The Compass Church | East: Recent Episodes
Pastor Blair Allen
The Compass Church in Regina, Saskatchewan.
We exist to point people to Jesus. We do this by making disciples who Know the Gospel, Live the Gospel, and Advance the Gospel.
In this message, we'll explore 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 and discover how God displays His surpassing power through weak people. As fragile "jars of clay," we often face suffering, discouragement, and weakness, yet the priceless treasure of the Gospel reminds us that our hope is not in ourselves but in Christ. We will learn how God's power sustains us today and prepares us for eternal glory.
Have you ever been in a spiritual drought? A Spiritual drought is a time where you feel completely empty, cold and disconnected from anything to do with Jesus. Can you relate with this?
We are going to look at how we can fight a spiritual drought in our lives by looking at Psalm 23 in this week's message.
In this message, we dive into Philippians 1:12-18, where Paul shifts the Philippians’ perspective from his chains to Christ’s work through the advance of the gospel. This passage challenges us not to view suffering and setbacks as interruptions to God’s purposes, but as opportunities to see the gospel move forward. We also see that when the good news of Jesus is at work in our lives, our desire for Christ to be known and proclaimed grows, something we’ll see clearly in the Apostle Paul.
Brad Lytle will also be sharing about a church-planting effort in the northern city of Flin Flon, MB, that his family, along with two other families, will be stepping into. They are seeking to be sent out from their home church, Emmanuel Baptist Church in Nipawin, SK, to plant Redeemer Baptist Church in Flin Flon in the summer of 2027.
Brad and his wife, Christina, have four children (two boys and two girls). Brad currently serves as the Dean of Student Life at Nipawin Bible College and is a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church. He will be serving as the Lead Planter-Pastor while also working part-time. Their desire is to see a gospel-preaching church established in the North that exalts our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, by making disciples in Flin Flon, Creighton, and beyond.
After restoring Peter, Jesus calls him to stop looking sideways at someone else’s path and simply follow Him—keeping his eyes upward, not sideways at others. We are reminded that comparison distracts us, obedience is personal, and faithfulness means trusting Jesus with the path He has given us.
John 17 is known as the High Priestly Prayer. Just hours before going to the cross, Jesus prays for His disciples. He first prays that people would see Him for who He truly is. Next, He prays that His disciples would remain faithful and not wander from the truth. Finally, Jesus prays for the unity of the Church.
We are honoured to welcome Dr. Erwin Lutzer as our guest speaker. Dr. Lutzer is Pastor Emeritus of The Moody Church in Chicago, where he served as Senior Pastor for 36 years. Born and raised near Regina, Saskatchewan, he is a respected Bible teacher, author, and speaker whose ministry has reached people around the world through preaching, writing, and radio. We are grateful for the opportunity to have him with us and hear God’s Word preached.
As Jesus prepares His disciples for His departure, He knows they are filled with confusion, fear, and sorrow. Yet rather than leaving them discouraged, He gives them hope. Jesus promises the coming of the Holy Spirit, who will guide, comfort, and strengthen His people. He assures them that their sorrow will one day turn to joy and that, despite the troubles they will face in this world, they can have peace because He has overcome the world.
In this message, we discover how Jesus meets us in our fears, sustains us through our struggles, and gives us joy and peace that circumstances cannot take away. Whether you are facing uncertainty, disappointment, or difficulty, John 16 reminds us that our confidence rests not in ourselves, but in the victorious Saviour who reigns over all things.
In a culture that encourages us to find our identity, purpose, and satisfaction in success, relationships, accomplishments, or possessions, Jesus points us to a better way. He teaches that lasting spiritual fruit is produced not through self-effort, but through abiding in Him. As we explore this passage together, we will discover what it means to remain in Christ, why God lovingly prunes His people for greater fruitfulness, and how a close relationship with Jesus leads to a life marked by joy, obedience, and spiritual growth.
Whether you have been following Jesus for many years or are simply exploring faith, John 15 offers a powerful invitation to draw near to Christ and experience the life that only He can give.
Life has a way of troubling our hearts. We face uncertainty, disappointment, loss, anxiety, and questions about the future. As Jesus gathers with His disciples on the night before the cross, their hearts are troubled as well. Everything they expected seems to be falling apart. Yet in the middle of their fear, Jesus gives them a promise that still speaks to us today: “Let not your hearts be troubled.” This is easy to hear, but a reality that's hard to live.
In this message, we discover how Jesus meets troubled hearts with three incredible gifts: a secure future, access to the Father, and His abiding presence through the Holy Spirit. We’ll see that the answer to our deepest fears is not better circumstances, but Jesus Himself. Whether your heart is heavy, anxious, weary, or simply in need of encouragement, John 14 reminds us that Christ has not left us alone and that true peace is found in Him.
John chapter 13 to 17 takes place in the upper room and we see Jesus preparing His men with some final instructions. Some scholars have referred to the upper room as a war room. We are going to look at three lessons from the war room in this message.
We come to one of the most powerful and humbling moments in the life of Jesus — washing His disciples’ feet in John 13:1-20.
On the very night before the cross, the One who held all authority in His hands wrapped Himself with a towel and took the place of a servant. In this message, “The Towel and the Cross,” we will see that true greatness in the Kingdom of God is not found in power, status, or recognition, but in humble love and sacrificial service. More importantly, we will discover that before we can serve Christ, we must first allow ourselves to be served and cleansed by Him.
In this message, we look at the Servant King who loved His own to the very end — and what it means for us to become “people of the towel” in a world obsessed with self-promotion and power.
During the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah), Jesus stands in the temple and boldly reveals who He truly is — the Shepherd sent from the Father, the One who gives eternal life and holds His sheep securely in His hands. Yet even standing face to face with Jesus, many still refused to believe.
Together we’ll explore what unbelief really is, why people resist Jesus even when the evidence is clear, and the incredible comfort found in belonging to the Good Shepherd.
In this message, we look at one of the most loved images in all of Scripture: Jesus as the Good Shepherd.
In a world filled with competing voices, Jesus says that His sheep know His voice and follow Him. This passage reminds us that not every voice leads to life—but Jesus is the Shepherd who knows us, calls us by name, leads us, protects us, and ultimately lays down His life for His sheep.
This week we’ll look at one of the most powerful signs in the Gospel of John—Jesus healing a man born blind. But this miracle is about far more than physical sight. It reveals something deeper about all of us.
In John 9, we see two kinds of blindness: a man who cannot see but is given sight by Jesus, and religious leaders who can see physically but remain spiritually blind. Through this, Jesus shows us that our greatest need is not improved circumstances, but opened eyes.
As the Light of the World, Jesus alone can bring us out of darkness and into true sight. And the question the passage presses on us is simple but searching: Do we truly see Jesus for who He is?
In this message, we explore how Jesus opens blind eyes, exposes false sight, and calls us to respond—not just with understanding, but with faith and worship.
In this message, we are going to see Jesus have a show down again with the Pharisees in John 8. The Pharisees try to trap Jesus by bringing a woman to Jesus who was caught in adultery. The Pharisees thought they had a bulletproof trap; the thing that the Pharisees do not understand is that you can never trap God. We are going to look at how Jesus responds when His authority is questioned.
We’re in John 7—a chapter full of tension, questions, and divided opinions about Jesus. Everyone seems to have something to say about Him, but very few truly understand who He is. In the middle of all the confusion, Jesus stands and makes a clear invitation: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”
John shows us that Jesus doesn’t leave people neutral—you can be around Him, hear Him, even have opinions about Him, but eventually you have to decide what you will do with Him. We will look at what it means to move from curiosity about Jesus to truly trusting Him.
Six days before the Passover, Jesus is in Bethany, and we’re given a glimpse into how different people respond to Him. Mary pours out an extravagant offering of perfume at Jesus’ feet—an act of love, devotion, and worship that seems excessive to some, but Jesus calls it beautiful. At the same time, Judas responds with criticism, revealing a heart far from Jesus despite being close to Him.
In this passage, we’re confronted with a question: What is Jesus worth to you?
Mary shows us that when you truly see Jesus for who He is, worship becomes costly, personal, and unreserved. Judas reminds us that it’s possible to be around Jesus and still miss Him completely.
In this message, we’ll explore how seeing Jesus clearly reshapes what we value, what we hold onto, and what we’re willing to give.
In one of the most powerful moments in Scripture, Jesus calls Mary by name—and everything changes. It’s a reminder that Easter isn’t just an event to believe in, but a Saviour who knows us, calls us, and invites us into new life. We see how the risen Jesus meets us right where we are and calls us to follow Him.
This Palm Sunday, we are looking at John 12:12-19 and what the triumphal entry of Jesus reveals about how He would reign. The crowds wanted Jesus to take political power and overthrow the Roman Empire by force—but this is not how His Kingdom works.
The triumphal entry points to a greater Kingdom, one that is already here. We will look at three things this moment reveals about how Jesus rules and reigns.
We are stepping into one of the most powerful and personal moments in the Gospel of John—the raising of Lazarus in John 11. It’s a story many of us know, but it speaks directly into the places where life feels confusing, delayed, or even hopeless. What do we do when it feels like Jesus is late? When prayers seem unanswered? When loss is real?
In this passage, Jesus doesn’t just perform a miracle—He reveals who He is: “the resurrection and the life.” We’ll see His compassion, His authority over death, and the hope He offers to everyone who trusts in Him. If you’ve ever wrestled with disappointment or wondered where God is in the waiting, this message is for you.
In the previous message, we saw the miracle of Jesus feeding the five thousand—a sign pointing to something greater. This week we hear Jesus explain that sign as He declares, “I am the Bread of Life.” In this passage Jesus reveals that He did not come merely to provide temporary bread, but to give eternal life through Himself.
We come to one of the most well-known moments in Jesus’ ministry—the feeding of the five thousand. A massive crowd gathers around Jesus, bringing their needs, their expectations, and their hunger. With only a small boy’s lunch, Jesus performs a sign that leaves everyone astonished.
But John wants us to see something deeper than a miracle. This sign is pointing to who Jesus really is and what He came to provide. The crowd thought they needed bread for the day, but Jesus came to offer something far greater.
Later that night, the disciples find themselves alone in the middle of a storm, struggling against the wind and the waves. And once again Jesus reveals something about Himself that forces a deeper question: who is this man who provides for the hungry and commands the sea?
These two moments press us toward the same question John has been asking throughout this Gospel: Who is Jesus?
In this message, we look at John 5 where we see the miracle at the pool of Bethesda. This sign points us to something far greater than physical healing. Jesus reveals Himself as the Son who has authority to give life and to judge—the One whose voice calls spiritually dead people to life even now.
The question John 5 presses on each of us is not simply whether we admire Jesus, but whether we have heard His word and believed, passing from death to life. Our prayer for our church is that we would honour the Son, trust His finished work, and walk in the new life He alone gives.
In this message, we will see a high-ranking official approach Jesus and plead with Him to heal his son, who was sick at home. Jesus’ response to him and the crowd is rather strange. He knew the crowd were fans of Him and would never become His followers.
The man continues to plead with Jesus to heal his son. Jesus heals him, and the man believes Jesus’ words. As a result, he and his whole household become followers of Jesus.
We will look at what a fan of Jesus looks like and what a follower of Jesus looks like.
In this message, we look at Jesus' conversation with a Samaritan woman. This conversation really shook the disciples, because Jews and Samaritans hated each other. We are going to look at what Jesus said to her and what this interaction says about Jesus.
We’re in John 3, where Jesus tells Nicodemus that religion isn’t enough—we need new life. Being “born again” isn’t about trying harder or cleaning ourselves up, but about receiving what only God can give through Jesus.
God’s love is the reason, the cross is the way, and faith is the response. We’ll look at what it means to come out of the darkness and into the light—not to be shamed, but to be made new.
In this week's passage, Jesus enters Jerusalem and drives out the money changers, declaring, “Do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” What looks at first like anger is actually love in action—Jesus confronting what has corrupted worship and standing up for God’s glory and people’s access to Him.
But John tells us there is something even deeper happening. Jesus is not just cleansing a building; He is revealing Himself as the true Temple—the place where God now meets with humanity.
This week, we see that Jesus is not interested in superficial faith or religious performance. He goes after the heart. He comes to confront what is false, to remove what blocks true worship, and to invite us into real, living relationship with God through Himself.
In this message, we look at Jesus’ first recorded miracle—the turning of water into wine. What seems at first like a simple wedding story is actually a powerful sign of who Jesus is and what He has come to do. Using large stone jars meant for ceremonial purification, Jesus shows that He has not come to patch up empty religion, but to replace it with something far better.
Where there was emptiness, He brings abundance. Where there was external ritual, He brings inner renewal. Where there was lack, He brings overflowing joy. John tells us this miracle “revealed His glory”—and we’ll explore what that means for our faith, our hearts, and our daily walk with Christ.
Using Jeremiah 18–19, we are reminded that before life is a social or political issue, it is first a God issue. Scripture takes us to the potter’s house, where God reveals Himself as the Creator who forms every life with intention, care, and purpose. We will reflect on what it means to live in a world where human life is often measured by usefulness or convenience, and why the Bible anchors the value of every person in the hands of God.
In this message, we speak clearly about the sacredness of human life, while also holding out the grace, healing, and hope found in Jesus Christ. It is our prayer that this message will lead us not only to affirm the sanctity of life, but to worship the God who gives it, redeems it, and calls His church to protect it.
This week, the spotlight shifts from who John the Baptist is not to who Jesus truly is. Over and over again, the passage calls us to “behold” Jesus — the Lamb of God, the Son of God, the promised King. What begins with questions and curiosity quickly turns into witness and worship as ordinary people encounter Jesus and start saying to others, “We have found Him.”
This text shows us that Christianity doesn’t grow through hype or pressure, but through clear testimony and personal encounter. John points away from himself. Jesus invites seekers to “come and see.” And those who meet Him are changed and sent. This Sunday, we’ll consider what it means not only to know the right words about Jesus, but to truly see Him — and how a church that beholds Jesus becomes a church that naturally brings others to Him.
Today we begin a new teaching series called Who Is Jesus?—a focused, Gospel-saturated journey through the Gospel of John. In a world filled with opinions about Jesus—teacher, prophet, moral example, revolutionary—John invites us to see Him as He truly is: the eternal Son of God who has come to bring life.
John doesn’t simply tell us what Jesus did; he shows us who Jesus is. Writing “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31), John presses us beyond curiosity into conviction, and beyond admiration into faith.
In this message, we ask a simple but searching question: What is my faith actually in?
From Psalm 121 and the story of Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4, we'll be reminded that hope isn't found in circumstances, strength, or control, but in a Person. Christmas announces that Jesus is the Light who enters our darkness, speaks peace into our storms, and invites us to trust Him with our lives.
This message calls us to consider where we are looking for light, and to turn again to the One who alone can give the light of life.
In this message, we look at the manger. Jesus was born in the humblest of settings, surrounded by animals, and placed in a feed trough. We’ll explore why Jesus was born in a stable and laid in a manger—and why shepherds were the first to hear about His birth.
In this message, we look at one of the most hope-filled promises in all of Scripture: Isaiah 9:2, 6-7. Long before the manger, long before shepherds and angels and a star-filled sky, God spoke into the darkness and promised that Light was coming. Isaiah announced it 700 years before Jesus’ birth—proof that Christmas isn’t a sentimental story we dust off once a year, but the unfolding of God’s faithful plan across generations.
We’ll see how this ancient prophecy met its fulfillment in Christ, why the Light mattered so deeply to people walking through fear and uncertainty, and why it still matters for us today. If God kept His promises then, He will keep His promises now. And in a season where many are weary, this passage reminds us that the Light of Jesus still breaks into real darkness with wisdom, strength, and peace.
Be ready to be encouraged: the same God who planned Christmas centuries in advance is still at work in your life today. The Light has come—and the Light is still shining.
As we step into Advent, we’ll explore the breathtaking truth that Jesus didn’t just enter the world—He broke into the darkness with life, clarity, and hope.
John tells us that in Him was life, and that life was the light of all people. The darkness has tried for centuries to overcome that light… but it never has, and it never will.
In this message, we’ll unpack what it means that the eternal Word stepped into our world as Light, why we still long for that Light today, and how it changes the way we live, see, and hope.
We conclude our “Back to Basics” series by looking at what an ordinary church looks like. We’ll focus on three pictures of the different kinds of people who attend church.
We live in a world that never stops—emails, deadlines, expectations, and noise. Yet God invites His people into something radically different: rest.
In this message, we’ll explore what it means to practice Sabbath as an act of trust and worship. True rest isn’t found in a vacation or a day off, but in remembering that the work that matters most has already been finished by Christ. Discover how ordinary followers of Jesus can rest well—not out of laziness, but out of faith.
Prayer can often feel complicated—like there’s a right formula or special words we’re supposed to use. But Jesus invites us into something far simpler and more intimate.
In this message, we’ll discover that prayer isn’t about getting the words right; it’s about getting our hearts near. Through Ordinary Prayer, we’ll see how talking with God in the everyday moments of life is not just possible, but powerful—because the strength of our prayers comes not from us, but from the One who listens.
Discipleship isn’t reserved for spiritual experts or ministry leaders—it’s the everyday call of every follower of Jesus. In this message, we see that helping others grow in their faith doesn’t require a degree or a platform; it simply requires a willing heart. Ordinary discipleship happens when we open our homes, our calendars, and our lives to walk alongside others in the grace of Jesus.
In this message, we explore what it means to find strength in our weakness. The world tells us to hide our limitations, but God’s Word tells a different story. In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Paul reminds us that Christ’s power is made perfect not in our strength, but in our weakness.
Through this week's message, we’ll see how dependence on God—rather than self-sufficiency—is the pathway to true freedom, joy, and lasting fruitfulness. When we stop pretending to be strong and start resting in the sufficiency of Jesus, ordinary weakness becomes the stage where God’s extraordinary grace shines brightest.
Parenting can feel like a constant evaluation of how well we’re doing — if our kids are turning out right, if we’re saying the right things, or if we’re doing enough. But this week’s message, Ordinary Parenting — It’s More About You, reminds us that the most powerful influence we have isn’t our methods but our hearts. God calls us to let the gospel shape who we are as parents before it ever shapes what we do. As we grow in humility, repentance, and dependence on Christ, we model for our kids what faith actually looks like in everyday life. Ordinary faithfulness at home starts with a parent transformed by grace.
In this Sunday's message from 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Pastor Curtis Andrusko from The Summit Church, presses into the heart behind the holiday. What does it mean to be grateful? Is “giving thanks” only something we can do when life is going our way? And what does Jesus have to do with any of this, anyway?
In the end, we’ll learn that—because of God’s presence with us—both the high times and the hard times are transformed into moments to see God’s goodness. Because of that, we can always, always, always say, “Thanks.”
Repentance isn’t just the doorway into the Christian life—it’s the daily rhythm of following Jesus. We’ll see how the Bible calls us to live lives marked not by perfection, but by humble turning back to God again and again. Far from being heavy or shameful, repentance is the path to joy, freedom, and renewal in Christ. Join us as we explore what it means to live ordinary, faithful lives of repentance together.
Work is something we all spend much of our lives doing, yet it’s easy to either despise it as a burden or idolize it as our identity. God’s Word shows us a better way: work is worship when done with integrity, justice, and dependence on Jesus. Whether you’re in an office, on a job site, in a classroom, or at home, your daily labour is part of God’s design and calling. We’ll see how the gospel redeems our view of work, freeing us from both idleness and workaholism, and giving us the joy of serving Christ in the ordinary routines of life.
In this message, we look at Ruth’s and Boaz’s quiet faithfulness (Ruth 2–3) and how God weaves small, everyday acts of obedience into His bigger story of redemption. If you’ve been feeling unseen or stuck in routine, this sermon will encourage you that the “next right thing” matters more than you think—at home, at work, and in our church family. Be ready to be challenged, comforted, and pointed to Jesus, our true Redeemer, who turns ordinary faithfulness into extraordinary grace.
We launch our new series, "Back to Basics" with teaching from 1 Thessalonians 4:1–12. In a world chasing hype and highlight reels, Paul reminds us that God’s will is simple but powerful: love more and more, live quietly with a steady confidence in Him, and let our ordinary faithfulness speak louder than any platform.
The paradox of the Christian life is that what the world dismisses as “ordinary” is often the very place where God does His greatest work — making His extraordinary love visible through us.
Earl Marshall, director of Great Commission Collective Canada, is joining us and preaching from Revelation 1 on Kingdom Grace—the reign and rule of God who gives us the needed outlook for our lives and church.
In this message, we tackle a common statement that many believe today, including "Christians." This statement is: "The church just wants my money."
Jesus takes that sentence and goes straight to the heart. Psalm 24 reminds us that everything already belongs to God. In Matthew 6, Jesus says our treasure always trails our heart. And in Philippians 4, Paul isn’t after gifts—he’s after gospel fruit in people.
The Big Idea: God doesn’t need our money; He wants our hearts. The gospel shows the One who was rich became poor for us—so our giving becomes worship, not pressure; partnership in mission, not transaction.
Over the next four weeks, we'll be looking a a variety of different teachings about the church. In this week's message, our focus is on Biblical Eldership, exploring the divine design for church leadership, emphasizing that elders are not merely administrators but shepherds appointed by God to care for His flock.
This message will highlight the qualifications for elders found in passages like 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, focusing on their character, integrity, and ability to teach sound doctrine. This matters to every person in the church because a healthy, biblically-led church provides a stable and protective environment for spiritual growth. Faithful eldership ensures that the church remains grounded in God's Word, guards against false teaching, and offers pastoral care and guidance, ultimately empowering each member to thrive in their faith and fulfill their unique role in the body of Christ.
In this week's passage, we see the upside-down Kingdom of God that Jesus came not to be served but to serve. Jesus invites us to serve others. We will look at why we serve, who do we serve, and how do we serve?
We will conclude our Esther series this week. Mordecai starts a feast that is called Purim to help the Jews remember how God saved them. We look at things that we can remember from the book of Esther with the most important take away that Jesus is always the hero. Yes, the reversals of fates for the Jews was pretty amazing, but the reversal that Jesus has given us is even greater!
This passage recounts a dramatic reversal: the day intended for the destruction of the Jews becomes the day of their deliverance. God’s providence is on full display as His people, once marked for death, are now protected and given rest from their enemies. This reversal echoes the greater reversal of the gospel—where, through Jesus Christ, those marked by sin are rescued from judgment and granted peace with God. As we consider this passage, we’re reminded that God is faithful to deliver His people, even when hope seems lost. Our ultimate rest and victory are found in Christ, who triumphed over sin and death on our behalf.
- This is a fill-in message from The Well Community Church in California's Central Valley (thewellcommunity.org).
Though Haman’s evil plot could not be undone, King Xerxes gave Esther and Mordecai the authority to write a new decree—one that brought hope, protection, and joy to God’s people. This chapter reminds us that while the curse of sin still affects the world, God has issued a greater decree through Jesus Christ. At the cross, Jesus secured our salvation and gave us a new standing before the true King. Just as the Jews rejoiced in their deliverance, we rejoice in the gospel—the good news that we have been rescued by grace and are now free to live with boldness, joy, and purpose.
Jesus calls His followers to wholehearted commitment. Through three encounters along the road, He reveals that discipleship means giving up comfort, prioritizing God’s Kingdom over cultural expectations, and refusing to look back. Following Jesus is not a casual decision—it demands our surrender.
But what we give up for Christ is nothing compared to what we gain in Him. He is worth every sacrifice, and true life is found in walking faithfully with Him, no matter the cost.
We continue our journey through the book of Esther with chapter 7—a powerful moment where truth is revealed, justice is delivered, and God’s unseen hand moves decisively. As Esther finally confronts the king and exposes Haman’s wicked plot, we’ll see how God’s justice—though often hidden—is never absent. We will explore how this dramatic reversal points us to the greater justice and mercy found in Jesus Christ.
In this message, we explore one of the most dramatic turning points in the book of Esther—chapter 6. Just when it seems evil is winning and God is absent, we see His hidden hand at work in the smallest details. A sleepless night, an overlooked act of faithfulness, and a surprising reversal all remind us that God is never late, never absent, and always working behind the scenes for His glory and our good. Be encouraged by the providence of God—and how He turns the story upside down at just the right time.
In Esther 5, we see a contrast between Esther and Haman—and where each of them found their identity. Esther lived out her identity in God; Haman lived for his identity in himself. It's a challenging passage for all of us, because where we find our identity matters.
In Esther 3, we see the rise of Haman and the unfolding of a deadly plot fueled by pride and hatred. When Mordecai refuses to bow to him, Haman’s wounded ego drives him to seek the extermination of all the Jews in the Persian Empire.
This chapter exposes the dangers of unchecked pride and highlights how evil can gain momentum through positions of power. Yet, even in the face of looming genocide, we begin to see the hidden hand of God setting the stage for deliverance.
Esther 3 reminds us that when darkness seems to prevail, God is neither absent nor inactive—He is quietly preparing His people for such a time as this.
In this message, we learn about baptism and how the command of baptism identifies us with new life.
In this message, we are going to see how God can still use our bad decisions for His purposes. We are going to see King Ahasuerus and his “wise men” come up with a plan (not a very good one) to find the new queen of Persia. Esther was one of the many women who were taken from their homes. From the moment she entered the palace, Esther found favour with everyone. God had prepared the way for her.
In a culture that often distorts or diminishes manhood, Esther 1 offers a powerful contrast between worldly masculinity and the servant-hearted leadership God calls men to embody. As we witness King Xerxes use his power for selfish gain, we’ll explore what happens when leadership crumbles and identity is built on ego instead of character. Most importantly, we’ll see how God’s providence is at work—even through broken people—to prepare the way for redemption.
If Esther 1 and 2 are the introduction to the main story of the book, then chapter 1:1-9 are the introduction to the introduction. As the curtain rises, or the opening credits fade, the director sets the scene. He tells us when and where his story will take place and gives us some most significant first impressions. As we begin this Sunday, we will look at six characteristics of the Empire in which these events are set.
Esther 1:1-9 introduces the powerful Persian King Ahasuerus (also known as Xerxes I), who rules over a vast empire stretching from India to Ethiopia. The chapter opens with a lavish 180-day display of his wealth and glory, followed by a seven-day feast for all people in the capital city of Susa. The descriptions emphasize luxury, excess, and royal splendour—highlighting a culture obsessed with power and image. Meanwhile, Queen Vashti holds her own banquet for the women in the palace. Though God is not mentioned in this entire book, this opening sets the stage for the hidden yet sovereign work of God throughout the book, as the political and cultural drama begins to unfold.
In this short 4-week series, we will be identifying four life-changing truths about God. Psalm 62:11-12 says, "Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and that to you, O LORD, belongs steadfast love." The key truths that God declares about Himself are His greatness and glory ("power belongs to God") and His goodness and grace ("to you, O LORD, belongs steadfast love").
These characteristics of God help shape our character and keep us from believing the lies we feed ourselves daily. Do you want to see God change you? Then swing wide the front door of your heart and invite His liberating truth to come in, settle down, and encourage you.
"Behind every sin is a lie about God." — Steve Timmis & Tim Chester
We counteract lies with truth. And in this message, we will look at: 'God is Gracious—so I don't have to prove myself.'
Easter Sunday—the most hope-filled, joy-soaked, life-changing day on the Christian calendar. This is not just another Sunday. This is resurrection Sunday. Jesus Christ is alive!
In this short 4-week series, we will be identifying four life-changing truths about God. Psalm 62:11-12 says, "Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and that to you, O LORD, belongs steadfast love." The key truths that God declares about Himself are His greatness and glory ("power belongs to God") and His goodness and grace ("to you, O LORD, belongs steadfast love").
These characteristics of God help shape our character and keep us from believing the lies we feed ourselves daily. Do you want to see God change you? Then swing wide the front door of your heart and invite His liberating truth to come in, settle down, and encourage you.
"Behind every sin is a lie about God." — Steve Timmis & Tim Chester
We counteract lies with truth. And in this message, we will look at: 'God is Good—so I don't have to look elsewhere.'
In this short 4-week series, we will be identifying four life-changing truths about God. Psalm 62:11-12 says, "Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and that to you, O LORD, belongs steadfast love." The key truths that God declares about Himself are His greatness and glory ("power belongs to God") and His goodness and grace ("to you, O LORD, belongs steadfast love").
These characteristics of God help shape our character and keep us from believing the lies we feed ourselves daily. Do you want to see God change you? Then swing wide the front door of your heart and invite His liberating truth to come in, settle down, and encourage you.
"Behind every sin is a lie about God." — Steve Timmis & Tim Chester
We counteract lies with truth. And in this message, we will look at: 'God is Glorious—so I don't have to fear others.'
In this short 4-week series, we will be identifying four life-changing truths about God. Psalm 62:11-12 says, "Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and that to you, O LORD, belongs steadfast love." The key truths that God declares about Himself are His greatness and glory ("power belongs to God") and His goodness and grace ("to you, O LORD, belongs steadfast love").
These characteristics of God help shape our character and keep us from believing the lies we feed ourselves daily. Do you want to see God change you? Then swing wide the front door of your heart and invite His liberating truth to come in, settle down, and encourage you.
"Behind every sin is a lie about God." — Steve Timmis & Tim Chester
We counteract lies with truth. We are looking at four truths about God and their implications for our lives and in this message, we begin with God is Great—so we don't have to be in control.
In Philippians 4:10-23, Paul expresses gratitude for the Philippians’ generosity while revealing a deeper truth—his joy is not rooted in circumstances but in Christ. He has learned the secret of contentment, whether in abundance or need, because his strength comes from God. This week's passage challenges us to examine where we find satisfaction and how we steward our resources for God’s kingdom.
In this passage, Paul is going to address situations that every Christian will experience as we walk with Jesus. The first issue he will talk about is conflict in the church. He then will address common Christian struggles, joylessness, lack of grace for one another, and anxiety. Paul will give us the remedy to our struggles to focus our minds on the true things that we have in Christ.
Paul encourages believers to press on in their faith, striving toward the goal of knowing Christ fully. He acknowledges that he has not yet arrived but is determined to forget what lies behind and press forward toward the prize of God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus (3:12-14). He urges mature believers to adopt this mindset and warns against those who live as enemies of the cross, focused on earthly things rather than their true citizenship in heaven (3:15-19). What does it mean and what does it look like to continue to mature in our faith?
In Philippians 3:1-11, we see the call for believers to place their confidence in Jesus rather than in human achievements (Law vs. Gospel). Paul warns against false teachers who rely on the flesh and recounts his impressive religious credentials—only to declare them worthless compared to knowing Jesus.
True righteousness, Paul emphasizes, comes not through the law but through faith in Christ. His ultimate goal is to know Jesus deeply, sharing in His sufferings and resurrection power. This passage challenges us to abandon self-reliance and pursue an intimate relationship with Jesus, finding our true identity in Him alone.
In this week's text, Paul points to Timothy and Epaphroditus as living examples of selfless, Christlike service. Through their lives, we see the ripple effect of lives lived for the Gospel. Their commitment to the Gospel and sacrificial care for others demonstrate what it means to put the interests of Christ above personal gain. Their example challenges us to reflect on our willingness to serve, encouraging us to live with the same heart of humility, faithfulness, and Gospel-centred purpose in our daily lives.
What does it mean to workout our salvation? In this passage, Paul gives us four practical ways our salvation is to be worked out.
Philippians 2:1-11 calls believers to unity and humility by following the example of Jesus. Paul urges the church to be of one mind, considering others above themselves, just as Jesus humbled Himself by taking on human flesh and obediently dying on the cross. Because of His humility, God exalted Him, declaring that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. This passage challenges us to embrace Christlike humility, putting others first and living for God’s glory.
This passage calls believers to live lives worthy of the gospel by standing firm in unity, striving together for the faith, and embracing suffering for Jesus' sake. Paul reminds the church that their conduct should reflect their heavenly citizenship, showing courage in the face of opposition. Suffering, far from being meaningless, is a gracious gift that aligns us with Jesus and strengthens our witness. Together, we are called to persevere, knowing that living for Jesus is worth every sacrifice.
For Paul, 'to live is Christ, and to die is gain,' as life allows him to labour for the Gospel and help others grow in their faith, while death brings the ultimate joy of being with Christ. Despite being torn between the two, he is committed to remaining for the benefit of the Philippians, demonstrating a selfless, gospel-centred perspective on life and suffering.
In Philippians 1:12-18, Paul reflects on how his imprisonment has served to advance the gospel rather than hinder it. His chains have provided opportunities to share Christ with the imperial guard, and his boldness has inspired other believers to speak the Word of God courageously. Paul acknowledges that some preach Christ with pure motives while others do so out of selfish ambition. However, he rejoices regardless of their intentions because the central focus is that Christ is being proclaimed, and that brings him great joy. We will look at how our struggle and suffering points others to the Gospel in the ways we respond to our suffering.
We are beginning our new teaching series in the book of Philippians called "Peaks and Valleys". Throughout this book we will see the theme of joy regardless of our circumstances. We kick it off with the crazy story of how it all began and what led Paul to write this short letter to the Philippian church.
As we start the new year, we will look into an epidemic that impacts all of us and affects every part of our lives. What does God's Word tell us about how we are to cultivate our hearts in this regard? Find out in this week's message.
This series has highlighted the significance of the gifts the wise men brought to Jesus (gold, frankincense, and myrrh), to connect the symbolism within the story of Jesus' birth to your relationship with Jesus. In this message, we look at the gift of gold—a symbol of the Kingship of Jesus.
When the gift of myrrh was given to Jesus by the wise men, we can often think what a terrible gift to give to a toddler. Myrrh was used to embalm dead people. Why would they give this gift to Jesus? There is much symbolism that we unpack in this message.
A gift tells a story. We treasure hand-picked gifts from those we love. They’re valuable and important because they’re meant just for us. And one gift meant so much that it forever changed the course of history. The story of this gift is one worth sharing.
By highlighting the significance of the gifts the wise men brought to Jesus (gold, frankincense, and myrrh), we will be able to connect the symbolism within the story of Jesus' birth to your relationship with Jesus. Our prayer is that this series will provide each of us with a new insight into the birth of Jesus to gain a deeper understanding of who He is.
In this parable, Jesus contrasts two types of people by comparing them to builders constructing their houses.
The Wise Builder hears Jesus’ words and puts them into practice. He is like a man who builds his house on a solid foundation of rock. When storms (symbolizing life’s trials and the final judgment) come, the house remains standing because it is built on a firm foundation.
The Foolish Builder hears Jesus’ words but does not apply them. He is like a man who builds his house on sand. When the storms come, the house collapses, and its destruction is complete.
In this message, we look at the unfamiliar parable of the dishonest manager—told only by Luke's gospel. It's the story of a lying, cheating, unfaithful servant who is found out and put on notice that he will be fired. He then cunningly uses his master's wealth to buy friendships that will be useful for cushioning his fall from grace. Jesus often told parables that contained profoundly shocking twists and turns, but none is more baffling than this.
We conclude our series, "Many Gifts, One Spirit" by looking at how love is the greatest gift of all! You could be the most gifted person, but it's useless if you don’t have love. Paul pleads for us to desire love over the rest of the gifts. We will be looking at how important it is that we look to Jesus for this love as we try to understand the love He has for us.
The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector tells of two men who go to the temple to pray. The Pharisee, self-righteous and confident in his own moral achievements, thanks God that he is not like other people, especially the tax collector. He boasts of his fasting and tithing. Meanwhile, the tax collector, seen as sinful and socially despised, stands at a distance, humbly acknowledging his sin and begging God for mercy. Jesus concludes that it is the tax collector, not the Pharisee, who goes home justified before God.
The parable reveals that God values humility and genuine repentance over self-righteousness, emphasizing that those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
In this message, we look at the Parable of the Talents. A “talent” in the Bible is not what we might commonly think. It has nothing to do with human ability, but rather is a unit of measurement. A biblical talent weighed about 75 pounds and was used in the Bible as a value for money—either a talent of silver or a talent of gold.
In this parable, Jesus is teaching us about how we should manage well what He has entrusted to us while He is away. But it has more to do with the ETERNAL than the PRACTICAL.
The Parable of the Weeds calls us to live with patient trust in God’s ultimate justice. It reminds us that while evil and good coexist for a season, God’s judgment is sure and will come in His perfect timing. Until then, we are called to live as wheat, growing strong in the midst of weeds, following Jesus, proclaiming the Gospel and knowing that our future is secure in Jesus.
In this message, we look at the Parable of the Lost Sheep — a short parable that shows us the heart of God. Our God pursues us with unrelenting love.
We explore three truths from our passage in 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 — that we are all baptized into one body, that no part is insignificant, and that we must honour and care for each part of the body. Every part of the body is essential, and we are all interconnected through the Spirit.
As we begin a short mini-series called, "Many Gifts, One Spirit", we look at what spiritual gifts are, why the Holy Spirit has given us spiritual gifts, and how spiritual gifts bring unity to a church, but not uniformity.
In Matthew 13, Jesus taught about the "Kingdom of Heaven," where Jesus is King, and those who have surrendered their lives to His rule and reign make up this kingdom. The Kingdom of Heaven is both a physical kingdom, because heaven is a real place, and a spiritual kingdom, because it’s about God ruling—not just in a place but in a person—our hearts and lives.
In this chapter, Jesus taught seven parables, six of which specifically focus on the Kingdom of Heaven. We will explore two of these parables. Pastor Blair’s message will be about who can be part of this kingdom, what we can learn about it, and how we can be sure that we belong to the Kingdom of Heaven and will enjoy all of the benefits as citizens of that kingdom.
When the Bible calls us to be 'fruitful,' it means that the qualities, characteristics, and virtues of Jesus should become more and more evident in our lives. But what are some things that hinder that fruitfulness? Jesus explains three things that hinder our fruitfulness in the Parable of the Sower.
Join Pastor Blair for our teaching as we learn about three particular things that threaten our fruitfulness—Satan, persecution, and the world.
People are either "lost" or "found." That is, we are either estranged from God, or we know Him in a personal relationship through Jesus.
In Luke 15, Jesus describes different types of people in their "lost" condition and how we are to help them become "found." Jesus shares three parables that describe people as being like sheep, a coin, or prodigal son. Our focus on Sunday will be on the story of the prodigal son.
We begin the "Storyteller" series with one of the most popular and well-known of Jesus' parables: The Good Samaritan. It's a parable that many are familiar with and assume they understand, but in reality, most people don't grasp its full meaning. We need to move beyond the familiar and gain a deeper understanding of what this teaching holds.
This parable is about how far we fall short of what God's law truly demands, and how our good works and religious merit are never enough to earn favour with God. It reveals the full extent of the law's demands and how none of us can meet them.
Is simply believing in something enough to give your life to it? What is it that leads a person to give everything—including their life—for what they believe? Is there anything in your life right now that you believe in that you would give your life for? Is belief all it takes to give your life for something, or is there more to it?
God intentionally directs our lives, so we should live with intentionality in all that we pursue; our lives have been infused with purpose and meaning. The disciple’s call is to multiply, replicate, and advance through the Gospel for the glory of our God. God’s command to us is to ‘Go’ and make disciples. The word ‘Go’ is an action word, a progressive word, a missionary word.
After our introduction to ‘Our Story’ as a local church, we continue in this message by exploring the church as an integral part of God's Story. We hear about why it’s so important for each of us to grow in knowing our King, grow in the Gospel, and grow in our understanding that the church is built on the foundation of Jesus, the cornerstone of our faith and the body of the church.
Today’s sermon is about the importance of remembering our church’s story and its origins. Understanding where we come from helps us appreciate God’s faithfulness, clarify our mission, and inspire us to continue His work with renewed passion and vision.
In this fifth and final message from Haggai, Zerubbabel receives a very personal word from the Lord, encouraging him with the news that a day is coming when God's Messianic King will overthrow the kingdoms of the world and establish His reign forever – and Zerubbabel will be used in a mighty way to bring it about. This is incredible encouragement for a guy who thought the Lord might be done with him and his work may stand for nothing. We'll examine the prophecy described by Haggai and learn how the hope given to Zerubbabel, concerning a returning and triumphant Messianic King, is the same hope for us.
In this week's message, we see the people of Israel hear the word of the Lord, repent together, and obey God. As they obeyed God, He affirmed His presence among them.
In our passage from Haggai 1:12-15, the people repent of their ways and start rebuilding the temple. After they heard God speak to them through Haggai, it led the people to fear the Lord, which led to their repentance. There is much in unpack in these four verses from today's message.
In this week's passage, we see Haggai call out the Israelites' misplaced priorities. They have neglected to build the house of the Lord, while they have all built nice homes for themselves. The issue for God was not the temple but the Israelites' hearts towards Him.
The book of Haggai is the story of God’s people who were focused on their own satisfaction and failed to flourish because of it. Their repentance and obedience would result in God’s blessing. This week we begin by laying down a foundation for understanding and applying Haggai to our lives.
Someone or something has probably shaped your view of God. Either a person or a particular event in your life or the way you were raised has impacted your perception of God. However, that perception may not be true or biblically accurate. In Exodus 34, God Himself gives us seven dominant qualities and one lesser quality of His nature.
As we conclude our "Into the Wilderness" series in Exodus, we will explore what God says about Himself and see if our perception of God lines up with the truth.
While Moses was away for 40 days receiving instructions from the Lord atop Mt. Sinai, the Israelites were back at camp engaging in wild parties and the worship of a golden calf. They had quickly abandoned the Lord and resorted to their old ways. Although they got out of Egypt, it seems Egypt had never gotten out of the Israelites. What lessons can we learn from this tragic story and how can we avoid similar compromises? Pastor Blair addresses those questions and more in our study from Exodus 32.
This week we're looking at Exodus 28-31 to help us understand how God used the priesthood to connect with and to commune with the Israelites. The ultimate way God chose to dwell among His people was not in a Tabernacle built by human hands, but in human flesh when Jesus came and "tabernacled" with us as our High Priest.
This week we're looking at the chapters in Exodus where God lays out how the nation of Israel was to worship God. Through the Tabernacle, we see how the different elements that God instructs the Israelites to build are a foreshadowing of their fulfillment made in and through the work of Jesus.
This week, we continue to look at ‘The Book of the Covenant,’ where God gives instructions to His people on how to treat one another and how to function as a nation with civil laws and rules for worship. We will pay particular attention to Chapter 24, where God confirms His covenant with His people through the pouring out of blood. To our modern ears, this sounds very strange, but as we'll see, it points us forward to Jesus.
After the Israelites received the 10 Commandments from God, they remained camped at the base of Mt. Sinai for another year. During this time, God taught them laws and judgments, and various instructions so that they might know Him better.
In this final teaching from the 10 Commandments, Pastor Blair examines the word “covet” and what it means to “desire enviously that which belongs to another.” If covetousness is like a tree, then there are generally five roots that nourish it: envy, jealousy, greed, lust, and discontentment.
God has established the rights of individuals to possess property and to be stewards (managers) of all that God owns. When people steal, they not only sin against the one who possess the property, but they also sin against the One who loaned it in the first place, namely God. Besides the obvious ‘taking’ of what doesn’t belong to you, have you ever considered the MANY ways that we ‘steal’ from one another?
The Ten Commandments aren’t just about what not to do—they also promote love, kindness, and generosity. This includes having a positive view on sex. Christianity, despite what people may think, actually encourages delight and closeness in sex, but within marriage. The idea of sex being a connection between a Christian and Jesus shows us the joy of being fully loved and appreciated by God. It’s like a story of the gospel and points us to something even greater.
What is the difference between killing someone and murdering someone? What are the ethical issues facing our society today about death and dying? Take your Bible and join us for this continuing study through the 10 Commandments. The title tells you a little of what we are going to look at together. :)
What comes to mind when you think of your father or mother? For some, the thought is uplifting. For others, it’s devastating. Yet the Bible says, “Honour your father and mother” and provides no exception clause for those of us who have had horrific experiences at the hands of our parents. So what does it mean to honour them? How do we do this?
On Easter Sunday, we celebrate and remember that Jesus triumphed over the grave! He died and is now alive forevermore, holding the keys to Death and Hades (Rev. 1:18). Those who trust in Him need not fear death. Jesus got what He didn’t deserve, namely our sin, and we got what we didn’t deserve, His gift of righteousness.
Good Friday is the day we remember when Jesus willingly suffered and died by crucifixion as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. It's a picture of God's steadfast love extended to a broken and sinful people. Good Friday is an important day to remember and reflect on Jesus’ love poured out for us on the cross.
Sin isn’t static. It will always demand more. It’ll always come back with more ferocity and power. It’ll always be there and it’ll always increase. And its ultimate destination is death—a spiritual and moral death, and for those who don’t know the Lord, an eternal death.
The most powerful thing we can do to combat sin is to stand on the territory that Jesus conquered. He broke sin’s power. You're either a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness. When we’re slaves of God, we have the freedom to be what God created us to be.
Justification by faith alone is a life-changing doctrine that changed Martin Luther’s life. This doctrine is the spark that started the Reformation. Luther moved from a life of despair to joy, knowing that we have a borrowed righteousness of Christ that is extended to all who believe. In this message, we look at the book of Romans and the four verses that sparked the Reformation.
At the heart of the Bible is the message of God's rescue of us. Christianity has good news about what God has done for us. The Gospel means “Good News.” If you were to take the Bible and distill its contents down to one thing, it would be all about God's rescue mission to us.
This Easter series called “Rescued” is all about taking some time to really dig into and understand the heart of the Bible, God's rescue mission for us, and the good news of God's saving work for us.
In the 4th Commandment, we’re commanded to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Learning to Sabbath is a very difficult concept for our modern ears because we attach so much value to time and productivity that the idea of resting means no productivity... and no productivity eats away at our perceived value. What Jesus is offering is not an escape from life, but a new way to go through life, a new way to bear responsibilities. Instead of offering you escape from the pressures, He offers you new equipment to use to bear the pressures.
In this message, we look at the 3rd Commandment, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain."
God’s name expresses His character and His reputation. Anytime you misuse the name of the Lord, you malign, devalue, and dishonour the character and reputation of God. God wants us to treat His name with holy reverence. God’s name is to be set apart as a holy name.
- This week's sermon is from Pastor Gary Hamrick at Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, VA (cornerstonechapel.net).
In this message, we are looking at the second out of ten commands that God gave to Moses. God is very clear how we are not to worship Him through graven images or idols. The context of this command is extremely important to help us understand this command fully. These days in our culture, it rare to see graven images or idols, but Scripture is very clear that we all will struggle with idols of the heart. We are going to look at some questions to help us expose the idols that exist in our hearts.
The first commandment tells us that we’re to have no other gods but God. He is to be the exclusive object of our worship; the ultimate object of our love and desire. In this message, what we will see is that there isn’t a person here who is capable of dethroning all idols and giving his or her heart to God alone. It’s impossible. But what is impossible with us is possible with God.
In this message, we make sense of God’s Top 10. We lay some groundwork for how we’re to understand and approach the 10 Commandments, and look at some reasons for why we should obey them. In the following weeks, we’ll be unpacking each of the 10 commandments.
In Exodus 19 God begins to show His people what it looks like to be His people. In our passage we see that the law leads us to the cross – the law shows our need for a Saviour. The law examines us in light of the standard, that standard being Jesus.
This week we take a closer look at Moses’ father-in-law and his valuable wisdom to Moses in chapter 18. There are so many great principles of leadership to learn in this chapter. Together we’re going to look at three leadership principles and how they impact our lives everyday.
In this message, we look to Exodus 16 where we find the Israelites continue on their journey through the wilderness, where they face hunger and complain to God once again. God, in His grace, provides them with manna and quail for food. God tests the people to rely on Him everyday for their every need. This story points us forward to a greater bread—the Bread of Life.
What we see in Exodus 15 is the response the Israelites had to the deliverance that God gave them from the slavery of the Egyptians. They responded in this celebration of deliverance, with deep emotion, the first song recorded in the Bible. They certainly had much to celebrate! In this message, we examine some biblical truths about worship.
Before we head back into our Exodus series, we start this New Year with a look at who we are and why it matters as we battle sin and temptation in our lives and the implications this has for one another at The Compass Church.
We conclude our 'Fear Not' series with a look at the familiar characters of the Shepherds in the Christmas story. Here we see again the angel say “Fear Not.” We believe this story — a very popular portion of the Christmas text — could speak to you in a way that could be a game-changer when it comes to your standing with God.
This Sunday we look at Joseph’s encounter with an angel. We look at Joseph wrestling with the fear of man when it came to Mary being pregnant before they married. Joseph decided to be obedient to God, and he replaced his fear of people with the fear of God.
Fear attacks us right where our faith lives and keeps us from stepping into the plans God has for us. This Christmas series will help us overcome fear and transform it into faith and obedience. 'Fear Not' assures us that God will always give us the guidance we need to reject fear.
This week's focus is on Mary's encounter with the angel who told her she would give birth to the Saviour of the world.
In Exodus 14, we explore one of the most familiar stories in the Bible: the Exodus and the parting of the Red Sea. God led the people of God on the route least expected. Why? This is some of what we are going to examine in this week's message.
With the tenth and final plague of Passover complete, what does God call His people to next? What does God want to ensure that His people give themselves to first? He calls them to remember. Remember who they were and what He had done. This message delves deep into the question: why? Why does God want us to remember, and what does it birth in us, His children?
This week, we dive into Exodus 12:1-32, examining the 10th and final plague that God poured out on the Egyptians. In this plague, every firstborn son in Egypt will die. The Israelites, in order to be shielded from God’s judgment, will have the first Passover and paint the blood of the lamb over their doorposts. We will explore this and how the first Passover points us to the final sacrificial Lamb—Jesus’ death.
In this message, we look at the next three plagues: Hail, Locust and Darkness, exploring what they teach us about who God is. Our understanding of God needs to be shaped by His Word, not by the god we create—that looks a lot like us.
We continue in Exodus by looking at the three plagues of flies, livestock and boils. Through these plagues, God continues to destroy the false idols and gods in which the Egyptians have placed their security, showing us how God makes a distinction between His chosen people and those who are not.
As Chapter 7 of Exodus continues, and over the next few chapters, we witness the power of God displayed in the ten plagues. We have observed the face-off; now, we have the God of the Hebrews—the true and living God—in the ring with Pharaoh and the gods of Egyptian people, where God is delivering punch after punch to the very heart of Pharaoh, the Egyptians, and their culture of idol worship. The face-off is over, and the fight has begun, leaving Pharaoh with no chance.
The first 13 verses of Exodus 7 serve as a preview of the plagues. They introduce nearly all the main themes of the next five chapters of this book: the obedience of Moses and Aaron, the counterfeit miracles of Satan and his servants, the superior power of God and his staff, and the perpetual hardening of Pharaoh's heart.
Discouraged and confused, Moses calls out to God. Exodus 6 teaches us that even though there are times in life where we have seasons of deep discouragement, pain, trouble, and questions, we fight discouragement with the promises of God and that is what chapter 6 is all about.
What do you do when your faithful obedience to God is only met with resistance and disdain? How do you respond, where do you turn? Additionally, how do negative reactions to God and His Word serve God's ultimate purpose and plan? We address those dilemmas in this week's message.
- This sermon is from Pastor Norm Funk at Westside Church. For more information, visit their website at: wchurch.ca
In this message, we look at Exodus 4:18-31 and how a very strange story—that is often neglected—is actually a powerful picture of salvation. It’s also a reminder that obedience matters and that sin isn’t just doing bad things, but is also about failing to do the right things. Most importantly this story foreshadows and teaches us that "without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins."
In Exodus 3 we look at Moses' life and examine through Moses how the God who saves is the God who sends. What we need is not a better picture of ourselves, but a better picture of God.
In Exodus 2 we look at the miraculous story of the birth of Moses and we see the fingerprints of God all over it. However, if we only see Moses and miss the One whom Moses points to, we miss the story. Jesus is the ultimate Moses, the ultimate mediator, and the ultimate liberator – leading an exodus that will liberate from sin and death itself for all eternity.
We begin our new series in the book of Exodus by looking at Chapter 1 and see how we got to this point in the story. There are tremendous truths that lay a good foundation for what we encounter in the rest of Exodus.
In this stand-alone message, we take time to look at the church and why the local church really matters for our spiritual growth. We are looking at Hebrews 10:19-25.
We conclude our Arrows series by looking at the spiritual discipline of evangelism – sharing the good news of Jesus with others! In this message, we look at the motivation for evangelism from Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 to challenge the way we think about the necessity of sharing the good news of Jesus.
In this message, we look at the spiritual discipline of prayer and examine what Jesus teaches us regarding how to pray from the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6. We will also look at a few practical ways to help you in your prayer life.
In today's message, we look at the spiritual discipline of stewardship. We own nothing, but God has allowed us to steward these things for His glory!
In this message, we look at the spiritual discipline of service. We will be looking at Mark 10:32-45 and what Jesus has to say about serving others.
In this message, we look at the spiritual discipline of worship. We'll be reading John 4:16-26 and hear about three things that Jesus says about worship.
We begin our new sermon series, 'Arrows,' by looking at spiritual disciplines and how to hit the target in our spiritual lives. We begin at ground zero by looking at the Gospel, what the purpose of spiritual disciplines are, and why they matter so much to our growth.
Here we are at the end of Revelation—the epilogue—where we encounter some very poignant last words. Coming to the end of this challenging yet amazing book, it's good to think about how have these words influenced how you think, act, and look at the world going forward.
In Revelation 21:9-22:5, we encounter the Holy City of God: the new Jerusalem. John’s vision describes the new heavens and the new earth, and we want to be able to gaze upon this city and not lose sight of the majesty of it because we are overly obsessed with interpreting its many individual parts. John is being descriptive to help us enlarge our longing and our love for the new heavens and the new earth, and to live now in light of eternity.
These final chapters of Revelation 21-22 reveal to us the day when all those who are in Christ will leave behind "This is not the way it should be" for good, and enter into the ultimate and eternal "I was made for this" because, in fact, we were made for this. In Revelation 21:1-8, John tells us what we can expect to See, Sense, and Enjoy in the New Heaven and New Earth.
Revelation 20 is considered by many to be the most challenging chapter in all the Bible. In this message, we look to what we know for sure, and centre ourselves on the greatest love humanity has ever known.
This week we look at Proverbs 16:1-15. This passage is a unicorn text, because it follows the same theme through 15 verses: the theme of God’s sovereignty over all things. It is very different than any other chapter in Proverbs, because it’s not a random collection of thoughts or themes like the rest of Proverbs, but it’s going to show us how God’s sovereignty rules through His Son Jesus Christ. We will be looking at God’s sovereignty and how He rules and reigns over us.
The joy of our lives, the blessing of our lives—now and into the future—is that we’ve been invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb, not simply as a guest, but as the bride. Hallelujah!! We are called to be Jesus' bride. Jesus is the groom; the church is the bride. We are going explore from Revelation 19 about this incredible reality of the marriage supper of the Lamb!
Revelation 18 focuses on Babylon’s destruction – this proud and evil system of worldly desires, lust, pleasures and priorities. If the destruction of Babylon is certain and we live in the age of Babylon and the spirit of Babylon is overwhelming us, our call is to come out and flee Babylon.
John records a vision in Revelation 17 that personifies the forces of evil at work in our world. It focuses on the deception of Babylon — how nations try to build society without God and the lies that need to happen in order for that to take place.
In Revelation, where you can’t ignore the wrath of God, you have to stare at it... and the more you stare at it, the more beautiful it becomes. As we stare at the righteous character of God, it challenges us to think differently about the wrath of God. In this message, we explore the seven bowls of God's wrath as seen in Revelation 15 & 16.
In this message, we are looking at Proverbs 31 (Biblical Manhood). It’s not often we hear Proverbs 31 sermons directed to manhood, but it is very relevant for men who have ears to hear. Although we are talking primarily to men, this is equally important for women because every woman has a man in their life. And for the mothers who have boys, this is important for you to hear and reflect on as you seek to raise boys who will become godly men. Just like what we have done in past sermons in this series, we show the counterfeit (fool’s gold) that is present in today's culture, and then focus on three marks of a Proverbs 31 man.
In the midst of some really dark things, John is conveying to us that in the midst of the spiritual conflict that rages on, something else is happening. Revelation 14 shows us how the Gospel is being announced through the world, seeds of the Kingdom of God are being sown, and very soon Jesus will reap the Gospel harvest.
In this message, we are studying Revelation 13:11-18 and are introduced to the third person of Satan’s unholy trinity – the second beast that comes from the earth. We look at this beast's role and what the "Mark of the Beast" and "666" mean. We end with two truths we must take to heart in light of this passage.
Happy Easter! On this Easter morning, we reflect on the resurrection of Jesus by looking at John 11 and how Jesus moved resurrection out of a 'Statement of Faith' and into a Person – the Person of Jesus Christ. The bodily resurrection of Jesus is the most important event in history. In fact, apart from Christ’s bodily resurrection, we have no Saviour, no salvation, and no hope of eternal life.
On this Palm Sunday, we reflect on the role the resurrection has in the everyday. The resurrection, among other important realities, is an invitation from Jesus to be who we are (Christ followers), where we are (this world). We dive into John 17 and 1 Corinthians 15 in this message.
In Revelation 13:1-10, we encounter the first of two beasts in this chapter. Everyone loves a good beast story. :) This beast comes out of the sea and is given authority. With lots of speculation around this, we are going to unravel the confusion and learn what the Beast actually is and the implications for us as Jesus followers.
Eugene Peterson said about Revelation 12, “This is not the nativity story we grew up with, but it is the nativity story all the same.” In this message, we unpack Revelation 12 and see how the Woman, Child and the Great Red Dragon all bring us back to the Good News of our salvation in Christ alone – the first Christmas on display.
In this message, we are looking at Proverbs 31 (Biblical Womanhood). We are talking primarily to women, but it’s equally important for men because every man has a woman in their life. And for the dads who have girls, this is important for you to hear and reflect on as you seek to raise girls who will become godly women. In this message, we will show the counterfeit (fool’s gold) that is present in our culture today, then look at Proverbs 31 and see four characteristics of a woman who fears the Lord.
Revelation 11 is full of symbolism and it shows us what the Church is meant to be to a watching world: a witness! In this message, we examine this challenging but important passage about the counterintuitive nature of the Kingdom of God.
- Due to technical difficulties, this week's message is audio-only.
In Revelation 10, there is a pause in the sequence of the seven Judgment trumpets. Just when it seems that everything is coming to a final conclusion, and when it appears that God's judgment can't get any worse, there is a pause—a commercial break in the epic reality of the Last Days. Chapter 10 revolves around a mighty angel, a little scroll, and a recommissioning for John to "prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings." Additionally, we learn a truth about "Feeding on God's Word." This passage is truly awesome!
In Revelation 9, we have very vivid imagery of a terrifying scene where the spiritual realm invades the physical world. Although this chapter is very vivid, there are some crucial truths we need to learn. The great reformer Martin Luther once said, “The devil is still God’s devil.” Consider this statement in light of Revelation 9.
In this message, we explore how to read the book of Proverbs through a Gospel lens. There are two ways to approach this book: one can lead to joy and life, while the other can lead to pride and despair. We will examine how our approach to reading the Bible, including Proverbs, will impact our lives.
The opening of the seventh seal in Revelation 8 ushers in the trumpet judgments. As we examine the first four trumpet judgments, the significance of prayer becomes evident in its connection to justice and the end of the age.
Chapter 7 is an interlude before we look at the final seal. In this interlude is a very encouraging message to us as John is given a new vision of how God will keep believers spiritually safe in the final judgement. Chapter 7 answers the question we saw chapter 6 end with. Chapter 6 describes a cosmic meltdown and ends with a very ominous question: Who can stand in the day of the Lord's wrath?
We complete Chapter 6 by looking at seals 5 and 6... a sobering and necessary look at that great day when every one of us will come face-to-face with the Lamb. We will either stand with Him in His salvation or stand before Him at His judgement. We will either rejoice in His glorious grace or be terrified before His righteous wrath. Grace or wrath? Forgiveness or condemnation?
We begin Revelation 6 through the lens of Revelation 4 and 5. The scroll that the Lamb of God holds in His right hand begins to be opened one seal at a time. This week we are looking at the first four seals and what the seals cause us to fix our gaze upon.
We turn our attention to Revelation 5 and look at the Lamb and the scroll. What the scroll represents are the decrees of God concerning the unfolding of God’s plans of judgment and salvation that were established before the foundations of the world were set in motion by Jesus' death and resurrection.
As we turn our attention to 2023, we look to Ezekiel 47:1-12 to help us reorientate ourselves to what really matters — What's the chief end of man? Answer: To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
God provided us with the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. Christmas celebrates that God drew near to us to do what we cannot do for ourselves: He provided salvation. From the blessing of the Abraham family line comes a baby in a manger, a baby who came to die. A baby who is the Son of God who came to be with us, who drew near to us. THIS IS WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT! This is what our gift giving is about, this is what we celebrate. The comfort and the joy we experience is not in a thing; it is in a person—the person of Jesus Christ who draws near to us.
In week 2 of "Travel Light", we look at letting go of bitterness and control. How do we deal with forgiveness and surrendering control? How do we travel light with less baggage and burden and surrender to the glorious ways of the Lord?
NOTE: Due to technical issues, the first part of this message is unavailable.
We begin our new Christmas series, "Travel Light." When the weight of the world is on your shoulders, it can feel like you’re going nowhere in a hurry. Shake off the burdens of stress, worry, and regret and find the freedom that comes when you Travel Light.
There are four building blocks of parenting as we train our children in wisdom. The goal in parenting is for us to run to Jesus and His wisdom.
John is brought into the very throne room of God, and while in awe, he tries to use words to help us enter into that experience. John is not just trying to recreate a picture; he wants us to experience an event.
The final church is the church in Laodicea. Of these seven churches, none receives a more scathing condemnation than Laodicea. Here we see a picture of how Jesus feels about a church that is lukewarm in its passion for Him and says in verse 16: “So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
This week we look at the sixth church of seven in Revelation: the church in Philadelphia. In this message, Jesus does not say, "but I have this against you." The church in Philadelphia had not lost its first love. It had remained loyal under pressure; it was not carelessly tolerant of ideas contrary to the Gospel; it boldly confessed Jesus in the marketplace.
Looking at the church in Sardis from Revelation 3:1-6, we find a church that had found itself with a reputation of being alive, but was in fact dead. Like a surgeon, Jesus does open heart surgery on this church—giving them commands to help bring them to life. They grew content with a mediocre, halfway, comfortable, and convenient Christianity. Their faith was not radical; it was almost invisible.
This passage teaches us about the church in Thyatira, a church with a huge problem: there were those within the church who compromised their holiness. Rather than being in the world and not of the world, people thought they could compromise and have the best of both worlds.
We begin our new series called, "Fool's Gold" in the book of Proverbs. There is much wisdom in this book! In this message, we look at Proverbs 1:1-7 and find out where wisdom comes from.
As we look at the first of seven lampstands, we find the church in Ephesus somehow neglected and lost the most important thing: Jesus and the Gospel. They lost their first love. Obedience out of love for Jesus was replaced by obedience out of duty. This is the difference between "Jesus accepts me and I gladly obey" and "I obey and Jesus accepts me."
In this message, we study John's first vision and get a picture of the Son of Man, the glorious one, who nearly kills the Apostle John.
We begin our new teaching series in Revelation by laying some important foundational principles we must know as we navigate this complex and often confusing book.
As we get back into routine after the summer, we look at how the path of least resistance in our spiritual lives always leads to spiritual drift.
Wow, Paul packs a punch in these final verses of his last letter to the Thessalonian Church. Paul addresses a cancer that needs to be cut out of this church, and he warns them in his first letter of people not working, but they did not listen. Church discipline is required. In this message, we learn of four final points that Paul wants to leave with this church.
In this message, we look at the characteristics of genuinely converted believers: they are transformed by God's grace, guided by His Word, and are secure in His salvation and promises.
In this week's passage, Apostle Paul teaches the importance of staying focused and grounded on God's truths rather than emotionally losing our minds when things appear like they're out of control in the world.
What will happen on Judgment Day for those who are in Christ and those who are not? It’s a sobering passage as we see the joy for the Christ followers and pain for those who are not in Him.
We begin II Thessalonians where the Apostle Paul boasts about the growing faith, love and hope of the Thessalonian church in the midst of suffering and persecution.
We wrap up the book of I Thessalonians this week by looking at the final 17 verses. Paul gives the Thessalonians 16 final instructions and addresses the pastors, the people and the practice of how these instructions play out in the Church.
We near the end of I Thessalonians, looking at 5:1-11 in this message. The Thessalonian church was concerned about the future, in particular whether they were ready to stand before Jesus and have everything in order for His coming... or as Paul called it, “the day of the Lord.”
This Sunday we are looking at one of the most popular passages in the Bible. At the heart of Paul’s teaching is that God’s promises about tomorrow give us hope for how we face today.
In this message, we examine four ways in which Paul teaches us to stay in our lane: 1. Love each other more 2. Lead a quiet life 3. Mind your own business 4. Work with your hands
We begin a transition in I Thessalonians 4 where Paul is moving into the practical instruction on how God wants His people to live; how you ought to walk to please God. Not surprisingly, the first area that Paul addresses is sexual purity.
In this message, we look at the church from a 30,000 foot level and what the church looks like on the ground.
In this message, we are going to be challenged by the Thessalonians and their desire to know God’s Word and receive it. We have such a gift and privilege in having the Word of God literally in our hands. Do we treat it like that, or is it collecting dust on our shelves?
In this message, we look at Paul’s defence of himself and the Gospel as he faces critics and false teachers and their influence in the young Thessalonian church plant that Paul planted.
In this message, we are in I Thessalonians 1:4-10 and looking at how the verbal Gospel is tethered to the visible Gospel in the life of the Church.
We begin our new series in I & II Thessalonians, "Keeping Faith in the Age of Unbelief." The journey begins into the remarkable Thessalonian church through Paul's two letters to them.
We end our series in Mark celebrating the resurrection of Jesus from Mark 16. The issue of Easter is profoundly simple. It all boils down to this: If Jesus is dead, then Christianity is dead. If Jesus is alive, then Christianity is alive.
In this message, we examine the crucifixion and what the crucifixion means for us in 2022 as Holy Week begins and we move closer to Easter.
In this message, we turn to the Garden of Gethsemane and witness the sorrow of Jesus as He begins His journey to the cross. So much to learn from this account of Jesus' tremendous love for us.
For many of us who have grown up going to church, the Lord's Supper is something we can grow so familiar with that we might miss the beauty and wonder of it. We'll unpack this and also look at two of Jesus' followers: one who was all in, and one who was all out.
In this message, we conclude our “Family Matters” series with a look at parenting and the home.
We continue to look at the family – this time from the vantage point of womanhood.
- Technical Issues: This week's video and audio are choppy. Sorry for the inconvenience.
We continue looking at the family and, in particular, what it means to be a man made in the image of God.
We begin our “Family Matters” series by learning a theology of the family so that “right living” flows from “right thinking”.
We conclude our “Breaking the Cycle” series in Judges by looking at what a culture looks like when God is abandoned and how we so often redefine God to suit what we want rather than worship Him as He is.
In this message, we look at Samson’s life from Judges 16. Samson had a missing piece in his life, which equals missing peace with God. Samson was physically strong, but had a very weak relationship with God. We will watch Samson's physical strength be taken from him, then we will see how his relationship with God became strong right before he dies.
In this message, we look at the life of Samson. Although well-known, the man himself remains a mystery. In four chapters, the writer tells us about Samson's rise and fall. It’s a story rich in human drama—full of love and sex and intrigue and violence and passion and strange twists of fate.
In this message, we look at Judges 10-12 and a judge named Jephthah. This story about Jephthah is a picture of a life built upon a little of God, a little of idols, and a life shaped by culture rather than the Word of God... and it doesn’t turn out well.
How do we navigate culture without being swallowed by it? This is what we will look at in this message.
In this message, we cover a lot of ground by looking at chapters 7-8 of Judges. In these chapters we see once again the faithfulness of God and the dangers that can come from success.
The expression "putting out a fleece" comes from this passage in Judges 6:33-40 where Gideon requests God’s guarantee of victory through two tests. We are going to look at this idea of putting out a fleece and discover what is going on here and what this means for us today.
This second week in our “Missing Peace” series, we will be looking at the Christmas story and how God works through our lives in the midst of our waiting upon Him.
This Sunday will be the first message in our Christmas series called, “Missing Peace.” We look at whether peace is even possible and what it means to have peace with God versus the peace of God.
In this message, we are looking at Judges 6:1-27 and how God provides a prophet to His people to teach them a valuable lesson: You can’t do battle with the enemies outside you until you have gone to war with the enemies within you.
Today we look at Judges 4 & 5 and discover that God often uses unlikely people and uncommon means to accomplish His purposes and fulfill His promises to His glory alone.
This week we’re looking at one of the craziest stories and how this story shows us: If dependance on God is the objective, then weakness is the advantage.
We begin our series in the Biblical book of Judges with Chapters 1-2 where we see the devastating costs of compromise in the life of the Israelites. Rather than uncompromising faith and obedience to the Lord, they chose compromise and unbelief. All sin starts with a failure of belief.
This Sunday is Reformation Day where we will take some time to discover the impact of the reformation for us today.
Reformation Day is the day the light of the Gospel broke forth out of darkness. Up until then, the church had lost sight of the Gospel over many centuries, and had glossed over God’s Word with layer upon layer of tradition that brought about systems of works—things you must do to earn your way back to God and earn His favour.
This week, we conclude our “Rooted” series by looking at the third leg of our discipleship pathway here at The Compass. We are focusing on community and the role it plays in our discipleship.
Big Idea: Community is necessary for spiritual growth and is an act of war.
This week in our “Rooted” series, we are looking at another element to our discipleship pathway: the Sunday Gathering.
Big Idea: The significance of the gathered church where the Word of God is bolding proclaimed is critical to your spiritual growth.
Jonathan Edwards once said that seeking after God is the main business of the Christian. And how do we seek after God? By pursuing the renewal of our minds. A renewed mind results from diligently pursuing the knowledge of God. Today, we look at how our mind and our heart are inextricably connected and lead to deeper discipleship and worship of God.
We are beginning a new sermon series entitled "Rooted", which is all about discipleship. This Sunday, we are looking at two of the most common reasons why we are content with ankle deep discipleship rather than wade into the deeper waters of our spiritual growth.
As we conclude Mark 13, we are reminded of the great hope of Jesus’ imminent return. Our hope is not on the "when" of His return but the truth that He "will" return. So be faithful, be ready, and “stay awake.” Jesus left us with responsibilities and we need to be faithful. It’s a serious call to serious discipleship. When Jesus returns, He doesn’t want to find us asleep.
Big Idea: Be alert, knowing without a doubt, Jesus will come again. Our hope is not on the "when" of His return but the truth that He "will" return.
In Mark 13:1-23, Jesus describes what we can expect to encounter before He returns. In the midst of these sobering signs of what’s to come is a great truth: Jesus never—not for a moment—ever abandons those He loves.
Big Idea: In the midst of unprecedented brokenness and pain in the world, Jesus never—not for a moment—ever abandons those He loves.
Mark's account in Mark 12:41-44 of the “widow's offering”, understood in context, helps us see the devastating effects of religion and the need for a Saviour.
Big Idea: Religion is the ultimate widow maker. The widow’s coins are not an example of how to give, but a picture of the devastating effects of religion.
We are moving forward in the book of Mark. We are going to be looking at Mark 12:28-34. In this passage, a man asked Jesus what is the “GOAT – Greatest Of All Time” command? Jesus' answer is simple but so complicated! We will unpack the two greatest commands of all-time: Love God and love your neighbour.
BIG IDEA: Love God, love others... Don’t make love your God. Make God your greater love. Everything else will follow in your life.
In this week's passage from Mark 12:18-27, we find another group of men seeking out Jesus to try and trap him. This new group, the Sadducees, have some very wacky non-biblical views. Jesus is going to point out their error. We will also dive into what the afterlife will look like for followers of Jesus, according to God’s Word.
Jude's final words to us are a doxology to God who can keep us from stumbling and present us blameless, because God is our Saviour who is glorious, majestic, rules all things, and has all authority: past present and future.
Jude transitions to teaching us how we are to persevere as we “Contend for the Faith”. He guides us in not only remembering but also how to remain in God's love and reach out to those who doubt and have turned their back on Jesus. His counsel is a fitting end to the end — urging us to persevere in the faith!
BIG IDEA: We persevere by remembering the certainty of false teachers, remaining in the love of God and reaching out to others.
Jude continues to teach us of the dangers of false teaching by giving some very vivid pictures in nature and in the lives of many in Scripture.
BIG IDEA: God’s judgement is certain, and His love and His wrath are not incompatible.
Today, everyone wants to “hear” from God, and almost daily there is a new claim of “special revelation.” This is extremely dangerous. In this message, we are looking at Jude 8, and how the false teachers used their dreams as a way to justify their behaviour.
BIG IDEA: The only place we receive “special revelation” from God is in the pages of Scripture. Scripture alone provides us with the truth we need to live our lives for the glory of God.
This Sunday we are looking at three examples given by Jude of ways people turn from following Jesus.
BIG IDEA: Unbelief, rebellion, and sexual sin leads to judgement and will shipwreck your faith.
I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 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. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Phil. 4:11–13)
Ever catch yourself thinking, if I can get that, then I could basically die and go to heaven. There is only one person that can truly provide you with that sense of satisfaction.
The gospel is the power for living out the Christian life. And just like a lamp, you can’t shine for Jesus unless you’re plugged into the right power source! But what does that look like on a practical level? How does the gospel change the way we act in our jobs, our marriages, or our hobbies?
This morning we are looking at the plumb line of “We are not like a family, we are a family” - Part B.
1 John 4:19: We love because...
Rooting yourself in the love of God for you is how the love for God and others grows in you, and the only way to grow in your love for others is to grow in your awareness of the love of God for you.
You see, it all goes back to the Gospel.
This morning we continue our teaching series on the church called “A Beautiful Mess”. Today we will be looking at John 13 and the Part B of the Compass ministry and mission plumb line:
“If Service is Beneath You, Leadership is Beyond You.” Part B
We are continuing our series titled "Beautiful Mess" and focusing on the plumb line:
“If Service is Beneath You, Leadership is Beyond You.”
We are looking at part two of the plumb line:
The Church is God’s Plan A to Build His Kingdom
Today we are looking at the second Compass plumb line:
The church is God’s plan A for building His kingdom. (Part A)
Our plumb lines help us to learn about the nature and mission of the church.
We are so glad that you have chosen to join us today. Today we are looking further at the first Compass Plumb line:
Jesus is more than first, He is central.
Our plumb lines help us to learn about the nature and the mission of the church.
Today we are looking at the first Compass Plumb Line:
Jesus is more than first, He is central. Our plumb lines help us to learn about the nature of the church and the mission of the church.
Your church matters! You matter! In this message we are looking a three pictures Paul gives of the church to his young protege Timothy who is in Ephesus. Paul describes the church as; "The Household of God." "The Church of the Living God" and the "Pillar and Buttress of truth."
This wraps up our sermon series on the Lord's Prayer. We will be diving into the final two phrases of this prayer, which Jesus modeled for us.
If you could ask Jesus to teach you anything, what would it be? The disciples had this opportunity and the one thing they asked Jesus to teach them about was prayer. This summer Jesus is giving us as lesson on prayer as we walk through The Lord’s Prayer.
Today we are so thankful to have Trevor Rysavy teach us from Luke 15. Trevor and Lesley and their 2 girls live in Calgary. Trevor and Lesley planted “Urban Grace” church in Calgary and have been in full time ministry for over 20 years. Trevor and Lesley have a passion for the Gospel and for the planting of new churches around the world.
Have you ever been distracted? I know I sure have and it affects my life in so many ways, especially in my relationship with Jesus. Today we will be looking at Luke 10:38-42 and learning about the importance of spiritual focus and attention in the midst of a very distracted world.
Today we are looking at Mark 4:1-20. Jesus’ explanation of the Parable of the Sower highlights four different responses to the gospel. A persons reception of God’s Word is determined by the condition of his heart.
Today we are continuing to look at the kingdom of God and the nature of the Gospel. We will be looking at Luke 18:9-14 and learning what God’s “Inside Out” Kingdom looks like. Love came down in Christ Jesus and this love is what declares us to have a right and acceptable relationship based on the work of Jesus received by faith alone.
Last week we asked the questions: Who is God, What Has God Done, and Who are we? Our focus today is on our identity as adopted children of God.
Church is not an event. It’s a Community. Mission is not an event. It’s a Lifestyle. We are called to live ordinary life with Gospel Intentionality.
We are continuing our series on how to be Gospel Fluent people who take the truths of the Gospel into the everyday stuff of life. The fruit of our life reveals the quality of the root that is sustaining us.
Today we continue our “Lost in Translation” teaching series by looking at the Gospel in us and why it’s so difficult to live Gospel fluent lives. We are in a spiritual battle every moment, which requires us to know our enemy.
We are continuing our look at what it means to be “Gospel Fluent people” in our short series called “Lost in Translation”. Gospel fluency is... having Gospel motivation and biblical direction when encountering things.
Today we are going to be looking at blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. What it is, some causes, and how to remedy it.
The passage this morning is from Mark 3:7-21. When you read it and consider what we find throughout the rest of the Bible, as well as the history of the church, you will discover something very encouraging:
Our God who uses ordinary people to accomplish his extraordinary work in this world.
We are looking at Mark 3:1-6 when Jesus heals a man with a withered hand. This was done on the Sabbath, making the religious leaders even more upset with Jesus. We will examine what it means to “Sabbath” well, and how it applies to us.
Today we continue or series called “Awe and Wonder”, a study of the book of Mark. We will be looking at Mark 2:23-28, when Jesus addresses the issue of working on the sabbath.
Today we are looking at the classic carol, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”. Written by Charles Wesley, (English Methodist leader and hymn writer). If you listen closely to the lyrics you’ll notice that the carol gives a full explanation of the gospel.
The songs we sing at Christmas are some of the most well known songs in the world yet at the same time the most unknown songs. Each year, the soundtrack to Christmas repeats songs that constantly proclaim the gospel to us and the world around us. This Christmas Season, we are going to dive into these classic songs and unpack the deeper meaning our Christmas soundtrack.
Today we are continuing our sermon series called Awe and Wonder. We will be looking at Mark 2:1-12 and the fact that the Jesus we need, is not necessarily the Jesus we want.
Today we are continuing our sermon series called Awe and Wonder and we we will be looking at Mark 1:35-45. We will see through our text how Jesus advances the gospel through prayer, preaching and cleansing.
Today we continue in our teaching series called, “Awe and Wonder” on the Gospel of Mark. This morning we will be looking at Mark 1:29-34. The scripture recounts more of Jesus miraculous healings, a display of his compassion, authority and power.
Today we continue in our teaching series entitled, “Awe and Wonder” on the Gospel of Mark. Today we will be studying Mark 1:21-28. In this passage we begin to see Jesus displaying his authority in both his teaching and his power in healing a man with an “unclean spirit”.
We continue in our teaching series called, “Awe and Wonder” on the Gospel of Mark. This morning we will be in Mark 1:14-20. As Jesus begins his public ministry he starts by calling his first disciples a pair of brothers: Simon and Andrew and James and John. These men are fishermen and Jesus calls them to something much more!!
How do we engage with and overcome temptation, when the wilderness makes us vulnerable?
One of these things just doesn't belong? Why was Jesus baptized if Jesus was sinless...
“Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning. Earning is an attitude. Effort is an action. Grace, you know, does not just have to do with forgiveness of sins alone.”
-Dallas Willard
What is this new teaching that you are bringing?
God needs nothing. He himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else, everyday!
What is the purpose of Redemption?
Overcoming Evil * Restoring Creation * Uniting Creation * Making the Elect Beautiful * Bringing Glory to God.
A History of the Work of Redemption - Johnathan Edwards
Philanthropy is not just for the wealthy, it is for anyone that has experienced the fullness of His riches, mercy, and love. We are encouraged to give faithfully, sacrificially, and whole heartedly because that is what was modelled for us through Jesus Christ.
The comforts we often seek, will only lead us to more burden. Only Jesus can truly satisfy.
We often feel as though possessions belong to us, without realizing that we are captivated by our stuff.
Our financial statement can often be a reflection of our hearts affections. Money can be a good indicator used for identifying what we value.
"Your standard of living should increase your standard of giving."
Is it justice, when the victim of a crime receives the punishment the criminal should have? This message highlights the climax of the punishment that Jesus received, which was separation from God.
Our responses to suffering can look different. At times we can put our head down and just push through it. Other times, we look to God and ask why is this bad thing happening. Less likely though, we turn to God and acknowledge that we are deserving of no good thing.
The inability to forgive others holds the offended captive. Forgiveness is to be exercised, even when it does not "feel" right.
How can we accept that Faith cannot be increased by our works, when we are instructed that Faith without works is dead? Pastor Blair explains the interdependent relationship between Faith and works.
How can Grace be earned? Pastor Blair explains why Grace cannot be credited, earned, or based on anything we do.
The authority we submit ourselves to, is often the authority that is demonstrated through us. Pastor Murray explains that the scriptures grant us biblical authority only when we begin submtting to the Authority of scripture.
This Sunday, Pastor Blair Allen unpacks the series of events that led to one of the greatest rebellions the world has ever experienced.
Church membership is a formal relationship between a Church and a Christian characterized by the church’s affirmation and oversight of a Christian’s discipleship and the Christian’s submission to living out his or her discipleship in the care of the church.
What you hope for – or hope in – is driving how you see relationships, how you look at money, how you spend your time. It's what you're hoping for – and what you're hoping in – that drives everything about how you're living your life. Christian or non-Christian, it doesn't matter. That's the engine that makes our lives go.
The peace that Jesus brings is the picture, model, and way for us to have peace. Outside of Jesus, there is no way for any of us to experience peace with Him and with each other.
Sinners in need of grace can’t obey God until they know that they are first accepted by God. Acceptance preceded obedience.
This sermon is from The Summit Church in Durham, NC. You may visit their website at: www.summitrdu.com
Your singleness is God’s gracious gift to you, and we need to learn to accept the gift as such.
As a woman, God created you to rightly portray the image of God beautifully as a life giver and helper.
Manhood is not a lifestyle option; rather manhood is something built into the very being of a man by our Creator.
Your identity is that you are created in the image of God, and as such, you have incredible worth and value.
You matter to God!
We continue the Beatitudes sermon series with Matthew 5:10-12, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven...”
We continue the Beatitudes sermon series with Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
We continue the Beatitudes sermon series with Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
We continue the Beatitudes sermon series with Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
We continue the Beatitudes sermon series with Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
We continue the Beatitudes sermon series with Matthew 5:5, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
We continue the Beatitudes sermon series with Matthew 5:4, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
We begin our Beatitudes sermon series with Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
In the great contradiction – that is the beatitudes – we will discover that they are all about Jesus. The beatitudes teach us to seek Jesus through the Gospel and you will be a new person, enjoying all the benefits of a relationship with God, living in the Kingdom.
We also look at Luke 18:9-14.
Sharing stories of how Jesus is working in people's lives and the faithfulness of our Lord.
We conclude our series in Jonah this Sunday by looking at Jonah 4.
Chapter 4 opens by saying, “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.” Why would Jonah be angry that God spared the city of Nineveh from destruction because of their repentance to God? We will be looking at what was going on in Jonah for him to be so angry, and at the corrosive power of bitterness in Jonah and in us.
In today's message, we look at what we can learn from Jonah as he called the people of Nineveh to repentance, and saw the entire city turn to God as a result.
There are a number of examples we can learn from Jonah regarding how we share Jesus with others in our own sphere of influence.
This story of Jonah is known by chapter two. In this chapter, Jonah is swallowed by the fish and spends three days pondering God and God’s pursuit of him in this midst of Jonah's “fish belly crisis.”
Jonah chapter two is a prayer that Jonah prays before the fish vomits him up on the beach to go where God initially called Jonah to go: Nineveh.
What does Jonah's prayer teach us? Let's find out...
Jonah was a prophet whom God used to teach us through his life.
Many of us have heard about Jonah and the whale, but there is so much more to this book beyond the whale that speaks directly to the fact that we are all “like Jonah.”
Jonah was sent to the Assyrian capital, the city of Nineveh, a cruel people who brutalized Israel, and yet God called Jonah into Nineveh. Jonah's response: run the other way!!
How many times do we run the other day when God calls us to difficult people and places?
In today's message, we talk about what discipleship is, as well as spend some time examining our own lives to determine where we are presently at in our own spiritual journey. If you don’t know where you are, you can't figure out where you need to be.
Biblically, discipleship is not a program but a process of becoming Christ-like and seeing others become disciples.
We are going to examine where we are at in this journey through the lens of a “new” or “baby” Christian, a spiritual “teenager” and a spiritual “adult." Our Scripture passage is Luke 14:25-35.
We need to be alert to the fact that we need to resist our enemy who prowls around, seeking to devour us.
As we face suffering, we need to put our hope in Jesus — rejoicing and continuing to do good.
We don’t win the world to Jesus by looking like the world; we win the world by presenting a compelling alternative.
How to relate to each other in our lives together as Christians, as sojourners, and exiles that reflect Jesus in the world.
This is a special message from J.D. Greear at The Summit Church in North Carolina. For more information about The Summit Church, visit: www.summitrdu.com
In today's message, we hear about living as citizens and servants, submitting to authority, honouring our employers, and following Jesus' example.
The greatest display of God’s holiness was not in His separating Himself from us, but in His entering into our sin and corruption and taking it upon Himself and putting it away forever. When Peter says to be holy as I am holy, he is calling for a response from us. The life you live should be reflective of the God you love.
A faith that leaves us unprepared for suffering is a false faith that deserves to be lost. In today's message, we look at three ways a genuine and previous faith will be evident.
As we begin this series through 1 Peter, we explore Peter’s short letter to the “exiles of the Dispersion,” which was a letter that turned the world upside down for his readers. Stormy seasons of persecution were beginning for the churches in the known world at that time – and yet today those storms rage in our modern day. As we walk through this book over the course of this teaching series, many topics will emerge, topics like holiness, the sufferings of Christ, suffering as a Christian, God’s sovereignty in salvation and life, the grace of God, the work of the Holy Spirit, the church as the new people of God, the reality of the unseen spiritual world, and trusting in God in the midst of daily circumstances.
As familiar as we are with the songs of Christmas, there are four songs recorded in the Bible sung by people surrounding the birth of Jesus that aren’t sung much at all now. The angels sang a song to the shepherds (we know part of their song: “And on earth peace and goodwill toward men”), Mary sang a song to God after she had time to get over the shocking news that she was going to be the mother of the Saviour, and Simeon had a song, too.
In today's message, we are looking at Mary's song, “A Song of Trust” from Luke 1:26-48.
As familiar as we are with the songs of Christmas, there are four songs recorded in the Bible sung by people surrounding the birth of Jesus that aren’t sung much at all now. The angels sang a song to the shepherds (we know part of their song: “And on earth peace and goodwill toward men”), Mary sang a song to God after she had time to get over the shocking news that she was going to be the mother of the Saviour, and Simeon had a song, too.
In today's message, we are looking at the angels' song, “A Song of Peace” from Luke 2:8-20
As familiar as we are with the songs of Christmas, there are four songs recorded in the Bible sung by people surrounding the birth of Jesus that aren’t sung much at all now. The angels sang a song to the shepherds (we know part of their song: “And on earth peace and goodwill toward men”), Mary sang a song to God after she had time to get over the shocking news that she was going to be the mother of the Saviour, and Simeon had a song, too.
In today's message, we begin by looking at Zechariah’s song from Luke 1:67-79.
As we conclude our series about the Holy Spirit, we look at the Holy Spirit and revival from Acts 2.
When it comes to our faith, there are points you can never pass spiritually until you are confident that Jesus will support the full weight of your soul – that you would have the assurance that He would be there. There are sacrifices you’ll never make and commands you’ll never obey unless you are convinced of their eternal value. In this message, we look at how the Holy Spirit promises.
In Part 2 of "The Holy Spirit Equips," we look specifically at a few of the most misunderstood and most abused spiritual gifts.
The Holy Spirit equips us with spiritual gifts for the common good of the Church. The gifts are given according to God’s will and not ours; we don’t receive them because we somehow have earned them or deserve them. The gifts that God gives us are not to be used for our own boasting or entertainment.
The ultimate purpose of the Holy Spirit’s operation in the life of a Christian is to promote personal transformation — transformation that makes our character increasingly like the character of Jesus Christ. The Bible calls this spiritual transformation “sanctification.” Spiritual growth (or sanctification) brought about by the work of the Holy Spirit results in concrete, practical change in us — how we think, feel, and act. The work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian results in spiritual growth.
As we look at John 16:13-15, we hear Jesus’ final words about the Holy Spirit. What does He emphasize as He comes to the cross but the central and often overlooked work of the Spirit to glorify Christ. This is an important passage, because it helps us avoid two common mistakes: - Pitting the Spirit against the Scriptures. - Pitting the Spirit against Christ.
We look at the relationship of the Holy Spirit to the world, and the Holy Spirit’s role to convict the world in three ways: 1. Concerning sin 2. Concerning righteousness 3. Concerning judgment
We begin our new sermon series by looking into the role and work of the Holy Spirit. We wade through the confusion surrounding the Holy Spirit in the church today.
The Compass Church exists to point people to Jesus by making disciples who Know the Gospel, Live the Gospel, and Advance the Gospel.
In today's message, we look at the third of these three pillars: Advance the Gospel. We hear about how the Gospel is a call to go – for the everyday Christ-follower to live on mission in the everyday opportunities that we find ourselves in.
The Compass Church exists to point people to Jesus by making disciples who Know the Gospel, Live the Gospel, and Advance the Gospel.
In today's message, we look at the second of these three pillars: Live the Gospel. We hear about how the Christian faith is not meant to be lived in isolation. Through Jesus, we have been adopted into God's family, and we are called to live out the Gospel in community with one another.
The Compass Church exists to point people to Jesus by making disciples who Know the Gospel, Live the Gospel, and Advance the Gospel.
In today's message, we look at the first of these three pillars: Know the Gospel. We hear about how knowing the Gospel transforms us as disciples to reflect Christ and empowers us for the mission that He has called us to.
- This message is from The Summit Church in Durham, North Carolina. For more information about The Summit Church, visit their website at: www.summitrdu.com
Why do we gather every Sunday? Why do we come together as the Church and worship through song, hear a sermon, and take communion? In today's message, we look at these questions and how the answer affects everything we do on a Sunday.
The church are ambassadors of the Gospel, a message of both power and purpose to be proclaimed. The Gospel changes us individually, but is also entrusted to the people of God to proclaim through words and deeds. We have been entrusted with the treasure of the Gospel, the Good News, for a purpose. Jesus helped clarify how we accomplish the purpose of the Gospel by giving us His mission: “Go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19).
As the arts, politics, family, all areas of culture, are being filled with Jesus' disciples bringing about His Gospel restoration, the earth is being filled with His glory.
That's the point of the restoration of all things – that God would be glorified. The Gospel is not just about my individual happiness or God’s plan for my life; it is about God’s plan for the world.
- This message is from the Village Church in Surrey, BC. For more information about the Village Church, visit their website at: www.thisisvillagechurch.com
There is a great misunderstanding about what the church is and this starts because we are asking the wrong question. The question isn't what is the church, but rather who is the church. When we ask the right question, it begins to shift the way we see the church and live out our faith.
When you begin to ask the right question, you begin to see that church isn't just an event you go to, or a building, but the church is those whom Christ has ransomed through the cross and given a mission to. When we see who the church is it changes our heart towards the church. We love Jesus and the church; we live for more than just a Sunday, but for Monday through Saturday. (Worship is not an event; it’s a day-to-day activity in our lives.)
As we conclude our series in Colossians, we look at what it means to have Jesus as our ALL IN ALL when it comes to our work. Paul has so much to teach us on how our work is such an opportunity to make much or Jesus. We were created to work, and we will look at some ways we can glorify Jesus in our work. We are also looking at some of Paul's parting words for us as Colossians concludes.
As the book of Colossians draws to an end, the apostle Paul continues to teach about how Christ is to be our All in All. After addressing how this looks in community, he addresses in this section how this ought to look in family.
How is Christ shown to be our All in All in our families? We look at this for men, women and children.
What does it look like, in a tangible way, for Christ to be ALL IN ALL in the church community? Colossians 3:12 says to those who have "put on" the new self: "As those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on... [the garments of your newness]." You have come to know and experience that Christ is all. Now show how people relate to each other for whom Christ is all. Confirm that Christ is your all by what you become for others in the new community.
In the first two chapters of the book of Colossians, the apostle Paul has shown us what Jesus has done for us and who He is. Then in Chapter 3, Paul begins to outline what Jesus does through us. Paul interacts us to "put off our old self." We look at what this means, and how Christian growth happens through the spiritual combustion cycle of repentance and faith.
As we begin Colossians 3, we look at what it means to be raised with Christ, seeking after Christ, and being hidden with Christ in God. We look at what it means to set our minds after the things above, and not on the things on earth, as we continue to seek after Jesus, the living God.
Paul taught that legalism is an aggressive evil that those who have been saved by grace must strongly oppose. Legalism erodes your soul and inevitably takes your eyes off Jesus to chase shadows that you will never catch.
Legalism is a subtle tool of Satan, because on the surface it seems to promote holiness but it’s based on the flesh. It leads people away from a vital dependence on Christ and into a system of pride and judging others, which destroys the church.
Familiarity breeds contempt. Worst of all, this happens among Christians – not only with one another, but in our relationship with Jesus. And not that Jesus is lacking anything; rather, we lack in our appreciation of Him. We begin to look elsewhere for satisfaction, for wisdom, and for fulfillment.
This is what was beginning to happen with the Colossians, and Paul wants them – and us – to understand that in Christ, we really have everything we need. Paul called the church to be rooted in Jesus, the surest foundation of all.
Paul teaches us a truth that often escapes modern church teaching. The truth is this: The pathway of salvation is the pathway of "losing one's life for the sake of the Gospel."
The point is that taking the Gospel to people (across the office or across the ocean) ordinarily requires sacrifice and suffering, a losing of life or a denying of self. This is the way Christ means for His saving sufferings to be taken to the world, through the sufferings of His people. Suffering is God’s strategy for completing the Great Commission. We have plenty of time in eternity to enjoy the benefits.
What does it mean to be reconciled to God? We explore what good news it is that Jesus reconciled us to God! We have a tenancy to add to what Jesus has done; we bring hostility and evil deeds to our salvation. But Jesus brings a reconciled relationship to the Father. That's the best news ever!
Following Paul's expression of gratitude for God and a heartfelt prayer for the Colossians, Paul moves to establish Jesus as central to ALL of life, worthy of ALL worship. These verses overflow with praise, exalting theology about the identity of Jesus like few others do in ALL of Scripture. The reason Jesus is supreme is because Jesus is more than a man... He is God. The only satisfactory response to Him is worship. Jesus is our ALL in ALL!
We look at a section of Colossians where Paul, in his letter to the church in Colossae, gives them a theological framework of understanding to make sense of what God has been doing in their lives. Paul shows this young church how Faith, Love and Hope are signs of new life. Paul teaches us how our new life is built upon the foundation of the Gospel and that the power of the Gospel changes our faith, our love for others, and the where and who we root our hope in. Paul says that the Gospel is “the power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16).
When most people begin a puzzle, they tend to always start with the flat edged side pieces. This gives some framework for what is next. As we begin our new series, Commander and King, we begin by walking through some important “framework” in order for us to understand why Paul wrote the letter to the Colossian church. Paul is bringing the Colossae church back to the Gospel and the finished work of Christ; he is showing them that Jesus is their Commander and King who sits on the throne and is worthy of our worship.
Easter Sunday is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. We celebrate Jesus' victory over death through His resurrection from the dead. On that day 2,000 years ago, some women went to the tomb only to discover Jesus was gone and the large stone that guarded the entrance to the grave had been rolled away. In today's message, we look at Easter through their perspective, and the utter joy and excitement of those ladies would of been unbelievable!
The robber and murderer, Barabbas, is a character that seems insignificant as part of the Easter story; however, Barabbas is a picture of us all!!
This Good Friday sermon looks at why Jesus had to die and what He offered through His crucifixion through the perspective of Barabbas. Why is Good Friday referred to as “good”? What the Jewish authorities and Romans did to Jesus was definitely not good (see Matthew 26-27). However, the results of Christ’s death are very good! Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
In today's message, we hear the Easter story through the perspective of Pontius Pilate. As Pilate wrestled with what to do with Jesus, he raised four key questions that we are going to look at together.
As we conclude our Proverbia sermon series, we look at how the pursuit of wisdom is ongoing, and it is our responsibility to seek it out.
Everybody is normal until you get to know them; every one of us has problems; every one of us has a battle in our lives between what the Bible says is the "flesh" and the "Spirit." We all have addictions where the impulses of our bodies (our "flesh") seem to take over self-control. Without self-control in our lives, our own passions and desires will enter into our lives and can ravage us.
Proverbs tells us that self-control is like the walls of a city. When you take down the walls of self control, you open yourself up to all kinds of things. One of the things that is opened up in our lives when we lack self-control is that we can become addicted to any number of things. We will be exploring the root of all our addictions – self-control.
Radical generosity is completely counter-intuitive in our day. Common sense would lead us to believe that holding on to our possessions is a more certain way to wealth. It's a paradox. In the Bible, we're told that the best way to wisely handle our money, and to get even more, is to scatter it. In other words, the best way to handle your money is to be wildly and radically generous with it. Don't save it and accumulate it for your own purposes. Don't waste your life by playing it safe. Use what God has given you and be wildly generous with it.
This week, we are diving into Proverbs 5 to look at God's gift of sex. Proverbs 5 unpacks the dangers of sex, but doesn't leave us there. Through this passage, Solomon will help us do two things: First, he will help us not to undervalue sex and treat it as a bad thing. Second, he will help us not to overvalue sex and make it the best thing. As Solomon does this, he will help us understand sex and see the good gift sex is and how we can enjoy it in our marriages and future marriages.
Whether you are married or single, both are a gift from God. Today’s message looks at what the book of Proverbs has to say about both.
Proverbs 31 is perhaps one of the most abused passages in the Bible. It is often seen as a checklist for the type of woman a man ought to marry – not to mention it looks great on a mug or stitched on a Bible cover (this is tongue in cheek). The original audience of Proverbs 31 was a man, not a woman or women in general. We are going to be looking at womanhood and how Proverbs 31 is a celebration of a woman who "fears the Lord."
Our cultural climate has many men wondering what it means to be a man. The work of every generation of Christians is to examine significant cultural issues through the lens of the worldview of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our job is to bring the sanity that can only be found in Scripture. The manhood conversation really does need an infusion of biblical wisdom.
Solomon, the author of Proverbs, speaks to his listeners about the importance of working hard and the consequences of being slothful or lazy in our work. This week, we examine a theology of work shaped throughout the Bible and unpack some characteristics of laziness. The importance of having a Biblical theology of work is critical because every one of us is impacted by work. Work is ordained by God Himself.
Culture encourages us to “just be happy”, yet as we all know, happiness is fleeting. What we really need to be rooted in is the reality of real joy that is found only in Jesus.
In our discomfort, we don’t need a quick fix but an enduring comfort – a comfort that will be there when the Christmas season ends, and a comfort that does not end. What we need is to discover the source of all comfort.
Parenting is hard, and it comes with joys and despairs. Most parents approach parenting with methods on how to parent. However, without a clear understanding of the why, we will never rightly understand the how of parenting.
Careful planning is part of what makes a person wise and productive; not to plan is considered foolish and dangerous. In Proverbs, planning is not only for the select few; planning is important for us all to do and essential in life.
Proverbs is teaching us the value of planning and the value of looking to the future. This is a virtue that Proverbs champions.
The biblical book of Proverbs has much to say about pride and humility. We look specifically at the area of wise decision-making, and how our pride or our humility impact the choices and decisions we make every day.
The tongue can either be like a butcher (cut to harm) or a surgeon (cut to heal). This message gives practical comparisons between the two. We see how we’re naturally bent towards using our tongue as a butcher, but Jesus came as our ultimate Surgeon.
This message on the tongue is part two of two on this important topic in Proverbs. If you haven’t listened to part one, please listen to it before this message.
The tongue can either be like a butcher (cut to harm) or a surgeon (cut to heal). Proverbs has so much wisdom about the tongue, our words and the power of both life and death that our words bring.
Most importantly, we are going to look at what Proverbs teaches us about the source of the words we speak – that our tongues and our hearts are weathered together.
This message on the tongue is part one of two on this important topic in Proverbs.
We continue to lay a foundation for the very practical wisdom Solomon shares with us through the rest of Proverbs. We will meet Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly, and learn what each offers us on this road called “Life.”
We lay a foundation for our study of Proverbs, and look at the purpose and goals of the book as outlined by King Solomon.
The Gospel is a call to be missionaries. Jesus’ last words on earth to His people was a call to mission. Jesus sends us into the world as missionaries: “As the Father sent me, so I am sending you” (John 20:21). We are sent to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to work for the restoration of all of creation to its original “good” (Genesis 1:31; Romans 8:19-22). God's Church is to train people to live as missionaries in the practical rhythms of everyday life. The Great Commission is not a calling for some, it is a mandate for all.
The Gospel is not just a message to be believed, but a power to be experienced (Rom 1:16). Gospel-centred community is a radical call to live amid a culture of mere attendance and casual involvement. It involves mutual love, care, consistency and authenticity as we seek to adorn the person and work of Christ with our lives.
The Christian faith is not intended to be lived in isolation. We were made for community – relationship with God and with each other. We need to understand that the church is not a place, but a people who were formally God’s enemies in rebellion against God then brought back into relationship to Him and adopted into His family by God’s saving grace through His Son Jesus.
You can't live and advance the Gospel with what you don't know. Knowing and growing in Jesus is the foundation for discipleship and the fuel for mission. Everything we do flows through the centrality of the Gospel in our lives. We must Know the Gospel if we are to live out the Gospel.
In today's message, Pastor Murray confronts the common objection to the Christian faith, "Christians are all hypocrites" and shares how we all struggle with hypocrisy and in need of Jesus.
In today's message, William Con confronts the common objection to the Christian faith, "People are basically good" and take a journey on the so-called goodness of man.
In today's message, Pastor Blair confronts the common objection to the Christian faith, "A loving God wouldn't send people to Hell" and three key points that we can learn about Hell from Luke 16:19-31.
In today's message, Pastor Blair confronts the common objection to the Christian faith, "Jesus is not the only way to Heaven" and looks at why our prevailing culture says it's arrogant and intolerant to believe otherwise.
In today's message, Pastor Murray confronts the common objection to the Christian faith, "Jesus was just a man" and shares five incredible claims that Jesus said about Himself.
Today's message is from Mark Clark at Village Church in Surrey, B.C. Mark shares several reasons for why we can trust the Bible. For more information about Village Church, visit their website at: www.thisisvillagechurch.com.
In today's message, Pastor Blair confronts the common objection to the Christian faith, "The Bible is not completely authentic" and shares seven reasons why we can trust the Bible.
In today's message, Pastor Luke confronts the common objection to the Christian faith, "Creation is a Myth" and shares about the theory of evolution vs. the truths of biblical creation.
In today's message, Pastor Blair confronts the common objection to the Christian faith, "There is no God" and shares four extra-Biblical arguments for God's existence.
We conclude our series in the book of Acts by reviewing the entire book and looking at God's mission in motion. We come across a few large encompassing themes throughout the book, and some overarching repetitve challenges for each of us.
Every person is an influencer. Influence matters because it allows for a platform to both share your story and do it with Gospel Clarity. In today's message, we hear three principles that we can see in Apostle Paul's life to help us grow in influence.
Biblical hope is a confident expectation and desire for something good in the future. In today's message, we hear how Gospel Clarity is the foundation for the certainty of hope, and look at four ways in which a lack of Gospel Clarity becomes a false gospel.
Everyone has a story. We are story-formed. Our stories are one of the most unique gifts God has given us for His glory – to make much of Jesus and all the He has done for us.
"Just believing" is not enough. We must move to belief with conviction, which leads to action. We learn three truths that Apostle Paul teaches us about conviction.
In today’s message, we look at the ancient city of Ephesus and how the church started in this city.
Cam Abbott shares about his internship over the past eight months at The Compass Church, and three lessons in making disciples.
In today’s message, we hear the story of Apostle Paul going into Athens – a city with a very different culture and full of idols. We unpack Paul’s message, how he was provoked by the idolatry he saw in Athens, how he proclaimed the greatness of God (as he was jealous for God’s glory), and how he persevered in his ministry by pointing people to the cross and to repentance.
He is risen - He is risen indeed! In today's message, we learn what it means to practically live in light of the resurrection of Jesus, what difference His resurrection makes in the lives of believers, and how it changes a believer's life.
Good Friday is a picture of God’s steadfast love that endures forever and extended to a broken and sinful people. It's a day we remember when Jesus willingly suffered and died by crucifixion as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. Ever since Jesus died and was raised, Christians have proclaimed the cross and resurrection of Jesus to be the decisive turning point for all creation.
In today's message, Pastor Blair looks at the final days before Jesus' death and resurrection. We look at Palm Sunday, the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt seven days before His resurrection, as well as focus on the Last Supper and what Jesus says to His disciples.
In today's message, we hear about the unifying power of the Gospel, how God leads by the power of the Holy Spirit, and how God is the initiator who opens and softens our hearts.
The Gospel changes discipleship. It changes us as disciples, it changes the way we make disciples, and it propels the making of disciples.
Acts 15 calls for Gospel clarity, and reminds us that we need to be careful on relaxing our grasp on the Gospel. It is so important for the life of the Christian church to make it priority to guard the Gospel from being hijacked, and we must not allow any secondary message to get in its way.
In today's message, we look at Acts 14 and the key story of two preachers who end up being worshipped as gods. May God help us to see the idols of our hearts and may they be rooted out and replaced by Him.
Justification through belief in Jesus' death and resurrection for sin is the core foundational pillar of the Christian faith. In today's message, we look at what it means to be justified and why this matters for the Christian.
The mission of God cannot be stopped. Despite whatever happens, the Word of the Gospel goes forth and the mission continues to move forward.
A Gospel movement of the Church breaks down distinctions of people, it expands the Church through pain and suffering, it does not make human sense, and it takes time.
In today's message, we look at four eternal truths about God. When these truths are not fully believed, they lead to every area of sin in our lives.
Immanuel – God with us, near to us, walking with us. God came to us in the incarnation. He became one of us yet without sin to do for us what we cannot do on our own.
We cannot find lasting peace until we find peace with God. And we cannot find peace with God until we understand that peace with God is only found in Jesus. In today's message, Luke unpacks who can experience peace, where peace can be found, and how Jesus gives us peace with ourselves and others.
Murray looks at Matthew 2:1-12 and Isaiah 46:10-13, and shares four practical things we can think about this Christmas.
Saul's conversion is the most famous conversion in church history. His conversion is so important, because it shows us that God is able to transform the most unlikely of sinners and use them as His chosen instrument for God's Kingdom. In today's message, we look at Saul's conversion, how amazing and important his conversion was, and conclude with some implications for us today.
God's mission is moving forward through the scattered church, empowered by the Spirit of God. The church is the primary vehicle that God uses to carry out His mission, and He has commissioned each of us to be missionaries in our sphere of influence.
Stephen is a man who made his life count for something. His life was marked by a God-centred, Christ-exalting, Bible saturated life of surrender and love for the living God. He put his trust and confidence in Jesus, and was mastered by one great thing: surrender.
In today's message, we look at Stephen's life and what it means for us to put our faith and confidence in Jesus and surrender our life to Him.
In today's message, we see how Satan attacks the early church through a spirit of grumbling, distrust, backbiting and conflict. Conflict is universal, and Pastor Blair shares how the Gospel helps us fight fair, how neglecting Gospel-preaching threatens the church, and how the Gospel changes us internally and propels us outward externally.
In today's message, we hear about the radical generosity of the early church, and how the Gospel so radically transformed their minds and hearts that there was not a needy person among them. We also learn through the story of Ananias and Sapphira that despite the explosion of growth in the early church, they had moments of weakness, which also serves as a warning to the church today.
In today's message, we learn about the Apostles' prayer life and their amazing reflex action to pray for boldness despite their persecution. Is prayer your reflex action, and are you growing in your awareness of who God is? Our understanding of who God is greatly impacts our prayer life.
Peter makes a very exclusive claim that there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Salvation is found in Jesus alone. In today's message, we look at the unique inclusive exclusivity of Jesus, and how our acceptance before God is entirely a gift of God's grace.
In today's message, we examine the supernatural healing power of God. We answer questions about whether God still heals today, if everyone who prays for healing will get healed, if Acts 3 should be normative today, why God heals, and what miracles teach us.
The church is a planned vehicle by God for His mission to move forward on earth. In today's message, we look at seven characteristics that make up the local church, and three traits that we can see from Acts 2:42-47 that the church was known for and how God used it to see His mission move forward.
Everything in the book of Acts is made possible by the power of the Holy Spirit at work in God’s people as they seek to be obedient and fulfill God’s mission in motion. In today's message, we introduce who the Holy Spirit is, what it means to be baptized by the Holy Spirit, and what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
In today's message, we unpack the biblical view of divine providence. We look at God's providence in prayer (v. 12-14), providence in failure (v. 15-20), and providence in action (v. 21-26).
The church, at its inception, was and still is a movement. The church was never meant to become an event we sat through, but a movement we are part of. The same movement that began with the early disciples of Jesus is the same movement we are part of today. We are on mission with God to redeem the world back to Himself.
The church is a movement, and movements move. If you’re not moving, have you really believed the message?
Jesus is the true and better Moses who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a New Covenant.
Jesus is the true and better Job, the truly innocent sufferer, who then intercedes for and saves His friends.
Jesus is the true and better Joseph who, at the right hand of the king, forgives those who betrayed and sold Him and uses His new power to save them.
Jesus is the true and better Jacob who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserved, so we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up and discipline us.
Jesus is the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar, and go out into the void to create a new people of God.
Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the test in the garden – His garden, much tougher garden – and whose obedience is imputed to us.
The Bible is not simply a collection of interesting stories about morality, but one overarching Story about salvation found only in Jesus Christ. There is a thread of redemption woven throughout all of Scripture. The uniqueness of each book of the Bible points us to Jesus. The whole Bible is about Him, not us. Pastor Blair unpacks this further, and warns against four popular counterfeits to a Christ-centered approach to the Bible.
We conclude our Intentional Grounding series by unpacking the danger and reality of drifting. Pastor Blair shares five ways that we can often drift – both individually and corporately as a church.
We seek to be a church that plants churches that plants churches. This is part of our DNA as The Compass Church. We plant churches because we want to be true to the biblical mandate, be true to the Great Commission, continually renew the whole Body of Christ, and exercise in Kingdom-mindedness. Pastor Blair explains each of these points, and ways that we can pray for our next church plant.
God created us for community. Christ centred community allows us to reflect the relational nature of God, as well as His mercy and grace. It is a community that seeks to live in peace with one another and reconcile broken relationships.
The standard by which we are to measure our love for one another is to the extent that Jesus loved us. We are to love as we have been loved. Jesus modelled love through serving, through leveraging His abilities for our needs, by sharing in our pain and sorrow, by living among us, and by bridging the gap to get to us (and much more). Pastor Blair unpacks each of these models of love, and how this practically applies to us – both inside and outside the church.
As Christians, our foundation is anchored into the deep well of the Gospel, and from this foundation everything flows. We never get beyond the Gospel in our Christian life, but faith in the Gospel is also the way we grow as Christians. We are to bring everything in our lives in-line with the Gospel. Our Christian living is a continual realignment process of bringing everything in-line with the truth of the Gospel.
God has given us a roadmap for the Christian life, and that map is sound doctrine. It is essential to the life of a Christian.
Pastor Blair explains sound doctrine, gives seven reasons why sound doctrine is important, and what we are to do and not do with sound doctrine. We also learn the dangers of felt-need theology.
At The Compass Church, we are called to be part of the advancement of the Kingdom of God whatever the cost for the glory of God and the good of our city. What does this mean? Where is God leading us as a church?
In the sermon, Pastor Blair explains what the church is not, what the church is by unpacking Acts 2, a great working definition of the church, and how The Compass Church was started.
How does the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ change a life? What does it look like? We learn how to live the resurrected life, the benefits that faith produces, and four primary ways that we can follow Jesus.
Moving from doubt to belief in the resurrection of Jesus is a step of faith and it changes everything. And to understand this, Luke unpacks three keywords (faith, sin and Christ) from 1 Corinthians 15:17, "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins."
Steve shares how Jesus has reshaped history by looking at the big picture stories of the Bible: creation, fall, rescue and God making all things new.
Millions of people today doubt the resurrection of Jesus just as thousands did in the first century. Doubt is a common human response to the audacious claim that Jesus died and was raised to new life.
It is okay to doubt. The question is: what will you do with your doubt? Wrestle with them and find answers, because anything worth believing has to be worth questioning. But don't let your questions slip away unanswered. Doubt well, and you can walk away from skepticism, cynicism, or blind faith and into intellectual security, perceptive belief, and deeper commitment.
God is a missionary God, and He has called us to make disciples -- not converts. Cam Abbott shares what the mission of the church is, and how it looks practically in our lives.
Bill Hogg, C2C Network National Missiologist
How close are you to Jesus? Do you know Jesus and not just know about Jesus? Journey on mission starts with our personal relationship with Jesus. From this, Bill Hogg shares what it practically looks like to move on mission with Jesus.
Jesus gives us a clear visual picture that He is the true vine, and those who abide in Him will be connected to the source of all spiritual life. And as branches in the vine, all believers have a living union with Jesus, and He enables us to bear fruit as His power works in and through us. As we bear fruit, God continually prunes us for more fruit and glory to His name. Pastor Blair goes on to describe the ways in which we are pruned.
- Our apologies for the poor quality of this Sunday's audio recording.
Jesus makes three exclusive claims of Himself in John 14:6: the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus distinguishes Himself as the only way to the Father, the truth that anchors our lives, and the life that brings meaning, purpose and worth to our lives. It's all found in Jesus. He is the direction we are craving for, the grounding we are longing for, and the meaning we are searching for. And this is unbelievably freeing.
The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event in history. In fact, apart from Christ's bodily resurrection, we have no Saviour, no salvation, and no hope of eternal life. Blair shares three gifts of the resurrection, and how Christ's resurrection practically applies to our life today.
Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd – the Shepherd who knows His sheep, protects His sheep, provides for His sheep, possesses His sheep, and lays His life down for His sheep. He purchases us (His sheep) through His death and resurrection. Pastor Blair explains how Jesus, the Good Shepherd, knows His sheep and calls His sheep, and what this practically means for us as His sheep.
Everyone is searching for a door... a door to happiness, a door to acceptance, and a door to meaning in life. We jump from one door to another to satisfy us, and until we realize that Jesus is the door, nothing will ever satisfy. But through the door of Jesus, we are given salvation, rest and acceptance. And His door is open for all. Who's door will you choose?
Today in our world, there is a spiritual darkness that blinds the minds and controls the hearts of people who do not trust in Jesus, or who claim to know Him but do not follow Him. Jesus declared Himself to be the light of the world – the exclusive source of spiritual light. And He came to dispel spiritual darkness. Only through Him can we find the way to salvation and avoid the darkness of sin. Pastor Blair explains this further, and what it means for us to walk in the light of the Gospel – the Good News of Jesus as the light of the world.
The manna that fell from Heaven to the Israelites in the wilderness was a foreshadow of Jesus, the bread of life, that has come down from Heaven. In John 6:48, Jesus said, "I am the bread of life." Pastor Blair explains what it means that Jesus is the bread of life, and this affects our lives practically.
John wrote the Gospel of John as a theologian to prove that Jesus is God. He also wrote as an evangelist urging his readers to put their faith in Jesus and receive eternal life.
In this introduction sermon, Pastor Blair lays the foundation to the Gospel of John and John himself, as well as the seven "I AM" statements made by Jesus Christ. The Gospel of John invites us to see who Jesus is from the very lips of Jesus Himself.
Our Teacher in the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon, understood the dark reality of life under the sun. As an old man, he spent his life looking for something under the sun to give him meaning and purpose, but found nothing. In the midst of his confusion and despair brought about by contemplating the meaning of life under the sun, Solmon now focuses us heavenward. We are free only through the victory of Jesus on the cross to really live life under the sun.
All throughout this remarkably honest book, the Teacher has been driving us to the abyss and insisting we peer over the edge. He has insisted we examine every under-the-sun avenue and see for ourselves the validity of his claim that all is vanity in the end, for in so doing we are forced to lift our eyes above the sun and look for rescue.
The avenue examined in chapter eleven and through the course of this sermon is one of investment. In life we are always pouring time, energy and resources into relationships, careers, and a host of other pursuits and in such endeavors will operate either out of fear or freedom. The one who operates out of fear looks to find in their investments a level of return that will validate their existence and provide the security, meaning and purpose longed for. While such longing in and of itself isn’t bad, such a posture ultimately turns the investments into idols. Only the one who knows the other-worldly, above-the-sun, rescue that God provided through the sacrificial-investment of his Son on behalf of sinners whose life-portfolio is one of only failure and faithlessness - only this one feels the weight of self-validation attempts and the pressure of impeccable performance lifted off their shoulders and in return can operate out of trusting, loving freedom.
Since God through the work of the cross has invested within us the meaning, purpose, security and salvation we crave, we are now free to invest in all of life with grace and peace and with all fear of condemnation or falling short stripped away by the power of the Gospel.
This sermon is from Coral Ridge Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. You may visit their website at: http://www.crpc.org.
Although Mary's reputation was damaged, God chose Mary to birth and raise Jesus Christ. Has your reputation ever been called into question? Mary is a wonderful example for what it really means to trust God in all things, and to obey Him when the call is difficult.
Murray shares the story of Ruth, and how God can redeem any situation for His glory. We are all in need of a Redeemer, and no matter how messed up you are, Jesus can redeem you from the enslavement to sin and death.
We look at the story of Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute, and how God gave her faith in the true God. Rahab later became part of the "Hall of Faith" in Hebrews 11. We can be religious and ask how this can happen, but the truth is that we are all in need of Jesus' grace. Thank God that he takes broken people and gives life through the blood of Jesus!
The genealogy of Jesus Christ includes Judah and Tamar. We look into their lives, and how there is room in God's family for even the worst of us. For those who have been prostitutes, perverts, bad parents, porn addicts, and drug addicts, there is room for us in the family of God through Jesus Christ. The worst people can be loved, forgiven, and embraced by God if they repent. There is hope for us all.
Because we are unaware of the day of our death, we tend to live our days as if they are infinite. This can cause us to be careless with our money, our time, our relationships, our energy, our words, etc.
Pastor Blair explains what it means to really live today with a perspective that life is a gift and tomorrow we may not have it, and what it means for a Christian to live in light of our future glorification. We learn how the richness of the Gospel impacts how we are to understand and view our lives in light of our death.
Murray Lutzer shares how we are to respect human authority, fear God, and know that God's authority is best.
There are two lifestyles that can emerge in a life without God: the way of the moral and the way of the immoral. The way of the moral is concerned with external, ethical rule-keeping as a way that defines righteousness. The way of the immoral is concerned with self-indulgent pleasures that briefly satisfy but fail in the end. Both ways are meaningless.
The righteousness of another is the only answer for us. God, in the Person of Jesus Christ, took the curse of brokenness and earthly futility head on, and overcame them through His life, death and resurrection. Only Jesus' imputed righteousness satisfies the wrath of God due to us because of our rebellion.
Like the making of currency, character is formed by pressure and polished by friction. Some of the best learning we do is through failure and adversity, but everything is us wants to run from it. Pastor Blair shares why adversity is better than prosperity, and how sorrow and suffering brings us to God.
The love of money is a trap. It never satisfies and it delivers no peace. It's a good servant but a bad master. If we put money and stuff first and foremost over people and God, we will not find satisfaction nor be able to enjoy the good gifts of God. Our hope needs to be in something more secure than money.
Dr. Louie Giglio, pastor of Passion City Church in Atlanta, talks about how great and awesome our God is, and how we have been so fearfully and wonderfully made.
We as humans are full of envy and competition. Most of the striving we do in this life is out of envying and comparing ourselves to others. We work so hard to keep up with other people. Steve explains how this unhealthy competition is futile and meaningless under the sun. However, relationships under the sun with Jesus are to look different. Since we have everything we need in Him, there is no need for us to be envious and compete with others, but we can unite together in a loving community under Jesus as He continues to sanctify us.
We think we are in control and can bring perfect justice and righteousness ourselves, but we really cannot. God has allowed us to fail at this, so that we can realize we are not in control. In a world longing for justice and righteousness, we can rest knowing that God will bring perfect justice in His timing. We need to trust in God and rest in Him. He is sovereign and has everything under control.
Because God is in control, we can live in the moment and rejoice in what the day brings us. Luke shares three different types of Christians when it comes to realizing God's sovereignty: those who can't live in the moment (scared), those who live too much in the moment (careless), and those who get what it means to live in the moment (a risk filled, fun loving, God honouring good time).
God is exhaustively sovereign in every aspect of our lives. God has appointed the times and seasons of our lives. This should give us hope, because we know God is in control. God exalts and humbles the same person. He raises nations up and brings them down. Even the day of our death has been set. God is in control.
The third chapter of Ecclesiastes is a Gospel grenade lobbed into our manipulative and manufactured attempts to control the seasons, times and outcomes of our lives. When we give up our perceived control and really learn to live in the sovereignty of God, then we can throw up our hands in faith and have a good time, because it's not us but God who is in control.
There is the need to be reconciled to God and to one another. The good news is that there is a promise of reconciliation through faith in Jesus Christ. Inequality before God has been abolished and there is a new unity in Christ.
The church is united because of Jesus and His saving work on the cross. Christ attained this unity, and our task is to maintain this unity. We are one body because of our great Saviour — and what a Saviour He is.
We work so hard. Our to-do lists are longer than the amount of hours we have in a day to work on them. Not only does our job take our day, but it often takes our sleep at night. Work is exhausting.
Toil and work — in and of themself — will not satisfy and is vanity. Solomon makes it clear that work does not provide meaning to life. However, work is one of the things we were created for. It is part of God's good design. But we have to properly shape our theology of work, and realize that redemption in Christ must transform our view of work. Work is not a necessary evil, but rather a calling. Work is a chance for God to be glorified in and through it. God wants to be honoured in what we do and in how we do it.
We are continually trying to obtain happiness and satisfaction by reorganizing our external life. We think we will finally be happy and satisfied if we had more money, knowledge, possessions, etc.
For Solomon, he had it all, and he had searched his life and everything under the sun only to find that every aspect of it proved meaningless. Until we believe this, we are not open to the truth about the purpose and meaning of life.
We all crave meaning! We want our lives to count for something. What are you depending on to make your life worth living? What is your functional saviour? What do you pursue to give you meaning in life?
These are the big questions that the book of Ecclesiastes forces us to investigate, and causes us to stare reality in the face. Ecclesiastes strips away our futile attempts to stay so busy we don't have time to look at reality. It brings us to the end of ourselves and to look at what life really is without God.
Why doesn't God always heal the sick?
Steve examines this question through the lens of Scripture, and shares three major points regarding healing.
Are new covenant Christians biblically and morally obligated to give according to old covenant laws? Are Christians obligated to tithe of their income, and does the Bible legislate to believers under the new covenant a specific percentage of their income that they are to give?
Pastor Blair examines these questions through the lens of Scripture, and looks at what the Old Testament and New Testament say about tithing, and why this is such an important topic to discuss.
Can a Christian lose their salvation? Does the God of the universe lose one of His children? And how can a Christian be assured of their salvation?
Throughout the pages of Scripture, we find the truth that God completes that which He begins. Those who truly love and trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ will never fall away from the salvation which God has promised and provided.
Pastor Blair unpacks this, and examines what the Bible says occurs at salvation and what losing salvation would therefore entail.
What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
There is much confusion around the Holy Spirit and spiritual experiences, and churches often divide over them. Pastor Blair looks at the heart of these divisions about the Holy Spirit by answering some of the questions surrounding the terms, "Baptism of the Spirit" and "Filling of the Spirit." What is this exactly, and why do so many divide over the understanding of them?
Will people be condemned for not believing in Jesus though they've never heard His name? What about the poor innocent native who doesn't have exposure to modern media or communication who lives and dies without ever hearing a single word of the Biblical message? Where does he stand with God?
Pastor Blair examines these questions through the lens of Scripture, and explains the difference between "General Revelation" and "Specific Revelation"—two ways in which God has chosen to reveal Himself to humanity. Pastor Blair also explains the mission has a church, and how we are sent by the power of the Holy Spirit to be the church.
What separates Christianity from all other religions and faiths? What makes Christianity so unique? Is Jesus truly the Son of God and the only way to God the Father?
Murray Lutzer examines these questions through the lens of Scripture.
What would it mean for God to change His mind? Does He? Could He? If God is immutable, if He does not change at all, does that mean He never changes His mind either?
Pastor Blair examines these questions through the lens of Scripture, and invites us to grow in our understanding of the attributes of God. Pastor Blair explains why this understanding is so important for us and how it impacts our everyday life.
Luke Etelamaki preaches on the book of Jude. He encourages the church to contend and fight for the faith, and that it's all about Jesus.
Steven Hawes preaches on the book of 3rd John and speaks on the subject of hospitality. He shares why hospitality is so important to us as believers, and how Jesus showed hospitality to us.
Pastor Blair preaches on the book of Obadiah and God's divine judgment on the prideful region of Edom. Blair also shares how pride is manifested in our world today, and that at the root of all our sin is pride.
Cam Abbott preaches on the book of Philemon, and what a Gospel-centered community looks like.
Every Christian is a soldier in a war. There is a spiritual realm, and we're in a spiritual battle. In Christ, we are victorious and there is hope for us through the work of Jesus on the cross.
Pastor Blair explains this spiritual battle, and the various pieces of the armour of God.
God has given parents the authority to steward the blessing of children, and has provided parents with guildlines for this. We are to teach our children first-time obedience. Our aim is not mere behaviour modification, which is fleeting and does not last, but rather aim to teach them the ways of God through heart transformation.
Pastor Blair explains the difference between the two, what this practically looks like, and guidelines for being a Gospel-centered family, which can be taken into any relationship.
We are loved by our Heavenly Father. He loves us more truly than anyone has or ever will in this life. Jesus loves His church the way a groom loves his bride. This relationship provides a picture of what a marriage between a husband and wife should look like.
Pastor Blair explores what it means for wives to submit to and respect their husbands, and for husbands to love and lead their wives, the way Jesus would.
As a Christian, you've been adopted by God the Father. We are adopted as one of God's children, and as a result, we are putting off our old self and being given a new identity. The work done by Jesus through the cross and resurrection is what shapes our new identity as adopted children of God. And together, we are a family of brothers and sisters in Christ.
Pastor Blair explains this amazing picture of adoption by God the Father, and the various blessings and obligations that go along with adoption.
God hates sin, and His wrath is poured out on unrepentant sinners. God's wrath was satisfied by the work of Jesus on the cross. In Christ, our cup is now filled with the love, mercy and grace of God. Christ became sin for us on the cross.
If you've been sinned against, you have two choices: to be bitter or to forgive. Bitterness can sneak up on us and is very destructive. All bitterness needs to be put away, and we are to forgive one another because we have been forgiven much by God in Christ.
Biblical forgiveness is a Gospel issue, because when we understand the power of the Gospel, we will understand the need for forgiveness. Forgiveness is an act of worship, and every time we extend forgiveness, we show a picture of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Who do you need to forgive and who needs to forgive you? Forgive, because God in Christ forgave you.
In Christ, you have been made new. The old is gone; the new has come. Put off the old self and put on the new self. Knowing your new identity in Christ allows you to change how you think, how you act, and what you desire.
Why do we pray? What is your prayer life like? Do you believe that God wants a relationship with you throughout the day, and that He hears you? Steve goes verse-by-verse through Ephesians 3:14-21, and shares about prayer.
Suffering and affliction are part of what it means to have our identity rooted in Christ. God has designed that suffering of His people is one essential means in the triumph and spread of the Gospel to all people of the world. Suffering is part of God's strategy for making known to the world who Christ is, how He loves and how much He is worth. If we are in Christ, we should expect to suffer like Christ and for Christ.
Pastor Blair shares what it mean to see affliction, persecution and suffering as part of who we are in Christ, why it's important to have a right view of who God is in the midst of suffering, and why it's important for us to move from asking "why" to asking "who".
There is a need to be reconciled to God and to one another. On the cross, Jesus brought reconciliation instead of alienation. In Him, we are now the body of Christ. Our need for reconciliation to one another is important. This should change how we relate to one another as the people of God -- both on an individual level and a collective level. In Christ, any of our thinking that we are superior to another believer needs to be nailed to the cross, and when we do this, we usher in an entirely new social structure modeled by the church because of the reconciling power of the cross. We ought to reconcile with one another in the body of Christ and reflect who God is to people who are far from Jesus. How does your faith in Christ change the way you interact with other people? If you are in Christ, you are a minister of reconciliation. How are you doing?
Jesus did the greatest rescue story in all of history in that God sent His Son to save us and snatch us from sin, satan and death. In Christ, we are saved, we are being saved and we shall be saved. Salvation is not just a past event, but God is still at work in us. When we understand this and live our life in light of our future glorification, we can live! What's your hope in? What's your identity wrapped up in? Pastor Blair explains what it means to be saved and what we are saved from.
God appreciates His church. Our identity is not to be wrapped up in what others think of us, but rather who we are in Christ as His workmanship. Is it enough for you to know that God knows you and your service to Him, and that He appreciates you? When you live out of the identity that you have an audience of one -- that God loves and appreciates everything you do in His name -- you will enjoy a freedom to love and appreciate others as you have been appreciated. What matters most is what God thinks of you. Jesus' appreciation for His church -- those who are in Christ -- is not grounded in anything we do. It is grounded solely in the fact that God loves us.
As believers, we are to follow Jesus' example and appreciate one another on the basis of Christ's love. Appreciated people exchange grumbling for praying, competing for celebrating, bitterness for thanksgiving, performing for serving, and boasting for encouraging.
In Christ, we are blessed. Based on Ephesians 1:3-14, Luke explains about why and how we are blessed, and that the best is still yet to come. Luke also shares about what predestination is, how it affects us, and that we can rest in God's sovereignty.
Paul writes to the church in Ephesus and starts by saying they are saints in Christ. If you're in Christ, you are a saint. Being a saint requires one step: be in Christ. A Christian's identity is primarily saint, not sinner. You will have saint as your constant identity and sinner as your occasional activity. Pastor Blair explains what it means to be a saint.
Everything we will cover in our Ephesians sermon series flows out of who we are in Christ. So what does it mean to actually be in Christ? These two words, "in Christ," changed the world, and is the essence and totality of the believer's identity. We are defined by who we are in Christ, not by what we do or fail to do for Christ. Christ defines who we are by who He is, and by what He has done in and through us.
Who are we in Christ and how does this impact the way we live out our lives? Everything hinges on who we are. The thing that changes everything is the issue of our identity. The only thing that will help us truly live in the freedom, joy and assurance of God that He desires for us is understanding our true identity-not in what we do, but in who we are as children of God made in His image and defining ourselves by Christ alone.
Before diving into the book of Ephesians, Pastor Blair takes us back to Acts 19 where the church of Ephesus began. In the city of Ephesus, idol worship was prominent. Christianity makes no peace with idolatry. God created us to worship Him. As humans, we can be divided into two categories: those who worship the Creator, and those who worship created things. Underlying the false sinful worship of created things is the fact that our identity becomes so rooted in our idolatry. Apostle Paul teaches in the book of Ephesians our false identity apart from Christ in relation to our true identity in Christ. What is our false identity that is rooted in our idolatry? Pastor Blair explains idolatry in terms of the acronym: I: Items D: Duties O: Others L: Longings S: Sufferings
God loves us, because He is love. His love is unconditional and His love never fails. Pastor Blair speaks about this amazing love by journeying us back to Joshua 2:1-21.
Jesus Christ, God incarnate, is God's gift to us. God changed the world by giving of Himself... when we were in rebellion against Him. This gift from God is profound and worth celebrating, not just at Christmas time, but it should impact every area of our life all year round. What is your response to this amazing gift?
Pastor Blair shares about contentment and spending less. We need to realize that everythings belongs to God. We are not owners but rather stewards of money, time and possessions. Pastor Blair shares with us the key to contentment, and how money is a loud speaker that plays whatever tune our heart has.
Is the craziness of the Christmas season distracting you from focused worship toward Jesus Christ? Pastor Blair shares practical ways we can focus our hearts back on Jesus this Christmas season, and what Christmas is really about.
In this sermon, Pastor Blair shares about the cost of discipleship, the purpose of our life, and Christ's return. This message is based on Luke 9:57-62; Luke 17; Acts 3; 1 Corinthians 15; Revelation 21:1-8; 22:1-7.
In this sermon, Pastor Blair is accompanied by Michael Chupik. They share about the importance and characteristics of living life in the Spirit, and the problems that arise when we are led by our flesh. This message is based on Acts 2; 4; 9:31; 1 Corinthians; 2 Corinthians 8.
In this sermon, Pastor Blair is accompanied by Jordan Fontaine. They share how we are called to live missional lives in our sphere of influence by the power of Holy Spirit at work in and through us. This message is based on John 20, Matthew 28, John 14, Acts 2, and 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.
In this sermon, Pastor Blair brings us to the culmination of all of Scripture: the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's an amazing story of God's love for us and His desire to redeem His people back to Himself.
In this sermon, Pastor Blair shares three particular stories from the works of Jesus Christ: Miracles, the Kingdom, and the lost son.
In this sermon, Pastor Blair is accompanied by Cam Abbott. They share four particular stories from the Person of Jesus Christ: The geneology and birth of Jesus, the baptism of Jesus, the temptations of Jesus, and Jesus' disciples.
Pastor Blair pauses halfway through our sermon series in, "The Story of God, The Story of Us" and discusses how the story of God intersects in the lives of people we are in contact with, and how it's a helpful way for us to disciple people. There are four distinct movements within God's story, and we learn how to practically share them with others.
In this sermon, Luke Etelamaki is accompanied by Joel Knowles. They share the story of Moses and the Exodus, as well as the prophets and kings (from the books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, 2 Samuel and 2 Kings).
In this sermon, Pastor Blair is accompanied by Luke Etelamaki. They share the story of Abraham and Sarah, and God's covenant with Abraham.
In this sermon, Pastor Blair is accompanied by Murray Lutzer. They share the story of Cain and Abel (Genesis 4), and what we're willing to do for acceptance. We also look at the story of Noah and the Flood (Genesis 6 - 9) and God's great mercy.
Pastor Blair shares what we were created for, how the fall impacted this, how merciful God is to us, and our choice between self-love or God's love.
Pastor Blair introduces our new sermon series, "The Story of God, The Story of Us" and why a story is so important.
Every life has a story, and your story is part of a much bigger story. Our story is part of God's story -- how He is pursuing and redeeming us through the work of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Blair concludes our series through the book of Galatians by reviewing the key points that Paul was conveying through this deep and rich book.
Pastor Blair shares how we reap what we sow, and that we are always sowing... either sowing to the flesh or sowing to the Spirit. Blair talks about how we can practically sow seeds of the Spirit, and we are to persevere in this, because one day there will be a harvest.
Pastor Blair talks about how we compare ourselves to others -- either by provoking or envying others. Without the Gospel, we end up living our lives by everyone else's standards. However, the Gospel gives us a new self-image that allows us to have bold humility that absolutely changes all our relationships. The Gospel allows us to be free to sacrifice, to commit and to love others.
The contrast between the fruit of the Spirit and the works of the flesh - as famously seen in this portion of Galatians - is the difference between the effects of the law and the effects of the Gospel. All throughout his letter, Paul has been working to show the dead-end, enslaving nature of the law and the Christ-secured liberation of the Gospel. Here in the second half of chapter five, this culminates in Paul laying out practically what either life under law, or life under Gospel will produce. Far from the fruit of the spirit being a prescription of how a person must attain to Christian virtue and approval from God, the fruit of the spirit is just that - fruit - the result of grasping the unmerited approval one has in Christ. Likewise, the works of the flesh are the fruit of an unbelieving root in our hearts that is generated by the crushing weight of the law. Law produces a posture where our attention is focused on us, and shrinks our ability to believe in the work of Another, and when the power to believe is shrunk, works of the flesh are produced. Every sin - as provocatively laid out by Paul in verse 20 and 21 - is a momentary lapse in our believing that the gospel satisfies us entirely. As our belief in the one God has sent, namely Jesus, grows, our lives will progressively grow in their production of the fruit of the Spirit.
This sermon is from Tullian Tchividjian at Coral Ridge Church. You may visit their website at: http://www.crpc.org.
"For freedom Christ has set us free."
Pastor Blair shares how we are not to submit to a yoke of slavery since God has called us into His freedom. We need to stand firm in this freedom, and not fall backwards into slavery or forward into license. To fall back into slavery or legalism means we lose our freedom, and to fall into license means we abuse our freedom.
Blair shares what Christian freedom really means, and how this is not a freedom to sin, but a freedom from sin.
Steve shares an example of Hagar and Sarah, and how Hagar represents "saved by works" whereas Sarah represents "saved by grace."
Steve also challenges us in regards to self-righteousness. We can be enslaved to it, but Jesus has come to set us free. We need to repent of our self-righteousness -- realizing that God has leveled the playing field and we are only saved by God's grace, not by our works.
Pastor Blair shares two implications of receiving adoption as sons through God, and describes how God not only redeemed us but also adopted us in the fullness of time. God did not just rescue us from slavery, but also turned us from slaves into sons. Receiving Jesus' salvation is not just receiving a pardon and release from death, but He has put on us a great honor and blessing.
Pastor Blair also shares how the work of the Son is done externally to us, whereas the work of the Spirit is done internally in us.
In addition, we learn about the privileges we receive as sons and daughters of the living God.
This passage in Galatians 3 is broken up into two eras: 1. Promise (represented by Abraham); and 2. Law (represented by Moses).
Last week, Pastor Blair focused his message on Promise. This week's sermon is now focused on Law.
Pastor Blair shares why God gave us the law if salvation is by promise. Because in principle, law and promise are opposed, but in practice, law and promise are utterly together. Blair shares how the law and promise agree in the Christian life.
Pastor Blair shares about the faithfulness of God, and how God always keeps His promises.
This passage in Galatians 3 is broken up into two eras: 1. Promise (represented by Abraham) 2. Law (represented by Moses)
This week, Blair focuses on Promise. Next week's sermon focuses on Law.
To understand Galatians 3 and the promise, we look back at Genesis 15 -- the covenant that God made with Abram (that in his offspring, all the nations of the earth will be blessed). Blair shows how salvation is not a cooperative agreement between two people, but rather it's a matter of promise. In other words, salvation is not by law, but by promise. We only need the Promisor. We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone.
Steve shares with us that we have all broken God's Law, and we have this tendency to remedy our sins by doing "good" works, or by diminishing our sinfulness by comparing our moral goodness to other people. However, Jesus has come to rescue us both in word and deed by dying for our sins, and that we can have a loving relationship with God because of Jesus alone. By placing our faith and trust in Him, God will then transform our heart of stone into a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26), and this loving relationship will cause obedience to Him.
Pastor Blair shares what justification is, and how justification is the opposite of condemnation. He also shares with us how we are not just saved by the Gospel, but we grow by applying the Gospel to every area of our life. We do not get beyond the Gospel. The same Gospel that justifies us is the same Gospel that sanctifies us. The Gospel is not an event, but the heart of the Christian message.
We also learn the difference between the Gateway Gospel and the Pathway Gospel. (Click on the "Notes" button above for a written transcript of this.)
Finally, Pastor Blair shares how important it is to test the teachings of men through the lens of the Gospel of Christ crucified, and that our experiences (although still important) never trump the authority of Scripture. Our experiences don't dictate to us the truths of Scripture; rather Scripture dictates to us our experiences.
Pastor Blair continues our series through the book of Galatians, and covers topics such as "fear of man" and "justification" in this sermon.
At the end of the sermon, Pastor Blair shares a quote from Martin Luther. Here is a written transcript of that quote:
"I do not come because my soul is free from sin and pure and whole and worthy of Thy grace; I do not speak to Thee because I've ever justly kept Thy laws and dare to meet Thy face. I know that sin and guilt combine to reign o'er every thought of mine and turn from good to ill; I know that when I try to be upright and just and true to Thee, I am a sinner still. I know that often when I strive to keep a spark of love alive for Thee, the powers within leap up in unsubmissive might and oft benumb my sense of right and pull me back to sin. I know that though in doing good I spend my life, I never could atone for all I've done; But though my sins are black as night, I dare to come before Thy sight because I trust Thy Son. In Him alone my trust I place, come boldly to Thy throne of grace, and there commune with Thee. Salvation sure, O Lord, is mine, and, all unworthy, I am Thine, for Jesus died for me." - Martin Luther
The Gospel is a simple message, but a profoundly confused one. Jesus knew that it would be confused, and so He warns us (in John 17) against two distractions of the Gospel: Syncretism and Sectarianism. Pastor Blair explains these two concepts, and how they're distortions of the true Gospel.
We also learn what open-handed and closed-handed issues mean for us. At the Compass Church, we have nine closed-handed beliefs (represented by our nine dots). Pastor Blair goes through each one of these nine dots/pillars (see our website for details on this), and shares an acronym to help us remember them: "So God Certainly Has Dominion Securing The Churches Ministry to The City."
Pastor Blair shares how the Apostle Paul received the Gospel by revelation of Jesus Christ -- that Jesus is the substance of the revelation, that his message is of divine origin and it is not derived from men. We also learn the difference between general revelation and specific revelation. Later, Blair talks about how God revealed Christ to Paul, so that he can reveal Christ through Paul, and how we have a responsibility today to reveal Christ to others in what we are, in what we do, and in what we say. Finally, Blair shares about unity, and how unity does not mean uniformity.
Pastor Blair talks about the one-way unconditional grace of God, and how our society differs by demanding a two-way conditional love. He also shares two reasons why Paul uses such strong language in verses 8 and 9. As well, we look at how Paul chose God's approval rather than man's, and how the Gospel is to give us courage and free us from living a life of seeking approval from others.
Pastor Blair introduces the book of Galatians, and how Paul's letter energized the 16th century revival, which has changed our Western World to this day. We also look at Paul's life, and his two primary reasons for writing this letter. Finally, Pastor Blair shares the true Gospel, and ways that some people try to distort it.
GOSPEL: HEAD AND HEART
In this sermon, Murray shows us to preach to ourselves instead of listening to ourselves.
CULTIVATING GOSPEL CENTERED RELATIONSHIPS
In this sermon, Pastor Blair teaches on how to cultivate Gospel centered relationships -- whether it's in our marriage, singleness or parenting.
GOSPEL CENTERED LIVING
In this sermon, Steve Hawes teaches on what it means to live our everyday lives through the lens of the Gospel.
GOSPEL DRIVEN SANCTIFICATION, AND HOW IT CHANGES MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
In this sermon, Pastor Blair teaches on how the Gospel drives our sanctification, and how that changes our relationship with God. Blair talks about how God continually initiates sanctification in our lives (i.e. conviction), and how we are to appropriately respond (both passively and actively).
THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL, AND HOW THE GOSPEL DOES WHAT RELIGION CAN'T.
In this sermon, Pastor Blair teaches on what the difference is between the law and the Gospel, and how the Gospel does what religion cannot do.
WHAT IS THE GOSPEL? WHY DOES IT MATTER?
In this sermon, Pastor Blair teaches on what the Gospel is and why it matters. There are two perspectives we must have in order to fully understand the Gospel and engage in it:
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The Power of the Gospel
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The Purpose of the Gospel
Pastor Blair examines these two perspectives, and the importance of keeping them united.
"The Gospel is that God Himself has come to rescue and restore creation in and through the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf." - Keller
David had unspeakable joy even amongst all the pains and trials in his life.
How is this possible, and what is the difference between having joy and having happiness?
Steve discusses God's covenantal relationship with Abraham in Genesis 22, and how God is our Provider.
Pastor Blair continues in the sermon series through the book of Hosea, and examines the life Hosea and how it shows God's relentless pursuit of us.
In this sermon, we look at Hosea 12 - 13. Blair talks about covenants, and how human marriage serves as a prism through which God reveals His convenant relationship to His people and Christ with His church.
Pastor Blair continues in the sermon series through the book of Hosea, and examines the life Hosea and how it shows God's relentless pursuit of us.
In this sermon, we look at Hosea 9 - 11. Blair talks about how joy is not given to those who have broken covenant with God until they return and make peace with God. We also read in this passage how Hosea is appealing to the people to repent and to cultivate righteousness.
Pastor Blair continues in the sermon series through the book of Hosea, and examines the life Hosea and how it shows God's relentless pursuit of us.
In this sermon, we look at Hosea 6:1-3 verse-by-verse. Blair covers the topic of repenting and turning to the Lord.
"Come, let us return to the Lord."
Pastor Blair continues in the sermon series through the book of Hosea, and examines the life Hosea and how it shows God's relentless pursuit of us.
In this sermon, we look at Hosea 5:1-15 verse-by-verse. Blair covers the topic of pride and self-glorification.
Pastor Blair continues in the sermon series through the book of Hosea, and examines the life Hosea and how it shows God's relentless pursuit of us.
In this sermon, we look at Hosea 3:1-5 verse-by-verse. Blair covers the topic of redemption.
Pastor Blair continues in the sermon series through the book of Hosea, and examines the life Hosea and how it shows God's relentless pursuit of us.
In this sermon, we look at Hosea 2:1-23 verse-by-verse. In this passage, we look at Hosea's wife, Gomer, and how she is used to describe the nation of Israel corporately.
Pastor Blair continues in the sermon series through the book of Hosea, and examines the life Hosea and how it shows God's relentless pursuit of us.
In this sermon, we look at Hosea 1:1-11 verse-by-verse. Blair covers topics such as love, forgiveness, grace and reconciliation.
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"God scatters" becomes "God unites."
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"No compassion, no mercy" becomes "Mercy."
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"Not my people" becomes "You are my people -- Children of the living God."
Pastor Blair shares about spiritual gifts, specifically on the gifts of faith, healing, miracles, distinguishing between spirits, and tongues.
Pastor Blair shares about spiritual gifts, specifically on the gifts of wisdom and knowledge.
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The gift of wisdom is the ability to have insight into people and situations that is not obvious to the average person -- combined with the understanding of what to do and how to do it.
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The gift of knowledge is the ability to research, to remember, make effective use of a variety of information on a number of diverse subjects.
Murray Lutzer teaches us about the Lord's Supper: What does this mean? What does "communion" really mean? Why do we do it? Who should partake in communion? And why does the Compass Church do this every week?
Pastor Blair shares about Paul's justification for his apostleship, and some of the responsibilities of the leaders and elders both in the church in general and in our church specifically. We also look at rites -- what rites we need to cling to and what we need to give up for God's glory.
Pastor Blair discusses the topic of disputes within the church, how we need to resolve disputes between other believers, and what that process looks like.
Pastor Blair shares about how we need to treat sin within the church (especially unrepentant hearts), and how this would be treated differently based on if they are a believer or not.
Pastor Blair shares about eldership within the church, and qualities that elders, leaders and generally all Christians need to have.
Pastor Blairs shares about how the Apostle Paul was dealing leadership issues within the Corinthian church. There was a tendancy to put the spotlight on individuals, and this produced unhealthy competition and comparison within the church. Therefore, they needed teaching on the nature and function of Christian leadership. Blair shares about this, and how to have a healthy church.
Pastor Blair shares about how the Holy Spirit alluminates the Word of God to us, so that we may understand the mystery of the Gospel. It is only by the Holy Spirit that we overcome the stumbling block that the world would see as foolishness. We learn more about the Holy Spirit, and how the Holy Spirit gives us wisdom.
Pastor Blair shares about the Gospel and how God intentionally put it in the middle of human wisdom and power.
Pastor Blair shares about how the Corinthian church was divided into four teams (based on their preferences and selectivity amongst the leaders), and how this replaced their unity among Jesus. Blair also talks about conflict, and how we need to be careful not to sin when we address sins in others. We need to fight for unity within the church.
Pastor Blair concludes our sermon series in Philippians by pulling out the significant themes that were covered during this series.
Pastor Blair teaches on contentment and the various places people look for contentment.
Pastor Blair shares on the subject of unity, and how disunity was a problem for two ladies (Euodia and Syntyche) in the church of Philippi.
Blair also shares about worries and anxieties, and that life lived in anxiousness, in response to circumstance, with anxiety being the sovereign lord ruling over us, is a miserable life. It hurts us physically, emotionally, and relationally. We need to learn to anchor our joy in Jesus and not our circumstances. Rejoice in the Lord always!
Pastor Blair shares how rejoicing in the Lord is the only solution to the alluring trap of legalism.
Blair also shares about the difference between the Gospel and religion. Christianity is not a religion, but a humble, new life with Jesus.
Pastor Blair shares about why humility is of great importance, and how being humble is so closely tied with obedience.
Blair also shares that when we accept Christ, regeneration takes place and there is a new beginning. As this process works out, we call it sanctification, where God works on our heart to make us more like Christ. And we are in this process with God: God gives us a new nature, so we are to live according to that new nature. God gives us new desires, so we are to feed them. God gives us gifts, so we are to serve according to those gifts. God works something in us, we work it out with Him. God gives us a good desire, we obey Him. God convicts us of sin, we repent. Together we make progress -- working together in relationship with Him.
Finally, Blair talks about how everything in our life flows from our heart. We cannot just do behaviour modification, but we must go to the source of our problems: our heart. It is exceedingly important that we address issues of our heart. Therefore, we need to ask ourselves: Where are we in our relationship to Jesus? Is our pursuit for Jesus only?
Pastor Blair shares about the humility of Jesus, and how He was the most humble man who ever walked and will walk on Earth. We should live our lives like Jesus and be humble and gracious, too.
As well, Blair talks about how Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Pastor Blair shares about suffering and that it is the badge of true discipleship. Discipleship means allegiance to the suffering Christ, and it is therefore not at all surprising that Christians should be called upon to suffer. The question is not if we are going to suffer, but how we are going to suffer. Suffering is a good thing, because in our suffering, we can be more like Jesus.
Pastor Blair gives us an introduction to the book of Philippians, and how the Apostle Paul had a single-minded focus in everything that he did -- that everything was influenced and impacted by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.