the realization of that hope in summer will go quickly away as fall makes its inevitable appearance a few months from now. The changing of the seasons reveals the reality for us that hope placed in temporal things is fleeting and is nothing to found our lives on. We spoke briefly about “resurrection power” in our time in God’s Word last week. This week we come face to face with it. The resurrection of Jesus and its implications for us are things we, as followers of Christ, live in every day of our lives. It’s our greatest hope and the goal of everything that we do as we identify with him, not simply in his death, but also in his life. This Sunday we’ll look at how we can realize the hope of Christ’s resurrection, and our resurrection with him in our lives, every day. Series: Joy, UnleashedMessage: 9 - Joy, in the resurrection from the deadText: Philippians 3:12-16Jordan CorosHarvest Bible ChapelMarch 20, 2022 My greatest hope is to be raised from the dead… 1) …confident that Jesus has made me his (v. 12) Jeremiah 9:24a The truth is a snare: you cannot have it, without being caught. You cannot have the truth in such a way that you catch it, but only in such a way that it catches you.Søren Kierkegaard 2) …setting my sights on him alone (v. 13-14) James 2:17 Are my sights set on Jesus?How do I spend my time?How do I spend my money?Sermon series "Jesus on Money"https://www.harvestbarrie.ca/series/jesus-on-moneyWhat do I study? 3) …and abandoning every other way but his. (v 15-16) The Bible says that our biggest problem is that every one of us is building our identity on something besides Jesus.Timothy Keller John 6:35 My greatest hope is to be raised from the dead, confident that Jesus has made me his I set my sights on him alone and abandon every other way but his.
The value that we place on things is determined by how much it’s worth to us. Sometimes it’s easy to see value, sometimes it’s harder. Our money for example, we can easily see how much our dollar is worth by comparing it to other currencies (or by how much it costs us to pay for gas…$1.90/L?! Sheesh!).
We do this personally in our lives as well. We attach value to different things and its worthiness to us determines how much we care about it: The value of people around us is determined by how much time we spend with them and how much we care about them, the value of our possessions by how well we take care of them. The list goes on and on. The same goes for Jesus; the extent we value Jesus is determined by our commitment to him, how highly we elevate his call on our lives, and our willingness to forsake everything in comparison to him.
In Philippians 3, Paul attacks this head on in a “shot-across-the-bow” type message that will cause us to ask, how much do I value Jesus? We’ll see the realities of what happens when Jesus is everything to me.
Series: Joy, Unleashed Message: 8 - Joy, in the surpassing worth of Christ Text: Philippians 3:1-11 Jordan Coros Harvest Bible Chapel March 13, 2022
Philippians 3:8
When Jesus is everything to me...
1) I’m done with worthless things... (v.1-6) a. privilege
Luke 14:26
b. influence c. achievements
Isaiah 64:6
2) ...and I’m chasing after what’s worthy (v.7-11)
Romans 10:9
a. justification b. sanctification
Matthew 16:24
c. glorification
We all know too well the struggle against putting ourselves at the centre of our faith. The ease and comfort of “consumer Christianity” where we just enjoy being served and treat Christ and his Church as a commodity to be used is a temptation that can trip up even the most seasoned of believers. But as one writer once said, “We are saved to serve” and not out of guilt, or begrudged obligation, but out of joy and gratitude to the God who saved us! It’s why we believe that one of the core attributes of a life truly devoted to Jesus Christ is that they would work for him.
Series: Joy, Unleashed Message: 7 - Joy, in sincere service Text: Philippians 2:19-30 Jordan Coros Harvest Bible Chapel March 6, 2022
Ephesians 6:8
God calls me to serve sincerely, so I must be…
Genuine (v. 19-21)
Philippians 2:3-4
How to be genuine: 1) Be reliable 2) Be honest 3) Be loving
Faithful (v. 22-24)
Acts 16:3 Mark 10:45 2 Timothy 4:9
Resolved (v. 25-27a)
Epaphroditus has suffered the rigors of service to the gospel along with Paul. Frank Thielman
Humble (v. 27b-30)
Humility is a life lived rightly before God, as we increasingly learn to see the reality that the centre of our lives is not ourselves, but God.. Adam Ramsey
I Peter 5:5b
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES https://www.harvestbarrie.ca/workforchrist
The crown jewel in the 7-week series we’re bringing to a close this Sunday is this final message on the glory of God. How could it not be? Everything has been building to this point. C. S. Lewis wrote in The Problem of Pain that, “Man is not the centre. God does not exist for the sake of man. Man does not exist for his own sake.” It’s a lifelong battle to believe and practice that; to embrace the reality that it is not me, not us, but God at the centre of all things. We have spent these past weeks looking at the DNA of our church. We have aspired to be all of these things, declaring, “We are Harvest,” and ultimately it comes down to one thing in this seventh and final message: We glorify God. Perhaps more correctly, we seek to glorify God.
Series: We Are Harvest Message: We glorify God Pastor Todd Dugard Harvest Bible Chapel February 27, 2022
We seek to glorify God…
Glory: Hebrew (OT) kāḇôḏ; Greek (NT) doxa: weightiness which indicates importance; impressive; substantive (Kittel)
…in our believing (2 Corinthians 1:20)
Isaiah 43:8a
Man is not the centre. God does not exist for the sake of man. Man does not exist for his own sake. C. S. Lewis
…in our doing (1 Corinthians 10:31)
The glory of God is the manifest beauty of his holiness. It is the going-public of his holiness. It is the way he puts his holiness on display for people to apprehend. So, the glory of God is the holiness of God made manifest. John Piper
Mission: To glorify God by making more and better disciples of Jesus who love God and love people.
…and in our being (2 Corinthians 3:18)
2 Corinthians 3:16
What Jesus did and suffered in the fulfillment of his mission, is esteemed, reckoned, and ascribed to us with all the fruits and benefits becoming ours as if we had done and suffered the same things ourselves. And this union of Christ with us is an act of his own mind and will, wherein he is inexpressibly glorious. John Owen (paraphrased)
When the glory of God is the treasure of our lives, we will not lay up treasures on earth, but spend them for the spread of his glory. We will not covet, but overflow with liberality. We will not crave the praise of men, but forget ourselves in praising God. We will not be mastered by sinful, sensual pleasures, but sever their root by the power of a superior promise. We will not nurse a wounded ego or cherish a grudge or nurture a vengeful spirit, but will hand over our cause to God and bless those who hate us. Every sin flows from the failure to treasure the glory of God above all things. John Piper, Preaching the Cross
God is glorified when the foundation of our lives is Jesus Christ.
God is glorified when the church preaches without apology, worships without shame, prays without ceasing, and witnesses without fear.
God is glorified when every disciple worships, walks with, works and witnesses for Christ.
God is glorified when we love him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
God is glorified when we love people from every tribe and language and people and nation regardless of status, gender, or age.
God is glorified when we’re on mission to make disciples and plant churches, seeing sinners turn to him in faith alone, finding hope in the gospel.
And God is glorified when in our believing, and in our doing, and in our being we show that the centre of all things is not us but Christ.
It makes sense that if the mission is to “make disciples” (and it is), then the mission also includes starting churches for those disciples to gather together. In fact, that first group of disciples who form a church will soon find that the church they start is itself a tool that God uses to draw even more people to Jesus. So, make disciples and plant churches are really a mission tandem. They go together. This Sunday, as we continue our We are Harvest series, we’ll look at the declaration that “We plant churches.” This will lay out the biblical mandate, the practical outworking of it in our context, and the partnerships that play a big part of it for us.
Series: We Are Harvest Message: We plant churches Pastor Todd Dugard Harvest Bible Chapel February 20, 2022
We plant churches…
…because Jesus loves the church (Ephesians 5:29-30)
…in partnership with others (Acts 13:1-3; 14:24-26)
Acts 29 is a diverse, global community of healthy, multiplying churches characterized by theological clarity, cultural engagement, and missional innovation.
…by developing and appointing planters (2 Timothy 2:2; Titus 1:5)
…dependent on the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:47; 16:6-10)
…to influence and bless the culture around us (Matthew 5:13-16)
…to save sinners (1 Timothy 3:15; Acts 2:41; 4:4; 5:14)
By planting churches, we have the privilege of being in on God's sovereign work in the world. God's redemptive plan has always involved having a people for himself. When you start a church, you're doing more than starting an event at a storefront, a school, under a tree, in a house, or at some other location. You're actually participating in this grand narrative of God having a people for himself, a story that culminates in John's glorious vision in Revelation where a people from every tribe and language and people and nation are giving praise to the Lamb. This vision compels us to be faithful in our present generation until the mission is finished. Tony Merida
Among the first things I learned during my church planting residency at Harvest in Chicago was the Four Pillars. With tremendous simplicity, these four values set out the priorities for the church. When Cheryl and I joined the core group here in Barrie to launch our church a few months later, we locked in the same Four Pillars. And because they reflect New Testament principles for the local church, we’ve never seen any reason to change them in the last 20 years. Indeed, our elders re-affirmed the Four Pillars in the DNA assessment we presented to the church in the fall of 2020. As we continue our We Are Harvest series on Sunday, we’ll look at what it means to value and prioritize unapologetic preaching, unashamed adoration, unceasing prayer, and unafraid witness in the life of our church.
Series: We Are Harvest Message: We have four pillars Pastor Todd Dugard Harvest Bible Chapel February 13, 2022
We value and prioritize four pillars…
•Unapologetic preaching–Proclaiming the authority of God’s Word without apology (2 Timothy 4:2)
2 Timothy 2:3-4
Luke 4:43
Isaiah 55:11
After reading and studying the Bible for 50 years--and weighing all the criticisms of it--I am convinced it is the Word of God, completely true in all it teaches, beautifully cohesive, with the supernatural power to transform us and enable us to commune with God.
Timothy Keller
•Unashamed adoration–Lifting high the name of Jesus in worship (John 4:24)
Revelation 4:9-11
•Unceasing prayer–Believing firmly in the power of prayer (Ephesians 6:18)
2 Corinthians 10:3-4
•Unafraid witness –Sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with boldness (Ephesians 6:19-20)
Romans 10:14-15
What exactly is a disciple? It is an important question because the church that cannot define a disciple and point to a way of making and growing them is a church that doesn’t know its most basic mission. Jesus told us to, “make disciples” (Matthew 28:19-20). To do that, we need to know what we’re making and how to make them. We define a disciple at Harvest as someone who worships, walks with, works and witnesses for Jesus. We’ll unpack those four aspects of being a disciple as we continue our We are Harvest series on Sunday. Previous messages in this series are available on our website and YouTube channel.
Series: We Are Harvest Message: We make disciples Text: Matthew 28:19-20 Pastor Todd Dugard Harvest Bible Chapel February 6, 2022
A disciple is someone who worships, walks with, works and witnesses for Christ.
We make more and better disciples of Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20) who…
μαθητεύω (mathetes) – to be a follower or a disciple of someone, in the sense of adhering to the teachings or instructions of a leader and in promoting the cause of such a leader. Louw & Nida
[The word disciple] always implies the existence of personal attachment which shapes the whole life of the one described as [disciple], and which in its particularity, leaves no doubt as to who is deploying the formative power. Gerhard Kittel
Jesus characterized disciples as people of commitment and obedience. They also willingly suffered and shared in the work. [SLIDE 8] The primary use of [disciple] in the gospels…requires us to think of a disciple as a committed follower of Jesus Christ. It means more than just a believer, but a person who demonstrates belief by action Bill Hull
…worship Christ (Acts 2:47b; Acts 2:43; Hebrews 10:24-25)
…walk with Christ (Acts 2:44-47a; Ephesians 4:1-3)
…work for Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7; Ephesians 4:11-16)
…witness for Christ (Acts 1:8)
The Church is the only society that exists for the benefit of those who are not its members. William Temple
Ministry ought to be… Elder-protected Staff-lead Member-serving World-receiving Don Cousens, LeaderShift
Aspire to be something more than the mass of church members. Lift up your cry to God and beseech him to fire you with a nobler ambition than that which possesses the common Christian—that you may be found faithful unto God at the last, and may win many crowns for your Lord and Master, Christ. Charles Spurgeon
WORK FOR CHRIST OPPORTUNITIES harvestbarrie.ca/workforchrist
Two sides of the same coin: Love God; Love People. These are the great and first commandment and the second one that Jesus identified as the two upon which all other commandments hang. We looked into what it means to love God in last week’s message, and I couldn’t help referring multiple times to what we’d be talking about this week because the two are intertwined and inseparable. In fact, the Apostle John says that, if you say you love God but don’t love people, you’re lying. And you’re likely not even saved. Harsh, but that’s the reality. So, in this Sunday’s message we’ll be examining what it means to love people. It’ll be challenging because this not only needs to be the character of our lives as believers, it needs to be the defining characteristic of our church.
Series: We Are Harvest Message: We love people Text: Matthew 22:34-40 Pastor Todd Dugard Harvest Bible Chapel January 30, 2022
1 John 4:20
We love people…
…as we’d like them to love us (Matthew 22:39; Luke 6:31; Romans 13:8-10)
The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
…even when it’s hard to love them (Luke 6:27; Ephesians 4:2)
Love: ἀγάπη (agapē) – affection based on deep appreciation and high regard; φιλέω (philēo) – affection based on association
Both sets of terms are used for the total range of loving relations between people, between people and God, and between God and Jesus Christ—Louw & Nida
…not only with words but practically (1 John 3:18)
James 2:15-16
Compassion Partners: Envisage Pregnancy Services; Barrie Food Bank, Salvation Army Bayside Mission; Children of Promise Ministries (Nigeria); Prison Fellowship Canada https://www.harvestbarrie.ca/ministries/#ministry-partnerships
…in ways that cost us something (John 15:10-13; Philippians 2:3)
…because Jesus said so (John 13:34)
1 John 4:8 (edited) "Any [church that] does not love [people] does not know God, because God is love."
I tried to make it clear last week that the cry, “We are Harvest,” which also serves as the title of the series we’re currently in, is not a boast but an aspiration. It’s what we want to do and be. That is never truer than it is with this Sunday’s second instalment of the series, “We love God.” What a thing to declare given our proneness to fail in this simplest of expressions. We have so many reasons to love God and yet find it to be so difficult. This is true for us as individuals and as a church. In this message, we’ll look at two key passages—Matthew 22:34-38 and 1 John 4:16-19—that speak to not only our love for God but, more importantly, his love for us which makes our love for him possible.
Series: We Are Harvest Message: We love God Text: Matthew 22:34-38; 1 John 4:16-19 Pastor Todd Dugard Harvest Bible Chapel January 23, 2022
John 13:35
We love God…
…with all that we are (Matt 22:37)
The Great Commandment Deuteronomy 6:5 - heart, soul, might Matthew 22:37 - heart, soul, mind Mark 12:30 - heart, soul, mind, strength Luke 10:27a - heart, soul, strength, mind
The piling up of the terms “heart,” “soul,” and “mind” is just a way of saying “with your whole being” and is not intended to designate the component parts of human nature. J. A. Brooks
…obeying the great commandment (Matt 22:36, 38)
It does not take much of a man to be a believer, but it takes all there is of him!. Kent Hughes
1 John 5:3
…understanding that he is love (1 Jn 4:16)
Romans 5:8
1 Corinthians 13 Original: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13 Alternate: GOD is patient and kind; GOD does not envy or boast; GOD is not arrogant or rude. GOD does not insist on his own way; GOD is not irritable or resentful; GOD does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. GOD bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
…and because he first loved us (1 John 4:19)
1 Corinthians 13 Alternate #2: Harvest is patient and kind; Harvest does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. Harvest does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; Harvest does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Harvest bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
What makes us the church that we are
Churches come in all shapes and sizes. They have personality, habits, culture, philosophy, and even idiosyncrasies. A church in any given community can do many things well and will do some things poorly. After all, there has never been a perfect church. Those imperfections often stand out to an unbelieving and skeptical world that is looking for reasons to dislike the church. This becomes a compelling reason for Christians to be the truest version of the church that they can be, and to have the world reject (or accept them) for the right reasons.
The church was birthed in an upper room by the power of the Holy Spirit and by that same power expanded rapidly throughout the Roman world and beyond as the first believers sought to fulfill Jesus’ mandate to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. Running side by side through the New Testament are the themes of “here’s how to do it,” “here’s what you’re doing well,” and “here’s how you messed it up.” There’s no hiding the struggle that it is to be what God intends in a world that is often hostile to what we are doing and who we are. Through it all, good and bad, Jesus remains the head of the church and believers are compelled to work hard at being the church.
As far as this local church is concerned, we are Harvest. It is not a boast but an aspiration. This series is specific to what we believe God has called Harvest Bible Chapel Barrie to be. We will look at the universal and foundational truths that should transfer to any New Testament church, but we will also look at the distinctive identity markers, vision, and values that are particular to our context in an effort to be true to what God has called us to be in this city and beyond.
Series: We Are Harvest Message: We have one foundation Text: 1 Corinthians 3:10-11; Matt 16:18; Luke 6:46-49 Pastor Todd Dugard Harvest Bible Chapel January 16, 2022
1 Peter 2:9-10
We are Harvest…
…an imperfect expression of the universal church
Church - ἐκκλησία; - called out ones; assembly
The universal church is a heavenly and eschatological assembly of everyone—past, present, and future—who belongs to Christ’s new covenant and kingdom. Jonathan Leeman
…called to be a distinctive local church
A local church is a mutually-affirming group of new covenant members and kingdom citizens, identified by regularly gathering together in Jesus’ name through preaching the gospel and celebrating the ordinances. Jonathan Leeman
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-church-universal-and-local/
As such, we have one foundation, Jesus Christ…
1 Corinthians 3:10-11
…the solid Rock on which we stand
Matthew 16:18
Our Foundation Jesus Christ is fully God (Titus 2:13; 1 John 5:20), eternally pre-existent and Creator of all things (John 1:1-3). He is also fully human (Hebrews 2:14-15) having been born of a virgin who conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:26-38), and, as a human, he was tempted to sin. Yet, having never done so (Luke 4:1-13; Hebrews 4:15), he took our punishment for sin upon himself (Isaiah 53; Hebrews 2:17; 1 John 4:10) by dying on the cross (Luke 23). His life for ours. He died, was buried, and yet rose from the grave (Luke 24), and having been seen alive by many witnesses, he ascended to heaven (Acts 1:1-11). From there he mediates for us before the throne (Hebrews 7:25) awaiting the day when he will come again, this time in all his glory, to take us to himself for all eternity (Matthew 24:30; Revelation 19:11-16)
1 Corinthians 2:2
The Core Five: what we’re willing to die for • Verbal inspiration of the Bible • Virgin birth of Christ • Vicarious atonement of Christ • Victorious resurrection of Christ • Visible return of Christ
Luke 6:46-48
…all other ground is sinking sand (Luke 6:49)
You will never be on a right foundation until you are off the wrong one. Charles Spurgeon
You may not like what I’m going to preach on Sunday. If you don’t, take it up with the Lord. I’m just the messenger. In fact, we were to have started the series, We are Harvest, on Sunday, but I believe that this is what we need to hear first in light of the renewed restrictions. As this year starts, we need some encouragement to keep going. Right now, we’re moving through life carrying a tremendous weight on our shoulders. There is no part of life that has not been affected by this pandemic. So, let’s talk about that a bit and frame it up from 2 Corinthians 4:17-18.
Message: This light momentary affliction Text: 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 Pastor Todd Dugard Harvest Bible Chapel January 9, 2022
Every difficulty you face in life as a Christian...
...is a light momentary affliction (v. 17a)
...is preparing you for something better (v. 17b)
...is only to be weighed against God’s glory (v. 17c)
...is an opportunity to exercise or abandon your faith (v. 18a)
...is a reminder to never trust your eyes (v. 18b)
We return to 1 Peter this week and move deeper into the heart of this powerful letter. Peter anticipates cultural push back against believers who profess faith in Jesus as Lord. Believers then knew that their faith could result in persecution, and as we study this letter together we must ask ourselves what is the cost of faith in 2022? Will it be easy going for everyone who confesses Christ as the one Lord and Saviour for all? Will dedicated Christians, who normally seek to live in peace with everyone, face more pressures to conform to cultural norms that are inconsistent with God’s will? We do not know, and not knowing can become tremendously unsettling.
Perhaps you’ve felt the pressure. Maybe you experienced push back in milder forms and it’s causing a little bit of anxiety as you enter a new year. The church has been through this before and thankfully, God knows how to settle your heart. Through Peter, he reminds us of the hope within, and calls us back to the core of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Our lives must be expressions of this internal hope (not examples of our anger or fear because of pressure to conform). Even if our hope is challenged, criticized, or condemned, we need to share it with gracious integrity knowing our faith is not in vain and confident of Christ’s promise of eternal life. In this weekend’s message we’ll see four points in Peter’s strategy for dealing with persecution of the Christian faith.
Message: The hope that is in you Text: 1 Peter 3:13-17 Pastor Dwayne Francois January 2, 2022
Message: Live For Christ Text: Galatians 2:20 Pastor Roger Freeman & Jeannie Coros December 26, 2021
We will put a bow on our current teaching series this Sunday as we ask the question, “Why does it matter?” Why does it matter that we believe that the Nativity story, as told in the gospels, is legit history? In fact, it impacts every aspects of not only our lives but of human existence.
Series: Is Christmas Unbelievable? Message: Why does Christmas matter? Pastor Todd Dugard & Jordan Coros December 19, 2021
Message #3 in our current teaching series will look at the basis for believing the miracle stories in the Nativity accounts—especially that of the virgin birth of Jesus. It will be a fascinating discussion that takes us to the very beginning of the cosmos, tying in our understanding of origins and science with belief in the miraculous.
Series: Is Christmas Unbelievable? Message: Can we believe the virgin birth? Pastor Todd Dugard & Jordan Coros December 12, 2021
We’re continuing our Christmas series this Sunday, with a conversation between me and Jordan on the reliability of the gospels. Jordan will be doing all the heavy lifting this time. The series is based on Rebecca McLaughlin’s new book, Is Christmas Unbelievable? and we’ll once again be giving away free copies of the book for you to read and then to give away to someone—perhaps a skeptic—who you think might be interested in looking at these arguments for the legitimacy of the biblical nativity story. If you’re taking in the service on the livestream or on demand, email us at freebook@harvestbarrie.ca and we’ll send you a copy by snail mail.
Series: Is Christmas Unbelievable? Message: Can we believe the Gospels? Pastor Todd Dugard & Jordan Coros December 5, 2021
The Nativity of Jesus—let’s call it the Christmas origin story—is fairly well-known and captures the imagination of children and adults alike at this time of year. The Virgin birth, the journey to Bethlehem, the baby in a feed-trough, the angels and shepherds are all so magnificent and mysterious. But is it a little too unbelievable? Starting this Sunday, we’ll put this amazing story under the microscope with the goal of building an apologetic around Christmas that will strengthen the faith of those who already believe and, hopefully, convince some skeptics to take a closer look at Jesus.
This Sunday we’ll ask, “What is the Christmas story?” and see the solid evidence for the historicity of Jesus, the man, as well as the events of his birth. We’ll look at fact and fiction in the nativity accounts in the two most reliable sources, the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.
The series is based on Rebecca McLaughlin’s new book, Is Christmas Unbelievable? and we’ll be giving away free copies of the book. The messages will be presented each week as a dialogue between me and our youth director, Jordan Coros.
Sermon Notes
Series: Is Christmas Unbelievable? Message: What is the Christmas story? Pastor Todd Dugard & Jordan Coros November 28, 2021
Peace. The absence of strife. Most often, we think of peace in terms of wars and conflicts, of relational discord, or of personal anxiety and stress. How can we be at peace? How can we end the turmoil? It is a worthy pursuit in any of those areas, and without minimizing any of that, we must still acknowledge that the most important peace we can seek after is that which comes when we are reconciled with God. In fact, to first resolve the matter with God brings peace in all other areas of our lives. We know from the Scriptures that Jesus Christ came as the “prince of peace” to break down “the dividing wall of hostility” that separates us from God. A wall built with our sin. A wall that could only be brought down by his shed blood.
In Acts 10:36, while preaching to a group of Gentiles, Peter says that God preached “the good news of peace through Jesus Christ,” and it is that good news that offered them and us the forgiveness of our sin and reconciliation with God. We’ll be looking at Acts 10:34-48 as we consider seven gospel realities in that encounter that Peter had in Caesarea. Series: The Book of Acts Message: Good news of peace Pastor Todd Dugard Acts 10:34-48 November 21, 2021
If you don’t yet know Jesus, you need to know the 7 gospel realities. The gospel is…
1) Barrier-free (v. 34-35)
2) Peace-giving (v. 36)
3) Jesus-saturated (v. 37-41)
4) Mission-focused (v. 42)
5) Faith-dependent (v. 43)
6) Spirit-enabled (v. 44-46a)
7) Baptism-declared (v. 46b-48)
I think we’d all agree that we often pre-judge people. We see them and make a judgment or decision on how we’re going to treat them based on what we see. We may do it on the basis of what they’re wearing, their hair style, mannerisms, job, body shape or height, car they drive, age, skin colour, head covering, sexual orientation, and more. While we may be quick to say, “Yes, I can pre-judge,” it would be fair to say that we’d have a harder time agreeing that we’re “prejudice,” but it is, in essence, the same; to pre-judge is to be prejudice. So, what are we going to do about it?
In the context of rich and poor being treated differently in the church, James wrote, “Show no partiality.” There’s no room for prejudice among believers. And that was the lesson God intended Peter to learn for the benefit of all in Acts 10. A voice from heaven said to him, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” The vision he was seeing was about food, but the lesson was about people. Gentiles to be exact. God was breaking down a racial barrier that had existed for centuries. What becomes obvious for the reader today is that the church must be different from anything else we see in the world with respect to race and a host of other flashpoints for prejudice.
As we look at Acts 10 over the next two weeks, we’ll see how God breaks down “the dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:14) and leads his church to be the safest place on earth; a place and a people who are free of prejudice of any kind.
Sermon Notes
Series: The Book of Acts Message: What is it, Lord? Pastor Todd Dugard Acts 10:1-33 November 14, 2021
If I am to be free from prejudice, as God intends, I must be...
...close to his heart (v. 1-16)
...quick to obey (v. 17-23a)
...eager to witness his work (v. 23b-24)
...committed to change (v. 25-29)
...centred on the gospel (v. 30-33)
I had a challenging back-and-forth email dialogue this past week with a recent attendee who was not in agreement with the idea of the dual necessity of believing in Jesus Christ alone for salvation and of our mission to share this gospel (good news) with others, especially if it causes a person to be upset with us. As I appealed to this person, I wrote, “Every single person on the planet is a sinner and under the condemnation of death: physical death but also ‘second death’ or eternal separation from God. So, there is an urgency to preaching and sharing this gospel because everyday people die without Christ and without hope.” This attendee has chosen to move on to another church, preferring a feel-good, non-offensive brand of religion. I understand the dilemma, but the Apostle Paul calls that, “a different gospel” in his letters to the Galatians and Corinthians.
As that relates to Acts 9:32-43, our passage for this Sunday, we’ll see the urgency of an appeal to the Apostle Peter to come “without delay” to minister to a specific need in the town of Joppa. “Peter rose and went with them” sensing the urgency of the situation, because his life was dedicated to the spread of the gospel. As we examine the narrative together, we will all be pressed to consider whether or not we have grasped the urgency of the gospel mission ourselves or if we have embraced “a different gospel” that does not offend and, of course, does not save.
Sermon Notes
Series: The Book of Acts Todd Dugard Message: Without Delay Acts 9:32-43 November 7, 2021
When I grasp the urgency of the gospel mission......
I look for God to do the impossible(v. 32-35)...
I go wherever he leads me (v. 36-39a)...
I remain humble before him (v. 39b-40a)...
I depend wholly on God (v. 40b-43)...
I proclaim Jesus and nothing else (v. 34b)
On October 31, 1517, a man named Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses (statements) to the door of the All Saints Church in Wittenberg disputing a practice of the Roman Catholic Church, Germany. It was standard at that time for people to post their work to the doors of the local church, but this time was different. While the seeds of reform had been sown in the years of darkness prior, this act, with God’s sovereign hand moving in ways only he can, would set off what we now know as the Protestant Reformation. From the Reformation came five statements, foundational to the gospel-centrality the Reformation sought to bring the Church back to: Sola Scriptura, Solus Christus, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia and Soli Deo Gloria. The work God did in reforming his church some 500 years ago is most certainly not complete. In an age where this world is seeking to push and pressure the church “forward” into post-modern thinking, we need to continually look “backward” to the sources of our faith and those who stood for it. Ensuring that we are centred on the gospel and defining ourselves, our families, our churches by that which God has established for us.
Sermon Notes
Light after Darkness The Five Solas
Jordan Coros
A church founded on the gospel will be defined by…
Sola Scriptura, Scripture alone (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:21,John 17:17) Solus Christus, Christ alone (John 14:6, Mark 10:45, Ephesians 2:5a; 13-16) Sola Gratia, Grace alone (Ephesians2:5b-8a, Exodus 34:6,Titus 2:11-14) Sola Fide, Faith alone (Ephesians 2:8b-9,Romans 1:17; 3:28) Soli Deo Gloria, God’s Glory alone (Romans 11:36)
The last several sermons in Acts have been hard-hitting messages about each believer taking on this mission to make disciples. In addition, there’s been a strong call for unbelievers in our midst to turn to Christ. As we look at Acts 9:19b-31 this week, the emphasis will shift as we look at what happens to Saul following his conversion. The account is a primer on how to be the church, and it lays out four key expectations we should all have with respect to the church. Too many people find themselves in churches that have abandoned the gospel, lost genuine fellowship, and forgotten the mission. And yet, God has laid things out for us so clearly. It is on us to ensure that we are all a part of a church that does the things that a New Testament church ought to be doing, and being the church that God wants us to be. We’ll look at those expectations together on Sunday. Bring your Bible and a heart to learn and grow.
Sermon Notes The Book of Acts So the church Acts 9:19b-31 Pastor Todd Dugard October 24, 2021
I expect my church to…
…preach Jesus faithfully (v. 9b-22)
…face opposition bravely (v. 23-25, 29-30)
Matthew 5:11
Acts 20:24
Everywhere heroism gives way to hedonism. Byung-Chul Han
Christians in persecuted countries pray for: (1) Perseverance (2) Utterance (3) Salvation
…resolve issues kindly (v. 26-28)
Romans 12:18
…grow disciples deeply (v. 31)
A chosen instrument That’s what God said to Ananias about Saul, who had experienced a radical conversion on the road to Damascus. God said, Saul is “a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name to the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). And there might be a temptation with a passage like this to make the encounter so specific to Saul that we miss what it has to say about ordinary, non-Apostolic believers like you and me. Are we not also “chosen instruments”? Does God not also have a specific ministry for each of us? Are we not also gifted and placed, each in our own sphere of influence, to carry out the mission? The answer is yes, yes, and yes! And as we look at Acts 9:1-19a, we’ll see the Word come alive for each of us as we walk through the account of Saul’s conversion to Christ. Sermon Notes The Book of Acts A chosen instrument Acts 9:1-19a Pastor Todd Dugard October 17, 2021
When I am“a chosen instrument”of God, I will have......
...a before-Christ-after-Christ story (9:1-2)
...a personal encounter with Christ(9:3-7)
...an altered life-trajectory because of Christ (9:8-9, 16)
...an ongoing relationship with Christ (9:10-15)
...a sense of belonging in Christ’s church (9:17-19a)
The mission from Jesus is clear: make more and better disciples. The clarity of that is reinforced in every chapter of the Book of Acts as we see the early church preaching the gospel, leading people to Jesus, baptizing them, and planting churches. Every Christian is on this mission.
As we look at Acts 8:26-40, we’ll see an incredible example of this mission. An Ethiopian government official, who was also a convert to Judaism, had been in Jerusalem to visit the Temple and worship. On his way back home, he met Philip who had recently started preaching the gospel in Samaria. At God’s leading, Philip travelled south and “happened to run into” the Ethiopian man who “happened to be” reading a prophecy from the Bible about the Messiah (Jesus). If you don’t know the story, you can probably still guess the rest. The Ethiopian was eager to hear what Philip had to say and Philip explained the gospel to him and he was saved and baptized right there and then. There’s so much for us to be challenged by in this short narrative. What will it take from us to see unbelievers in our lives be saved and baptized? Sermon Notes Series: The Book of Acts (Chapters 8-12) Title: What prevents me from being baptized? Text: Acts 8:26-40 Pastor Todd Dugard October 10, 2021
Unbelievers will be saved and baptized when I…
…go anywhere and speak to anyone about Jesus (8:26-29)
…make the effort to listen to their story (8:30-34)
…share the gospel and trust God to work (8:35-39)
5 Gospel Words God Sin Substitution Believe Life www.harvestbarrie.ca/5-gospel-words
…do it again and again and again (8:40)
Acts 1:8
We are back to the Book of Acts and picking up the narrative at Acts 8:4-25 with an amazing account of the gospel impacting a whole new group of people but with twists and turns that will leave us carefully considering our own lives and how faithful we are to Jesus. As the gospel moves out from Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria, many are joyfully converted at Philip’s preaching and two apostles arrive to continue the work, but one new convert makes a horrible mistake and learns a difficult lesson. The episode compels us to ask the question of ourselves: is the intent of my heart centred on the gospel, or, like Simon the Magician, is my heart “not right before God”? Am I still distracted or devoted to sinful ways? Do I need to repent of anything? As always, the Word of God will pierce our hearts as we gather to hear it proclaimed. Sermon Notes
The Book of Acts (Chapters 8-12) The intent of the heart Acts 8:4-25 Pastor Todd Dugard October 3, 2021
—
Romans 10:10a
—
Is the intent of my heart centred on the gospel?
—
- Am I saved? (v. 5–7, 9–13)
—
- Am I missional? (v. 4, 25)
1 Timothy 2:4
—
- Am I joyful? (v. 8)
Psalm 16:11
—
- Am I Spirit-filled? (v. 14–17)
Romans 8:9
—
- Am I a repenter? (v. 18–24)
Just because you’re saved doesn’t mean you’re smart. Roger Freeman
2 Peter 1:9
Sermon Series "The Holy Spirit"
We have wrapped up our short, 3-week series in 1 Kings 17-19 with a message entitled, “Remain Humble.” Pride is our greatest enemy. Pride is at the root of the original sin and of all sin that has followed. In 1 Kings 19, Elijah is coming off of an incredible, divine victory over the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Yet, he is fearful and broken by the threat that followed. At the root of Elijah’s trouble is pride exacerbated by exhaustion and hunger. There are some powerful lessons for us in this event in Elijah’s life. The Lord shows up and cares for Elijah, demonstrating again the love and patience of God toward his children. It is a word from God that I believe we all desperately need. Sermon Notes When Everything Goes Your Way (1 Kings 17–19) Remain Humble 1 Kings 19 Pastor Todd Dugard
—
For the Christian, humility is absolutely indispensable. Without it there can be no self-knowledge, no repentance, no faith and no salvation. A. W. Tozer
James 4:6b James 4:10
—
When everything goes your way, remain humble.
Humility is the proper estimate of oneself. Charles Spurgeon
—
Pride says, “Ride the high,” but humility reminds me that I’m always vulnerable (v. 1-3a)
—
Pride says, “I’m outta here” when it gets tough, but humility looks to God for strength (v. 3b-9a)
Romans 12:15 Galatians 6:2 1 Thessalonians 5:14
—
Pride says, “You’re all that,” but humility puts me in my proper place (v. 9b-10)
Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. Rick Warren (not C. S. Lewis)
1 Thessalonians 5:14
—
Pride says, “Bigger is always better,” but humility hears God’s low whisper (v. 11-14)
God does not always move in the realm of the extraordinary. To live always seeking one ‘high experience’ after another is to have a misdirected zeal. The majority of life service is in quiet, routine, humble obedience to God’s will. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary
—
Pride says, “You’re indispensable,” but humility tells me that my days are all numbered by God (v. 15-21)
Psalm 39:4
In the pinnacle moment of his prophetic career, Elijah courageously challenged the prophets of Baal to an ultimate showdown on Mount Carmel. The stakes? The devotion of the people of Israel. Elijah asked them, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him” (1 Kings 18:21). You probably know how it turned out. Though that spiritual battle took place 2800 years ago, people have not changed. God is still offering himself to rebellious sinners and they are still finding ways to reject him in favour of phony gods. As we look at 1 Kings 18, we will be compelled to “Keep our focus” on God when everything is going our way, as it was for Elijah. There is simply no substitute for keeping Christ at the centre whether our life is going well or not. If you missed message 1 in this short 3-week series, you can access that here. Sermon Notes When Everything Goes Your Way (1 Kings 17–19) Keep your focus 1 Kings 18 Pastor Todd Dugard
— Why do we struggle to focus?
4 Fatigue
3 Stress
2 Multitasking
1 Boredom
When everything is going my way, I’ll keep my focus on God as he...
—
...encourages me with clarity (v. 1–16)
1 Corinthians 2:2 1 Corinthians 9:12b —
...envelopes me with courage (c. 17–19)
Acts 20:24 —
...emboldens me with faith (v. 20–45)
Ephesians 2:8-9 —
...empowers me with his strength (v. 46)
It is well established. No one will dispute it. Life is hard. But there may be seasons when your life is on track. When all the lights are green. When you are blessed and filled and happy and everything and everyone around you is at peace. What do you do when everything goes your way? Whether you are a Christian or not, there are inherent dangers in times of blessing. It is possible, in the midst of the joyfulness of plenty to forget God, to lose your sense of purpose, and to take the credit for all the good in your life. Like all of us, the prophet Elijah experienced highs and lows. As one of his greatest successes played out, Elijah fell into deep depression. At a time when he should have been riding high, he sunk so low. From his experiences recorded for us in 1 Kings 17-18, we will be challenged to handle the times of blessing in our own lives in a way that acknowledges the God who is behind it all. When everything goes your way, exalt him, keep your focus, and remain humble.
Sermon Notes When Everything Goes Your Way (1 Kings 17–19) Exalt the LORD 1 Kings 17 Pastor Todd Dugard
—
When everything is going my way, I will exalt the LORD because…
—
…he loves and disciplines (v. 1)
Hebrews 12:5-6 Hebrews 12:11
Many of the trials that he sends us are for the purpose of weaning our hearts from created things and fixing them more closely on him who created everything. Charles Spurgeon
—
…he protects and provides (v. 2–16)
Philippians 4:6-7 Philippians 4:9
—
…he hears and heals (v. 17–24)
Psalm 103:12 Isaiah 53:5 Luke 20:38
Receive blessings and enjoy times of peace and plenty as grace gifts from God and not the result of your own efforts or random good fortune.
Prepare for hardship and set the stage for times of trial and loss by deciding in advance that you will exalt the LORD no matter what.
We have the privilege of hosting the network director of Acts 29 Canada, Dwight Bernier, who will be preaching the Word for us. He’ll have us looking at James 1:19-27, and about the message, Dwight wrote, “It is so easy to act the part and just play church. We can do and say the right things but have hearts that have lost affection for Jesus. Spiritual amnesia can easily take over when we walk through life with complacency. In these few verses, James aims to re-awaken the church to our identity so that we might be about the most important tasks according to Jesus. The sermon is an invitation away from playing and into being the church that Jesus desires.” That sounds like a perfect message for us to hear.
It is one thing to hear when you’ve been encouraged to do so (as Stephen encouraged the religious leaders to do in last week’s message), but it is quite another thing to react appropriately to what you’ve heard. In this message from Acts 7:54-8:3, we’ll see those same religious leaders react to what they’ve heard. And, at first glance, it isn’t good. The episode came about because the church was continuing to proclaim the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and many were converting and becoming Christians. For whatever reason, Stephen became the focus of attention and, as we’ll see, gave his life for the sake of the gospel, becoming the first martyr of the church. The whole thing would be so sad and tragic if it were not obvious that God was at work and if Stephen had not died so well. As we look at the passage together we’ll see what the faithful proclamation of the Word of God brings about in our lives and in our world today as we examine each of the principal characters in the narrative: the religious council, Stephen himself, a young man named Saul who was present and evidently an organizer of the persecution, the Jerusalem church as a whole, and the Holy Spirit.
Sermon Notes THE BOOK OF ACTS | CHAPTERS 1–7 When they heard Pastor Todd Dugard August 29, 2021 Acts 7:54-8:3
— Hebrews 4:12
The Word of God is like a lion. You don’t have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself. Charles Spurgeon
—
The faithful proclamation of the Word of God…
—
…provokes some to react unreasonably (7:54, 57-58a)
—
7 Provocative Statements of the Gospel:
(1) There is a God (2) The Bible is God’s inspired Word (3) Human beings are not inherently good but are, by nature, sinful (4) Jesus is the only way to God (5) There is a place of eternal torment called hell for unbelievers (6) Religion cannot save (7) Christians must seek to live by the ethical demands of the Bible
—
…compels Christians to die well (7:55-56, 59-60)
On that final day Stephen was living as Christ would, and that was all that mattered…He had lived like Christ. He had spoken like Christ, and now he would die like Christ. Stephen lived his last day of his life with remarkable Christlikeness, and he died the same way. R. Kent Hughes
—
…shocks many as it works (7:58b, 8:1a, 3a)
1 Timothy 1:15b
—
…moves the church to mission (8:1b, 2, 3b)
—
…reveals God’s power and glory (7:55, 60)
Isaiah 55:11
In this week’s message, we’ll see that all people are predisposed to reject God’s kind offer of salvation. None of us are drawn to God of our own accord. And that has some stunning implications with respect to how we respond to the Holy Spirit, preachers, the love of God expressed to us in so many ways, and to the Word of God itself. Even as believers, still battling the flesh, we tend to resist God’s work in our lives.
This is exactly the point that Stephen makes as he defended himself before the religious council. Stephen, a gifted and zealous young Greek-speaking, Jewish-Christian, was charged with leading a feeding program for widows. Along the way, he also prayed for people, saw them healed, and took advantage of that to preach the gospel. So many Greek-speaking Jews were converting to Christ that it raised the ire of the Jewish leadership and they arrested him. In this week’s message in Acts 7:1-53 we’ll hear his message to the council, and next week we’ll look at the leaders’ enraged response and Stephen’s martyrdom in Acts 7:54-8:3. Sermon Notes THE BOOK OF ACTS | CHAPTERS 1–7 Hear me Pastor Todd Dugard August 22, 2021 Acts 7:1-53
— The pattern of rejection in the past foreshadows the ultimate rejection of God’s appointed Messiah in the present. John B. Polhill
—
I am, as all people are, predisposed to reject God’s kind offer of salvation (7:1-50), and so…
—
…though the Spirit leads, I resist him (v. 51)
—
…though preachers preach, I despise them (v. 52a)
Most Christians don’t hear God’s voice because we’ve already decided we aren’t going to do what he says. A. W. Tozer —
…though Jesus loves, I betray him (v. 52b)
John 15:13 Romans 5:8 Revelation 2:4 —
…though the Bible instructs, I refuse it (v. 53)
You have heard of the proverbial “Out of the frying pan, into the fire!” Just when you breathe a sigh of relief that you dodged that bullet…
In a crisis it is hard to find hope. This week we take another look at David as he faced a crisis that took him to the brink of death at the hands of his own troops. What he did next is a lesson for us in finding hope in a desperate crisis. 1 Samuel 30 is where you will find the account. We need to seek to hear God’s voice to each of us, because another proverb reminds us that “As sparks fly upward, so man is born to trouble.” Or the one that goes, “Mama said it was goin’ to rain!”
Where will you find hope in a desperate crisis? Our focus this week will be on dealing with fear as followers of Christ. Sermon Notes Series: Finding Hope When Your Life is on Fire! Message: Finding Hope in Desperate Crises Pastor Roger Freeman August 15, 2021 1 Samuel 30
—
I Find Hope in Desperate Crises When I:
—
- Remember God’s Promises
1 Samuel 30:6
a) identity b) experience Psalm 56:4 Psalm 56:11 1 Samuel 30:6 c) relationship ‘The God of Israel’-that is wide, general; and a man might use it and yet fail to feel that it implied that each individual of the community stood by himself in a personal relation to God. Alexander McLaren Think, too, of the contrast of the thoughts and emotions suggested by ‘My God,’ and by ‘the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob.’ Great as that name is, it carries the mind away back into the past, and speaks of a historical relation in former days, which may or may not continue in all its tenderness and sweetness and power into the prosaic present. Alexander McLaren Psalm 23:1 Psalm 73:23-26 Psalm 18:2 Psalm 27:1 Psalm 31:1-5 Psalm 27:14 Psalm 31:24 d) overcoming fear and anxiety When anxiety strikes, we focus so much on the situation and our feelings that we lose focus on God, or we accept a skewed view of God. Bob Kellemen Ephesians 6:10 John 14:27 Psalm 23:1 1 Samuel 30:6
—
- Recognize God’s Direction
Finding God’s direction involves: Command – “Do everything without grumbling or disputing.” (Phil. 2:14) Principle – “Through love serve one another.” (Gal. 5:13) Example – “It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.” (2 Thess. 3:9) Wisdom - “A wise son hears his father’s instruction.” (Prov. 13:1) Counsel – “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” (Prov. 15:22) Choice – “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” (Prov. 16:9)
—
- Reflect God’s Character
1 Samuel 30:23 1 Samuel 30:20 Philippians 2:1-2
Less a model for morality and more a mirror for identity. Sidney Greidanus
When I find myself in a crisis, where do I find hope? Remember God’s Promises. “The Lord is MY shepherd!” I belong to Christ! Recognize God’s Direction. Our choices are made in the context of faith in Christ! Reflect God’s Character. We are a community bound together by life in Christ!
Let’s be honest, sometimes it is hard to find Hope. When we are in desperate circumstances or when we are in a crisis, it is difficult to see anything but darkness and danger. David was living in that place but he “strengthened himself in the LORD his God.” For the next two weeks we will be looking at some incidents in the life of King David that show us how to find hope in desperate circumstances and how to find hope in a desperate crisis. This week’s challenge is found in 1 Samuel 27 and 29. Yes, that is two full chapters we are moving through! We are going to develop a plan for handling desperate circumstances! Our focus will be doing so in line with our identity and values as followers of Christ. Sermon Notes Series: Finding Hope When Your Life is on Fire! Message: Finding Hope in Desperate Circumstances Pastor Roger Freeman August 8, 2021 1 Samuel 27, 29
—
I Find Hope in Desperate Circumstances When I Prioritize:
—
- Seeking Safety Psalm 27:1-2
—
- Settling Stability
Redwood Park Communities www.redwoodparkcommunities.com
—
- Sharpening Strategies
The primary concern of the spiritual life isn’t what we do for God, but what God has done for us. - Eugene Peterson
And what I want to say is this: God is perfectly capable of working out his purposes in our lives even when we can’t lift a finger to help. Better yet, God is faithfully working out our salvation even when every time we lift a finger it seems to contribute to the wrong side, the Philistine side. – Eugene Peterson
—
- Seeing Solutions
Show me the evidence! Any good lawyer working a case, researcher digging into the past, scientist unravelling a mystery of the world, or parent hearing an outrageous claim of their child, knows that you need to ask, “where’s the proof?” What can you show me to prove the reality of what you’re claiming? What evidence do I need to gather to make a well-informed decision as to what I’ve heard, seen, or felt? Many of us were taught to look for all the information, to hear both sides of the story, and yet we often fall prey to believing something or jumping to a conclusion without doing the digging necessary. Unfortunately, this makes its way into our relationships with Jesus all too often.
We easily fall prey to laziness in our faith and fail to take the steps necessary to ensure that we are truly, actively walking with Christ. Instead of asking ourselves, “where’s the proof of faith in my life?” we rest on past confessions, allow people's posts on Facebook to bring us to conclusions on what we believe, and give other people the task of discipling our families. This kind of faith-apathy is a kiss of death to the church, to our influence in the world, and to our fellowship with God.
This Sunday we’ll look at Ephesians chapter 2, one of the classic gospel passages, jam-packed full of incredible theological truth. We will take a deep dive into our own lives and ask ourselves, “where’s the evidence that I’m walking with Christ?” Coming out of the last 18 months, I pray that God uses this time together to open our eyes to the things we’ve been blind to and incite in us a renewed passion and fervour for the “good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Sermon Notes
Alive with Christ Jordan Coros August 1, 2021 Ephesians 2:1-10
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Where’s the evidence that I’m walking with Christ?
—
- Am I aware of how lost I was?
Mr. Worldly-Wiseman is not an ancient relic of the past. He is everywhere today, disguising his heresy and error by proclaiming the gospel of contentment and peace achieved by self-satisfaction and works. If he mentions Christ, it is not as the Saviour who took our place, but as a good example of an exemplary life. Do we need a good example to rescue us, or do we need a Savior? Jon Bunyan, The Pilgrims Progress
Genesis 8:21
Wrath is God’s settled stance against sin—the response demanded when holiness encounters sin and evil. William Klein
—
- Am I awestruck by what he did to save me?
Therefore, when we look at the ministry of Christ in the four Gospels, we are seeing what “rich in mercy” looks like—how “rich in mercy” talks, how it conducts itself toward sinners, how it moves toward sufferers. Jesus not only proved that God is rich in mercy by going to the cross and dying in our place to secure that mercy. Jesus also shows us how God’s richness in mercy actually looks and speaks. Dane Ortlund
Acts 7:55
—
- Am I active in working for him?
Salvation is not from works, but it is surely for works. Klyne Snograss
Matthew 7:14
James 2:17
We know the Scriptures so little. And if we’re really honest, we love the Lord Jesus so little as well, that if someone put us into a room with no distractions and said, “I just want you to sit there and think about the Lord Jesus for five minutes,” many Evangelical Christians in the Western world would find that an enormous trial, because we don’t know five minutes’ worth of the Lord Jesus. Sinclair Ferguson, Ligonier National Conference, 2015.
I’m not sure if you know that God’s best work has always been done through unexpected and ordinary people. David was a shepherd. Moses was the adopted prince of a king. Peter, Andrew, James, and John were fisherman. Matthew collected taxes. Another disciple was a revolutionary. Not to mention Rahab who helped save Israel’s spies or the unnamed woman at the well who evangelized her town. When you think about it, there’s no accounting for what God might do in and through unexpected and ordinary people.Stephen was one such person: a Greek-speaking Jewish man who was chosen with six others to organize the effort to serve meals to widows. What follows that selection is evidence that God does remarkable and amazing things through ordinary people. And as we look at Acts 6:8-15 this Sunday, we’ll be challenged to see that we too could be that ordinary person that God uses. Everything we see in Stephen can be true of any of us too. Be ready to hear God’s Word and be challenged.Sermon NotesThe Book of ActsThe Face of an AngelPastor Todd DugardJuly 25, 2021Acts 6:8-15—There’s no accounting for what God might do in and through you (v. 15)—…if you are filled with his grace and power (v. 8)The 5 C’s of Leadership: CharacterCompetencyCapacityChemistryConvictionDon’t let your gift take you where your character can’t keep you. Anonymous1 Timothy 4:16—…if you accept that you will face opposition (v. 9)1 Peter 2:8—…if you know the Word of God (v. 10)My last words to the world - John Lennox: https://youtu.be/OBtaTckF0G4Discipleship in the Age of Conspiracy Theories: https://www.nae.net/discipleship-age-of-conspiracy-theories/The Word of God is given to us to make eternal things real, and we need to spend time immersed in it, prayerfully reading it with other people and alone.John Lennox—…If you have the integrity to withstand false accusations (v. 11-14)If you take care of yourself and walk with integrity, you may be confident that God will deal with those who sin against you. Above all, don't give birth to sin yourself; rather, pray for those who persecute you. God will one day turn your persecution into praise. Warren WiersbeRomans 12:1
Some people get all bent out of shape when churches go through hard times. Many will leave a struggling church thinking they can find a more perfect one down the road. Foolish. Conflict and controversy, division and difficulties are, in fact, normal. The basic rule is this: if there are people, there are problems. And as we turn to Acts 6:1-7, we’ll see that the very first church, within weeks of its launch, was already experiencing conflict. Complaints were being made and the Apostles were drawn away from frontline ministry to deal with the internal issue. I find that both encouraging and discouraging. Encouraging because we’re not unique in that we have faced some significant issues over our twenty years, but also discouraging that even Christians, who have the Holy Spirit, can get it wrong and hurt each other. In the passage, we’ll see that whenever a church faces conflict and difficulties, we can and must personally contribute to a biblical, godly resolution. There will be lots of practical application in this message with respect to being part of this messed-up church that God has put us in for his glory not ours. Sermon NotesThe Book of ActsAppoint to this dutyPastor Todd DugardJuly 18, 2021Acts 6:1-7—Whenever a church faces conflict or difficulties, I contribute to the resolution by…—…identifying issues to be addressed (v. 1-2)We all must put down our ignorance and accidental racism of not addressing the truth that this country has with Indigenous people. Chief Cadmus Delorme, Cowessess First NationBy divinely-directed delegation, the apostles not only freed others to grow in their service to God, but they freed themselves for prayer, preparation, and powerful preaching! Thus the spiritual ministry of the church was enhanced. R. Kent Hughes—…seeking to be part of the solution (v. 3-5)Ephesians 4:11-12It is the responsibility of the leadership of the church to leverage the strength of the members of the church to resolve issues within the church which threaten the mission given to the church by Jesus Christ, the head of the church.The best protection one can have from the devil and his schemes is a humble heart. Jonathan Edwards—…praying for those in leadership (v. 6)—…anticipating God’s continued work (v. 7)
We make so many decisions in our lives, and often we are left wondering if the choice we made was “of God” or not. How can we know? It is not always clear from the results because God retains sovereign control over all things and may, for his own reasons, produce good things from bad decisions and even challenge us with adversity from good decisions. So, how can we know?In Acts 5:33-42, the scene with the Apostles before the Jewish council continues. The high priest and many others are livid at the gospel that Peter and the Apostles have once again articulated. They’re offended by the accusatory implications and are threatened by their boldness. And their emotions were leading them along a path to further destruction when a man of wisdom among them, Gamaliel, walked them through a more reasonable approach that brought needed perspective which was ultimately grounded in God’s sovereignty. In this episode and in his counsel, we find a pattern for determining what is “of God” and what is not. Sermon NotesThe Book of ActsIf it is of GodPastor Todd DugardJuly 11, 2021Acts 5:33-42 — Seven questions to determine whether or not my choices are “of God.” — Q1. Have I let my emotions drive me? (v. 33) Individual decisions are best understood as the interactions between reason and emotion. When we are calm, slow rational thinking guides our decisions. However, strong emotions place a constraint on clear thinking…Certain vulnerable situations tend to trigger impulsive choices. Dr. Shahram Heshmat, Psychology Today — Q2. Have I sought wise counsel? (v. 34-35) Proverbs 1:52 Timothy 3:162 Timothy 4:3 — Q3. Have I learned from the past? (v. 36-37) Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. George Santayana 1 Corinthians 10:11aEcclesiastes 1:9 — Q4. Have I considered all the options? (v. 38-39) — Q5. Have I committed to the decision? (v. 40) — Q6. Have I surrendered to God’s will? (v. 41) Four States of the Christian Life1. I am obedient and blessed (grace or reward)2. I am obedient and suffering (higher purpose)3. I am disobedient and blessed (grace and mercy) 4. I am disobedient and suffering (judgment or discipline) — Q7. Have I kept my focus on the gospel mission? (v. 42)
We’re coming out of a unique season. The global pandemic of the past 16 months has etched this generation into the history books. We can say that, “We were there when.” Similarly, the Book of Acts is about the first disciples of Jesus and the first churches to be planted. It is the account of people on mission, empowered by the Holy Spirit; a generation that was etched into history. There is no parallel to the history-altering impact of those who preached and spread the message of the gospel to the end of the earth.Our study in Acts was interrupted by the pandemic in March 2020. All these months later, we return to it with message #15, “We must obey God rather than men;” a curious passage to have paused at given the government restrictions we have complied with. It is our firm contention that we have not failed to fulfill our mission and obey the Lord through this time. We were never compelled to compromise the gospel or what it means to be the church. Further, we have seen this time as a period of refinement and growth, and are leaning in to embrace the mission in an even greater way in the days ahead.Sermon NotesThe Book of ActsWe must obey God rather than menPastor Todd DugardJuly 4, 2021Acts 5:12-32 —Obedience – submission to authority or reason; conforming to what has been advised or commanded. Loud & Nida When I obey God above all others… — …I will see his Spirit move (v. 12–16) — …I will face ongoing, even intense, opposition (v. 17–18; 21b–26) Controversy for the sake of controversy is sin. Controversy for the sake of truth is a divine command. Walter R. Martin— …I will carry on the mission as a witness of Christ (v. 19–21a) — …I will experience a holy boldness (v. 27–32)
As we open the word together, we’ll finish up Psalm 139. We are set to hear the second message declaring this word – I am fully free. The basis for our freedom as worshippers is God’s complete knowledge of who we are and his acceptance of us through Jesus Christ. In this freedom we can further contemplate our relationship with God and pursue his will for our lives without apology. We gain stunning confidence as we are reassured that God continues to know and lead us through every day of our lives. The best way to get ready for this message is to read through Psalm 139 and pray that you would hear from God. Sermon NotesSearch Me, O God:I am Fully FreePastor Dwayne FrancoisJune 27, 2021Psalm 139:16-24—I’m a fully free worshipper when I…—…think deeply about God (Psalm 139:17-18)"One central goal of a Christian education is a breadth of vision that, in a very pale way, corresponds to and celebrates the extraordinary variety of God's creative acts. In modern education, it is the distinctive function of the liberal arts to promote that synoptic vision. The pursuit of the liberal arts, thus, ought to be an act of piety for the Christian, a celebration of God's overflowing bounty in creation. And it also follows that the liberal arts must include representatives of the entire range of disciplines, professional and non-professional. The content of the liberal arts curriculum most not be determined solely by the practical demands of preparing to earn a living; rather the curriculum must also reflect the theological commitments of the Christian faith." - Stephen T. Franklin—…hate what he hates and love what he loves (Psalm 139:19-22)1 John 4:7-8Proverbs 6:16—…open my heart to him completely (Psalm 139:23-24)Philippians 2:13 2 Corinthians 3:17 2 Corinthians 13:5
We're starting a two week look at Psalm 139 to learn about being fully known (this weekend) and fully free (June 27). The first passages of this Psalm declare the wonder of being known completely by a God who is aware of all we do, think, and say. He knows every place we’ve been and will go. He sees every step in between. God is never confused about you. Never jumps to the wrong conclusion. There’s no pretense. No prejudice. No misunderstandings. He gets you. He loves you and he will lead you – if you submit to him. For David, meditating on how well God knew him brought confidence as he submitted his life in worship. As we look at these verses together, I hope you’ll share his experience and fully submit to God, who fully knows you.Sermon NotesSearch Me, O God:I am Fully KnownPastor Dwayne FrancoisJune 20, 2021Psalm 139:1-15—I’m a fully known worshipper when I am…—…guided by God’s intimate care (v 1-6)—…trusting in God’s loving watchfulness (v. 7-12)—…rejoicing in God’s wonderful work (v. 13-16)---It's so unusual, it's frighteningYou see right through the mess inside meAnd you call me out to pull me inYou tell me I can start againAnd I don't need to keep on hidingI'm fully known and loved by YouYou won't let go, no matter what I doAnd it's not one or the otherIt's hard truth and ridiculous graceTo be known, fully known, and loved by YouI'm fully known and loved by You“Known” by Tauren Wells---Basic emotions:https://hbc.info/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/emotion-wheel.pngEmotional wheel:https://hbc.info/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Robert-Plutchik-Wheel-Of-Emotion-1-1200x856-1.png
We have already come to the end of our brief but impactful journey into Jonah’s life and ministry. This little narrative has impressed us with the piety of the sailors in chapter 1 and the wholesale repentance of the Ninevites in chapter 3. It has also repeatedly shown us a God who pours out his relentless mercy on undeserving sinners. For his part, Jonah is unimpressive. The narrative is satire, and Jonah is the anti-hero. In reading the account, we’re being encouraged to not be like Jonah. Don’t challenge his will. Don’t cry crocodile tears. Don’t comply half-heartedly. And, what we’ll see in chapter 4, don’t complain bitterly about what God might choose to do. The story ends strangely with God posing a question to Jonah, but with no reply from the prophet. The author intends for us to pick up the question and to consider whether we’re like Jonah in any way. The question, like all other aspects of the narrative, show us the true hero of this book, God, and his relentless mercy toward us. Read Jonah again (remember, it takes just 7-8 minutes to read the whole book). For a full recap of the series, check out the always impressive Bible Project overview of Jonah.Sermon NotesThe God of Second Chances (Jonah)When I complain bitterly, God reaches outTodd Dugard // Jonah 4 When God does not do things the way I think he should, I must ask myself… — 1. Why am I so upset with what he’s doing? (4:1-2a) John 10:16— 2. What qualities of God do I need to remind myself of? (4:2b) — 3. Am I descending into a dark place? (4:3, 5, 8, 9) You could write a song about some kind of emotional problem you’re having, but it would not be a good song, in my eyes, until it went through a period of sensitivity to a moment of clarity. Without that moment of clarity to contribute to the song, it’s just complaining.Joni Mitchell— 4. Do I think I deserve the good things that I receive from God? (4:6-7) GRACE is getting what you do not deserve, MERCY is not getting what you do deserve.— 5. Do I realize that God is reaching out to me in his mercy? (4:4, 10-11) Fallen, anxious sinners are limitless in their capacity to perceive reasons for Jesus to cast them out. We are factories of fresh resistances to Christ’s love...[but] with Christ, our sins and weaknesses are the very résumé items that qualify us to approach him.Dave Ortlund, Gentle and Lowly
It would seem to me that complying half-heartedly is a fairly common occurrence for many Christians. As every parent knows, it is a fairly common occurrence with the children we raise. They’ll obey, but with the sourest of faces, and worst of attitudes. There’s little doubt that God the Father sees the same thing in his kids. Jonah, in fact, is the best example we have in the Bible of that very thing. As I stated in the first two messages, the Book of Jonah is satire. Jonah is an anti-hero. You don’t want to be like Jonah. In chapter 1, he fled God’s mission. In chapter 2, he’s partially rescued but utters a prayer that is tone deaf to the realities of his situation. And this week, in chapter 3, we’ll see a prophet who does what God asks of him but who only does the bare minimum. Just enough to say he obeyed God. And the unexpected, shocking plot twist in this chapter will leave Jonah in a tough place as we head into chapter 4 next week.Bottom line: God wants our heart and not simply our outward compliance. That’s what we’ll see in this message. Prepare for that by watching or listening to the previous messages if you missed one or both. Read the book of Jonah again. It takes just seven or eight minutes. Pray for the Holy Spirit to be using this in our lives to show his relentless mercy and call us to greater faithfulness to God. Sermon NotesThe God of Second Chances (Jonah)When I comply half-heartedly, God rebukesTodd Dugard // Jonah 3 Proverbs 27:19I Samuel 16:7b God wants his children to show wholehearted devotion not half-hearted compliance to his Word. — • Listen to what he says (v. 1-2) James 1:22,25 — • Do what he says (v. 3a) — • Put your heart into what he says (v. 3b-4) 1 Timothy 2:4 — • Expect him to act in keeping with what he says (v. 5-10) 1 John 4:8b
How much of our pain is self-inflicted? I don’t mean that in the sense of masochism, but simply that we make choices and then face the consequences of those choices. That is exactly the situation that the prophet Jonah found himself in. As we look at Jonah 2, we find this servant of God in the belly of “a great fish” crying out to God in the midst of his self-inflicted pain. And despite the fact that Jonah had challenged God’s will (last week’s message) and then prayed a fairly feeble prayer, God rescues him for purposes that transcend the immediate crisis. Once again, there’s so much for us to hear in this message, and I’m looking forward to working through it with you. Sermon NotesThe God of Second Chances (Jonah)When I cry out in pain, God rescuesTodd Dugard // Jonah 2 God stands ready to hear my prayer and rescue me from my hardship even when it is self-inflicted. So, I should… — • Go to him in desperate prayer (v. 1-2, 5-9) Isaiah 55:8–9 I remembered the Lord // Then God remembered Noah The salient point is not that he remembered YHWH, but that YHWH remembered him.Kevin Youngblood Romans 8:26 — • Acknowledge his obvious sovereignty (v. 3-4a) Romans 8:28 — • Cling to hope (v. 4b) Hebrews 10:23 — • Anticipate his perfect response (v. 10)When I cry out in pain, God rescuesTodd Dugard // Jonah 2 God stands ready to hear my prayer and rescue me from my hardship even when it is self-inflicted. So, I should… — • Go to him in desperate prayer (v. 1-2, 5-9) Isaiah 55:8–9 I remembered the Lord // Then God remembered Noah The salient point is not that he remembered YHWH, but that YHWH remembered him.Kevin Youngblood Romans 8:26 — • Acknowledge his obvious sovereignty (v. 3-4a) Romans 8:28 — • Cling to hope (v. 4b) Hebrews 10:23 — • Anticipate his perfect response (v. 10)
Those with a strong will, a rebellious streak, or who like to challenge authority will find a like-minded character in the prophet Jonah. Sadly, people who claim special status from God and look down on unbelievers will also identify with him, as will know-it-alls who claim to know exactly how God works in the world and how he feels about people. Jonah was on the wrong side of so many things. Among the twelve Minor Prophets (Hosea to Malachi in the Old Testament), Jonah stands alone as a biography of a prophet rather than a record of his prophecies. Though it is a biopic, what is truly remarkable about this short book is what it says about God, not Jonah. Despite Jonah’s stubborn refusals to get in line with God’s will, he is nevertheless the recipient of God’s relentless mercy toward him. The surprising twist in this short narrative puts the spotlight squarely on God’s kindness in the face of the prophet’s repeated failures. There’s awesome news in that for us. We, like Jonah, fail constantly. As we approach the book, we’ll ask if, in any way, our lives reflect the poor decisions and rotten attitude that Jonah displayed, and then we’ll be confronted with the choice to lean hard on the God of second, third, fourth, and fifth chances as he pours out his relentless mercy and love on us. Sermon NotesThe God of Second Chances (Jonah)When I challenge his will, God respondsTodd Dugard // Jonah 1If I insist on challenging God’s known will for me, he will respond in order to get my attention.—When I challenge God’s will…—…I hear and understand his Word (v. 1-2)Some people are troubled by the things in the Bible they can’t understand. What troubles me are the things I can understand.Anonymous—…I refuse to obey it (v. 3a)—…I have no conscience about that choice (v. 5b-6)—…I dig my heels in even as he pushes on me (v. 7-12)—And God responds by allowing …—…me to challenge him (v. 3b)—…circumstances that impede my plans (v. 4-5a)—…people around me to be affected by my choices (v. 13-16)—…a way out despite my continued stubbornness (v. 17)Matthew 12:40–41
We need some good days to look forward to, right church? Let’s admit to ourselves that representing Jesus in a world that opposes his work is tiring. The lockdown makes everything harder. In places where tension between the church and government has increased, it may be difficult to recall the last time you had an easy moment as a believer. Let’s face it, the social/political struggles find their way into our lives even if we do our best to avoid them. Do you long for a sense of ease and peace to return to your life? I have longed for that. I think I’m craving it. I need a good day. 1 Peter 3:8-12 reminds us of the promise of good days to come. He tells us how to bring that promise into the situations where we struggle with people while we represent Christ. I look forward to helping apply his teaching or our lives.Sermon NotesIf you would see good days…Dwayne Francois1 Peter 3:8-12If you are tired of the struggle with people and want to see good days…1. Be in love with God’s people (1 Peter 3:8)Definition:τέλος telos; from a primary τέλλω tellō (to set out for a definite point or goal); properly, the point aimed at as a limit5 tension relieving expressions of uncommon community- Agreement (intentional cooperation)- Sympathy (no emotional isolation)- Goodwill (mutual peace, support, trust)- Affection (emotional vulnerability, obvious fondness)- Humility (willing to be low, least, last)2. Stop retaliating over offenses (1 Pete 3:9a,10-12; 1 Peter 2:21-23)3. Bless the world because of your calling (1 Peter 3:9b; 1 Peter 2:9-10)“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”- Frederick Buechner
It was only a few weeks ago that Harvest was accepted into full membership with Acts 29 Canada. We are excited about what’s ahead for us as we dive into this new community of churches who are committed to the centrality of the gospel and the mission to plant churches everywhere. Acts 29 is a diverse, global community of healthy, multiplying churches characterized by theological clarity, cultural engagement, and missional innovation. On Sunday during the teaching time, I’ll be helping us get familiarized with our new family by looking at why Acts 29 exists, what we believe, want to be known for, and how we measure success. The Apostle Paul writes that, “We are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9). The Lord is doing a great work around the world, and he has invited us to play a part in his work and led us to do it in partnership with Acts 29. I’m looking forward to looking at it with you.Sermon NotesThis is Acts 29April 25, 2021This is Acts 29Todd Dugard1 Corinthians 3:9We can accomplish more gospel work together than we ever could apart. Jesus never intended for us to function as lone wolves, but as partners, labouring side-by-side for institutional health and gospel advancement. Whether it's ministry initiatives, gospel communities, community engagement, leadership development, or sermon preparation, all our gospel work is now the direct result of a team effort. We are in this disciple-making, church-building, gospel-advancing work together. Matthew KruseAs God’s fellow workers, we want to see him work through us so that more people will be saved and more churches will be planted.—Acts 29 exists as…Acts 29 is a diverse, global community of healthy, multiplying churches characterized by theological clarity, cultural engagement, and missional innovation—Acts 29 believes in…Acts 29 stands in the tradition of historic evangelical confessionalism.We believe in...- Gospel centrality in all of life- The sovereignty of God in saving sinners- The work of the Holy Spirit for life and ministry- The equality of men and women and the principle of male servant leadership- The local church as God's primary mission strategy—Acts 29 wants to be known for…We want to be known for:- Planting healthy, multiplying churches- Pursuing holiness and humility- Being a radically diverse and global community- Praying for conversions through evangelism—Acts 29 looks at success as…1 Corinthians 3:7We will succeed to the extent that we:- Recruit church planters dedicated to leading healthy, multiplying churches- Assess men based on core competencies to lead healthy, multiplying churches- Develop men who are planting or leading healthy, multiplying churches through coaching, training, and supportWe can accomplish more gospel work together than we ever could apart.Acts29.com
We conclude our series this Sunday with this final message, The Promise of the Christ, that looks at the hope we have of the coming Kingdom of God. For those who are excited about future things and biblical prophecy, this message will be rooted entirely in the Book of Revelation. This final crisis of the Christ will compel us as Christians to respond to the events of the last days as God faces down evil and ushers in his Kingdom on earth.Sermon NotesThe Crises of the ChristGod's necessary work; humanity's only hopeApril 18, 2021The Promise of the ChristTodd DugardVarious ScripturesAs a Christian, I eagerly await the promise of Christ’s kingdom because it…—…gives me hope: Jesus is coming back as KingRevelation 1:7; 19:11-16; 22:20Romans 3:10-12—…increases my faith: The signs point to it happening soonRevelation 6-19Mark 13:22-23—…builds my endurance: I can make it to the endRevelation 2:2-3; 2:9-10; 2:19; 3:10; 14:12—…compels my witness: Everyone needs to know thisRevelation 1:1-3, 9-11; 22:10, 17
As we continue in our Crises of the Christ series, we’ll look at the circumstances surrounding the ascension of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in a message titled “The Provision of the Christ.” It’s another amazing topic to consider as we look at the reality of the indwelling Holy Spirit active in those who claim Christ as Lord. The Scriptures we’ll look at together will provoke us to consider our engagement with the mission of Jesus, and the unity that we have as the body of Christ. Given the lack of unity we see in the world (and in the church, quite frankly) today, there will be much for us to consider this week.Sermon NotesThe Crises of the ChristGod's necessary work; humanity's only hopeApril 11, 2021The Provision of the ChristJordan CorosVarious ScripturesMatthew 6:8As a Christian, I am indwelt by the Spirit…—1) …empowered for mission (Acts 1:5, 8; Acts 2:1-4)Pastor Todd's message from Acts 2:https://www.harvestbarrie.ca/sermons/a-mighty-rushing-wind/Matthew 28:20John 14:26—2) …united with the church (Ephesians 4:4-8; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19)Unity checklist:1. Am I serving gladly?2. Am I connected relationally?3. Am I ready to welcome others in? 4. Am I a pleasure to disagree with?—3) …and one with Christ (Romans 8:9-11)John 15:26Thus it is that while the youngest believer may seem to be in possession of all the facts concerning Christ; as years pass, through the varied disciplines of life, and the operation of an abiding communion, it is seen that the things known were hardly known and the facts recognized were imperfectly realized; and gradually and yet surely with the passing of the years, through every window, new light is streaming, and new meanings are dawning to the soul...All these things, however, are only learned as to their fullness of value, and of meaning, as the Spirit reveals them according to the demand of occasion, and the capacity of the learner.G. Campbell Morgan
These have been difficult days for many and our lives have been upended by this pandemic. Yet the message of hope in Christ has been the one constant. It is the message of salvation that has been with us since the Creation. On Easter Sunday, as we celebrate the resurrection, I’ll lead us through the Scriptures to see that as Christians, we must long to be in the presence of Christ as he longs for us to be with him. Everything God has done in history centred on the cross and the empty tomb, with the aim of bringing us back into personal, close, intimate, face-to-face relationship with our God. In a year when restrictions have limited our contact with each other, God continues to offer us himself and the hope of eternity with no restrictions. Sermon NotesThe Crises of the ChristGod's necessary work; humanity's only hope Easter Sunday - April 4, 2021The Presence of the ChristTodd DugardVarious Scriptures As a Christian, I long to be in the presence of Christ as he longs for me to be in his presence. • The intention: “The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.” Exodus 33:11 • The disruption: “The man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God.” Genesis 3:8 • The consequence: “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God.” Isaiah 59:2 • The intervention: “God with us.” Matthew 1:23 • The setback: “He breathed his last.” Luke 23:46 • The victory: “I have seen the Lord.” John 20:18 • The provision: “Lo I am with you.” Matthew 28:20 • The restoration: “Behold the dwelling place of God is with man.” Revelation 21:3
Parades celebrating wartime victory and the coronation of a sovereign have been common throughout history. The events allow citizens to enter into the joy of triumph and the accession of kings and queens to the throne. Such times encourage, build up, and strength peoples and nations. In each of the gospels, we have the account of what is known as, “the triumphal entry,” Jesus’ Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem to the praise and adulation of the people who greeted him as their king. For most that day it was pure joy as hope consumed the city. For others—political and religious leaders—it represented an existential threat to their power. As the people shouted “Hosanna,” Jesus knew he was provoking a new crisis. As we look at Luke 19:28-40, John 12:12-19, and 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 in this message we’ll hear that as Christians, we are to join Christ’s procession celebrating final victory over sin and death. Sermon Notes The Crises of the ChristGod's necessary work; humanity's only hopeMarch 28, 2021The Procession of the ChristTodd DugardLuke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19; 2 Corinthians 2:14-17As a Christian, I join Christ’s procession celebrating final victory over sin and death. Thus, I am…—…on mission for Christ (Luke 19:28; 2 Corinthians 2:14–17)Acts 1:8—…under the authority of Christ (Luke 19:29–35a)Zechariah 9:9—…savvy to the fickleness of people (Luke 19:35b–38; John 12:18)—…holding to the truth under intense pressure (Luke 19:39–40; John 12:19)
The Crises of the ChristGod’s necessary work; humanity’s only hope Do we wonder at what it cost? Do we think often enough of the sacrifice that was made? Do we approach the works of Christ—among them the cross and the empty tomb—too casually, aware of the story but desensitized to the divine implications? The account of the life of Christ is well known to many of us. But does it stir us? Change us? G. Campbell Morgan, a 20th century English preacher wrote in his book, The Crises of the Christ (the inspiration for this series), “Indeed, the beauty of the life [of Christ] itself is only fully appreciated when it is seen as related in its every part to this mighty movement of God towards the redemption of man.” In other words, we will only appreciate what Jesus accomplished on our behalf when we closely and carefully examine each crisis that he endured and see the benefit we have gained as a result. This series of messages will leave us in awe of our Saviour and God.Sermon NotesThe Crises of the ChristGod's necessary work; humanity's only hopeMarch 14, 2021The Purpose of the ChristJordan Coros—As a Christian, I share in the purpose for which Christ came.—1. As a prophet, proclaiming truth to the lost (John 1:1-5; 14:9; Hebrews 1:1-2)Deuteronomy 18:15John 1:14Luke 4:18Luke 4:43Matthew 28:19–202 Timothy 2:2—2. As a priest, offering myself as a sacrifice (Hebrews 7:27; 9:11-14; Romans 8:34)Hebrews 4:15Being evangelistically great is not the goal, being evangelistically available and fruitful is the goal.Shaila VisserWill I sacrifice.....my time?...my money?...my gifts?...my future?...my comfort?—3. As a king, exercising God-given authority (John 18:36; Ephesians 1:20-22; Philippians 2:10)Matthew 16:19Revelation 3:21One of the unique differences between the Christians of the New Testament and those of today is their attitude toward their relation with Christ. They saw Him as supreme ruler and themselves as slaves in comparison. Perhaps if we had a similar biblical conviction today we would see similar biblical results.Elmer TownsRevelation 22:4–5
We are wrapping up our series in Romans 1-8. As we surveyed through this beautiful section of Scripture, I hope that you have all gained a sense of, “The Power of the Gospel” in your own life. These final verses bring everything to a climactic close! When the Apostle writes, “What shall we say to these things?” in the opening line, he means all that we’ve read and studied in all eight chapters. And the resulting answer is actually a series of rhetorical questions that exalt the Christ for his saving love toward us. The closing words assure us that nothing, “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The gospel is Christ himself. He embodies the good news that we have been given.
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Sermon NotesThe Power of the Gospel (Romans 1-8)The Gospel is ChristTodd DugardRomans 8:31-39Sunday, March 7, 2021Our religion is not Christianity so much as Christ. Our gospel is the knowledge, not of a system, but the saving knowledge of a personal Saviour.James H. AugheyIt’s undeniable; the gospel is Christ himself._All facets of the gospel centre on him (v. 31a)The Gospel is...Power Truth Wrath ResistedSubstitution Faith Peace GraceFreedom Righteousness Life StruggleSpirit Adoption Hope Christ_All challengers to the gospel fall before him (v. 31b)If the devil were wise enough and would stand by in silence and let the Gospel be preached, he would suffer less harm. For when there is no battle for the Gospel it rusts and it finds no cause and no occasion to show its vigour and power. Therefore, nothing better can befall the Gospel than that the world should fight it with force and cunning.Martin Luther1 Peter 5:8b_All benefits of the gospel come from him (v. 32-36)The benefits of the gospel:1. His strong defence of you 2. His saving provision for you 3. His urgent pleading for you 4. His loving protection of you_All certainties of the gospel are found in him (v. 37-39)1 John 4:8Romans 10:9–10
Many of you might find yourself reciting verses from memory that appear in this Sunday’s passage. Romans 8 is a remarkable chapter in the Bible and one that we go to time and again for understanding and comfort. We’ve bitten off a good chunk for this Sunday as we look at Romans 8:18-30 under the theme of “The Gospel is Hope.” Earlier in Romans 5:5, Paul assured his readers that they (and we) have a hope that, “does not put us to shame,” that does not disappoint. Returning to that thought in this week’s passage, he says that hope helps us to see the world as it is, encourages us to be patient as we await God’s final fulfillment, pushes us to depend on the Holy Spirit, and gives us an unshakeable confidence in God’s plan. I’m eager to look into these things with you on Sunday.Sermon NotesThe Power of the Gospel (Romans 1-8)The Gospel is HopeTodd DugardRomans 8:18-30Sunday, February 28, 2021Gospel hope means…_…acceptance of what is (v. 18-23)The “frustration” of the created order lay in its inability (due to human sin) to fulfill its intended goal or purpose.O. Bauernfeind_…patience in the waiting (v. 24-25)Hope is a confident expectation and desire for good things in the future.John Piper_…reliance on the Spirit (v. 26-27)_…confidence in God’s plan (v. 28-30)It is not to deny that we ‘decided for Christ’, and freely, but to affirm that we did so only because he had first ‘decided for us’.John Stott
One of the most beautiful moves that a person, couple, or family can make is to adopt a child. The welcoming of a little girl or boy into one’s life and home delivers immeasurable benefits and blessings for the child, the family, and, it is not an exaggeration to say, society as a whole.Adoption, on its face, is among the most profound expressions of sacrificial love we will ever see. And it is adoption that comes into focus as we look at Romans 8:12-17 this Sunday. Not the adoption of a child into a home, but that of repentant sinners into the family of God. The Apostle writes that we, “Have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [and daughters], by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” Our state as sinners is that of orphan. The kindness of God in sending his Son to die on the cross made possible the forgiveness of our sins, our adoption into his family, and the receiving of the unimaginable, eternal benefits that result from our God doing this for us. This too is “The Power of the Gospel” in our lives.Complete LivestreamSermon NotesThe Power of the Gospel (Romans 1-8)The Gospel is AdoptionTodd DugardRomans 8:12-17Sunday, February 21, 2021When I am adopted into God’s family…_I owe nothing to my former self (v. 12-13)_I embrace my new identity (v. 14)_I fear no judgement for my sin (v. 15a)Revelation 12:10_I enjoy an intimate relationship with my Father (v. 15b-16)Jo Saxton"When it's hard to call God Father"Christianity Todayhttps://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2015/june-web-only/when-its-hard-to-call-god-father.html (pay wall)https://www.josaxton.com/notes/2012/06/17/reflecting-on-fathers-dayAlso search "Jo Saxton" on Right Now Media (https://www.harvestbarrie.ca/teaching/rightnowmedia/)God is insistent. He can reach us no matter what our earthly dads are like. Jeff Peabody_I eagerly await my glorious inheritance (v. 17)This life, therefore, is not righteousness but growth in righteousness, not health but healing, not being but becoming, not rest but exercise; we are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it; the process is not yet finished, but it is going on; this is not the end, but it is the road; all does not yet gleam with glory, but all is being purified.Martin Luther
We’re in the homestretch of our 16-week series in Romans 1-8, The Power of the Gospel. This last part features four messages in chapter 8, one of the most impactful passages in the Scriptures. And as we look at Romans 8:1-11 this Sunday, we’ll see that The Gospel is Spirit. That is to say, it is about everyone who is in Christ being controlled by the Spirit and not the flesh. The challenge of “the two yous” that we looked at in the last message will come into greater clarity as we see that, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”Sermon NotesThe Power of the Gospel (Romans 1-8)The Gospel is SpiritTodd DugardRomans 8:1-11Sunday, February 14, 2021When I have Christ, I will be controlled by the Spirit and not the flesh.When I’m controlled by the flesh…_I’m condemned (v. 2b, 6a)Be killing sin or it will be killing you.John Owen_I’m wrongheaded (v. 5a)Romans 1:21-22a_I’m hostile to God (v. 7)_I’m unable to please God (v. 8)_I’m orphaned (v. 9b)When I’m controlled by the Spirit…I’m set free (v. 1-2a)There is no legitimate place for condemnation as a subjective experience. To insist on feeling guilty is but another way of insisting on helping God with our salvation.Robert H. Mounce_I’m right-headed (v. 5b)Romans 12:2a2 Corinthians 10:5Philippians 2:5Philippians 4:8Colossians 3:2_I’m alive and at peace (v. 6b)Peace is the absence of inner turmoil, division, anxiety, and conflict; it is a divine calm, tranquility, harmony, and well-being. In its most basic sense it is oneness with and rest in God._I’m pleasing to God because Christ pleased God (v. 3-4)I sin continually. But Christ has died, and forever lives, as my Redeemer, Priest, Advocate and King.Martin Luther_I belong to him (v. 9a, 10-11)
I’m sure we’d like the story to read more like a fairy tale. “I accepted Jesus as my Saviour and lived happily ever after. Never sinning again.” Well, as you already know, the reality is somewhat different than that. The gospel is struggle. The Christian life is challenging. Living for Jesus is a fight. From the moment we are saved, we are engaged in a multiple-front spiritual war with the most ferocious fighting happening within us. In our own flesh. As we look at Romans 7:7-25, we’ll study one of the most clarifying passages in the Bible on ongoing sin in the Christian’s life.Complete LivestreamSermon NotesThe Power of the Gospel (Romans 1-8)The Gospel is a StruggleTodd DugardRomans 7:7-25Sunday, February 7, 2021Living out the gospel is a struggle……not because I’m confused about what’s sinful (v. 7-12)Exodus 20:17Deuteronomy 30:14—…but because I’m at war with my own flesh (v. 13-20)At the same time saint and sinner.Martin Luther[Paul’s words in Romans 7] depict vividly the inner conflict characteristic of the true Christian, a conflict such as is possible only in the person in whom the Holy Spirit is active, and whose mind is being renewed under the discipline of the gospel.Charles Cranfield—…but I win when…—…I delight in God’s Word (v. 21-22)Psalm 1:1-2—…I admit my frailties (v. 23-24)—…and I adore Jesus (v. 25)
Only a person who has been genuinely redeemed by Jesus Christ can appreciate how the move from death to life changes everything; what it means to “bear fruit for God” and to have “died to that which held us captive.”As we continue in our series, The Power of the Gospel, we’ll be studying Romans 7:1-6, “The Gospel is Life.” All around us, people are facing daily struggles and the reality of their own mortality and we have “the words of eternal life” for them, given to us by Jesus himself. Let's be ready to dig into these words of life.
Complete Livestream Sermon NotesThe Power of the Gospel (Romans 1-8)The Gospel is LifeTodd DugardRomans 7:1-6Sunday, January 31, 2021I believe every human has a finite number of heartbeats. I don’t intend to waste any of mine.Neil Armstrong—I have been declared dead to the law and alive to Christ (v. 1-3)…This does not mean that we have been divorced from [the law] altogether, in the sense that it has no more claims on us of any kind, or that we have no more obligations to it. On the contrary, the moral law remains a revelation of God's will which he still expects his people to ‘fulfil’ by living lives of righteousness and love.John Stott—…and so, my identity is now confirmed (v. 4a)—…and Christ’s resurrection power flows within me (v. 4b)Philippians 3:10—…which is producing God-honouring results (v. 4c)—…that are new every single day (v. 5-6)—It is not simply that Jesus pays our debts for us by dying. His life is as important to us as his death. Not only does Christ take our sins, our debts, and our demerits, but he also gives us his obedience, his assets, and his merits. That is the only way an unjust person can ever stand in the presence of a just and holy God.R.C. Sproul, The Holiness of God1 Corinthians 11:26 John 10:10b Lamentations 3:22-23
Our current series, The Power of the Gospel in Romans 1-8, continues with message #10, The Gospel is Righteousness.To this point in his letter, the Apostle Paul has made it crystal clear that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. It cannot be earned and we certainly do not deserve it. Yet believing this leaves an opening for some to think that the gospel is a free pass to keep sinning after we’re saved. After all, God’s grace will cover it! That’s what Paul is addressing in chapter 6, and as we look at 6:15-23 this Sunday, we’ll see that far from abusing grace in this way, Christians are called upon to be “slaves of righteousness” and no longer “slaves of sin.”
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Sermon NotesThe Power of the Gospel (Romans 1-8)The Gospel is RighteousnessTodd DugardRomans 6:15-23 Sunday, January 24, 2021 I believe the gospel and choose to live a righteous life… By grace…not the law (v. 15) If one claims to be “under grace” and yet lives as a slave to sin, then the claim is nullified by one’s conduct…Paul refused to accept any abstract understanding of grace separated from concrete daily living. Thomas R. Schreiner — As a slave of obedience…not of sin (v. 16) He breaks the power of canceled sin,He sets the prisoner free;His blood can make the foulest clean;His blood availed for meCharles Wesley, O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing — Committed to the Word…not rejecting it (v. 17-18) First one sheep jumped to his death. Then another and another, and then dozens more. Having left their herds to graze while they ate breakfast, stunned Turkish shepherds now watched as nearly 1500 others leapt off the same cliff. The first 450 animals died under the billowy pile. Associated Press; quoted in While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks, Tim Laniak — Increasing in sanctification…not increasing in sin (v. 19) For those who have been saved by Jesus… (a) It is not about rule keeping anymore(b) The lack of rule keeping doesn’t give us a license to sin — Free from sin…not free to sin (v. 20-22a) Without God, what am I but a guide to my own destruction? Augustine — Anticipating eternal life…not second death (v. 22b-23) James 4:17
Christians have been set free from sin. That’s a fact of our salvation. But here’s a great follow up question to that statement: do you feel that freedom or do you feel enslaved to sin still?As we resume our series, The Power of the Gospel, in Romans 1-8, we come to three of the most powerful and theologically rich chapters in all of the Bible. This Sunday, as we look at Romans 6:1-14, we will discover that since we have been set free from sin, we must refuse to abuse God’s grace, considering ourselves dead to sin and alive in Christ while aggressively resisting sin’s dominance in our lives. That is a packed statement of strong belief in the saving power of the gospel of Christ in our lives. And it is also a declaration concerning our part in ensuring that sin no longer dominates us. Take some time to read and meditate on the passage before Sunday and pray that God opens our hearts and minds to receive the Word as it is preached.Complete Livestream Servicehttps://youtu.be/KDaqd1X6eqYSermon NotesThe Power of the Gospel (Romans 1-8)The Gospel is FreedomTodd DugardRomans 6:1-14Sunday, January 17, 2021The gospel is... power truth wrath resistedsubstitution faith peace grace—Since I have been set free from sin…Romans 10:13—…I refuse to abuse God’s grace (6:1-4)Romans 3:8Romans 5:20bPaul seems to have jumped straight from justification to glorification, without any intervening stage of sanctification. John Stott—…considering myself dead to sin (6:5-7)—…and alive in Christ (6:8-11)Remember that Christ did not accomplish the atonement, so that you would anger God again; nor did he die for your sins, so that you would still live in them; nor did he cleanse you, only to have you return (like a swine) to your own pigsty; but that you would be a new creature and live a new life aligned with the will of God and not of the flesh. William Tyndale, 1526 [updated]—…while aggressively resisting its dominance in my life (6:12-14)The imperative challenges us to become what we are. Robert H. MounceWhen I resist sin’s control……I feel sorrow and the weight of my sin…I run to Jesus and agree with him that it is sin …I decide to not return to my sin…I assume responsibility for the consequences of my sin …I put measures in place to keep from sinning againSince I have been set free from sin, I refuse to abuse God’s grace, considering myself dead to sin and alive in Christ, while aggressively resisting its dominance in my life.
After more than 10 months of lockdowns and restrictions due to COVID-19, the conversation has finally turned to mental health. This is the frontline battle that we’re actively engaged in as a church every day of the week and that has been pushed to the side over these months. The Word of God has a lot to say about our mental health, and the inter-connectedness between our spiritual life and our mental and emotional well-being is indisputable.In light of this, we are devoting this coming Sunday to a panel discussion on “Pandemic Soul Care.” Roger Freeman, our Biblical Soul Care pastor, and two of his team members, Steph Nesbit and Kim Griffin, will join Pastor Todd to discuss this important topic.Sermon NotesPandemic Soul CareTodd Dugard, Roger Freeman, Kim Griffin, Steph NesbitVarious ScripturesSunday, January 10, 2021 — Text questions to 705.999.7788Watch our social media for answers this week. The second wave of the pandemic has intensified feelings of stress and anxiety, causing alarming levels of despair, suicidal thoughts and hopelessness in the Canadian population. CMHA https://cmha.ca/news/despair-and-suicidal-feelings-deepen-as-pandemic-wears-on The second wave of the virus:71% worried about 58% worried about a loved one or family member dying 21% feeling hopeful. As winter approaches, those who say mental health has declined since March:40% All Canadians 61% Unemployed 61% Pre-existing mental health issue 60% Younger people aged 18-24 54% Indigenous peoples 54% Those identify as LGBTQ2+50% Those who have a disability 45% Women 34% Men John 16:33 What kind of impact is isolation having on people? Proverbs 18:1 How can people manage anxiety and despair right now? Matthew 6:34 1 Peter 5:6-7 What types of unhealthy coping mechanisms are people using? How is COVID affecting people’s relationships with others? Ephesians 4:31-32 What can people do when they recognize a loved one is struggling? Galatians 6:2 What are the strategies can we offer people to lessen the impact of the pandemic? Even if next year is just like this year, I won’t be. Even if 2021 doesn’t change, I will. Jacquie Hill Perry Taking Care of Our Whole SelvesMENTALLYFocus on todayDevelop hopeKeep a gratitude journalTry new thingsSeek helpPHYSICALLYGet up and dressed each dayGet movingEat and sleep regularly, not too much or too littleShower and take care of yourselfDevelop a daily routineGet medical issues addressedEMOTIONALLYAcknowledge your emotions, don’t let them make decisionsLearn to live in the tension of the present and the not yet, sadness and joyDecrease your social media timeBe kind, extend grace to othersBuild into relationships, find ways to spend time with peopleDevelop markers of hope - Keep lights up til this COVID season is over, put up a picture of someone you will hug when this is over, put up a picture of a place you will visit. Keep reminding yourself of what’s coming)SPIRITUALLYListen to worship music, not just in the background, but intently listen and sing Listen to podcasts that feed you and encourage youRead/listen to audiobooksJoin a Scripture reading plan with a friendTake time to be still, quiet external voices, start small, listen to what the Lord might be sayingBe a speaker of hope - spend time with others who are also speaking hope Text questions to 705.999.7788Watch our social media for answers this week.RESOURCES5 Gospel WordsEmail soulcare@harvestbarrie.ca f you would like to make an appointment for counsellingBiblical Soul Care Women’s Hope Group registrationRegister for the Uncommon Life study on spiritual disciplinesOur next Biblical Soul Care training eventSoul Care COVID-19 resources
I took some time this week to reflect on the year that we now have behind us, and to consider all that God taught (and is still teaching) me throughout this pandemic. Many have talked at length about the opportunities that these last however many months (seriously…I’m starting to lose track, what is it? 10? 11? 1700?) have presented us with, but the reality for many of us is it’s been a struggle to just get through the week we’re in. “Capitalizing on moments of pause” and “maximizing our growth” have given way to simply not having a mental breakdown or being completely crippled by fear and anxiety. But what I realized is that, while I was ignorant of it at the time, this set of circumstances that God has allowed in my life has revealed a lot about who I am. While many of us have resorted to “survival mode” in making sure that the most basic of life requirements are achieved, I believe we’ve been granted a window to see where we are spiritually, both personally and corporately. This was a part of God’s plan for each of our lives, and in it, he has a purpose. The work he’s doing in our lives is no secret, it is that we would be “conformed to the image of his son” (Romans 8:29), cleansed “from what is dishonourable…a vessel for honourable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21). This is a process we call sanctification, or as the apostle Paul says in this week’s passage, the “working out of our salvation.” In this process the reality of our faith is demonstrated, the depth of our knowledge and love for God is seen, and the opportunity and ability to give him glory is grown. In this process, as hard as it often is, there is joy to be found. This is the work that God wants to do in our lives, this work is why God has allowed this season for all of us, that we would grow in our Christlikeness, that the reality of our faith and that which Christ did for us (which we talked about last week) would transform us more into his image.Sermon NotesJoy UnleashedJoy in my SanctificationPhilippians 2:12-18Jordan CorosSunday, January 3, 2021—If I am to experience the full joy of my salvation…–1. …I must choose obedience (v. 12-13)Nothing short of full co-operation with God’s working confirms personal salvation. Ralph MartinRomans 6:1-2–2. …I must choose contentment (v. 14-15)2 Corinthians 12:10Living content comes as a result of...a. A thankful heartb. A trusting heartContentment is an inner sense of rest or peace that comes from being right with God and knowing that He is in control of all that happens to us. Steven Colec. A generous heart–3. …I must choose faithfulness (v. 16)Resources:https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-reading-plan/https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/11791-bible-in-a-yearhttps://www.mcheyne.info/calendar.pdf–4. …I must choose sacrifice (v. 17-18)
“Never meet your heroes, they’re sure to disappoint you.”The internet is filled with horror stories of people meeting those they idolize, only to find out that person isn’t at all what they expected. In fact, they’re often just the opposite. Sure, in some cases it could be chalked up to unrealistic expectations or “having our head in the clouds” about these things. Such is the reality of making heroes out of human beings. There’s a good chance your idea of them will be dashed on the rocks at some point. While it is natural for us to latch on to people and follow their example, all earthly relationships fail in some way. Our fallen state pretty much guarantees that. Still, too often we place these people on a pedestal, and allow our worlds to come crumbling down when we see them fall.While we recognize there’s a need for grace for these people - we’re all sinners - it is a stark reminder for us of the fact that idolizing anything other than God, especially human beings, is devastating. Finding people whose examples we can follow is important (see Hebrews 11), but only when they’re pointing us to the right thing…rather, the right person. That person is Jesus Christ. The only real, true hero in our stories. Jesus, whose coming to this earth not only paved the way of salvation, but left the example, the benchmark, for us to chase after. It was the apostle Paul who said it best when he called the Corinthians to “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1). There’s no other response to a proper understanding of who Jesus is, but to be compelled to follow him.As we jump back into the book of Philippians, to a mind-blowing passage of high Christology, join me in praying for God to make much of Jesus in our lives. Pray that the implications of his example will rattle the cage of our faith and bring us to greater depths of joy in him as we enter the new year. Pray also for the Spirit to move powerfully and bring the clear truth of the Word to bear in the lives of those who need it.Complete LivestreamSermon NotesJoy UnleashedJoy in the person and work of JesusPhilippians 2:5-11Jordan CorosSunday, December 27, 2020—Christ’s example compels me to a life of joyful obedience—I humbly accept God’s plan and purposes… (v. 5-6)—…and unselfishly surrender to his will… (v. 7-8)—…so that he gets all the glory in my life. (v. 9-11)
The angels. What a gig they had! In advance of the birth of Jesus, Gabriel and an unnamed “angel of the Lord” (who might also have been Gabriel) got to meet with Zechariah, Mary, Joseph (three times), and the shepherds to encourage, lead, announce, proclaim, and worship. Gabriel (if it was him) was joined at one point by a multitude of his angelic colleagues to worship God in the presence of a group of shepherds. What a sight that must have been! As we conclude our series, With Joy and With Song, this Sunday, we’ll look at the angels’ role in the nativity account to see how we need to be “Praising Jesus” just as they did. We’ll look at the Christmas carol, Angels We Have Heard on High, along the way and hear it sung by our worship team in response to the message. Complete ServiceSermon NotesWith Joy and With SongsPraising JesusLuke 1:26-38; 2:9-15aTodd DugardDecember 20, 2020When I praise Jesus as I should…—…I’ll worship him with everything I say (and not just what I sing) (Luke 1:28-35; Luke 2:10-14)Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o'er the plains And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains—…I’ll serve him in whatever way he asks(and not just how I think I should) (Luke 1:26-27; Luke 2:9a, 13a)Hebrews 1:14—…I’ll put all the attention on him (and not at all on me) (Luke 1:37; Luke 2:13-14)Matthew 6:2Gloria, in excelsis DeoIn their world, all the buzz centers around what Jesus is doing for you. That is what they long to look into. That is what keeps them riveted. Your salvation is like a book they can’t put down, because they can’t wait to see what happens next... As a Christian, you may think your life is provincial and dull. But you’re wrong. There’s an epic drama unfolding that keeps even the angels riveted, and you’re at the center of it... As the angels watch what God is doing through you, they learn more and more how wise he is, and they stand up and cheer, and fall down and worship.Justin DillehayFull articleCome to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing Come adore on bended kneeChrist the Lord the newborn King
What can I give Him,Poor as I am?If I were a ShepherdI would bring a lamb;If I were a Wise ManI would do my part,Yet what I can I give Him,Give my heart.That stanza is from a 19th century poem that became the Christmas carol, In the Bleak Midwinter, which we’ll be looking at this Sunday as we continue our Christmas teaching series, With Joy and With Songs. The song will accompany our examination of Matthew 2:1-12 and Luke 2:8-20 as we consider how both the shepherds and the magi surrendered themselves to the will of God to honour the birth of Jesus. The Scriptures will show us that once we have surrendered our hearts to Jesus, we’ll embrace the simplicity of faith, be in awe of the magnificence of God, and bring him the gift of our obedience, just as the shepherds and magi did those many years ago. Sermon NotesWith Joy and With SongsSurrendering to JesusMatthew 2:1-12; Luke 2:8-20Todd DugardDecember 13, 2020Christina RossettiOnce I’ve surrendered my heart to Jesus…—…I’ll embrace the simplicity of faith (Matthew 2:1–8; Luke 2:8–14)Saturn/JupiterIn the bleak mid-winterFrosty wind made moan;Earth stood hard as iron,Water like a stone;Snow had fallen, snow on snow,Snow on snow,In the bleak mid-winterLong ago—…I’ll be in awe of the magnificence of God (Matthew 2:9–11a; Luke 2:17–20)Our God, heaven cannot hold HimNor earth sustain,Heaven and earth shall flee awayWhen He comes to reign:In the bleak mid-winterA stable-place sufficedThe Lord God Almighty —Jesus ChristThe stark language of the poem belies the intensity and complexity of its imagery and feeling. Indeed, beneath a deceptively simple surface, at the heart of the poem is a profound paradox. The juxtaposition of simple, earthly elements—wind, water, snow, hay—with the ineffability of the incarnation points toward the very crux of Christmas: might made humble, Word become flesh, God with us. Karen Swallow Prior—…I’ll bring him the gift of obedience (Matthew 2:11b–12; Luke 2:15–16)What can I give Him,Poor as I am?If I were a ShepherdI would bring a lamb;If I were a Wise ManI would do my part,Yet what I can, I give Him,Give my heart
I recall, as a young boy, hearing the powerful voices of Mario Lanza and Tennessee Ernie Ford belting out classic Christmas carols from our record player. I put those vinyl albums on the turntable so many times that I’m surprised we didn’t wear them out. Elvis’ Blue Christmas too, I should say. The words of the well-known Christmas songs were etched into my memory as a result. The story of hope and light that came at the Nativity lifted my spirit long before I became a Christian. There is such joy in these carols. In the midst of darkness and discouragement, by simply hearing these lyrics and the oh-so-familiar melodies, we can feel the hope that came when Christ was born. As we approach this Christmas—a Christmas that comes amidst a global pandemic, inevitable restrictions on our family gatherings, and churches struggling to have in-person gatherings—it becomes that much more important for us to fill our homes with joy and with songs. (Here’s a Spotify playlist that will help with that.)The darkness seems that much deeper this year. Depression, isolation, boredom, worry, and fear are gripping many. The prescription for our common ailment is song. And so, for the three Sundays leading up to Christmas, we will look at three Christmas carols that point us to our longing for, surrender to, and praise of Jesus Christ, our Saviour. We’ll look at how Joseph, Jesus’ father, the Magi, the shepherds, Gabriel, and the angelic hosts of heaven reacted to being part of God’s grand plan to save us. And in their reactions, we’ll see a template for our own. Following each of the messages, as we respond to what we have heard from the Word, the worship team will sing the featured Christmas song.Complete Livestream ServiceSermon NotesWith Joy and With SongsLonging for JesusMatthew 1:18-25 / JosephTodd DugardDecember 6, 2020There is a Jesus-instilled longing in my heart that compels me to…—…see the plight of my life without him (v. 18-19)Disperse the gloomy clouds of night And death’s dark shadows put to flightO come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free Thine own from Satan’s tyranny From depths of Hell Thy people save And give them victory o’er the grave—…hear what he says to me in his Word (v. 20)—…grasp the hope he offers (v. 21-23)O come, Thou Day-Spring Come and cheerOur spirits by Thine advent hereAnd open wide our heavenly home Make safe the way that leads on highFrom depths of Hell Thy people save And give them victory o’er the grave—...exercise life-changing belief in his name (v. 24-25)Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel
Far too many people are messed up when it comes to having a relationship with God. Most (not accounting for atheists) are on the “I hope so” program, making up their own version of religion and faith expression and hoping for the best with God. Grand assumptions are made about the nature of God and how a person enters into a relationship with him.
In Romans 5:12-21, we discover that it is only through the grace of Jesus Christ that anyone will be able to gain an abundant and eternal life. In other words, our salvation depends on what Jesus has done and not what we do. The passage leads us to an understanding of the crisis when Adam brought sin and death upon us all. God offered a solution in Jesus offering humanity the free gift of himself. And what that means for us is that anyone can be justified and live. Anyone can have an abundant life here and the promise of eternal life. But it must be received. It doesn’t come to anyone by default. As we continue to look at The Power of the Gospel in Romans 1-8, we’ll see that The Gospel is Grace.
Complete Livestream Service
Sermon Notes The Power of the Gospel (Romans 1-8) The Gospel is Grace Romans 5:12-21 Todd Dugard
November 29, 2020
It is a sure mark of grace to desire more. Robert Murray McCheyne
Only through the grace of Jesus Christ will I be able to gain abundant and eternal life.
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• The crisis: Adam brought sin and death upon us all (v. 12-14)
There is a real conflict, but it is not science versus religion. It is theism versus atheism, and there are scientists on both sides. John C. Lennox
Revelation 21:3
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• The solution: Jesus offers the free gift of himself (v. 15-17)
All people are either “in Adam” or “in Christ”. All are in Adam by physical birth, while only those with the new birth are in Christ. ESVSB
All attempts to repay his gift, be they ever so sincere, serve only to frustrate his grace and to lower the marvellous kindness of God to the sordid level of barter and trade. How faithfully we should serve him, but never to repay him! Louis Sperry Chafer
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• The result: I can be justified and live (v. 18-21)
John 10:10b
Peace. Who doesn’t want peace! I realize some people seem to like conflict. But seriously, people want to live at peace with themselves, others, the world. But it all seems so elusive given the state of the world we live in. Yet, God makes the offer. He says that we can indeed enjoy “peace with God” if we have exercised faith in his Son and been saved by him. That settled, peace in the midst of all else we face becomes possible. As we open God’s Word on Sunday to Romans 5:1-11, we see the offer of God in rich detail. The peace that comes with being justified by God means that I have access to his grace, have his perspective on suffering, know that I have his love, and am no longer his enemy. I would think that everyone would want the peace of God and all it offers us. Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://vimeo.com/479547665" align="center"] Sermon Notes The Power of the Gospel (Romans 1-8) The Gospel is Peace Romans 5:1-11 Todd Dugard
November 22, 2020
Peace is:
The absence of... Conflict Strife Upset Distress
The presence of... Blessing Abundance Calm Well-being
Wholeness in the midst of any and all circumstances
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The peace that comes with being justified by God means that…
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…I have access to his grace (v. 1-2)
Without justification it is impossible to have real peace. Conscience forbids it. Sin is a mountain between a man and God, and must be taken away. The sense of guilt lies heavy on the heart and must be removed. Unpardoned sin will murder peace. The true Christian knows all this well. His peace arises from a consciousness of his sins being forgiven, and his guilt being put away...He has peace with God, because he is justified. J.C. Ryle
The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? Psalm 118:6
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…I have his perspective on suffering (v. 3-5)
—
…I know that I have his love (v. 6-9)
—
…I am no longer his enemy (v. 10-11)
Enemy: a person who hates or opposes another person and tries to harm them or stop them from doing something. Cambridge Dictionary
There was this group of people in the Gospels that Jesus often interacted with. They loved the Bible, attended worship at the Temple, were leaders in synagogues, observed the Torah as closely as anyone could, lived exemplary moral lives, gave their offerings, and were zealous for all things relating to Yahweh. If we were comparing them to a group today, they would be conservative evangelicals. That’s us, by the way. Yet, despite their obvious religious piety, Jesus said they were “white-washed tombs.” All nice and painted up on the outside and nothing but a rotting corpse within. Their “faith” was empty. I’m speaking, of course, of the Pharisees. The warning is clear. Outward religion as an attempt to reach God is a futile pursuit. You may look good on the outside, but inside are “dead man’s bones.”
So then, what makes genuine faith genuine? How do I know that the power of the gospel has changed me and brought me into a relationship with my God? In Romans 4:1-25, the Apostle Paul leads us to the answer. When we have a real, transformative, life-giving faith in Jesus Christ, we will enjoy the forgiveness of sin, practice heartfelt acts of service for Christ, and understand the depth of the promise that God has given us. We’ll know the power of the resurrection in our lives. Sermon Notes The Power of the Gospel (Romans 1-8) The Gospel is Faith Romans 4:1-25 Todd Dugard
November 15, 2020
Faith: great trust or confidence in something or someone Cambridge Dictionary
Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
Faith is great trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Without faith it is impossible to please [God]. Hebrews 11:6a
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I must have faith in Christ…
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…to be forgiven (v. 1-8)
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…to be genuine (v. 9-12)
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…to receive the promise (v. 13-25)
For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. 2 Corinthians 1:20
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which… • makes me an heir (v. 13-15)
• raises me from the dead (v. 16-17)
• gives me hope (v. 18-19)
Hope is a confident expectation and desire for good things in the future. John Piper
• strengthens my resolve (v. 20-21)
• binds me to all believers (v. 22-24a)
• rests in the power of the resurrection (v. 24b-25)
It really is no secret that selfishness and the pursuit of the advancement of one’s situation over the needs and situations of others is the modus operandi of our world. Even with the hyper-sensitivity to social justice issues, when it comes down to it, the needs of the many often play second fiddle to the needs of the one. That’s not the way it should be, though, for the followers of Christ. There’s no “arriving” when it comes to doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God (Micah 6:8).
As we take a look at the responsibility of the followers of Christ to live with a counter-cultural compassion from Isaiah chapter 58 this Sunday we’ll put ourselves under the microscope. It’s an important message this week, a strong challenge for us to consider. We all have a long way to go with this, myself certainly included, and I’m looking forward to hearing what God’s Word has to say about that this Sunday. Sermon Notes Do Justice Radical Compassion Isaiah 58:6–12 Jon Miller
November 8, 2020
Churches are not made that men of ready speech may stand up on Sundays and talk, and so win daily bread from their admirers. No, there is another end and aim for this. These places of worship are not built that you may sit comfortably and hear something that shall make you pass away your Sundays with pleasure. A church which does not exist to do good in the slums, and dens, and kennels of the city, is a church that has no reason to justify its longer existing. A church that does not exist to reclaim heathenism, to fight with evil, to destroy error, to put down false- hood, a church that does not exist to take the side of the poor, to denounce injustice and to hold up righteousness, is a church that has no right to be. C.H. Spurgeon
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To be people of justice means to engage in radical Christ-centred ministry of mercy and compassion.
—
- Our responsibility: We are to seek to bring freedom to the oppressed and to be generous to the poor and destitute (v. 6-7, 9b-10a)
In the twentieth century the American church divided between the liberal mainline that stressed social justice and the fundamentalist churches that emphasized personal salvation...In the mind of many orthodox Christians, therefore, “doing justice” is inextricably linked with the loss of sound doctrine and spiritual dynamism. Timothy Keller
A heart poured out in deeds of mercy and justice to the poor is the inevitable sign that you have been justified. Timothy Keller
Luke 4:18-19
1 John 3:17-18
James 2:14-17
Matthew 25:35-36
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- God’s response: Mercy and compassion invites God’s favour and blessing (v. 8-9a, 10b-12)
Deuteronomy 15:7-10
Proverbs 19:17
It is arguably one of the most obscure words in the Bible. It is found six times, in various forms, in the New Testament. Whenever it appears, it requires explanation because its meaning isn’t obvious and the word is rarely, if ever, used today. The word is rooted in an Old Testament ritual performed on the Day of Atonement, but it is also a concept known outside of Judaism in that the word related to what needed to be done in order to appease a deity of any kind. The word, if you haven’t guessed it already, is “propitiation,” and it appears in our passage for this Sunday, Romans 3:21–31, so there’s no avoiding it.
As we approach this facet of the gospel in our series, we’ll see that this is the lynchpin. This is how the power of the gospel was directed by God in order to give us what we have in salvation. It is the substitutionary atonement (propitiation) of Christ that appeases the wrath of God. Ligon Duncan explains, “Propitiation means ‘averting the wrath of God by the offering of a gift.’ It refers to the turning away of the wrath of God as the just judgment of our sin by God’s own provision of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.” And I’ll add this: it is the mercy of God toward us in not giving us what we deserve. Sermon Notes The Power of the Gospel (Romans 1–8) The Gospel is Substitution Romans 3:21–31 Todd Dugard
November 1, 2020
—
sola fide, sola gratia, solus Christus
—
I may claim the mercy of Christ when I realize that it is...
—
• Righteousness by believing (3:21-22a)
Romans 1:16–17
The righteousness God provides has its origin in what God did, not in what people may accomplish. It is received, not earned. It depends upon faith, not meritorious activity. God justifies the ungodly, not the well-intentioned. Robert H. Mounce
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• Glory by confessing (3:22b-23)
Romans 10:9–10
—
• Redemption by grace (3:24)
—
• Forgiveness by substitution (3:25-26)
Propitiation means ‘averting the wrath of God by the offering of a gift.’ It refers to the turning away of the wrath of God as the just judgment of our sin by God’s own provision of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. Ligon Duncan
Luke 18:13
Hebrews 2:17
Hebrews 9:5a
1 John 2:1b–2
1 John 4:10
Propitiation is used in the New Testament to describe the pacifying, placating, or appeasing of God’s wrath...Because of this propitious gift, our sins can be removed, our debt can be paid, our relationship restored, and our legal status irrevocably altered. Kevin DeYoung
—
• Obedience by faith (3:27-31)
I’d say the first three messages in our current preaching series have given us a sense of the depth of Paul’s explanation of what it means to experience the power of the gospel. And this week’s message is no exception as we hear that one facet of the gospel is that it is resisted. Humanity is not drawn to the message or to God.
The sin nature that grips us acts as a block to our understandings and desires. Paul says it in multiple ways in the passage, citing seven Old Testament passages in making his argument that, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.”
As we approach Romans 3:9-20, we’ll see that, if we’re to walk in “the way of peace,” we must admit our sinfulness knowing that we are inclined to resist the obvious, being all-consumed by our own sin, and that until we accept what God has revealed in his Word, we risk missing out on the salvation—the solution—he offers us through his Son, Jesus Christ. Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://vimeo.com/460712809" align="center"] Sermon Notes The Power of the Gospel (Romans 1–8) The Gospel is Resisted Romans 3:9-20 Todd Dugard
October 25, 2020
—
If I’m to walk in “the way of peace,” I must admit my sinfulness…
—
…but I am inclined to resist the obvious (v. 9-12)
—
…being all-consumed by my own sin (v. 13-18)
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…and until I accept what God has revealed in his Word (v. 19)
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…I risk missing out on the salvation he offers (v. 20)
The word “wrath” is not one that is commonly used today. It’s too harsh. No nuance to it. It is negative and even brutal. It is also a bit archaic. A word from a previous age. But it is also a Bible word, and, in that sense, it is timeless, relevant, and important. The Apostle Paul speaks of wrath in Romans 2 and 3. God’s wrath, in fact. It is a concept that proves too difficult for many to understand. Even Christians struggle to comprehend it, choosing to either ignore the fact that it is a necessary conversation when speaking of the plight of humanity and the need of salvation, or choosing to round off the edges of it, making it more palatable for sensitive audiences. Neither is a good plan. Paul speaks of wrath because it explains the purpose of God’s redemptive plan for humanity. If there is no wrath to avoid, there is no need of a Saviour. We’ll look at Romans 2:1-3:8 and see what facing God’s wrath means for us and how to avoid it altogether with repentance, well-doing, attention to the Word, and heartfelt devotion to Christ. Sermon Notes The Power of the Gospel (Romans 1–8) The Gospel is Wrath Romans 2:1-3:8 Todd Dugard
October 18, 2020
—
Facing the wrath of God means…
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…I cannot presume upon God’s kindness but must repent (2:1-5)
The kind of judging both Jesus and Paul referred to was not a sane appraisal of character based on conduct but a hypocritical and self-righteous condemnation of the other person. Robert H. Mounce —
…I cannot claim an exemption but must engage in well-doing (2:6-11)
—
…I cannot be hypocritical but must be a doer of the Word (2:12-24)
Every time you crack the Book you’re staring into the face of God. David Barker —
…I cannot be religious but must give my heart to Christ (2:25-3:8)
The famous 19th century German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, once said, “There are no facts, only interpretations.” This was, of course, part of the argument that supported the most famous of his claims, namely that, “God is dead.” His point being that relativism would and should replace an objective and universal moral law rooted in faith and the divine creation. Absolute values, for Nietzsche and his many contemporary disciples, simply do not exist. The result today is apparent all around us; your truth is not necessarily my truth. That is to say, truth is relative, if it can be known at all. And it is in that context that we, as Christians, seek to live believing that there is indeed an objective truth from God about this world and humanity, but that we, as humans, by our unrighteousness have suppressed the truth (see Romans 1:18). Believing that pits us against the prevailing culture of our day. This message in Romans 1:18-32 will proclaim, “The Gospel is Truth,” exploring what it will look like when we embrace the absolute and objective truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The implications for us are staggering. Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://vimeo.com/464728572" align="center"] Sermon Notes The Power of the Gospel (Romans 1–8) The Gospel is Truth Romans 1:18-32 Todd Dugard
October 11, 2020
—
When I embrace the truth of the gospel…
— …I avoid God’s wrath (1:18)
—
…I acknowledge God’s creation (1:19-20)
To the majority of those who have reflected deeply and written about the origin and nature of the universe, it has seemed that it points beyond itself to a source which is non-physical and of great intelligence and power. John C. Lennox
Disbelief requires an act of rebellion against common sense. It displays humanity’s fatal bias against God. Although the created order cannot force a person to believe, it does leave the recipient responsible for not believing. Robert H. Mounce
—
…I adore the God of creation (1:21-25)
—
…I align with God’s righteousness (1:26-32)
To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible's teaching is offensive to you assumes that if there is a God he wouldn't have any views that upset you. Does that belief make sense? Timothy Keller
Acts 17:24-27
We feel powerless. In the face of a global pandemic, government corruption, terrorist threats, economic fragility, environmental devastation, and our own mortality we have rightly come to the realization that the forces at work in this world have rendered us helpless. Humanity does not have what it takes to bring about the real and lasting change that is desperately needed.
The central issue afflicting humanity—an issue that almost no one is willing to acknowledge—is that at the core, we are sinful. Left to ourselves, we do not ascend to a better version of ourselves but descend into anarchy and barbarianism. At best, we may make some marginal progress or grasp onto a temporal hope that satiates us for a time, but still leaves us in the same predicament. Does the power exist to lift us out of our dilemma?
The Letter to the Romans is the Apostle Paul’s magnum opus about the hope we have in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Wrapped in a letter, it is a treatise on the salvation offered to us by God and the resolution to humanity’s most pressing need. The letter explains in rich detail and with western-like cogent arguments, point and counterpoint, the central message of Christianity, namely the power of the gospel to save us.
While Paul wrote to a 1st century Roman audience, his words find fertile soil today. It is as if Paul is writing from a 21st century perspective; his words, inspired by the Holy Spirit, as relevant today as when they were first written. This 16-message series will survey Romans 1-8 to see the all-encompassing impact of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the lives of all who receive him. The gospel’s work is both simple and multi-faceted, affecting every aspect of the believer’s life. And it is humanity’s only hope. Sermon Notes The Power of the Gospel (Romans 1–8) The Gospel is Power Todd Dugard
October 4, 2020
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Am I experiencing the power of the gospel…
—
…as I carry out the mission of Christ? (1:1-6)
—
…as I live day-by-day by faith in Christ? (1:7-15)
The obedience of faith, which as [Paul] shows is part and parcel of the gospel, cannot be limited to the initial decision to join the Christian community…The gospel includes every aspect of Christian existence, for Philippians 1:27 calls on believers “to live in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Paul's intention in Rome was not merely to win converts but to strengthen and edify those who were already believers in Rome. Thomas R. Schreiner
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…as I stand without shame for Christ (1:16-17)
Mark 8:34-38 Revelation 5:9-10
Back on February 2, I delivered the State of the Church message, recapping what God had done in 2019, looking at where we were at the moment, and casting a vision for the months ahead.
Six weeks later, everything changed and the last 28 weeks have tossed everything up into the air. As elders, we believed that re-visiting that State of the Church message would be a good idea as we launch our new ministry year in the midst of the ongoing pandemic. Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://vimeo.com/460712809" align="center"] Sermon Notes State of the Church (Re-visited) Todd Dugard
September 27, 2020
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Thom Rainer quotes:
At least 20 percent of those who attended before the pandemic will not return to church More pastors will leave vocational ministry over the next twelve months than any time in recent history. Churches will move to a new emphasis on conversion growth Churches will start more churches, many of them as microchurches Two movements will grow rapidly: church adoption and church fostering
https://churchanswers.com/blog/five-ways-churches-will-have-changed-one-year-from-now/
https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/opinion-its-time-to-hand-churches-back-to-communities-that-need-them
Financial Update
As of Sept 20: Budgeted to receive $ 974,000 Actual Received $ 1,049,000 Surplus to date $ 75,000
Account balances: Current account $ 43,000 HOPE $ 24,000 Savings/Reserve $ 211,000 Building Fund $ 135,000
Debt: 1st Mortgage $2,300,000 (purchase of 7 George Street) 2nd Mortgage $ 735,000 (residual construction loan)
Pandemic Ideology
My undergraduate degree was in Classics and Religious Studies. I took two science courses. Neither were in epidemiology. My Masters degree did not require me to take any additional science classes. Thus, I do not feel confident in disagreeing with the medical professionals in our community. That isn’t a lack of courage, that is self awareness.
If there was an evident malice in the decision making of our health unit toward the church I would take a different stance, but they’ve been fantastic with us and we will, once again, be hosting the largest public gathering in our city this coming Sunday so, for now, until someone with some actual science training can prove to me that this virus is a hoax or a non-event in terms of consequences, I am going to take reasonable precautions out of love for my neighbours. Here I stand and all that... Paul Carter
It’s tiring for us pastors to be attacked for “lacking courage” because we happen to think public health officials know more about epidemiology than we do. Maybe it’s courage to submit to expertise even though we hate what this virus is doing to public worship more than anyone. Chris Hutchinson
February 2, 2020 State of the Church message https://www.harvestbarrie.ca/sermons/state-of-the-church/
We’re grateful to have Kaj Ballantyne, lead pastor at Harvest Church Muskoka, bringing God’s Word to us on this special day. We had the privilege of planting Harvest Church Muskoka in 2008, and appreciate the continued partnership we have with this great church community now meeting in three locations (Huntsville, Bracebridge, Parry Sound).
Pastor Kaj Ballantyne spoke from Mark 14 to remind us that our joy and satisfaction are found in Christ alone. Complete Livestream [vc_video link="https://vimeo.com/457468492" align="center"] Sermon Notes Jesus Is Better Kaj Ballantyne Mark 14:1–9
September 20, 2020
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Jesus is Better: My joy and satisfaction are found in Christ alone
Justice is a hot topic these days. And rightly so. In this message from Jon Miller we consider what it means to be a person of justice and for our church to be committed to justice. Micah 6:8 says, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
As you listen, take some time to consider that to be people who do justice means to be those who are right with God and are pursuing right relationships in all areas of our lives. Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://vimeo.com/455243169" align="center"] Sermon Notes Do Justice: Right Relationships Jon Miller Isaiah 58:1–5
September 13, 2020
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Micah 6:8
Isaiah 56:1 — Danger #1: DISCONNECTION - When my religious activity is not rooted in a genuine relationship with God (v.1-3a)
“One would think that people who seek God and want to understand his ways are doing the right things and have the right priorities [...] One would think that these acts of repeatedly seeking God were the devoted acts of a righteous person who loves God and keeps his commandments.”
“What this verse is revealing is that people can look, act, talk and delight in the things of God, yet still not be the people of God. A good, moral, cultural Israelite knows how to act, talk and behave in religious circles, but knowing the cultural expectations of an Israelite is not the same as knowing God.”
Matthew 7:22-23
Matthew 23:27-28
Isaiah 29:13 — Danger #2: COMPARTMENTALIZATION - When my relationship with God has no impact on my relationship with others (v.3b-5)
Nehemiah 5:1-5
Matthew 5:23-24
Isaiah 66:2b
We are concluding our 6-week series looking at the “Means and Impact” of the Holy Spirit’s work through us. Looking at Ephesians 4:11-16 and 1 Peter 4:10-11 we’ll be challenged to surrender fully to the Spirit’s work of gifting us and using us for the glory of God in the church. The Lord has no other plan for building his church but to use her members to bring the church to “the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” As part of this Sunday’s message, I’ll be pointing to the Work for Christ page of our website where all of the serving opportunities in our church are listed. If you are not serving or not serving enough, take a look and ask God to show you where you should be giving your time and using your gifts to build up the body of Christ as we enter this new ministry year. There is no mystery to this: The work continues! The mission is before us! People need the gospel of Jesus Christ! Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://vimeo.com/453042013" align="center"] Sermon Notes Not So Mysterious After All The Gifts of the Spirit: Means & Impact Todd Dugard Ephesians 4:1-16; 1 Peter 4:10-11
September 6, 2020
— The means of the Spirit’s work in us is to… (Ephesians 4:1-16)
— …establish leaders to equip members
Ephesians 4:11
— …using members to serve one another
Ephesians 4:12b
— …and repeating this until we’re all mature in Christ
Ephesians 4:13 Ephesians 4:14 1 Corinthians 12:22
— …the full impact of which is experienced when… (1 Peter 4:10-11)
— …everyone uses their gift(s)
1 Peter 4:10 1 Peter 4:11
hbc.info/spiritualgifts harvestbarrie.ca/workforchrist
— …to build up the church
Ephesians 4:15–16
— …for the glory of God
1 Peter 4:11b
I am but one, but I am one; I cannot do everything, but I can do something; what I can do, I ought to do; and what I ought to do, God helping me, I will do. – adapted from Edward Everett Hale
As we have worked through the not so mysterious aspects of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives, we now come to what is, in fact, a little mysterious because it is rooted entirely in the power and prerogatives of God. We looked at “Empowered Abilities” in the last message, understanding that these “natural” abilities (eg. teaching, mercy, helps) become spiritual gifts as the Holy Spirit manifests himself in and through us.
Now we turn our attention to what have commonly become known as the more miraculous gifts or sign gifts. The gifts of tongues, healing, word of knowledge and the like are 100% the result of God’s choice to show himself in that way through us.
This category of gift, though, has met with so much controversy in the church with some believing these gifts are no longer in God’s playbook (cessationists) and others believing that all the gifts are in play today (continuationists). And it is possible that both extremes fail the test of Scripture. We’ll be looking mostly at 1 Corinthians 12–14 on Sunday’s livestream as we seek to gain clarity about the divine manifestations, the power gifts, that God gave to the church. Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://vimeo.com/450808803" align="center"] Sermon Notes Not So Mysterious After All The Gifts of the Spirit: Divine Manifestations Todd Dugard 1 Corinthians 12-14
August 30, 2020
— As a believer, I should expect the Lord to work in unexplained ways, manifesting himself in power so as to build up the church.
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What I need to know is…
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- All spiritual gifts continue to be in play
Spiritual gifts chart: https://hbc.info/spiritualgifts
1 Corinthians 13:8-12 —
- The goal of the gifts is that the church would be built up
1 Corinthians 14:26
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- The “higher gifts” should be the ones we seek
1 Corinthians 12:31
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- Elders are responsible for the orderly expression of the gifts
1 Corinthians 14:40
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- Everything must be “tested”
1 Thessalonians 5:21
1 Corinthians 14:39
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FOR FURTHER STUDY
Robert Bowman on Nabeel Qureshi and miracles:
https://robertbowman.net/2018/04/06/cessationism-versus-continuationism-4-reasons-to-reject-both-extremes-nabeel-qureshi-and-healing-part-2/ Three articles about Charles Spurgeon:
https://truthchallenge.one/blog/2018/08/22/c-h-spurgeons-conflicting-views-on-the-gifts-of-the-spirit/
http://www.canonglenn.com/2011/10/05/spurgeons-word-of-knowledge/
https://lexloiz.wordpress.com/2020/08/02/ch-spurgeons-amazing-word-of-knowledge/ Jason Meyer:
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/confessions-of-a-functional-cessationist Sam Storms:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/continuationist/ John Piper:
https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/spiritual-gifts Baker Bible Dictionary; Craig Blomberg:
https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/bed/h/holy-spirit-gifts-of.html?hilite=HOLY%20SPIRIT Many resources:
https://www.preceptaustin.org/spiritual_gifts_chart
There is little doubt that the nature of the Holy Spirit, who he is and what he does, is mysterious to us. The concept of “Father” and the nature of Jesus’ incarnation make the first and second members of the Trinity more accessible to us. But comprehending “spirit”? It understandably eludes us.
What ought not elude us though, is the very obvious work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. A professing, growing Christian will be increasingly characterized by the fruit of the Spirit and will also have his or her gifts for serving empowered by the Spirit.
Not so mysterious after all.
This 6-message series has already helped us understand the “being” part of the Spirit’s work in producing fruit and now we turn our attention to the “doing” part; the Spirit-empowered gifts that he gives us as Christians. All who profess faith in Christ should see the fruit and the gift of the Spirit in their lives.
Download the charts on the Gifts of The Spirt » Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://vimeo.com/448292249" align="center"] Sermon Notes Not So Mysterious After All The Gifts of the Spirit: Empowered Abilities Todd Dugard Romans 12:3–8; 1 Corinthians 12:1–11
August 23, 2020
— 1 Corinthians 12:7
As a believer, I am compelled to serve, according to my gifts and passions, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
—
What I need to know is...
- What are the spiritual gifts?
1 Corinthians 12:18
Spiritual giſts are supernaturally empowered abilities given by God to each believer to build up the church through service to one another.
Download the chart: https://hbc.info/spiritualgifts
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- How do these differ from natural talents?
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- How do I determine what my gift is?
(a) Consider your natural abilities (b) Observe the results you get (c) Seek feedback and affirmation of others (d) Ask yourself: what am passionate about? (e) Use trial and error (f) Present yourself to God
Romans 12:1 —
- Will the gift still be effective if I exercise it with wrong motives?
1 Peter 4:10–11
Ephesians 4:11–12
1 Corinthians 13:1–3 —
- What is the point of God working through us in this way?
(a) God gets the glory not us - 2 Corinthians 4:7 (b) The body of Christ is built up (c) We remain humble (d) Our mutuality is assured (e) Our diversity is celebrated
Scripture is clear in describing what our Father in Heaven wants from us in terms of character. We are meant to display his good nature to a broken world.
To this end, we’ve been looking at Galatians 5:23, taking time to understand how each aspect of spiritual fruit could be put to service in our individual and corporate lives.
Two weeks ago, with Pastor Todd, we looked at love, joy, and peace. Last week, with Pastor Roger, we considered patience, kindness, and goodness. If you have some extra time over the next couple of days, go back and reread the outlines or review the sermons if you missed them. The time you spend doing this will bless your understanding.
This message we’ll deal with the last three fruit mentioned—faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Developing these spiritual characteristics will dramatically affect your walk with Christ and with others. When you display this fruit, your life will inspire others to believe in Jesus by demonstrating his power at work in you. Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://vimeo.com/444005701#t=1007s" align="center"] Sermon Notes Not So Mysterious After All The Fruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control Dwayne Francois Galatians 5:22–23
August 16, 2020
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When I’m walking with Christ, I’ll be producing…
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…FAITHFULNESS without irrationality (Gal5:22b; Gen22:8; Joh6:68; Act7:55-56)
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Faithfulness is the rational response to Jesus Christ
- Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68)
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10 ways we break faith
- Idolize things, gossip, commit fraud, give false testimony, slander, steal, abuse authority, break promises, default on debts, neglect a friend in need
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…GENTLENESS without weakness (Gal5:23; 6:1; Joh10:17; 2Ti2:25, 1Pe3:4,15)
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Jesus was meek, not weak
- For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my father.” (John 10:17)
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4 Situations for Gentleness
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Restoring someone who has been dishonoured by sin (Galatians 6:1)
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Correcting theological opponents within the same church (2 Timothy 2:25)
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Developing a beautiful personality in the public eye
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(1 Peter 3:4)
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Defending our confidence in Jesus to critics (1 Peter 3:15) —
…SELF-CONTROL without inflexibility (Gal5:1,18, 23; Jam4:7)
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Self-Control = Flexibility to move with the Holy Spirit
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For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)
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But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (Galatians 5:18)
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3 tips to gain more self-control
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Temptation has a time-limit (James 4:7, 1 Peter 1:6, 5:10)
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Discipline your decisions (Ephesians 5:15-17)
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Inspect your influences (Proverbs 4:23)
We want to get really practical about what the Spirit of God produces in us. It is a singular fruit—perhaps summarized as Christ-likeness, that the Spirit produces. Sin, manifested by the works of the flesh is often a specialized expression in our lives. We each have different patterns of sinfulness that we fall into. The fruit of the Spirit is full-orbed. We cannot say, “Your specialization is goodness while mine is patience.” The totality of this fruit should be manifested in our lives. It is produced by the Spirit as we dwell and abide in Christ and are filled by Him.
We learned last week that if I’m walking with Christ, I must be growing in my love for God and for people, growing in the depth of joy in my heart, and growing in being at peace in all circumstances.
This week we will consider what patience, (endurance), kindness and goodness should look like in our lives. Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://youtu.be/tCMyaDS1Eyc?t=1234" align="center"] Sermon Notes Not So Mysterious After All The Fruit of the Spirit: Patience, Kindness, Goodness Roger Freeman Galatians 5:22–23
August 9, 2020
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If I’m walking with Christ, I must be growing in…
—
…Endurance that can take it (Galatians 5:22b)
Proverbs 25:21–22 Romans 12:14 Romans 12:17 Romans 12:19–21 Hebrews 6:12 Ephesians 4:2 1 Corinthians 13:4
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…Kindness that can give it (Galatians 5:22b)
2 Timothy 2:24 Acts 9:36–42 Romans 2:4 Ephesians 2:7 Titus 3:4
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…Goodness that can prove it (Galatians 5:22b).
Acts 10:37–38 2 Chronicles 31:20–21
The very obvious work of the Holy Spirit in the Christian's life There is little doubt that the nature of the Holy Spirit, who he is and what he does, is mysterious to us. The concept of “Father” and the nature of Jesus’ incarnation make the first and second members of the Trinity more accessible to us. But comprehending “spirit”? It understandably eludes us.
What ought not elude us though, is the very obvious work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. A professing, growing Christian will be increasingly characterized by the fruit of the Spirit and will also have his or her gifts for serving empowered by the Spirit. Not so mysterious after all.
This 6-message series explores the tandem work of the Spirit in producing fruit and empowering gifts in our lives as Christians. All who profess faith in Christ should see these things in their lives. Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://youtu.be/SPIGf_NKSLs?t=1335" align="center"] Sermon Notes Not So Mysterious After All The Fruit of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace Todd Dugard Galatians 5:22–23
August 2, 2020
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When I’m walking with Christ, I’ll be producing…
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…LOVE for God and LOVE for people (Galatians 5:22a; Matthew 22:37-39; 1 John 4:8; John 13:34-35; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
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…JOY in my heart (Galatians 5:22a; Psalm 16:11; 1 Peter 1:8; Jude 1:24)
Joy is distinctly a Christian word and a Christian thing. It is the reverse of happiness. Happiness is the result of what happens of an agreeable sort. Joy has its springs deep down inside. And that spring never runs dry, no matter what happens. Only Jesus gives that joy. He had joy, singing its music within, even under the shadow of the cross. S.D. Gordon
If you have no joy, there’s a leak in your Christianity somewhere. Billy Sunday
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…PEACE in all circumstances (Galatians 5:22a; Romans 12:18; 14:19; Ephesians 2:13-16)
United We Stand Among the many things that categorize our world, “divided” might be one of the most apt descriptors. There seems to be a myriad of things that people differ on, be it religion, politics, or social justice issues. Even something that you would expect some sort of united effort on, like a world-wide pandemic, has put people at odds with one another. Don’t believe me? Have you been on social media lately?
The unfortunate fact is that the Church is not at all immune to this sort of thing. There’s something about a bunch of sinners gathering together that just breeds discord no matter where they do it. Ego, pride, selfishness, and deceit make its way into the body of Christ and result in all sorts of pain.
But it’s not supposed to be that way. The Church of Jesus Christ is supposed to be the beacon of hope and the light of unity in a divided and divisive world. The common ground of the truth of Scripture and the shared experience of the light and life of Christ crosses ideological, racial, social, and political boundaries. The church founded on Jesus and committed to honouring him is a church united.
As we wrap up Philippians chapter one chapter one and make our way into chapter two, we’ll unpack the joy that comes from the unity of faith. There is much for all of us to consider here. Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://youtu.be/RhhOfMNLddU?t=1426" align="center"] Sermon Notes Joy Unleashed Joy in the Unity of Faith Jordan Coros Philippians 1:27-2:4 July 26, 2020
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Come then, let us go forward together with our united strength. Winston Churchill
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A church committed to honouring Christ is united in...
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- Purpose, founded on the truth.
Our purpose is to glorify God through the fulfillment of the great commission (Matthew 28:19) in the spirit of the great commandment (Matthew 22:36-40). —
- Experience, suffering for the sake fo the gospel.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:10-12
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 1 Peter 4:14
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18
God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world. C.S. Lewis
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- Direction, striving for the same thing.
The Philippians’ thinking is to be governed by the example they have in Christ—by his mindset. It means that their thinking, motivation, feelings and actions are directed by the same thing, Christ’s loving sacrifice for others. David Garland
I do not ask for these only (speaking of the disciples), but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. John 17:20-23
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- Humility, considering others first.
Unless I can leave off loving Christ, I cannot cease loving those who love him. Charles Spurgeon
A church committed to honouring Christ by being united in these things brings freedom. 1. Freedom to be real 2. Freedom from the powers of sin 3. Freedom to enjoy differences 4. Freedom to grow
Back in February, I began teaching through the book of Philippians with our church in a series called Joy, Unleashed. We spent two weeks looking at chapter one, and unpacking what joy is and two areas of our lives that should bring us joy. Little did I (or any of us, for that matter) know that when we resumed our look at the letter of Paul to the church at Philippi, our lives would be so radically different. February seems like a distant memory from years gone by. So much has happened between then and now, and it seems as if the situation and the surrounding struggles are here to stay for a while longer. But still, God is sovereign. It’s evident that having him lead us to this book, at this time, was intentional. For many of us, joy can seem like a mirage, or a fairy tale of sorts. With the stress, anxiety, loneliness, loss, uncertainty that surrounds so many of us, is living with joy even possible? In many ways, we have more in common with the apostle Paul than we might realize. Yet, even as he faced great difficulty and struggle, his joyful perspective on all that he faced radiates off the page. Joy, supernatural delight, IS possible, in even the most difficult of circumstances. I’m looking forward to being with you this weekend, whether online or in the room and I’m praying that God’s Word will hit the mark for us, wherever we’re at. Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://youtu.be/ZHgR1rCKEV0?t=1836" align="center"] Sermon Notes Joy Unleashed Joy in my faithful witness Jordan Coros Philippians 1:18b-26
July 19, 2020
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As a faithful witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ, I must fulfill the kingdom-building work he has for me.
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- Commit courageously (v. 18b–20)
If Christ can be magnified through the unflinching fearlessness of believers, he can be shamed through their cowardice. - David Garland
Mark 13:11
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- Surrender sacrificially (v. 21–24)
2 Corinthians 4:10
During that epidemic of cholera, though I had many engagements in the country, I gave them up that I might remain in London to visit the sick and the dying. I felt that it was my duty to be on the spot in such a time of disease and death and sorrow. - Charles Spurgeon
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- Prioritize purposefully (v. 25–26)
Lord, it belongs not to my care whether I die or live; to love and serve thee is my share, and this thy grace must give. If life be long, I will be glad, that I may long obey; if short, yet why would I be sad to welcome endless day?
Christ leads me through no darker rooms than he went through before; He that unto God’s kingdom comes, must enter through that door. Come Lord, when grace hath made me meet thy blessed face to see; For if thy work on earth be sweet, what will thy glory be!
Then I shall end my sad complaints and weary sinful days And join with the triumphant saints that sing my Saviour’s praise; My knowledge of that life is small, the eye of faith is dim; But ‘tis enough that Christ knows all, and I shall be with him. - Richard Baxter
Only faith in Christ fills you with an unwavering confidence that rests on all that he has done for you, allowing you to draw near without reservation, having a sincere heart, a clean conscience, and evidence of purity, calling on you to have a firm grip on your profession of faith in him, and compelling you to stir it up in one another to worship Christ together, walk with Christ together, and work for Christ together. Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://vimeo.com/437485864#t=1466s" align="center"] Sermon Notes Without Wavering Todd Dugard Hebrews 10:19–26
July 12, 2020
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Only faith in Christ fills you with an unwavering confidence…
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…that rests on all that he has done for you (v. 19-21)
Matthew 11:28-30 —
…allowing you to draw near without reservation having (v. 22)
1st - a sincere heart
2nd - a clean conscience
3rd - evidence of purity
—
…calling on you to have a firm grip on your profession of faith in him (v. 23)
—
…and compelling you to stir it up in one another to (v. 24-25)
No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main—John Donne
…worship Christ together
…walk with Christ together
…work for Christ together
Only faith in Christ fills you with an unwavering confidence that rests on all that he has done for you, allowing you to draw near without reservation, having a sincere heart, a clean conscience, and evidence of purity, calling on you to have a firm grip on your profession of faith in him, and compelling you to stir it up in one another to worship Christ together, walk with Christ together, and work for Christ together.
Anyone who breathes knows that accepting God’s will for our lives can be difficult. The Father often chooses life experiences for us that we’d never choose; he carves out paths for us to follow that we’d never go down. And yet, in hindsight, we often see how things have worked out for the best. We see his hand at work even in the traumas of life. As the years go by and our faith and endurance increase, we know that quietly waiting for God to work is always the best course of action. But we are challenged to do so. We face many temptations to complain about our circumstances, to accuse God of being unfair, and even to quit the faith. The world tells us that we deserve better. That life owes us something. Some religions—including many aberrant forms of Christianity—peddle the false notion of quid pro quo; that, if I serve him, he’ll bless me with what I want. Give and take. But that’s untrue. He’ll bless you with what he knows you need not what you want. And none of us is earning any special favour from God. So how do I respond to God’s evident but often difficult-to-accept will for my life and for this world? That’s what we’ll see on Sunday as we conclude our study in the book of Habakkuk with a message on Habakkuk 3:1-19. Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://vimeo.com/435455811#t=1810s" align="center"] Sermon Notes Where Is God? I Will Quietly Wait Todd Dugard Habakkuk 3:1-19
July 5, 2020
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I will respond to God’s evident but often difficult-to-accept will by…
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…acknowledging his perfect work (v. 1–2, 3–15)
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…submitting to his discipline (v. 16–17)
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…worshipping him with joy (v. 18)
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…testifying of him to others (v. 19)
Keep Silence! One of the greatest failings of prayer is saying too much. Too many words. Too much of what I want to say. No time for God to speak. For us to listen. For what we know to be true to sink in. Talk, talk, talk.
We fill the minutes with our own words and never give God a chance to get a word in. And when we’re done. We get up from our knees, pat ourselves on the back for having a “great” prayer time, and walk away having never heard from the Lord.
I will admit, what I’m saying is so hard. Prayer itself is a struggle, let alone trying to keep my mind focused while I try to hear God’s voice.
If prayer is the junior hockey of discipleship, listening in prayer is the NHL. If prayer is the high school of discipleship, listening in prayer is college level. And what we’ve all found is that life is simply so noisy, so rushed, so frenzied, so demanding that it is all but impossible to quiet it all down and actually hear from him.
And yet, in the midst of a series of prayer-complaints, Habakkuk hears this from the Lord, “Let all the earth keep silence before him.”
This is God saying to the prophet, “Sit down. Shut up. And listen. I have something to say that you need to hear.”
And with all the complaints and opinions today about this and that, pandemics, racial issues, the economic disaster that’s ahead, and what governments did or didn’t do that they should or shouldn’t have done, God is saying to us, “Sit down. Shut up. And listen. I have something to say that you need to hear.”
That’s what’s coming up in Habakkuk 2:6-20. Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://youtu.be/nljdk0QIo_8?t=1730" align="center"] Sermon Notes Where Is God? Let All The Earth Keep Silence Before Him Todd Dugard Habakkuk 2:6-20
June 28, 2020
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When the Lord is at work, be silent...(v. 20b)
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....and watch him finally and fully deal with sin
I John 2:2
We are called to be the church in the midst of rampant idolatry, violence, false religions, and willful spiritual blindness. We live in a sexualized culture bent on defiance of biblical authority—Erwin W. Lutzer, The Church in Babylon
Revelation 14:8 —
• The pursuit of riches (v. 6–8)
• The abuse of power (v. 9–11)
• The exploitation of people (v. 12–13)
• The embracing of immorality (v. 15–17)
• The devotion to false gods (v. 18–19)
James 1:27 —
…while establishing his glorious presence on the earth (v. 14, 20a)
Just because you think it doesn't mean you have to say it.—Jon Miller
Proverbs 10:19
Proverbs 11:12
Proverbs 17:28
Bible Plan: Learning to Lament
The righteous shall live by his/her faith Among the things that a Christian must grapple with is the difficult reality of how to ask questions of God. As the sons and daughters of the king, we have access to the Sovereign. We can ask anything, anytime. His Son, Jesus Christ, made that possible. We lose out on so much when we fail to take advantage of that access.
The Book of Habakkuk is an example of what that access can and should look like. In the midst of a desperate situation that was about to get even more desperate, the prophet lamented it all before the Lord. He asked God hard questions saturated with emotion borne from crisis. But even as he did, he never lost sight of who God was. He never wavered in his faith. His questions were out of genuine inquiry and a desire to understand, not accuse.
Obviously, there’s a lot there for us to apply in our own lives. As we face crisis on top of crisis—a pandemic, racial unrest, economic stress, and more—we see in Habakkuk’s words a pattern for approaching the Father with our deepest hurts and hardest trials. And we’ll be pressed to consider whether or not as the righteous ones (believers) we will continue to live by our faith even as we wait out his perfect plan for us and this world. Sunday’s message in Habakkuk 1:12-2:5will take us through all of that. Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://youtu.be/ljjUAlulqRg?t=1658" align="center"] Sermon Notes Where Is God? Are You Not From Everlasting? Todd Dugard Habakkuk 1:12–2:5
June 21, 2020
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When facing crises and asking questions of God…
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…I must not lose sight of who he is (1:12)
Our God is... Eternal Self-existent Perfect Faithful Sovereign Almighty
The God whom we worship is outside the flux of history. He has preceded history; he has created history. His throne is above the world and outside time. He reigns in eternity, the everlasting God. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
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…I must ask with genuine inquiry and not out of ignorance (1:13-17)
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…I must continue to fulfill the mission he has given me (2:1-2)
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…I must live by faith and wait for his perfect plan to roll out (2:3-5)
Romans 1:16-17
Where Is God? Crisis, questions, clarity, and surrender from the prophet Habakkuk
Two questions confound ordinary people in the midst of terrible circumstances: why is this happening to me? and where in the world is God? Sometimes we think these are unique problems to our time but, in truth, every generation all throughout history has struggled with the same questions.
Five centuries before the time of Jesus, the prophet Habakkuk, seeing the oppression of his people at the hands of a ruthless foreign power, asked, “O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear?” In other words, why is this happening? and where are you?
This coming Sunday we’ll start a four-message series in the Book of Habakkuk that will explore the at times cringe-worthy back and forth conversation between the prophet and God.
As we work through this study of the Book, we come to understand the only answer that makes sense and the only appropriate response to how God is working both in the world at large and in our individual lives. Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://youtu.be/K5DBm9be86M?t=1276" align="center"] Sermon Notes Where Is God? How long shall I cry for help? Todd Dugard Habakkuk 1:1-11
June 14, 2020
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When I complain about the crises I face, God responds with a call to accept his often-misunderstood ways.
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There’s no denying the crises… (v. 3-4)
The crises we face: Moral decay Social injustice Rampant crime Relational breakdown Government failure Religious marginalization
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But I don’t help the matter when I complain to God…
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“Your timing is off” (v. 2a)
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“Your help is non-existent” (v. 2b)
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“Your listening skills are lacking” (v. 2c)
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So, his appeal to me is…
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“Be amazed at what I’m doing” (v. 5a)
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“Be aware of what I’m doing” (v. 5b)
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9
Human opinion about righteousness and wrong lacks the capacity to evaluate God's actions in history; those who are truly righteous must live in faithful confidence that God will keep his promises. Dillard and Longman
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“Be accepting of what I’m doing” (v. 6-11)
Such a great God [can] be trusted to accomplish his purposes with all nations and peoples. Therefore, though calamity must come, [we must] wait patiently and confidently. [We must] also abide in the Lord’s strength for his sovereign and perfect will to be effected. Richard D. Patterson
Overview of the book of Habakkuk.
The global crisis we are in is perhaps unparalleled, even by world wars. It is truly global in scope, reaching literally anywhere. While it affects each person differently depending on their circumstances, it has an effect on nearly everyone. Some of the effects are being noted by the psychiatric community as affecting people’s mental health.
Five of these effects are isolation, lack of self-control, anger, despair, and anxiety.
Perhaps you have felt a little of some of them, or a lot of all of them! Probably somewhere in between is where most of us fall.
They are troublesome effects whether large or small, whether simply annoying or crushing. More importantly, God does not want us to be overcome by them.
Do not be overcome by evil; but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21
Psalm 4 gives us a template of how to do just that. This Psalm of David is about finding peace in a distracting situation.
It is often called the evening Psalm because it ends with a good night’s sleep! That is appropriate since night often brings the temptation to let our thoughts run wild, brooding on past wrongs and present perils leading to sleepless nights.
One of the real issues many people are facing in these troubling times is sleeplessness. God has answers to that!
I’m looking forward to sharing with you how to avoid these five pitfalls of a pandemic! Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://youtu.be/dWK02al_we8?t=1670" align="center"] Sermon Notes Five Pitfalls of a Pandemic Roger Freeman Psalm 4
June 7, 2020
Romans 12:21 —
I am in for a good night’s sleep when I:
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- Trade loneliness for community
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- Trade boredom for righteousness
Proverbs 18:1
1 Thessalonians 4:4 —
- Trade anger for humility
Micah 6:8 —
- Trade despair for hope
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- Trade fear for faith
Colossians 3:3
Luke 19:8–10
Contention. Disagreement. Discord. Disharmony. Distress. Upset. Agitation. Hatred. Hostility. Frustration. Worry. Anxiety. Fighting. War. Wouldn’t you want to be done with all of those, if you could? And in the place of all that: peace. It seems impossible. The world we live in is filled with strife. Marriage, friendship, your neighbourhood, the workplace, online, government, the media, and even the line at Walmart are seedbeds for anger, upset, and conflict. Anywhere that one human comes into contact with another human, whether in person or online, the potential for disagreement and dissension is strong. The solution is peace. The relentless pursuit of peace. And I cannot start with five strategies to be at peace with your neighbour. It has to go deeper than self-help principles.
In John 21, Peter is having a conversation with Jesus beside the Sea of Galilee. Peter had just been fishing, at Jesus’ insistence, and there was a mind-boggling, miraculous catch. As Peter and Jesus sat at the fire, after eating their breakfast, Peter wasn’t feeling great about himself, wasn’t able to enjoy being with Jesus, wasn’t able to celebrate the incredible catch of fish. Inside, he was conflicted, out-of-sorts, burdened. Jesus knew that, of course, and in the verses that follow, graciously helped Peter to process the matter of his failure to stand with Jesus before the crucifixion, denying he even knew him. Peter had no peace, and Jesus lovingly relieved him of the weight of that and brought peace to Peter’s heart and mind.
And in that conversation, we see the key to having peace ourselves. It is not that we rush to enact strategies to be at peace with others, but that we first reconcile ourselves to God and, as a result, to ourselves. The principle is this: when we are at peace with God and at peace with ourselves, matters relating to those around us won’t devastate us in the same way. We can be at peace no matter the circumstances and situations we face.
As we look at John 21:15-23, we’ll see that we will be at peace when there are no unconfessed sin issues in our lives, no fighting God on his plan for us, and no comparing of ourselves to others. Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://youtu.be/Gb1EkIeKZGQ?t=1666" align="center"] Sermon Notes Conversations with Jesus A Conversation About Peace Pastor Todd Dugard John 21:15–23 (Peter)
May 31, 2020
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I feel sorry for the Christian who doesn’t have something in the circumstances of his life that he wishes were not there.—Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
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I’ll be at peace when there is…
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…no unconfessed sin issue (v. 15–17)
Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.—1 Corinthians 11:28
Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone.—Luke 11:4
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…no fighting God on his plan (v. 18–19)
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…no comparing myself to others (v. 20–23)
Jerome said that he was crucified his head being down and his feet upward, as he himself had requested, because he was (he said) unworthy to be crucified after the same form and manner as the Lord was.—Foxe's Book of Martyrs
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.—1 Peter 4:12–14
Comparing myself to others: (1) Compromises my view of God (2) Complicates my relationships with people (3) Clouds my thinking (4) Confuses my purpose
We do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.—2 Corinthians 4:16–18
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.—Philippians 4:7
Temptation.
We all feel it. We all understand it, in a sense, because it’s all around us.
It’s in ads online, it’s in movies and tv shows, it’s in our heads and our hearts. How do we navigate it? How do we resist it? Do we even want to?
Jesus experienced temptation for forty days and nights as he wandered in the wilderness. He faced the onslaught of pressure from the evil one to succumb to fleshly, sinful desires, in the same way that you and I do daily.
It’s a passage that brings comfort in knowing that, as Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
But it’s a passage that brings a challenge for us as well because, as we’ll see from the text, responding to temptation the way Jesus did comes down to a few simple choices.
As we come face to face with our own responses to temptation, I’m praying that God will open our hearts to hear what he has to say, and that we will be receptive to the changes he wants to make in our lives.
As this whole series has been, this is another “line in the sand” kind of message. It’s a convicting word from Matthew 4 this week, one we all need to hear. Complete Livestream Service [vc_video link="https://youtu.be/HwOwOc0VEC8?t=1696" align="center"] Sermon Notes Conversations with Jesus A Conversation About Temptation Jordan Coros Matthew 4:1-11 (Satan)
May 24, 2020
Resisting temptation, as Jesus did, comes down to a few simple choices.
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- Self-satisfaction or humble dependence? (v. 1–4)
Israel demanded its bread, but died in the wilderness. Jesus denied himself bread, retained his righteousness and lived by faithful submission to God’s word.―D.A. Carson
Remember, he is not, like you, a pure spirit. Never having been a human (Oh the abominable advantage of the Enemy’s!) you don’t realize how enslaved they are to the pressure of the ordinary. I once had a patient, a sound atheist, who used to read in the British Museum. One day, as he sat reading, I saw a train of thought in his mind beginning to go the wrong way. The Enemy, of course, was at his elbow in a moment…If I had lost my head and begun to attempt a defence by argument I should have been undone. But I was not such a fool. I struck instantly at the part of the man which I had best under my control and suggested that it was just about time he had some lunch.―C.S. Lewis
If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.―Luke 14:26–27
Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.―Luke 14:33
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.―Romans 12:1
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- Make my own truth or believe God? (v. 5–7)
You shall not put the Lord your God to the test as you tested him at Massah.―Deuteronomy 6:16
When I face temptation, it’s critical God’s Word is… My standard Properly understood Faithfully memorized
Books: Grasping God's Word Journey into God's Word by J. Scott Duval& J. Daniel Hays —
- Hold desperately to control or submit wholeheartedly? (v. 8–11)
By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.―Proverbs 16:6
Be killing sin, or it will be killing you. ―Pastor John Owen
Do you think it is fair to say that we’re all prejudiced in some way and probably aren’t even aware of it? Many minorities would say that’s true. Women too. The disabled often feel it. The elderly. Without realizing it, even as Christians, we may be racist, sexist, ableist, and ageist.
In Matthew 9:9-13, Jesus called a man named Matthew to follow him. When he did, he hosted a meal at his house with a bunch of his friends and Jesus. That’s when the trouble started. The religious leaders, who had the responsibility of shepherding the people and leading them to God, didn’t like what Jesus was doing and made a point of saying so. Matthew and his friends were Jewish, like them, but also collaborated with the Romans to collect taxes. In doing so, they placed surcharges on their collections to pad their wealth. To the religious leaders and many people in Israel at the time, they were despised and therefore pushed to the margins, unworthy of God or of a place in society. For Jesus to sit with them like that was inappropriate and offensive to them. But Jesus, of course, calls them out for their attitude and words.
What happened there stands as a warning to us as Christians today. It isn’t just about tax collectors, but any persons or people groups we would show either partiality or prejudice toward. I don’t expect this message to be an easy one for us to hear, but we must. All partiality and prejudice must be eliminated if the gospel is to be believed. Complete Livestream Service https://youtu.be/glWxfAWIH0I?t=1667 Sermon Notes Conversations with Jesus A Conversation About Partiality Todd Dugard Matthew 9:9–13 (The Religious Leaders)
May 17, 2020
All partiality and prejudice must be eliminated if the gospel is to be believed.
Partiality: a favourable bias, a special fondness, preference or liking for someone or something.
Prejudice: an unfavourable and/or unreasonable opinion, attitude, or feeling esp. regarding a racial, social, or religious person or group.
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• Call everyone to life in Christ (v. 9)
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• Enjoy friendship and fellowship with all (v. 10)
People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.―Theodore Roosevelt
And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” ―Revelation 5:9–10
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• Admit that I may be oblivious to my own prejudices (v. 11)
Repentance is: (a) agreeing with God that how I’m living and how I see it is wrong; and then (b) turning from my way to his way.
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• Advocate for those who are discriminated against (v. 12-13)
Become an advocate for impartiality: (1) LISTEN to the stories of minorities and the marginalized (2) LEARN from the life and experiences of others who are not like you (3) LAMENT that we are still so far from what Jesus modelled for us
Lament provides the tracks along which the pain of racial issues can move forward…It is a God-given means for vocalizing complicated and loaded pain.—Mark Vroegop
(4) LIFT your voice and speak out against injustice
(5) LEND your time and energy to the cause
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.—Galatians 3:28
The idea of authority has consumed the minds of people for thousands of years.
The quest to rule over the world is what has motivated many to amass armies and rule over lands with an iron fist. It’s been the driving force behind dictatorships and tyrannical leaders to force their will upon their subjects in order to stay in power. And while these extreme examples of authoritarian rule are foremost in our minds, let’s be honest, this desire for authority and power plays out in our daily lives too. It damages marriages, workplace relationships, and churches, sometimes beyond repair. It’s what has fueled minds to study and scheme, meticulously plan, or conspire their way to the top, paying no mind to the destruction left in their wake. It’s why parent-child relationships are dashed on the rocks, it’s why people criticize every move of those in leadership, because at the core of who we are, we want the power and the sway and the influence. We want to have the authority over our lives and, for many, the lives of others.
In Matthew 8 we’re introduced to a man with significant authority. He was a Roman centurion in charge of a portion of the soldiers responsible for keeping order and peace in the land. His words and commands directly reflected the wishes of those in power at the time, and carried the same weight. But something happened in his life that made him realize that his authority, even that of his superiors, was inferior. It wasn’t enough. His power, his ability to command, his leadership couldn’t come close to getting him what he desperately needed, there was something missing and so he came to Jesus, one who amazed the people who heard him speak, “for he was teaching them as one who had authority” (Matthew 7:29).
In this message we’ll study this powerful interaction between the centurion and Jesus and look at three implications for us as we seek to submit to his authority, and how those play out in our lives. Complete Livestream Service https://youtu.be/fQg6zpVxDN8?t=1552 Sermon Notes Conversations with Jesus A Conversation About Authority Jordan Coros Matthew 8:5–13 (The Roman Centurion)
May 10, 2020
In every aspect of my life, I am under the authority of Jesus Christ.
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- It takes humility (v. 5–8)
Having a right view of who Jesus is impacts… My relationships (Ephesians 5:21) My decisions (Proverbs 3:6) My disciplines —
- It empowers faith (v. 9–10)
Matthew 28:18
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- It brings hope (v. 11–13)
The tears of which Jesus speaks here…are those of inconsolable, never-ending wretchedness, and utter, everlasting hopelessness. The accompanying grinding or gnashing of teeth denotes excruciating pain and frenzied anger. This grinding of teeth, too, will never come to an end or cease. William Hendrickson
Revelation 19:11–16
Complete Livestream Service https://youtu.be/TLWLkZeHZsg?t=1690 To be sure, having Christianity as the dominant religious influence in the Western world has done us no favours in terms of actually living out the gospel as Christians. We have all too often substituted genuine discipleship and the mission to lead people to Jesus with a crusade to make our nation Christian. We have ceased to witness and instead taken up placards in protest, signed petitions, and engaged in the political process as an organized lobby group in order to impose a Christian ethic on our fellow citizens. The task seems so noble yet it fails the test of Scripture. The imposition of biblical standards of morality on people who are not Christians, falls outside of the Christ-given mandate to simply, “make disciples.”
That’s what we see Jesus doing in John 4. He’s seeking to make a new disciple of a woman who has come to a well at midday to draw water. Her life, from a moral standpoint, has been a disaster. She’s broken and ashamed having made multiple poor moral choices over the years. Knowing this, Jesus engages her in a conversation that eventually leads her into the freedom from sin’s curse that only salvation in Christ can provide. Jesus deftly navigates the moral bankruptcy that characterized her life, pouring out grace where other Christians might have only heaped condemnation and shame on her.
As we gathering online this Sunday, we’ll be in message three of our Conversations with Jesus series, and we’ll be looking at A Conversation about Morality he has with this Samaritan woman, and then I’ll lay out seven principles from the passage that will help us all see morality the way Jesus sees morality. Ultimately, he’s the only one who should be truly offended by our sin, and yet he offers grace and mercy to any who lean in to listen to him speak and to consider his offer of forgiveness. An offer the woman gladly accepted.
Fact is, we live in a messed up, sinful, broken world. And we’re part of that brokenness. The only hope we have is not moral reformation but the life-giving message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen?! Sermon Notes Conversations with Jesus A Conversation About Morality Pastor Todd Dugard John 4:1–41 (The Samaritan Woman)
May 3, 2020
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See morality the way Jesus sees morality...
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- Meet people where they are no matter their moral choices
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- Believe that no one is beyond the reach of God
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- Present the gospel, not moral reformation, as their hope
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- Navigate each person’s journey with grace and patience
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- Watch as guilt, fear, and shame melt away at conversion
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- Recognize that there is a God-established standard of morality
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- Pursue and encourage the holiness of God for all believers
Complete Livestream Service https://youtu.be/j7N_xWaLD40?t=1727
For what is a man, what has he got? If not himself, then he has naught Not to say the things that he truly feels And not the words of someone who kneels The record shows I took all the blows And did it my way
Those words written by Paul Anka and sung famously by Frank Sinatra in the song My Way sum up the mindset of generations of people, becoming the anthem of the self-sufficient.
I did it my way, I made it happen, it was by my grit, my determination, my sheer willpower that what I accomplished came to be and no one can take that from me. All I have ever needed is what I have had in me.
Is this anything other than a bowing down to worship at the temple of pride, in front of the idol of self-sufficiency?
In Matthew’s gospel, a young man approached Jesus with a great question, “What good deed must I do to have eternal life?” Jesus, knowing the young man’s heart, responded with stinging clarity: Paul and Frank have it wrong. You, young man, have it wrong. There is nothing good in us and nothing that we can do to achieve or resolve our greatest need; that of a restored relationship with our God.
For that young man, eternal life was another hill to climb, another trophy on the mantle, another item to be attained. But he missed the mark by a wide margin. He neglected to see that attaining eternal life is a matter of a heart-decision, and that all we, as human beings, need is not found in us but in someone else.
As we continue our Conversations with Jesus series, we’ll look at Matthew 19 and check our own hearts for self-sufficiency as we listen in on Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler. Sermon Notes Conversations with Jesus A Conversation about Self-Sufficiency Jordan Coros Matthew 19:16-26 (The Rich Young Man)
April 26, 2020
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It’s a real problem when I think that I’m in control
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- It puts me in God’s rightful place (v. 16–17)
Ecclesiastes 3:11
Ephesians 2:8–9 —
- And makes me think I’m better than I actually am (v. 18–20)
What to do if you sense you’re self-sufficient (1) If you sense your sufficiency is in…money, give it away. (2) If you sense your sufficiency is in…possessions, serve the less fortunate. (3) If you sense your sufficiency is in…your work, look around. (4) If you sense your sufficiency is in…yourself, ask for help.
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- Which causes unnecessary pain and difficulty (v. 21–24)
John 15:5
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The solution? I choose to depend entirely on the self-sufficient one (v. 25–26)
People have so many different ideas about who Jesus is. Some think he was a good man who had some nice things to say. Some believe he was a wise teacher who founded one of the world’s great religions. Others pay no mind to Jesus, seeing him only as the reason for a long weekend at Easter. If we were to talk to ten different people, we would get as many different opinions on Jesus. And, sadly, even from those who might profess belief in Jesus, most would miss the mark. That’s critical because what we do with Jesus, what we believe about who he was, what he taught, what he did, will determine our eternal destiny. Read Series Overview »
Full Livestream Service https://youtu.be/96ujexwJdyo Sermon Notes Conversations with Jesus A Conversation about Religion Pastor Todd Dugard John 3:1-21 (Nicodemus)
April 19, 2020
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If you're ready to fill that emptiness inside, it's time to...
Ecclesiastes 3:11 —
...Be willing to listen (v. 1–7)
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...Be open to something new (v. 8–15)
Galatians 3:13 —
...Be responsive to change (v. 16–21)
John 3:16
Romans 8:38–39
Good Friday Download the Good Friday Personal Journal (PDF)
Watch Behold Him (The Triumphal Entry)
Watch My Name Is (The Crucifixion)
Watch Jesus Paid it All (The Burial) Easter Sunday Based on the gospels, we’ve crafted a special service looking at some of the personal reactions to the resurrection of Jesus…Mary Magdalene, Thomas, Peter and John, as well as the disciples on the road to Emmaus.
Everything is coming to us from the homes of our pastors and directors for Easter Sunday. Sermon Notes That First Sunday Morning April 12, 2020 Various Scriptures
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Peter and John: CONFUSION John 20:9
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Mary Magdalene: BROKENNESS John 20:15a
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Emmaus Road Disciples: DISAPPOINTMENT Luke 24:21a
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Thomas: DOUBT John 20:25b
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Conclusion:
• God will clear my confusion (John 21:17)
• God will heal my brokenness (John 20:18)
• God will overcome my disappointment (Luke 24:32)
• God will answer my doubts (John 20:28)
I’ve only ever made one of those long road trips to Florida. Some people I know do it every year. The 20+ hours on the road, both ways, on 400 series and interstate highways is simply an ordeal to be endured. And, I think, most travellers would agree with that.
The thing that makes the trip worthwhile is the destination.
For us, it was the incredible white-sand beaches of Destin, on the Florida Panhandle. All those hours of mindless, sometimes tense, driving melted away when our feet hit the sand and the sun, our faces. In fact, when we turned the car around and headed back north, we felt the same way pulling into our driveway. It was so good to be home.
That’s the thing with us as human beings. We like completion. We like endings.
We tune in to series finales because we want closure after faithfully investing our time in a whole series. We pan movies that lack a clear resolution like Master and Commander, which turned out to be a complete waste of two hours.
The good news is that our study of the Book of Ruth comes to a beautiful conclusion this Sunday.
The story wraps up perfectly with a hopeful message that points to the greater conclusion of all things at the end of the age.
Christians, of all people, have this built-in sense of anticipation concerning the culmination of history and the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan as we live in what the Bible calls, “the last days.”
As we look at Ruth 4, we’ll get a glimpse into, “Where the road ends.” It is a message of incredible hope. Livestream Church Service https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB1tV_l0hYg Sermon Notes The Road to Redemption: The Life-Changing Story of Ruth Where the Road Ends Pastor Todd Dugard Ruth 4
I will find hope in knowing where The Road to Redemption ends.
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• Hope! Because the renowned and worthy Redeemer is making it all happen (v. 1-12)
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• Hope! Because the redemption of what has been lost will be realized (v. 13-15)
Ephesians 3:20 —
• Hope! Because everything redeemed will be secure and never lost again (v. 16-22)
Colossians 1:13-14
The Long and Winding Road If you know the Beatles, you know I ripped off their song title for this message. Lennon and McCartney wrote and sang about a girl, of course. It was a love song.
This message in Ruth is too, I guess.
We’ll be in the third message in our series, The Road to Redemption: The Life-Changing Story of Ruth this Sunday. And, in fact, a love story between Ruth and Boaz takes some brave steps forward. But we miss the central message of Ruth if we fixate on that point.
This story is about redemption. Freedom. Salvation. It is a chapter in the long story of God’s love for sinners and his plan to set things right for us.
In this message, we’ll see some of the signposts along The Road to Redemption. Signs that tells us that the road is a one-way street, to watch for the flagman’s instructions, to not stop moving forward, and to prepare ourselves for the long and winding road that is ahead of us.
I know there’s a strong and comforting message for us here given the current circumstances we’re all facing. It is also a thoroughly boots-on-the-ground, realistic message, and not an idealistic one.
Life is hard. Ruth and Naomi knew it and so do we. Complete Online Church Service https://youtu.be/kn5NS6s2iew Sermon Notes The Road to Redemption: The Life-Changing Story of Ruth The Long and Winding Road Pastor Todd Dugard Ruth 3
On the road to redemption…
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…there is but ONE WAY (v. 1–4)
John 14:7 Acts 4:24 —
…and I must DRIVE SLOWLY AND WATCH FOR INSTRUCTIONS (v. 5–7)
2 Peter 1:19 —
…with NO STOPPING once I get going (v. 8–15)
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…because it is often a long and WINDING ROAD AHEAD (v. 16–18)
Anyone who heard last Sunday’s message, the first in our new series in The Book of Ruth, realizes that it is as if this story was designed to be told at a time like this. The series, The Road to Redemption, breaks down like this:
March 15 Where the Road Begins (Ruth 1:1-18) March 22 Rough Road Ahead (Ruth 1:19-2:23) March 29 The Long and Winding Road (Ruth 3) April 5 Where the Road Ends (Ruth 4)
Those titles seem spot-on, don’t they? As we gather (virtually) this Sunday we’ll be looking at the “Rough Road Ahead,” and I’d say we’re all looking at that road right now. And we need this message.
Call, text, or email someone and tell them to join you on the livestream Sunday morning. I’m expecting God to speak to us through this passage. Complete Online Church Service https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q46ZSA9BSs0 Sermon Notes The Road to Redemption: The Life-Changing Story of Ruth Rough Road Ahead Pastor Todd Dugard Ruth 1:19—2:23
Once I’ve set out on the road to redemption, I will…
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• Expect a reaction from others (v. 1:19-22)
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• Rest in God’s sovereignty (v. 2:1-7)
Proverbs 16:33
There is nothing—no circumstance, no trouble, no testing—that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God and past Christ, right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose, which I may not understand at the moment, but as I refuse to become panicky, as I lift up my eyes to him and accept it as coming from the throne of God for some great purpose of blessing to my own heart, no sorrow will ever disturb me, no trial will ever disarm me, no circumstance will cause me to fret, for I shall rest in the joy of what my Lord is. --Alan Redpath —
• Accept help when needed (v. 2:8-23)
Proverbs 14:31b —
• Prepare for setbacks along the way (v. 2:9, 15-16, 22)
I've set aside what we had planned for the next few weeks and instead will be starting a new 4-week series, Road to Redemption: The life-changing story of Ruth. This Sunday’s message in Ruth 1:1-18 is entitled, Where the road begins. I believe this will be a timely series of messages as we continue to deal with the reality of COVID-19 and its effects on us.
Families with children can watch the videos that have been put together with their Harvest Kids’ lesson and memory verse. Complete Online Church Service https://vimeo.com/397855228 Sermon Notes The Road to Redemption: The Life-Changing Story of Ruth Where the Road Begins Pastor Todd Dugard Ruth 1:1–18
On the road to redemption...
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...I am faced with many heartaches and challenges (v. 1–5)
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...but, I will cling to hope and believe for better days (v. 6–14a)
Isaiah 40:28–31 —
...determined to go with God no matter what (v. 14b–18)
Romans 8:28
Resignation lies down quietly in an empty universe. Acceptance rises up to meet the God who fills that universe with purpose and destiny. Resignation says, “I can't,” and God says, “I can.” Resignation says, “It's all over for me.” Acceptance asks, “Now that I'm here, Lord, what's next?” Resignation says, “What a waste.” Acceptance says, “In what redemptive way can you use this mess, Lord?” --Jill Briscoe
I’m not that eager to bring the Word this Sunday. The hardest part of preaching verse-by-verse through books of the Bible is dealing with the hardest parts.
Passages like Acts 5:1-11 present a challenge to both preacher and people as we together grapple with the intensity of the hard things God is communicating.
In this Sunday’s passage, Luke provides the account of Ananias and Sapphira, who conspired together with respect to an offering, holding back part of the proceeds while giving the impression they were giving the whole amount of the sale of some land. They lied to the Apostle Peter, compromised the unity of the church, and tested the Holy Spirit.
The whole episode left a dark cloud hanging over the church as God brought his discipline down on them with each one dropping dead.
Luke tells us that “great fear” gripped the church as a result. No kidding.
The reality is that we’ve lost all sense of the fear of God today, and we could do with more. We’re so quick to speak of God’s love, mercy, grace, and kindness because, as the P.R. people will tell us, “That’ll sell!”
It is hard enough to attract people to church and the gospel without having them thinking that God might kill them or discipline them if they, as a Christian, persist in sin or blatantly disregard the Word. Yet, there it is in Acts 5.
The question we’ll press is how we can all have a healthy, appropriate fear of God. Sermon Notes The Book of Acts Great Fear Pastor Todd Dugard Acts 5:1-11
March 8, 2020
Having “great fear” of God means...
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...I don’t trivialize sin
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...I don’t think I’m immune to discipline
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...I don’t taint the church
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...I don’t test him
We’re awfully confused about the nature of the church: what it is, what it is supposed to be doing, who actually belongs to it, and more. Everyone has an opinion about it, of course. Lots of churches and church leaders have messed it up throughout history complicating the matter further.
Self-interested people, governments, and sinners of all kinds have made the church into something that God never intended.
As is true for your broken appliances or failed Ikea project, when things go sideways it is always best to consult the owner’s manual and start over. For anyone interested in having a church that is what it should be today, we need only turn to the Book of Acts to see the church in the earliest days as it fulfilled all that God intended.
With this message, we’ll be doing just that and resuming our study in the Book of Acts as we look at a summary passage in Acts 4:32–37 that pauses the action once again to describe the character and activities of the fledgling church.
What we find is a church that is experiencing great commonality, great power, great grace, and great generosity. Everything in that list should thrill us and compel us to reach for the same here at Harvest.
What’s remarkable is just how un-confusing and simple it really is. Sermon Notes The Book of Acts Great Grace Pastor Todd Dugard Acts 4:32-37
March 1, 2020
When you’re part of a great God’s great family…
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…you experience great commonality (v. 32)
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…you witness and preach with great power (v. 33a)
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…you give and receive great grace (v. 33b)
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…you practice great generosity (v. 34-37)
This weekend, we’ll be meeting God in the letter to the Ephesian church. Ephesus was one of the foremost cities of the Roman empire and God raised up a church there to demonstrate the power of Jesus’ name. One commentary refers to Ephesians as our Christian manifesto, and becoming imitators of God is central to our mission in the world.
Presenting God to the city of Barrie is our highest calling as an uncommon community. Sermon Notes Be Imitators of God Pastor Dwayne Francois Ephesians 5:1–21
February 23, 2020
The power in Jesus’ name is revealed to a city when the church imitates God by...
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…walking in love (v. 1–2)
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…walking in light (v. 3–14)
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…and walking in wisdom (v. 15–21)
When I was 13 I had my first opportunity to lead someone to Christ. His name was Alex, and he accepted Jesus under one of the trees in the back playground portion of Timothy Christian School on a sunny June Sunday morning.
Of all that could stick in my mind from that moment, I remember his face after we finished praying together. He lit up, I mean, lit up. “Does this mean I get to go to heaven?” he asked. He jumped around and told anyone who would listen that he just asked Jesus into his heart.
I watched Alex ask questions and sit attentively every week at what was then known as “Higher Ground”, our Harvest Kids program, until one week he and his family stopped coming. I don’t know where he is, if he’s following Jesus, or if he’s fallen away from the faith he once professed. But I find myself praying for him every once in a while, hoping that he is committed and pursuing Christ with all that he is.
For those few weeks I remember feeling overwhelmed with emotion, even as young as I was, that God had allowed me to have a hand in helping Alex know Jesus. I look back and realize that it was joy that filled my heart, at seeing God work in such an phenomenal way in someone's life.
The fact that we, as weak and frail as we are and filled with doubts and insecurities, could play a part in changing the eternal destiny of another human being is pretty remarkable. It’s a gift from God. There’s no doubt about that.
This week, as we continue our time in the first chapter of Philippians, the apostle Paul will go in depth in the circumstances he found himself in while he wrote this letter. We’ll see his attitude, his perspective on the hardship he faced, and how he used it to advance the work of the gospel.
My prayer for us this week is that as we unpack the purpose of our lives as followers of Christ, the Lord would give us eyes to see the way that the good news of Jesus Christ is impacting our lives and the lives of those around us. And that we would be keen to look for and pursue opportunities to share that good news with others.
Joy comes in watching gospel progress in us and in those around us. Looking forward to diving into this together. Sermon Notes Joy, Unleashed Joy, In Gospel Progress Philippians 1:12-18
February 16, 2020
Isaiah 55:10–11 Isaiah 55:12a
In all I do, the endgame is to advance the gospel. And so...
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...I must seize every opportunity (v. 12-13)
Jail can be a wonderful place for Christian evangelism- one has a captive audience and plenty of time to preach and teach. The chains restraining Paul’s body do not restrain the gospel. -- David Garland
Seizing the opportunity: 1. Know the gospel - www.harvestbarrie.ca/5-gospel-words 2. Invite them to church 3. Share your story 4. Pray 5. Approach people with humility, patience, and grace —
...seeking to encourage others (v. 14)
—
...and staying the course (v. 15-17)
Psalm 7:8 Isaiah 54:16 —
...experiencing the joy that comes from fulfilling my purpose. (v. 18)
It’s been well documented that the winter months in Canada are particularly difficult for people. January is known as the most depressing month on the calendar. It brings Christmas credit card bills and the onset for many of what is called “Seasonal Affective Disorder”, a medical condition characterized by depressive feelings, or thoughts brought on by a lack of sunshine.
That gets coupled with the many challenges we experience in our lives, the many factors detracting from our health mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. And on top of that is the darkness of the world, and of our own hearts, and the negativity perpetually around us in the news.
It’s really no wonder people struggle to get through January and February. The prospect of living with joy in light of all that can seem like a very, very distant reality.
The book of Philippians, Paul’s extended thank you letter to the people in the church at Philippi, gives us some of the most well known and often used phrases in our Christian vocabulary.
As Paul pens these words from prison, he details what it means to live with joy in light of the person and work of Jesus Christ in any and every circumstance.
As we spend time in this portion of God’s Word, we’ll see where joy comes from and what it fuels in us, what living with joy looks like, how it impacts our attitudes and actions, and the effect it has on our lives and the lives of the people around us. Sermon Notes Joy, Unleashed Joy, in Our Gospel Partnership Jordan Coros Philippians 1:1-11
February 9, 2020
I experience great joy when I see that we are...
- United in promise (v. 6)
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- United in purpose (v. 7)
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- United by love (v. 8-9)
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- United by change (v. 10-11)
It was just a few weeks ago that I shared about Joab, King David’s general, who was leading the armies of Israel against Ammon.
With the Syrians enlisted to come to Ammon’s aid, Joab found himself surrounded. He responded with the best defensive strategy at his disposal, charged up his troops, and then said, “And may the Lord do what seems good to him.” It was a statement rooted in faith and in an acknowledgement that God will always accomplish his will.
Nothing is outside his control. Win or lose (as we see wins and losses), we’re always in God’s all-powerful hands.
In this message we're taking looking back to that account of Joab in 1 Chronicles 19 as well as looking at something Jesus said in John 14:12 about the “greater things” that we, as his followers, should see happening.
All of that to set up a message on the State of the Church. It will feel like a bit of a different Sunday as we look at our current financial picture as well as projections for 2020.
We’ll examine some people numbers, as well as what the elders are talking about in terms of evaluation and vision.
This is an important message that should encourage, bless, and challenge us all in the Harvest Barrie family.
Our hope is that God will continue to do “greater works” in and through us. Sermon Notes State of the Church Pastor Todd Dugard Various Scriptures
February 2, 2020
2019 General Fund Summary
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Made for This Summary
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2020 Forecast and Budget
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Highlights on People Numbers
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Christmas Report
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DNA Evaluation
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Vision
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Elder Update
There are only a few “formal” rituals in a church like ours.
We don’t have a published prayer book. We don’t follow a liturgy, do daily readings, have priests in robes, or burn incense or candles. We don’t follow the church calendar (except for Christmas and Easter) or have an altar piece. Things are rather simple here.
Taking our cue from the New Testament itself, we adhere to just two prescribed ordinances: baptism and communion (or as we would more commonly say, the Lord’s Table.) As we gather this Sunday for worship, we will be focusing entirely on that special meal that Jesus inaugurated in the Upper Room for his church to practice until he returns. The Lord’s Table is beautiful in its simplicity and yet so profound in its meaning. On its face, we eat a small piece of bread and we drink from the “fruit of the vine” (for us, grape juice) to remember the incredible act of sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us. The bread is his body. The juice, his blood.
This Jesus-given ritual of eating and drinking re-centres us as we live our lives in a world that is intent on distracting us from what he did for us.
But if we participate in the ritual without thought, if we do it out of obligation or routine, it becomes something entirely unhelpful and even damaging. “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself,” wrote the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:29. We must approach this ordinance of Christ intentionally and sober-mindedly. Our time in the Word is in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 where Paul deals with the Lord’s Table gone bad. Along the way, he laid out the beauty and simplicity of what the Table is, what it should mean to them and to us today.
We will respond to the message at the Lord’s Table, walking up to the front to receive the bread and cup.
My hope is that the Holy Spirit will meet with us and stir us as we remember Jesus’ death. Sermon Notes The Lord's Table Pastor Todd Dugard 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
January 26, 2020
At the Lord’s Table, Jesus is telling me to…
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• Love others …because I tend to be self-centred (11:17-22, 33-34) —
• Be thankful …because I tend to be ungrateful (11:23-24a)
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• Find forgiveness …because I tend to sin (11:24b, 25b, 27-32)
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• Remember him …because I tend to forget (11:24c, 25c)
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• Keep covenant …because I tend to drift (11:25a)
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• Hope in him …because I tend to despair (11:26)
Jesus made the mission abundantly clear. “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8b). And since then, as the church and as individual Christians, our task, given to us by Jesus himself, has been to make more and better followers of Christ.
At Harvest, we do that locally and regionally (our Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria) through our own church ministries and outreach as well as through partnerships in the area with various other ministries such as the Barrie Food Bank, the Salvation Army Bayside Mission, Envisage Pregnancy Services, Heritage College and Seminary, and Prison Fellowship Canada. On the global side (end of the earth), we partner with Harvest Glasgow, the Cameroon Bible Church Fellowship, TWR (Trans World Radio), and Children of Promise Ministries.
And it is Children of Promise that we are featuring as Dayo Idowu, their founder and president, preaches this Sunday.
Dayo and his wife, Tinu, members here at Harvest, run a successful home healthcare business in and around the GTA, and operate the orphan home ministry in their home city of Ibadan, Nigeria. Harvest is privileged to have partnered with Children of Promise since its founding in 2005. I know we’ll be blessed and challenged as we hear about this great ministry and from the Word of God this Sunday morning. Sermon Notes MANEUVERING THE STORMS OF LIFE Dayo Idowu Mark 4:35–41
January 19, 2020
- There is always a calm before the storm. (v. 35–36)
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- Storms are part of life’s realities. (v. 37)
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- When the storm comes, would you not prefer to be on the shore rather than in the storm? But being in the storm with Master Jesus rather than being on the shore alone is the greatest insurance package anyone can pray for! (v. 38)
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- Be prepared. Who do you run to when you are at the mercy of a raging storm?
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- Fear is an obstacle to faith. (v. 40–41)
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- Be Strong. Rest upon the Rock that will never let you down.
We do so many things not knowing how it will all turn out.
We invest money not knowing if it will yield a return. We hop in the car not knowing if we’ll make it to our destination or be involved in a collision. We get married not knowing if the vows will be kept for a lifetime, as we “promised.” We move to a new city not knowing if it’s a place we’ll like to live.
On a daily basis we’re taking risks with the most mundane things because we don’t know how anything is going to turn out. There are simply no guarantees.
That could cause significant anxiety for anyone who is risk-averse or who just has to know all the details of how a thing will work out. We can’t, of course. And that’s the point. “Not knowing” is a part of life.
We don’t know the future. We can’t predict outcomes. There are too many variables and the very nature of life in this sin-marred world is that it is temporal. So, again, no guarantees.
There is, however, one constant: Jesus, who does not change like shifting shadows do (James 1:17). There is no variation in him.
In this message, I’ll be opening God’s Word to three separate accounts (Hebrews 11:8-10; Acts 20:17-38; James 1:17) of believers who faced big decisions while “not knowing” how it would all turn out. Abram, Joab, and Paul acted in faith and trusted the God who knows everything even if they didn’t.
This is a message that I believe will be helpful as we take these first steps into 2020. Sermon Notes The Problem and Power of “Not Knowing” Pastor Todd Dugard 1 Chronicles 19:10-13; Acts 20:17-38; Hebrews 11:8-10
January 12, 2020
Jesus is what I need as I enter a new year “not knowing” what will happen to me.
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The problem: I don’t know what’s going to happen this year
7 wrong responses to “not knowing” what’s going to happen to me
- Angry with God
- Envious of others
- Anxious and fearful
- Gripped by grief over past losses
- Filled with regret over past decisions
- Consumed with self
- Take matters into my own hands (shut God out) —
The power: I do know someone who does —
• Jesus helps me endure
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• Jesus gives me purpose
My Purpose:
I am here to glorify God in whatever I do. My mission is to make more and better followers of Jesus Christ. And I am to love God and love people as I do that.
Continually examine your attitude toward God to see if you are willing to “go out” in every area of your life, trusting in God entirely. It is this attitude that keeps you in constant wonder, because you don’t know what God is going to do next. Oswald Chambers
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• Jesus grows my faith
Faith is believing the Word of God and acting upon it no matter how I feel knowing God promises a good result. Ron Allchin
1 Chronicles 19:13b
My Desire for 2020: A. That everything would go my way and life would be easy for me; OR B. That my faith would grow and my intimacy and knowledge of God would be beyond anything I’ve ever experienced.
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• Jesus gives me hope
Philippians 3:10–11 —
• Jesus tells me I’m loved
For the sake of Christ, hold your faith by evaluating consistently, examining correctly, and engaging compassionately. Sermon Notes Living Faith Hold Your Faith Pastor Roger Freeman James 2:1–13
January 5, 2020
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For the sake of Christ, hold your faith by…
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Evaluating Consistently (v. 1–7)
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Examining Correctly (v. 8–11)
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Engaging Compassionately (v. 12–13)
A new year brings a fresh calendar and the possibility of improvement. Many of us will find our minds drawn to areas of our lives that we’d like to spend time developing in the coming year. I believe this reflection process should always begin by examining personal faith.
As we look into God’s Word with this message, we’ll consider ways that we share the faith with others. This is not a message about evangelism. We’ll study a letter from the Apostle Paul to a believer named Philemon about how to treat a slave named Onesimus who had come to faith after running away.
Paul was sending Onesimus home and wrote to prepare Philemon to receive him based on the faith they had in common rather than the differences in their social status. If he followed the cultural norms of the day around the master/slave relationship these differences allowed Philemon to punish Onesimus. Paul wanted Philemon to show a living faith and treat Onesimus as a respected brother.
We’ll see that our belief in Jesus as Lord and Saviour must define the way we relate to others, particularly those who also submit to Christ. This is what sharing in the faith requires from each of us, and this message will address issues at the heart of the uncommon community that God desires his church to experience. Sermon Notes Living Faith Share Your Faith Pastor Dwayne Francois Philemon 1
December 29, 2019
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For the sake of Christ, share your faith by…
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acknowledging ministry (v. 1–7)
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seeking agreement (v. 8–9)
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mediating reconciliation (v. 10–16)
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anticipating adoption (v. 17–20)
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exceeding obedience (v. 21–25)
In the first of our two Christmas messages last week, we heard from Micah 5:1-5a that when we’re vulnerable and facing crushing circumstances, help appears in an unexpected place, in an unlikely Saviour who delivers an unshakeable peace. God blessed that message with some great conversations afterward and one woman who gave her life to Christ at the front. She ditched the counterfeit Saviours we talked about and received the peace of Jesus! That’s the best Christmas gift anyone could get!
This Sunday, we’ll be looking at Micah 6:1-8 which depicts a courtroom and a case being heard against the people of God. The Lord himself is bringing the charge. And while he soundly condemns the people for their rebellious ways, he also tells them exactly what they need to do (and not do) to make it right. The message strikes a chord for us at Christmas when the people ask, “With what shall I come before the LORD?” How can we make this right? That’s a question many wonder about. Sermon Notes He Shall Be Their Peace Come Before The LORD Pastor Todd Dugard Micah 6:1–8
December 22, 2019
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What’s it going to take for me to get right with God?
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• He has charged me with an offence (v. 1–3)
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• I’m guilty! The facts are irrefutable (v. 4–5)
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• The sentence carries a penalty I cannot pay (v. 6–7)
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• But I can be cleared of all charges (v. 8)
When you stop to think about it, there are a ton of Christmas themes and traditions, both secular and sacred, that people latch onto during the holiday. The songs we sing, decorations we put up, and stories we tell reflect so many different customs and ideas about Christmas. But one theme that stands out for everyone, whether Christian or not, is that of peace. It resonates because we all live in a world that is so often devoid of peace.
Once again, we find ourselves in the midst of another Christmas season. As we get God’s Word open over the next two Sundays, we will look to the Old Testament prophet Micah’s oracles for some insights into the Nativity and life today. Micah prophesied about the coming of the infant king hundreds of years prior to his birth in Bethlehem.
In Micah 5:1-5a, we hear the declaration that we all need, “He shall be their peace.” For those in trouble and turmoil, angst and anguish, Jesus arrived to bring much-needed peace. Sermon Notes He Shall Be Their Peace They Shall Dwell Secure Pastor Todd Dugard Micah 5:1–5a
December 15, 2019
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When I’m vulnerable and facing crushing circumstances… (v. 1)
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…help appears in an unexpected place (v. 2)
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…in an unlikely Saviour (v. 3–4a)
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…who delivers an unshakeable peace (v. 4b–5a)
I have been so impacted in working through Acts 3-4 and the narrative of the lame man being healed. We’re still dealing with the aftermath of that healing this Sunday as we look at Acts 4:23-31. After the council interrogated, warned, and threatened Peter and John, they responded by getting together with their believing friends and praying. They did not pray for the threats to end and the obstacles to their evangelistic efforts to be removed but that they would be even bolder in the face of the threats and obstacles; that they would feel more freedom to speak forthrightly of the gospel of Jesus Christ no matter the risk. We could use some of that same boldness, don’t you think?
As we all respond to this message on Sunday, I’ll be giving you a small card upon which you’ll be able to put the names of loved ones, friends, co-workers, and neighbours that you’re planning to invite to the Christmas Eve services. Planning to invite someone and actually inviting them are two very different things. What we need to make the invitation happen is, as we’re seeing in Acts 4, boldness. So, we’ll be praying for that as part of our response to the message. Sermon Notes The Book of Acts (Chapters 1–7) Look Upon Their Threats Pastor Todd Dugard Acts 4:23–31
December 8, 2019
— Top 10 reasons why we, as Christians, don’t tell people about Jesus:
- Don’t actually believe non-Christians are going to hell
- Not my gift; not my thing; someone else’s job
- Afraid of what people think of me; being made fun of
- Don’t want to rock the boat
- Don’t know how (and don’t want to know how)
- How I live doesn’t match what I say I believe
- Too comfortable; lazy
- Afraid of reprisal, losing relationships
- Don’t believe that’s our mission
- I don’t like confrontation
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When facing obstacles in telling people about Jesus…
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- Pray with others about it (v. 23–24a)
fellowship –κοινωνία / koinonia —
- Pray acknowledging God’s greatness (v. 24b)
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- Pray the Scriptures (v. 25–26)
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- Pray the specifics of the situation (v. 27)
1 John 5:14
Psalm 116:2 —
- Pray affirming God’s control (v. 28)
Romans 8:29–30 —
- Pray according to God’s will (v. 29)
Unafraid Witness Sharing the good news of Jesus with boldness. Ephesians 6:19-20 —
- Pray with expectancy (v. 30–31)
Luke 10:2
The Go Tell It on the Mountain moment will be obvious as we look at Acts 4:13-22 where Peter and John, under interrogation and threatened and warned by the religious council, say in response, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” Read that again, “We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” They’re saying, what they saw and what they had experienced was so compelling that there was no way they could contain it. Despite threats and warnings and even the possibility of imprisonment, beatings, or death, they had to tell people about Jesus. Do you have that kind of uncontainable enthusiasm for the gospel? Do you have the compulsion in you? We’ll unpack it all in this message. Sermon Notes The Book of Acts (Chapters 1–7) We Cannot But Speak Pastor Todd Dugard Acts 4:13–22
December 1, 2019
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What the vocal critic of the faith needs from you, Christian, is…
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• Boldness (v. 13)
boldness: a brave and confident way of behaving that shows no fear Cambridge Dictionary
boldness: the right and the willingness to express one’s opinion freely E. Schnabel —
• Reasonableness (v. 14–18, 21a)
Philippians 4:5 —
• Clarity (v. 19–20)
Oh, my job keeps getting easier As time keeps slipping away
I can imitate your brightest light And make your night look just like day I put some truth in every lie To tickle itching ears You know I'm drawing people just like flies 'Cause they like what they hear
I'm gaining power by the hour They're falling by the score You know, it's getting very simple now 'Cause no one believes in me anymore
No One Believes in Me Anymore (Satan's Boast) by Keith Green Song: https://open.spotify.com/track/5GArggsJPxosJMoax4bnVo?si=ZzrztESxSF2tLQxZ2gbOeQ Keith Green: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0sA93wBoY7nJUE8dSrOZay?si=jgu6ejD2Q_qMeywEGzHmkg —
• Christ…not you (v. 21b–22)
https://www.harvestbarrie.ca/christmas/
What's in a name? Do you recall that question from Romeo and Juliet? Juliet was trying to persuade Romeo to change his name, forsake his family connection, and marry her. For Juliet, the name meant nothing; Romeo would still be Romeo no matter what he was called. As things turned out, it wasn’t that easy. In fact, names mean quite a bit. They are part of our identity, link us to our history, and shape who we are.
That is especially true of, “The name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:9), Jesus. It was in his name that the Apostle Peter healed a man outside the temple one afternoon (Acts 3:1-10) which resulted in a sermon being preached to an amazed crowd that had witnessed the whole thing (Acts 3:11-26). When Peter called for the lame man to rise and walk, he did so, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.” Within hours, the religious leaders were up in arms. Some weeks prior they had seen to the execution of Jesus, and now people were being healed in his name. So, Peter and John were arrested, held overnight, and questioned the next morning. During the interrogation they were asked, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” They answered, “By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead.” What’s in a name? Well, if it’s the name of Jesus, all the power of God apparently. And it is no different today. We’ll look at together in Acts 4:1-12 this Sunday and see the implications for our lives. Sermon Notes The Book of Acts (Chapters 1–7) No Other Name Pastor Todd Dugard Acts 4:1–12
November 24, 2019
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For me, “Jesus” is the only name worth...
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...losing my freedom for (v. 1–3)
As one of the few remaining Communist-run countries, Vietnam is a difficult place for Christians to live. New believers are often forced to leave their homes, children of believing families are asked to leave school, or are discriminated against while at school, not given the medical care or attention they need. Printing the Bible is restricted in Vietnam, making reading or even owning a copy of God's Word difficult. One man reported that his extended family worked with the authorities to chase him out of his home after he came to faith in Christ. He and his family are displaced from their home and are continuing to face persecution for their faith.
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...believing in (v. 4)
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...being questioned over (v. 5–7)
Daniel 2:20–21a
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...boasting about (v. 8–12)
Galatians 6:14a
Back in Bible college it was said that we should be ready to preach, pray, or die at a moment’s notice. When hearing stories about the faith of those who have given their lives for the gospel remind us that being ready to die for the cause of Christ is nothing to make light of. What we see in this weekend’s passage (Acts 3:11-26) is that Peter was ready to preach as soon as the opportunity presented itself.
The miracle of the healing of the lame man in last week’s passage opened the door for Peter to challenge the gathering crowd about their treatment of the Author of life.
We now turn our attention to Peter’s message and evaluate our own response to Jesus’ sacrifice. Peter tells us that repentance leads to the times of refreshing that come from the presence of the Lord. That sounds like something we all need. Sermon Notes The Book of Acts (Chapters 1–7) Times of Refreshing Pastor Todd Dugard Acts 3:11–26
November 17, 2019
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I will demonstrate my devotion to Christ by…
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• Not ignoring his evident work (v. 11)
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• Not denying the hard truth (v. 12–16)
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• Not rejecting his generous offer (v. 17–20)
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• Not disregarding his authoritative word (v. 21–24)
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• Not forgetting his long-standing promise (v. 25–26)
There’s little doubt that physical well-being is top of mind when we think about our needs. Having clothes to wear, shelter over our heads (especially this time of year), food to eat, the ability to be clean, have medicine when needed, and so on are top priority needs. Yet, as important as those are, without our social and emotional needs being met (to be loved, wanted, appreciated, accepted), we would shrivel up and die. Maslow took a shot at explaining all of this in his well-known “Hierarchy of Needs,” which is widely taught in school. But as Christians, we have to ask ourselves whether or not we have it right when we focus on the most obvious and immediate of needs or when we require certain needs to be met before we can deal with other, so-called higher needs. And further, we should admit, as followers of Jesus, that one need, in fact, supersedes all others.
As we resume our study in the Book of Acts this Sunday, we’ll look at Acts 3:1-10 and the account of the lame man who was healed as Peter and John entered the Temple one afternoon. We could certainly look at the passage from the vantage point of the Apostles and consider their faith and courage. We could look at it from the perspective of the Lord, seeing his purposes and power at work. And we could also look at it from the lame man’s point of view; that what he thought was his most pressing need that day, was greatly surpassed in the moment Peter said, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” As we consider this powerful encounter, we will be challenged to look to Jesus Christ alone to meet our most pressing need. Resources The Therapeutic Gospel by David Powlison
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Is Not a Ministry Guide by Susan Mettes, Christianity Today
Holiness by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Sermon Notes The Book of Acts (Chapters 1–7) What I Do Have I Give to You Pastor Todd Dugard Acts 3:1–10
November 10, 2019
I will look to Jesus Christ alone to meet my most pressing need.
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Q1. Do I even know what my most pressing need is? (v. 1–5)
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Q2. Do I realize that Christ, by his grace, meets all my needs and many of my wants? (v. 6–7)
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Q3. Do I respond to God with unashamed worship for all he’s done and is doing for me? (v. 8)
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Q4. Do I understand that my one life, rightly lived for God, can impact so many others? (v. 9–10)
There is something within us that fundamentally rejects the idea of voluntary submission to an authority that mistreats us. However, there are times and places where submission is exactly what God would have us do. We all know how hard it is to choose to follow God when it is certain that obedience will result in pain, loss, or punishment. To encourage us, he has designed these situations so that our submission can result in his glory. The grace we get from him and the grace we show while being mistreated for doing what is right is persuasive evidence that we walk with Jesus and trust him for our salvation. Grace matters most in situations where we have nothing else to do but suffer, so that the gospel message goes forward. As we look at a new section of Peter’s letter, we will see three ways to ensure that submission isn’t simply suffering for nothing. We can use it as a strategy to deliver grace that draws attention to God. Sermon Notes When Grace Matters Most Pastor Dwayne Francois 1 Peter 2:18–3:7
November 3, 2019
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Grace matters most when you are…
• mistreated and suffering repeatedly
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• misunderstood and valued insignificantly
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• misaligned yet sacrificing unreservedly
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Grace comes most when you…
• choose conduct that is to your credit (2:18–20; 3:1–2)
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• clarify the appeal of your new character (3:3–7)
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• conform yourself to the hope of Jesus’ example (2:21–25)
What a privilege it has been for our church to coach and partner with Harvest Glasgow over the past ten years.
Over the last decade, we sent leaders to train Harvest Glasgow in various aspects of ministry. Pastors, elders, ministry staff, and one crack team of children’s workers have visited Glasgow to encourage and equip, to interview and appoint elders, to preach and teach and even just hang out with these amazing Scottish brothers and sisters.
Along the way, we have enjoyed and been blessed by all the visits we have had from our Scottish friends. And we get to experience that again this Sunday as Pastor Scott Hamilton and two other couples from Harvest Glasgow join us on Sunday. Pastor Scott will be giving a short report on the work in Glasgow and also preaching the Word to us in English (with a genuine Glaswegian accent) not Gaelic!
Concerning his message, Scott writes: Jesus is building his church and he invites everyone who follows him to be part of that... and that includes you. This royal invitation that Jesus extends to us challenges us to ask some questions with significant implications. What kind of follower of Jesus do you want to be? What kind of church do you want to see? Colossians 2:6-7 gives us some encouragement to consider what, or better who, we are giving our lives to. The encouragement is to be gripped, growing, and grateful as we dig deeper into what it means to be a rooted follower of Jesus Christ. Sermon Notes Rooted Pastor Scott Hamilton Colossians 2:6–7
October 27, 2019
Gripped: Deep Roots
We now have less biblical fidelity, less interest in the truth, less seriousness, less depth and less capacity to speak the Word of God to our own generation in a way that offers an alternative to what it already thinks. David Wells
Psalm 145:2–3 Isaiah 40:28 Ephesians 3:8 Job 5:8–9
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Growing: Real Shoots
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Grateful: Healthy Fruit
While human beings tend to complicate things, God keeps things pretty simple. For example, the church. We build grand cathedrals and mall-like mega-churches on sprawling campuses. We create hierarchies of leaders and committees for everything. We write lengthy bylaws, policies and procedures, creeds, and statements of faith. We have philosophies of ministry and fill the calendar with events and programs. It takes a class or two to get baptized or to become a member. But God is happy to use whatever building exists or none at all. As far as leadership goes, he gave us elders and deacons; those who lead and those who serve. The Word of God itself is the only governing document that was required. As for philosophy and classes and such: “Go and make disciples.” When you think about it, the church really isn’t that complicated.
The purest church ever, I believe, was that first church plant on the Day of Pentecost. Just 120 believers became 3000+ after one sermon by the Apostle Peter. Once they’d all been baptized, they did what churches do. What churches are supposed to do. They sat under the teaching of the Word. They met for worship. They prayed. They told others about Jesus. And they did these four things while living and caring for one another in a way that was unheard of. Uncommon. We’ll look at the character and practice of that first church as we study Acts 2:42-47. And we’ll see how our local church is called to exemplify the same character and practices.
If you have missed any of the previous six messages in this series, you can access the audio podcast or watch the videos online. Continue to pray for the Holy Spirit to use last week’s message to bring many to Christ and to a decision to be baptized.
Sermon Notes The Book of Acts | Chapters 1–7 All Things in Common Pastor Todd Dugard Acts 2:42–47
October 20, 2019
When I’m saved and join with God’s people in the local church, I’m committing myself to…
• Unapologetic preaching (v. 42a)
Matthew 28:19-20a
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Apostles’ Creed
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• Unashamed worship (v. 43, 46a, 47a)
John 14:12
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• Unceasing prayer (v. 42c)
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• Unafraid witness (v. 47b)
John 13:35
Luke’s summaries present an ideal for the Christian community which it must always strive for, constantly return to, and discover anew if it is to have that unity of spirit and purpose essential for an effective witness. John B. Polhill
5 Gospel Words
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• Uncommon community (v. 42b, 44–45, 46b)
The growth of a church happens when the church has the right priorities. This is not a question of strategy or method, but a question of reckoning with the power of God. Eckhard J. Schnabel
We will be in the next section of our series in the Book of Acts. With Peter having finished his sermon (we actually have only a summary of the sermon in Acts 2; he preached longer than what we have), the crowd that had gathered was, “cut to the heart” and Peter appealed to them to respond to what they had heard. And they did. By the thousands. Each one being baptized that day as a testimony to their new faith in Jesus Christ. And as we look at what happened in Acts 2:37-41, we will see how that all-in response of the people that day, engaged their heart, will, mind and body in their decision to become Christians. The question for us will be the same: have I made an all-in decision to follow Jesus? We’ll take some time at the end of the message to respond personally to that question, each one of us carefully considering our own relationship to Jesus Christ.
Sermon Notes The Book of Acts | Chapters 1–7 What Shall We Do? Pastor Todd Dugard Acts 2:37–41
October 13, 2019
The gospel compels me to respond to Jesus…
…from the heart (v. 37a)
Psalm 51:16-17
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…as an act of the will (v. 37b) There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says, “All right, then, have it your way.” C. S. Lewis —
…after thinking it through (v. 38–40)
Repentance is…
Regret for sin Sorrow over sin Confession of sin Intent to not live that way any longer Belief in and acceptance of Christ
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…with a public declaration of my faith (v. 41)
βαπτίζω > baptizō > to baptize
Lest there be any confusion, all that we are, all that happens, all that we do, all the energy and time we put into life is to be about Jesus. At the centre of this church, our marriages, our families, our friendships, and our individual lives is Jesus.
I realize that while that is the aspiration, many do not live that way at all, and even those who love and follow Jesus struggle to make it true day by day. It’s a battle to keep Jesus at the centre.
But a day is coming when, “Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Every single tongue will confess that. Eventually. For many, it will be too late; an acknowledgement that is compelled by standing before him in his glory at the doorstep of eternity.
The better way, of course, is to acknowledge him now, on this side of eternity, and to engage in that daily struggle to keep him at the centre of all things.
In Acts 2:22-36, the Apostle Peter moves into the second part of his great sermon on the Day of Pentecost. Having addressed the matter of the miraculous signs that had taken place, he turns his listeners' attention to the central message and the central figure, Jesus Christ and his gospel. The focus in this section is on the person of Jesus as the one and only Lord and Saviour of the world as Peter points repeatedly to, “This Jesus.”
As we look at this passage, we too will be pressed to see how, “This Jesus” must occupy the very centre of our lives as we surrender completely to who he is and what he has done for us. Sermon Notes The Book of Acts | Chapters 1–7 This Jesus Pastor Todd Dugard Acts 2:22-36
October 6, 2019
This Jesus is… • Human – Identify with him (v. 22a) • Powerful – Have faith in him (v. 22b) • Crucified – Die with him (v. 23) The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. Unknown • Raised – Find new life in him (v. 24, 31–32) • Divine – Worship him (v. 25, 33) • Hope – Rest in him (v. 26–28) • Lord – Submit to him (v. 29–30, 34–36) There are professing Christians who need Christ. They’ve heard, but they haven’t heard. It is possible to be a respectable, well-taught, moral sinner. R. Kent Hughes
I had a man in my office this week who had a dream about three years ago and, as a result, became a follower of Christ. He had no Christians in his life witnessing to him. Had not read the Bible. Nor had he attended a church where the gospel was presented. He was in crisis. He called out to God in desperation. He had a dream. He gave his life to Christ.
Some in our church family, no doubt, embrace that account and thank God for doing a mighty, supernatural work. Others, perhaps having spent time in less charismatic-oriented churches, are less comfortable with the thought of God using dreams or any of the miraculous gifts to advance his plan. These folks might say that believing such things leads to excess, extremism, and even chicanery. That’s not an unreasonable concern. And yet, there’s an equally legitimate concern in limiting God’s prerogative to work in any way he desires. It seems right then, despite the risk, to see that God can and will do as he pleases including the miraculous. Even though we may be uncomfortable with it.
In Acts 2:14-21, the Apostle Peter begins his epic and impactful sermon by presenting the Scripture passage he would preach from, Joel 2:28-32. For Peter, this passage is the argument and explanation for the powerful Holy Spirit manifestations they had all just witnessed on the Day of Pentecost. And the main point he makes comes with the last sentence, “Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The power, the signs, the miracles all point to the offer of the gospel.
As we look at this passage together, we’ll see that what we need to know about the mighty works of God is that they are grace-based, Spirit-empowered, Scripture-grounded, end-times-oriented, mission-centric manifestations. In other words, the signs all point to Jesus and his mission. Sermon Notes The Book of Acts | Chapters 1–7 Let This Be Known to You Pastor Todd Dugard Acts 2:14–21
September 29, 2019
"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver..."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.” C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
What I need to know about the mighty works of God is that they are… • Grace-based (v. 14) • Spirit-empowered (v. 15–17a) • Scripture-grounded (v. 17b–18) Ephesians 2:19b–22
Prophesy is… (1) Proclaiming: to preach or pronounce an inspired word; (2) Revealing: to tell of something that is hidden from view; (3) Foretelling: to predict something that lies in the future A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (BAGD)
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/muslims-dream-jesus/
In 2007, Dudley Woodberry and others published a study that recounted interviews with 750 former Muslims who had converted to evangelical Christianity. Many of the reasons they gave for their conversion would be expected—the love of God, a changing view of the Bible, and an attraction to Christians who loved others. But one reason might come as a surprise: the experience of a dream they believed to be from God. • End-times-oriented (v. 19–20) • Mission-centric (v. 21)
At first glance, our text for this message seems like a simple housekeeping matter—the kind of thing that happens at church business meetings when the officers for a new ministry year are appointed. In fact, the whole thing sounds just like churches throughout history: decisions were made about vision, situations in the church body were addressed, as a result a guy who was part of the church wasn’t anymore, and the leadership looked at some candidates to replace him, called a meeting, and picked one.
The situation described happened just as the church was being birthed in Jerusalem. The very first church in history was launched on the back of deception and betrayal. After Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples (about 120 of them) waited in the city for the promise of the Holy Spirit. While they waited, they took care of the one housekeeping matter: finding an apostolic replacement for Judas Iscariot, who had betrayed Jesus just a few weeks before. But this “church business” was about much more than replacing a leader. At the heart of what was happening we see an eagerness to obey Jesus, a strong sense of oneness among the believers, a deep devotion to prayer, an attentiveness to the Word of God, and a clarity about the mission Jesus had given them. The appointment of Matthias was a critical moment for the soon-to-be First Church of Jerusalem.
While we won’t be appointing any apostles anytime soon (or ever), those underlying heart attitudes speak to the way every local church should conduct itself. There is a lot for us to see in this seemingly innocuous episode as we look at Acts 1:12-26. Sermon Notes The Book of Acts | Chapters 1–7 Let Another Take His Office Pastor Todd Dugard Acts 1:12–26
September 15, 2019
When I am ready for the Holy Spirit to move... …I am eager to obey (v. 12) …I am in one accord with fellow believers (v. 13–14a) …I am devoted to prayer (v. 14b, 24a) …I am attentive to Scripture (v. 15–20) Bible Apps: YouVersion - youversion.com Dwell - dwellapp.io ESV (Crossway) - esv.org …I am clear on the mission (v. 21–23, 24b–26) 2 Timothy 2:2
I wonder what comes to your mind when you think of “church”? Religious institution might be the #1 answer. Maybe you’d say it’s a social justice agency (e.g. help the poor, feed the hungry, etc.) or perhaps a social club (it’s all about the relationships). All of those have merit. None of them gives the full picture.
And if I were to ask unchurched folks what they think of the church, the answers would more often than not be dismissive (the church is antiquated and irrelevant), or cynical (they’re a bunch of crooks), if not angry (there’s been so much abuse in the name of God). And, let’s be honest, some of those feelings would be entirely justified.
So, what is the church? The best and primary source to define and describe the church is a New Testament book called The Acts of the Apostles which recounts the founding and earliest days of the church in the first century A.D. Written by a physician named Luke, it is the second half of his two-volume set that starts with The Gospel of Luke. It tells the extraordinary story of those first apostles and the powerful work of the Holy Spirit in them, using them to preach the gospel and plant churches around the Mediterranean world.
But it isn’t just a history book. As we wrestle with what it means to be the church of Jesus Christ in the 21st century, what Dr. Luke wrote two millennia ago resounds with prescriptions and principles, examples and inspiration that give us the most complete picture of what the church is to be today. And there is no better way for us to launch into our 19th ministry year at Harvest Barrie than to look intently into this book and open ourselves up to whatever God has for us. We've started this Sunday in Acts 1:1-11 with a message titled “You Will Be My Witnesses.”
https://vimeo.com/194726227
https://vimeo.com/194726425 Sermon Notes The Acts of the Apostles | Chapters 1–7
You Will Be My Witnesses Pastor Todd Dugard Acts 1:1–11 September 8, 2019
About the book:
Author: Luke, a Greek, a physician, and travelling companion of Paul.
Recipients: Theophilus; the global church.
Date: Circa A.D. 64.
Purpose: Provide certainty with an orderly account of the continuing work of Christ (cf. Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:1).
Genre: History of the spread of the gospel and the establishing of the church worldwide by the work (acts) of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles and other believers; it is the sequel to The Gospel of Luke.
Content: Episodes, speeches (sermons), summaries, travel narratives.
Themes: Kingdom/gospel, witness, mission, power of the Holy Spirit, church, inclusivity.
Main characters: The Apostles (esp Peter and Paul), the church, the Holy Spirit, Jesus.
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If we’re to fulfill the mission and be witnesses of Jesus Christ to the world, we must...
…believe the proofs (v. 1–3)
The term “missionary” is understood as describing the activity of “mission”, defined as the activity of individuals who distinguish themselves from the society in which they live both in terms of religious convictions and social behavior; they are convinced of the truth of their belief and actively work to win other people for their convictions and for their way of life, “sent” by God and the risen Jesus Christ to proclaim the gospel.
Eckhard J. Schnabel
1 Corinthians 15:3–8 —
…trust the promises (v. 4–5)
Joel 2:28
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…receive the power (v. 6–8a)
Outline of Acts:
Chapters 1–7: Jerusalem Chapters 8–12: Samaria and the surrounding regions Chapters 13–28: Mediterranean; Rome
The Acts 1:8 Strategy:
- Start close
- Reach beyond
- Go far
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…follow the plan (v. 8b)
A river reaches places which its source never knows. And Jesus said that, if we have received His fullness, “rivers of living water” will flow out of us, reaching in blessing even “to the end of the earth” regardless of how small the visible effects of our lives may appear to be.
Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
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…feel the push (v. 9–11)
Don’t you sometimes wish you knew what God knows? Especially about the future!
More importantly for us is to know what God wants! What is God’s will? This focuses on the future because that is the direction all our choices lead. What is going to happen next? How can I choose what is right? How can I guarantee this will work out well for me? (Honestly, that is what we are concerned about, right?)
Paul’s prayer for the Colossian church—people just like you and me, except they didn’t get to drive cars or have hot water on demand—was that they “may be filled with the knowledge of his will.” Like us, they had questions and wanted to know, “What does God want me to do?” Our questions are things like:
My teen is on screens all the time! What does God want me to do? I just lost my job! What does God want me to do? I just got a promotion! What does God want me to do? I have an important decision to make! What does God want me to do?
As we close out our From the Heart series this Sunday, we are looking at “Praying for Spiritual Wisdom.” What does it take to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will? We will look at the three conditions necessary, some considerations in finding God’s will, and what choosing his will looks like in our lives. Sermon Notes FROM THE HEART: Paul’s Prayers for Our Church
Praying for Spiritual Wisdom Pastor Roger Freeman Colossians 1:9–14 September 1, 2019
To be filled with the knowledge of God’s will I must:
1.Be saved (v. 9a, 13–14)
2 Corinthians 5:21
hbc.info Next Steps 5 Gospel Words
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2.Be spiritual (v. 9b)
Romans 8:12-17
FOUR AVENUES TO FIND GOD'S WILL:
Precept – What God has clearly said – We obey.
Principles – Applications from God’s Word that are oriented to loving and honouring him and bringing him glory – We organize our responses.
Practice – Wisdom from Scripture, other’s experience, common grace learning – We observe and learn and seek to live wisely.
Preference – Where there is none of the above or it simply comes down to a decision – We exercise our options. We choose it and own it!
Colossians 3:16 Ephesians 5:18-19 2 Timothy 3:14-17
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3.Be submissive (v. 10–12)
A LIFE WORTHY AND PLEASING TO GOD
Bearing fruit in every good work
Increasing in the knowledge of God
Being strengthened with all power for all endurance and patience
With joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
Maturity is increasingly hard to come by in our society. Whether it’s the foolish behaviour we observe at work or at school or even in our own families, or whether it’s the crazy stories we hear about in the news or video clips we watch online, it seems that people are acting more inappropriately, more immaturely than ever before. (Or then again, maybe it’s always been this way, and we’re just more aware of it now. Who really knows?)
As unfortunate as this contemporary trend may be, what’s more to the point for us as followers of Jesus is the subject of spiritual maturity. Simply put, God wants his kids to grow up. He receives us just as we are when we come in repentance and faith, and he welcomes us into his family as dearly-loved sons and daughters, but then he desires for us to mature in every way, like any good parent does.
The apostle Paul prays for spiritual maturity in his first letter to the Thessalonian believers. He longs to see these believers move forward in their relationship with God. No surprise, this ancient prayer has tremendous application for us today. As we continue our From the Heart series this Sunday, my hope is that each of us would be able to genuinely pray: God, I want to grow in spiritual maturity! Sermon Notes FROM THE HEART: Paul’s Prayers for Our Church
Praying for Spiritual Maturity Pastor Dan Brubacher 1 Thessalonians 3:10–13 August 25, 2019
God, I want to grow in spiritual maturity!
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• Help me lean into community more (v. 10–11)
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• Help me love others more (v. 12)
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• Help me live in holiness more (v. 13)
I think it’s realistic to say that our culture obsesses over the idea of being strong in one way or another. Having personal strength—whether physical, mental, or emotional—is pushed on us from seemingly every direction. Even from a young age, kids are taught to be strong and independent, to “dig deep” and “believe in yourself,” because according to the world around us, true strength comes from within, and whatever you face can be dealt with and handled if you rely on the strength within you.
While a strong body, mind, and character are certainly good things in our lives, they are temporary and can all come crashing down. Our bodies fail, our minds are often pushed to the max by the stresses of life, and trials and temptations can turn a person’s character. If we have our lives founded on these things, we can find ourselves lost and beaten down all too easily. We are engaged in a battle every day—a battle that cannot be won through some “inner strength,” a battle that cannot be won on our own.
In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he takes the time to stop and write out a prayer to the believers, one focused on seeking the Lord for true spiritual strength. Paul recognized his own and his audience’s need for a strength that was not of this world—strength founded upon the endless love of God and exemplified perfectly in his Son, Jesus Christ. The true strength that we all need.
As we continue in our From the Heart series, we’ll discuss that need for spiritual strength and specifically, as we see in Paul’s example, how we ought to be seeking after it in prayer. I’m praying that the Lord would use our time in his Word to centre us on who he is and challenge us not only in our thinking about true strength, but also in our passion for prayer and the necessity of it in our lives. Sermon Notes FROM THE HEART: Paul’s Prayers for Our Church
Praying for Spiritual Strength Jordan Coros Ephesians 3:14–21 August 18, 2019
“I will what I want” “Find your greatness” “It starts inside” “Rule yourself” “Just do it”
Romans 7:18
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In the pursuit of spiritual strength, I should pray…
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…with great humility, knowing who I’m talking to (v. 14-15)
Matthew 7:11 Matthew 26:39
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…with eager anticipation, knowing where true strength comes from (v. 16)
For a millionaire to give fifty or a hundred dollars would be to give out of his wealth, but to give twenty-five thousand dollars would be to give according to his wealth. The greater a person’s wealth, the greater his gift must be to qualify for giving according to his wealth.
John MacArthur
Habakkuk 3:3b–4
harvestbarrie.ca/series/the-holy-spirit/
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…with the right motives, knowing what true strength empowers
• Deeper faith (v. 17a) - Galatians 2:20
• Greater love (v. 17b) - John 13:35
• Better understanding (v. 18)
• Growing righteousness (v. 19)
God’s supreme goal in bringing us to Himself is to make us like Himself, by filling us with Himself, with all that He is and has.
John MacArthur
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…with the proper perspective, knowing who should get the glory (v. 20-21)
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Praying for Spiritual Strength
Father, I long to be filled with true strength that comes from you:
• Would you help me recognize my weakness and humility before you and reveal to me what I am trying to do in my own strength?
• Would you grant me your strength to help me reach greater depths of faith, increase my capacity for love, grow my understanding of you, and continue my pursuit of righteousness?
• Would you create in me a greater passion for bringing you glory in all that I do?
Amen
“God, bless me with _________.” “God, help me do _________.” “God, give me _________.” When you pray, how do you fill in these blanks? What if prayer is meant for more than getting God’s attention about the things we’re personally facing? What if prayer is the way God gets our attention about what’s on his heart?
When the apostle Paul prayed, he had Jesus’ heart guiding his words. As an example for us, he shared prayers in his letters about Christ’s number one concern: the church. Over the next four weekends, we’ll be looking at Paul’s prayers from the heart. We’ll see his concern about the growth of spiritual harmony (Aug. 11), spiritual strength (Aug. 18), spiritual maturity (Aug. 25), and spiritual wisdom (Sept. 1) in God’s people. We need these characteristics just as much as anything else we tend to ask God for. As we continue together as a church, we want to have our prayer life informed and inspired by these concerns that God placed deeply on Paul’s heart.
I’m privileged to start this series with his prayer for spiritual harmony from Romans 15:5-7. Paul led the first Christians into an uncommon community built with people who had vastly different spiritual histories and cultural values. They all had to learn how to be holy together as one people, just as we—with our own diverse mix of backgrounds, traditions, perspectives, customs, and expectations—must do now. As we look at this passage, we’ll find direction for how we can pray and keep working on how we get along. Sermon Notes FROM THE HEART: Paul’s Prayers for Our Church
Praying for Spiritual Harmony Pastor Dwayne Francois Romans 15:5–7 August 11, 2019
Don’t take the spiritual harmony of the church for granted.
• Pray for it urgently (v. 5a) Romans 15:15-16 —
• Work at it steadily (v. 5b) Romans 14:13 —
• Think about it carefully (v. 5c) Romans 14:20-23 —
• Testify to it boldly (v. 6) Romans 10:11-13 —
• Lead into it graciously (v. 7) Romans 14:1, Romans 16:1-2 — Praying for Spiritual Harmony
God, I want to welcome people into worship like Jesus welcomed me:
• Show me how to be in harmony with your people • Help me not be critical simply because someone’s freedom in you makes me uncomfortable • Help me know when I can express my freedom and when I should limit it for the benefit of those around me
Amen
Mike Armstrong, senior pastor at Harvest Newmarket, was with us this Sunday to bring God's Word. Mike and Angie and their kids, Wyatt and Karis, were part of our church family for six years before planting in Newmarket, and it's always a joy for us to have them back. Mike's message from Mark 12 promises to challenge each of us in the areas of pride and surrender. Sermon Notes THE SHOWDOWN
Pastor Mike Armstrong Mark 12:1–44 August 4, 2019
In a showdown with my pride, Jesus wins.
- Even when it seems like I’ve won, I’ve actually lost (v. 1–12)
Four things we lose when we give into pride
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Intimacy with God (James 4:8)
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Intimacy with the church (Acts 2:44)
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Soul-level satisfaction (Psalm 107:9)
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Mission success (1 Peter 2:9)
——
- By dismantling my hypocrisy, arrogance, and self-righteousness (v. 13–37)
——
- Enabling me to truly surrender my all to him (v. 38–44)
——
When Jesus sent out the Twelve on their first mission to preach the kingdom of God, he told them that they would face opposition, saying to them, “I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). The whole passage makes it clear that Jesus wasn’t just talking about their ministry but also that of generations to come, especially in the last days. When the gospel is truly preached, Christians will face persecution for preaching it.
Last Sunday, Jordan Coros, our interim youth director, and I began a two-message series on persecution titled, Remember my Chains. In message one, we looked at what persecution is and isn’t and defined and illustrated it from the Bible and history by looking at specific examples of believers who were oppressed and even martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ.
This Sunday in message two, Jordan and I will ask and answer four questions that will help us understand what’s happening in the world today by looking at some places and people facing intense persecution. That should move us to both prepare ourselves for the coming persecution here as well as to support the churches and believers worldwide who are experiencing persecution now. If ever there was a time for us to heed the words of Jesus and, “be wise as serpents and innocent as doves,” it is now. Sermon Notes REMEMBER MY CHAINS Blessed Are You
Pastor Todd Dugard & Jordan Coros Various Scriptures July 28, 2019
Q1. How are Christians “blessed” by persecution?
Matthew 5:11-12 1 Peter 4:12-14 ________
Q2. Where is persecution happening in the world today?
Hebrews 11:36-40 The persecution takes various forms. The bloodshed of Sri Lanka was of a particular kind; it was well-organized with four churches bombed as well as Western-style hotels, and well-planned. A religious holiday was the date underlined in the bombers’ calendar. Elsewhere, in such countries as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christians are tolerated but suffer discrimination in such areas as employment, and in many countries there is state oppression by political regimes. The future of Christianity is particularly grim in the North Africa and the Middle East, the very cradle of Christianity. In Egypt the Copts, who belong to one of the most ancient Christian traditions, have been targeted over and over again, after centuries of living peacefully with their Muslim neighbours…In China, the Communist political regime is responsible for oppression akin to that within the U.S.S.R. The government attempts to monitor and control the practice of religion through the state-sanctioned Patriotic Catholic and Patriotic Protestant Churches, but most of the country’s 100 million Christians belong to unregistered churches, which are regularly closed down and members detained in camps. Catherine Pepinster, National Post
“In America,” he said, “the church has experienced prosperity and is growing weaker. In China, the church has experienced persecution and growing stronger. Persecution is much better than prosperity.” Pastor Samuel Lamb _______ Q3. How can we best prepare for the coming persecution?
Stand for the right things
As evangelical morality increasingly comes into conflict with dominant cultural mores, evangelicals need to be even more careful about the debates we chose to engage in, the rights we chose to assert, and the hills we choose to die on. Too much is at stake for evangelicals to waste our resources and credibility on frivolous and occasionally self-provoked “injustices.” Imagined offenses drummed up by sensationalists and fear-mongers should be exposed and denied. At times, even legitimate offenses should be overlooked, when they are petty. By focusing attention on real and substantial incidences of persecution, evangelicals will be much more effective at educating their neighbors and fighting for truly important matters of religious liberty. Alan Noble, The Atlantic
Maintain an eternal perspective
Jeremiah 20:11
Persevere in your faith
Luke 16:110a 2 Thessalonians 1:4
Keep crying out to God
Revelation 6:10
Remember who the enemy is (and isn't)
Acts 7:59-60 Revelation 6:9-11
_______
Q4. How can we help those being persecuted around the world today?
Educate yourself
opendoors.org vomcanada.com persecution.org
Pray Write letters Financial support
There’s a lot of talk these days of the church in Canada being persecuted. With the surrounding culture having moved far from the Judeo-Christian values that once defined our country, Christians are facing antagonistic if not hostile opposition to what they believe and the ethics they seek to live by. But is it persecution? Can Christians in Canada today claim the mantle that the Apostles, Reformers, missionaries, and martyrs of the past claimed? Are Canadian Christians experiencing the persecution that their brothers and sisters in Islamic, Hindu, and Communist countries are facing today where the threat of shunning, financial loss, beatings, imprisonment, and even death are real?
The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Colossians, “Remember my chains.” It was an appeal to his fellow believers to pray for him as he sat in prison for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. And with that simple line, we are inspired by the martyrs of the past, and we are reminded of the plight of persecuted Christians around the world today.
This two-message series will take the format of a dialogue between me and Jordan Coros, our interim youth director. Together we will look at persecution from the days of the Bible, through history, and into our modern day in an attempt to help us understand what constitutes real persecution, to prepare our hearts for what may be coming in Canada, and to chart a God-honouring course of action in support of persecuted believers around the world.
“Get your eyes off of people and onto Jesus.” I’m sure you’ve heard that before. It is the one-line retort to the Christian who is upset because of what someone in the church has done to disappoint or hurt them. The point being that we shouldn’t be looking to people as our example but only to Jesus.
I get it.
But is it true?
Not really.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1), and Peter instructed elders to be an example to the believers (1 Peter 5:3). Evidently, in some cases, it is absolutely okay to have your eyes on people. And as we look at 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18 this Sunday, we’ll see that Paul makes that clear when he says to his readers, “You yourselves know how you ought to imitate us.” The message he’s communicating is that we, as believers, are to imitate Christians that are worth imitating and avoid Christians who aren’t. Along the way, we’re also to make sure we’re the kind of Christian others can imitate. All of this is possible because of the abundant grace that God pours out so generously in our lives.
This message concludes our seven-message series in 2 Thessalonians called Divine Grace. All of the messages and related resources are available online. Sermon Notes DIVINE GRACE In Imitating One Another
Pastor Todd Dugard 2 Thessalonians 3:6–18 July 14, 2019
––––
I am to imitate Christians that are worth imitating… (v. 7-9)
––––
…and avoid Christians who aren’t (v. 6, 10–11, 14–15)
––––
…making sure I’m the kind of Christian others can imitate (v. 12–13)
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…as I receive the grace and peace of Christ (v. 16–18)
If you were to look at the lives of many Christians in North America, you would assume that the mission they’re on is to have a comfortable life, amassing wealth, pursuing success, and/or enjoying the leisure life. It seems that many have bought into the lie that we deserve these things or that we should enjoy what we have earned for ourselves.
In our current teaching series, Divine Grace, we have been looking at just the opposite of that, reinforcing the idea that we are undeserving and have not earned a thing, and that as Christians we are recipients of God’s abounding grace that infiltrates every aspect of our lives. We must recognize that fact and then live in light of it, making the changes that are necessary to show our love and devotion to the God who has given us so much now and promises us eternal life later. And as we look at 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 this Sunday, we will hear the charge that, as believers, we are to be on mission for Christ in this world. We are to be telling others about the God who has given us his grace through his Son, Jesus Christ. That is our mandate and mission, and from this week’s passage we’ll see the necessity of prayer, the urgency we are to embrace, the pursuit of success, the opposition that will naturally come, and the all-in heart attitude every Christian should have. Sermon Notes DIVINE GRACE In the Mission
Pastor Todd Dugard 2 Thessalonians 3:1–5 July 7, 2019
If I knew I had only 12 months to live, how would I spend that time? ––––
As a believer, I am to be on mission for Christ in this world.
––––
• Prayer: Needed! (v. 1a)
Pray as if everything depends on the praying and work as if everything depends on the working. Adapted - possibly Augustine
2 Corinthians 4:7
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• Urgency: Embraced! (v. 1b)
Matthew 28:19–20a, Acts 1:8
––––
• Success: Pursued! (v. 1c)
Scripture consistently links success to obedience—our obedience to God’s Word. Kent and Barbara Hughes
As much as I am sincerely certain that God is, indeed, blessing us, I believe even more certainly that it’s a dangerous and misguided policy to measure God’s blessing by standards of visible, tangible, material “success.” Charles Colson
––––
• Opposition: Faced! (v. 2–3)
Matthew 5:10–12
8 KINDS OF OPPOSITION WE COULD FACE WHILE ON MISSION FOR CHRIST:
(1) Our own laziness and complacency; (2) Buying into the culture of “live and let live”; (3) Bad theology that undermines the necessity of evangelism and church planting; (4) Fear of offending; (5) Fear of failing; (6) Fear of confrontation; (7) Misplaced priorities, ie. not upsetting my comfortable life; and (8) Other Christians who think we’re too zealous
––––
• Heart: All-in! (v. 4–5)
1 John 1:9
Grace is all around us. Both believer and unbeliever benefit from the undeserved blessings of God. Common grace benefits everyone regardless of their faith. Special grace is the saving work of Jesus Christ that benefits those who have been chosen by God and have believed his gospel. Grace saves, grace sanctifies, making the believer progressively more like Jesus throughout their lives, and grace ultimately ushers us from this life into eternity. In that middle part where we are saved but continuing to live our lives here on earth, there is an obligation to dispense that grace to others. Every believer is a conduit of the grace of God in this world, influencing others to receive and benefit from all God offers us in his Son, Jesus Christ.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17, the Apostle Paul launches into a benediction, a prayer for his readers, in which he expresses his desire for God’s grace to flow through them in every good work they do and every good word they speak. As their understanding of grace increased, Paul wanted them to understand that grace was not something simply to be enjoyed but freely shared in our service to others in the name of Christ. Sermon Notes DIVINE GRACE In Every Good Work and Word
Pastor Todd Dugard 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17 June 30, 2019
–––– 1 Timothy 6:8
God graciously provides all I need for now and eternity, and so...
––––
...I am encouraged by what is yet to come (v. 16)
––––
...I am strengthened in the midst of what is (v. 17a)
Comfort: Counselor, Comforter, Advocate, Encourager, Helper Greek: verb παρακαλέω (parakaleo) noun παράκλητος (paraklētos) Literally - called to one’s aid or to come alongside in support
––––
...I am attending to what is to be done (v. 17b)
I recall my mom saying that the words justification, sanctification, and glorification were being freely used at a bible study she attended in her 30's, and she had no idea what they were talking about. Over the course of the study, she would learn the meanings and grow in her knowledge of all that Christ did for her, what he was doing for her, and what he would do for her.
Two of those words and all three concepts figure in this Sunday’s short passage in 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 as we continue our series, Divine Grace. Each of these is an undeserved and unearned gift from our loving and gracious God. And as Paul reminds his readers about these incredible truths that radically alter our lives and our eternal destiny, he also charges them (and us) to respond to God’s loving gifts by leaning in and living out what he has given us in his Word. In these few verses we find both an encouragement to be comforted in tough situations and also an exhortation to hear and obey Christ.
All of this is our sanctification: the process of becoming more and more like Jesus, increasingly set apart from the world and for the Kingdom of God. It starts the moment we are saved or justified and continues until we leave this life, receive our glorified bodies, and live forever in the presence of our God and Father. As we look at this passage, the question will be: Are you being sanctified? Are you growing in holiness? Are you looking more like Jesus with every year that passes? It comes down to more than just knowing the right definitions to the Christian words we use. Sermon Notes DIVINE GRACE In My Sanctification
Pastor Todd Dugard 2 Thessalonians 2:13–15 June 23, 2019
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I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am.
John Newton
––––
By God’s grace, I am...
...loved and glorified (v. 13a, 14b)
You are loved… ...by God perfectly ...by one another imperfectly
Romans 5:8, John 15:13
––––
...chosen and saved (v. 13b)
Ephesians 2:8–9
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...called and sanctified (v. 13:c, 14a)
My sanctification… (1) happens only through the gospel (2) is a cooperative work between me and the Spirit (3) is a necessary evidence of genuine salvation (4) addresses the abuse of grace (1 Peter 1:15–16) (5) is progressive (6) is an expression of my love for God (7) is an act of grace on God’s part
(See Pastor Todd's message from January 2018: Here I Stand On Salvation)
––––
And so, it’s whatever-God-says in my life (v. 15)
Our God has been so generous and kind toward us. I should say is being so generous and kind toward us. Every second of every day, God is showering us with his grace whether we notice or acknowledge it or not. And not one of us deserves it. The best among us falls far short of his glory and perfection. Yet, out of his great love and compassion, God gives us life, blessings, joy, and the guarantee of eternity with him. That’s what we are seeing in our study of 2 Thessalonians: a letter saturated by grace.
In this Sunday’s passage, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Paul writes about “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him.” The people receiving the letter were struggling with fake news about his return, and their confidence in Christ was being rattled as a result. In fact, they thought they had missed his coming. Because of that, Paul sought to assure them by telling of the signs that must precede the final events of history.
All of that is yet to come for us too, of course. And the descriptions Paul gives of “the man of lawlessness” and of Jesus killing him “with the breath of his mouth” are intended to instill an unshakeable confidence in every believer in advance of his coming. And being able to have that confidence is one more way God gives his divine grace to his people. Sermon Notes DIVINE GRACE In My Confidence
Pastor Todd Dugard 2 Thessalonians 2:1–12 June 16, 2019
––––
I am so confident, by God’s grace, that…
...my fears are dispelled (v. 1–2a)
...my discernment is high (v. 2b–5, 9–12)
...my faith is firm (v. 6–8a)
...my sights are set (v. 8b)
Perhaps you, like me, have heard people say, “Man, you’re just like your father!” or “Oh, you’re so much like your mom!” Or maybe, as a parent yourself, you’ve observed the same reality with your own kids. Family resemblance is a real thing. We share similarities in physical appearance, facial expressions, hand gestures, voice inflections, personality traits, patterns of thinking, and so on.
But the important question for us is this: Is what’s true from a physical perspective also true from a spiritual perspective? As people observe your life—your character and conduct—do they say, “Wow, you’re just like your heavenly Father”? Do they detect a family resemblance?
That’s what we’re going to consider this Sunday as we study Ephesians 4:32-5:2. The apostle Paul has some practical things to tell us about how and why we should bear a striking resemblance to our Father God. Sermon Notes You’re Just Like Your Father Pastor Dan Brubacher Ephesians 4:32–5:2 June 9, 2019
I resemble my heavenly Father... (5:1)
...when I love like I’ve been loved (5:2)
...and forgive like I’ve been forgiven (4:32)
Some people feel worthless. It’s usually because someone close to them, a “friend,” sibling, parent, teacher, boss, made them feel that way, and they succumb to the lie. When reinforced over time, a sense of worthlessness infects a person’s identity and purpose, negatively affecting their overall well-being and leading them to think they aren’t even loved. No one should feel this way. No one should think they are worthless. As image bearers of God, every human being has inherent worth, and those who tear down the people around them, bringing on this feeling of worthlessness, are answerable to God for what they’ve done to tear at the soul of a fellow image-bearer. No one is worthless.
That said, everyone is unworthy. That’s a different matter altogether. We have worth and value because we were created in God’s image, but we’re unworthy of a relationship with God and of being a part of his kingdom because our sin has separated us from him. Our worth, as image bearers, is always there. Our worthiness, as sinners, is not. So, how do we become worthy of God? It doesn’t come by anything we do. It has to be something God does. In fact, God demonstrated his love for us (because we have worth) by sending his Son to die for us; and he did so while we were still sinners and therefore unworthy (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). In other words, we are made worthy of God by what Jesus did. He covered our unworthiness. That incredible truth is what we’ll see in 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12 this Sunday; that God, in his divine grace, has made you and me worthy of his kingdom. Sermon Notes DIVINE GRACE In My Worthiness Pastor Todd Dugard 2 Thessalonians 1:5–12 June 2, 2019
My worthiness does not depend on me but on Christ, so I must...
• Rejoice in his righteousness (v. 5a)
• Rely on his justice (v. 5b–9)
• Rest in his promise (v. 10)
• Receive his power to change (v. 11)
• Revel in his glory and grace (v. 12)
What keeps us going in the face of challenges, setbacks, and defeats? Where do we find the strength and resolve to push through difficulties? Beyond that, even when life is going well, achieving great things takes effort, endurance, and determination. How do we make it happen?
While many would want to take personal credit for their perseverance and achievements in life, the followers of Jesus Christ know that every good thing we do and every trial we survive are gifts from God and evidence of his grace. We understand that grace is the unearned and undeserved favour of God poured out for no other reason but that he loves us and wants to bless us. With that being true, it is hard to take credit for anything.
In his second letter to the Thessalonians, the apostle Paul sought to encourage the believers in that church by pointing them to the pervasive grace of God in their lives. The challenges they were facing were survivable and surmountable because of God’s favour on them. And what Paul wrote to that ancient church holds true for us today. We too are recipients of divine grace, and starting this Sunday at Harvest, we will begin a seven-message series, Divine Grace: Finding God’s favour in all we do, to see how that grace permeates our lives and how we ought to respond to God as a result. Sermon Notes DIVINE GRACE In My Endurance
Pastor Todd Dugard 2 Thessalonians 1:1–4 May 26, 2019
———
"Jesus never used the word itself. He just taught it and, equally important, he lived it." Charles Swindoll
"Grace is free sovereign favour to the ill-deserving." B.B. Warfield
"Grace is the free, undeserved goodness and favour of God to mankind." Matthew Henry
"Love that goes upward is worship; love that goes outward is affection; love that stoops is grace." Donald Barnhouse
———
My life must show evidence of God’s grace... (v. 1–2)
...as I endure hardship and challenges (v. 4)
2 Corinthians 8:1-8
...with a growing faith in Christ (v. 3a)
...and an increasing love for others (v. 3b)
1 Thessalonians 3:12 John 1:34-35
"Grace is not a 'thing'. It is not a substance that can be measured or a commodity to be distributed. It is the 'grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.' In essence, it is Jesus himself." Sinclair B. Ferguson
People change. That truth is often seen as bad news, but it is also good news—especially for us, the church. The pictures of the Christian life in the Scriptures resonate with growth, maturing, and making progress. Sometimes, however, we feel stuck. Change seems to elude us. We struggle with the same things and wonder if we will ever really be free or have victory. How exactly do we change?
The author of the book of James is a “man of action!” He insists that real faith brings real change. I can change. We can change. It is going to show. It is going to be real. It is going to be at the deepest levels of who I am. God’s Word gives us hope and help. Sermon Notes How People Change Pastor Roger Freeman // James 1:19-27 May 19, 2019
When I respond to God in faith I experience:
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Change that is practical (v. 19–21)
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Change that is pervasive (v. 22–25)
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Change that is personal (v. 26–27)
In 2000, prior to planting Harvest in Barrie, I had the privilege of travelling to Nairobi, Kenya to preach and teach for a couple of weeks alongside the ministry of TWR (Trans World Radio). On that trip I met Edward Ngaira, a pastor and radio Bible teacher. He was my driver and translator during my time there. We became friends and kept in contact, and after starting Harvest, I invited Edward to visit Barrie and preach here in 2002. Shortly after, he planted a church outside of Nairobi which we partnered with by sending financial support and a team of young adults to serve the new church. All these years later, Edward is in our area to attend a conference, and we have taken advantage of his time in Canada to have him preach God’s Word here at Harvest this Sunday. Sermon Notes Let God Turn it all Around Edward Ngaira // Job 42 May 12, 2019
1) Job responds to God’s questioning (v. 1–6)
2) A strong rebuke of Eliphaz and friends (v. 7–9)
An affirmation of Job by God
3) God turns Job’s life around (v. 10–17)
Restoration, healing, and hope
Conclusion:
Have your conversations
forgive and seek to be forgiven
start afresh
let God turn the pages of your life.
What do you need God’s power to accomplish? Maybe it is to overcome an addiction, survive a difficult season you’re in, to parent your children well, or to lead a group or initiative. There are many reasons why we might seek God for his power.
As we come to the final verses of Luke’s gospel in Luke 24:36-53, Jesus is promising power to his disciples to do just one thing: fulfill the mission to tell the nations about him. Enough warnings had been given by Jesus about the difficulty of the task that was ahead. That fact that he was unjustly condemned and crucified just days before made the point. The world will strongly oppose the message intended to bring them life and peace. And it will prove costly to those being charged with bringing that message to the world. They would need the power of God to get it done. And many of them would, in the coming years, be imprisoned, beaten, and martyred for believing in and preaching Jesus Christ.
While no one in Canada today can claim that kind of persecution, we no less need his power to accomplish the mission. Overt persecution is not the challenge we face. Satan has been far more subtle in the West, leading us to enjoy our prosperity and pursue entertainment and to focus on ourselves to the extent that few of those who claim to be Christians actually engage in the mission at all. We need the power of God to overcome the temptation to be unengaged in what Jesus gave us to do. We need the power of God to be less about ourselves and more about those who are still in their sin and headed for a Christless eternity. We need the power of God to sense the urgency of the mission once again and to be willing to sacrifice for the sake of those who do not yet know Christ. We need “power from on high.”
This is the final message, number 90, in The Gospel of Lukeseries which began on November 3, 2013. To access the whole series, go to the sermon archive and use the drop-down menu to find the six parts of The Gospel of Lukein audio or video formats. Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 6 Power From on High Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 24:36–53 May 5, 2019
In Christ, I will experience “power from on high” to...
...overcome all fears and doubts (v. 36–43)
...grasp the implications of God’s Word (v. 44–45)
...embrace the message of salvation (v. 46–47)
...witness to the world of God’s forgiveness (v. 48–49)
...be the church (v. 50–53)
It is one of the most stirring episodes in the Bible. In the hours following the resurrection, a couple of disciples were walking along a road outside of Jerusalem. They were still reeling from the crucifixion. A stranger came alongside them as they were on the way and struck up a conversation. For his own reasons, God kept them from recognizing that the stranger was Jesus. When he finally did reveal his identity to them, while they were sharing in a meal, he immediately disappeared. And then they asked themselves the rhetorical question, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road?” Of course they did. The risen Christ was talking to them and walking with them.
My emotions well up whenever I read that account in Luke 24:13-35. Maybe what’s so special about it is that I imagine it was me. I think about how awesome it would be to have that happen. To stroll along with Jesus, hear him tell me things, feel that what I’m hearing is other-worldly, but not know why and not know it is Jesus until after he’s gone. That would warrant the biggest face-palm of all time. DOH! How could we have missed that?!
In fact, the account points us to the reality of how we ought to be living our lives as believers and the certainty that we should have about Jesus walking with us and speaking to us on our journey. It is awesome to think about! We should be certain of who he is, what he has done and what he has taught us. We should have that certainty because of his presence, what we know about his mission to redeemed us, what we read in the Word of God, what we see of his power and his work in the lives of people around us. There’s no doubt that he’s right there with us every step of the way. Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 6 Did Not Our Hearts Burn Within Us? Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 24:13–35 April 28, 2019
I have certainty about Jesus because...
• I know his presence (v. 13–16)
• I remember his mission (v. 17–24)
• I hear his Word (v. 25–27)
• I experience his power (v. 28–32)
• I see his work (v. 33–35)
On the third day, Sunday morning, his most devoted friends, a group of women, were told at his tomb, “He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you…” The evidence in front of them pointed to the impossible and the implications immediately hit them and faith began to take root in their lives as the truth saved them from their deep despair. It was in that moment that they came to realize that their lives would be forever changed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That message holds to this day, and anyone who finds Christ, finds life. Abundant and eternal life.
As we look at Luke 24:1-12 we will see both the darkness and the dawn not just in the events that happened 2000 years ago but in the transformative power of God’s salvation message today. Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 6 He is Not Here Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 24:1–12 Easter Sunday // April 21, 2019
When the evidence points to the impossible… (v. 1–4)
...the implications hit (v. 5–7)
...faith begins (v. 8–10)
...the truth saves (v. 11–12)
...and your life is forever changed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ!
I don’t need to convince anyone. We live it every day of our lives. The darkness around us brings burdens, sorrows, brutality, and anger. Our news sources are filled with it. For that matter, our lives are filled with it. There’s no escaping the heartache and real-world pain that pursues us over the course of our lives. And yet, it is not all bleak and barren because the light still shines—even in the darkness—revealing hope, peace, faith, and love. These gifts, delivered to us by our God, sustain us and give us reason to endure all that the world throws at us. At no time was this more obvious than on that Friday when our Lord was crucified. In the midst of the darkness, faint glimmers of light began to shine even as he hung there, dying. Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 6 Darkness Over the Whole Land Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 23:26–56 Good Friday // April 19, 2019
The darkness brings...
• Burdens (v. 26)
• Sorrows (v. 27–31)
• Brutality (v. 32–38)
• Anger (v. 39)
Yet, the light still shines revealing...
• Hope (v. 40–43)
• Peace (v. 44–46)
• Faith (v. 47–49)
• Love (v. 50–56)
As we look at Luke 23:1-25, it is all about the reactions and responses to Jesus. The chief priests and rulers, Pontius Pilate, King Herod and his soldiers, the crowd, and the disciples all responded to Jesus in a different way, and in those reactions, we see a template for how people respond to Jesus today. Many are chased away by fear. Others cave in to pressure from loved ones and friends to not consider Jesus. Some are too consumed with self to give him any thought. Others are caught up in the culture of the day or are just plain caustic toward the faith.
And in the midst of all that rejection, God reaches out to save us when we are most undeserving and are least expecting it. In fact, what we’ll see in the passage is that Jesus was unjustly accused and condemned so that you and I could be undeservedly and unexpectedly forgiven and freed. Despite anything we have done and all those negative responses to him, Jesus saves. Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 6 I Find No Guilt in This Man Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 23:1–25 April 14, 2019
Why you might be rejecting Jesus...
• Chased away by fear (the disciples)
• Caved in to the pressure (Pilate)
• Consumed with self (Herod)
• Caught up in the moment (the crowd)
• Caustic toward the faith (chief priests)
Why you should receive him instead...
• Jesus was unjustly accused and condemned, so you could be undeservedly forgiven and freed (Barabbas)
I’m sure you’ve already seen advertisements for the latest documentaries on the historic Jesus. In the days leading up to Easter, it is a predictable thing. Even if people are not eager to believe in him or follow his ways, there remains a fascination with who Jesus is.
That question of Jesus’ true identity was often the subject of discussions throughout the gospels as people grappled with his ministry and message. The question culminated during his trial and crucifixion, and in Luke 22:54-71, as the religious leaders tried to pin him down, he made it clear that he was (is) the Son of God. Their over-the-top reaction sealed it; his claim was to be not only the promised Messiah, but God himself.
The question of his identity and the answer he gave still hang in the air today. So, what should any of us do with that? Jesus suffered injustice and bore the shame of execution. He poured out grace and forgiveness while declaring himself to be the Saviour. It isn’t something that can be ignored or rejected. Instead, each one who hears this message should follow, acknowledge, embrace, and believe in him. Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 6 Are You the Son of God, Then Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 22:54–71 April 7, 2019
Do you know the one...
...who suffered injustice? Follow him (v. 54a)
...who offered grace? Acknowledge him (v. 54b–62)
...who bore the shame? Embrace him (v. 63–65)
...who declared his divinity? Believe in him (v. 66–71)
How can I identify the power of darkness?
It isn’t usually the overt, obvious evil that trips us up. That stuff is pretty dark, easy to identify, and clearly to be avoided. The biggest pitfall for Christians is the covert evil that is much harder to see—the strategies that Satan employs in coming, as the Apostle Paul wrote, “As an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). These indirect attacks, small temptations, and subtle influences no less lead us away from God’s path. As such, they are more dangerous to us than we imagine.
In Luke 22:47-53, led by Judas Iscariot, an armed crowd arrived in the Garden of Gethsemane to arrest Jesus. While the whole plan to seize him was couched in being a “good” thing, initiated by the religious leaders and motivated by a desire to preserve the Temple and the stability of their lives in Israel, it was the most evil thing ever perpetuated on the earth: the condemnation of the sinless Son of God and the rejection of the Saviour of the world.
As this story unfolded, Jesus had twice told his disciples to pray that they wouldn’t fall into temptation. The account of his arrest provides a template for us to see how “the power of darkness” (Luke 22:53b) operates in the world and in our lives so we can identify it and thus resist any temptation to give in to it. Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 6 The Power of Darkness Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 22:47–53 March 31, 2019
How can I identify “the power of darkness” around me?
• Darkness disguises itself as good (v. 47–48)
• Darkness acts impulsively (v. 49–50)
• Darkness explains away the miraculous (v. 51)
• Darkness operates in the shadows (v. 52–53a)
• And in order for the light to shine, darkness must have its day (v. 53b)
I’m pretty sure I don’t mean it when I pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Or maybe I’m okay with God’s will being done “on earth” in general, but not so much in my personal life. I’m pretty sure I want my will to be done in my life. So, what I’m really wanting is for God to align his will with my will. I want what I think is best for me. Who else is honest enough to say the same?
As we continue our series in The Gospel of Luke and look at Luke 22:35–46 this Sunday, we will hear Jesus pray, “Not my will but yours be done.” And that declaration came in the midst of an emotionally-charged wrestling match with what he knew was coming. The inevitability of the cross and the painful and cruel death that awaited him in a few short hours brought him to a breaking point as he, in his humanity, pleaded with the Father to find another way. But in the end, knowing that he had to be crucified, he surrendered to the Father’s will. And he was strengthened by an angel sent by God.
That’s the pattern for all who believe as well. Accepting the will of God will always be difficult, as it was difficult for Jesus. It will always be a challenge to pray for God’s will to be done because the path that he lays out for us is not likely to be easy. And we will have these intense, emotionally-charged times in our lives when we are pleading with the Father to do it a different way. But in the end, if we choose his will, God will strengthen us, bless us, and show us how it will all work out for his glory and also for our ultimate benefit. Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 6 Not My Will Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 22:35–46 March 24, 2019
To be able to personally say, “Not my will, but God’s be done” means...
• Recalling what he has done in the past (v. 35)
• Preparing for what is yet to come (v. 36–38)
• Following Jesus no matter where he takes me (v. 39)
• Praying even when it is difficult to do so (v. 40–46)
Perhaps the most famous book on greatness is Jim Collins’ bestseller, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't. Obviously, it is a business book targeted at business leadership. It is a how-to for corporate people to grow their companies. In the book he writes, “Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline.” In other words, work hard, work smart, be disciplined, and devote yourself to the task and your business can be better than good; it can be great. Seems reasonable.
In Luke 22:1-23 (last week’s passage), the disciples were with Jesus having just experienced the first Lord’s Table with him. They had just heard about a betrayer among them, and a dispute was raging about who that might be. As that was playing out, they started arguing about who was the greatest and Peter made a bold declaration in arguing for his status as the greatest among them (Luke 22:24-34). It seems that a first-to-worst list had taken shape among the disciples! And that list was based entirely on a faulty set of criteria, according to Jesus. It was based on what the world considered to be greatness. “But not so with you,” Jesus said; his followers were to base greatness on something quite different. Something they hadn’t yet learned.
Collins is right about this: “Greatness…is largely a matter of conscious choice.” Jesus set himself up as the example of what greatness is to look like; “But I am among you as the one who serves.” That’s what it takes to be great: a conscious choice to give myself sacrificially for others. It is servanthood. It is not position, status, wealth, bravado, or success in the way we normally think of that. Jesus turned the world’s notion of greatness on its head and made it a non-negotiable for genuine Christians. Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 6 One Who Serves Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 22:24–34 March 17, 2019
When you’re great in God’s eyes...
• You don’t even think about being great (v. 24–25)
• You eagerly take on the lower rank and task (v. 26–27a)
• You pursue greatness as Jesus did (v. 27b)
• You settle the big issues of life (v. 28–30)
• You recognize how hard the battle will be (v. 31–34)
Is the will of God determined for me? That is a question that has occupied the thinking and conversations of believers, pastors, and theologians since the beginning of time itself. What happens at the intersection of human freewill, Satan’s influences, and the sovereignty of God? As we read the Bible, it would seem that all three are true. Humans have a will and are able to make decisions for good and evil, Satan is active in the world, and God is in control with all things happening according to his will. But how do we reconcile that?
Some might dismiss the discussion as too theological and completely irrelevant to where we live, but it wasn’t irrelevant to Judas Iscariot or the first disciples. Judas made a decision to betray Jesus. That decision was evidently influenced by Satan entering him. Yet that decision, we’re told, was also part of God’s determined will. All three are true. Now, let’s ask the question, as you and I make decisions and live our lives, are we doing so based on what we decide for ourselves, are we being unduly influenced by the evil one, or has God already made all the picks and we’re just playing it all out? If we’re to avoid simply resigning ourselves to a certain divine fate, we have to understand how God is working in our lives and in this world.
In Luke 22:1-23, Judas becomes the betrayer. Jesus exposes the plot and then shares a final Passover meal with his disciples, pointing them again to the suffering and death he would have to experience to fulfill God’s plan; “for the Son of Man goes as it has been determined.” As we see this play out, we will be able to affirm that the purposes of God cannot be thwarted in our lives (though we may face fierce opposition as we seek to faithfully walk with God and anticipate all that he is doing and will do), because we look to Christ alone for all we need and know that he determines our way. There’s comfort and joy in that. Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 6 This is My Body Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 22:1–23 March 10, 2019
The purposes of God cannot be thwarted in my life...
...though I may face fierce opposition (v. 1–6)
...as I seek to faithfully walk with God (v. 7–13)
...and anticipate all that he is doing and will do (v. 14–18)
...because I look to Christ alone for all I need (v. 19–20)
...and know that he determines my way (v. 21–23)
It makes perfect sense that in a world corrupted by sin, the precious, God-ordained institution of family would often find itself broken by sin. The pressure and negative influences on our marriages and child-rearing mean that all families face some level of dysfunction. For some the dysfunction is deep enough that it leads to anger, arguments, conflict, abuse, and all too often estrangement and divorce. Sadly, so many individuals have been hurt and victimized and live their lives with the scar tissue of being part of a family that can only be described as really, very badly broken. But even if that’s true, there is hope for the most broken of family situations.
As we get together on Sunday to wrap up this seven-message series, The Fam: God’s Plan for Your Home to be Awesome, we’ll look at the hope that Christ gives those who come to him to find life in the midst of even the most dysfunctional and devastating of family situations. We’ll look at John 4 and the woman who had been married five times and was, at the time, living with a sixth. Jesus told her that if she simply drank the living water, she would, “never thirst again.” What he meant by that is that all of her chasing after human relationships to satisfy something deep within was betraying a brokenness that could be repaired if she would drink from the living water of Christ. Jesus gave her hope for something far better in this life and beyond this life.
I’ll spend some time unpacking that and more, and with Pastor Roger, will answer the questions you have been submitting during the series-concluding Q&A. Don’t forget to take advantage of the resource page we have set up with books, articles, videos, upcoming conferences, as well as the previous messages in this series (on video and audio) and information on the Biblical Soul Care sponsored follow up sessions that we’ve put together on parenting. Sermon Notes The Fam: God’s Plan for Your Home to Be Awesome When It’s Really, Very Badly Broken Pastor Todd Dugard // Various Scriptures March 3, 2019
There is hope for your family even when it is really, very badly broken because...
• Jesus came for the “bruised reeds” (Matthew 12:15-21) • Your brokenness is not too broken (John 4:1-42) • Your true family is your eternal one and not your earthly one (Luke 8:19-21) • Your deepest longings are meant to be fulfilled in glory not on earth (1 Peter 1:6-7)
God’s plan is for our homes to be awesome! In The Fam series, we have looked at various areas where Scripture addresses family life and have found some truths that will help us reach that goal. But really, doesn’t something always come up that seems to move the goal posts? Just like sparks flying up from a blaze, man is born to trouble. It can be annoying like smoke in the eyes, or sometimes it feels like we can’t breathe, and still other times it seems like our whole world is on fire! When trouble hits our family, what we do next is really important. God’s Word will bring clarity and hope for troubled families as we explore various types of dysfunction that we run into and seek biblical answers on how to respond. Sermon Notes The Fam: God’s Plan for Your Home to Be Awesome Addressing Inevitable Dysfunction Pastor Roger Freeman // Galatians 6:1–10 February 24, 2019
Addressing inevitable dysfunction in our homes God’s way demands a: 1. Careful response (v. 1–5) 2. Clear response (v. 6–8) 3. Consistent response (v. 9–10)
Whenever you see a list of the top reasons for fights between couples, money is always at or near the top. It makes sense. A spender marries a saver and they fight. A spender marries a spender and they fight. When two savers get married, I’m thinking they probably get along just fine as they shop at their favourite thrift store. Because money can be such a flashpoint in our homes, it makes sense that “Handling the Money” needs to be part of our family series. God’s plan for your home to be awesome includes principles of managing your finances.
Take advantage of the resource page we have set up with books and videos, as well as the previous messages in this series and information on the Biblical Soul Care sponsored events that we have put together on parenting. If you have any questions about the family, email them in to us at thefam@harvestbarrie.ca or text to 705.999.7788, and in the message on March 3, Pastor Roger and I will do our best to answer them. Sermon Notes The Fam: God’s Plan for Your Home to Be Awesome Handling the Money February 10, 2019
Handling the money in a way that pleases God means having...
• An undivided heart (Matthew 6:21–24)
• An unremarkable plan
• Earn it diligently (Proverbs 6:6–8)
• Give it generously (2 Corinthians 8:2–4)
• Save it responsibly (Proverbs 13:7, 22a)
• Spend it wisely (1 Timothy 6:17)
• An undeniable joy (Proverbs 11:24–25; 2 Corinthians 9:6–7)
Access further resources at harvestbarrie.ca/thefam Email questions to thefam@harvestbarrie.ca or text to 705.999.7788
For Christian parents, the task of raising kids is even more challenging given that we are seeking to raise our kids in a cultural environment that is more often than not antithetical to our beliefs and convictions. One preacher told us that we are “strangers and exiles on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13) and made for a “better country, that is, a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:16). If that is the case, it is no wonder that we, as Christian parents, feel a dissonance with the culture around us and battle the influences on our kids on a daily basis as the world’s values flood our lives and influence our homes.
But God has not left us without guidance and without help. The Word of God informs us in the midst of this battle for the hearts and minds of our own kids. And the Holy Spirit gives us the wisdom, courage, and strength we need to raise our kids with godly character, to give them Jesus, and thus to have a family and a home that is awesome.
We are continuing The Fam: God’s Plan for Your Home to be Awesome with message #4, “Raising Kids with Character,” as we look at three key passages that speak to our task as parents, teachers, small group leaders, and church family members who all have a role in instructing and discipling the children entrusted to us by God. As a bonus, this Sunday I will be dialoguing with our children’s ministry director, Jeannie Coros, in the last part of the message as she brings us up to speed on some generational insights I know we will all find helpful.
Be sure to visit our resource page with books, articles, videos, and the series messages. Downloads
Reactive/Corrective Discipline (PDF) 12 Sure-fire Ways to Provoke Your Kids and Cause Them to Sin (PDF)
Parenting Events
March 7 - Parenting with Purpose: A BSC Dessert Night March 30 - At My House: Practical Tips for Parenting April 7 - At My House: Practical Tips for Parenting
Sermon Notes The Fam: God’s Plan for Your Home to Be Awesome Raising Kids with Character February 3, 2019
Raising kids with godly character requires you to have...
• A clear perspective: Grasp what you have been entrusted with as a parent (Psalm 127:3–5)
• A relentless commitment: Saturate your home with the Word of God (Deuteronomy 6:4–9)
• A loving submission: Do what is best for your kids (Ephesians 6:4)
• Proactively train them • Reactively correct them
Access further resources at harvestbarrie.ca/thefam Email questions to thefam@harvestbarrie.ca or text to 705.999.7788
“God created marriage. No government subcommittee envisioned it. No social organization developed it. Marriage was conceived and born in the mind of God.” — Max Lucado
If what Lucado said is true, then it would follow that we should consult with the creator of marriage if we would want to build a strong one. It would follow that God would know how to have the most awesome marriage possible. It would follow that we cannot simply wing it or assume that good marriages happen by default.
Sadly, few people give this any thought at all. So much time and expense are put into the wedding day and so little effort in preparing for the actual marriage. And then, when things get tough, few seek the counsel of God’s Word when their marriage is failing. And even if counsel is sought, it is often ignored or rejected as being too hard.
So, right up front, let’s acknowledge that building a strong marriage takes knowledge and effort in the relentless pursuit of what God has ordained for this special human relationship where a man and a woman become one. Just saying it like that should make it clear that this isn’t like any other relationship, and that we should think more deeply about it.
That is what we are doing as we continue our teaching series, The Fam: God’s Plan for Your Home to be Awesome. There are two messages behind us, and both are foundational to what we will hear in the coming weeks. Be sure to catch up if you missed either one. Invite friends and family to join you for this impactful series, and share these messages on your social media. Sermon Notes The Fam: God’s Plan for Your Home to Be Awesome Building a Strong Marriage January 27, 2019
If you want to have a strong marriage, it must be built...
...on the right foundation (Psalm 127:1a; Genesis 1:26–27)
...according to the God-established roles for husbands and wives (Ephesians 5:21–33)
• A wife submits to her husband by respecting him • A husband submits to his wife by loving her
...and with single-minded devotion to each one’s own relationship to Christ (1 Corinthians 7:1–16; 1 Peter 3:1–7)
Email questions to thefam@harvestbarrie.ca or text to 705.999.7788.
You can’t have a sitcom about a family without failed communication as the principal comedic device. Homer misreads a note left by Marge and hilarity ensues. Archie calls Edith a “dingbat” and the audience chuckles. Marcia tries to manipulate her brothers and sisters while Alice talks her out of it. Sarcasm is the currency for Rosanne and the Connors. Lucy lies to Ricky. Again. And we laugh. But what works for a sitcom isn’t necessarily the best practice in your home. How we talk to each other in real families matters because it reveals what is in our hearts. The biting sarcasm, lying, anger, yelling, and self-centredness in how characters talk to each other in sitcoms has no place in our homes. We need to learn how to talk to each other in a way that is pure and life-affirming.
God designed the family, and he has given us the principles of communication we need both to honour him in our speech and to have the awesome family he intends for us. This is a family whose words are: “fitly spoken…like apples of gold in a setting of silver” (Proverbs 25:11); “always…gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Colossians 4:6); “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15); and not letting any “corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29). Imagine that describing your home! It is God’s plan (and very possible) for you and your family to learn how to talk to each other in a loving, God-honouring way. Sermon Notes The Fam: God’s Plan for Your Home to Be Awesome Learning to Talk to Each Other January 20, 2019
It is God’s plan (and very possible) for you and your family to learn how to talk to each other in a loving, God-honouring way.
• Acknowledge the problem (Proverbs 18:21; James 3:5–8; 4:1)
• Check your attitude before you speak (Matthew 12:34-37; Galatians 5:22–23)
• Listen more; talk less (Proverbs 10:19; 18:2, 13; 21:23; James 1:19)
• Choose your words carefully and watch your non-verbals (Proverbs 15:1–2; 25:11–12; Colossians 4:6)
• Keep it pure and life-affirming (Proverbs 12:18; Ephesians 4:15, 29)
It isn’t hard to find angry kids and disillusioned adults that are the result of broken families and busted marriages. Sadly, we have allowed the precious God-ordained institutions of marriage and family to deteriorate before our eyes. Media, entertainment, government policy, materialism, hyper-sexuality, and other cultural values and customs, coupled with our own propensity toward self-centredness, have served to make home life a tough slog.
But it is possible to have an awesome family. Despite these obstacles, every child from a broken home can choose a different path, and every adult with fears or doubts about marriage can build one that lasts. We have begun a new seven-message series to help us pursue God’s plan for our family relationships. Married, single, adult, child—no matter your life situation—as we examine his Word, we will find the necessary principles to be The Fam that God intends us to be. Resources The Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 — Tim Keller Download PDF »
Sermon Notes The Fam: God’s Plan for Your Home to Be Awesome Cultivating Necessary Attitudes Galatians 5:5, 16, 19–23 January 13, 2019
Having a home that is awesome, which is God’s plan for you, requires you to cultivate necessary attitudes...
...first determining, “This is a Jesus home!” (v. 5)
...then committing to keep God at the centre (v. 5:16)
...and thus, your home looks different than others (v. 19–21)
...because it is producing (v. 22–23)
• love • joy • peace • patience • kindness • goodness • faithfulness • gentleness • self-control
Unafraid Witness is one of our Four Pillars here at Harvest, one of the things that we, as a church, have committed to living out in the world around us. It comes directly out of the Great Commission, a call given by Jesus to his followers to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). This message from Acts 4:1-22 takes an in-depth look at an event in the lives of Peter and John. These men had walked with Jesus, seen his power, watched him work miracles, wept as he was crucified, rejoiced when he rose again, and lived to obey his call to share the good news of who he was and what he had done. They saw the necessity of what they had been called to do, and even in the face of persecution they continued to boldly proclaim the gospel, unafraid of what might result. People need the good news of Jesus, and we who have seen him work in our lives, heard his words, and responded in faith should have the same perspective Peter and John had: “For we cannot but speak of what we’ve seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). Sermon Notes We Cannot But Speak Jordan Coros Acts 4:1-22 January 6, 2019
To boldly proclaim the gospel means...
-
I challenge the status quo in people’s lives (v. 1–4)
-
I keep Jesus front and centre (v. 5–12)
-
I refuse to make any excuses (v. 13–20)
-
I recognize that God does the work (v. 21–22)
A new year always brings the hope with it that we can improve in one way or another. But honestly, there tends to be stuff we have to deal with first before we truly start growing. As we come to the opening of 2 Peter, we will find much to aspire to as Christ followers. If there are sinful attitudes in the way, we won’t get to where God is leading us. So, in this sermon, we will identify four troubling sinful attitudes, but more importantly, we will refocus on the life-giving truths we are meant to live by. Peter’s hope for the church is that we would be growing in holiness, and I am excited to dig into this strong word of encouragement for growth with you. Sermon Notes Dear Sinful Me, Stop It! Pastor Dwayne Francois 2 Peter 1:1–11 December 30, 2018
I don’t want fear, anger, foolishness, or despair to render me ineffective or unfruitful for Christ, so when I’m struggling I must…
• Stop thinking Jesus loves me less when his love for me is always the same (vs. 1–2)
• Stop asking God for more when he has already given all I need (vs. 3–4)
• Stop making half-hearted attempts at growth when my full effort is due (vs. 5–8)
• Stop squinting at the cross when forgiveness is obvious (vs. 9–11)
Do you remember the old song by Jackie DeShannon, “What the World Needs Now—Is Love?” Came out in 1965. What the world needs now is love, sweet love; it’s the only thing that there’s just too little of. Can’t really argue that. Every Christian should agree that our world is in desperate need of love, and as the song says, Not just for some but for everyone.
What Jackie DeShannon left out of her song is what we celebrate at Christmas. The perfect expression of love that God showed us in sending his Son to this world to save it—to save us. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son…” the very familiar John 3:16 says. We often think of his sacrificial death as the expression of his love, but it started much earlier than that when God clothed himself in humanity. This is referred to as the incarnation. Think about it: We have a God who loved us so much that he became like us.
I get why Jackie DeShannon left God out of the lyrics. She, like so many others, believe God to be distant and uninvolved. Fifty years after the song was written, we have pushed God even further to the periphery of life. In the minds of most people today, God is so irrelevant that they don’t even think about him, let alone believe that he loves them.
Here is the truth: God is very much alive and active in our world, so much so that he became like us simply because he loves us and wants us to know him. The incarnation is something we desperately need today. People around us want to know that they are loved, and God stands ready to love them. As we approach Christmas, we look into various passages of Scripture to see what God has done in the miracle of the incarnation, and to gain a greater grasp of his love for everyone. Sermon Notes What God has done The Miracle of the Incarnation Pastor Todd Dugard December 16, 2018
God is alive and active in our world… (Psalm 66:5)
…so much so that he became like us (John 1:14; Philippians 2:5–8; 1 Timothy 3:16)
…simply because he loves us (John 3:16a)
…and wants us to know him (John 3:16b; Isaiah 9:6–7)
At some point, early on a Sunday morning, the victory was quietly won. It was publicly announced when visitors to the tomb heard the words, “He is not here for he has risen.” Sin, death, Satan, demons, and evil had been defeated. The victory won. The reality on the ground, though, makes it look like the war is still raging. You and I are still battling temptation and sin. Loved ones still die. Evil runs rampant over this world. Satan and his demonic hoard are still active in tearing apart God’s creation. And so, we can be excused for thinking that it doesn’t look like God has actually won.
At this point in history, our confidence as believers is in a promise. We rest in the knowledge that our God is bringing about the culmination of history and the final and full realization of the victory gained at the cross and in Jesus’ resurrection from the grave. The triumph is indeed won, but the application of that victory awaits the final rollout of God’s plan. This is consistent with how we see these things in the Scriptures; the triumph is now but not yet, fulfilled and yet awaiting fulfillment.
These past twelve weeks in the Book of Daniel have pressed us to be Resolved! in our Christian life—to live for Christ even if we are the only one who is. In the face of a world that is not simply non-Christian but increasingly anti-Christian, we must continue to walk boldly with Christ, no matter the cost in an often-hostile environment. As we wrap up this series with the final chapter, Daniel 12, we get a glimpse into the ultimate victory that God has provided for his people, and we will be given solid assurances of that triumph, as well as a challenge to stay the course and continue to live for the Lord in the meantime. We do so on the basis of a rock-solid promise from the God who never breaks his word and who is firmly in control.
If you missed any of the messages in this Daniel series, you can catch up on with the audio podcasts or video on our website. All of the resources I showed during the series are also available, along with sermon notes and small group questions. Take advantage of all this and continue your study into this amazing book.
Sermon Notes Resolved! Living for Christ when you’re the only one who is Triumph: “You shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place” Pastor Todd Dugard // Daniel 12 December 9, 2018
Final triumph is coming for those who believe in Christ.
• Recognize the hard-won victory (v. 1)
• Anticipate the life-giving resurrection (v. 2–4)
• Rest in God’s never-failing promise (v. 5–9)
• Choose your eternity-defining destiny (v. 10)
• Get on with your God-ordained life (v. 11–13)
We often think about endurance in terms of individual trials and hardships that we have to make it through. We say things like, “If I can just endure this season of my life, I’ll be good.” Sometimes, we even trivialize this character quality with statements at work like, “I just endured the longest meeting ever!” or in school saying, “Mrs. So-and-So’s class is an endurance test!” But endurance or perseverance is a quality that should not be trivialized like this or confined to temporary circumstances and events. Endurance, according to Jesus, is far more essential than we may realize. In fact, in Matthew 24:13 he said, “The one who endures to the end will be saved.” For Jesus, perseverance is the marker of genuine salvation. You know for sure that your sins are forgiven and you belong to him if you are standing there at the end.
Understanding perseverance is where we are going in this Sunday’s message from Daniel 11. Similar to what had been delivered in dreams and visions in Daniel 2, 7, 8, and 9, the vision Daniel sees in this week’s passage speaks of the near (for him) and distant future (yet future for us, in fact). While we cannot lock down all of the details of this incredible look into the future, it is evident that difficult days are ahead for those who love and follow Jesus, and that having the quality of perseverance is essential in identifying with Christ.
As we look back on the historical setting for Daniel 11, we realize that the Jewish people who endured so much at the hands of foreign empires persevered through it all, providing a model of genuine faith and trust in God. What we will see in the passage is that those who persevere find their strength in Christ and not themselves, believe everything God’s Word says, stand firm and resolute in their faith, are found serving and witnessing of Christ, push through all hardship and trials, and see God’s purposes in everything. Sermon Notes Resolved! Living for Christ when you’re the only one who is Perseverance: “The People Who Know Their God Shall Stand Firm” Pastor Todd Dugard // Daniel 11 December 2, 2018
The true believer will persevere to the end!
• Strengthened by Christ and believing his Word (v. 1–31)
• Standing firm for Christ and fulfilling his mission (v. 32)
• Enduring hardship in Christ and embracing his purposes (v. 33–45)
Our society has become decidedly less formal. There are fewer occasions to dress up. Children are rarely taught to address adults as “Mr.” or “Mrs.” or “Miss” or “Ms.” Weddings and funerals and even the way we communicate with each other have become far more casual. We have broken down the barriers associated with formality and embraced familiarity instead.
This cultural trend has been adopted by many churches like ours. For example, I almost never tuck my shirt in and often wear running shoes to preach. And while some do call me “Pastor,” I never require it, let alone calling me “Reverend”! We have, rightly, embraced the culture on this point.
But having said that, I wonder if we haven’t lost something else along the way in doing so. In our noble pursuit of familiarity with God (he is, after all, immanent, available, near, and the “friend of sinners”), are we unwittingly avoiding any sense of the power, awesomeness, and transcendence (he is other) of our God? I wonder how we could get some of that back.
In Daniel 10-12, a final vision is received by Daniel, who by this time is well into his 80s. He has spent a lifetime walking with his God and standing firm in his faith in the midst of a hostile environment. The vision was overwhelming to him, and an encounter with the pre-incarnate Christ laid him out, trembling in fear, at the appearance of the God he had worshipped and served his entire life. As students of the Bible, we realize that the apostles John and Paul and the prophets Moses, Isaiah, and Ezekiel all had similar reactions when they came face-to-face with God. The point is clear: We cannot be casual or familiar with our God. The only proper response is to tremble as Daniel did. Sermon Notes Resolved! Living for Christ when you’re the only one who is Trembling: “I Fell on my Face” Pastor Todd Dugard // Daniel 10 November 25, 2018
Tremble, Christian, because...
...you hold in your hands the Word of God (v. 1)
...you stand right now in the presence of God (v. 2–9)
...you engage each day as a soldier in the army of God (v. 10–14, 20–21)
...you depend for your life on the power of God (v. 15–19)
We are reminded from Scripture what it means to be a 5G Christian—gracious, generous, growing, grateful, and glorifying. We are also recasting the vision of our Made for This campaign, which funded the renovations of our 7 George Street facility. We long to see the Lord continue the incredible work that he has done in our lives individually and as a church family. Sermon Notes Made for This The 5G Christian Pastor Todd Dugard November 18, 2018
The 5G Christian is…
Made to be Gracious (2 Corinthians 12:1–10; Ephesians 4:17–5:2)
Made to be Generous (2 Corinthians 8–9)
Made to be Growing (2 Corinthians 5:1–10)
Made to be Grateful (2 Corinthians 4:7–15)
Made to be Glorifying (2 Corinthians 3:7–18)
I am eager to get back to our RESOLVED! series in Daniel today. We will be in Daniel 6 looking at the matter of integrity, knowing that when we trust God, we will be undivided in heart and uncompromising in action. We will be locking down five key affirmations that flow from that statement. Sermon Notes Resolved! Living for Christ when you’re the only one who is Integrity: “An excellent spirit was in him” Daniel 6 November 11, 2018
When I trust God, I will be undivided in heart and uncompromising in action, affirming that...
• I can do everything right and things can still go horribly wrong (v. 1–9)
• I will continue to be/do what I have always been/done no matter the circumstances (v. 10–11)
• I will see malicious people as agents of God’s will in my life (v. 12–15)
• I will leave it with God to decide what is best for me (v. 16–18)
• I will praise God for any rescue and blessing I receive (v. 19–28)
Even when we find ourselves in difficult and discouraging situations, in Christ we have everything we need for the ministry of the gospel. Sermon Notes When Your Spirit Has No Rest Terry Codling 2 Corinthians 2:12–3:6 November 4, 2018
When your spirit has no rest, remember that…
-
You have the knowledge of Christ
-
You are commissioned by Christ
-
You are competent / sufficient in Christ
...for the ministry of the gospel.
Admit it. You cause much of your own heartache in life. Not all of it. Some things happen because of circumstances and occur through no fault of your own. But still, many times, we are simply facing the consequences of our own choices and actions when we experience difficulties in life. And let’s just call this what it really is: we sin against God and suffer for it. The solution, then, would seem obvious. Repent. Agree with God, and turn away from the bad decision. Easy to say.
Daniel 9, while appearing in the apocalyptic section of the Book of Daniel, is mostly a prayer of brokenness, confession, and repentance. Daniel expresses his penitence on behalf of himself and the people of Israel, having come to understand from his reading of Jeremiah 25 the reason for the invasion of Israel, the destruction of the Temple, and the exile of God’s people. They had sinned and brought these calamities down on themselves. Daniel’s realization led to God’s grace being poured out on him and God’s people.
This episode will lead us to grasp the truth that God gives us hope even in the midst of self-inflicted, sin-caused heartache. If we humbly appeal to him, admit that we’re the cause of our own grief, and without qualification confess our rebellion, God will forgive and restore what has been lost. And in the process, God affirms his great love and compassion for his people, saying to Daniel, “You are greatly loved.” A theme repeated time and again in the Scriptures and embodied in the offer that Jesus has made to us to find forgiveness and life in him. This is exactly what we need to hear as we all grapple with heartache in our lives. Sermon Notes Resolved! Living for Christ when you’re the only one who is Penitence: “O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive” Pastor Todd Dugard // Daniel 9 October 28, 2018
God will give me hope in the midst of sin-caused heartache… (v. 20–27)
...if I humbly appeal to him (v. 15–19)
...admitting I am the cause of my own grief (v. 11–14)
...and categorically confessing my rebellion (v. 3–10)
...having been pressed to do so by the simple reading of his Word (v. 1–2)
I feel that, even as a believer, I am engaged in a back and forth battle between being confident in my own strength, smarts, and abilities versus being wholly dependent on God and rooting my confidence in him. Living by faith, and thus following a God that I cannot see, means that I often fall back into a self-confidence that ultimately betrays my heart, but I cannot let that be.
By the time Belshazzar is king (co-regent) in Babylon, Daniel is in his early eighties. He has lived a long life of service to God and to the kings of Babylon. He has demonstrated at every turn his unwavering confidence in God and not in himself or any other human being. In contrast, Daniel 5 introduces us to Belshazzar for his only narrative appearance in the Bible. Belshazzar is an arrogant, self-confident leader who is so blinded by his own power and wealth that he brings the swift judgment of God on himself and his kingdom. And there are some powerful lessons for us in this passage on how each man conducted himself, as well as continued clarity about God’s sovereignty over all.
When my confidence is in anyone but God, I place myself in peril of his judgment, but when my confidence is in Jesus Christ, I am welcomed in his family and protected by his grace. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God” (2 Corinthians 3:4-5 ESV). Or, as Daniel put it to Belshazzar, our confidence is in, “The God in whose hand is your breath.” Sermon Notes Resolved! Living for Christ when you’re the only one who is Confidence: “The God in Whose Hand is Your Breath” Pastor Todd Dugard // Daniel 5 October 21, 2018
When my confidence is in anyone but God, I place myself in peril of his judgment.
• If you have a misplaced self-confidence…
…you have no fear of God (v. 1–4)
…you have no appreciation for the past (v. 5–12)
…you love the sound of your own voice (v. 13–16, 29–31)
• If you have a rightly-placed confidence in God…
…you have no fear of man (v. 17)
…you have high praise for God alone (v. 18–21)
…you speak the truth of God boldly (v. 22–28)
“I was appalled.” Those were the words of Daniel as he reflected on a vision he saw and the interpretation he was given by the angel, Gabriel. The vision left him exhausted and even feeling sick at what he had seen. He abhorred the sin and evil that filled the vision and the devastation to the people of God. And it also compelled him to remain ever vigilant—watching—for the end. He lived his life in a constant state of preparedness for God’s work in the world.
We're looking at Daniel 8, part of the apocalyptic section of the book, which records the second vision that Daniel received while Belshazzar was on the throne on Babylon. The vision laid out a series of events that would come in the centuries after the time of Daniel and before the birth of Jesus. It documented the, as yet future for Daniel, Medo-Persia Empire, the historically significant Greek Empire under Alexander the Great, as well as the four kingdoms that were created out of the empire following Alexander’s death.
The chapter will form the basis for some questions you and I need to ask ourselves concerning our own watchfulness. As we await the end, are we being vigilant, or are we overly consumed with life in the here and now, giving little thought to anything else? Are we appalled by the post-truth era we live in? Are we eager to see the unadulterated worship of God be restored? Are we attentive to God’s Word and actively seeking to understand what God is saying to us? Are we encouraged when we think about the great reversal that is coming by the power of God alone? We’re going to get after all of that on Sunday as we open the Word together. Sermon Notes Resolved! Living for Christ when you’re the only one who is Vigilance: “I was appalled” Pastor Todd Dugard // Daniel 8 October 14, 2018
As I await the end, I must be vigilant, asking...
• Am I appalled by those who, “throw truth to the ground”? (v. 1–13, 27)
• Am I eager for the unadulterated worship of God to be, “restored to its rightful state”? (v. 14)
• Am I attentive to hear God’s voice and, “understand the vision”? (v. 15–17)
• Am I encouraged by the great reversal that comes, “by no human hand”? (v. 18–26)
The most obvious teaching point in all of the apocalyptic literature in the Bible is to be ready. The second is to be encouraged in the meantime, because God’s got this. Everything in this world is under his control and working according to his plan. And this is certainly true of the wild visions in the Book of Daniel. The Jewish exiles, the original readers of Daniel, who were living in Babylon and at home under Babylonian rule, needed to know that God had not forgotten the covenant he had made with them. He hadn’t, of course, and the visions communicate that dual theme of encouragement and readiness.
If you’re tracking with our current series, you’ll know that we looked at Daniel 4 last week. Because we’re following a chronological path through the Book of Daniel, we’ll study the apocalyptic vision of chapter 7 this Sunday, which Daniel received between the events of chapters 4 and 5. You should know that Daniel served three different kings (Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius the Mede) under two empires (Babylon, Medo-Persia) over more than six decades of his life.
Daniel 7-12 has fantastical, bizarre visions and dreams about the future. Some of what Daniel saw has already come to be, but much of it is, as yet, unfulfilled. And in Daniel 7, we’ll examine this matter of readiness as we get a glimpse into the seen and unseen worlds, the kingdoms of this earth and the throne room of God, the Little Horn who devastates the church, and the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man who claim the final victory over him. I’m hoping that we all feel a little overwhelmed in a good way hearing this message. Daniel certainly did. A word about the Apocalyptic Literature of the Bible…
Apocalypse means revealing/revelation No division over interpretive differences No excessive pre-occupation with the end times No ignoring or neglecting of the apocalyptic Progressive dispensational framework The two-fold primary purpose
Be encouraged Be ready
Other purposes:
Remember the unseen world See the darkness of my own heart
Interpreting the apocalyptic
Respect the original intent Let it wash over you Use reserve and caution Remember that numbers are symbolic Note full and partial fulfillments of prophecies
Sermon Notes Resolved! Living for Christ when you’re the only one who is Readiness: “The Ancient of Days took his seat” Pastor Todd Dugard // Daniel 7 October 7, 2018
I am ready for whatever God is planning for our world when I see…
…both the coming chaos on earth (v. 1–8)
and the current awesomeness of heaven (v. 9-14)
…both the coming devastation of the church (v. 19–25)
and the already accomplished victory of Jesus Christ (v. 17–18, 26–27)
Q. Is it okay to still be somewhat confused and a little anxious about it all? (v. 15–16, 28)
This chapter in Daniel is unique in the Scriptures in that it is told in the first person by a pagan king. This is Nebuchadnezzar’s personal testimony of having his pride crushed by God and how he responded in repentance and apparent faith. By the end, his worship seems sincere and his theology is certainly on point.
There’s a critical message for us in Nebuchadnezzar’s story. Pride is damning. There’s no way around it. Those who exalt themselves will be brought low either in this life or at the end when it is too late. No matter what, as Proverb 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” So, the solution is to, “Humble [ourselves], therefore, under the mighty hand of God” (1 Peter 5:6a). Simple solution. Crazy hard to live out. But the humbled and broken king in our story will give us all we need to respond as we ought to and be in a great place with God. Sermon Notes Resolved! Living for Christ when you’re the only one who is Humility: “Those who walk in pride he is able to humble” Pastor Todd Dugard // Daniel 4 September 30, 2018
Living for Christ requires a considered humility.
• Be singular in your devotion to Christ (v. 1–3)
• Be cautious about prosperity and ease (v. 4)
• Be fearful of pride creeping in (v. 5–18)
• Be prepared for God to intervene (v. 19–26, 28–33)
• Be eager to break off your sins (v. 27, 34a)
• Be quick to give God his rightful place (v. 34b–37)
Cour·age [kur-ij] | noun | the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery; to have the courage of one's convictions, to act in accordance with one’s beliefs, esp. in spite of criticism. Dictionary.com
In the past year or so, when I have been praying for people, I have often asked God to give them courage in the face of difficult decisions and intense pressure they are up against. In a society that has largely protected Christianity, courage has been all but unnecessary. But increasingly, Western society is showing itself to be hostile to true faith in Christ, and believers are being called upon to make courageous and costly decisions to maintain their integrity and testimony—to act in accordance with their convictions and beliefs in spite of criticism and even persecution.
We are in a 12-week series in the Book of Daniel titled Resolved! Living for Christ When You’re the Only One Who Is. If you missed the first two messages, you can catch up on our website. As we look at Daniel 3 this Sunday, we will hear the well-known account of the three young teens who defied the king’s order and refused to bow before the golden statue he erected. For their defiance, they were sentenced to death and cast into a furnace. I know you know how that turned out, but don’t miss that the critical moment in the story comes before their miraculous rescue, when God gave them the courage to stand against the king and declare, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” (Daniel 3:17-18 ESV). That’s courage! To be able to say, “But if not…” In other words, “God can save me, turn this around, or make it right, but if he doesn’t, no matter what, I’m not serving or bowing down to anyone but him.” And then to bravely face the consequences.
While it is unlikely any of us will face martyrdom for our faith, we are still confronted daily with decisions to live for Christ or not. This narrative will compel us to make our own “but if not” declaration in light of the choices we will face. Will you have courage in your convictions and say: I’ll live for Jesus when things go my way, but if not, I’ll still live for Jesus? Sermon Notes Resolved! Living for Christ when you’re the only one who is Courage: “But if not” Pastor Todd Dugard // Daniel 3 September 23, 2018
I’ll live for Jesus when things go my way, but if not, I’ll still live for Jesus…
...even when I’m mocked for my faith (v. 1–7)
...even when I’m falsely accused (v. 8–12)
...even when I’m under intense pressure (v. 13–23)
Because I want to give God room to work in my life or in my death (v. 24–30)
We're looking at Daniel 2 and the king’s extraordinary dream. What stands out is the certainty we can have as believers because of who God is. Certainty about good things is in short supply in our day. People convince themselves that a relationship, an investment, a job, their health are certain, when they know deep inside that they’re not. When these “certainties” fail, defeatism and despair can set in.
The better way, of course, is to focus on the one thing that is certain: who God is. By the end of this week’s passage, a pagan king is proclaiming the unmatched certainty of who God is: “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries.” Indeed, he is. And our firm resolve to live for him is grounded in that certainty. Nothing else comes close. Sermon Notes Resolved! Living for Christ when you’re the only one who is Certainty: "Your God is the God of gods" Pastor Todd Dugard // Daniel 2 September 16, 2018
Because God is God of gods, I can be certain of...
Humanity’s evident limitations (v. 1–11) RESPOND: In light of the certainty I have about humanity’s limitations, I should also be certain of my __.
God’s immeasurable power (v.12–23) RESPOND: In light of the certainty I have about God’s power, I should also be certain of my ___.
God’s supernatural revelation (v. 24–30) RESPOND: In light of the certainty I have about God’s revelation, I should also be certain of my ___.
God’s absolute sovereignty (v. 31–49) RESPOND: In light of the certainty I have about God’s sovereignty, I should also be certain of my ___.
We are beginning a new preaching series through the Book of Daniel titled Resolved! Living for Christ When You’re the Only One Who Is.
We live in a nation that once boasted of its Judeo-Christian ethic and history. Those days are gone. We now find ourselves living in a land that is hostile toward anything “Christian” or “biblical,” where people prefer a secularized society free from the influences of God and religion. It is, in essence, a virtual Babylon, far from the ideal that God intended and given over to sinful excesses and human pride.
How can a Christian thrive in such a hostile environment? What hope does a believer have in the face of abject opposition to a God-centred way of living? How do we navigate the countless moral choices before us and remain faithful to our God?
The Book of Daniel is the account of a believer who faced the very same situation and yet lived in such a way as to maintain his integrity. While dwelling in the ancient empires of Babylon and Persia, Daniel was resolved to please God no matter the consequences. Through a combination of historical narratives about Daniel and his friends, as well as some spectacular apocalyptic visions of the future given to him by God, the book compels today’s readers to be just as resolved in their own walk with Christ—knowing as Daniel did, that God is firmly in control of all things. Sermon Notes Resolved! Living for Christ when you’re the only one who is Determination: “But Daniel Resolved” Pastor Todd Dugard // Daniel 1 September 9, 2018
I must be resolved to live for Christ…
…in the face of all trouble (v. 1–7)
…when hard decisions have to be made (v. 8)
…and the potential consequences are severe (v. 9–16)
…knowing God is at work in ways I can’t see (v. 17–21)
We all know that life is going to have some troubles. And we have some expressions that try to encapsulate that reality. “Into each life a little rain must fall!” “Mama said there would be days like this!” Even Scripture says, “As sparks fly upward, so man is born to trouble!”
I don’t know anyone who likes trouble, yet James calls us to “count it all joy, when you meet trials of various kinds.” It’s one thing to go through trials without losing your mind. It’s a whole different level to go through them with a positive attitude. To say, “This is a good thing!” just seems wrong. I certainly struggle with saying that to myself, let alone to other people who are going through some pretty intense trials. But the Holy Spirit inspired James to write it, and we are going to look at why we really can say, “I am glad I am going through this trial. Sermon Notes Endure and Mature Pastor Roger Freeman James 1:1-18 September 2, 2018
I count trials as a good thing because...
• I have a bigger reason to live for.
• I have a better resource to live with.
• I have the best relationship to live in.
Many people underestimate the burden of past hurts. Generally, they fall into one of two categories: they bury the hurt and deny it ever happened, or they wear it like a funeral cloth for all to see. Either way, it affects every aspect of their lives and keeps them from living as God would have them live: healed of their hurts and enjoying all of his blessings and promises.
Of all the negative effects of unaddressed hurts (and there are many), the inability to ever be at rest is foremost because it relates directly to our relationship with Christ and speaks to what we truly believe about God. We will never have a settled heart or receive the sabbath rest of God if we are continuing to struggle with pain from our past—pain that Jesus crucified on the cross. “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows…and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4a, 5b). We must believe that, address our hurts, and rest in Christ.
We conclude our August series, #REST, with a message from Hebrews 12:12-17 and see in God’s Word that you and I can be at rest if we find the healing that comes from Christ. Sermon Notes
REST: Four Soul-Crushing Burdens and How to Rid My Life of Them
Burden #4: Unaddressed Hurts Pastor Todd Dugard // Hebrews 12:12–17 August 26, 2018
I’ll be at rest in Christ if I find the healing that comes when I...
• Get up and get going (v. 12–13a)
• Get with the program (v. 13b–15)
• Get over myself (v. 16–17)
“Hope,” says John Piper, “is a confident expectation and desire for good things in the future.” That definition betrays the pain and sorrow we frequently experience. Without the losses, there would be no need of hope. No need for expectation of something better. But we all know that life is filled with reasons why we need to have hope. Life is hard and without the promise of good things in the future, we would all descend into an irrevocable despair that would crush our souls. It breaks my heart that so few will express the faith necessary to claim the hope that Piper refers to, and instead live in a state of constant unsettledness and despair, living their lives without rest from the striving to make it better themselves. A futile effort. As we gather this Sunday, we will continue our four-part series called, #REST, looking at Hebrews 6:13-20and soul-crushing burden #3, an unclaimed hope. Sermon Notes
REST: Four Soul-Crushing Burdens and How to Rid My Life of Them
Burden #3: Unclaimed Hope Pastor Todd Dugard // Hebrews 6:13–20 August 19, 2018
I can rest in the hope of Christ because...
• I am confident in the promise (v. 13–14, 16–18a)
• I am patient in the process (v. 15, 18b)
• I am unmoved by the problems (v. 19)
• I am strengthened by the power of Christ (v. 20)
Many, many of the issues I face in life are the result of my own inability to be disciplined. To say “yes” to things that are good and helpful for me and to say “no” to things that will hurt me. The undisciplined self is my biggest challenge. Not the world’s influences. Not “the devil made me do it.” Me.
We’re in this short series on rest, looking at four soul-crushing burdens and how to rid my life of them. This Sunday’s message looks at Hebrews 4:1-10 and soul-crushing burden #2, an undisciplined self. I’m the reason I can’t find genuine rest. My decisions are what is keeping me tired, worn-out, exhausted.
When Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls,” he put the onus on us to respond to the imperatives. If you want rest, “Come” and “Take.” Rest is offered, but it must be received. Sermon Notes
REST: Four Soul-Crushing Burdens and How to Rid My Life of Them
Burden #2: Undisciplined Self Pastor Todd Dugard // Hebrews 4:1–10 August 12, 2018
The rest of God comes when I practice...
...the discipline of reaching for (v. 1)
...the discipline of listening to (v. 2–5)
...the discipline of believing in (v. 6–7)
...the discipline of waiting on (v. 8–10)
We have started a new four-week series called, #Rest, that will hit right where most of us live. The sub-title gets right to the heart of it: four soul-crushing burdens and how to rid my life of them. Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” We hear that, yet most of us find that to be all but impossible. We are tired, stretched, and overwhelmed. Even as believers, who have a clear path to rest, it seems so elusive. We will be getting at the causes of that unsettledness and fatigue in order to see it change in our lives. This short series is from selected messages in the Letter to the Hebrews. Sermon Notes
REST: Four Soul-Crushing Burdens and How to Rid My Life of Them
Burden #1: Unconquered Sin Pastor Todd Dugard // Hebrews 2:5–18 August 5, 2018
Jesus is able to help you overcome unconquered sin.
• Confess your need (v. 5–9)
• Trust his ways (v. 10–13)
• Believe for better (v. 14–15)
• Grasp the cost (v. 16–18)
Billy Graham once said that “a spirit of thankfulness is one of the most distinctive marks of a Christian whose heart is attuned to the Lord,” and I think he is on to something with that statement. So what are you most grateful to God for? What triggers thankfulness in your heart? These are important questions for each of us to consider, because the truth of the matter is that what I most consistently thank God for reveals what I most highly value.
This weekend we are going to study the apostle Paul’s words in 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4. In the opening section of this letter to a church he dearly loves, Paul expresses gratitude for the evidence of gospel growth in their lives; he thanks God for several clear signs of spiritual transformation. What an encouragement this must have been for the believers in Thessalonica to read! And in so doing, he sets an example for our own expressions of gratitude today. Sermon Notes Grateful for Gospel Growth Pastor Dan Brubacher 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4 July 29, 2018
What I most consistently thank God for reveals what I most highly value.
I should thank God for evidence of gospel growth.
• Flourishing faith (v. 3a)
• Abounding love (v. 3b)
• Unwavering perseverance (v. 4)
I’m guessing that submission isn’t one of your favourite topics to delve into. The application is always humbling, but the results can be amazing. Consider, for example, what Jesus accomplished through submission to others. God wants to do great things through us as we submit as well.
This message looks at 1 Peter 2:13-17 and challenged to think strategically about submitting to public leaders. Given the current political climate, this may cause you to be a little nervous; however, God’s plan is to use our submission to underscore the truth and power of the gospel. We’re not here to tear leaders down or undermine the peace they’re called to maintain. We’re here to give witness to how God has changed us through a relationship with Jesus Christ. I hope you’ll be a bit more eager to submit, knowing that your humble actions fit a bigger plan. Sermon Notes Submit for the Lord’s Sake Dwayne Francois 1 Peter 2:13-17 July 22, 2018
When I submit I...
• declare God is the ultimate authority over everyone (v. 13)
• acknowledge the wisdom inherent in structured authority (v. 14)
• silence the critics of believers’ public conduct (v. 15)
• put my civil freedom to good use (v. 16)
• keep focused on my spiritual priorities (v. 17)
We welcome Daryl Molyneaux, senior pastor of Harvest Niagara, to our church this Sunday. Daryl is a gifted and passionate communicator of the Bible, and we are blessed to have him bring a message on humility. Sermon Notes More Humility Please! Daryl Molyneaux 1 Peter 5:5 July 15, 2018
Humility must be one of my top priorities.
• I must daily cover my heart in humility.
• To be humble is to walk in the way of the Lord.
My relationships ought to be defined by a humble spirit.
Signs of pride...
• Self focused
• Entitled mindset
• Arrogant attitude
• Judging spirit
• Superficial relationships
Marks of authentic humility...
• Clear sighted
• Considerate of others
• Listens well
• Content with being second
• Slow to judge
• God first
Sermon Notes Working Out My Salvation Jordan Coros Philippians 2:12-16 July 8, 2018
If I am going to help others (and myself) obey Christ…(v. 12)
…my aim must be to please God (v. 13-14)
…in order to impact the world around me (v. 15)
…by grounding myself in the Word (v. 16a)
…and living my life with purpose. (v. 16b)
Some people love to talk about eschatology, the apocalypse, the end times, visions, and dreams about the future. They like to speculate about the biblical prophecies by tying them into current events. They can’t get enough of Ezekiel, Daniel, and, of course, the Book of Revelation. On the one hand, the eagerness to study these things is good. It is certainly better than not thinking about the coming of Jesus at all. On the other hand, the speculation about specifics isn’t all that helpful and can, in fact, be harmful.
This message is in Luke 21:5-38 where Jesus talks about the coming destruction of the Temple. He follows that with extended information about events that, even for us, are yet in the future. There is so much for us to hear beyond simply speculating about what the details mean. When we ask why Jesus would talk about all of this and why the Bible contains so much apocalyptic literature, the answer flows from the verses themselves. We will hear a call to believers to be on mission in light of Jesus’ coming. We will hear encouragement in the face of persecution. We will see our God in his glory, one who is, without question, fully in control of this crazy, broken world.
This message covers a lot of ground with 33 verses and a nine-point outline, so come prepared! As message #80 in our ongoing study of The Gospel of Luke, this one also brings the current section to a close. In the spring of 2019, Lord willing, we will finish up Luke with ten messages in chapters 22-24. Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 5 What Will Be the Sign? Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 21:5–38 July 1, 2018
The end is coming! What’s a Christian to do?
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Admit it’s actually coming! (v. 5–6)
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Watch for the signs (v. 7, 10–12, 20–27)
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Beware of end-times-nut-jobs (v. 8)
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No fear (v. 9)
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Tell everyone you can about Jesus (v. 13)
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Lean on the Holy Spirit (v. 14–19)
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Be filled with hope (v. 28–31)
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Trust the Word of God (v. 32–33)
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Live righteously before it all goes down (v. 34–38)
This weekend’s passage is short. And it carries a powerful punch. I thought I would just give you the whole thing right here: Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1-4 ESV) Once again Jesus takes someone who had little-to-no status in that society and elevated her to the role of example and kingdom builder. This widow, he says, is the kind of person I am looking for—the kind of person you need to be if you want to call yourself a Christian.
It is stinging to us because Jesus is going after something he has been hitting on through the Gospel: our attachment to money and possessions. Along with sex, money is the god of our age. And we are very slow to step away from our worship of the money-god.
But this widow, who had almost nothing in the first place, was willing to sacrifice what little she had. Her heart was for God and his kingdom, and that is exactly where all of need to be: fully surrendered to Jesus Christ. Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 5 More Than All of Them Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 21:1–4 June 23–24, 2018
What am I putting into the building of Christ’s kingdom?
• Sacrifice: Is it costly?
• Sincerity: Is it heartfelt?
• Selflessness: Is it others-centred?
Apologetics
Some people love a good argument. I’m not talking about an angry confrontation type of argument where people get irrational and red-faced. I mean a debate or discussion where ideas and beliefs are shared and points and counterpoints are made. Many people find such conversations stimulating and even fun. When debate centres on matters of faith in particular, the area of study is called apologetics from the Greek word, apologia, which when defined, means “making a reasonable defence.”
In what turns out to be the final time he is questioned by the religious leaders of Israel, Jesus gets into a debate in Luke 20:27-47 about the legitimacy of what he has been teaching. And because the questioners this time, the Sadducees, were more liberal in their theological bent, the discussion comes off as a debate on matters of faith. Their skepticism about miracles, angels and demons, and the resurrection form the basis for their inquiry. The whole thing feels quite different than the many discussions he’s had with the theologically conservative Pharisees.
Jesus’ answer is an apologetics response, and the encounter provides us with a pattern for addressing questions on matters of faith that we get from friends, co-workers, and family who are not yet believers. Some of those questions can be quite challenging to answer. As part of the message this weekend, I’ll be recommending a number of resources to help you become an apologist who can make a reasonable defence of the faith you hold. Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 5 The Greater Condemnation Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 20:27–47 June 16–17, 2018
When answering a skeptic’s question about the faith…
…understand where they’re coming from (v. 27-33)
…answer their initial question (v. 34-36)
…then answer the deeper question about how a person is saved (v. 37-40)
…then address their unstated concern about Jesus himself (v. 41-44)
…finally, challenge the real issue: an unwillingness to change their way of living (v. 45-47)
…and keep in mind that even skeptics can be saved (v. 39)
The recent Ontario election provides us with another opportunity to ask: What is our obligation, as Christians, to government? What perspective does the Bible give us about politics, prime ministers, and such? In Luke 20:19-26, Jesus encounters spies sent by the religious leaders. Their intent was to trip him up over a question of Roman Law, specifically the paying of tribute to Caesar. As expected, Jesus’ answer is both brilliant and provocative.
On its face, it is a simple response, but complex in its application in our lives. “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” has tremendous implications for all who follow Christ. It speaks to our interaction and involvement with government, demanding an answer to this question: What should I “render to Caesar”? In his response, Jesus presses us to be devoted to the holy and eternal rather than the profane and temporal. In essence, he tells us what our obligations to government and, of course, to God should be while we live on this earth.
The timing of this message, within days of the election, is perfect. As we look at the passage, we will identify a number of principles that will help us see our biblical obligations as citizens of both the Province of Ontario (render to Caesar) and the Kingdom of God (render to God).
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Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 5 Render to Caesar Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 20:19–26 June 9–10, 2018
I must be devoted to the holy and eternal rather than the profane and temporal.
• My earthly obligations are…
• My heavenly obligations are…
In modern construction, the cornerstone has become merely a ceremonial thing. It is usually bigger and of a different substance than the block, bricks, or stones around it. A date is often etched in it and, in the case of churches, a Scripture verse. It is also often placed in a prominent location where it will be easily noticed.
But in ancient times, the cornerstone was essentially the same as all the other stones. It was simply the first one laid, thus was the “head” or “corner” stone. The importance of this first stone was that it set the pattern for all of the others. If the structure being built would have integrity and be true, this stone needed to be laid perfectly.
In Luke 20:9-18, Jesus tells a parable and then explains it using a quote from Psalm 118:22 where the Messiah is described as the cornerstone. He is the one who sets the pattern and establishes what is true. The whole structure of the kingdom of God, of living for him, for both Israel and the Church, follows the pattern of the cornerstone.
This should have an obvious and immediate impact on the lives of believers. If Jesus is the cornerstone for your life, the “house” you are building will be strong and true. But if things are off kilter in your world, perhaps you need to (re-)establish Jesus as your cornerstone. Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 5 The Stone That the Builders Rejected Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 20:9–18 June 2–3, 2018
I must acknowledge that God made, owns, and rules over all (v. 9a)
...and has entrusted what he made to us (v. 9b)
...requiring submission to his Word and his will (v. 10–12)
...and to his beloved Son, Jesus Christ (v. 13)
...whom I must accept as my Lord and Saviour (v. 14–16a)
...in order to receive the inheritance of his kingdom (v. 16b)
...rather than the crushing judgment that awaits those who reject him (v. 16c–18)
When we start to think about society’s current ills, the issue we have with authority comes pretty close to topping the list. The authority of parents has been undermined by experts who have us cultivate child-centred homes. The authority of teachers has been undermined in the classroom by researchers who eschew discipline and evaluation. The authority of the police has been undermined by both apathy and anarchy. The authority of government has been undermined by their own lack of integrity. At every turn, the human institutions of family, education, and government have seen an erosion or complete failure of authority.
And it goes beyond the horizontal relationship in society. The authority of God has been undermined by an increasingly secular culture that sees the individual as autonomous and therefore governed by self-authority. In the vernacular, no one tells me what to do. Especially God.
Authority was at the root of the first sin in the Garden of Eden, and it had centre stage in Jesus’ ministry as he went head-to-head with the religious leaders of the day. Not realizing they were speaking to the incarnate God, their own Messiah, the chief priests, scribes, and elders pressed Jesus, “Tell us by what authority you do these things.” He never did give them the answer because they had no standing before him to demand such a thing. They themselves had no authority and the one they questioned had all the authority.
As we look at Luke 20:1-8 this weekend, we will be compelled to ask what it looks like when we place ourselves under the authority of Christ. This is a daily battle. It requires a re-commitment to be under the lordship, the authority, of Jesus Christ from the moment we open our eyes each morning. As we move through the day, every response, decision, action, word will be a test of our willing submission to the authority of God in our lives.
Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 5 By What Authority Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 20:1–8 May 26–27, 2018
When I place myself under the authority of Christ, I have…
...HOPE: because he’s the only one with good news (v. 1a)
...CERTAINTY: because he is not subject to human scrutiny (v. 1b-2, 8)
...UNDERSTANDING: because he knows all there is to know (v. 3-7)
Canadians enjoy a standard of living, freedom, security, and peace that are envied around the world. Soon, Ontario farm fields will be green with fresh crops that grace our tables and remind us of how prosperous we are. We live in a city, Barrie, that is beautiful (now that spring is here!) and fun to live in, with a get-out-there-and-enjoy-life spirit about it. And God wants us to enjoy what he has given to us. Yet, for those of us who are Christians, there is something more to consider, a darkness that lies behind it all.
When Jesus finally arrived in Jerusalem to complete his mission, the Bible says, “When he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it” (Luke 19:41). Why did he cry? For all of its activity, prosperity, and beauty, Jerusalem was lost. Despite this city being the centre of Jewish worship and having the temple of God in her midst, Jesus knew that the people did not recognize their own Saviour and rejected his message. So, of course, he wept. He had the words of life, and they were choosing death instead.
How is it any different for us today? The most optimistic of statistics would say that 8%, probably more like 6%, of Canadians would call themselves “evangelical Christians.” Way more in Alberta. Far, far less in Québec. If we go with the 8%, that means 92% of Canadians don’t believe the gospel, don’t have new life in Christ, and aren’t going to heaven when they die. Ninety-two percent! Why aren’t we weeping? All those people at the beach around you, sitting in the movie theatre with you, shopping at the mall, working in the next office, driving along the 400. Ninety-two percent of all those people don’t know Jesus. We should be weeping as Jesus wept.
This weekend we will be looking at Luke 19:41-48 where Jesus enters the city, weeps over it, and then, in a moment of holy anger, drives some merchants out of the temple courts. As we study this passage, we will ask ourselves whether or not we have the same passion for those who are spiritually lost—if, like Jesus, our hearts are broken for those who are without Christ.
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Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 5 He Wept Over It Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 19:41–48 May 19–20, 2018
Is my heart broken for those who are without Christ?
…because they’ve rejected him (v. 41–42)
…because they’re facing devastating consequences (v. 43–44)
…because their teachers are leading them astray (v. 45–48a)
…because they’re captivated but not committed (v. 48b)
Kathy Pedersen, one of our Harvest members and executive director of the Barrie Pregnancy Resource Centre, and Pastor Dan work their way through John 2:1-11 and share some application for our lives today from this interaction between Jesus and his own mother, Mary.
Sermon Notes The Best Wine Pastor Dan Brubacher & Kathy Pedersen John 2:1-11 May 12–13, 2018
We are a lot like Mary.
God is the same today as he was then.
Like Mary, we have a choice about how to respond.
God responds to our trust by providing the “best wine.”
It’s Palm Sunday!
We’ve never hidden the fact at Harvest that we don’t follow the “church calendar” as far as special days go. Christmas and Easter, yes, but Epiphany, Ascension Day, Pentecost, and such, no. We’re more about what’s right in front of us in the God-breathed Word than what’s on a man-made calendar. So, for this coming weekend—we overshot it by six weeks—it’s Palm Sunday because we have arrived at Luke 19:28-40, the Triumphal Entry.
The most important aspect of this passage, of course, is what happened and not when it happened. Jesus was finally entering Jerusalem after talking about it for so long. His entrance into Jerusalem, the focal point of Israel’s life and faith, would set off the final and climactic phase of his mission. His disciples, sensing that, joyfully celebrated his arrival and lauded him as the anointed King of Israel. He was treated as an arriving monarch, and it set off the ire of the religious leaders, who had opposed Jesus and his mission at every turn. Jesus, for his part, welcomed the recognition, knowing that Jerusalem would, in just a few days, soundly reject him. Israel would reject and refuse her own Messiah.
As we study the account together this weekend, it will compel each of us to look at this King and at our own hearts to decide whether or not we too would pledge our allegiance to him and applaud, celebrate, and worship him as those first disciples did. You and I now know so much more about Jesus than they did. With that knowledge, are we worshipping him as we ought to, or have we rejected him as our King?
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Sermon Notes
The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 5 Blessed is the King Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 19:28–40 May 5-6, 2018
I must bless the King because…
…his mission is clear. (v. 28)
…his sovereignty is established. (v. 29–35)
…his worthiness is unquestioned. (v. 36–38)
…his divinity is evident. (v. 39–40)
Far from only containing nice, feel-good stories, the Gospels often recount hard sayings and shocking scenes. In this weekend’s passage, Luke 19:11-27, Jesus melds together historical information about a client king of Rome named Archelaus and a parable about a nobleman, his servants, and some minas (money) that he entrusted to them while he took a trip. The parable is similar to the more familiar parable of the talents in Matthew, but it has some particular differences, notably that historical information. The account told by Jesus makes for a powerful and disruptive message to any Christian’s comfortable life. Specifically, we’ll see that faithfulness to Jesus, as we await his coming, is proven in our service to him and for him. Bottom line, if you’re not serving Jesus, you’re not ready for his coming. And he is coming.
But that motive, the return of Jesus to judge our works for him, is only partially effective in waking us up to get serving. We must also be compelled by love, just as Jesus was in serving us by giving his life on the cross. Given the brokenness of our world and the desperation that so many feel, we must love people and serve them tangibly and tell them of the hope they too can have in Christ. We all need to be faithful to do that.
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Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 5 More Will Be Given Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 19:11–27 April 28–29, 2018
Faithfulness to Jesus, as we await his coming, is proven in my service to him and for him...
• God entrusts and expects (v. 11–15)
• I manage and multiply (v. 16, 18)
• God recognizes and rewards (v. 17, 19, 26)
…but sadly, many will fall before the God who also condemns the unfaithful (v. 20–25, 27)
If you grew up going to Sunday School, chances are you sang, “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he…” And if that’s true for you, you’ll agree that it’s impossible to read Luke 19:1-10 and not hum the tune. Zacchaeus was short, rich, and hated. He was also a spiritual seeker. He was drawn to Jesus and sought to find out more about him. The brief account ends with Jesus at his place proclaiming, “Salvation has come to this house.” Zacchaeus’ evident change of heart and lifestyle was a demonstration of his genuine faith and conversion. And that puts a pressing question in front of me: If Jesus came to my house and saw my life and that of my family, would he say, “Salvation has come to this house”? As we unpack Zacchaeus’ story this weekend, we’ll ask some hard questions of ourselves and get very specific on evaluating the evidence of genuine faith in our own homes.
Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 5 Salvation Has Come to This House Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 19:1–10 April 21–22, 2018
Has salvation come to my house?
• Do I have a whatever-it-takes attitude about getting it? (v. 1–5)
• Do I have joy in hearing what Jesus says to me? (v. 6–7)
• Do I see big changes happening in my life? (v. 8–10)
As we read the Gospels from our complete perspective, we see the clarity with which he predicted his own death, burial, and resurrection. And yet, his disciples didn’t grasp at all what he was saying to them about how things would end. It is difficult to say whether or not they simply couldn’t believe that was the way it would go down, or if God himself had put a veil over their understanding of these things so nothing would hinder the plan. Given our understanding of human responsibility and divine sovereignty, we would say both of those are true.
Here is the irony: Though we have the completed canon of Scripture and know exactly and in detail what Jesus did for us and that he will return in power and glory, we still struggle to grasp all that he, through the work of the Holy Spirit, is doing in our day and in our lives. We miss the awesomeness of who he is and what his plans for us are. How can we keep from missing what Jesus is doing? That is what we will look at in Luke 18:31-43 this weekend.
Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 5 They Did Not Grasp What Was Said Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 18:31–43 April 14–15, 2018
How can I keep from missing what Jesus is doing? (v. 34)
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Anticipate what’s to come (v. 31)
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Grasp the awfulness of his death (v. 32–33a)
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Celebrate the awesomeness of his resurrection (v. 33b)
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See the desperate needs around you (v. 35–39)
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Pray to the God who hears and answers (v. 40–41)
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Experience the healing he offers (v. 42)
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Give him praise and glory! (v. 43)
Among the things we will see in this weekend’s message in Luke 18:18-30 is the radical nature of being a true Christian. It represents a life-altering, priority-changing, all-in commitment to follow Jesus Christ. In the passage, a man comes with a question about how to “inherit eternal life.” Jesus’ answer requires him—a rich man—to divest of his wealth, give it to the poor, and follow Jesus. He walked away sad because he was uber-rich and couldn’t bring himself to cash out his earthly wealth to cash-in, so to speak, on what could have been his heavenly wealth.
We can’t get too caught up in the details of the rich man’s particular situation. It would be too easy to say, “I’m not a rich man” and give ourselves a pass. Maybe we don’t have the wealth he had, but the call to follow Jesus is no less radical for any of us. If it isn’t money that gets in the way of our passionate pursuit of holiness and mission, then it’s something else. The question is, will we cash-out whatever it is to follow him in the way he prescribes? There’s a mind-blowing inheritance awaiting those who do.
Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 5 What Must I Do to Inherit Eternal Life? Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 18:18–30 April 7–8, 2018
To inherit eternal life with God, I must...
• Set aside time to discuss it with him (v. 18–21)
• Do a cost-benefit analysis (v. 22–24)
• Realize that it is an exclusive offer (v. 25–27)
• Sign the contract (v. 28)
• Receive an unmatched return on the investment (v. 29–30)
There is something about how a kid sees Jesus that is the key for all of us to see Jesus. Could it really be that simple? Do we, as adults, overcomplicate and encumber the understanding of who God is and how we ought to relate to him? For our many guests at Harvest this weekend, that question is critical. Many people don’t come to faith in Christ because too many churches, pastors, theologians, and philosophers have complicated the whole thing. In essence, our sophistication has made God inaccessible in our minds. For Easter Sunday, we are going to take a look at Luke 18:15-17 to try to get a handle on that very thing. In this brief encounter that Jesus has with some children, he explains the radical and simple truth that, “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
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Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 5 Like a Child Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 18:15–17 April 1, 2018
Getting right with God means...
• Admitting I can’t do it by myself (v. 15a)
• Ignoring all objections (v. 15b)
• Coming to Jesus with childlike faith (v. 16–17)
How are we to approach God? What posture? What attitude? What words? If we really want God to hear our prayers, what’s the best way to come to him? The passage in front of us this weekend, Luke 18:9-14, is one of those seismic moments in Jesus’ teaching. The parable dismantles the prevailing idea that religious people are the ones with whom God is impressed. This is such a default setting for us as human beings. Some 2000 years after Jesus taught this, we’re still struggling to understand and apply what he said. Namely, that the prayers of broken, humble people get heard while the prayers of pious, religious people do not.
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The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 5 Be Merciful to Me, a Sinner Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 18:9–14 March 24–25, 2018
What’s my approach to God?
Do I… Or do I…
Think I’m better than others? See myself as God sees me?
Pray self-confidently? Pray God-dependently?
Rehearse my good works? Repent of my sin?
Leave unforgiven? Leave forgiven?
Lift myself up Get low (and be brought low by God)? (and be lifted up by God)?
In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus is teaching a parable about a widow and a judge. It is a strong statement about persistent prayer in the face of injustice. There’s a message here for all of us and I’m excited about getting into it with you on the weekend.
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The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 5 Will He Find Faith Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 18:1-8 March 17–18, 2018
When I’ve suffered an injustice and am discouraged...
My part is to...
• Pray persistently
• Trust implicitly
God’s part is to...
• Vindicate completely
• Encourage immediately
This weekend we come to the close of The Bible’s Greatest Hits series. It has been fantastic hearing from different voices and different sections of Scripture over these six weeks. (Plus, singing some classic worship tunes has been fun as well!) To wrap things up, Marvin Brubacher, is preaching on 2 Timothy 2:1-2. Over more than four decades of vocational ministry, he has consistently lived out the truth of this text. Here is his preview of the message: The final instruction Jesus gave to his followers was, “Make disciples of all nations.” This is not a one-time event; it is a lifelong process of growing into the likeness of Christ. Healthy plants grow because they are planted in good soil; so do healthy followers of Jesus. Healthy plants also reproduce; so do healthy Christ followers—they “make disciples.” I am looking forward to exploring these important discipleship processes with you this weekend as we open the Bible to two of my favourite verses. Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes The Bible's Greatest Hits Growing Stronger, Investing Strategically Marvin Brubacher // 2 Timothy 2:1-2 March 10–11, 2018
- My personal growth is a joint adventure (v. 1)
a. My responsibilities in this process
b. God’s activities in this process
- My faithful investment must be intentional to be fruitful (v. 2)
a. I must embrace what was committed to me
b. I must invest intentionally in reliable people
c. I must hold them accountable to invest in others
Application “Christianity is one generation from extinction unless we are committed to this process.”
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Who are your children in the faith?
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In whom are you investing so the process continues at Harvest Barrie?
We are continuing The Bible’s Greatest Hits series with message five. I have been blessed by each of the passages and preachers so far, and I have heard many of you tell me the same thing. I will do my best to continue that trend as we look at 1 Corinthians 15:58 and consider how we can make a lasting impact in what we do for the Lord. This verse has been one of my favourites for a long time, and I trust that it will help all of us.
Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes The Bible's Greatest Hits Your Labour Is Not in Vain Pastor Dan Brubacher // 1 Corinthians 15:58 March 3–4, 2018
How can I make a lasting impact in what I do for the Lord?
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Stay grounded in the gospel.
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Persevere no matter what comes.
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Give God my very best every time.
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Trust God with the results and rewards.
What I value often shows up in my speech, my choices, my reactions—and my banking! What do I really value? One way to find out is by thinking through the following statement: “If I just had ___________, my life would be better, more fulfilling, more meaningful, and happier.” What would go in the blank? Most of the time, that is the thing I value. To be honest, there are a number of things I would put in the blank.
Philippians 1:21 is a statement of what the apostle Paul valued. It is just twelve single-syllable words many have taken for their own declaration. You may be able to fill in the blanks: “For ____ ____, to live is ____________ and to die is ________.” We are going to fill them in this weekend. What does this statement mean? Is it really true for me? What does it look like to live this out? What are the implications for the thing(s) I put in the other blank above?
As we continue The Bible’s Greatest Hits sermon series, I am looking forward to working through those questions as we study one of clearest and most memorable and powerful verses in all of Scripture!
Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes The Bible's Greatest Hits Filling in the Blanks Pastor Roger Freeman // Philippians 1:21 February 24–25, 2018
“For __ __ to live is __, and to die is __.”
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What I put in the blank reveals my __. (v. 21)
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What I put in the blank reveals my __. (v. 20)
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What I put in the blank reveals my __. (v. 22)
This weekend we continue our sermon series, The Bible’s Greatest Hits, by looking at a well-known section in the Sermon on the Mount. I have been preparing a message from Matthew 7:13-14, and let me tell you, this text is a true stunner!
Jesus invites us to leave behind the mass appeal of the easy way and instead to find eternal life on the hard road. It sounds difficult, but we must understand that Jesus is showing us the way home. Without his direction, we would be lost on a road that takes us nowhere good. Discipleship is the only journey that leads us back to God. Do you desire to be in his presence? Are you searching for the way to eternal life? Jesus has marked the way for us, and we will examine the kind of conviction that is required to follow him home to God.
Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes The Bible's Greatest Hits This Way Home Pastor Dwayne Francois // Matthew 7:13–14 February 17–18, 2018
Four personal convictions for taking the hard road home to God...
1 – I must do whatever it takes to get back to God. (v. 13a)
2 – The easy road can’t save me from destruction. (v. 13b)
3 – The hard road prepares me for eternal life. (v. 14)
4 – If I remain faithful on the way, God will bring me home. (v.15-27)
We are launching a brand new series titled The Bible’s Greatest Hits, and over the next six weeks we will be looking at a few of the high-water-mark texts in God’s Word. Each of the preachers for this series has picked one of their favourite passages (often just a verse or two) to unpack. And along with that, we will be singing a few classic worship songs along the way. It should be fantastic!
Julian Freeman, pastor of Grace Fellowship Church in Don Mills, is leading things off with a message from Genesis 12:1-9. Here is what he shared by way of a teaser In the ancient story of Abram, we learn much about the timeless ways of God. Have you ever wondered who it is that God saves? Or why he saves people? And what does all of this mean for us as a church and for our mission? Let’s dive into the story of our forefather in the faith and glory in our unchanging God and his gracious ways! Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes The Bible's Greatest Hits Saved to Be a Blessing Pastor Julian Freeman // Genesis 12:1–9 February 3–4, 2018
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Through Abram we see how God saves
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Through Abram we see who God saves
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Through Abram we see why God saves
We cap off the Here I Stand series with a message on ecclesiology, the doctrine of the church. Another massive topic. As far as the Reformation goes (this series has commemorated the 500th anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation), the doctrine of the church was pretty much neglected. As things would develop over time, Protestant churches would evolve into just about every possible option with regard to governance, philosophy, and structure.
For us here at Harvest, it comes down to the simplest reading of the Bible and what we find there in terms of how a church should look and what a church should be doing. So, the five Reformation tenets all apply: Sola Scriptura (Scriptures alone) informs our ecclesiology. Sola Fide (faith alone) and Sola Gratia (grace alone) are the gospel message we preach. Solus Christus (Christ alone) is our foundation. And Soli Deo Gloria (glory to God alone) is our reason for being a church in the first place.
Additional Resources
Why the Church Is Vitally Important for Every Christian Why We Need the Church What Is a Local Church? The Pillar of the Truth 5 Metaphors for Church Membership Where Do We See Church Membership in the New Testament? Every Good Church Is Messy Church Should Feel Uncomfortable 10 Things You Should Know about Church Elders Elders for the Church Can Someone Love Jesus But Not the Church? (Video) Why Listening to a Podcast Is Not a Substitute for Going to Church (Video) 7 Key Characteristics of the Church (Video) Here Is Water (Sermon from Todd Dugard) The Lord’s Table (Sermon from Todd Dugard)
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Sermon Notes Here I Stand: 7 Must-Believes for Christians On the Church (Ecclesiology) Pastor Todd Dugard // Various scriptures January 27–28, 2018
What I believe... The church is the community of God’s people redeemed by Jesus Christ and on mission in the world
Why I believe it... The church is...
• founded on a confession (Matthew 16:13–20)
• the pillar and ground of truth (1 Timothy 3:15)
• local and universal (Acts 2:42–47; 2 Timothy 2:19)
• guided by qualified leaders (1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11–12)
• observant of the ordinances (Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 11:17–26)
• on mission for God’s glory (Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 1:8)
How I’m living because of it...
The church is a... So, I will...
Family (2 Corinthians 6:18) Make myself at home
Temple (1 Peter 2:4–8) Offer my life up to Christ
Body (1 Corinthians 12:12–27) Play my part
Vine (John 15:5) Commit to my growth
Bride (2 Corinthians 11:2) Maintain my purity
At the heart of the Reformation is a biblical understanding of how a person is saved. The key Latin phrases of Sola Fide (faith alone), Sola Gratia (grace alone), and Solus Christus (Christ alone) represent three of the five key tenets of the Reformation, and all focus on the matter of salvation. In this weekend’s message, we will examine several New Testament passages to see that salvation is deliverance from sin and death by the sacrifice of Jesus and nothing else—Christ alone. It is received by faith alone through grace alone.
The first five messages in our series are available on audio and video along with our series resource links. Additional Resources
How Can We Know We’ll Go to Heaven? Differentiating the Work of the Son and Spirit in Salvation Why I Believe in the Doctrine of Justification Justification—The Defining Doctrine of the Reformation Everyday Justification What Is Sanctification? Is There a Silver Bullet of Sanctification? Basking in the Benefits We Will Be Like Him Glorification Now? When Assurance of Salvation Is Fleeting Can You Really Have Assurance of Salvation? (Podcast) What the New Testament Really Teaches about Assurance of Salvation and Eternal Security (Video) Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die (PDF) What Is the Gospel? (PDF) Justified by Faith Alone (PDF) Finally Alive (PDF)
Small Group Curriculum
Sermon Notes Here I Stand: 7 Must-Believes for Christians On Salvation (Soteriology) Pastor Todd Dugard // Various scriptures January 20–21, 2018
What I believe… Salvation is deliverance from sin and death by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ
Why I believe it... • Justification (Romans 8:29-30)
• Sanctification (Romans 6:15-19)
• Glorification (Romans 8:29-30)
How I’m living because of it... • Assured of my position (Romans 8:31-39)
• Aware of my victory (Romans 7:15-8:1)
• Attentive to the Word (John 17:17)
• Anticipating eternity (1 Corinthians 15:50-58)
Who doesn’t enjoy flipping through old photo albums? They’re filled with snapshots of people and places and pastimes, each one telling a story and capturing some moment in time. Whether in print or on screen, we love to huddle around these albums, reminiscing about days gone by and even re-experiencing past moments here and now.
This weekend we’re going to gather around a different kind of photo album. This one isn’t filled with pictures of family vacations or birthday parties or first days of school or breathtaking scenery. Instead, it’s packed with snapshot after snapshot of God’s immense and incomparable love for us.
We’re going to look at a few of these beautiful pictures from the Scriptures, and my hope is that each of us will stop and say, “I’m in that snapshot right there! I’m experiencing God’s love in that way!” May we all recognize and receive his love in a fresh way.
Sermon Notes Snapshots of God’s Love Pastor Dan Brubacher January 13–14, 2018
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When I was _________________, he _______________ me. (Ephesians 2:4-5)
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When I’m _________________, he _______________ me. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
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When I’m ____________________, he _______________ me. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
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When I _______________, he ____________________ me. (Hebrews 12:5-11)
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When I _________________, he ____________________ me. (Luke 15:11-24)
Having now taken our first steps into 2018, we will set aside this weekend to look at “The State of the Church.” I won’t be preaching but will share some highlights of what God has done, what he is doing, and what we are reaching for in this new year. We will back that up with some high-impact worship and conclude with an open-mic prayer time to thank God and commit our ways to him. Sermon Notes The State of the Church Pastor Todd Dugard January 6–7, 2018
2 Commands that won’t change
0 Time for complacency
1 Mission that compels us
8 Things to know for 2018
Knowing God’s will is a hot topic for most of us! Of course, we know a lot about what God wants generally, but our interest lies in knowing the specifics for us. Like...for me! This message moves just beyond those specifics to the purpose of knowing God’s will—that is, to live a life worthy of God that pleases him. Now trust me, knowing that goal sharpens our ability to find the specifics!
We are going to focus on what a worthy, pleasing life would look like. Along the way, we will explore four principles that our pastors and elders are praying will permeate our moments in 2018. Not “new year’s resolutions,” but deeply satisfying realities that spring from God’s transforming work in us. Sermon Notes A Life Pleasing to God Pastor Roger Freeman Colossians 1:9–14 December 30–31, 2017
When I know God’s will, I will be able to walk in a manner worthy of God, pleasing him, by:
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Serving passionately — “bearing fruit in every good work”
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Seeking fervently — “increasing in the knowledge of God”
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Suffering ably — “strengthened ... for all endurance and patience”
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Savouring deeply — “with joy, giving thanks to the Father”
Sermon Notes Post Tenebras, Lux (After the Darkness, Light) The Light Radiates Hope Pastor Todd Dugard John 1:1–18; Matthew 2:1-15 December 24–25, 2017
Love. Joy. Peace. Hope. When you have the Light, Jesus, these sought-after gifts radiate into and out from your life. I’ve never met anyone who didn’t want these four things in his/her life. But most people go about seeking them in the wrong places. In our Christmas series, Post Tenebras, Lux, we have two of those four messages behind us now. As we race toward Christmas, we now turn our attention to the matter of peace. After the darkness of turmoil, conflict, discord, unsettledness, estrangement, there’s LIGHT!
As we get into the Word, we will go back to a prophecy given some 600 years prior to the coming of Jesus, (Isaiah 9:2-7) to see that he, among other amazing things, is “the Prince of Peace”. We’ll look at how Jesus makes it possible for every one of us to be at peace with God, at peace with others and at peace with ourselves. Having that kind of all-encompassing peace is so elusive given the challenges we face in our lives and the pressure put on us by the culture. Life is filled with conflict, so how can we possibly experience, “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7)? I’m eager to show you how from God’s Word.
Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes Post Tenebras, Lux (After the Darkness, Light) The Light Radiates Peace Pastor Todd Dugard John 1:1–18; Isaiah 9:2–7 December 16–17, 2017
Joy is more elusive than you might think. At Christmas, happiness masquerades as joy. Family gatherings, plentiful amounts of food, and just the right gift under the tree elicit happy responses. But when the family is gone, the food eaten, and the gifts forgotten, what is left? If it isn’t the joy that comes from Jesus Christ, then there’s a problem. When there’s no joy, it’s a very dark place.
Last weekend we started a new series that is moving us from darkness to light. The Light of Jesus Christ. We set the table for these messages by looking at John 1:1-18 and seeing that love, joy, peace, and hope all come to us when we believe and receive Christ, who is the true Light who has come into the world. This weekend we will look at the Nativity narrative in Luke 2:1-20 and see the “good news of a great joy that will be for all the people.” Imagine! Great joy for everyone! That joy then spills out from us into every aspect of our lives.
Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes Post Tenebras, Lux (After the Darkness, Light) The Light Radiates Joy Pastor Todd Dugard John 1:1–18; Luke 2:1–20 December 9–10, 2017
After the Darkness, Light. Both Christmas and the recent 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation provide an opportunity to talk about light. It is not lost on any of us that Christmas, in the northern hemisphere, falls in winter and just days after the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and thus the day with the most darkness. Christmas, with its promise of the Light, gives hope in the midst of that despair. For its part, the 16th century Reformation was seen similarly by Protestants. The unofficial motto of the protest was, in Latin, post tenebras, lux, or after the darkness, light. For centuries people had been kept in a virtual theological darkness by the established church. The Reformers saw to it that the Scriptures were available in the language of the day, and the truth about Christ, grace, and faith were revealed. Light shone in the darkness, and the world was forever changed.
With that as the backdrop, this Christmas-themed series starts with an examination of the Light from the first chapter of John’s Gospel, then continues on to the Nativity accounts and an ancient prophecy by Isaiah, which point to that which the Light produces in those who believe: love, joy, peace, and hope. After the darkness, there is light for all who would come to the Saviour in faith. This message, looks at “The Light Radiates Love” from Luke 1:26-55.
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Sermon Notes Post Tenebras, Lux (After the Darkness, Light) The Light Radiates Love Pastor Todd Dugard John 1:1–18; Luke 1:26–55 December 2–3, 2017
The Marred Image of God
Most of us who made it through high school, and certainly those who went to college or university, would have taken a course or two on anthropology…the study of human beings and, more specifically, our origins and the development through history of our cultural and biological characteristics. It answers the question, How did we get to be how we are?
We might think that the Bible is a theology book first and foremost. But the Bible was written to human beings by God. The Bible bridges the gap between humanity and God, and thus it says as much about anthropology as it does about theology. In fact, there is no greater volume of study on humanity than the Bible.
As we continue along in our Here I Stand series, we have established the authority of God’s Word and laid out what we believe about the Trinity: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We now turn our attention to message #5 as we do a study in biblical anthropology and ask ourselves the question, What does God say about us?
The first four messages in our series are available on audio and video. And be sure to check out the series resource page as well.
Additional Resources
Simply Human Why Do I Exist? The Image of God: A Primer What Does It Man to Be Made in God’s Image? The Image of God and the Dignity of Work
Work Is a Glorious Thing
Have Dominion What Is the Biblical Evidence for Original Sin? What Is the Difference Between Original Sin and Imputed Sin? Thirteen Practical Steps to Kill Sin Putting on Christ / Putting off Sin Jesus Came to Reverse the Curse The Proto-Evangelium The Significance of Genesis 3:15 What Does It Mean to Be Made in God’s Image? (Podcast)
Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes Here I Stand: 7 Must-Believes for Christians On Humanity (Anthropology) Pastor Todd Dugard Various Scriptures November 25–26, 2017
What I believe... Human beings bear the marred image of God
Why I believe it... Humans are... • Created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26–27; 2:7; 2:18–24) • Given dominion over creation (Genesis 1:26; 2:15; 2:19) • Marred by sin (Genesis 2:17; 2:25; 3:1–7) • Offered restoration (Genesis 3:8–24)
How I’m living because of it... • Putting off the old self (Colossians 3:5–9) • Putting on the new self (Colossians 3:1–4; 3:10–17)
There’s Something About That Name
I recall a chorus from the earliest days of contemporary worship. I was a teenager and newly saved. The small church that I was a part of was seeing God at work in the lives of many. The song we sang often was simple and a little bit cheesy: “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, there’s just something about that name.” That line strikes me still. And it is true, that there is something so unique about Jesus. Few are indifferent toward him. He is the very dividing line of history. And last week, in worship, we were reminded that the day would come when, “Every knee should bow…and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:10-11). There’s something about that name.
As we come to message #4 in our Here I Stand series, we will look at Christology, the doctrine of Jesus Christ. We will examine eight critical points about Jesus, all of which are must-believes for Christians. More than anything else, what we believe about Jesus will define who are as CHRISTians.
Additional Resources
Who Is Jesus? Why the Virgin Birth Matters 10 Things You Should Know about the Incarnation 10 Reasons Jesus Came to Die 10 Things You Should Know about the Resurrection The Compelling Testimony of Scripture that Jesus is the Christ Desiring God: Jesus Christ Ligonier Ministries: Jesus
Who Is Jesus? (PDF)
Seeing and Savouring Jesus Christ (PDF) Name Above All Names (PDF) Evidence for the Historical Jesus (PDF)
Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes Here I Stand: 7 Must-Believes for Christians On Jesus Christ (Christology) Pastor Todd Dugard Various Scriptures November 18–19, 2017
What I believe… God, the Son, Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully man, is the third person of the Trinity
Why I believe it… Jesus is: • Pre-existent: “He is before all things” (Colossians 1:17) • Divine: “The whole fullness of deity” (Colossians 2:9) • Virgin-born: “The virgin shall conceive and bear a son” (Isaiah 7:14) • Incarnate: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14) • Impeccable: “He committed no sin” (1 Peter 2:22) • Servant: “Made himself nothing…” (Philippians 2:6-8) • Saviour: “Came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15) • King of kings: “On his robe…he has a name written” (Revelation 19:11-16)
How I’m living because of it… I worship him (Philippians 2:9-11)
Of the three members of the Trinity, we would all agree that the Holy Spirit is the most mysterious and the one most easily forgotten and/or ignored. The Spirit’s work is such that some believers find him to be uncomfortable. And then there’s the whole thing of him not being a “him” and a force or something impersonal like that. He is a “him”; the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity.
We will be looking at the doctrine of the Holy Spirit (pneumatology) together this weekend as our current series, Here I Stand, continues. We are just three weeks into the seven-message series, digging into the 7 Must-Believes for Christians in celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. In these messages, we are seeing how our lives are being impacted and changed by what we believe, and why the world around us desperately needs this too. Doctrine matters! Actions flow out of what we believe.
Additional Resources
6 Ways We Experience the Holy Spirit Communing with the Holy Spirit How Not to Walk by the Spirit God, the Holy Spirit I Believe in the Holy Spirit Is Spirit Baptism the Privilege of Every Christian? Desiring God: The Holy Spirit Ligonier Ministries: The Holy Spirit We Need to Talk about the Holy Spirit (Podcast) The Bible Project: Holy Spirit (Video) The Holy Spirit (Sermon Series from Todd Dugard)
Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes Here I Stand: 7 Must-Believes for Christians The Holy Spirit (Pneumatology) Pastor Todd Dugard Various Scriptures November 11–12, 2017
What I believe… God, the Holy Spirit, is the third person of the Trinity
Why I believe it… • The Spirit works in salvation • The Spirit works to support • The Spirit works in service • The Spirit works to sanctify
How I’m living because of it… • Born again • Walking confidently • Ministering faithfully • Maturing steadily
As we look at this week’s topic, we will venture into the not-easy-to-grasp concept of the Trinity and of the first person of the Godhead, the Father. Definitely swimming in the deep end, but it is so essential that we now lock down these doctrines because what we believe dictates how we live. Additional Resources
Why It Matters that God Is Our Father
Desiring God: Our Mother Who Art In Heaven?
Desiring God: Three Things We Should Know About God
10 Things You Should Know about God’s Attributes
How God Is Both Incomprehensible and Knowable at the Same Time
The Gospel Coalition: God the Father
Ligonier Ministries: God / Theology
Desiring God: What Is the Doctrine of the Trinity?
10 Things You Should Know about the Trinity
Who Is God? (PDF)
The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God (PDF) Governor-General Julie Payette’s speech
Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes Here I Stand: 7 Must-Believes for Christians On the Father (Theology Proper) Pastor Todd Dugard Various Scriptures November 4–5, 2017
What I believe… God, the Father, is the first person of the Trinity
Why I believe it… • The Father can be seen in creation • The Father is not like us (he is transcendent) • The Father is like us (rather, we can be like him) • The Father is sovereign over all • The Father provides the way of salvation
How I’m living because of it… • I know what I mean when I say, “Father” • I have received his love • I understand his discipline • I am submitting to his will • I am taking on his character
The Protestant Reformation, as it came to be known, is just as important today as it was then. As the 500th anniversary of that momentous event comes on October 31, 2017, it seemed appropriate to commemorate it with a sermon series that looks at 7 Must-Believes for Christians. The series title comes from a declaration Martin Luther made while on trial for his beliefs: “Here I stand. I can do no other.”
Far from being a dry series on doctrine, these messages will address some of the boots-on-the-ground issues we are facing today. Our culture preaches relativism and tolerance for all religions and no religion. It is counter-cultural to declare that certain things are true for everyone, that doctrine matters, and that God has given us a set of objective truths rooted in who he is, not in what we think or have experienced. Everything in our lives flows from what we believe. And so, the declaration from genuine Christians today must be no less decisive and no less firm than that of Luther and the Reformers: “Here I stand!” Additional Resources
The Bible Is Not an Instruction Manual 4 Tips for Defending Your Trust in the Bible 8 Questions to Help You Understand and Apply the Bible Sola Scriptura Demands Inerrancy Desiring God: The Bible Desiring God: Bible Reading God Wrote a Book (PDF) Taking God at His Word (PDF) Why Trust the Bible? (PDF) What Is Biblical Theology? (PDF) A Peculiar Glory (PDF)
Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes Here I Stand: 7 Must-Believes for Christians On the Bible (Bibliology) Pastor Todd Dugard Various Scriptures October 28 - 29, 2017
What I believe… The Bible is God’s Word
Why I believe it… • Revelation • Inspiration • Inerrancy • Canonicity • Transmission
How I’m living because of it… • Trusting its truthfulness • Submitting to its authority • Affirming its sufficiency • Appreciating its clarity • Embracing its necessity
This weekend we are privileged to have Pastor Ray Koprowski (and wife Natalie and sons Isaac, Samuel, Micah, and Caleb) with us from Harvest Ottawa. This is the newest Harvest church in Canada, having officially launched earlier this year. Ray is bringing a message on God’s sovereignty from the Gospel of John.
Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes A Sign of Sovereignty Pastor Ray Koprowski // Harvest Ottawa John 6:16-21 October 21 - 22, 2017
God is sovereign over my situation…
- I must _______________ him _____________________ it (v. 16-19)
• For his ________________________ (v. 16-18)
• For his ________________ (v. 19)
- I must ______________ him ____________ it (v. 20-21)
We were led deep into the heart of gratitude through Psalm 138. If you haven't heard the sermon, please review it for many of the great perspectives Pastor Scott shared with us.
Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes Thrilled Thankfulness Pastor Scott Hamilton Psalm 138 October 14 - 15, 2017
When I am truly thankful to God ...
• I long to put him in first place (v.1)
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My whole heart
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My highest worship
• I pray in light of what God prizes (v. 2-3)
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I am blown away by how he has blessed me
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I am excited about what he has exalted
• I live in pursuit of God’s promise (v. 4-8)
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How loving is his listening
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How great is his glory
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How gentle is his grace
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How strong is his salvation
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How I long to pursue his purpose
People’s responses to being insecure in life are quite varied. Some overachieve and are always trying new things, reaching for more, and striving for perfection. Such individuals can be super competent and accomplished. When you look at them, the last thing you would think is that they are insecure. The more obvious evidence of insecurity is a social, educational, or vocational paralysis. A fear of failure and of rejection prevents the insecure person from attempting anything. And it is, for both, like the weight of the world is on their shoulders.
We might not think of the Apostle Paul as being someone who was insecure. But we can say with certainty that, prior to Christ, his security was in the wrong thing. Near the end of his life, having followed and served Jesus for more than thirty years, he sounded like a man who was struggling to be sure of how he had lived his life. That struggle—to be confident in the right things in the right way—is real for all of us.
Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes The Weight of the World (And How to Get Out from Under It) Burden #4 — Insecurity (Paul) Pastor Todd Dugard Various Scriptures October 7 - 8, 2017
I will be secure in life when I am secure in Christ.
• Before I knew Jesus, I was secure in me
• When I met Jesus, that security was disrupted
• Now that I follow Jesus, I am secure in him alone
There is certainly a long list of possible biblical candidates to represent brokenness. David was broken over his sin with Bathsheba. Job was broken over the loss of his wealth, family, and health. Jeremiah was broken over the plight of Israel, her refusal to repent, and God’s impending judgment. Paul was broken over his unnamed thorn in the flesh. And Mary Magdalene was broken by a mysterious ailment. She is described in the gospels as, “Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out.” That certainly sounds bad and would break any person.
Brokenness—and by that meaning circumstantial, physical, external brokenness—can come in many forms. The question for each of us is this: will those external crushing circumstances bring us face to face with God? Will they bring us to a place of spiritual brokenness (a good and necessary thing) where we come to the end of ourselves to see our desperate need of the healing that only Jesus Christ offers?
Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes The Weight of the World (And How to Get Out from Under It) Burden #3 — Brokenness (Mary Magdalene) Pastor Todd Dugard Luke 8:1-3; Matt. 27:55-56, 61; Mark 16:1-11; John 20:1-18 September 30 – October 1, 2017
If you have been broken by your circumstances and have also come to the end of yourself spiritually, you will receive the healing that God offers though Christ.
Q. Have you been broken by external circumstances?
Q. Have you been broken spiritually?
Q. Have you found healing through Jesus Christ?
Q. Have you given up your life, no matter what, to serve him?
In this message we turn our attention to the Apostle Peter and the topic of failure. Once again, this is pretty universal. We all fail. For some, it results in later success. For others, failure becomes a burden carried around for the rest of their lives, keeping them from experiencing the joy God wants for us.
Peter failed over and over again. His life provides multiple lessons for us as we face our own failures, because how we respond to the disappointments and personal disasters will dictate whether or not we are truly successful in the eyes of the only one who matters: God.
Download Small Group Questions Sermon Notes The Weight of the World (And How to Get Out from Under It) Burden #2 — Failure (Peter) Pastor Todd Dugard Various Scriptures September 23–24, 2017
In the face of my failures, God redeems me.
• I won’t let failure keep me from my God-given purpose. (Matthew 14:22–33; Mark 8:27–33; Mark 9:2-8; John 13:1–11; Mark 14:32–42; John 18:10; Mark 14:66–72; Galatians 2:11–14)
• I will fix what’s wrong whenever I can. (Mark 14:72; John 21:15–19; Acts 10)
• I will know my place and remain humble. (John 21:20–22; Acts 15:6–12; 1 Peter 5:5b–6)
• I will work on my character above all. (2 Peter 1:3–11)
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No one escapes it. Weighed down by the burdens of life, we fall victim to sleepless nights and anxious days, and our relationships, work, and health all suffer as a result. Family issues, job pressure, financial woes, health concerns, deadlines, and stress of all kinds contribute to the growing metaphorical but very real weight on our shoulders. In response, we look for temporary fixes and unhealthy coping mechanisms that do nothing to relieve the actual burden. So, how can we find relief? How do we get out from under the weight of the world?
Throughout the Bible, we find people like us who were carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. They lived with devastating doubts, abject failures, crushing insecurities, and were thoroughly broken. Yet, as they came face to face with Jesus, they got out from under these weights by placing their burdens on him. Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). This new series will look into various New Testament passages at the lives of Thomas, Peter, Mary Magdalene, and Paul to see the very practical ways that led them to a place of rest. Sermon Notes The Weight of the World (And How to Get Out from Under It) Burden #1 — Doubt (Thomas) Pastor Todd Dugard John 11:1–16; 14:1–6; 20:24–29 September 16–17, 2017
Any doubts I have about Jesus and the Christian life will be quieted by…
• Clear, not muddied, thinking (John 11:1–16)
• Genuine, not skeptical, inquiry (John 14:1–6)
• Persistent, not perfect, faith (John 20:24–29)
We open God’s Word to Hebrews 12:1-2 to hear what he has to say to us on this special occasion of our sixteenth anniversary and ministry year launch. Namely, that we should fix our eyes on Jesus.
Sermon Notes Fixing my eyes on Jesus Pastor Todd Dugard Hebrews 12:1–2 September 9–10, 2017
To live a life that is both God-pleasing and personally fulfilling, I must fix my eyes on Jesus…
…as so many others have in the past (v. 1a)
…by removing all obstacles to faith (v. 1b)
…while persevering through all circumstances (v. 1c)
…and fully embracing Jesus as (v. 2)
…my Saviour – “founder of our faith” …my Lord – “perfecter of our faith” …my Example – “endured the cross” …my God – “seated at the right hand of the throne of God”
One of our elders and the coordinator of our global ministries, Terry Codling, will be opening God’s Word to Romans 10:1-17 and giving us a snapshot into our partnership in Cameroon. The threefold emphasis of our strategy is to Pray-Give-Go in fulfilling the mission entrusted to us by Jesus in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). Get ready to hear about the exciting work in Africa and the new church plant that launches on October 1 in the capital city of Yaounde. Sermon Notes That They Might Be Saved Terry Codling Romans 10:1–17 September 2–3, 2017
There is no salvation without… …knowledge (v. 2–4) …faith (v. 5–13) …preachers (v. 14–15) …hearing (v. 16–17)
In this message we remember the Lord’s death by observing Communion together. This intertwines worship, prayer, teaching from the Word, and the receiving of the bread and cup of the Lord. This message was preached in three movements and focuses on what the Scriptures say about the Lord’s Table. We will be in Matthew 26:26-29, where Jesus first observed the Table with his disciples, and 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, where the Apostle Paul gave specific instructions about the observance of the Table. Sermon Notes The Lord’s Table Pastor Todd Dugard Matthew 26:26–29; 1 Corinthians 11:17–34 August 26–27, 2017
The Eucharist • We give thanks (Matthew 26:27; 1 Corinthians 11:24) • We remember (Matthew 26:26, 28; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25)
The Communion • We examine ourselves (1 Corinthians 11:27-34) • We do it together (Matthew 26:26-27; 1 Corinthians 11:17-26)
The Lord’s Table • We proclaim (1 Corinthians 11:26a) • We anticipate (1 Corinthians 11:26b; Matthew 26:29)
“Come and see what God has done.” That line from Psalm 66:5 really sets the tone for this weekend. After 16 long years, we are finally moving into a place of our own! I am eager for you to see the place and to rejoice in what the Lord has done in us and through us and for us.
In our time in God’s Word, we will actually be looking at Psalm 66. Consider it an addendum to our Out of the Depths series In this psalm, we will see that what God has done for us calls for our praise of him, as we remember his goodness to us, as well as his testing of us, moving us to recommit our way to him, so that nothing would hinder our prayers. The psalmist will lead us to glorify God for his past work, as well as what he will yet do in response to the prayers of those who are committed to the path of righteousness.
Check out our Psalms series resource page Sermon Notes Out of the Depths: Praying the Psalms Glory: What God Has Done Pastor Todd Dugard // Psalm 66 August 19–20, 2017
What God has done...
...calls for our praise of him (v. 1–4)
...as we remember his goodness to us (v. 5–7)
...as well as his testing of us (v. 8–12)
...moving us to recommit our way to him (v. 13–15)
...so that nothing would hinder our prayers (v. 16–20)
The Bible speaks about the thoughts of our hearts, the choices of our hearts, and the desires of our hearts. We struggle to bring every thought into subjection to Christ and to make decisions that are pleasing to God, but perhaps the most difficult thing we wrestle with is our desires.
This weekend’s message is about the longings of our hearts. Psalm 63 begins with a metaphor of thirst, which is an appropriate way to describe the things that we long for. Desire is a powerful motivator that often eclipses our thinking and directs our choices. The depth of our desires is often equaled by the breadth of our desires. And they drive us!
We need to understand our desires. But we really need to understand what will satisfy us. And this weekend’s message is also about satisfaction. Read over Psalm 63 and ponder the things that drive you. “What am I really looking for? Am I satisfied? Where is God in the longings of my heart?”
Don’t forget to check out the resources on Psalms on our series website. Maybe you need to review your memorization of Psalm 130, or catch up on your Bible reading plan, or watch a previous message that you missed.
Check out our Psalms series resource page Sermon Notes Out of the Depths: Praying the Psalms Satisfaction: My flesh faints for you Roger Freeman // Psalm 63 August 5–6, 2017
I will find satisfaction when I...
• Reckon with the depth of my desires (v. 1–4)
• Recognize the breadth of my desires (v. 5–8)
• Realize the point of my desires (v. 9–11)
We are privileged to have Lieutenant Darren Milley of the Royal Canadian Navy with us to preach this weekend. Darren is a military chaplain stationed at C.F.B. Borden. He has previously served as a civilian pastor in Alliston and in the Ottawa area. Prior to that, he worked with the O.P.P. For the last year or so, the Milley family have made Harvest their church home, and we have come alongside Lieut. Milley in his efforts to launch a monthly evangelical chapel at Base Borden.
Darren will be preaching Psalm 30 as part of our series, Out of the Depths: Praying the Psalms. This message on gratitude will help us pray with thanksgiving to God from the depths of our souls for all that he has done for us and all that he is to us. I know that we will be challenged by the hearing of God’s Word. Along with that, we will be expressing our thankfulness for Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross as we celebrate the Lord’s Table.
Check out our Psalms series resource page Sermon Notes Out of the Depths: Praying the Psalms Gratitude: I will give thanks to you Darren Milley // Psalm 30, Daniel 4:28–37 July 29–30, 2017
What is the opposite of gratitude?
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Gratitude only grows in a humble heart.
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A grateful heart declares that God is great.
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A grateful heart declares that God is good.
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Deliverance requires a grateful heart.
The LORD is my shepherd
Well, we have arrived at the single most recognizable psalm in the Bible. Believers and unbelievers, students of the Word and the biblically illiterate alike know the words, “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.” I hope the familiarity of Psalm 23 will not mean that we tune out in any way this week. This psalm has a powerful message for us about trusting God no matter the circumstances. We can be confident in the face of every dark valley that we are compelled to travel because of the assurances that God gives us in this poem.
As part of this message, I’m eager to have you hear the very fresh story of one of our members, Patti LaRose, who faced down “the valley of the shadow of death” just a few weeks ago. I know you’ll be blessed and inspired by her story.
Pastor Todd
Check out our Psalms series resource page Sermon Notes Out of the Depths: Praying the Psalms Confidence: You are with me Pastor Todd Dugard // Psalm 23 July 22-23, 2017
I am confident in the face of every dark valley that I am compelled to travel because…
...I lack nothing: God provides for me (v. 1–3a)
...I fear nothing: God protects me (v. 3b–4)
...I despair over nothing: God promises me (v. 5-6)
It is a good thing to be “hemmed in” by God, though it may not seem so at first. It is to be surrounded by God—no way out from his presence and covering. Far from being restrictive, it means you are safe, protected, secure. It means his proximity couldn’t be closer in case you need him. And we often need him.
That line comes from Psalm 139, one of the most beautiful and quoted psalms because it speaks to God’s intimate knowledge of who we are. And flowing from the assurance we receive from that is heartfelt devotion to the God who knows us like that. Out of the depths of our souls, we express our love and devotion to the God who knows us and loves us.
We are privileged to have Pastor Rick Buck here this weekend to bring us the Word. He is coming such a long way to do it! Rick is the senior pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Church, which is just 900 metres from where we meet at Timothy Christian School! He and I were at Bible college together and have been ministry partners here in Barrie for more than 16 years now. Please receive him warmly this weekend.
Last weekend’s message by Pastor Trevor Peacock from Harvest Bible Chapel Calgary is available online. If you were here, you know it was an impactful message that brought tears and encouragement to many. Check it out for yourself, and share the link with your friends.
Check out our Psalms series resource page Sermon Notes Out of the Depths: Praying the Psalms Devotion: You hem me in Pastor Rick Buck // Psalm 139 July 15-16, 2017
Our great God is a good God who knows us, sees us, and loves us.
The __ one knows each of us inside and out.
The __ one is with us everywhere, at all times.
The __ one made us with design and purpose.
Application:
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When we see God clearly, it turns us into grace-filled __.
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When we see God clearly, it brings us grace-filled __.
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When we see God clearly, it leads to grace-filled __.
It is pretty safe to say that most people have times in their life when they feel lonely and afflicted. The apostle James wrote about trials and difficulties in his letter saying, “When you face trials of all kinds . . .” Not “if” you face them, but “when” you face them. Given that reality, wouldn’t you want to be prepared for the loneliness and afflictions that are inevitably coming your way?
This message from Pastor Trevor Peacock of Harvest Bible Chapel Calgary shares his family’s story of trial and hope. Their story is a powerful reminder of God’s goodness in the midst of crushing and life-altering trials. Trevor will be sharing various passages and touching on Psalm 25 as part of our series, Out of the Depths: Praying the Psalms.
Check out our Psalms series resource page Sermon Notes Out of the Depths: Praying the Psalms Lament: I am lonely and afflicted Pastor Trevor Peacock // Psalm 25 July 8-9, 2017
- Cry Out to Jesus in Prayer
• Cry out in humility
• Cry out in faith
• Cry out in hope
- Trust the Lord Jesus Christ
• Trust his Word
• Trust his character
• Trust his plan
- Embrace the Body of Christ
• Embrace their care
• Embrace their correction
• Embrace their compassion
In 1867 the Dominion of Canada came into being as an act of British Parliament and with royal assent from Her Majesty, Queen Victoria. Our motto, a mari usque ad mare, as seen on the coat of arms, is the Latin rendering of a line from Psalm 72:8: “from sea to sea.” It came to the mind of a Father of Confederation because the verse reads, “May he have dominion from sea to sea.” Seemed like the perfect verse for this new Dominion of Canada.
As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of our great country, it seems appropriate to gain an understanding of this verse as it applies to being a good Canadian, as well as a faithful citizen of “[the] better country, that is, [the] heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:16).
This message is the fifth in our series, Out of the Depths: Praying the Psalms. We have a resource page set up for this series which has some new content this week. You will find the schedule, reading plan, memory project, links to the resources, as well as the sermon videos from the first four messages. Be sure to check that out if you haven’t already.
Check out our Psalms series resource page Sermon Notes Out of the Depths: Praying the Psalms Dominion: A Mari usque ad Mare Pastor Todd Dugard // Psalm 72 July 2, 2017
God has dominion over all.
• Recognize the government’s part in it (v. 1–14)
• Play your part in it (v. 15–17)
• Worship him for his part in it (v. 18–19)
Check out our Psalms series resource page Sermon Notes
Out of the Depths: Praying the Psalms Penitence: I acknowledge my sin to you Marvin Brubacher // Psalm 32 June 24–25, 2017
Three steps to finding joy after living with unconfessed sin (v. 1-5)
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I must call sin by name—a radical offense against a holy God (v. 1-2)
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I must calculate the cost of unconfessed sin—the burden of guilt (v. 3-4)
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I must confess my sin to God and claim his forgiveness (v. 5)
Three steps to maintaining joy after finding forgiveness from sin (v. 6-11)
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I must run to God early when being tempted (v. 6-7)
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I must respond to God’s guidance with humble obedience (v. 8-9)
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I must reject the way of sorrow and embrace the steadfast love of the Lord (v. 10-11)
Check out our Psalms series resource page Sermon Notes Out of the Depths: Praying the Psalms Legacy: Unless the Lord builds the house Marvin Brubacher // Psalms 127, 128 & 78 June 17–18, 2017
German proverb: “Everything depends on God’s blessing.”
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My natural temptation is to build my legacy through my own efforts (127:1-2)
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The wise person leaves a legacy of cooperating with God in his life and work (127:1-2)
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My best legacy is a multi-generational family that follows God’s ways (127:3-5; 128; 78:1-8)
I’m wondering if you’ve ever been so happy that you feel like you’re going to explode. That’s the feeling I get when I read Psalm 103. The psalmist is trying his best to express the joy, gratitude, and adoration that he has for his God, but words alone fail him. The passion that’s in his heart comes through as he says repeatedly through his song, “Bless the LORD…bless the LORD…bless the LORD.”
While lament is often what flows out of the depths of our being, this psalm overflows with celebration and worship. Nothing is held back as the psalmist leads us to exalt the LORD with all that we are and all that we have for all that he is and all that he’s done.
Check out our Psalms series resource page Sermon Notes Out of the Depths: Praying the Psalms Exaltation: Bless the Lord o my soul Psalm 103 June 10–11, 2017
Exalt the LORD!
• Exalt him with all that you are and all that you have (v. 1)
• Exalt him for all that he is and all that he’s done (v. 2-12)
• Exalt him for loving you deeply and holding you fast (v. 13-22)
This series begins with a look at ten Psalms chosen for their familiarity, theme, and potential impact in our relationship with Jesus Christ as we walk with him through all of life’s experiences. We will start with Psalm 1, which serves as an introduction to the rest of the book. It speaks of the wisdom we need to get the blessing we want.
Take a few minutes to check out the online resource page that we have set up for this series. There are a number of features already there including a reading plan through all 150 Psalms (sign up to receive daily text reminders to keep you on track), a memorization project, the preaching schedule, and links to some articles. We will be adding more resources throughout the series including access to the sermon video and audio files and notes. We want these next ten weeks to be high impact in your life!
Check out our Psalms series resource page
Sermon Notes Out of the Depths: Praying the Psalms Wisdom: His delight is in the law of the Lord June 3–4, 2017
God’s blessing flows from attentiveness to his wisdom and obedience to his ways. So, choose...
...to pursue his blessing—or not (v. 1, 4a)
...to love his Word—or not (v. 2)
...to produce good in life—or not (v. 3–4)
...to be known by God—or not (v. 5–6)
I will be taking us through 1 Corinthians 12 where the Apostle Paul explains, “There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” What our move to a permanent facility at 7 George Street demands is everyone at Harvest working, by the power of the Spirit, for the common good.
Small Group Curriculum Spiritual Gifts Survey Sermon Notes The Common Good Pastor Todd Dugard // 1 Corinthians 12 May 27–28, 2017
I must serve Christ and his church…
…according to the gift given to me (v. 8–11)
…for the common good (v. 7)
…by the power of the Spirit (v. 4-6)
…because Jesus is Lord (v. 1-3)
Most people love talking about and studying the end times. If that’s you, you’re going to appreciate this weekend’s message in Luke 17:20-37. Having been asked a question about the coming of the kingdom of God, Jesus taught his followers about the nature of that kingdom, his eventual suffering, his departure, and his glorious, undeniable return to earth to fully establish his kingdom.
The question we will be answering from the passage is this: With all of the speculation about the coming of Jesus, what can you know for sure? It will be a profitable time in God’s Word as we examine this apocalyptic passage.
After this weekend, we will be setting the Gospel of Luke aside until next year. Check out the recent Facebook post for an update on where the series is headed.
Small Group Curriculum Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 4 The Days Are Coming Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 17:20–37 May 20–21, 2017
With all of the speculation about the coming of Jesus, what can you know for sure?
• It will come with no advance warning: be focused (v. 20–23)
• It will be unmistakably obvious: be at peace (v. 24–25, 37)
• It will catch many off-guard: be ready (v. 26-30)
• It will expose what your heart values: be holy (v. 31-35)
Some of the things Jesus asks us to do as his followers are just so hard to get done and to live out. Things like resisting temptation in a world that advertises and celebrates sin, forgiving people who have hurt us, or serving others without expecting anything in return are some weighty demands placed on Christ followers. How is it possible to live such a counter-cultural, otherworldly life? In Luke 17, the disciples who had left everything to follow Jesus made a request of him. Having heard all that he said about the cost of following him, they simply asked Jesus to give them more faith. "Increase our faith," they said. They knew that unless they got their eyes off of this world and more intently on the things of God's kingdom, they'd never be able to live any of this out, because, as the preacher in Hebrews said, "Without faith it is impossible to please God."
This weekend we will unpack Luke 17:1-19 and see just what the disciples were after...an ever-increasing faith. Obviously, something we need too.
Small Group Curriculum Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 4 Increase Our Faith Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 17:1–19 May 13–14, 2017
As a Christ follower, you need ever-increasing faith to…
…resist the temptation to sin (v. 1–2)
…forgive those who sin against you (v. 3–4)
…do the miraculous (v. 5–6)
…serve God and others with humility (v. 7–10)
…be grateful to God for what he has done for you (v. 11–19)
It takes a great deal of motivation to change. Most of us give up after finding it to be nearly impossible. One doctor, writing online, has suggested that “change is difficult because, in all likelihood, you have been the way you currently are for a long time and your habits are deeply ingrained.” There’s truth in that statement. We know what it means to be stubborn hard rocks when it comes to making changes for our own good. Unmotivated to change, we persist in our sin. We reject God’s good direction, ultimately to our demise, and end up tripping over the truth about Jesus because we refuse to repent.
Do you ever feel like your sin is set in a hard rock heart? Perhaps for you personal change has seemed impossible. Yet, in 1 Peter 2:4-12 we are introduced to Jesus as the living stone. We hear that we also can be living stones! We can change as God helps us overcome spiritual inertia and move ourselves toward him.
Get ready for a good study that will flow into Communion. This passage presents hope for those of us who are seeking to change and supplies us with fresh motivation to live for Jesus through the week ahead.
Small Group Questions Sermon Notes Living Stones Pastor Dwayne Francois // 1 Peter 2:4–12 May 6–7, 2017
If you reject Christ, you’ll stumble.
• You’ll disagree with God (v. 4)
• You’ll feel offended at the thought of needing a Saviour (v. 8a)
• You’ll disobey the Word of God (v. 8b)
• It’s just a matter of time before you trip (v. 8c)
As you come to Jesus, you’ll change.
• You become part of the living temple (v. 5)
• Your worship, walk, and work will actually matter (v. 6b-7a)
• Your calling and identity are clear and pure (v. 9)
• Your goodness becomes undeniable (v. 11a, 12b)
We have all heard about bad debt and good debt. Bad debt is consumer debt like credit card debt and car loans. Good debt might be like a mortgage or a business investment. We are not going to be discussing finances, though. We need to talk about spiritual debts.
Romans 8:12 says, “So then brothers, we are debtors …” We need to see the contrast between bad spiritual debt and good spiritual debt. The amazing thing is, as followers of Christ, we have no bad debt! Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Yet we can often live as if we are still paying on bad debts.
It should be pretty clear from this passage that this isn’t the way it should be! As we explore this truth and what to do about it, I pray that you will be blown away by how completely God has settled our debts.
Small Group Questions Sermon Notes Spiritual Debts Pastor Roger Freeman // Romans 8:12–17 April 29-30, 2017
If I am going to handle my spiritual debt properly I must:
• Establish its reality (v. 12-13)
• Engage my responsibility (v. 14-17a)
• Embrace the Redeemer (v. 17b)
Conclusion: What’s my bottom line?
It is a clear mandate: “Go and make disciples.” Jesus didn’t leave us to wonder what we should be doing as his followers and as the church. In Acts 1:8 he told us that we would be his witnesses throughout the world. The language is strong and undeniable. He isn’t laying out a potential way of life or an optional initiative, but rather what will happen. What must happen. “You WILL BE my witnesses,” Jesus said.
And that is exactly what we are trying to be. We have an individual responsibility, as well as a corporate one that is the responsibility of the church as a whole. This Sunday I will take about half of my time to teach through Acts 1:6-11 and then the rest to give you a survey of our global and compassion ministry efforts. I want to brief you on what we are doing and want to do hands-on as a church, in addition to what we are accomplishing through the various ministry partnerships we help to fund.
Small Group Questions Sermon Notes Unafraid Witnesses Pastor Todd Dugard // Acts 1:6–11 April 23, 2017
We are the unafraid witnesses of Jesus Christ because…
…he commissioned us (v. 8b)
…he empowers us (v. 8a)
…he motivates us (v. 6–7, 9–11)
It is finished. It could be that I have cited in my preaching these three words from the Gospels more than any other three words in the Bible. It stirs something up inside of me every time I hear or speak them. The original Greek phrase is Τετέλεσται (tetelestai), and it is a declaration of being accomplished, completed, fulfilled. It has often been described as the “paid in full” stamp on an outstanding invoice. In this case, the sin debt that humanity owed was paid in full with the blood of the Son of God. How does that not send chills through you?
Three other words also come to mind for this weekend: He is risen. The sacrifice was only part of the story. For Jesus to triumph over sin and death, he had to defeat both by rising from the grave. The declaration by the angel at his tomb (“he is not here but is risen”) signaled the crushing of the serpent’s head and the offer of eternal life to all who would believe and follow him.
Those two three-word phrases encapsulate Easter weekend. We gather on Good Friday to reflect on the sobering scene of Jesus crucified. And on Easter, we pull out all of the stops. We run to the tomb at the news of his resurrection and celebrate that death no longer holds any sway over us.
Small Group Curriculum
Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 4 If Someone Should Rise from the Dead Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 16:19–31 April 15-16, 2017
There was one person…
…who had bad things come his way in this life (v. 20-21)
…who died, receiving comfort in heaven (v. 22a)
…who had read the Word of God and accepted its message
…and who trusted in what he could not see
There was another person…
…who had good things come his way in this life (v. 19)
…who died, suffering anguish in hell (v. 22b-28)
…who had read the Word of God but rejected its message (v. 29)
…and who relied only on what he could see (v. 30-31)
And what will they say about you when the time comes?
There is no record I know of that documents the first divorce. Probably best. It would be too discouraging to know just how quickly it happened after marriage was first established by God.
For Christ followers, marriage is to be held in the highest esteem. It requires a vow of one’s life to another to take effect. We use words like monogamous, heterosexual, and life-long to describe God’s intention for marriage. The Bible makes the parameters tight. We know the stakes are high. The commitment a man and woman make to each other is other-worldly. It takes the strength of God to hold a marriage together because sin wars against it at every turn.
In Luke 16:14-18, Jesus speaks of self-interest, biblical authority, and divorce. His mention of divorce in this passage is simply one example he gives of how people in his day were not submitting themselves to God’s highest and best. As we continue to work our way through The Gospel of Luke series this weekend, this episode provides us with an opportunity to clearly articulate our conviction about marriage, divorce, and remarriage—something our elders have been working on recently. Of necessity, this will require us to look at more than what we have here in Luke 16. Various other relevant Scriptures will be examined as we lay out what we believe and practice about marriage, divorce, and remarriage.
And as we do this, I am only too aware that this topic has the potential to re-open wounds and cause pain and sorrow for many. Is there anyone among us who in one way or another has not felt the anguish of a marriage ending in divorce? I will treat this, as best I can, with the grace and truth that it deserves. There is a hard word here, but there is also healing, forgiveness, mercy, and grace in what we will look at together. Just what we have come to expect from our God. Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 4 Everyone who divorces Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 16:14–18 April 8-9, 2017
Am I driven by self-interest in my marriage… (v. 14–15)
…or am I under the authority of God’s Word? (v. 16–17)
When I get to that place, I will… (v. 18)
• Commit to God’s intent for marriage
• Submit to God’s consent for divorce
"Wealth has been given to us by God in trust to use in the service of others" (David E. Garland).
When you start to add up all of the times that Luke included in his gospel the comments that Jesus made about money, you get a sense of just how important a topic this is for us. We simply cannot afford to ignore what Jesus had to say.
In Luke 16:1-13 (and coming up again in Luke 16:19-31), Jesus tells one of his most challenging-to-interpret parables on the management of money. What we will hear is that wealth—money earned—exists not for self-benefit but for the blessing and benefit of others. Only when I distribute it according to kingdom values will earthly wealth accumulate returns in heaven, and that is something we should all be committed to doing. Jesus suggests, in fact, that not doing this may be an indicator that you just don’t get what the kingdom of God is about and may not be saved.
Small Group Curriculum Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 4 Faithful in a very little Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 16:1-13 April 1-2, 2017
1 crisis that everyone will face... (16:1-2)
2 possible fixes... (16:3-8a)
3 ways to get it right... (16:8b-9)
4 values undergirding it all... (16:10-13)
A person either knows where they are or they don’t. Everyone is, in essence, lost or found. That said, not everyone who is lost knows they’re lost. Or they won’t admit it. That is certainly true in the physical world of roads and highways, but it is also true in the spiritual sense of things. There are some who are lost, and others who have been found by God.
In Luke 15, Jesus tells three parables about being lost and found: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost or prodigal son. Through these stories, we will see God’s heart for those who have not yet found their way to him. And as we study this well-known chapter this weekend, each of us will have the opportunity to test our own heart for the lost.
Small Group Questions
Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 4 My Son Was Dead Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 15:1-32 March 25-26, 2017
Do you have the same heart that God has for all of his children? If you do, you’ll…
…Rest secure in what he’s done for you as a believer
…Reach out to the not-yet-saved as he does
…Rejoice! when someone is found by him
…Reject any sense of entitlement you might have as one of his children Chart of parables from Luke 15
There is a rather large executive-style home in the south end of Barrie in one of our city’s wealthier neighbourhoods. It has probably been there for about ten years. What is remarkable about this particular home is that it has never really been completed. For a long time, no one lived there, but it appears to be occupied now, though the exterior still looks like it needs work. I don’t know the story behind this unfinished build, but I suspect that someone ran out of money along the way. They didn’t count the cost.
Jesus used a similar illustration to make the same point about following him. If you and I don’t carefully consider everything he said about being a genuine disciple, then we are apt to stop following him along the way and leave our walk with him unfinished. Simply because we didn’t count the cost ahead of time.
As we look at Luke 14:25-35 this weekend, we will see what it takes to be a genuine disciple of Jesus. We will look at, among other things, what it takes to count the cost, bear our own cross, and follow him to the end.
Small Group Curriculum
Sermon Notes
The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 4 Count the Cost Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 14:25-35 March 18-19, 2017
A genuine disciple... ...loves Jesus more than any other (v. 25-26) ...follows Jesus no matter what (v. 27) ...goes all-in for Jesus to the end (v. 28-33) ...impacts the world for Jesus (v. 34-35)
There is a certain movie playing in theatres right now based on a book that was published many years ago. It is considered a Christian movie that gives people a fresh look at the Trinity. I didn't necessarily want to address the deviant doctrine that it espouses, but I have seen too many social media posts from professing believers saying they really liked the movie and what it says about God. Sheesh. Really?! You are getting Hollywood to teach you about God?! As it turns out, this week's passage sets the table for us to look at this together. The scene in Luke 14:1-24 is a dinner party. Jesus is there enjoying a meal with some religious leaders who are so caught up in their own way of thinking that they are in jeopardy of missing out on the biggest thing they say they believe: the arrival of their promised Saviour. We are going to unpack the passage and see that if you and I are going to accept Jesus' invitation to follow him, then it is going to have to be less of me and more of him.
And as it relates to that movie, less of me guessing at what God is like and more of him telling me (through the Bible) what he is like.
Small Group Curriculum
Sermon Notes
The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 4 Come, For Everything Is Now Ready Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 14:1-24 March 11-12, 2017
I’m going to accept Jesus’ invitation to make it less of me and more of him. • More freedom experienced (v. 1-6) • More humility embraced (v. 7-11) • More compassion exhibited (v. 12-14) • More grace evidenced (v. 15-24)
Around the time kids are crawling, and certainly once a toddler is walking about, warnings of all kinds are spoken: “Don’t touch, it’s hot,” “Don’t go near the stairs, you’ll fall down,” “Don’t put that in your mouth, it’s dirty!” That doesn’t end, of course, with childhood. As adults, we are inundated with catchy slogans, mostly from the government, warning about our health and wellbeing: “Arrive alive,” “Know your limit, play within it,” “Click it or ticket.”
The passage in front of us this weekend, Luke 13:22-35, contains a series of warnings from Jesus about who gets into God’s kingdom. In essence, Jesus says to his hearers: “Some of you think you’re getting in, but you’re not. Others of you have been told you’re automatically out, but you can actually get in.” We’re going to unpack those warnings together and do our best to ensure that we all know how to make it to heaven.
Small Group Curriculum
Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 4 The Narrow Door Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 13:22-35 March 4-5, 2017
You will miss out on heaven…
• If you knock on the door of religion not faith (v. 22-24)
• If you delay in coming until it’s too late (v. 25-27)
• If you assume that your own way is the right way (v. 28-30)
• If you resist the Lord’s loving plan to save you (v. 31-35)
Our world is anxious over the opportunities and frustrations appearing as we adjust to a new geopolitical landscape. When political leaders revise old treaties and propose new walls, some citizens profit at the expense of others’ freedoms. Canadians must weave a society together in the midst of the fraying ends of change. By God’s grace, we find commonalities that bind us as citizens of one nation—but for how long, we don’t know. And therein lies the tension. With no overarching reason to love each other and maintain social ties, we must manage in a society of temporary tolerance. It’s a precariously-held sense of peace.
Thankfully, the society formed for Jesus is independent of the anxieties over politics, borders, and trade agreements. It exists for more than personal profit and upholds the value of every person in the spiritual family. The community formed in Christ thrives because God’s people love him and love each other. So, while the world worries over the temporary nature of tolerance, the people in the church should be at peace. We are secure in the sanctification of the Spirit (1 Peter 1:2) and united in the demonstration of God’s eternal love.
I look forward to God’s direction for us as we study 1 Peter 1:13-2:3 this weekend. We will look into five activities that describe the sanctified church in an anxious culture. No matter what is going on in the world, we know what we must do!
Small Group Curriculum Sermon Notes The Sanctified Society Pastor Dwayne Francois // 1 Peter 1:13-2:3 February 25-26, 2017
Five activities for the sanctified church in an anxious culture (1 Peter 1:13-2:3)
• We hope in the coming grace of Jesus Christ (v. 13)
• We determine what to do and say based on God’s moral schematic (v. 14-16)
• We engage the world with reverence for God in respect of the high cost paid for redemption (v. 17-21)
• We love other believers with deep sincerity (1:22-23, 2:1)
• We crave spiritual nourishment so that we can continue to grow (2:2-3)
We believe that Scripture is sufficient for life and godliness, and not surprisingly it addresses everyday matters like anxiety. Philippians 4:6-7 lays out God’s simple-yet-profound plan for overcoming worry, and this passage will be our spiritual food this weekend.
Small Group Curriculum
Sermon Notes
Do Not Be Anxious Pastor Dan Brubacher // Philippians 4:6-7 February 18-19, 2017
God calls me to overcome worry... (v. 6a)
...by expressing my concerns in prayer (v. 6b)
...and experiencing the comfort of his peace (v. 7)
My passion now is serving as an ambassador of the kingdom of God on earth. I am a citizen of that eternal kingdom first and have been charged with representing that kingdom in this world. I know I am not the only one. In Hebrews 11:13-16 we hear that Abraham “acknowledged that they were strangers and aliens on earth,” and that their desire was for “a better a country, that is, a heavenly one.” Abraham knew that his citizenship was in God’s kingdom and that, as a believer in Yahweh, his duty was to represent him well while living in this alien land.
And this isn’t just for pastors and patriarchs. Anyone who is a follower of Jesus Christ is in the same position and has the same responsibility. Whatever earthly citizenship you happen to have, it will always be secondary to being a citizen of the kingdom of God.
In this week’s passage, Luke 13:10-21, Jesus tells us what the kingdom of God is like with a couple of similes and the healing of a woman disabled with some kind of spinal affliction. As citizens of that kingdom, it will be helpful to know what our country is like so we can be living that reality out in the here and now.
Small Group Curriculum
Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 4 All The People Rejoiced Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 13:10-21 February 11-12, 2017
You’ll know that the kingdom of God has come to where you are when… (v. 18-21)
• The Lord is getting credit for what’s going on (v. 17c)
• The believers are rejoicing in it all (v. 17b)
• The religious types are being put in their place (v. 14-17a)
• The hurting are being healed and helped (v. 10-13)
Once again this week we heard the news of an act of violence and hate. The shootings in Quebec City are just the latest in a growing list of senseless killings around the world. But this one is in our own country. For the grieving families who lost loved ones in that mosque, the politics and religion of it matter little; their loved ones are now gone. All Canadians should grieve with them. We should grieve the loss of our fellow citizens and the peace that was shattered in our country that night.
A similar situation was brought to the attention of Jesus as he made his way to Jerusalem. There was a group of Galileans who had, in some way, crossed Pilate, the Roman governor. It didn’t end well for them. A political and religious message was sent to the people with their execution. Jesus responded in his typically unorthodox manner, pointing to the greater issue: not that some people were tragically or unjustly killed, but that we’re all going to die, we’re all sinners, judgment follows for everyone, and we need to get right with God before that happens.
That’s what we will be looking at together this weekend in Luke 13:1-9 as we conclude a section of the gospel that has focused on Jesus’ return and the impending judgment. We need to be ready for it. And we need to tell others to be ready for it.
In this message, Pastor Todd references a message series from 2007 called The People of God: Israel, the Church and God’s Plan for His Own (audio only). The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 4 Unless You Repent Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 13:1-9 February 4-5, 2017
In light of Jesus’ imminent return, you must embrace...
• The universality of death (v. 1, 4a)
• The culpability of humanity (v. 2, 4b)
• The inevitability of judgment (v. 6-8, 9b)
• The necessity of repentance (v. 3, 5, 9a)
Is it that people misunderstand Jesus, or that they just ignore the hard things he said? Do they just sift out the sharp-edged teaching and instead hold on to what’s comforting, easy, and grace-filled? If you’re given to reading the whole gospel and hearing all of his words, you know already that Jesus says some pretty difficult things to hear. And we’re at just such a passage this weekend with Luke 12:49-59. His opening line is, “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!” So, yeah, that’s not exactly “Jesus, meek and mild.”
As was true last weekend, this message focuses on the end times and the return of Jesus. There are some reality checks that need to be acknowledged if we’re to be ready for his return and not to be disappointed or disillusioned before that event happens. This message is the second message in a one-two punch that Jesus throws. If you took the jab to the gut last weekend, this will be the right cross to the jaw this weekend. It isn’t to be missed.
Sermon Notes
The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 4 Until It Is Accomplished Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 12:48-59 January 28-29, 2017
As the end approaches, know this…
• It is going to get worse before it gets better (v. 49-53)
• Everyone ought to see it coming (v. 54-56)
• NOW is the time to get right with God (v. 57-59)
I, for one, am always happy when we get to that first weekend after the kids go back to school following the Christmas and New Year’s break. It signals a return to normalcy—at least as normal as things get. And what could be more “normal” at Harvest Barrie than getting back into the Gospel of Luke?! We’ve been at it since Sunday, November 6, 2013. This weekend we will look at Luke 12:13-34 in what will be message #52 of probably 92 or so messages. We’re past halfway! I’m eager to get at it with you this weekend. Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 4 Where Your Treasure Is Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 12:13-34 January 14–15, 2017
If I’m anxious about financial matters…
…I’ll want what I don’t have (v. 13-14)
…and do what I need to do to get it (v. 15-18)
…showing what I truly value (v. 19)
…thus revealing my heart for this world (v. 20-21)
But if I trust God to meet my needs…
…I’ll want what God wants for me (v. 22-30)
…and invest in what is eternal (v. 31-33a)
…showing what I truly value (v. 33b)
…thus revealing my heart for his kingdom (v. 34)
Well, we made it through Christmas, and the new year has begun. And we’re doing just fine! (For the most part.)
Donald S. Whitney, author of Praying the Bible, says, “Even those most faithful to God occasionally need to pause and think about the direction of their lives. It’s so easy to bump along from one busy week to another without ever stopping to ponder where we’re going and where we should be going. The beginning of a new year is an ideal time to stop, look up, and get our bearings.”
And perhaps when we do, we will find that we need to refocus our lives. That is what we want to consider this weekend as we study a challenge the apostle Paul gives to the Corinthian believers. One of the key questions we want to answer is, “Why should we try to refocus our lives?” Another might be, “What should our focus be anyway?” Or maybe, “What changes will it bring?” (You can find a whole bunch of questions that might help you refocus this coming year by reading the excellent blog post 10 Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year.)
We think we’re doing just fine, but we all know deep down that we have to deal with God. Perhaps you are in a place where you are wide open to his working in your life and gladly embracing everything he has for you. Or maybe not! You could be running from his plan and purposes. Or you could be anywhere in between from stagnant, to wrestling, to tentative. Well, open your heart to the Lord! I have news for you: He isn’t going anywhere! So for our good, let’s look at what it might take to move toward God this year.
That is where we are headed in this weekend’s message. Sermon Notes Refocus Your Life Pastor Roger Freeman // 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 January 7–8, 2017
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A New Purpose (7:1c) “bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God”
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A New Process (7:1b) “beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body (flesh) and spirit”
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A New Perspective (7:1a) “Since we have these promises” c.f. 6:14-18 - God has promised to be among us and make us his own
This message for this weekend is a bit unique. We are going to go through the story of Esther. It is ten chapters long and a narrative, so obviously we are not going to unpack every verse. If you have 30 minutes, why not read through the book? We are going to look at the principal characters in the story: King Ahasuerus, Mordecai, Esther, Haman the Agagite, and the Jews. Each one will expose potential attitudes, habits, decisions, priorities, and values that could derail our walk with Christ in 2017. We are going to have some fun with this message—more storytelling than preaching—but make no mistake, this is a sobering and necessary word as we head into the new year.
If you want to dive a little deeper into the book of Esther, review these messages from 2011: "God Is Forever Faithful in the Face of My Failure".
Sermon Notes Don’t Say That; Say This... Todd Dugard // Esther December 31, 2016 – January 1, 2017
“Just one more drink”—King Ahasuerus
“I want what’s best for me”—Mordecai
“I seem to be looking for love in all the wrong places”—Esther
“I’ll never forgive him”—Haman the Agagite
“If only I could go back and change the past”—The Jews
We all know about the three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gifts for a king! Brought by these fascinating and enigmatic strangers from the east. Tradition tells us that the practice of gift giving at Christmas is rooted in this event, but it is obvious to me that a lot more gifts were given out during the nativity narrative. All of them from the Father. All of them for us. No one—not even the influential and wealthy Magi—would outgive God at the first Christmas.
We will be looking at Matthew 2:9-15 this weekend as we wrap up (unwrap?) the final message in our short series, They Saw the Star. In this passage, we will see that the birth of Jesus causes great rejoicing and delivers divine rewards to all who come to him. So come to Jesus knowing he's ready to give you these gifts. This series, of course, has been crafted especially for those who are searching, seeking, and inquiring about God, the Bible, and faith. The Magi were searchers of truth and made the journey to find the Saviour...the King of the Jews. And when they found him, they rejoiced and worshipped him.
Sermon Notes
They Saw the Star Rejoicing & Reward Todd Dugard // Matthew 2:9-15 December 17-18, 2016
The birth of Jesus causes great rejoicing and delivers divine rewards to all who come to him.
So come to Jesus knowing he…
…directs your path (v. 9)
…puts joy in your heart (v. 10)
…receives you into his family (v. 11a)
…accepts your worship (v. 11b)
…multiplies your generosity (v. 11c)
…blesses your obedience (v. 12)
…secures your every step (v. 13-15)
The Magi are intriguing characters in the Nativity story. Think about it: mysterious visitors from the east see a star and then travel a long way from home to bring lavish gifts to an infant king. Who comes up with stuff like that? Uh…God did. So we are spending these weeks before Christmas looking at the account of the Magi in Matthew 2. We got off to a great start in our They Saw the Star series with a message titled “Excitement and Expectancy,” and we will follow that up this weekend with message two of three called “Tragedy and Triumph.” If you missed the first message in the series, be sure to check it out. Sermon Notes They Saw the Star Tragedy & Triumph Todd Dugard // Matthew 2:3-8, 16-23 December 10-11, 2016
The birth of Jesus brings tragedy to light and offers triumph to a hurting world.
• Trouble births tragedy (v. 3-8, 16-18)
• Tragedy births triumph (v. 19-23)
The Story of the Magi in Matthew 2
Our new three-week teaching series in Matthew 2 is called They Saw the Star. It looks at the intriguing life of the Magi who visited Joseph, Mary, and Jesus in Bethlehem. This is my favourite part of the Nativity story, so we are going to have some fun together along the way. Mostly, the series is about searching for the truth—as the Magi did. There is a phenomenal opportunity to invite friends and family to come with you to Harvest this month. Sermon Notes They Saw the Star Excitement & Expectancy Todd Dugard // Matthew 2:1-2 December 3-4, 2016
The birth of Jesus always elicits excitement and expectation in a true believer.
Am I excited by what God has done? (v. 1)
...not scorning it
...but searching it out
Am I expectant for what God is doing and will do? (v. 2)
...knowing who I am
...knowing why I’m here
...knowing where I’m going
Even though last weekend was a sweet moment of celebration, God never intended us to live off the high of one campaign. Living off happiness doesn’t work. Why? Because happiness fades when the moment has passed. Happiness has no real roots. It comes and goes. We can’t claim happiness as our own. But we can claim biblical joy.
God has rooted joy in the bedrock of our faith in Jesus Christ. So even when happiness fades, Christians can mine for joy, find it, and give God glory. This weekend is my first opportunity to open up God’s Word with you, and I am excited about how God will move in us. We will be studying 1 Peter 1:1-12. I am praying that the Holy Spirit will plunge us deeper into the joy of the Lord.
Sermon Notes
Joy Beyond Words Pastor Dwayne Francois // 1 Peter 1:1-12 November 26-27, 2016
Rejoice, beyond words and full of glory...
...even though you’re not at home in this world (v. 1-5)
...even while suffering the tests of your faith (v. 6-8)
...because your salvation is happening now (v. 9-12)
You can also watch the video from the revealing of the total financial commitment amount from our Made for This campaign. Sermon Notes The LORD Has Done Great Things! Pastor Todd Dugard // Psalm 126 November 20, 2016
Life is so often marked by tears... (v. 1a, 5a, 6a)
...but God has brought about a great reversal of fortune (v. 2-4, 5b, 6b)
...by doing unimaginably great things for us. (v. 1b)
This is the final message in our Made for This teaching series and we are wrapping it up with a focus on glorifying God. Spend some time digging into this idea. God's glory is not simple to define so listen to the sermon for how that idea is expressed. The application focus is on how our lives, in submission to Christ, reveal God's glory in the world. Sermon Notes Made for This: The 5G Christian Made to be Glorifying Pastor Todd Dugard // 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 November 12-13, 2016
I am a God-glorifying Christian when...
• My righteousness displays his glory (v. 7-11)
• My confidence displays his glory (v. 12-16)
• My freedom displays his glory (v. 17)
• My transformation displays his glory (v. 18)
Is it okay to talk about being grateful when it isn’t Thanksgiving Day? We are in the “Thanksgiving season” in the sense that we are just past the halfway point between the Canadian and American Thanksgiving Days. So we should be okay to talk about gratitude, right? That’s a bit foolish, of course, because it is never the wrong time to talk about being grateful people. Everyone has things they should be grateful for year round, but for those of us who are followers of Christ, there is just so much more for us to consider.
So this weekend, as we continue to lock down what it means to be a 5G Christian in our series called Made for This, we will be in 2 Corinthians 4:7-15 to see that we are “Made To Be Grateful.” Be sure to catch up on any messages you have missed along the way in this five-part series (this weekend is message #4). Sermon Notes Made for This: The 5G Christian Made to be Grateful Pastor Todd Dugard // 2 Corinthians 4:7-15 November 5-6, 2016
I am a grateful Christian when...
• I know my place before God (v. 7)
• I don’t let my circumstances get me down (v. 8-12)
• I anticipate being resurrected with Jesus (v. 13-14)
• I see gratitude increasing in those around me (v. 15)
It is a common phrase around Harvest: “healthy things multiply.” That can be interpreted to mean numerical growth, but that is not the primary way we look at it. Health and multiplication, or growth in a Christian’s life or in a church as a whole, are better measured by quality rather than quantity. It was said of A. W. Tozer that he “concerned himself with the depth of his ministry, and left the breadth of his ministry up to the Holy Spirit.” That says it well for us too. We want to focus on our spiritual growth—the depth of our walk with Christ—as individual believers, as couples and families, and as a church. Whatever God would do with that is his concern.
With that in mind, we will be in 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 trying to grasp what we need to do to be continually growing in Christ. We are all “Made to be Growing.” Sermon Notes Made for This: The 5G Christian Made to be Growing Pastor Todd Dugard // 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 October 29-30, 2016
I am a growing Christian if...
• I aim for more than what this world offers (v. 1)
• I embrace hardship as part of the process (v. 2-4)
• I recognize my need for the Spirit’s ongoing work (v. 5)
• I show increasing evidence of courageous faith (v. 6-7)
• I am compelled by the coming judgment (v. 8-10)
In this message we will see that you and I are “Made to be Generous.” Our time in the Word will be spent in 2 Corinthians 8-9 where Paul gives the most detailed teaching on the Christian’s responsibility to be generous in their giving. Sermon Notes Made for This: The 5G Christian Made to be Generous Pastor Todd Dugard // 2 Corinthians 8-9 October 22-23, 2016
I am a generous Christian when I give...
• Proportionately: I’m giving based on my income (8:1-3a, 11-15)
• Sacrificially: I’m giving at a cost (8:3b)
• Willingly: I’m giving because I want to (8:3c-4; 9:1-7a)
• Sincerely: I’m giving as a true believer (8:5-7)
• Lovingly: I’m giving with affection for God and others (8:8-10, 16-24)
• Cheerfully: I’m giving with joy (9:7b-9)
• Gratefully: I’m giving with a thankful heart (9:10-15)
This new five-part series, Made for This: The 5G Christian, will examine what a Christian needs to be (the reflection of God’s workmanship) in order to do what a Christian ought to do (good works)—and in the being and the doing to bring glory to Jesus Christ. You and I were made for this very thing. Sermon Notes Made for This: The 5G Christian Made to be Gracious Pastor Todd Dugard // 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 October 15-16, 2016
I am a gracious Christian when…
• I receive favour from God with grace (v. 1-4)
• I receive adversity from God with grace (v. 5-10)
• I freely dispense grace to others (Ephesians 4:17-5:2)
We’re wrapping up our three-week series called The Unstoppable Church with this message on “What a Disciple Is and Does.” We’ll be cruising through a bunch of texts to lay out the basics of being a follower of Jesus Christ. This is essential Harvest DNA stuff in that Pastor Todd talks through the 3 Ws (Worship, Walk, and Work) that a disciple does, as well as introducing the 5 Gs of what a disciple is. Sermon Notes The Unstoppable Church The Unstoppable Disciple Is... Pastor Todd Dugard // Various Scriptures October 8-9, 2016
How to be an unstoppable disciple of Jesus...
• Be the 5 Gs • Growing
• Gracious
• Grateful
• Generous
• Glorifying
• Do the 3 Ws • Worship Christ
• Walk with Christ
• Work for Christ
Sermon Notes
GRACE SATURATED Ron Zappia // Titus 2:11-15 October 1-2, 2016
Grace saves me (v. 11)
Grace sanctifies me (v. 12)
Grace sustains me (v. 13)
Grace satisfies me (v. 14-15)
We’re in this short series called The Unstoppable Church where we’re unpacking what it means to be the church. Last weekend in the first message, we looked at our end-of-worship benediction “you are loved,” and we set the standard for what it means to be the church: knowing God loves us and committing to love others.
Now we move to look at what an unstoppable church is and does. This is a primer on what it means to be part of Harvest Bible Chapel with a look at our foundation, mission statement, uncommon community, and the four pillars. This is all about our DNA, what makes us unique among churches, what makes us who we are. Sermon Notes The Unstoppable Church The Unstoppable Church Is... Pastor Todd Dugard // Various Scriptures September 17–18, 2016
How to build an unstoppable church (1 Peter 2:4-5)...
• Set the foundation on Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11)
• Frame it up with the four pillars
» Unashamed adoration (John 4:24)
» Unapologetic preaching (2 Timothy 4:2)
» Unafraid witness (Ephesians 6:19-20)
» Unceasing prayer (Ephesians 6:18)
• Cap it off with uncommon community (1 Thessalonians 1:3)
• Establish its God-glorifying purpose (Matthew 28:19-20)
In the days when Jesus was walking the earth, teaching people about himself and the kingdom of God, there was some confusion and a lot of talk about who he really was. So one day Jesus asked Peter, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” That was a faith-filled and bold declaration to which Jesus replied, “On this rock”—meaning, on this strong statement about who Jesus is—“I will build my church.” And then he added this about the Spirit-filled power of the church: “And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:13-20).
The church, according to Jesus, is unstoppable.
It's launch weekend at Harvest! A new ministry year is upon us, and it promises to be one like no other in our 15+ years of doing this. We believe that God is leading us to do something that will assault the very gates of hell. With that in mind, we are going to start the new ministry year with a teaching series called The Unstoppable Church. This weekend we will look at that famous Harvest benediction, “You are loved!” which is said at the end of every worship service. Over the course of the series, we will look at “what a church is and does” and “what a disciple is and does.” These messages will lay out our DNA as a church, reinforcing our mission, our approach to ministry, and our values.
Sermon Notes
The Unstoppable Church You Are Loved Pastor Todd Dugard // Various Scriptures September 10–11, 2016
When you hear the words “You are loved”
...you must believe that God loves you unconditionally (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Galatians 2:20; 1 John 4:10)
...which makes it possible for you to love him in return (1 John 2:15; 4:19; 5:3)
...and, as a result, to love (Matthew 22:37-38)
...your fellow believers (John 13:35; 1 John 4:7-8, 11, 20-21)
...those who live on the margins of society (Matthew 25:34-40; Luke 18:16; James 1:27)
...and even your enemies (Luke 6:27-36; 10:25-37)
We are pretty confident that every one of us would say we long to experience God's blessing in our lives. Who wouldn't want to experience his favour?! Who wouldn't want all the good things God has to offer?! The great news is that God wants that for us as well. He really does! He wants to bless us in more ways and to a greater degree than we could ever imagine. He's a good Father who loves to give good gifts to his children. His heart is for us and toward us.
And here's the thing: We're part of the equation too. There are things we can do that help to unleash God's blessing in our lives, and there are things we can do that block his blessing. Not in a way that forces God's hand—he's not obligated to anyone for anything—but in a way that he himself outlines throughout the Scriptures.
So the question for each of us is: What can I do—or not do—so that God will want to show his favour? How can I have a life God blesses? We're turning to the wisdom of Solomon for the answers.
Sermon Notes
A Life God Blesses Pastor Dan Brubacher // Proverbs 4:20-27 September 3–4, 2016
If I want God’s blessing in my life (v. 20-22), I must...
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Guard my heart (v. 23)
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Control my mouth (v. 24)
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Focus my eyes (v. 25)
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Direct my feet (v. 26-27)
There are all sorts of tests that can be done to determine if our heart is functioning properly. Some people in our church have had almost all of them!
Scripture talks a lot about our heart—meaning, of course, our inner person. How our inner person is functioning is pretty important. God examines our hearts, and Jesus said our words reveal our hearts. We like to think that we can keep what is going on inside, hidden inside our chest, but it keeps being revealed by what happens to us. Rest assured, God wants to show us what is really going on in there so that we can be healed and strengthened to live for him.
Today we will be examining what God reveals about the heart of a man called "Simon the Magnificent!" We will watch as God reveals whether he was living, how he was living, and where he was living—spiritually. Of course, as we do, we will be taking our own pulse spiritually as well.
Sermon Notes
HEART-CHECK Pastor Roger Freeman // Acts 8:4-24 August 27-28, 2016
When my heart is exposed (and it will be)...
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It shows whether I am living (v. 12–13)
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It shows how I am living (v. 14–23)
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It shows where I am living (v. 24)
Whether or not you should fear God’s judgment depends on a decision you make now. Those who have followed the promptings of the Holy Spirit and surrendered to Christ have no reason to fear God’s wrath. Anyone who hasn’t done that, well, it isn’t looking good.
Jesus dealt with that very issue of fear in a conversation with his disciples in Luke 12:1-12. He had been occupied with the religious leaders for a bit, but now he turned to assure his closest followers that his words to the Pharisees and scribes were not for them. Those assurances are solid promises that apply to any and all who would follow him. And they are going to bring comfort to all who hear his Word this weekend.
Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 3 Fear Him...Fear Him Not Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 12:1-12 August 13-14, 2016
When you resist the Lord, you should fear him because...
...he will win the power struggle (v. 1)
...he knows your motives (v. 2-3)
...he will send you to hell (v. 4-5)
When you follow the Lord, you should not fear him because…
...he values you greatly (v. 6-7)
...he welcomes you (v. 8-9)
...he forgives you (v. 10)
...he indwells and empowers you (v. 11-12)
Last weekend the pump was primed for this weekend’s message in Luke 11:37-54 where Jesus continues his assault on the religious leaders. He challenges their empty religious observance and exposes them for the frauds that they were on matters of justice. They were indifferent to the vulnerable in their society and were so burdening the people with religious rules that no was helping the hurting.
Sermon Notes
The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 3 These You Ought to Have Done Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 11:37-54 August 6-7, 2016
Jesus tells you what you ought to do as a true Christ follower...
...and it is not enough to be religiously observant (v. 37-42a, 43-54)
...but you have to do justice (v. 42b)
...and you have to love God (v. 42c)
We're cutting through some thick material in Luke 11-12 these summer weeks. We cannot be accused of toning it down for the summer, that's for sure. The themes of evil, judgment, and darkness are prominent as Jesus deals with the stubborn resistance of people who refused to accept who he was and what he was saying about how to truly be saved.
It is so critical that we lock this down for several reasons. For instance, so many people assume God is going to let everyone into heaven because we live in a society where every kid gets a ribbon. "He wouldn't send anyone to hell, would he?" Uh, yes, he would. And he's been telling us that for thousands of years.
That's what it really comes down to: will we believe what he's already revealed to us in the Word? In today's passage, Luke 11:29-36, Jesus sets himself up as a wise man who is greater than Solomon and a prophet greater than Jonah in an effort to get his hearers to know exactly how to find salvation.
Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 3 Full of Light Pastor Todd Dugard // Luke 11:29-36 July 30-31, 2016
You will find salvation in Jesus…
…not by seeing a miraculous sign from heaven, but by hearing the gospel preached (v. 29-30)
…not by trusting the world’s philosophies, but by pursuing the wisdom of God (v. 31)
…not by thinking that you’re good enough already, but by genuinely repenting of your sin (v. 32)
…not by assuming anything of God, but by personally choosing to be full of light (v. 33-34)
…not by making it up yourself, but by receiving the light of Christ alone (v. 35-36)
God is in full control. And Jesus gave us a glimpse of that in this week’s passage where he cast out a demon and then took the opportunity to give us all insight into the power and limitations of demons. We cannot be complacent about evil in the world and its influence in our individual lives, but nor should we fear it or resign ourselves to evil’s enslavement.
There is a personal decision that each one of us must make as we consider the good and the evil that present themselves to us. It is a choice. Jesus draws a line in the sand that cannot be ignored: you’re either for him, or you’re against him.
Sermon Notes
The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 3 A Divided Household Falls Luke 11:14-28 July 23-24, 2016
Single-minded devotion to Jesus Christ and his word is the only guaranteed protection against demonic work in your life.
4 things you need to know about demons... • They’re powerful (v. 14, 21-22, 26) • They’re determined (v. 24-26) • They’re working together (v. 17-20, 26) • They’re focused on creating disorder in your life (v. 14, 22, 26)
3 reactions to Jesus’ encounter with the demon... • Amazement (v. 14) • Hostility (v. 15) • Skepticism (v. 16)
But only 2 options in front of you... • You’re with him (v. 23) • You’re against him (v. 23)
And 1 line in the sand... • Will you, “hear the word of God and keep it”? (v. 27-28)
Sermon Notes
Hope In God Mike Armstrong Psalm 43 July 9-10, 2016
When all seems lost, I will hope in God...
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By letting him fight my battles (v. 1)
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While working through the emotional ups and downs (v. 2)
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As his truth leads me closer to him (v. 3-4)
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Coaching myself through any further turmoil (v. 5)
Sermon Notes I Will Rise Dr. Aaron Rock 1 Corinthians 15 July 2-3, 2016
Pivotal Truth? (v. 1-2) Sanctification proves justification’s authenticity.
Key Promise (v. 51–54; v. 29)
Practical Response (v. 58; v. 11)
Those first followers of Jesus asked a question that really does betray a struggle many/most of us still have today: how exactly should a person pray? What should we say? And so we cry out, as they did, “Lord, teach us!” Thankfully he did. In last week’s message we learned about the importance of having a regular and meaningful time in the Word of God, and now we have a passage on prayer. Seems like this section of Luke is all about the basic disciplines of a Christ follower’s life. So much falls into place when we lock down the reading of God’s Word and spending time with him in prayer. He speaks and we speak, and a conversation between God and his people happens. It’s an awesome thing. Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 3 Lord, Teach Us to Pray Luke 11:1-13 Pastor Todd Dugard June 25-26, 2016
When it comes to prayer, you might say...
“I feel pretty inadequate about it” And Jesus says, “Admit the struggle” (v. 1)
“I don’t know what to say” And Jesus says, “Follow this pattern” (v. 2-4)
“I give up on it too easily” And Jesus says, “Persist in asking” (v. 5-10)
“I doubt God will answer” And Jesus says, “Trust me to care for you” (v. 11-13)
It is a funny thing when the passage for a given weekend and the Hallmark holiday on that weekend don’t quite line up. It is Father's Day, of course, on Sunday, and our passage for this week is Luke 10:38-42…the story of Mary and Martha. So, men, are you a Mary or a Martha?
Actually the question is legit. These two women proved to be examples of two very different approaches to life in Christ. Both loved Jesus, there’s no doubt about that. But one showed her devotion and the other was terribly distracted by lesser things. I don’t think it is a stretch to say that dads, moms, kids, all of us are so distracted that we find it hard to do what Mary did: just sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to him speak. Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 3 One thing is necessary Luke 10:38-42 Pastor Todd Dugard June 11-12, 2016
A Christ-follower must be given to devotion not distraction.
When I’m DISTRACTED... When I’m DEVOTED...
I stop at welcoming Jesus in I stop to sit at Jesus’ feet
I’m occupied with many things I choose the one good thing I’m anxious and troubled I’m attentive to God’s Word
I think I need to fix others I know I need to focus on Jesus I’m rebuked by Jesus I’m commended by Jesus
You know that feeling when you’re reading and studying the Word of God and you don’t quite like what you’re reading because you know that applying it is going to turn things upside down in your life?
You know what I’m talking about?
Pretty sure that’s going to happen again this weekend as we look at Luke 10:25-37. A guy asks Jesus a question, gets the answer, and then looks for a way to not apply what he’s just heard.
Dang, that sounds a lot like me.
Sermon Notes
The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 3 Who is my neighbour? Pastor Todd Dugard Luke 10:25-37
All-in love for God produces all-in love for others.
Your relationship with God hangs in the balance (v. 25-28)
...so you can’t pick and choose whom to love (v. 29-35)
...but must show mercy to all (v. 36-37)
From time to time, the elders and pastors may sense the need to change up what was planned. It is our practice to prepare a 12-month preaching calendar each year, and we stick pretty close to it. But when we sense that God wants us to alter course, we listen to him. This weekend is one of those weekends. Having just restarted The Gospel of Luke series last weekend, we agonized over whether or not to jump out of it the very next week, but the need seemed great enough to do just that. We were affirmed in this decision, as we witnessed the baptism of 33 men and women who each answered the biblical call for baptism. All glory to God! Sermon Notes BAPTISM WEEKEND Here is Water Pastor Todd Dugard June 4-5, 2016
Baptism...
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The person (Acts 8:26-37; cf. 2:37-38, 41; Galatians 3:27)
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The purpose a. A picture of Christ’s redemption (Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:11-12) b. A personal response of faith (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38) c. A means of God’s grace d. A testimony to others
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The timing (Acts 8:36; cf. 2:37-38; 10:47-48; 16:14-15, 32-33)
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The mode (Acts 8:36-39; cf. Romans 6:3-4)
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The place (Acts 8:38; cf. 2:41)
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The benefits a. For you b. For fellow believers c. For a dying world
We’ll be in Luke 10:1-24 where Jesus sends the 72 out on a little mission. How Jesus sets them up and the response of the 72 provides us with a glimpse into what Jesus considers to be a successful ministry. Like you, I often wonder about that very thing: what makes us successful in ministry? Sermon Notes The Gospel of Luke | Pt. 3 I Am Sending You Pastor Todd Dugard Luke 10:1-24 May 28-29, 2016
How does Jesus measure success in what I do for him?
- Obedience: I do what he tells me to do (v. 1-2)
- Endurance: I overcome all obstacles (v. 3-8)
- Simplicity: I focus on the message of the gospel (v. 9)
- Trust: I leave the outcome to him (v. 10-15)
- Responsibility: I understand the weight of my task (v. 16)
- Satisfaction: I find joy in what he calls me to do (v. 17)
- Gratitude: I’m thankful for what he’s done for me (v. 18-24)
"Meeting My Need for Guidance"
Marv is back this weekend to continue his two-part series on getting to know God through his "anthropomorphisms" -- that's when God uses human body parts to describe his character and actions. Last time we explored his hands, and this time we are considering his eyes. May these unique biblical truths draw each of us into a deeper relationship with our Heavenly Father.
Our Father God desires a very personal, intimate relationship with His children through self-revelation. The strong hands of our Father provide His children with the necessary mercy and security to persevere in the journey of life.
Sermon Notes Holding onto My Father’s Hands Meeting My Need for Security Marvin Brubacher May 14-15, 2016
Our Father God desires a very personal, intimate relationship with His children through self-revelation. The strong hands of our Father provide His children with the necessary mercy and security to persevere in the journey of life.
- The Father’s strong hands reveal His mighty power in the world (Heb. 1:10; 1 Peter 5:6) a. Creation is a sign of the Father’s powerful hands (Heb. 1:10) b. We are exhorted to humble ourselves under His mighty hand (1 Pet. 5:6) My response: Am I humble before Him?
- The Father’s severe hands reveal His desire for genuine relationship (Psalm 32:4) a. The Father cannot look away when people rebel against Him b. This is true for nations and individuals (Psalm 32:4) c. God’s discipline is a sign you are his child (Heb. 12:4-11) My response: Do I respond to the Father’s discipline with genuine sorrow?
- The Father’s secure hands reveal His loving providence (Psalm 37:23-24) a. I am secure in His family (John 10: 28-30) b. He supplies my most basic needs in life (Ps. 145: 14-16) My response: Am I trusting the Father for my security?
Today we will complete our eight-message series, “Make Ready” with a message on humility. In a very real sense, humility should be the starting point. Edmund Burke makes the point that, "True humility—the basis of the Christian system—is the low but deep and firm foundation of all virtues." Everything else we have studied in this series rests on whether or not we are humble.
It should not be surprising that the best example of humility and the focus of our study this weekend is Jesus himself. In Matthew 20:20-28 a request is made of him; one that springs from pride. Jesus seizes the moment to teach about true greatness, about servanthood and, without ever using the word, humility.
We’re nearing the end of our series, “Make Ready”; just two messages left. We’ll be in Job 1 looking at steadfast endurance in the face of crushing circumstances. Job is the poster boy for that. When he said, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” it was not just some greeting card sentiment. It was a resolve that came from his deep faith in God’s choices for him.
This is an important message that will shape what we believe about God’s plans for us and how the unseen, spirit world intersects with our own.
"I love that sense of adventure and of getting out there to do something great for God. I found this song to be a great motivation as Cheryl and I considered what God had for us in ministry in those early days of our marriage. It was that spirit that compelled us to move to Barrie and help plant this church.
That spirit is also what’s behind this current series and this weekend’s message in Nehemiah 1 where we’ll see a man who had focus and determination to build a wall and thereby do something great for God and his people." –Todd Dugard
Could it be that peace is among the more elusive qualities that God desires us to have? Anxiety, fear, stress, and worry—so much a part of all of our lives—repel peace. With the words of Jesus resonating in my ears and in my heart—“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27)—we should be doing better at this. Join us as we resume our series entitled Make Ready. We’ll be in John 21:15-23 seeking to be at peace with God and therefore our circumstances. Peter had a stirring personal encounter with Jesus that laid the foundation for his future life and work, giving him the peace he needed to do what God had called him to do.
If you’ve missed or want to review the first four messages in this series, follow the links for “Unwavering Faith” (Joshua and Caleb), “Clear Identity” (Jacob), “Highest Integrity” (Daniel), and “Radical Devotion” (Ruth)—all things God wants us to have in preparation for the work he wants to do in and through us.
Sermon Notes
Make Ready God-Given Peace Pastor Todd Dugard // John 21:15-23 April 17, 2016
You’ll have God-given peace when you understand that…
• You can’t be in conflict with God and be at peace (v. 15-17) • You can’t choose your own way and be at peace (v. 18-19) • You can’t compare yourself to others and be at peace (v. 20-23)
There’s nothing quite like talking about the future things that God has planned for us and for our world. People love looking into the apocalyptic passages of the Bible and seeing what is coming.
We’re going to dive into that this weekend as we complete our short series titled Saviour! with a message on “His Long-Anticipated Return” from Revelation 19:11-16.
The question in front of us will be the one we touched on last week: are you and I anticipating the imminent return of Jesus?
In this message Pastor Todd includes a primer on future things since this is a topic he hasn't really touched on very much. Harvest is a family with folks from all kinds of church backgrounds and many without any church background. It’ll be good to lay down some basics.
Sermon Notes Saviour! His Long-Anticipated Return Pastor Todd Dugard // Revelation 19:11-16 April 9–10, 2016
Are you anticipating the imminent return of Jesus?
• Watch for his coming (v. 11a) • Trust his plan (v. 11b) • Acknowledge his qualifications (v. 12-13) • Follow his leadership (v. 14) • Fear his wrath (v. 15-16)
"He ascended into heaven" Those words are from the Apostles’ Creed, which those of you who have had a more liturgical church background will know quite well. The creed established basic doctrinal truths concerning Jesus Christ, including his departure from earth to the Father’s right hand. Jesus sent, in his place, the Holy Spirit and the power that comes from having God’s Spirit not just with us but also in us. And he told us in Acts 1:6-11 why we would need that power: his followers are to stand in the face of much opposition and testify about Jesus Christ and preach the good news to all people in every part of the world.
That’s what we will be looking at this weekend as we gather for His Empowering Ascension. The mini-series we’re in right now is called Saviour! Pastor Dan preached the first message, His Love-Demonstrating Crucifixion, on Good Friday (available in audio format only on our website), and Pastor Todd preached His Life-Giving Resurrection at the Easter services. We’ll conclude the series next weekend with His Long-Anticipated Return. Sermon Notes Saviour! His Empowering Ascension Pastor Todd Dugard // Acts 1:6-11 April 2–3, 2016
Before Jesus ascended to heaven, he gave you a mission to fulfill.
• Feel the urgency (v. 6-7) • Grasp the simplicity (v. 8) • See the clarity (v. 9-11)
This is the best weekend of all weekends… Best because God knows our frame; he remembers we are dust. Psalm 103:14 Best because God saw that we were without hope in this world. Ephesians 2:12 Best because God so loved the world that he sent us his one and only son. John 3:16 Best because Jesus took on human flesh and dwelt among us. John 1:14 Best because he was acquainted with all our grief. Isaiah 53:3 Best because he was tempted in every way like us yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15 Best because he prayed to the Father, “Not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:39 Best because he was pierced for our transgressions. Isaiah 53:5 Best because with his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 Best because he said from the cross, “It is finished.” John 19:30 Best because Jesus offered himself as a single and final sacrifice for sin. Hebrews 10:12 Best because death is swallowed up in victory. 1 Corinthians 15:54 Best because death has lost its sting. 1 Corinthians 15:55 Best because the tomb is empty, and… …HE IS RISEN! Matthew 28:6
Sermon Notes Saviour! His Life-giving Resurrection Pastor Todd Dugard // 1 Corinthians 15:12-23 March 26-27, 2016
To receive Jesus’ offer of life now and for eternity, you must believe in the resurrection (v. 12-13)
If you don’t,
…our preaching is pathetic (v. 14a)
…our faith is futile (v. 14b)
…our witness is worthless (v. 15)
and,
…you’re still in your sin (v. 16-17)
…you’re without hope (v. 18)
…you’re to be pitied for your belief (v. 19)
But, if you do believe,
…you’ll be raised with him (v. 20-21)
…and made alive (v. 22)
…when he comes back (v. 23)
Pastor Dan Brubacher introduced our "Saviour!" series with this first message at our Good Friday service.
We are concluding our Jesus on Money series with a message entitled When You Are Free: Power! Pastor Todd starts our time with the account of Jesus watching the offerings being brought into the Temple and the comment he made about the widow’s offering. That will touch off a discussion about generosity and sacrifice. When we do what Jesus has told us to do, it will release the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Download the additional "Measuring Up In My Giving" points mentioned in the message » Sermon Notes Jesus On Money WHEN YOU ARE FREE: POWER! Pastor Todd Dugard // Mark 12:41-44 March 19-20, 2016
D. When I am financially free, I have the power to...
- Bless my family
- Help the hurting
- Fund the mission Questions & Answers Q: If I am in debt, should I still give my regular offering or pay off my debt first? I’m talking about consumer debt. And how much do I give?
A: While being aggressive in paying off debt, we don’t want to become so focused on one thing we lose sight of everything else. We want to be out of debt so we can serve God with gladness and generosity. That begins now! So you should give something, and it should be an act of faith, not chump change that costs you nothing. How much? It will be different for each one. Perhaps the best way to go about it is to give an amount that forces you to sacrifice. For some, that might be a meal. For others, a vacation, or taking less vacation. Then give it first, give it regularly, and give it joyfully. Work through the 12 criteria that we learned in the series to determine what you should give.
Q: I am not in severe financial need and have no outstanding debts, other than my credit card, which I pay off every two weeks. I do struggle with some sinful spending habits, but it doesn't ever get out of hand. After the money litmus test I've determined that I am not consumed over money, and don't struggle with greed. However, I do have several saving funds in process and spend a generous amount of money on hobbies. I also tithe regularly, and try to be generous in it, as well as have a sponsor child I support. My main struggle is, is it wrong if I spend more money monthly on a hobby than my tithe? With a hobby and saving towards some financial goals, is that being selfish where I could use this abundance of money towards something else? Is this something I have to just personally sort out with God?
A: Yes, you have to sort it out personally with God. It is a wisdom issue. Get some good counsel. And remember that one day you will look into the eyes of Jesus and it might sound a little lame to say “Thank you for the great times flying my plane” (real or remote control). However, remember that God wants you to enjoy what he has provided on this earth.
Q: Any advice for a couple that isn’t on the same page with the study? How can a saver handle a spender?
A: That issue isn’t financial! You need communication and problem-solving tools. They will work great in every area! The real issue is getting on the same page. If you can talk about it and find a solution that you can both agree to, there is nothing that can break your harmony! Dave Ramsay would say you both are responsible for the budget. The nerd makes it and the free spirit approves it, suggesting they both agree with it. I know you want us to say, “Curb the spender!” But the saver usually needs to lighten up a bit too!
Q: How does a believer approach the IWBNIN financial management process when their spouse is a non-believer?
A: Other than sorting out giving, pretty much exactly the same way. Seems to me most people that are wealthy, did it this way, and most of them are not saved. And most of them are generous.
Q: How does a believer approach the IWBNIN financial management process when their spouse is a non-believer?
A: Other than sorting out giving, pretty much exactly the same way. Seems to me most people that are wealthy, did it this way, and most of them are not saved. And most of them are generous.
Q: My heart is troubled and broken for those who have either been a victim of crushing debt and also for those who struggle with the devastating sin of covetousness. We all struggle with the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. And to borrow a phrase from Max Lucado, “Jesus is the cure to this common life.” As we submit to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, we will get victory but often after many failures and disappointments. I have learned the hard way that God does not give you a U Haul and that we cannot hold on to anything or anyone too tightly in this life. I appreciate the series on money, however I wish it were tempered with a little more justice, grace and mercy. Applying the truths of 1 Corinthians 13, Galatians 5 and even more specifically Micah 6:8 in order to be sensitive to the fact that at the end of the day God does not need our money. He does not need us. But for reasons we will never fully comprehend, he loves us and this kind of love fuels our love and compassion for others. Our giving merely becomes an outpouring of love that does not expect to get any reward other than the love of our Saviour.
So in thinking how we give:
Is giving not under the control and leadership of the Holy Spirit? Should we not be encouraged to give in such a way that is secret, without fanfare. Avoiding the sin of a Pharisee and prideful motives? What about gifts of time talent and other treasures? Should the church find creative ways to give that offer ways to serve Christ other than the offering plate? I believe that Jesus Christ leads us into all truth as we spend time applying the truth of scripture, listening to the still small voice. We can get into a dangerous territory when we judge a fellow worker by our own personal convictions, remembering that while we are all part of the body of Christ, each one of us fulfills a very different function.
Thanks for the opportunity to truly consider this issue and put it in somewhat of a proper perspective. Still a work in progress! Shalom.
A: Yes it is under the control and leadership of the Holy Spirit. (That should cover all your other comments!)
Yes, give in secret but Proverbs 11:25 says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” Also, 1 Timothy 5:25 says, “So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.”
For sure we encourage giving more than money. True giving starts with our hearts but if it never reaches your wallet something is wrong! 2 Corinthians 8:5 says, “And this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.”
Q: If it is our responsibility to work and provide for our own households, is it biblical to solely rely on the donations of others to live as a missionary? Or should they both accept donations and work simultaneously?
A: Paul is pretty clear on this. 1 Timothy 5:8 says, “For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer deserves his wages.’”
1 Timothy 5:17 says, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.” In 2 Thessalonians 3 Paul notes he didn’t rely on their giving but not because he didn’t have that right. He says, “For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.”
Galatians 6:6 says, “Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.” Download the additional "Measuring Up In My Giving" points mentioned in the message »
Our third message in the Jesus on Money series this message is titled “When You Own It: Freedom.” This ownership is, of course, a qualified ownership. It is you owning the money in contrast to money owning you. The reality for Christ followers is that you don’t actually own it so much as you are a steward or manager of what God owns. “The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell in it,” says King David in Psalm 24:1. And the language of Jesus reinforces that truth. More often than not, he uses an illustration of a steward or manager in his teachings about money.
Getting that perspective gives us a further reason to rightly handle the money that comes into our hands month by month. This weekend we will get the Bible open again to see what Jesus has to say about the money he has given to us. Sermon Notes Jesus On Money WHEN YOU OWN IT: FREEDOM Pastor Todd Dugard // Matthew 22:15–21; Luke 12:42–48; 14:28–30; 16:1–13 March 12-13, 2016
C. When you own your money (rather than it owning you), you are free in Christ to…
1. Diligently earn it
2. Responsibly save it
3. Wisely spend it
Next Week: D. WHEN YOU ARE FREE: POWER!
Three words: greed, wealth, and debt. Those are the shackles that keep solid believers in slavery to money. And those three words are the focus of message two in our current teaching series, Jesus on Money. Because our perspective on money is, according to Jesus, a heart issue, this is one of the most important series of messages I have taught in some time. How we handle our money is a reflection of the gospel’s impact on our lives. Today, we will look at When It Owns You: Slavery.
Jesus talked much about money. Sixteen of the thirty-eight parables were concerned with how to handle money and possessions. In the Gospels, an amazing one out of ten verses (288 in all) deals directly with the subject of money. The Bible offers 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 verses on faith, but more than 2,000 verses on money and possessions" (Howard L. Dayton, Jr.). But despite the priority the Bible gives to the topic, Christ followers still struggle to live biblically in the area of personal finances. So, we are starting a new four-week teaching series this weekend that will explore what Jesus said about money. The principles of personal finance that we will look at have the potential to radically transform your life because, as Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Sermon Notes Jesus On Money YOU OWN IT; IT DOESN'T OWN YOU Todd Dugard // Various Scriptures February 27-28, 2016
A. To ensure that I own my money and it doesn’t own me, I must be...
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Open about my struggle with money (Luke 8:14; 16:14)
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Biblical in my understanding of money (Luke 16:19-31)
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Undivided in my heart concerning money (Matthew 6:21-24)
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Intentional in my handling of money (Luke 14:28-30)
Next Week: B. WHEN IT OWNS YOU: SLAVERY
An inspiring message from Dr. Reed and a great reminder about the fact that Jesus is building his church and that he uses ordinary people like us to accomplish his mission.
Special thanks to one of our own members, Dayo Idowu, for bring God’s Word to us this weekend. Dayo and his wife, Tinu, founded an orphanage in Ibadan, Nigeria as part of the Children of Promise Ministries. Life's challenges and troubles are inescapable, but we should never give up. Instead, we should expect God to intervene and bring about the change that he desires in us and around us. May God stir up fresh faith in each of our hearts to persevere and trust him, no matter what is going on in our lives. He is good, and he is faithful. Sermon Notes Never Give Up On Divine Intervention Dayo Idowu 2 Kings 25:27-30 February 13-14, 2016
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Life's challenges and troubles are inescapable (resulted in capture and imprisonment)
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Never give up (for the Comforter is working alongside us)
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Change will come (expect your freedom)
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Expect divine intervention (God’s plan for us is good – Jeremiah 29:11)
As we finish up part one of our “Make Ready” series, we’ll be in Ruth 1:1-18 looking at what it means to be radically devoted to Jesus Christ. Ruth made a life-altering decision at a crucial moment that demonstrated her deep devotion to God. There are some powerful truths in her well-known declaration, “Where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried.” Get ready to be challenged. Sermon Notes Make Ready Radical Devotion Pastor Todd Dugard // Ruth 1:1-18 February 6-7, 2016
As a true follower of Jesus Christ, I will be radically devoted to...
...the purpose God has for me: “Where you go I will go” (v. 1-16a)
...the place God has put me: “Where you lodge I will lodge” (v. 16b)
...the people God has given me: “Your people shall be my people” (v. 16c)
...the praise God desires from me: “Your God my God” (v. 16d)
...the perseverance God requires of me: “Where you die I will die” (v. 17-18)
We're continuing our Make Ready series with a message from Daniel 6 called “Highest Integrity.” Sermon Notes
Make Ready Highest Integrity Pastor Todd Dugard // Daniel 6 January 30-31, 2016
When you are a believer of the highest integrity...
• You stand out in the crowd (v. 1-3)
• You have a clear conscience (v. 4-5)
• You are consistent in every way (v. 6-20)
• You trust God for vindication (v. 21-28)
We're continuing our Make Ready series with a look at Jacob’s wrestling match with God in Genesis 32:22-32 in a message titled Clear Identity. In that overnight struggle with the Lord, Jacob locked down who he was, changed the course of his life and became one of Israel’s patriarchs. What we need to hear from God’s Word is that the Lord truly wants that for each one of us: that we would know exactly who we are and have our identity firmly rooted in Jesus Christ. This will further prepare us for the big move of God that he may have planned for us.
Sermon Notesfunction SelectAll(id) { document.getElementById(id).focus(); document.getElementById(id).select(); } Make Ready Clear Identity Pastor Todd Dugard // Genesis 32:22-32 January 24, 2016
When you know who you are, you can handle anything that comes your way.
• Get one-on-one with God (22-24a)
• Wrestle it out with him (24b-25)
• Hold on to him until he blesses you (26)
• Find your new identity in him alone (27-30)
• Walk unashamedly with the limp he gives you (31-32)
View Sermon Notes As we set out to purchase and renovate the building that will become a place of our own, we need to ensure we are ready for it. That’s the point of this first teaching series of 2016, Make Ready. We’ll be looking at eight different biblical characters to see how God prepared each of them for the big move they would all later experience. Unwavering faith, clear identity, highest integrity, radical devotion, God-given peace, focused determination, steadfast endurance, and a humble heart all come as we make ready for a big work of God in our lives.
We’ll get started this weekend looking at the mission of the twelve spies in Numbers 13-14. Some in that group had an unwavering faith and others, not so much. The big move of God would come some 40 years later, and only those who demonstrated an unwavering faith would live to see it. Seems to me that an unwavering faith is something we’d all want. I know God wants it for us.
View Sermon Notes How exciting that God has finally led us to "a place of our own," amen?! But don't forget Pastor Todd's statement: the big announcement isn't really about a building--it's about what God will accomplish in our midst in the months to come. Our journey is just getting started.
Happy New Year, Harvest! I don’t know if you’re on this program, but one of the things that many people do as they flip the calendar from December to January is to make some new year’s resolutions. You know, stuff like: I want to . . . lose weight, pay off debt, save more money, be more generous, find a better job, exercise regularly, quit smoking, reduce stress, spend more time with loved ones, and so on. All good things to go after.
When you stop and think about it, “resolution” and “resolve” aren’t words that we use a lot these days, other than at this time of year. They have the idea of coming to a firm and determined decision to accomplish something specific or to abide by certain principles. After some reflection, you commit yourself to take steps along a definite path that, if faithfully followed, will change the destination of your life.
Now I’m all for us making resolutions about physical health, personal finances, or everyday habits, but this weekend I’m going to challenge us to consider making a spiritual resolution that I believe is absolutely fundamental for each of our lives in 2016.
Throughout Scripture the Christian life is pictured as growing. Beginning as an infant in Christ, we are to grow up in him, becoming mature, reaching the full stature of adulthood—hitting maximum maturity! Maturity is defined as being like Christ, having a fuller understanding of God, ourselves and redemption. It is natural to grow up. We want to be mature!
One of the key marks of maturity is love. Paul says that it is the goal of his writing (1 Timothy 1:5), and John refers to it as the primo mark of belonging to God (John 13:35; 1 John 4:7-8). First Corinthians 13 is one of the high points of Scripture. It is recognized as a masterpiece of writing, expressing the gold standard of what love should be.
Below is a supplementary document described in this message. Summary of Challenges Love is: Patient - "to bear up under provocation without complaint, be patient, forbearing." It's not that loving people are inefficient, but that they have their priorities straight. Impatience is strongly tinged with accomplishing my own agenda. It can be intensely selfish at the expense of others. Impatience often leads to complaining about people and about God himself. Test: Do I complain? Go a day without complaining about or to a specific person. Kind – “Others-centered, considerate of others. A kind person is quick to help when he or she senses a need.” “Most of the hurt in this world is done by people who could have done better” –Mark Dehaan, Radio Bible Class Test: Do I take the time to be considerate and meet a need? Find a need to meet. Rejoices with the truth – “Glad when justice is done, that the hidden truth of a situation comes to light.” Test: Pray for unsolved crime to be exposed and dealt with, for injustices to be corrected. Join in supporting an individual suffering injustice. Bears all things – “Protects - the sense of covering or enclosing in such a way as to keep something undesirable from coming in, as water into a ship.” Test: Find someone vulnerable for whom you can do something to protect. Believes all things - "to consider something to be true and therefore worthy of one's trust, believe ... be convinced of something." This doesn't mean that love is hopelessly naive. But love always believes the best about a person. Love is faithful to people. Love is essentially optimistic and looks for the best. Test: Choose to reject something negative said about someone else. Refuse to listen! Hopes all things - "to look forward to something, with implication of confidence about something coming to pass, hope, hope for." Love doesn't give up hope. It looks to God and his saving power to redeem even the worst situation or the most hardened person. Test: Renew your commitment to pray for the salvation of someone you know. Endures all things - "to maintain a belief or course of action in the face of opposition, stand one's ground, hold out, endure." Test: Choose an action to continue even though you are getting opposition. Never ends – Literally “falls” - "become inadequate for some function, fail, weaken." Test: Renew your commitment to someone. Love isn’t: Envious - "to have intense negative feelings over another's achievements or success, be filled with jealousy, envy toward someone." Test: Congratulate someone opposed to you on their success or accomplishment. Boastful - defending and propagating our own self-image - "to heap praise on oneself." It is often a sign of my deep insecurity and need for others to validate me with their approval. Test: Refuse to point out your role or take credit for something. Defer credit to someone else. Arrogant – “an exaggerated self-conception.” One of the pernicious techniques of pride and getting one's own way is to run down and discredit your opponent. Test: Seek an honest evaluation of your abilities. Seek an objective view of yourself. (Then half it!) Rude - "to behave disgracefully, dishonorably, indecently.” Below standard. Test: Is there any behavior I would not want publicized? Selfish (insist on it’s own way) - literally, "seek the things of itself.” Test: Give up something you want for what someone else wants. Irritable – “Easily angered or provoked.” A state of inward arousal that can be caused by almost anything, expressed with anger or shortness. Test: Refuse to react to something that bothers you, and then think about why it bothers you. Give up getting your own way. Resentful (count up wrongdoing) - literally, “Keeping score.” Test: Stop counting! Refuse to feel sorry for yourself or get even. Evil (rejoicing at wrong doing) – “Being glad or rejoicing when something bad happens to a person we don't like.” Test: Rush to help someone you don’t like when they are experiencing trouble.
Why not take “The Love Dare”? The Love Dare Stephen and Alex Kendrick (2008) ISBN 978-0-8054-4885-6 B and H Publishing Group Nashville, Tennessee www.BHPublishingGroup.com
Santa always asks the kid on his knee, “Have you been a good boy this year?” And the kid always says, “Yes!” Which proves he isn’t ‘cuz he just lied. Fact is, no one is good. Everyone is on the naughty list. So, as we get together for our Christmas weekend services, anticipating an amazing time reflecting on the first advent of Jesus Christ into the world, I’ll be getting God’s Word open to Mark 10 where we read of a young man who thought being good was the way to get right with God. Jesus made the point that “No one is good except God alone,” so the task was impossible. But the incredible news is that he’s actually such a good God that he personally made a way for us to receive the greatest gift anyone could ever get and we don’t need to be good to get it. Merry Christmas!
View Sermon Notes Describing the glory of God is probably one of the toughest concepts a preacher has to handle. How can I possibly explain the awesomeness of God? Exposed to a mere passing glimpse of Yahweh’s glory, Moses’ face glowed and that glowing face terrified the people who saw him afterward. The request that Moses made to God—show me your glory—was a noble and worthwhile one. God honoured it.
We too can position ourselves to see the glory of God and experience what some have called “the manifest presence” of the Lord. That’s what’s ahead of us in this tenth and final message in our Bound for Glory series. We want to see his glory both now and when the journey ends—when all genuine followers of Christ are glorified in his presence forever.
View Sermon Notes It would actually be more helpful to appreciate and not just accept God’s discipline in our lives. In fact, we should LOVE the fact that God disciplines us. LOVE it! We need God to get our attention when we stray. We absolutely need correction to become holy and righteous in his eyes. So, a terrible but not entirely unexpected thing happens in Exodus 32. Moses had been up on Mount Sinai for so long that the people got a wee bit impatient and decided that he wasn’t coming back. Without really knowing it, they violated the second commandment and made an idol to worship. The famous Golden Calf. Needless to say, both Moses and the Lord were displeased. There was no chance that the people were going to escape their foolishness without being disciplined. The stakes were too high, and a message needed to be sent. We’ll take a close look at all of that today as we continue our Bound for Glory series in Exodus. The principles we’ll see on the way are going to bring clarity as to the Lord’s ongoing discipline in your life and mine.
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View Sermon Notes In Exodus 19-31 we see God expressing his deep love and affection for his chosen people. He calls them his “treasured possession” and goes on to give Moses a series of laws that would govern the covenant relationship between God and his people. It might seem odd that laws should be the expression of his love and yet they are because when God says “Don’t” he means “Don’t hurt yourself.” And he says so because he loves you. Subscribe on iTunes
View Sermon Notes We're getting our Bibles open to Exodus 18 and a conversation that Moses and his father-in-law have about how to wisely handle the day-to-day matters that come our way. If you need some practical, hands-on wisdom from God, this is the message for you.
View Sermon Notes I think we all know we’re screw-ups in need of God’s mercy. I think we also know that we don’t deserve anything from God—well…except his judgment and wrath. We deserve that. And yet, in his grace and mercy, the Father has reached out to offer us forgiveness and provided us with a way to enter into relationship with him. Our series in Exodus, Bound for Glory, continues this weekend as we look at chapters 16-17 where God miraculously feeds them, provides water and helps them prevail against an enemy intent on their destruction. In each case, it is an example of his grace—undeserved and unearned favour—being poured out to them. And it is an example for us to take note of because God’s M.O. hasn’t changed. He wants to pour out that same grace in your life and mine.
“It’s not whether you win or lose but how you play the game.” What a crock! Winning is the point of playing.
In Exodus 14-15 the Jews are in the fast lane out of Egypt. By all accounts, the Egyptians had been soundly defeated, and Pharaoh, having been humbled by the death of his own son during the tenth plague, had commanded the people to leave. Then he changed his mind, and it was back on. And the people of Israel needed one more win; the final defeat of the Egyptian army. There are some solid principles in that account that will help us all claim and celebrate the victory that God has given us through Jesus Christ. We’re not just here to participate and play nice, but to win.
View Sermon Notes Guest preacher Rick Donald from Harvest Bible Chapel Chicago opens God’s Word to bring us a very practical message on how we can experience the joy of the Lord here and now.
View Sermon Notes "In my defens, God me defend." That’s the motto on the coat of arms of Scotland. It comes from a poem known as an Old Scots Prayer that continues with this line, and bring my saulle to ane guid end O Lord. All I can say is, “Amen to that!” But kilts, bagpipes and haggis aside, we are super grateful for our partnership with Harvest Bible Chapel Glasgow and Pastor Scott Hamilton, and we welcome him here to Harvest Barrie this weekend to preach God’s Word. There are several other leaders who have travelled with Scott in anticipation of attending our Harvest University conference in Oakville this week.
Scott’s message, “Rooted…in Refusal,” is from 1 John 2:15-25. I guarantee that God will do a deep work in our church as we hear his Word proclaimed.
View Sermon Notes If you stripped everything down and arrived at the most basic needs that you have, how long would that list be? You'd have water on the list for sure. Food of some kind. Clothing and shelter. Maybe you'd have relationships on there too. Would that be it? Is everything else an extra?
In Exodus 12-13 the most devastating of the plagues or signs that God was bringing upon the Egyptians occurred, the death of the firstborn. Grief gripped them and Pharaoh, having lost his own son, finally relented and commanded that the Jews leave his land. But Israel would be leaving behind all of the security of Egypt for an unknown journey. The greatest question would be, how would they provide for themselves? Where would the basics of life come from?
Today we’ll be looking at how God provided for Israel and how he provides for us.
Small Group Curriculum
View Sermon Notes There are no shortages of pitfalls, challenges, and all-out assaults on the institution of marriage. Our family backgrounds, what we see in the media and entertainment industries, how the government views it, and our own sinfulness all negatively influence the union that we have with our spouse. And we’d all agree that having the kind of marriage that truly rocks is not at all easy.
But working toward that is so important because marriage matters. It matters to the husband and wife in the marriage. It matters to the kids and grandkids produced by the marriage. It matters to your friends and extended family. It matters to your church. And it matters to society as a whole. After all, God created marriage. It was the first human institution, and it was created before the fall into sin. Marriage matters to God, and it ought to matter to us.
We’re so pleased to have Pastor Trent Griffith and his wife Andrea with us this weekend to lead our Marriage Matters conference on Friday and Saturday. In addition, Trent will be preaching at our weekend services on the topic of marriage.
Trent Griffith is the founding senior pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel in Granger, Indiana where his wife Andrea serves in women’s ministries and regularly speaks at women’s conferences. Trent and Andrea are also speakers for FamilyLife’s Weekend to Remember Marriage Getaways. Prior to planting Harvest in 2009, Trent and Andrea spent fifteen years as conference speakers with Life Action Ministries where they ministered in over 300 churches across North America. Trent and Andrea have four children and live near South Bend, Indiana.
View Sermon Notes Did you know that it took Moses 80 years to figure out what he was supposed to be doing with his life? EIGHTY YEARS! And it took a miraculous appearance of the LORD himself to tell him what his life’s purpose was. I’d like to think that we might be able to lock that down in 45 to 50 minutes today with just the Word of God in our hands. Whaddya think? We’ll give it a go as we look at Exodus 3-4 in our series called Bound for Glory.
View Sermon Notes The well-known line by Ralph Waldo Emerson says, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” Altered just a bit, it lines up perfectly with how God sees it all: Life is a journey with a destination. The Book of Exodus plots that journey for the believer as it recounts the story of the Hebrews becoming the people of God on the way to their Promised Land. For the Jews, it was the land of Canaan, but for the Christ-follower today, it is the eternal kingdom of Jesus Christ. We are bound for glory! And along the way, God works in us to ensure that the journey is all about the destination. His promise is to shape us into his people saying, “It is an awesome thing that I will do with you” (Exodus 34:10 ESV). Today we begin a ten-week series that goes after those awesome things that God has in store for us as we make our way.
View Sermon Notes God’s grace is defined as “unmerited favour.” A popular way of defining it is, “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” Grace is a topic that cannot be exhausted. We will still be discovering its wonders years from now. Understanding what it cost Jesus is the study of a lifetime. Understanding what it means to me is the study of a lifetime. It is amazing because a child can grasp it in order to accept it, and yet smart people can still be wrestling with it for years.
So what does grace get me? Paul’s letter to Titus gives us three things that are at once exhaustive, covering it all; and yet suggestive, leading us to long for more insight.
God’s grace crashed into history, changing everything and furthering God’s great plan for redemption. It crashed into our history, changing us every day of our lives. It changes our perspective and our purpose.
View Sermon Notes Kevin Weeks Suffering is all around us. Turn on the news tonight and you're bound to hear stories of war, terrorism, violence, murder, abuse, theft, corruption, disease, and illness, just to name a few. But suffering isn't just around us. It's in us.
We all experience suffering at different times and to varying degrees. Maybe your health has failed, your marriage has crumbled, your faith is being tested, or you've lost a loved one that has left a profound emptiness in your heart.
If you're like me, it can be very easy to forget the power of the truth in the middle of my pain. And yet, it's in the middle of my pain that I most need the power of the truth. In 2 Corinthians 4:7-18, the Apostle Paul declares that God has one main purpose that he will accomplish in our suffering.
View Sermon Notes Now we can argue about the accuracy of Murphy’s Laws, but the point is, they’re humorous attempts to explain how life works. They’re observations about the relationship between actions and outcomes, between inputs and outputs. They’re principles that articulate the way things happen.
Today we’re going to look at a passage of Scripture that essentially does the same thing but in the spiritual realm. These words from the apostle Paul tell us how the Christian life works; they describe the way things happen in our walk with God. This text is one that we’d all be wise to heed in our pursuit of God.
View Sermon Notes Today we are blessed to have our elder chair Terry Codling preach God’s Word. Terry previously served as a pastor and has wonderful insights into the Scriptures. This is where he is headed in our teaching time: The generations that follow us are of significant importance to God. He places a trust responsibility on us to teach those who come behind us to know the Lord. Psalm 78:5-8 spells this out clearly, where the psalmist speaks of at least four (and probably five) successive generations and tells us four specific truths that we should be teaching them.
We will be looking at Isaiah 9:1-7 to discover the rich blessings of a life with Jesus. It’s a passage full of history and meaning, and particularly appropriate in light of the difficulties we face in life. In a day when doom and gloom seem to surround us, God’s Word pierces the darkness more than ever to encourage our heart and give us hope.
Guest preacher: Rob Willey
View Sermon Notes In Isaiah 66:1-2, God makes two things very clear: who he is (and thus why his approval matters more than anyone else’s) and of whom he approves. Seems to me that that’s what I ought to be looking for more often than not.
View Sermon Notes In Luke 9:51-62, Jesus “set his face to go to Jerusalem.” The next chapters are the journey to that fateful week—when the days drew near for him to be taken up—that would end with his crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. Once he left Galilee, the road for Jesus and his followers would become increasingly difficult, but the Bible will remind us that as Christ-followers, the harder things get, the firmer our resolve should be. That’s what we see in Jesus, for sure.
View Sermon Notes Most people…all people probably…are looking for some kind of significance in life. Some would call it “greatness”. Generally greatness is sought in one or more of three ways: recognition (fame, status), riches (security) or relationships (love, sex). Thus, greatness is always measured in terms of what we gain. How high we reach. What we achieve. But when asked about what it takes to be great, Jesus said that greatness isn’t in what you gain but what you give. His exact words were, “He who is least among you all is the one who is great.” In one line he turns the whole notion of greatness on its head.
That’s what we’ll be looking at in Luke’s Gospel today: a challenging passage about greatness.
View Sermon Notes This week we will be looking at Luke 9:37-45. At the time, Jesus' followers were still pretty confused about who he was and about his plan. With the Word of God in our hands, we have no such excuse. The appeal in this week’s passage is for us all to know this about Jesus: he’s patient, powerful and purposeful. Thus, we should thank him, worship him and trust him. Seems simple enough, right?
View Sermon Notes This week we look at Luke 9:23-36 and the account of Jesus’ transfiguration. He was transfigured in the sense that his divine glory was, for a moment or two, unveiled. In his human form he was transfigured to reveal a small glimpse of his glory. Only Peter, James and John were privileged enough to experience that, but the effects of that glory-filled moment with Jesus is intended to be experienced by everyone who believes in Jesus Christ. Including me and you.
View Sermon Notes Who exactly is Jesus Christ? People have been wrestling with that question for about two thousand years now. In fact, without knowing his name, they had been wondering about the identity of the Messiah and Saviour for a few thousand before that. And though Jesus lived among us and died two millennia ago, the debate about Jesus Christ rages on to this day.
As we continue in our study of Luke’s gospel, we will come to the place where Jesus finally asked the question that had been burning inside everyone to that point: who do you say that I am? We will take the time on Sunday to unpack Luke 9:18-22 and consider who he isn’t, who he is and why it matters. This message will be a bit more content heavy and theologically packed. It will feel a little different, I’m sure.
View Sermon Notes There’s little doubt that good things happen around meals with one another. God seems to be on that program too given that the opening pages of the Bible have descriptions of what’s good to eat and what isn’t. The number one way Jesus’ death for us is remembered is with food (bread and wine/juice). And, the whole of human history will culminate in a wedding feast!
In Luke 9:10-17 Jesus tells the 12 apostles to feed the 5000+ people who have gathered to hear him preach and see him heal. They have no idea how to get that done, but Jesus performs yet another miracle that tells us a whole lot about who he is. And that, of course, has implications for us. We look at that account in this message.
View Sermon Notes We have Four Pillars that express the biblical things that we do as a church: unapologetic preaching, unashamed worship, unceasing prayer and unafraid witness. That last one is about fulfilling the mission Jesus left for us until his coming: go and make disciples. Tell people about him. Tell everyone about him.
In Luke 9:1-9 Jesus sends the 12 apostles out on their first preaching mission. It is the proto-mission for all missions. After his resurrection, in Acts 1:8, he tells all of his followers that they would all be his witnesses everywhere. We all have a responsibility to be preaching the gospel. What does it mean to share the good news of Jesus Christ with boldness?
View Sermon Notes We are back in Luke’s Gospel today looking at Luke 8:40-56 with a message titled, “Do not fear; only believe.” I don’t think anyone will be surprised to hear that fear can drive away and hinder faith, that is to say, the ability to trust in Christ’s good work in us. As we look at the two healing stories, we will all be encouraged to lose the fear and live by faith in Jesus Christ.
View Sermon Notes In case you've misplace yours or you missed getting it at the door, you can download our Church Family Prayer Points card so you can be praying along with us this week.
Today we will take a break from the Gospel of Luke to look at an incident in the Book of Acts (also written by Luke…ha!) that will set up our prayer week. In Acts 12 the Apostle Peter has been preaching, and King Herod has him thrown in jail. With others among them martyred for their faith, the church joined together for “earnest prayer” on behalf of Peter. And God heard them. The doors literally opened, and Peter was saved.
Sermon notes
View Sermon Notes A sermon about demons. Lots of demons. A legion of demons. And here we are: the passage for Sunday is Luke 8:26-39. It is much more about the gospel than demons, but the demonized man is the thing that tends to stick out in our minds. If we can look past the fact that the man was indwelt by demons, we will see a pattern for all conversion and the implications of receiving healing/salvation from Jesus.
View Sermon Notes The great old hymn, It is Well, has been a source of comfort and encouragement to millions since it was first published in 1873. Most will know the hymn, but not the story behind its writing. That story is something I want to share with you today as we look at Luke 8:22-25, an account often called, “The stilling of the storm.” The title of the message this week is, “Who then is this?” The answer to that question, of course, is “Jesus!” And that’s the thing about storms, trials, crises, traumas…they say a lot about who we are but far more about who our Saviour is.
We have been experiencing some great Sundays together over the past few weeks and months, and I feel like that’s going to happen again today. Pray for God’s Spirit to come, meet with us.
View Sermon Notes The title says it all, “Hear the word of God and do it.” I mean, do I even need to explain that? Hear it. Do it. Simple. And I have a great resource that I’m going to be showing to you that is especially for all the parents and grandparents with school-aged kids and younger in their care.
View Sermon Notes Today's message is from Luke 7:36-50, and the title is, “She loved much.” In the narrative we will see Jesus’ encounter with the “sinful woman” who anointed his feet, weeping as she did, out of gratitude for all he had done for her. It is among the most powerful moments in the Bible, and the message coming from it is clear, when God forgives, sinners show their love.
View Sermon Notes The greatest aspiration of all is to be with God. We were made for that. For sure there are countless people who don’t see it that way, but human beings have an innate longing to be with their Creator. So, when a man named Jesus came to a certain town and interrupted a funeral to raise the deceased young man from the dead, naturally people believe that “God has visited his people.” That’s what we will look at together from Luke 7:11-17 today. The message makes this point: We are not on our own; God has visited his people! So, whatever you’re facing, Jesus gives you life, and offers you hope.
View Sermon Notes Our passage this week (John 12:12-50), encapsulates a prayer with one word: “Hosanna!” (vs. 13) It means, “Oh save!” and is an exclamation of adoration. More than just a cry of "help" it encompasses God’s mighty acts and purposes in bringing salvation and peace. It embraces deep longings for the completion of all God's promises. And those promises are centred in the person of the Messiah, the anointed one, the coming King.
In the jubilation of welcoming the King it is easy to forget his proclamation is set in times of deep tension. Those tensions become apparent as we look at three groups of people and their responses to the King. Hopefully we will find ourselves among those noisy throngs and find that we have our own tensions that we also bring to proclaiming Jesus as King.
View Sermon Notes Knowing what we know about Jesus, how could it be that he would be amazed by anything a human being would ever do? Seems unlikely, right? Yet that’s exactly what happens in today's passage, Luke 7:1-10, where Jesus heals a young slave owned by a Roman army officer.
The healing isn't even the thing that makes the most impact in the narrative. It is the faith of that Roman officer that catches Jesus and causes him to be amazed. The whole thing makes for a solid lesson for anyone wanting to know what his/her faith ought to look like. If we are to be people of faith, let’s be people who amaze God with our faith. Amen?!
View Sermon Notes In 2009 a new condo in Shanghai, not yet occupied but almost completely finished, fell over.
As an unlearned observer, you might guess that it had something to do with the foundation. And you would be correct. I have to believe someone got fired once the dust settled.
Any building is only as strong as the invisible foundation beneath it. Long before the condo collapse in China, Jesus made the point that there are builders who get it right and set their foundation on bedrock and there are those who get it very wrong and build with no foundation. The result of the latter is devastating.
Jesus, of course, is less concerned with the structural integrity of buildings and far more interested in how your life is engineered. What is your life built on? We will be looking at that together today in Luke 6:46-49.
View Sermon Notes Nothing you do or say comes from anything other than your heart. Everything people see and hear from you flows from the heart. It doesn’t matter if it is something you intend or not. Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.”
We’re still working our way through the Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6, and Sunday’s message is going to be provocative. Stay home if you’re not up to being seriously challenged about your words and actions.
View Sermon Notes That phrase, uttered by Jesus, raises a question or two for me. Who are my enemies? And what does it mean to truly love them? Were you thinking the same thing?
The phrase is from Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6. And the answers to those two questions are in the sermon as well. That’s what we will be looking at together this Sunday. I’m eager to be with you to work through the verses a phrase at a time, step by step to see exactly what Jesus was saying and to consider the implications for our lives.
View Sermon Notes Don’t get whiplash watching this! In the passage we will be studying together, Jesus delivers some of the most encouraging words he ever spoke to his followers and then unleashes stunning condemnations of those who reject his way. Some will leave Sunday’s worship time blessed and others will feel the weight of their decision to live independently of Jesus.
The passage we will be looking at is Luke 6:20-26 which is most commonly known as Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain in contrast to his Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. Much of the content is the same in the two sermons, but the setting is different. In the opening verses of the Luke version, Jesus states four beatitudes and then four woes—four exclamations of God’s blessing and favour and then four exclamations of deep grief and condemnation over wrong values and priorities.
View Sermon Notes It has been pretty clear already from our short time in Luke’s gospel this fall that everywhere Jesus goes two things are true: one, he attracts a crowd, and two, that crowd is amazed by the extraordinary things they experience. And, that’s exactly what we will be looking at again this week in Luke 5:17-26. Luke writes, “And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, ‘We have seen extraordinary things today.’”
I guess I’d like that to be continually true of us too here at Harvest. That in coming together as the church each week, we’d have such an experience with Jesus that we would be in a constant state of awe at the extraordinary things he is doing among us. And he is doing those things! Praise him!
View Sermon Notes One of the greatest struggles Christ-followers have is about knowing God’s will. It plays out in a couple of key ways: either I want to know something about the future so I can make a good decision about college, job, marriage, etc., or I am currently in a tough spot that makes me question God’s choices for me. A man in a tough spot approached Jesus asking for his help. His request and what happens next tell us a lot about how to accept God’s will in our lives. In Luke 5:12-16 we read that the man, a leper looking to be healed, simply asked, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” Three important words…“if you will.”
View Sermon Notes I read a review this week of a devotional book that included a comment that of the 365 entries in the book the words “sin” and all its derivatives were only used five times. The book reflected a happy-slappy version of what it means to be a Christ-follower that downplayed the devastating reality of our sin nature. The not-yet-apostle Peter had no such delusion. He knew just how sinful he was. When faced with an awesome experience of Jesus’ power and seeing the holiness behind it, Peter threw himself at Jesus’ feet and pleaded with him, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.”
Until we get a right perspective on our sin, we’ll be unable to walk with Jesus as we ought to. We will spend some time getting to the bottom of that today as we study Luke 5:1-11 together and answer the question, “What’s a sinful person to do to get right with God?”
View Sermon Notes Mostly, we chafe at being told what to do. I know some people are, by nature, submissive types who have no trouble being under authority. But inherent in who we are, is a rebellious streak, a fierce independence that results in a you-can’t-tell-me-what-to-do determination and this leads to rebellion against God's Word. The result of this has been devastating.
View Sermon Notes We are starting part two of our journey through Luke starting with Luke 4:14-30. The thrust of the passage is this: “God’s Word cannot be stopped!”
I am eager to be with you again today and to be back doing what I love to do: opening God’s Word together and seeing what he has to say to us. We will be in Colossians 2:6-7 asking the question, “What’s it like to really walk with Jesus?” As we launch into a new ministry year, that is a critical question to ask ourselves. With the mission to “make disciples” paramount in our hearts and minds, we need to know how that actually happens. How it is measured. How we know we are making progress. View Sermon Notes
View Sermon Notes Terry Codling, the chair of our elders, will be closing out the series today looking at the life of Caleb and the theme of commitment in Numbers 14:24 and Deuteronomy 9:1-3. Caleb is an obscure warrior who appears and then disappears from Israel's history but leaves behind an inspiring story. This is a man who has a heart that is totally committed to God. So many times we find ourselves in a place where we really dread the outcome that we foresee and God appears to be doing nothing to change it.
We are faced with two options: Bail out on God's plan and create a new outcome of our own choosing; or cling tight to God and allow him to take us where he wants to go.
Caleb was committed to the journey with God. Often that is a lonely, long, hard journey. It really is a faith question. Am I, by faith, committed to God?
View Sermon Notes What does a young Judean king have in common with us? How is he an everyday hero? When you think about it, every one of us has opportunities to exercise our independence and autonomy in ways most people in Josiah’s day could never have done. In other words, we are more like King Josiah than we are like the thousands of people he ruled over. We make our way every day in decisions big and small. We don’t often think about it, but every decision is made before the presence of God. One thing we want to learn this week is that we desperately need to be in tune with his will and his Word. The key to that is humility. Now there’s a topic we know too little about! The active ingredient in humility is submission. Today's message is a call to submit ourselves before God so we can fulfill his purposes for us.
View Sermon Notes Today we're diving into the story of the prophet Nathan confronting King David after his adultery with Bathsheba and murder of her husband Uriah. We're trusting that we'll learn some practical principles for increasing our boldness, for growing in courage and conviction even when there's reason not to.
View Sermon Notes Are you loyal? We’re back in our Everyday Heroes series today as we look at the person of Jonathan. There’s no doubt that Jonathan is the Bible’s poster child for what it means to be loyal. He has David’s back through thick and thin and gave up so much that was rightly due him because he loved his friend and his God. Loyalty seems to have fallen on hard times these days - or maybe that’s always been the case. Either way, as followers of Christ we should be leading the charge on what it means to have deep relationships marked by loyalty. Now that sounds nice, but make no mistake - it’s hard work. It will require sacrifice and cost you. Are you up for the challenge?
We’ll be stepping out of the Everyday Heroes series for a week as I take us into Luke 18:15-17 with a message titled, “Don’t act your age.” That’s right…“DON’T…” View Sermon Notes
View Sermon Notes Her name appears in a list of ancestors of Jesus. But she’s not Jewish. In fact, she wasn’t even reputable among her own people. A prostitute. Yet, at one of the most decisive times in Israeli history, she stuck her neck out to advance the cause of the Jewish people and their God. She is a hero. Her special ability? Faith. Something you and I can exercise just as freely as Rahab did. She simply believed what she heard about God and acted upon that belief. Nothing more complicated than that.
Our summer teaching series is called “Everyday Heroes: God at work in people just like me”. We’ll have another hero in front of us today in Rahab. She’s not only an everyday hero but also an unlikely one.
View Sermon Notes Our study of the Letter of James comes to an end today as we take a look at the final two verses, James5:19-20. He pulls no punches in his last words to his readers. The warning against wandering and the strong push to save those who are wandering are beyond clear.
View Sermon Notes Want the quick take on this week’s message? It is about fervent, righteous, effective prayer. None of us do it like we ought to. Yet it is the key to everything. James 5:13-18 is all about that kind of prayer. Get ready to ramp up your prayer life.
View Sermon Notes One verse. That’s all we’ll attempt today. It is packed. James 5:12 is about oath-taking. Keeping your word. Sticking by your commitments. In a word: INTEGRITY (which is the kind of word you want in all caps). James starts the verse by saying, “Above all else…” so it seems this is pretty important. “Let your ‘yes’ be yes.” Simple. And so hard.
View Sermon Notes Anyone who knows me knows that patience is probably not my best thing (understatement). I’m an instant gratification type of guy. A trip of almost any distance in a car with me driving will reveal this uber-obvious fact. Here’s the thing, the words patient, patience, wait, steadfast, steadfastness appear a bunch of times in this week’s passage; which means another tough week for me in the sermon cave. And I’m pretty certain it’ll be a good message for many of you too. I can’t be the only guy struggling with being patient.
As we get into James 5:1-11 we will see that God’s concern is not merely that we treat each other better by being patient, but that our hearts and minds be given over to the truth that in light of the coming of the Lord, we need to be patient. That future hope that we have should compel a different perspective on things in our lives that are far more important than whether or not we’re stuck in traffic.
View Sermon Notes As we get together again, the nail I’ll be pounding on from James 4:13-17 is this: A presumptuous life is inconsistent with the extraordinary Christian life. As the series title for James suggests, this is another no-nonsense message from God’s Word, so it is best for you to be ready for our time together.
Read James 4:13-17 and ask the Holy Spirit to help you see any areas of presumptuous living in your life that need to see change.
View Sermon Notes Do not speak evil The book of James spends a lot of time addressing the issue of the tongue. We’ve looked at the kind of damage such a small part of our body can cause if we let it run wild. Well, this Sunday, James picks up on this idea again. Why? Probably because we’re slow to learn… and we need the constant reminder to be careful of what we say.
Join us as we dig even deeper into how we treat people with our words. Not only are we going to see what is revealed about our hearts when we speak evil, but we’re going to work through some very practical steps to gain victory in this area and experience the transforming power of the Gospel.
View Sermon Notes I don’t know about you, but generally speaking, I prefer both-and thinking. I’m not a big fan of an either-or approach to life. It seems too rigid, too restrictive. Why be forced to choose between apple pie or cherry pie?—have some of both! But in James 4:1-10, the author essentially lays out two options for your life. And these options aren't both-and—they’re either-or. Either you can be a friend of the world . . . or you can be a friend of God. You can't choose both, and a choice must be made.
View Sermon Notes Are you living wisely or not? I’m pretty sure it would be helpful to have an objective way to figure out whether or not we are living wisely. I'm pretty sure we don’t want to trust our own standard for that. Doesn’t seem…wise.
The series is called The No-Nonsense Guide to the Extraordinary Christian Life. We are in James 3:13-18 today, and we will be tackling that very question: are you living wisely or not?
View Sermon Notes What would you say is the one category of sin that is most often committed by human beings? Don’t think too hard. Just think of the last time you said something stupid, hurtful, deceitful or cutting. The most common sins are those we commit with our words. James says, “The tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness.” Not only the most common but the most devastating.
As we continue our series, The No-Nonsense Guide to the Extraordinary Christian Life, we will open the Word of God to James 3:1-12. And while we understand the destructive effects of our words, James says simply, “these things ought not to be so.” As Christ-followers we can, with God’s help, “tame the tongue”.
You have to come ready for this one. It will be a hard-hitting message.
View Sermon Notes Sometimes our faith feels like it’s stuck in neutral and it seems like we’re not going anywhere. But James 1:25 tells us that we’re to be doers who act - in other words, we need to put our faith into action. Please join us as we dive into James 1:19-27 and unpack some great challenges that will encourage us to actually live out what we know to be true according to God’s Word.
Pray that we would all come hungry to grow and that the Lord would graciously feed his people - and for his glory to be revealed!
View Sermon Notes Sometimes our faith feels like it’s stuck in neutral and it seems like we’re not going anywhere. But James 1:25 tells us that we’re to be doers who act - in other words, we need to put our faith into action.
Please join us as we dive into James 1:19-27 and unpack some great challenges that will encourage us to actually live out what we know to be true according to God’s Word.
Pray that we would all come hungry to grow and that the Lord would graciously feed his people - and for his glory to be revealed!
View Sermon Notes Sometimes our faith feels like it’s stuck in neutral and it seems like we’re not going anywhere. But James 1:25 tells us that we’re to be doers who act - in other words, we need to put our faith into action. Please join us as we dive into James 1:19-27 and unpack some great challenges that will encourage us to actually live out what we know to be true according to God’s Word.
Pray that we would all come hungry to grow and that the Lord would graciously feed his people - and for his glory to be revealed!
View Sermon Notes There’s a ton of nonsense in my life. I am not sure how many times in a week I shake my head at something someone has done (or something I have done) that is just plain stupid. Frivolous lawsuits, inane television shows, silly YouTube videos, head-scratching government initiatives, crazy things that people around me do and say…so much nonsense! What you and I need is less of that and more no-nonsense wisdom to live our lives in a way that rises above it all. What we are offered in the Word of God is an extraordinary life in Jesus Christ that promises more than we could ever imagine. And it comes to us so simply: “If any of you lacks wisdom [to live this often difficult and challenging life], let him ask God, who gives generously to all…” (James 1:5).
View Sermon Notes If we're honest with ourselves and one another, feelings of uncertainty and unsettledness are a normal part of life. When we face circumstances that are difficult--what James calls "trials of various kinds" (1:2)--our natural response is to ride a roller coaster in our relationship with God. To be strong one moment and weak the next. To vacillate between allegiance and apathy. Know what I'm talking about? But God has much more in mind. He wants us to have a supernatural response in times of trouble, to live in ways that are inexplicable apart from his presence and power. Last week we learned that we can find true joy even in the midst of life's refining fire. (Be sure to watch or listen to that message if you missed it.) This week we will build upon that and discover how to have unwavering faith in any circumstance.
View Sermon Notes There’s a ton of nonsense in my life. I am not sure how many times in a week I shake my head at something someone has done (or something I have done) that is just plain stupid. Frivolous lawsuits, inane television shows, silly YouTube videos, head-scratching government initiatives, crazy things that people around me do and say…so much nonsense! What you and I need is less of that and more no-nonsense wisdom to live our lives in a way that rises above it all. What we are offered in the Word of God is an extraordinary life in Jesus Christ that promises more than we could ever imagine. And it comes to us so simply: “If any of you lacks wisdom [to live this often difficult and challenging life], let him ask God, who gives generously to all…” (James 1:5).
View Sermon Notes Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is.” That line from Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis makes a few things clear: Temptation is common to everyone; Only some realize that it is; and Those who do and who want to resist it, know it to be a tough battle.
Today we will look at Luke 4:1-13 seeking to discover what we should do when being tempted by the devil. As we see Jesus go through his temptation in the wilderness, we will actually see a couple of ways that we should NOT be like Jesus and a few ways that we should definitely be like him and follow his example.
This message wraps up the first section of our long journey through Luke’s Gospel. We’ll be setting it aside now until the fall.
View Sermon Notes Great question. Dangerous question.
And it was the exact question that a crowd of people asked after hearing a provocative, hard-hitting, impossible-to-ignore sermon by John the Baptist.
It should be a question that we all ask after every sermon. Don’t you think?
Today we will be looking at Luke 3:10-20 which continues the narrative from last week when John launched into his preaching ministry. Now we get an opportunity to see the people’s response to what he said. And we get a chance to respond ourselves. We will ask the question, what then shall we do?
View Sermon Notes Today Pastor Jason Matta from Harvest Toronto West brings us the Word. We’re really excited for what God is doing through him in that part of Toronto and looking forward to what he will teach us from Acts 4:23-31 and how prayer unleashes the power of God for the purposes of God.
View Sermon Notes Jesus said, “Go…and make disciples of all nations.” That’s our Jesus-given mandate and mission.
For the next two Sundays we will put our attention on our partnerships that we have with church planting and compassion ministries locally and globally.
There are some great worship moments you are not going to want to miss and we will be blessed with guest preachers, Harvest church planters in Monterrey, Mexico and Toronto West.
Ruben Hooi will be planting in Monterrey in the coming months. His wife Ana will be with him this weekend in Barrie.
Jason Matta planted Harvest’s first urban church in Toronto West this past spring. God is already at work big time in this new Harvest Bible Chapel. He and his wife Aileen will be with us next Sunday, February 2.
View Sermon Notes Today we’ll be in message #10 in our Gospel of Luke series. The passage in front of us is Luke 2:21-35 where a man named Simeon comes out of nowhere to say some awesome Spirit-filled words about the infant Jesus. Though his parents had seen and heard some amazing things already, the Bible tells us that they “marveled at what was said about him.” I hope we marvel at what is said about him too.
View Sermon Notes It is a pretty simple story: the government makes a law, people have to respond, a young couple expecting their first child has to make a trip as a result and our lives are forever changed in an unparalleled way. I love this story. You can’t imagine how blessed I feel in getting to preach it year after year. I never tire of it.
Today we’ll be hearing the familiar words from Luke 2:1-7, “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus…” This seemingly innocuous first century news story touched off a series of events that became the Good News story of all history.
View Sermon Notes Above all else, the church must be an enthusiastic purveyor of the hope-filled message that Jesus Christ alone saves. If we don’t, no one else will.
The gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news that he came to give us life, is the only hope for this world. And we want our church to be about that message and that message exclusively.
Our study of Luke’s Gospel has us looking at Zechariah’s “song” in Luke 1:67-80. His son will be a powerful preacher who will capture the attention of the nation. His message is simple: Repent…God’s coming. It is a message the nation and the world desperately need to hear.
And Zechariah’s praise song to God articulates the need, the hope, and the message that his son John will preach and that the Messiah will embody. I’m excited to work my way through this passage with you today.
View Sermon Notes There’s nothing quite like the birth of a child. No other experience in my life really compares to seeing our three children born. It truly is indescribable.
In our study of Luke’s Gospel, before we get to the main event of the extraordinary, miraculous, angel-announced birth of Jesus, the Saviour of the world, we have the extraordinary, only-slightly-less-miraculous birth of his herald, John. At his circumcision and naming ceremony, the witnesses are stunned by the evident work of God in it all and they ask the faith-filled, anticipatory question, “What then will this child be?”
While it is unlikely that any child born at Harvest will have the stature of John the Baptist, we should nevertheless have the same faith-filled, anticipatory question on our lips when any new baby arrives. That’s what this message is about, and I’m eager to share it with you all today.
View Sermon Notes You get the sense from reading the first two chapters of Luke’s gospel that they are pretty much the script for a Broadway-style musical…narrative, song, narrative, song, narrative, song, narrative…song. Mary, Zechariah, a group number with some angels and an old man named Simeon all break into song/poetry after something awesome takes place. When we get together today to look at Luke 1:46-56 we’ll see the first of four songs or canticles that give colour and depth to Luke’s account of Jesus’ nativity. In that first song, Mary worships God, giving him the glory, for all he is doing in and through her. The song, to use her word, magnifies God while minimizing her. And that’s what we’ll try to get our hands on as we work through the passage together today. We’ll complete the statement, “I magnify God (and minimize me) when I…” Should be a high-impact time together.
View Sermon Notes As I read this week’s passage and read that little baby John in his mother’s womb “leaped for joy” at the mere presence of Jesus in the womb of this own mother, it stirs up some pretty strong memories and gets me pretty excited for what’s coming. John, still in utero, was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb. Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth, John’s mom, was also filled with the Spirit. And when they came together in the presence of the still embryonic Messiah, we gain a clear picture of what happens when the Spirit fills God’s willing servants. That’s what we’ll be looking at together from Luke 1:39-45 today.
View Sermon Notes It is pretty easy to take a single verse out of its context and make it mean something we want it to mean rather than what God intended for it to mean. In this week’s passage from our study in Luke’s Gospel we have just such a verse. The angel Gabriel delivers it when he says at the end of his conversation with Mary, the soon-to-be-mother of Jesus that, “nothing will be impossible with God.” While that is true without exception, we should all take exception that the verse is often applied without due consideration to the will of God. It acts as a bit of a motivational speech to encourage us to ask for whatever we want and, if we have enough faith to believe it, we’ll get the impossible delivered to us. Is that really the way it works? We’ll see when we get Luke 1:26-38 open in front of us.
View Sermon Notes After spending last week’s message setting up our four-year journey into Luke’s Gospel, we take our first real step into it this Sunday with a message from Luke 1:5-25. Remember that this Gospel is all about us being certain about the things we’ve been taught. This week’s message addresses the distress, disappointment and doubt that frequently mark our lives, as well as the discipline we sometimes face from the Lord. These can be crushing setbacks for us or marks of faithfulness to our God that set up an opportunity for him to bless us in ways we could have never imagined. In the passage, we’ll see a couple who faced all of this yet were blessed and used by God to bring hope to the world. They lived their lives in a way that showed their unwavering commitment to follow the Lord no matter what.
View Sermon Notes I’m so ready to be with you at Harvest this Sunday to start a journey into and through the Gospel of Luke. I say “journey” because my estimate is that we will take part or most of the next four ministry years to complete our study of Luke’s account of the earthly life of Jesus Christ. I’m excited about it for a few reasons, but one that is at the top of the list is that we will be back to our stock-in-trade way of preaching the Bible: verse-by-verse. Going back to April, I have preached three topical series in a row. Verse-by-verse is preferred because is shows us that we’re making progress, it respects the flow of Scripture, it gives us more confidence in the meaning of the passage being studied, and it helps us see how we can study the Bible for ourselves and have it make sense to us.
View Sermon Notes We’re bringing this little preaching series, The Holy Spirit, to a close today. God has used this teaching already in our church. The clarity on what we believe about the Holy Spirit will continue to help us not only have knowledge about the Spirit but be more significantly impacted by his ongoing work in our lives: saving us, supporting us, empowering us to serve and sanctifying us. That last one is the emphasis of this week’s message. Get ready to hear from the Lord as we look at the Holy Spirit’s work in sanctifying us or making us more holy. His work plays out in how he illuminates the Scriptures for us, how he purifies us from our sin, and how he assures us of his love and of our standing before him.
View Sermon Notes God is at work! During last Sunday’s worship, two people professed faith in Christ. Many others sought prayer and we all gained a deeper understanding of the Holy Spirit’s support for us. We’ll continue along today with a look at the Holy Spirit’s work in us for service: his filling, his gifting and his leading in our lives as believers.
View Sermon Notes There isn’t a person on the planet that doesn’t need some help, some comfort, some strengthening at some point in their life. People will look for different ways to find it when they need it, but all will fall short of what God offers us through the very presence and power of his Holy Spirit. We’ve put one week of this important four-week series behind us. We established that the Holy Spirit works in us to save us. And today we’ll turn our attention to his comfort and care. The Holy Spirit works in us for support.
View Sermon Notes Easily the most misunderstood person of the Trinity. Fully God. One in essence with the Father and the Son and yet distinct as a person and in activities. And because it is the Holy Spirit who was sent to earth once Jesus had ascended into heaven, the motivation should be there for us to understand all we can about the God who lives in us. And the elders have set aside the next four weeks for that very thing: to understand and experience the manifest presence of God in our lives through a more complete study of the Holy Spirit. We’ll be in various Scriptures along the way as we study fourteen distinct activities of the Spirit. They will be grouped under four broad works of the Spirit: salvation (this Sunday), support (Oct. 13), service (Oct. 20) and sanctification (Oct. 27). I believe this is going to be an important series for our church as we grow in our understanding of our God and see how that transforms our lives.
With this message we will be completing our series, It’s a Family Thing. We have been locking down priorities for our families from the Book of Proverbs, and Priority #7 is “Love Always”. Seems like an appropriate way to end this. Paul said simply and profoundly that if we do not love, we are nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)! We will be looking at four Proverbs (8:17; 10:12; 13:24; 15:9) that will point us to four necessary pursuits for our families if we are to have love-filled homes…if we are to love always.
The key verse for this week’s message teaches us that when we speak perversely, we crush the spirit; when we speak well, we give life (Proverbs 15:4).That’s Priority #6: It’s a family thing to speak well of each other. And by that I mean, “speak well of, to and with one another.” You can imagine just how essential that is in our marriages and families.
We’re continuing our series, “It’s a Family Thing” with Priority #4 – Live the Truth. To get the most from our time together, take a look at our passage for this message – Proverbs 4:20-27. We will look at several ways to incorporate Christ's truth into our families and homes: with your ears, hear truth, with your heart, believe truth, with your mouth, speak truth, with your eyes, seek truth and with your feet, follow truth.
Your marriage (current or future) has no chance without forgiveness. Lots of it. In fact, there’s no hope for any relationship of any kind apart from a commitment to forgive when offenses happen. They always happen. In this message we continue our series “It’s a family thing” looking at “Priority #3: Forgive Freely” in Proverbs 17:9.
The whole idea of being loyal has fallen on hard times. Generally, people today are distrustful and fickle. We fall in and out of favour with others, in and out of love. As we open the book of Proverbs and continue in our current series, “It’s a Family Thing”, we’ll see just how loyalty ought to be playing out in our marriages and families.
God created the family. Therefore life, by default, is a family thing. He created family to be a place of blessing, a place of nurturing relationships, of love, security, and trust. But since the creation, humanity has undone much of what God created, twisting, distorting, and undermining the family so that what we have today is far from the ideal God intended. And we are left feeling the weight of that. The great news is that God has not abandoned us to our fate, but has provided us hope and all we need to turn it around. The Book of Proverbs is filled with God’s wisdom that helps families establish the priorities they need to enjoy all that God intends. That’s what we will be looking at together over the next seven messages as we seek to hear God’s Word.
We can receive life in himself.We live in a broken world and feel the daily impact of this brokenness. But there is an answer to this problem. It is found in a person, and his name is Jesus Christ.The Bible says Jesus Christ is God, who took on flesh and came into his own creation (John 1:1-14). In him, you can find the peace that overcomes death, conflict, loss, pain, and suffering. But to really know him, there are five other words you need to understand and accept. These words can be found in the book God wrote about himself, the Bible. This GO5PEL sermon series takes us through these Five Gospel Words: God, Sin, Substitution, Believe and Life.
All we have to do is believe these truths.We live in a broken world and feel the daily impact of this brokenness. But there is an answer to this problem. It is found in a person, and his name is Jesus Christ.The Bible says Jesus Christ is God, who took on flesh and came into his own creation (John 1:1-14). In him, you can find the peace that overcomes death, conflict, loss, pain, and suffering. But to really know him, there are five other words you need to understand and accept. These words can be found in the book God wrote about himself, the Bible. This GO5PEL sermon series takes us through these Five Gospel Words: God, Sin, Substitution, Believe and Life.
God provided a solution to our problem.We live in a broken world and feel the daily impact of this brokenness. But there is an answer to this problem. It is found in a person, and his name is Jesus Christ.The Bible says Jesus Christ is God, who took on flesh and came into his own creation (John 1:1-14). In him, you can find the peace that overcomes death, conflict, loss, pain, and suffering. But to really know him, there are five other words you need to understand and accept. These words can be found in the book God wrote about himself, the Bible. This GO5PEL sermon series takes us through these Five Gospel Words: God, Sin, Substitution, Believe and Life.
My sin separates me from God.We live in a broken world and feel the daily impact of this brokenness. But there is an answer to this problem. It is found in a person, and his name is Jesus Christ.The Bible says Jesus Christ is God, who took on flesh and came into his own creation (John 1:1-14). In him, you can find the peace that overcomes death, conflict, loss, pain, and suffering. But to really know him, there are five other words you need to understand and accept. These words can be found in the book God wrote about himself, the Bible. This GO5PEL sermon series takes us through these Five Gospel Words: God, Sin, Substitution, Believe and Life.
There is a God...and everyone knows it.We live in a broken world and feel the daily impact of this brokenness. But there is an answer to this problem. It is found in a person, and his name is Jesus Christ.The Bible says Jesus Christ is God, who took on flesh and came into his own creation (John 1:1-14). In him, you can find the peace that overcomes death, conflict, loss, pain, and suffering. But to really know him, there are five other words you need to understand and accept. These words can be found in the book God wrote about himself, the Bible. This GO5PEL sermon series takes us through these Five Gospel Words: God, Sin, Substitution, Believe and Life.
Sermon Notes
Not Going Back: Love Unleashed God Is Forever Faithful in the Face of My Failure Pastor Todd Dugard // Esther
Am I facing any of these failures?
The foolishness of over-indulgence—King Ahasuerus (1:1)
The pursuit of comfort and what’s-best-for-me—Mordecai (2:5)
The crisis of love and identity—Esther (2:7)
The bitterness and rage that flow from unforgiveness—Haman the Agagite (3:1)
The consequences of past choices—The Jews (3:13)
Or do I realize that GOD is forever faithful in the face of these failures!
Sermon Notes
Not Going Back: Love Unleashed God Is Forever Faithful in the Face of My Failure Pastor Todd Dugard // Esther
Am I facing any of these failures?
The foolishness of over-indulgence—King Ahasuerus (1:1)
The pursuit of comfort and what’s-best-for-me—Mordecai (2:5)
The crisis of love and identity—Esther (2:7)
The bitterness and rage that flow from unforgiveness—Haman the Agagite (3:1)
The consequences of past choices—The Jews (3:13)
Or do I realize that GOD is forever faithful in the face of these failures!
Sermon Notes
Not Going Back: Love Unleashed God Is Forever Faithful in the Face of My Failure Pastor Todd Dugard // Esther
Am I facing any of these failures?
The foolishness of over-indulgence—King Ahasuerus (1:1)
The pursuit of comfort and what’s-best-for-me—Mordecai (2:5)
The crisis of love and identity—Esther (2:7)
The bitterness and rage that flow from unforgiveness—Haman the Agagite (3:1)
The consequences of past choices—The Jews (3:13)
Or do I realize that GOD is forever faithful in the face of these failures!