NLCC Walnut Grove Campus: Recent Episodes
North Langley Community Church
There is only one source of living water that will quench our thirst. His name is Jesus. Paul wants us to see that fullness of life, wisdom, knowledge and salvation comes through Jesus alone. There is no other stream where our thirst is quenched. In Jesus alone we experience, receive and enjoy the fullness of the love of God. Only Jesus. No rivals.
The Apostle Paul has a passion to serve the church. He longs to see the church at Colossae grow in maturity in Christ. Do we have that same passion to serve? Do we know the spiritual gifts that we have been given to bless others? Could the Holy Spirit renew a deep passion in us to serve the church?
The tragedy is that we were once alienated from God. Understanding this tragedy is an important first step before we can comprehend the incredible good news of Jesus. That through Jesus' death we are brought near to God- and that we are made holy, without blemish, and free from accusation.
As we are filled with wisdom and power by Gods Spirit at work in us, our lives as Christians will bear fruit that is pleasing to God, both individually and as a community. We will be characterized by great endurance in hardship and joyful thanksgiving for all that God has done through Jesus by rescuing us from sin and darkness.
Jesus shows us who God is. He is the King. He rules above all spiritual beings and powers. All creation, every nation, every city, every family, every relationship, every life, every heart, and every mind can be held together by Jesus.In Him all things hold together."
The church in Colossae loved one another. As Paul begins the letter, he cant help but celebrate this! To Paul, this is a confirmation that this church is the real deal. They get it. They get the heart of the whole Jesus movement:they love one another.
We have hope because the future life and resurrection of God is pouring into the present! If God raised Jesus Christ from the dead then we have a new birth into a living hope, and death is working backwards, and everything sad is coming untrue, and the future is here, and God is making all things new.
Jesus calls himself the True Vine. He invites us to find our life in Him. He is our home and our dwelling place. The way we abide in Him is by loving one another. God the Gardner is committed to prune us so that we grow abundant fruit of love for each other.
Jesus is the good shepherd who we can trust with our whole lives. Hes the trustworthy leader who knows us, cares for us, and gives his life for us.
Jesus calls himself the Light of the World. Where are we walking in the darkness? Jesus shines His light revealing who God is and shows us how to live. And his promise is this: whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
Jesus calls himself the Bread of Life. We go to things that cannot ultimately satisfy us to fill a deep hunger for true love and intimacy. Jesus is offering us his life, friendship, forgiveness, and grace. A real relationship of love that satisfies us- daily.
Jesus is calling us on mission- and we have the joy of sharing the good news of who He is with those we love. In this message, we unpack the apostle Paul's beautiful encouragement from Romans 10 to share the good news of Jesus with our words.
We hear the encouragement from the Apostle Paul to submit to governing authorities and that the authorities are established by God. What does that submission look like? How are we called to resist evil government decisions? And what does it look like to pray for those in authority when we disagree? We unpack these questions as we end our 6-week series seeking to be faithful to King Jesus.
As apprentices of Jesus, we are called to love the people Jesus loves in the way thatJesus loves them.
As we engage with one another, we are called to be people of empathy, gentleness and wisdom.
Jesus is the embodiment of truth and love. He wants us to follow him out of pre-packaged political bundles and into political homelessness that will allow us to stand for righteousness in our day. Only following Jesus will place us on the right side of history.
In this message, we explore the Biblical idea that we are exiles living in a foreign land, and we explore two ways of seeking the shalom of Canada. These two very different approaches that Christians take to politics are rooted in Scripture and are important to keep in mind as we seek to live wisely today as we follow Jesus.
As we launch our new series on how to follow Jesus in a politically polarized age we unpack our primary identity as citizens of the Kingdom of God. Our allegiance is to King Jesus alone. Citizenship in the Kingdom of God has the potential of making us the best Canadian citizens- freed up to love our neighbour and work for the common good."
Nothing weve experienced, are experiencing, or will experience can separate us from the love of God.
In this message, we receive the assurance that if God is for us- who can be against us? The Father loves you. Christ shed his blood for you and intercedes for you. The Spirit of God is in you. And if the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are for us- who can be against us?
We live in the reality of now-and-not-yet. The time between Gods promise given and apromise is fulfilled is a long and difficult journey, but the Holy Spirit walks with us,groans with us, helps us, and intercedes for us.
We have heard that God works all things for the good of those who love him but what does that actually mean? Today we will see that God has committed to work a great good through our suffering and pain. He is committed to shaping us into the image of Jesus that we might be a blessing to others.
What are humans good for? Romans 8 tells us that creation will be free when God makes us who we were meant to be! God's children have a destiny, to take responsibility in God's renewed creation!
In this message we explore the truth that all of us who have surrendered to Jesus are the children of God. God has rescued us from slavery like a Father who rescues his beloved child. God invites us to call him 'Abba Father' as we grow in greater intimacy and love.
Do you look around, and dont like the realm you live in? Dont like the toxic effects of sin in ourselves, our marriages, our world? GOOD NEWS! It doesnt have to be this way! There is a whole other realm, or Kingdom, available to you; that you can move into and inhabit.And it is not far away, It has come near.
We begin a new series in Romans chapter 8 as we focus on the remarkable truth that now in Christ Jesus there is no condemnation! God condemned sin and now offers us a new way to live life by His Holy Spirit. Here on week 1 of this new series, we want to see God heal us with his truth- grounded in our new identity in Christ- and we want to experience the power of His life-changing love.
We return to our First Love as we step into the light of God and allow him to expose all the areas of sin that so easily steal our joy. As we repent we turn from our ways- we experience His freedom and His joy. He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
We return to our First Love as we discover our spiritual gifts and use them to love God and our neighbours. We have served God from a place of exhaustion, bitterness, legalism, pride, and fear. But we want to serve from a place of deep union with Christ. We want to enjoy loving God as we love others.
We return to our First Love as we cherish God's very word. The 2 travellers on the road to Emmaus experienced burning in their hearts as Jesus explained how all the Scriptures point to Him. In this sermon, we are learning what it means to truly encounter Jesus in the Scriptures.
We are living in the fog of secularism and it is so easy to believe that God is far away and irrelevant to the pressing needs of our life. But what if God was closer than we can even imagine? What if there are burning bushes everywhere on fire with the Presence of God? What if God could remove the veil from our eyes so that we can see that He has been asking, seeking, and knocking upon the door of our life? And what if He answered all our asking, seeking, and knocking with the gift of Himself?
Are you in a circle of friends who love you and love Jesus? Many of us who are not feeling loved by God are feeling that way because we are more and more cut off from the love of others. The truth is that our love for God is rekindled as we love one another.
Jesus meets a woman at a well and offers her the very Presence of the Living God. This woman is so changed by Jesus that she shares the good news with her entire village. There is no greater joy than introducing people we love to the God we love. This is how we rekindle our first love.
Charles Spurgeon once wrote: 'Believe me, if you have but a spark of desire after Christ, he has a whole furnace of desire after you.'(Charles Spurgeon,September 16, 1883.).In Revelation 2 we hear Jesus encourage the church at Ephesus to return to their first love. In this sermon, we begin our 8-week journey into looking at what it means to return to Jesus- to receive His love- and to enjoy Him forever.
Jesus is the Great Peacemaker and is promising to shape us into a people who make peace. Peacemaking is hard work but Jesus promises that, as we cultivate peace, we will be called children of God- doing the every work our Father does.
The mercy of Jesus has been poured out on us, and He is calling us to pour that mercy out on others. The mercy of Jesus is expressed through the forgiveness of sin. In this message, we explore the topic of forgiveness and we begin to practice forgiving our enemy in prayer.
Meek and gentle are the same Greek word in this passage, so when Jesus blesses the meek he blesses the gentle. He promises that the gentle win in the end. Rooted in Psalm 37, as well as the life of Moses, we explore what it means to be gentle. We see Jesus as the Gentle One who, at the cross, does not punish us in wrath but gently loves us with a sacrificial love."
We live in the now and not yet reality of the Kingdom of God. It has come near and isbreaking into the world, but it is also not yet fully realized. In this next part of theBeatitudes, Jesus says Blessed are those who mourn. We mourn when we encounterthe gap between the Kingdom of God and our lives. As we do, we experience the heartof Jesus, encounter His transforming power, and receive comfort from God and eachother.
In the Beatitudes, Jesus unpacks a style of living that he calls blessed. Although we might struggle to see how this is the case, it is the poor in spirit, those who understand their need for God, who experience His transforming power in their lives.
As we walk through the darkest valleys we have the chance to experience the nearness and love of God. Psalm 23 is a beautiful reminder of the Shepherd who cares for His sheep in the wilderness and protects them from the enemy.
We all hope in something. The Psalmist fixes his gaze, not on the circumstances around him, but on God himself. What does this look like in the season we are in? And can we really rest assured that God is trustworthy to place our hope in?
Psalm 51 is Davids Psalm of repentance after committing horrible sin in 2 Samuel 11 12. Repentance is a season in our faith journey we often want to skip, but true transformation comes from true repentance.
The Psalmist sees the wicked and self-serving having dramatic success in their lives and feels a sense of injustice. He asks the question, "Is God actually good?" As we look at this Psalm we too have had times with similar feelings, and can learn from the journey he takes in his time of processing.
Psalm 1 serves as an introduction to the book of Psalms. In this psalm, we learn about the way of wisdom and what it means to be planted like a tree by streams of living water. We discover the delight of meditating on Gods law in every season of our soul.
God has gifted us the Sabbath, one day each week without work, and yet it doesn't always feel like a gift. We might sense the weight of obligation, wonder at the relevance of an outdated idea, or simply fear it to be a killjoy, but Sabbath slows us down to the speed of the God who creates, delivers, and provides.
Noah Fensome joined us all the way from Amsterdam to finish our Luke series talking about Jesus' call for his followers to take the life-changing message of the Gospel into every corner of the world.
The simple fact of the matter is that for every person who encounters Christ dramatically with blinding lights and a booming voice, hundreds more meet him slowly and quietly, incognito on the Emmaus road, through friendship, Scripture, and conversation."-Pete Greig
We all have moments where we feel as though a fog has settled in our minds and our hearts. Today we will take a look at 2 disciples who had this same feeling in their own lives, and the things they did to allow Jesus to walk with them through the fog, and bring them to a place of hope, joy, and passion.
Even when were walking on the road of addictions, anxiety, illness, hurts, self-hatred, guilt, and shame, that looks too strong, that looks impossible for us to turn around from that road, even when we feel like nothing can be changed in our lives, what still gives us hope is Jesus.
Does the resurrection of Jesus from the dead 2000 years ago really matter?" Believing in the resurrection is one thing, but do we know what it means? Christs death and resurrection are central to the gospel because God raised Christ from the dead so that we can be forgiven, changed by his power and face eternity with hope.
Jesus journey to Jerusalem (Luke 9-19) culminates here with his Triumphal Entry into the holy city. In his royal procession, Jesus rides into the city on a borrowed donkey, symbolizing his meekness and humility. The disciples sing Gods praise while the religious leaders feel threatened. Jesus is the humble servant king who alone brings true peace to the whole world.
There are situations or seasons where we feel hard-pressed. Where we know that life has not gone the way we have wanted it to. Where we wish for a different way for it to go. And in these times we truly wonder where to turn. Part of the beauty of the Bible is that it is brutally honest and vulnerable. As we get closer to Easter, we find that Jesus went through his own dark night of the soul. He wanted a different way. But he also prayed a very bold prayer that gave him hope and resolve to face his most hard-pressed of times. And I think we can learn much from it.
As we practice this new covenant meal, may it stir within us hope for hisreturn and thankfulness for who he is and what he has done.
Facing opposition in the form of the temptation of selfish ambition, the dangers of Satan's aggression, and the challenge of worldly antagonism, followers of Jesus can trust in Jesus as our Servant King, our Advocate, and our Saviour.
Jesus tells his followers that the temple in Jerusalem will be destroyed. He lovingly prepares them to face that horrific moment in history. As we see the destruction of the temple- we see the new house, the new building, the new temple that God was building. The people of God- the church- would become a temple of living stones filled with the very Presence of God.
Jesus knows that He has to bring a transformation to Israel. One of the key pieces to transformation will be new leadership among God's people. Jesus is establishing a new leadership team to care for God's vineyard- His people.
Ron Davis brings us practical tools to get inspired & organized with our finances, walking us through 6 principles of stewardship.
Jesus celebrates the actions of a poor widow as she gives 2 copper coins to God. Jesus is calling each of us to practice a sacrificial generosity that sets our hearts free!
Jesus tells some men who are trying to trap Him that they are to "give back to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's'. So in this sermon, we are asking the question: 'How do we spend, save, and give in a way where we fully give God what is God's?
Ron Davis reminds us that every day we get a myriad of messages about money: from financial professionals to commercial advertisers to Facebook friends. But what does God have to say about money? It just may surprise us how much the Bible has to say about money. One such passage is the parable we are looking at today from Luke 19.
Our journey of apprenticeship to Jesus begins as we open up our hands and surrender our money to Jesus our King. Freedom, generosity, and joy are experienced as we surrender every penny we have to Jesus who invites us into His fullness of life.
Jesus' question toward the blind beggar--"What do you want me to do for you?"--reflects the core message of the gospel. That is, the good news is about who God is--that He is the One who is delighted in working for us in His mercies and power. It, however, is easy for us to fall into the temptation of Religion that makes us work for God for whatever reasons. Are you ready to be open to who God is and receive His mercies?
In this passage, Jesus turns our understanding of the world upside down. The people who get to Heaven are not the smartest, the most spiritual, or those who avoid doing really bad things. Rather, it is those of us who acknowledge our desperate need for Him. Jesus responds to our deep need with mercy, grace, and an invitation to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Bethlehem is a word that means 'house of bread'. From this house of bread comes a child who will feed a word starving for hope, love, forgiveness, purpose, and meaning. Jesus is the Bread of Life and this Christmas we are invited to taste and see that Jesus satisfies our hungry hearts.
In great love, God has chosen to come near. This is the hope of Christmas. When we feel like God is pulling back away from us- Christmas is the reminder that God longs to come near and has come near in Jesus.
We are invited into the joy of being children of God! As we receive and believe in the name of Jesus- Jesus offers each of us the joy of being born of God- of truly seeing our identity as children of God!
The cross of Christ has everything to do with the birth of Christ because light has come in the flesh. Light has walked on this world. And the Light, Jesus, the Word – offers us peace today.
Do we have hope that Jesus can make all things new? John, the disciple of Jesus, tells us that Jesus is the Logos (Word). He was the one through whom all creation was formed, he is the logic at the center of the universe- and He is God. He has all power to give us hope. He has all power to speak into the darkness of our life- 'let there be light'.
One of the enemys greatest tactics is to isolate us and to cut us off from others. But when we were baptized we died to a life of individualism and we were born again into a family of faith. And the church, in its life together, is the epicenter of the victory of Jesus over the darkness. It's together that we fight the schemes of the enemy and experience the victory of Jesus.
We are set free and delivered from darkness by Jesus- and that deliverance is not just a deliverance from darkness but a deliverance to God. It is not enough to be set free- we are called to be filled. True freedom is to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
In our world, we see the constant cycle of evil giving rise to more evil. Jesus and the writers of the New Testament claim that the only way to end them is by doing good in response. As the enemy seeks to produce evil in the world, this is Jesus weapon against the evil schemes of the enemy: do good.
The kids join us for this sermon as we dive into the truth that God is bigger and God is stronger! On this Sunday we learn that I am safe in the Fathers love" and that I am protected by the Armour of God.
The enemy of our souls traffics in lies. He uses false ideas about God and life to lead us to death. But the Holy Spirit wants to speak truth to us so that our minds are filled with life and peace! Our prayer is that the King of truth would speak life and set us free!
In his testing by the devil, Jesus teaches us how to face temptation, and becomes our gracious helper when we face temptation.
We are not unaware of the schemes of the enemy. He uses temptation, deceit, accusation to lead us to death. As we explore Genesis 3 we see how the enemy wants to keep us chained, and we take great hope in Jesus- the One who has come to free us from all accusation through His finished work on the cross.
We begin a new series on Jesus' victory over all dark powers and over the evil one. The world, the flesh, and the devil are actively moving against Jesus and His good purposes for the world. We look to the cross and see Christ's victory over the darkness (Christus Victor) and we take hope that 'The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devils work' (1 John 3:8).
Our friends who are new to Jesus need to see the good news changing us. They need to see the good news shaping us & forming us & reordering our loves. So what we need, as Thomas Chalmers put it, is 'the expulsive power of a new affection'. Like Zacchaeus, we need to be evangelized! When this happens in us then we are sharing with our friends something real and true that is taking place in us.
Our love for one another is our greatest evangelism. Jesus knew that the way a lonely and broken world would know His love- was when they witnessed His love in His people. 'By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another'.
Jesus' plan for the world to know His love is that you and I would be the light of the world. In our workplace, home, school, and friendship circle we have the opportunity to shine His light. People will be drawn to Jesus through the Jesus they see in each of us. They will be drawn to the Light of the World through the light we display in our own lives.
Jesus has given us the joy of sharing his love and light with the world. What would it look like to extend an invitation to our loved ones to connect with Jesus? We dive into the story of Phillip inviting his brother Nathanael to "come and see" Jesus. We want to catch a vision of what it looks like to grow a culture of invitation- seeing many new people give their lives to Jesus for the first time!
The Parable of the Persistent Widow and the Unjust Judge. In this parable, Jesus teaches his disciples about the importance of persisting in prayer for his Kingdom to come, and for God's justice to be done on earth. He leaves them, and us, with the question - Will the Son of Man find faith on the earth when he returns in glory?
Jesus is clear that the Kingdom of God has come, but it is not here yet in its fullness. He teaches his disciples to be prepared for the day of his second coming. He wants each of us who are His apprentices to be ready to receive Him as King!
The fitting response to God's mercy to us is to look beyond the gift to the Giver and embrace Jesus as Saviour and King.
Jesus is clear that we are called to forgive one another. When we have been wounded, harmed, persecuted, and sinned against, Jesus gives us a way to move from a place of bitterness to a place of reconciliation. Even with a faith as small as a mustard seed, we can see powerful healing of relationship!
Jesus tells a parable about a Rich Man that challenges each of us to grapple with how we use our money to love the poor. Jesus makes it clear that we will be judged by how we love the poor among us. The cross inspires us to love and to will the good of one another as we see Jesus- who was rich and yet became poor so that we through his poverty might become rich.
We have all been entrusted with resources on loan from God to manage wisely in our lifetime. What opportunities is God giving you to be faithful by giving generously and demonstrating mercy to others? Use what you have been given to impact people for eternity by being devoted to God, instead of our money---and be truly rich.
The religious leaders in Jesus day thought they had the right picture of God - one who is holy and who never - ever - associates with unholiness. But Jesus shares this well-known parable to confront that picture and turn it on its head. The Fathers heart welcomes ALL people. If you have ever felt away from home, for whatever reason that perhaps only you know, the message of this parable is clear: Come home. God is waiting with open arms.
Jesus tells the story of two lost sons. In this message, we focus on the older son. He is always the obedient son who does the right thing but slowly moves further and further from the Father's love. One day, when confronted with what feels like an injustice, he will have to decide whether or not to receive the love of His Father.
Jesus tells 3 stories that describe the heart of the Father. Our Heavenly Father is like a shepherd seeking his lost sheep, a woman who dusts her home looking for a lost coin, and a Father who goes out searching for His two lost sons.
Jesus is not a fan of crowds. He knows that a crowd can have a mob mentality and lead people astray. He calls His followers to make a choice about whether they are prepared to fully surrender to Him. Using images of the cross, building construction, war, and salt he challenges all of us to total surrender.
Why would we ever turn down an invitation to a banquet? God has prepared a banquet and Jesus is reminding people of their invitation, but there is a group of religious leaders who are not interested in attending. Jesus is aware that many of us have idols and distractions that keep us from wanting to be in God's banquet. Our invitation is to taste and see that the Lord is good.
True humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less. - C.S. Lewis
Jesus looks at the city of Jerusalem and wishes that he could drawn them close to Himself as a mother hen gathers her chicks. We, like Jerusalem, are ignorant of the danger around us and stubborn in our refusal to come to Jesus and find life. Jesus' arms are open to the weary and burdened and offers us rest, refuge and hope.
This week, as we continue to explore this essential calling, we contemplating what the LORD says about himself in Isaiah 57:15: I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. Even though awe is appropriate for a God who is so much greater than us, we are also invited to draw near to the God who, in Christ, drew near to us. But what does it mean to feel near to God? How does God come near? What difference does Gods nearness make to how we worship?
As Christians, we don't often worship through lament. We fear that it will be disrespectful if we are too honest, open, and real with God. But God is a good Father who wants to hear the honest thoughts of His children. Rather than turning away in bitterness, He welcomes us to share our true feelings and fears with Him in worship.
As we learn to worship we must grasp the reality that we are the temple of God. We- his followers- are the building that God is delighted to dwell in by His Spirit. As He comes to dwell in us He fills us with His love by His Spirit. The songs we sing are now filled with a love for Him.
Worship involves a sense of awe, or what the Bible calls the fear of God, a response to the greatness of God displayed in all he has done. The fear of God frees us to walk in fearless obedience.
Once we were enemies of God, rebels against our rightful king. But when we lay down our weapons and raise the white flag of surrender to Jesus, we are restored to our proper posture of worship before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
In this message, we explore the topic of thankfulness in worship. We see Jesus heal 10 lepers, but only one returns to thank Jesus. Why is it that one returns? Why is it so hard not to complain and grumble? We look to the cross, the resurrection, and creation itself and are given so many reasons to thank God. Worship is the best place to practice and cultivate a heart of thanksgiving.
We begin our Abide series with a call to come hungry and thirsty for the Presence of the Living God. Each of us has a hungry heart that cannot find satisfaction. We are only satisfied by the Bread of Life- Jesus Himself.
In this message, we walk through 6 signposts that point to the resurrection of Jesus. It can be very easy to be cynical about the historical truth of the resurrection of Jesus. But our hope is that these 6 signposts give us the chance to pause to reconsider the true possibility that Jesus actually rose from the dead. And that because He lives-we too can live.
Jesus, in His love, sacrifices His life for us. He takes upon his own life all the weight of the evil, darkness, and death that was heading straight for us. Jesus steps in, placed Himself in the way, and sacrificed His life so that we might live. This is what makes Good Friday so very Good.
Jesus makes it clear that following Him is like entering a narrow door. It is all about an exclusive relationship with Him. He is the Way the Truth, and the Life, and only a total surrender to Him will lead us to life- and life to the full.
"The promise of the resurrection is also that Jesus is still at work today, in our lives. In the present tense. So we wait and we watch for the coming Kingdom when God will finally set things right, be we also wait and watch for glimpses of that Kingdom here and now. - Tish Harrison Warren, Prayer in the Night: For Those Who Work or Watch or Weep
In this message we watch Jesus heal a woman who has been suffering for 18 years- and He heals her on the Sabbath. While this angers the Jewish leaders this makes perfect sense with who Jesus really is: Jesus is the Sabbath rest of God who invites all of us into his merciful, healing, forgiving, and liberating rest!
In this message, we listen to Jesus as he warns the people of Israel that the way they are living will lead to destruction. Unless they repent they will suffer devastating consequences. This leads us to explore the topic of repentance that leads to life!
Jesus does not intend to drive a wedge into family loyalties, but a rupture may result from the choices that individuals make for or against God. Priorities need to be re-ordered." - David Garland
In this message, we explore Pauls encouragement to married people in the church at Ephesus. Paul encourages wives and husbands to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ We also explore the meaning of the Greek word kephale (headship), and we notice the revolutionary impact this text can have in our relationships. Jesus desire is to turn our marriages upside down with His sacrificial love!
Why does Paul seem to tell women they cannot teach or have authority? And is it true women are saved through childbearing? As we dive into 1 Timothy 2 we find that Paul is actually prohibiting certain women in Ephesus from teaching in a domineering way. His desire is that they learn and grow in the truth so that they wont be easily deceived. We end with the hope that our salvation comes from Jesus- the child who was born to crush the head of the serpent.Related Podcast Episode:
Why does Paul silence women in the church at Corinth? Why does he say it is a disgrace for a woman to speak in the church? As we dive into this complicated passage we discovered that the truth in 1 Corinthians 14 has much more to do with womens access to education than it does to authority in the church. The good news that Jesus was alive was placed first on the lips of women- so women must not be silent!
Before we tackle difficult passages to interpret in the New Testament surrounding the question of women and leadership in the church- we must first ask the question: what did women do in the Bible? Were they called to lead Gods people? The answer we find in the pages of Scripture is yes! God has called women like Junia, Priscilla, Phoebe, and many others to lead His church. In the Bible, it is clear that God calls women to lead.
As we dive into the first 3 chapters of the Bible we notice that God creates both male and female in His image and that He calls both male and female to co-rule creation together. Side by side. It is not until the Fall (Genesis 3) that we see the dysfunction of men ruling over women. Gods design has always been that we are better when women and men are leading together.
Jesus describes the consequences of good and wicked leadership in the church. There is a word of affirmation for faithful leaders, stern warning for toxic leaders, and comfort for those injured by them. Does our influence, large or small, reflect the Masters loving care?
As we begin a New Year, Jesus parable of the Ready Servants challenges us to consider the ways we are investing in our spiritual formation as a way of being alert and ready for his coming.
There are so many rich Old Testament connections in this Christmas passage. From Jospeh and his dreams, to the Exodus, to baby Moses, to Rachel weeping, and to the Branch in Isaiah. All of these rich images come together and teach us all that Jesus has come to do! He is our light in the darkness and the One who will accomplish a great reversal when we are without hope.
What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. (AW Tozer). What is God like? The New Testament declares that Jesus is the image of the invisible God. When we look at Jesus we see God! And as we look at Jesus we see the hope of a new creation, the forgiveness of sin, and the good news that God has come near. The Christmas story changes how we view the character of God!
As we begin the season of Advent we see so much hope in the genealogy of Jesus. His family tree reveals his heart for the nations, his ability to save us from sin, his passion to redeem broken stories, the rest he offers the world, his blessing for the world, and his Kingship! So much that gives us courage and hope!
In this stand-alone sermon, we dive into prayer. Jesus taught his disciples to pray in a way that was simple and honest. As we follow Jesus and learn to pray like Jesus, we are welcomed into a quiet place where we begin to sense His grace. If you are feeling dry or discouraged in your prayer life- start here! Jesus is welcoming you to know the love of the Father in prayer.
In our final week of the Jesus Revolution series we explore the value of progress. In contrast with the Ancient world which always saw a Golden Age in the rearview mirror of history, and in contrast with many cultures' cyclic view of history as a sorrowful wheel of time, the Biblical vision of history offers a linear move of Gods justice and hope moving us towards a new heaven and new earth! We discover Gods beautiful promise of progress- I am making all things new! You and I are invited to join Jesus in his Revolution of progress- seeing all things made new!
In week 6 of our series, we are looking at the world's horrific pattern throughout history of using slave labour to build societies. Slavery is still very much a reality in our world today. As we look to Jesus we see His heart to set the oppressed free! As we follow Jesus we join him in his liberation of all people from the slavery that oppresses millions today as well as the slavery of our souls. Our assumption that slavery is evil and that freedom is a good gift comes to us from Jesus and His Revolution.
Far from being a hindrance to scientific progress, the Christian view of God, the universe and humanity makes science possible, and science developed out of a Christian intellectual framework.
It's alleged that humans in the West emerged from the intellectual immaturity of the "Dark Ages" in the 17th century, when we finally began to think for ourselves instead of following the ignorance of the church. But this is a historically inaccurate account. In reality, the Jesus Revolution has been a great source of light for the world, in all kinds of ways, and Jesus is "the light of the world" for the darkness in our own world as well!
In week 3 of our series we look to the Golden Rule of Jesus to see how we are to treat one another. We see throughout the New Testament that to love is to will the good of the other (St. Thomas Aquinas). The ability to freely consent was non-existent in the ancient Roman world and it seems to be found nowhere in the animal kingdom. The freedom to consent is anchored in the love of God- and is a gift to us from the Jesus Revolution.
In week 2 of our series we look to the Biblical teaching of compassion and see that compassion is anchored in the character of God and in the life and teachings of Jesus. Teachings from the ancient Roman world and the modern teaching on the survival of the fittest are not where our culture learns compassion. Compassion is a gift to the world from the Jesus Revolution.
As we begin our new series we look to the Biblical teaching of equality and see the beautiful gift it is to every human being. In the book of Genesis, in the life and teachings of Jesus, and in the lives of early followers of Jesus we have been given a vision of equality that truly is a precious truth that has the power to change the world.
We hear the staggering promise that God is delighted to shape us to look like Jesus- and it seems too good to be true. As we look at Peters story we see the transformation that is possible as we are held in the hands of the Great Potter- God Himself.
Jesus was clear that His joy would come as we followed one command- to love one another. In our lonely, isolated, and fragmented world we carry with us the joy of Jesus centered community. Following Jesus is not a solo project -- it is a life-together project filled with joy.
We have a perspective problem. Our eyes are focused on distractions, worries, fears, and temptations. But what if our gaze was focused on the One who could restore our joy? What if we were filled again with a vision of the mercy, grace, and abundant love of God?
In an age of anxiety and greed, God calls us to trust him for all our needs and to seek His kingdom first through generous love to others. We can trust God with our needs because he is a good shepherd and a loving father who cares for us. This frees us to be generous and invest in the kingdom of heaven, with rewards that are eternal.
By way of a parable, Jesus warns us how a life can be easily wasted. However, He invites us to live lives of significance with Him.
Jesus is the True Leader, the Suffering Servant, and the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. Life-long apprenticeship to Jesus as our Servant Leader is the best antidote to legalism, hypocrisy, pride and spiritual blindness.
What is the Jesus way of leadership? It is humble, genuine, and outward-focused as we see in Luke 11.
Pay attention to the what is influencing you and how it forms you. Not all lights are equal in value, and some are unhealthy. To be people who are light, we must embrace the Gospel of the Kingdom and King Jesus.
In our apprenticeship to Jesus, we need to be aware of the effect of materialist thinking and become more aware of the spiritual realness within our world. When we do this, we can be confident that when it comes between The Adversary and Jesus, we are walking with the stronger man.
Even when our prayers are feeble and inconsistent, they are joined up with the bold and eternal intercession of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, according to Gods will. We always have our needs perfectly represented to God, and the one who intercedes for us invites us to join him in the joy of that perfect relationship with God.
As we think about our past hurts, we come to this prayer with fresh eyes. May we want to think about God the way Jesus did. May we want to be reminded of who HE is. He welcomes us to come to him and wants to change us to be more like him.Are you willing to come to the Father?Are you willing to be changed?Lord, Teach Us.
The parable of the Good Samaritan can easily be a story that causes feelings of guilt as we remember the times weve passed by those in need. In this sermon, we explore how were called not just to extend mercy to others in need, but that Christ extends mercy towards us. Jesus is the real hero of the story.
In our final message in the Kingdom of God series, we focus on what it looks like to receive the Kingdom. We look like at the Parable of the Sower and we look at a variety of Jesus teachings where He tells us that we receive the Kingdom through repentance, being poor in Spirit, and becoming like a child. Jesus wants us to come to Him hungry and utterly dependent upon Him.
Often we want a Kingdom that comes quickly & forcefully, but God encourages us to see his Kingdom coming like mustard seeds and yeast. We are not to despise the day of small things. God is delighted to take our small steps of faith, obedience, and trust and to grow His Kingdom.
Just as Jesus modelled in his own ministry, Jesus calls his disciples to steward the resources of his kingdom for the good of those who have been most victimized by the "domain of darkness": the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized. Unlike the rulers of this world, rules (with and through his followers) with true justice and mercy.
There are two Kingdoms in conflict: the Kingdom of the world and the Kingdom of God. Both offer very different ways of dealing with conflict and evil. The kingdoms of this world offer a path that leads to mutual assured destruction. The kingdom of God, on the other hand, is grounded in the self giving love of Jesus.
In this message we explore what life looks like in the Kingdom of God. Following Jesus teachings in the Sermon on the Mount we look at His description of Kingdom people- a people who have been set free from their own kingdoms and now are operating right-side up and in line with the King.
In this message we try to unpack the core message of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God was the central message of Jesus teaching, and at the heart of the teaching is the good news that God is putting the world back together through the Kingship of Jesus!
This Easter Sunday we kick off our new 7 week series on the Kingdom of God. In this message we see Jesus coronated with a crown of thorns and vindicated as He rises from the dead. He is the King who has returned and has inaugurated the Kingdom of God.
Jesus interacts with three people who are considering following Him. He gives each person a strong challenge that confronts their assumptions about what it looks like to follow Him. In the end we see that His call to each of us is to follow Him with purity of heart. And when we do we will see God.
Jesus teaches His disciples that to destroy your enemy is not how life works in the Kingdom of God. James and John want to call down fire from heaven on an enemy village and Jesus rebukes them. From the cross Jesus teaches us to pray: Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.'
In an extended conversation, Jessus is calling o ut the pride of his disciples and challenging their concept of greatness in the Kingdom of God.
On the mountain, the glory of God is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ and he is pointing us toward a new Exodus fulfilled in Christs suffering love on a cross.
Jesus teaches His disciples that He is the King and that He has a Kingdom. To live under the rule of the King is to follow His way, His path, and His law that gives life. We die to the Kingdoms of the world in order to follow our true King- and this will cost us our life.
Jesus teaches His disciples to trust that He will provide for them as they take steps of faith and seek to love others. Jesus sends out His disciples on mission with nothing in their hands and he tells his disciples to feed the 5,000 with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. We are challenged to step out in faith, to take a risk, and trust that Jesus will multiply our faith.
Jesus has a powerful encounter with a man possessed by a legion of demons. Jesus frees him with such beautiful compassion. In this sermon we explore the way the enemy of our souls speaks lies, and we pray for the truth of Jesus to shine a light into our darkness to set us free from the lies we have come to believe.
In Luke 8:40-56 Jesus heals two very different people, it shows us that there is no place, no person, no circumstance where Jesus healing cannot reach. Jesus himself has walked the road of suffering and he has conquered it too. So today, we live in the tension - holding Jesus hand when we encounter suffering - knowing that he is in the business of healing everything.
As we end our series on how to follow Jesus in the digital age, we spend time with early Jesus followers as we look at the rich life they shared together in community.In what ways has social media promised authentic community? Can it deliver on that promise? Our hope is to walk with one another in rich, messy, real life together as we follow Jesus .
As we continue in our series on how to follow Jesus in the digital age, we spend time with Jesus as he seeks a quiet place away from the noise, distraction, and need. Jesus spends time with his heavenly Father getting clarity in prayer. We live in an age of noise and distraction and Jesus is calling us away from our screens to a place where we can hear Him again.
As we begin this new series on how to follow Jesus in the digital age, we spend time with Jesus as he seeks to free a rich young ruler from his worship of money. Money had become an idol and this man needed freedom! In the same way, Jesus looks at us and loves us and is calling us out of our dependency on screens and all things digital, and he is calling us to deeper love for Him and others.
Lets face it - we like control. Whether it be what kind of drink to order at Starbucks or how our stocks perform, we like to be the one in the drivers set.But what happens when we realize we arent as in control as we think we are? Its a massive exercise of faith to put our hope into something beyond us. But its worth every ounce of faith that it takes.
Jesus and his message about the kingdom of God is the Lamp that illuminates everything. He is creating a family - "mother and brothers," or what Paul called "children of light" - who leans into the Light, letting it change the way they live as they learn to love one another in practical ways.
Jesus reveals the reality of our heart's receptivity to his message in His Parable of the Sower. Jesus is clear that the message He has come to bring (about the Kingdom of God) has a very mixed reception among people. Some hearts are hard, some have no roots, and some are choked my lifes worries and pleasures. But Jesus also describes a 4th option- a good soil. A heart that listens and responds to Jesus' teachings. As we begin a new year may our prayer be that the Holy Spirit would come and till the soil of our heart so that we might receive the fullness of His Kingdom.
In this final week of our series on the Gift of the Holy Spirit, we explore the greatest gift of love. Paul is clear that we can have all the gifts that the Spirit wants to give us, but if we dont have love we are nothing. The Holy Spirit is delighted to pour the love of God into our hearts.
In week 12 of our series on the Gift of the Holy Spirit we explore the gift of giving. In Luke 19 we see the story of Zacchaeus who was radically changed by the love of Jesus entering his life. In the same way the Holy Spirit enters our life with such love that it inspires us to be a people of great generosity.
In week 11 of our series on the Gift of the Holy Spirit, we explore the truth that the Holy Spirit is the great Healer. Its the Holy Spirits great delight to heal us and to work miracles in our life as we participate in the Kingdom of God coming on earth as it is in heaven.
The Holy Spirit is the Comforter who comes alongside us to comfort us in our grief, give us peace in our fear, and strengthen us in our weakness.
In week 9 of our series on the Gift of the Holy Spirit, we explore the gifts of teaching and evangelism as we focus on The Holy Spirit being the Spirit of Truth. Its the Holy Spirits great delight to point us to Jesus- who is The Truth. As the Spirit points us to Jesus he shines light into our darkness and defeats the lies of the enemy.
In week 8 of our series on the Gift of the Holy Spirit, we explore the gift of tongues. In Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 14, we see the gift of tongues as botha known human language andaheavenly language.Tongues are Spirit-inspired speech that we pray as the Holy Spirit comes alongside us and helps us pray when we have no words. We come to know the comfort, help, and love of the Holy Spirit as we pray in tongues.
True servant leadership releases the gifts of others in the body of Christ. Servant leadership shapes our character (humble, trustworthy, courageous) as we follow the true Shepherd, who laid down his life for the sheep.
In week 6 of our series on the Gift of the Holy Spirit, we explore the gift of prophecy. In Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 14 we see the gift of prophecy used for the encouragement, strengthening, and comforting of the church. Prophecy is a spiritual insight that we receive for the good of someone else. Our hope is that God would fan this gift into flame and that we would walk in a beautiful friendship with God as we love one another through the gift of prophecy.
The wisdom of God for the moment and for ministry is available to His children through the Holy Spirit. But how do we recognize his voice? How do we know it is the Holy Spirit speaking when we do hear something?
In week 4 of our series on the Gift of the Holy Spirit we explore the gifts that the Holy Spirit is delighted to give His people.The books of Romans, 1 Corinthians and Ephesians have beautiful lists of manifestations, gifts, and graces for Gods people. Each of these gifts show us who the Holy Spirit is. We want the gifts, but more than the gifts, we want to know and love the Giver
In week 3 of our series on the Gift of the Holy Spirit we explore the promise that the Holy Spirit is delighted to transform us into the image of Jesus. Real change can happen! Using the image of gardening- we explore the way in which the Holy Spirit grows fruit in our lives as we cooperate with His work in us.
In week 2 of our new series on the Gift of the Holy Spirit we explore how to be filled with the Holy Spirit. While we are sealed with the Spirit at conversion, we are encouraged to keep being filled with the Spirit. Spirit filled Christians love one another, speak words of life, sing songs of praise in their heart, and are filled with thankfulness.
In week 1 of our new series on the Gift of the Holy Spirit we explore who the Holy Spirit is and the promise that He can make dry bones come to life again. Paul, in Romans 8, reminds us that the Holy Spirit is the one who make us children of God. The Holy Spirit is delighted to pour the love of God into our lives- reminding us that we are his beloved children.
Becoming and Living as an apprentice of Jesus was never meant to be cold or religious. Rather, Jesus invites us to follow him to constantly see the world, ourselves, and others through his eyes. Apprenticing involves accepting that invitation and putting practices into the rhythm of our lives to move in that direction. As we do this, we find ourselves becoming transformed.
Where is Jesus calling you to take a risk? We were never meant to live the Christian life alone. We were made to share our lives together. Peter describes the church as living stones- together we are joined together where we become a temple where God dwells by His Spirit. In this sermon we are once again reminded of the importance of Life Groups and Apprentice Groups, and that the church for 2,000 years has been committed to life together.
Where is Jesus calling you to take a risk? As we begin a new year we are reminded of the privilege of pointing people to the good news of Jesus!We are on mission in our neighbourhoods, workplaces, schools, and families to live the Gospel.We are the aroma of Christ wherever we go, and Jesus is inviting us to step out, take a risk, and invite those we love into a relationship with Him.
John the Baptist struggles with disappointment in prison. Jesus has come to set the prisoners free- so why is he still in prison? He begins to wonder if Jesus is the One to come, or if he should expect someone else. In this sermon, we process how to deal with our disappointment with God, and we learn about the importance of understanding Gods wider story as well as the importance of practicing lament. Our hope is that not even our disappointments can separate us from the love of Christ!
Jesus reveals His authority and compassion as he heals a Roman Centurions servant and as he raises a young man from the dead. In both of these stories, we see the powerful love of Jesus at work. In this message we hear a testimony from Lisa Dalton who shares about how she has encountered the authority and compassion of Jesus in the life of her daughter Olivia as well as after her death. As a church family, we want to lean in and pray with great faith that Jesus would bring his healing into our lives.
Jesus ends his sermon on the plain with the parables of the two trees and the two builders. These parables show us that Jesus is seeking followers that have transformed hearts that lead to transformed lives. Jesus cares most about what is in our hearts.The attitude of our hearts will influence our words, actions, and behaviours. Our obedience to God is not done in our own strength, but out of a deep love for Jesus. We need to look what is in our hearts and cultivate our relationship with Jesus so that we will align our loves and walk in his ways. We need to examine our foundation and put in the work to build a solid relationship with Jesus so that when the storms come, we will be secure and unshaken in our faith.
Jesus cautions those who are part of his upside-down kingdom community against rushing to correct, counsel, or direct the lives of others without being properly formed into people of humility and generosity themselves.
Jesus shows us that an act of sacrificial love ends the downward spiral of hate and violence. To turn the cheek, to bless, and to give generously are acts of sacrificial/vulnerable love that give evil nowhere to go. When Jesus teaches us to love our enemies he is giving us a completely upside-down way to live! This way of life in Gods Kingdom is a counter-culture to a world of anger. And Jesus Himself lives out this ethic fully by becoming human and dying for the world.
As Jesus begins to describe the kingdom he is ushering in, people begin to realize that it is a kingdom never heard of before. He goes on to describe two groups of people: those who are dependent on Jesus and those who declare themselves as self-sufficient. And there is an inheritance blessing and danger that comes with each.
In this sermon we explore the calling of the 12 disciples. Jesus picks 12 disciples who will lead a renewed Kingdom of Israel- which we are part of today. These 12 men are different from each other and would have experienced tension among themselves. But Jesus commanded them to love one another. This love is anchored in grace, reconciliation, and forgiveness.
In this sermon we dive into two stories surrounding the Sabbath. Jesus feeds his hungry disciples and heals a man with a shriveled hand on the Sabbath. The Pharisees are outraged at both incidents, and their pushback provides an opportunity to hear Jesus teaching on the Sabbath. Jesus claims to be Lord of the Sabbath and he offers his followers the Sabbath rest of God everywhere he goes. With open arms, he says: Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.
In this sermon we dive into two stories of healing with Jesus. In the first story, a leper is healed by the outstretched arm of Jesus, and in the second story, a paralyzed man is healed and forgiven after his friends tore apart a roof so that he could have access to Jesus. In both stories we see a boldness in approaching Jesus that Jesus seems to love- a boldness he calls faith. What would it look like to pray with that kind of boldness?
On the road of repentance it's easy to get stuck in what Dallas Willard calls the 'gospel of sin management.' We become too focused on fighting sin that we neglect our love of God. Jesus asks Peter 'do you love me?' This is the core question at the heart of following Jesus. Do we delight in Jesus as our highest love? Because when we do all of life falls into place. Jesus promises that the pure in heart will see God.
We often feel completely stuck. We wonder how to actually find the freedom that we are promised in Jesus. In this sermon, we explore the truth that confession is only the first step to a life of repentance. To repent is to turn away from sin and to God. So in this message, we explore a few steps to take on the journey of repentance which leads to freedom.
We are usually inclined to think of confession from an individualistic viewpoint - how "I have sinned." But Scripture also describes the corporate dimensions of sin - ways that we sin together, and create systems that enable and protect these ways of sinning together. "Walking in the light" includes telling the truth about this corporate aspect of sin as well - how "we have sinned" - and actively turning away to new, more redemptive patterns of thought, word, and action.
Each of us knows the burden and stress of an unhealed relationship. What has Jesus asked us to do when something is not right with a relationship we have with someone in our life? Jesus is calling us to remember His Gospel of reconciliation, to remove the plank from our own eye, to pray for the person we are struggling with, and most of all to confess our part- our sin- that has led to this broken relationship. No matter how large or small we believe our sin to be- we are called to step into the light, confess, and ask for forgiveness. Only then is there the hope of reconciliation.
God is light. In Him there is no darkness. God longs for His children to lean into the light and confess the sin that so easily entangles their life. In this sermon we explore our tendency to blame others for whats wrong in life, or hide away from admitting the truth. Blaming and hiding are not good options for those apprenticed to Jesus. Jesus is calling us to confess our sin to one another, that we may be healed!
As we begin our series on confession and repentance we start by looking closely at sin and how sin works. As followers of Jesus we, like Adam and Eve, are given two options in life- to eat from the tree of life or the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Time and time again we are tempted to take the authority to define good and evil on our own terms. But God calls to freedom from sin and is delighted to hear our confession and pardon our sin!
Luke records a pivotal, relational encounter of grace between Jesus and Peter that completely transforms Peters life.And it in this grace encounter and invitation, that Jesus forms us into apprentices of his where fishing for people becomes a natural way to live. We have been so captured by the net of Gods grace, that our greatest joy is to cast that beautiful net of grace to others.
In the midst of intense demands on his compassion and energy, Jesus withdrew to solitary places, where he nurtured his identity in God, attended to his inner life, and regained his focus for ministry. His pattern of retreat is an important example for us to follow in a demanding and sometimes draining pandemic.
Jesus, with great compassion, sets a man free from a demon. He has come to proclaim the year of Jubilee- freedom for the prisoners! In this sermon, we take some time to look into the ways in which we have welcomed the presence of dark spirits into our life directly or indirectly. We end with a focus on the healing and deliverance of Jesus and His heart to set people free!
On this Easter Sunday, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and see his promise to make all things new. As we live between the empty tomb and the new heavens and new earth we pray to see God's kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. God's great delight is to make all things new!
Jesus makes it abundantly clear that he rides into Jerusalem as not only king but the king to end all kings. At the same time, though, the method of his announcement - to ride on a donkey - causes confusion to say the least. Matthew invites us into this tension and gives us a foretaste of the tension that is to be felt during these last seven days of Jesus life on earth.
As Jesus begins his ministry He announces the good news of the year of Jubilee. He's announcing freedom for the poor, the blind, the prisoner, and the slave! It's really good news until the town of Nazareth hears that Jesus will offer this good news to their enemies. In this sermon, we dive into God's desire to bring this message of freedom to the whole world. Like the prophet Jonah, we have to wrestle with God's good news for our enemies.
In this sermon, we explore the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. He was tempted by the devil with instant pleasure, power, and praise. But Jesus understood that any progress in his life without the presence of his Father would be futile, so he clung to God's truth and Presence. We also take a deep look at the moral failures of Christian men in Christian leadership positions, and we see that Jesus in Luke 4 points us to a better way of life and freedom from slavery to sin.
Lineage matters. We have an intrinsic hunger to know who we are and where weve come from. In this passage Luke tells us that Jesus doesnt just appear out of nowhere; he has a lineage, and he has an identity. And as God the Father speaks acceptance and adoration over his Son, he wants to communicate something to us today.
In our final week of the Shalom series we spend time in Luke 19 as we listen again to the Zaccheaus story. In Luke 19 we re-discover the truth that Jesus is a friend of sinners, and Jesus interacts with sinners by sitting down to a meal with them. At a table of hospitality, Jesus changes the city of Jericho. This is a blueprint for all of us who follow Jesus. The only way to be a peacemaker is around the table of hospitality.
In our fifth week of the Shalom series, we unpack what it looks like to live with a gentle conviction. Gentleness is a teaching found all over the New Testament and seems to be a forgotten virtue. By walking in humility, learning to listen, avoiding "tasty shortcuts" and growing in empathy we will practice the gentleness of Jesus. In the end, we look to the gentle One who offered Truth in vulnerability, humility, and love.