Central Community Church: Recent Episodes
Central Community Church
In a world where relativism is popular, what can we learn from King Ahab and Jezebel, regarding the destructive consequence of coveting? Elijah communicated truth to Ahab and was regarded as the enemy. Do we regard the conviction of the Holy Spirit in our lives as an enemy?
Does God really forgive wicked people? It seems like sometimes God should just bring down a hammer of judgment, but instead he shows incredible mercy. In the life of Ahab we see God’s desire to show mercy even to those who have not deserved it.
We are all on a path and, like any path, it goes in two directions. The people of Israel had been walking away from God collecting the nasty consequences of their choices. King Ahab’s example will show us what that path looks like and in contrast the eternal rewards of walking towards God.
God uses Ahab’s disobedience, and his condemnation, to show His true heart for sinners and warn of the dire consequences of getting this truth wrong.
We hear lots about grace in the Christian circles. In the reformed tradition grace is our banner as we proclaim salvation in Christ alone, through faith alone, by grace alone. But sometimes grace is a concept hard to comprehend in its full depth and maybe that’s why the Bible gives us tons of illustrations about grace, perhaps more than anything else.
It's like talking to someone who has gone through the horrible loss of a son or their spouse, and while we can empathize and assume it must be a horrible pain what they’re going through, we could never understand the emotions, sadness, and despair that they are actually living.
But with grace it’s a little different because while we may get to experience it in person, the noise of our desires, and the pollution of our wants fog our perspective and we end up with an underrated view of grace.
My prayer is that as we take a look at the circumstances in Ahab’s life, we’ll be able to see how God gives His Grace to the most undeserving.
The wars between King Ahab and Ben-Hadad are both a victory and defeat. Through it, we learn about spiritual defeat. When we use God, limit his power and refuse his word, we can expect defeat. God ultimately wants us to know him, trust him and obey his word. When we know and trust Jesus, he comes to us not as a lion of judgment but as the lion of Judah who died like a lamb for our sins. He will be with us in every hill and valley of life.
After leading an incredible, public, mountain top victory for the LORD on Mt. Carmel, Elijah quickly falls from the peak of his career to the lowest point of his career. In the three stories contained in 1 Kings 19 we observe Elijah despair of life itself, surrender to feelings of defeat and even disobey God. Nevertheless, despite Elijah’s sour mood and misgivings, we learn that God’s purposes still prevail.
There are moments of great triumph and moments of great sorrow in the Christian life. This is a moment of despair and seeming failure in Elijah’s life, yet it is also a time when God meets with him most powerfully. While things may look bleak in our eyes, God reminds us that he is still in control of the future and we can have hope in Him.
In Elijah’s despairing over unmet expectations we discover a prophet who is very much like we are. Yet, in the midst of his despair we uncover the biblical antidote and are exposed to God’s impossible grace towards us.
In our lives, we all have things that we prioritize over certain things. Sometimes we can hold those as a priority over God. But today, we’ll see in 1 Kings 18 that the Israelites had their idols and the fake god of Baal as a priority over God. What we see today is that Elijah calls them out on it and tells them that they have to choose what God they want to follow. Is it the fake gods of this world or the idols, or is it God.
Daily we are faced with the decision and choices to either worship God with our heart, soul, mind and strength or to cave into the worship of false god’s who we think offer us life, hope and love, but in reality they only offer us death.
People have preferences, we all do, some people enjoy the hot weather, the sun shining on their face, their skin changing colours… while others prefer an overcast day, gloomy, cold, and rainy. There’s nothing wrong with preferring a chocolate ice cream over vanilla, or even liquorice over cotton candy… things that have to do with our own taste or comfort. But it gets tricky when the choices are life and death; it would be silly at best to have a preference of sky diving without a parachute. The same when it comes to our spiritual life, which God should we follow? Or do we prefer to think we are not following any god and thus making ourselves our own gods? Chapter 18 of 1 Kings will bring us to the crossroads where we must choose which God to follow, but it will also give us great reasons why we should follow the God of the Bible.
Do we really believe that God is able to provide for us? God shows us a powerful picture of how he is able to provide despite the appearances with Elijah and a widow. God is in control of all life, from our physical needs to our spiritual life.
1 Kings 17:8-24 contains a couple incredible stories of God’s miraculous provision for Elijah, a widow and her son. These stories teach us that despite how difficult our circumstances might look, God alone is powerfully able to provide everything we need for this life and the next.
This week Elijah’s story takes an unexpected turn as God calls to go to an unexpected place and encounter a poor widow and her son. Through his time with her, God displays his unexpected power to provide and bring life, showing his sovereignty over false gods.
Elijah is one of the most significant prophets in the Bible because he prepares the way for the coming of Jesus. He works miracles, he stands for God, and trusts that God will provide even when it seems like evil is winning the day.
God has called some to shepherd the flock, and others to follow. Submission and Obedience to spiritual leadership is necessary for the believer’s growth and flourishing in the faith.
Willing obedience and submission to church leaders are not typically our natural responses. Our flesh would much rather do things our own way. Yet Scripture tells us that when we respond obediently to church leadership, it's for everyone's good.
What culture says a man is, and what God’s Word says a man is, are drastically different. Paul’s exhortation to the church in Corinth gives us a snapshot of biblical manhood and the characteristics that men in the church are to strive for.
What does it mean to be a man? That question alone is difficult to answer from our cultural narrative but the Bible helps us define what manhood looks like and how we are to relate to one another in the church.
What does it mean to be a man? What is God’s call for men in the church? This message will focus on Paul’s words to the church in Corinth to “act like men” and we will look at some of the ways men can embrace the call to become men of God.
While today's young people are leaving the church at an alarming rate studies are indicating that parents and mentors have an important role in passing on faith to the next generation.
The biblical role of eldership is indispensable in the health of the local church. Therefore Paul taught Timothy to train them up and appoint them in each place that they traveled, but do we understand what the role of eldership is and how it impacts our expectations of a healthy church culture. What does biblical eldership look like and how do we recognize it?
Pentecost Sunday is the celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the church. It is a celebration that we often forget and yet it is the reason that the church exists today. We celebrate the gift of God’s presence dwelling powerfully among us to build up the church and glorify God.
Pentecost Sunday is a Christian celebration commemorating the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Jesus’ disciples after He died, rose from the dead and ascended back to heaven, thereby establishing the church. We continue to celebrate and remember this critical event because it reminds us of God’s powerful, indwelling presence among us, which is necessary to build up the church, glorify God and make Him known in the world.
For two thousand years Christians have celebrated Pentecost to commemorate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all the disciples following the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. Pentecost is the celebration of Jesus’ ongoing presence among us. In the sending of the Holy Spirit, Jesus dwells with us, establishes a new family in Christ, and empowers the Church for its mission in the world.
The story of salvation impacts every believer and calls them to share their faith with the next generation.
While today's young people are leaving the church at an alarming rate studies are indicating that parents and mentors have an important role in passing on faith to the next generation.
There are often two extreme reactions to sin in the church: [1] Harsh legalism (putting everything under the microscope); or [2] Overlooking everything (using grace as a license to sin). Neither are helpful. Rather, when Christians sin the church should engage in a loving process of confronting and correcting that brother or sister in the Lord with the hope of gaining them back and restoring them to full fellowship with God and the church family. This is the way of Jesus.
Some people see Church Discipline as punishment and would argue that since Jesus is full of mercy, love and forgiveness, he wouldn’t punish his children. Others simply don’t know what to do with forgiveness and grace within the context of the church when sin arises in their members, so they resort to ignore sin with the expectation that love will cover a multitude of sins. But is that what the Bible teaches? As we explore the words of Jesus we’ll learn that church discipline is not about punishment but it is in fact a rescue operation in love.
Broken relationships are a sad reality of the world we live in. Few are those who have not experienced the hurt of family relationships, friendships and even close relationships in the church. When we're hurt we can easily be tempted to discard those relationships and guard our hearts. God longs for us to respond in love to those who have hurt us so as to bring about reconciliation. This is only possible as we understand and experience Christ's love for us.
The marriage relationship is so central that a church will only flourish if marriages in it are flourishing. Our text tells us that the call on husbands is to love & sacrifice while the call for wives is to submit & respect. Does that give you more or a recipe for flourishing marriage vibe or Handmaid’s Tale vibe? Ephesians 5 goes on to show how husbands and wives, serving each other in their own unique ways, becomes a provocative, prophetic witness to the world of redemption in Christ.
God gave marriage to be a living, breathing picture of his relationship with his church. The love, submission and respect that exists between a husband and wife is intended to mirror God’s heart and actions for the people he came to redeem in Christ. While no marriage does this perfectly, the church is called to uphold the high view of marriage and support and encourage one another to showcase the glory of God in the world and in the church.
Broken relationships are a sad reality of the world we live in. Few are those who have not experienced the hurt of family relationships, friendships and even close relationships in the church. When we're hurt we can easily be tempted to discard those relationships and guard our hearts. God longs for us to respond in love to those who have hurt us so as to bring about reconciliation. This is only possible as we understand and experience Christ's love for us.
This Mother’s Day we want to take some time to consider how we are called as the Family of God to treat women in our church? We are called to treat older women as mothers and younger women as sisters in all purity, as we pursue the gospel together and glorify God.
The church is the household of faith – a family – and the Bible describes how we are to treat one other in this family. This Mother’s Day we will focus on the instruction to treat older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity, and widows with honour.
The church is a family and as a family we are to treat one another a certain way. This Mothers Day we will focus on the instruction to treat older women as mothers and younger women as sisters, in all purity.
Broken relationships are a sad reality of the world we live in. Few are those who have not experienced the hurt of family relationships, friendships and even close relationships in the church. When we're hurt we can easily be tempted to discard those relationships and guard our hearts. God longs for us to respond in love to those who have hurt us so as to bring about reconciliation. This is only possible as we understand and experience Christ's love for us.
The marriage relationship is so central that a church will only flourish if marriages in it are flourishing. Our text tells us that the call on husbands is to love & sacrifice while the call for wives is to submit & respect. Does that give you more or a recipe for flourishing marriage vibe or Handmaid’s Tale vibe? Ephesians 5 goes on to show how husbands and wives, serving each other in their own unique ways, becomes a provocative, prophetic witness to the world of redemption in Christ.
In a time when the church seems to be fracturing and is at the same time in decline in Canada, we are called to live in unity with other disciples of Christ. Our unity with other disciples evidences the very nature of God and authenticates God’s mission in Christ. Grounded in Gospel truths we are called to manifest our unity in practical ways. Three NT examples of Sister Church engagements include sacrificial giving, doctrinal integrity, and intentional missions and evangelism.
Doubt comes in many circumstances. We look at some great believers in the Bible who doubted, and how Jesus dealt with their doubt. And how we should deal with those who doubt.
We are used to people outside of the church doubting the Bible, but how do we respond when those doubts come from inside the church? What do we do when we are wrestling with doubt? The Bible invites us to investigate its claims and calls us to treat those who wrestle with these things with grace and mercy.
In a time when the church seems to be fracturing and is at the same time in decline in Canada, we are called to live in unity with other disciples of Christ. Our unity with other disciples evidences the very nature of God and authenticates God’s mission in Christ. Grounded in Gospel truths we are called to manifest our unity in practical ways. Three NT examples of Sister Church engagements include sacrificial giving, doctrinal integrity, and intentional missions and evangelism.
The tomb is empty and Jesus is alive! The risen Jesus invites us to test the miracle of his resurrection and place our trust in what the Bible teaches. With this in mind, he sends us out in the joy of Lord to share the good news of eternal life!
Easter Sunday is the pinnacle of the Christian faith. There is so much joy in knowing that Jesus died to save and liberate us – and that He is victorious over the bondage, curse and consequences of sin, Satan, and death through His resurrection. The tomb is empty, the Scriptures have been fulfilled, and we have been given new life, purpose, joy and hope in Christ!
The grave. The bible. The mission. The response. Resurrected Jesus gets the final word on all of it.
In Luke’s account, Jesus speaks four times during his crucifixion. And each one reveals and points not only to what Jesus is doing, but to the extent and fullness of the grace that is being offered at the cross. This is what makes Friday Good.
Good Friday is a time to reflection on the death of the Jesus on the cross for our sins. Jesus loved us with a perfect love, offering forgiveness and hope for imperfect people through his perfect sacrifice.
In taking his rightful place as king and Messiah Jesus exposes people skewed views and mourns the consequences of their missing the true things that lead to peace.
Jesus was not the type of Messiah people were expecting, yet he was the type of Messiah that the prophets foretold. How will we respond to our humble King?
The Bible tells me so. That is the answer to the question of why Jesus went to Jerusalem to die on a cross. That is why Jesus rose again from the grave. And that is how a sinner can know that Jesus loves them, “the Bible tells me so”.
The “home stretch” of Jesus’ “Road to the Cross” was uphill. It was not an easy road, but it was a road that God the Father had traced for Him from the very beginning, and one that He led His disciples on with hope, determination, and deliverance as His goal.
Whenever you hear the whole story from someone it can change your perspective on what took place. This is exactly what Jesus is trying to help his disciples understand, that the whole Bible is leading up to the cross. When we understand that full picture it gives us confidence in what God is doing and transforms how we view our own lives.
Jesus cleansed 10 lepers but only one returned to praise Him. That man was not only healed physically but saved spiritually. Jesus confronts us in our age of entitlement and ingratitude to reveal that the only appropriate response of those who have received Christ’s mercy by faith is profound praise.
On His road to the cross Jesus encountered 10 lepers whom He healed. But only one came back to thank and praise his Master and Savior in humble submission. The road to the cross should be marked by immense gratitude. The fact that Jesus saved us and cleaned us from all unrighteousness ought to make us the most grateful people alive! There is nothing that we have done to earn, buy or work for our salvation. It is a gift – one that deserves a proper response.
Jesus paints a difficult picture of people wanting to get into the kingdom of God, but missing the opportunity because they missed the main point of his message. In answering “Will only a few be saved” he gives us a beautiful picture of the kingdom of God and a chilling reminder not to delay.
As Jesus journeys to Jerusalem and the cross, he tells his disciples that entrance into the kingdom is a narrow door and encourages them to strive to enter through it. However despite the difficult entrance he encourages them that the kingdom is open to all who would trust in Him.
The road to the cross is not as straightforward as it sounds. It is full of twists. How can what ultimately brings peace and reconciliation be riddled with persecution, conflict, and division? How can a road marked with such suffering be so comforting? As we follow Jesus down this road, we discover its beauty – twists and all.
Luke 12:49-56 is a somber passage that deals with judgment, division and the need to understand the spiritual climate we live in. As important as it can be that we are prepared for the day's weather, Luke 12 compels us to prepare ourselves for a far more important event: Christ’s return. Because of Christ’s coming judgment, it’s critical that we live lives that are wholly surrendered to Christ, for our sake and for that of others.
Jesus has some difficult things to say. No one likes to hear about judgment, and yet Jesus talked about it more than anyone because that is exactly what he came to save us from. Jesus calls us to wrestle with the reality of justice and salvation and to follow Him and call others to do the same.
Our Road To The Cross sermon series will take us on the road that Jesus walked with His face resolutely set toward Jerusalem. Over and over again (Luke 9-19) Luke’s gospel informs us that Jesus knew the cross awaited Him in Jerusalem and He was determined to go there. For us. Our text informs us that we are living in grace-extending days and called to Jesus-first discipleship.
As we begin to trace the journey that Jesus takes to go to the cross, we are reminded of what true discipleship looks like and what it costs. To follow Jesus means that we are radically committed to sharing mercy, not condemnation, even when that will cost us.
Jesus’ journey from heaven & back had one, critical, life-giving goal: the cross. His goal, motivated by His incredible and unconditional love for mankind, was firmly decided and pursued – and He now calls us to pursue Him with the same passion.
1 in 5 millennials say they have no friends. 1 in 4 Gen Z’ers say they often or always feel alone. Our society has come to define intimacy as something that can only be found and fulfilled in a lover. All of this is to say that Canadians have a friendship crisis on our hands. That Jesus calls us His friends and gives us a vision for gospel friendship is one of the most important truths we could receive in this moment.
No one ever taught us how to be a husband or a wife, how to be a parent or a son; in the same way we all have different takes on what a friend should be or not be. For some, friendship is synonym of support and companionship, while for others it’s a word linked to emotions of betrayal, hurt, mistrust… We need to be reminded that the good things that God designed for our benefit are often corrupted by sin and the versions we’ve experienced are far from the original design. We are called to go back to the blueprints and take advantage of the amazing benefits God has placed all around us in the church.
More than ever, our world is starving for relationship. Scripture presents friendships as a unique opportunity for loving relationships with others as we love our friends sacrificially. Friendships of this sort can be meaningful and incredibly life-giving. Ultimately, friendship finds its greatest fulfillment in relationship with God, something made possible because of Jesus.
Christian parenting is about making Jesus known to the next generation as an expression of one’s love for God and their kids. Christian parenting involves modeling affectionate authority and teaching and nurturing their kids in the Gospel with regularity, authenticity and wisdom in the context of the community of faith.
Mentorship and discipleship are essential parts of how the church continues from one generation to another. We all need help to learn how to practically work out the things God has called us to do and we all can help others do the same. The entire church works together to entrust the gospel into the hands of disciples and mentor others in the grace of God.
Mentorship and discipleship are essential parts of how the church continues from one generation to another. We all need help to learn how to practically work out the things God has called us to do and we all can help others do the same. The entire church works together to entrust the gospel into the hands of disciples and mentor others in the grace of God.
Our role as Christian parents is to do our best to raise men and women of character and compassion and to pray like crazy for them. But is that all? We continue our Family Dynamics series by looking at how the Great Commission (to make disciples) orients our parenting.
In secular or Christian worldviews there are many things that are believed to be crucial to great parenting: honesty, consistency, patience, openness, love, security, using discipline wisely, etc. But what if the most important thing about parenting had nothing to do with children?
Before creation God existed in perfect, relational, loving communion – One God in Three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. From the overflow of that relationship and the deep love that the Father has for the Son, God created the heavens and the earth and everything in them, and then He sent His Son to redeem creation when it fell into sin. Until He returns to make all things new, He has given us His Spirit for everything we need. Our task is to reorient our understanding of the Christian life through the lens of a triune God and rediscover the beauty we are being transformed into.
God created us in such a way that we need to balance in our lives. Too much of anything is eventually harmful. The same is true in the Christian life, we are called to hold two very important truths together, the need for our sanctification and the reality of peace with God.
The beauty of the Christian life is faded and muddled when we lose sight of the true nature of God as three persons. Instead of a life of deeply knowing and loving a beautiful God we reduce life to good or bad works. Our task is to reorient our understanding of the Christian life through the lens of a triune God and rediscover the beauty we are being transformed into.
Too often we simplify God's work of salvation and settle for a concept of salvation that while not false, is incomplete. Titus 3:4-7 presents us with a rich Trinitarian presentation of how the Father, Son and Holy Spirit all work together to accomplish the work of salvation in the lives of believers.
It is really hard to trust something you don’t know or understand, and therefore if we don’t understand our salvation we will keep on trying to do it ourselves. But when we come to understand the work of our Triune God in salvation we realize that we can trust Him and thank Him for all that he has done.
God, as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, working in salvation is massively important for helping us get our bearings on what being saved even means. If we get God wrong, we get what we are saved from, why we are saved, and what we are saved wrong as well. Scripture points to a triune God overflowing with love towards us, which changes everything.
Last week we discovered that, before creation, God existed in perfect, relational, loving communion – One God in Three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God created the heavens and the earth and everything in them from the overflow of that relationship and the deep love that the Father has for the Son. This has a profound impact on the way we view and treat His creation.
The question of how and why God created the world seems like a very esoteric question to answer, yet it is one that everyone needs to wrestle with. How we understand the beginning of the world gives us an understanding of who God is and our purpose on earth. (Note: the first few minutes of the message is missing)
As we embark on our 4-week series on The Trinity, we discover that before creation God existed in perfect, relational, loving communion — One God in Three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — and explore the massive ramifications that has on our view of God and relationship with Him.
What does it mean to be a Christian and live as a child of God? Today we’ll learn that our new life in Christ is not lived in isolation but in the family of God. As we grow in the understanding of our new family relations we are called to walk as beloved children of God who are responsible for one another.
The path that Jesus has for His followers (disciples) is exciting, yet narrow and filled with challenges. To stay on this path (the “Christian walk”) demands support and accountability – because we cannot do it alone. It was never intended that we walk it alone. We need the help of others in “the household of faith” – the church.
Family is the most common analogy that the Bible uses to speak about the church. But just like our physical families the church can sometimes be a confusing and difficult place and so what is needed is a clear understanding of what the church should look like. The church is to be a gathering of believers defined by love for one another and thankfulness to God.
The church is not a religious service-provider but is instead the beloved multi-ethnic family of God that is called to embrace and model a new humanity that is marked by love, peace, truth and thanksgiving.
Following God's leading can be uncomfortable at times, and at other times downright nerve-wracking! Matthew 2:19-23 and its context assures us that God cares for us deeply and desires to guide us carefully in His ways. Following God's way won't always be easy, but as we faithfully follow, He will work out his great plans in and through us.
Most of us have wondered what our lives would look like if we had taken different decisions than the ones we took in the past. If I had taken that job offer in Calgary, or what if I had studied that other career, maybe I should’ve got a dog instead of that proud arrogant cat no one can pat… things like that that propel our imagination into parallel outcomes, unreached dreams, or even nostalgic regrets. Today as we read the final verses on chapter 2 of Matthew and the story of Christmas, we’ll learn from Scriptures of God’s patience, protection, guidance, comfort, and grace, and we’ll learn how Jesus rewrites our story.
With all the anxiety, depression, and fear that’s plaguing our world, it’s natural to assume that if there’s a God He doesn’t care. But, in fact, He loves us so much that He came to deal decisively with everything that plagues our lives and world. Christmas reminds us that God is not absent, He dwells among us; He is not distant, He came near.
John’s gospel (and the rest of the Bible!) repeatedly tells us that Jesus is “the light of the world” who brings life. This Christmas, as people all around the world hold “celebrations of light”, we have the greatest reason to celebrate: The life that Jesus came to bring.
The whole Bible is either preparing us for the coming of Jesus or explaining to us what Jesus did. Even the greatest moments of God’s salvation throughout history were meant to point to a greater salvation that would be accomplished in Jesus. At Christmas we celebrate the fulfillment of God’s promises!
The Christmas story is so familiar that we can recite it from memory. One part of the story that Matthew records includes what appears to be obscure references to Old Testament prophets. Matthew’s account helps us to recognize that while Christmas is a time of peace and joy, it also marks the start of a cosmic battle wherein Jesus wages war against Satan for our souls and in the process offers us freedom and forgiveness from sin.
C.S. Lewis famously wrote that Jesus is either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord, but what he cannot be is simply a good man. In the same way, our response to the claim of the Lordship of Jesus will either be indifference (like the people of Jerusalem), hostility (like Herod), or worship (like the wise men). If Jesus is the Son of God who came to us at Christmas in order to save us from the tyranny of sin and death, the only fitting response is worship.
The wise men coming to Jesus is an often misunderstood story, at least in the details. Yet the main point remains clear, they come to worship and rejoice over Jesus as a King and Christmas is the invitation for us to do the same.
In a world inundated with chaos it is hard to find the peace the season of Christmas points to. We read of biblical peace and long to have that in our lives, but often mistaken this peace for a removal of the current difficulties. Luke 2 points us towards a deeper more stable peace that remains despite our circumstances.
After surveying Simeon’s encounter with Mary, Joseph and Jesus in the temple, we learn why Jesus’s birth under the law is crucial to our identity as adopted children of God. Second, we uncover applications for our growth in discipleship and church worship that derive from Simeon’s character and his deep reliance on the Holy Spirit. Finally, we explain key concepts of Simeon’s prophecies that cast Jesus as the light for revelation to the Gentiles, the glory of Israel and the child who is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel.
You would expect the birth of a King to be surrounded by fanfare, pomp and circumstance, and a whole lot of luxury and wealth. Instead, we find the King of kings born in a backwater town, placed in an animal feeding trough, and the first to hear the news about this incredible King were socially ostracized shepherds. What do these classic elements of the nativity story actually mean for us this Christmas?
Sometimes we have a tendency to overlook the "insignificant" things in this world. Yet when Jesus Christ was born, God used what people may have considered insignificant to point to that which is most significant. In this classic Christmas text, the shepherds teach us some powerful truths as to how we should respond to the birth of Jesus, the Savior.
Sometimes what we think is insignificant actually has great significance. Our first Advent passage of 2021 shows us that what we often take for granted, or give little consideration to, has the ability to change our lives and is worthy to be proclaimed, pondered and treasured.
Most of us want to be the hero of the story and we naturally look for heroes to imitate. However, when it comes to the Bible, we aren’t the hero and even as we watch Paul planting a brand new church, Paul isn’t the hero. God is the hero of the story and we are called to trust his timing, wait for his rescue and seek his glory!
Through Paul and Silas’s ministry to the people of Philippi, we can see that every Gospel encounter invites its hearer to respond. No matter the circumstance, these encounters can be useful for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness.
Acts 16 may well be the most vivid text in the whole Bible portraying that Jesus saves the most diverse people through the power of the gospel and makes them family.
Do we have a conviction to share the gospel even when it costs us something? Paul’s second missionary journey involved a number of sacrifices for himself and those with him. Yet they determined that the joy of following Jesus was worth the cost.
Where we end up in life is often determined by who we chose to listen to. With so many opinions, how do we discern the correct course or path in life. Often, personal sacrifice is required to fulfill our purpose and teach us lessons along the way. Paul began his second missionary journey with recruiting a young disciple named Timothy. Together, with Silas they set out to proclaim great hope; the same hope we can experience in our life today.
As the early church continued to grow, and the gospel continued to spread, several things were required in order to stay on the mission that God had for His people – the mission of preaching the gospel. These requirements have not changed. Our text today highlights what they are.
While we might assume the early church was perfect and nothing ever went wrong, in Acts 15 Luke records very honestly some of the warts and wrinkles of the church. We read of an example of corporate church conflict and an example of interpersonal conflict. In spite of the challenges, God uses both conflicts to strengthen believers and build the church.
The church is the gathered people of God united by the gospel. But that doesn’t’ mean that everything goes smoothly all the time. The gospel unites us together but we still need to learn how to work together as we rehearse the gospel, celebrate it together and be ready to forgive one another.
As we saw last week, salvation by grace is affirmed unanimously by the council in Jerusalem. And now, this week we see that message delivered to the new Gentile believers, which leads to the unity of the church being maintained charitably.
Through history there have been defining moments that changed everything in a radical way; the discovery of the Americas, the Industrial Revolution, the Internet… things that have transformed the way we look at things, the way we live our lives. And what we have in Acts 15 is a crucial moment for the Church. A defining moment. One of those things that their outcome would have eternal consequences. This first council of the church was dealing with the very essence of our salvation.
The dispute over salvation between the Apostles and the Pharisees was intense and uncompromising. The principles used by the apostles to discern and respond to this deep division were unpacked. Peter used the "Gospel applied without distinction" as the standard of reference to adjudicate this controversy. Paul and Barnabas supported Peter by providing confirming evidence of God working signs and wonders among the Gentiles. James showed that the Old Testament also supported the full inclusion of the Gentiles into God’s plan and crafted polices to blend truth with sensitivity to conscience. We contrasted this apostolic pattern of decision making with those of contemporary cultural relativism, social-media coercion and intersectionality.
If you’ve ever wondered how “good” and “council meeting” could ever be put together, Acts 15 has the answer. In this defining moment for the church, its leaders, through much debate, clarified the very essence of our salvation, paving the way for a clear understanding of what it means to live a life based on grace, not legalism.
Through Paul and Barnabas’ first missionary journey, we are challenged to keep our eyes on the Gospel. Though hostility may come, the Spirit of God will empower His people to persevere.
A shift takes place in Acts 13 from a focus on Peter and the church in Jerusalem to Paul and Barnabas and the advance of the gospel to the nations. The remainder of Acts recounts the Holy Spirit enabling missionaries to fulfill the call Jesus made to “be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (1:8). Acts 13 outlines the components of this clear & compelling call, and the dynamics one should expect while living on mission – the mission of advancing the gospel that God still has for His church.
It can be nerve wracking to take on something new if you don’t know what to expect or if you are unprepared. It is true when you go for a hike and it is also true in our Spiritual lives. When God calls us to go and preach the gospel, he also shows us what we can expect on the way in both suffering and joy!
A shift takes place in Acts 13 from a focus on Peter and the church in Jerusalem to Paul and Barnabas and the advance of the gospel to the nations. The remainder of Acts recounts the Holy Spirit enabling missionaries to fulfill the call Jesus made to “be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (1:8). What we see in our passage are the dynamics you should expect while living on mission with the gospel.
In a world dominated by power and political uncertainty we can feel overwhelmed and anxious. Luke seeks to comfort his readers by reminding them that God’s word is not held back by politics, power, or people. In fact, God’s word is full of unlimited promise and is ultimately inevitable.
How do we respond when we it seems like people get away with the wrong things they do? It is easy to assume that they will get away with it, but the Bible reminds us that God is still the judge. Therefore we are called to humble ourselves before God, give him all the glory and carry on the message of the gospel!
The Apostle James was killed and the Apostle Peter was in prison awaiting death. What we find Peter, the Church, and God doing informs the Christian response to difficulty.
Christians in Jerusalem experienced persecution; the long arm of the state was against them. They were utterly powerless, helpless at the edge of the sword. They needed to be reacquainted with God's provision and power. Today we'll learn how God's children are protected by God despite how grim the circumstances may be.
As the Gospel begins to go out to the Gentiles, we see unstoppable church growth as the Lord’s hand was with the church of Antioch. The Gospel is preached. Great numbers turn to Jesus and are discipled, and as a result begin to be conformed into the image of Christ. This passage offers Christians today three practices to follow as we seek to build God’s kingdom for God’s glory.
What would it have looked like to be part of the first Gentile church in Antioch? Barnabas was pleased to see the Gospel being proclaimed but recognized the need for effective discipleship. So many new things happening not the least of which is the first use of the word, Christian. It was the unique character of these new believers that necessitated this new classification of people.
This concluding passage in Luke’s narrative of Acts 10-11:18 gives us two powerful reasons why salvation is such a great gift. First of all, it demonstrates again that salvation has been made available to all. Secondly, it shows us that God takes the initiative in the work of salvation.
The final act in this game-changing narrative in Acts 10-11 demonstrates these important truth: Grace knows no bounds; and one cannot be faithful to God and simultaneously refuse to accept what He is doing in the world.
Evangelism isn’t supposed to be a solo act. Jesus intended that the whole church would participate in sharing the good news together. Therefore, as the gospel is preached to the Gentiles it is critical that the whole church understands this amazing transformation that has taken place.
Acts 10 is filled with invitational language. Cornelius sent messengers to invite Peter to be his guest so that he could hear what Peter had to say. Peter invited Cornelius’ messengers into his home before he accepted Cornelius’ invitation. While Peter was on the way, Cornelius also invited his relatives and close friends to hear Peter speak at his house. But the greatest invitation, given through Peter, was God’s invitation – given to everyone then, and everyone now – to believe in Jesus and receive forgiveness of sins through His name. This invitation stands for all time, and for all people.
In part two we discover that while Cornelius was a God-fearing man, he still needed someone to bring him the gospel. God’s means of leading people to salvation is through Christians who go and tell the Good News to anyone and everyone, anywhere and everywhere. And when Cornelius and his household believe, baptism is the logical next step.
Acts 10 is one of three major game changers in the Book of Acts: Pentecost (Acts 2), Saul’s Conversion (Acts 9), and Cornelius’s Conversion (Acts 10). This Missions Sunday we are reminded of the command to bring the gospel to everyone everywhere.
Acts 10:1-23a begins a key turning point in the book of Acts where through a series of visions to Cornelius and Peter, God reveals that salvation is now available to everyone, everywhere. No longer do Gentiles need to be adhere to circumcision or Jewish dietary laws. They/we are all welcomed freely to God through the finished work of Christ on the cross.
For many Christians, the New Covenant with God is like the disclaimers at the end of an App install, “I have read it, I agree…” and we have no clue on what the benefits are, the responsibilities, the clauses, etc. This is one of the reasons why the church struggles so much between legalism and liberalism, between the security of the believer or whether salvation can be lost, between grace and works, and so many other things. As we look at the text may the Holy Spirit engraves in our hearts the mighty truths that we read in His Word.
Jeremiah challenges the people of God to rely on the security that comes from a relationship with God Almighty. Rather than be deceived by performing rituals, the people of God should seek to pursue righteousness through repentance and obedience by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones and parallel New Testament passages show us that just as the Spirit of God gives life to the dead and vanquished nation of Israel through the prophetic word, so the indwelling and controlling Holy Spirit confers the life on the child of God.
As hopeless as our circumstances might seem, the God of revival and hope will bring life from death through the power of his Word and Spirit.
When faced with dire circumstances – ones of your own making, what do you do? Deny responsibility? Dig in your heels? Denounce any involvement or wrongdoing? … Daniel models a proper response when, in confession, he makes a desperate plea to The One who can change everything.
There are some passages in the Bible that are just difficult to understand. However, that doesn’t mean we should ignore them, but rather work to understand what God is trying to communicate. The picture of God in Ezekiel is one of those passages and it is well worth all the effort it takes to see the sovereign mercy of our God.
When we are going through difficulty we are often confused about what God is up to or wonder why God seems silent. This text reminds us that God is not the hands-tied, finite God we tend to make Him out to be but rather can be trusted because nothing can thwart the promises of our God who made and rules and reigns over all things.
It’s easy for us as believers to become calloused to the spiritual needs of those around us. At other times we wonder how God might use someone as broken and messed up as me. This less known ending to a popular Sunday School children’s story reminds us of God’s great grace for both those who don’t know him and for those struggling to serve him well.
Have you ever found yourself becoming apathetic about serving Jesus, believing the glory days are over? A couple of obscure prophets will help shake us out of apathy and remind us about what remains and what’s to come.
When the exiles returned from Babylon they had ceased to worship idols but that didn’t mean they had begun to worship God rightly. The same heart issues that caused them to turn from God had simply come out in new ways. God calls us to give him our best, not because he wants the gift, but because we value him above all things!
Through the prophet Amos, God calls his people to a lifestyle of faithful worship. More than a song or a service, this is an act that is made possible through the transformed heart that Christ offers every believer.
One of the biggest obstacles to faith is suffering, injustice and oppression. Yet it is most often in the midst of suffering, struggle and hardship that God meets us and gives us hope as we respond in the right way. In fact, it is often the people who have gone through the greatest suffering who have the strongest faith as they testify to the presence of God with them, strengthening and comforting them in the midst of their pain.
Today’s message can be best summarized within the text itself: “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” (Luke 18:1) Learn what it takes to persist in prayer as you discover who you pray to, what you should pray for, and how you should pray.
Chilliwack’s median household income places us in the wealthiest 1.2% of people in the world. Of all the G7 countries, Canadians have the highest percentage of consumer debt. We have extravagant wealth, extravagant debt, and as followers of Jesus we have encountered the extravagant gospel. But has it resulted in extravagant generosity on your part? Are you being shaped more by the gospel or the culture when it comes to materialism?
Today we’ll learn about the greatest deception that could ruin our lives for eternity, a deception so subtle that can go unseen even by those closer to us and more dangerous than anything under the sun. We need to learn how to recognize it and cling to a foundation for life.
We often forget that Jesus ministry often called out the religiously self-righteous, yet is this what concerns us in the church today? Jesus parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector will remind us of God’s upside down kingdom
It’s not so much that our culture’s view of sex is antithetical to the Christian vision of sexuality as it is woefully inadequate. Our culture makes romance, our sexuality and sexual freedom the destination itself rather than a signpost to the greatest love of all: The covenant love of God displayed through His Son Jesus in the gospel.
We don’t know when but Jesus is coming again. How will He find us living when He returns? In the Parable of the Watchful Servant Jesus instructs us to ‘be awake’ and found going about His work when He returns.
We don’t know when but Jesus is coming again. How will He find us living when He returns? In the Parable of the Watchful Servant Jesus instructs us to ‘be awake’ and found going about His work when He returns.
Individualism is the one the most common things we almost never talk about. It defines so much of how our culture operates and yet we don’t often take a step back to assess and think about what it promises and how the Bible responds to it. The gospel shapes our understanding of both the individual and community in a beautiful way to showcase the glory of God!
It seems incredible that Jesus would tell a story where the dishonest person is the one being commended, yet that is exactly what he does. But he is not praised because he was dishonest but because he used his limited time and resources well. Likewise, as Christians we are called to use our temporary gifts and resources in order to make an impact on eternity.
Politics is one of the subjects you’re not supposed to talk about at the dinner table…or in the pulpit. Yet, 1. The Bible talks about it, and 2. It is one of the most polarizing issues of our moment. So how can followers of Jesus think Christianly about politics? And how can we see engaging the political structures of our city, province, and country as opportunities to love our neighbours?
Jesus tells two short parables about the gospel as a treasure in a field and pearl of great price. The two men in the parable recognized the value of what they found, were determined to have it, sold everything they had to make the purchase, and acquired the treasure. Do you recognize the infinite worth of Jesus? Are you determined to have Jesus? Do you desire Jesus more than anything else? And have you trusted in Jesus for salvation?
In light of the recent “black lives matter” demonstrations that took place around the world and the more recent tragic news from Kamloops about a survey of the grounds at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School that uncovered the remains of 215 children buried at the site, the issue of racism is now centre stage on our community/country and needs to be addressed! But how are we to address racism and its various forms - individual racism and systemic racism? Does the gospel have a compelling solution to this problem? Well, let’s see what the scriptures have to say about racism and its various form
What did you want to be when you were young? Did you want to be a firefighter, doctor, or police officer? Often as kids we can dream about what we want to be, but as we get older the reality of that question can become daunting. Its especially true of teenagers who are not only trying to figure out what they want to do, but who they are going to be. The culture around them is telling them that everything is now up for grabs and there are no truths to follow. More than ever as a church we ought to pray for our youth and praise God for his work in their lives! Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth and the life” and what every person, whether teenager or not, is to hear the life transforming news of Jesus! We are called to put away distractions that could lead us astray and fix our minds and eyes on the truth of the Word of God as we live out the example of Jesus.
Pentecost Sunday transforms the way that we are called to follow Jesus because we are empowered to imitate his example. Peter shows us how we rely on the Holy Spirit in our ministry and the goal of using our spiritual gifts for the glory of God.
When someone experiences a radical physical transformation, they often look completely different – sometime even unrecognizable. Likewise, when a person encounters Christ (as Saul did), they are radically changed! Do our lives reflect this change? What is the evidence of a changed life?
What transpires in our text is the most famous conversion story in all of church history. While Saul’s conversion and commissioning are unique, there is still a great deal for all of us to learn by studying his.
Philip shifts from mass evangelism in Samaria to personal evangelism on a desert road. We learn a lot about sharing the gospel with others through his example.
If our enemy can’t divide, discourage or destroy the church through ravaging persecution, he will switch strategies and employ distraction. As the early church faced a threat of distraction that had the potential to derail it from its message (The Gospel) and its mission (The Great Commission), the apostles Peter & John stepped in to make sure the church would stay on track.
The mission of the church continues (and even thrives) when it is forced to scatter due to persecution. This reality isn’t isolated to Acts 8. It has played out throughout church history and into our present day. The question for us is, are we leveraging this moment of scattering for the gospel and allowing it to press us further into the mission of the church?
The first martyr of the church shows us not only what it looks like to boldly face even death without wavering, but also what a commitment to the gospel looks like in showing mercy. Stephen prayed for the forgiveness of his enemies as we have been forgiven by God.
Today we celebrate Easter! And the resurrection and glorification that Jesus experienced is promised to all who believe in His name! Our text tells us that those 'whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.’ While our salvation culminates in our future glorification, Paul writes it in the past-tense because it's such a certainty that it may as well already have happened. If you have been justified you WILL BE glorified. What reason to praise and exclaim, "He is risen indeed!"
Anthropologist Geoffrey Gorer wrote that “in contemporary culture death has replaced sex as the new unmentionable”. By and large we don’t talk about death or see death, and yet we all still die. But when Jesus died in our place it changed our relationship with death forever. We need not treat death as the new unmentionable but rather as a beautiful aspect of our salvation.
Running the race of faith in Jesus requires perseverance. What assurances and resources do we have from God that will help us finish the race strong? The Bible gives us wonderful encouragements and important warnings for the journey ahead.
Sanctification is the process by which we grow in holiness—becoming more Christlike—throughout our lives. Unlike some other aspects of salvation (eg. God elects, God regenerates our hearts, God justifies us), we play an active role with God in our sanctification. So while we won’t be perfect this side of heaven, the Christian life is nonetheless marked by growth in holiness and Christlikeness. Good News: Those who have been saved are no longer enslaved to sin. By the power of the Holy Spirit and the resurrection life of Jesus working within us, we can overcome temptation and habitual sin.
Adoption is one of the most beautiful examples of how the love of God takes us from being strangers to being members of his family. We are given a new place to belong, the assurance of being his own and all the privileges of being part of his family.
Justification and condemnation (its opposite) are legal terms. Both are pronouncements of a judge. Romans 1-3:20 reveals that we all stand condemned before God. That is our reality and it is just. Then in Romans 3:21 we discover that through the inexplicable kindness of God, we are justified (given a new status, right legal standing with God) by grace alone, in Christ alone, and through faith alone.
Conversion is our willing response to the call of the gospel. Conversion means “turning” and has two united but distinct aspects: Turning from sin (repentance) and turning to Christ (faith). Apart from turning in these ways we cannot be saved. This sermon unpacks what conversion is and gives some important and glorious implications of it.
Apart from a new heart we could not respond to the message of the Gospel in repentance and faith but would remain enslaved to depravity, sin, and death. God’s grace is so impressive that He chooses to transform our hearts so that we may become children of God through the work of the Holy Spirit. Is in this act of regeneration that we can clearly see that Salvation belongs to the Lord, which produces confidence in sharing the Gospel, security in our salvation and praise for what God has done.
The proclamation of, and response to, the gospel message – known as The Gospel Call – is a critical component in the process of salvation. No one can experience God’s salvation in Christ, through faith, without hearing the voice of God’s Spirit directly to their heart, nor without hearing the word of Christ from a faithful proclaimer of the Good News.
As we embark on a sermon series on the Order of Salvation we begin with the most contentious doctrine of them all, election. The doctrine of election opens up a pandora’s box of follow up questions, which is why many Christians (and preachers for that matter) avoid it entirely. Yet the Apostle Paul seems to be summoning our hearts to praise God precisely because He chose us in love before the foundation of the world.
Sharing our faith can be intimidating. It takes courage to share what you believe and take to stand for the gospel. We need to learn to rely on the Holy Spirit to help us as we share the good news of Jesus.
Since the devil failed to thwart the church through persecution and corruption, he now tries distraction. Through divinely-directed delegation by the Apostles — and the first glimpse of the Office of Deacon taking shape — the church went from distraction and potential division to deployment in their service to God. And the mission advanced.
The apostles performed miracles, proclaimed the gospel, went to prison, took a beating and rejoiced all along the way. Why?
No one is perfect and we are all sinners, so is sin really a big deal? We can be tempted to downplay the frightening reality of sin but passages like these don’t let us think that way. When we realize the weight of our sin, we will see the greatness of Jesus even clearer!
2020 marked Central’s 75th Anniversary. To celebrate, Pastor Matt reflects on evidences of God’s grace toward us throughout the years.
If Jesus came 2000 years ago, why is there still so much darkness in our lives and world? This Christmas we reflect on the significance of the light that has dawned.
While most people would say that experiencing peace means eliminating things from your life, it actually has more to do with what you incorporate into your life! By putting Jesus at the center, and by “clothing ourselves” with His attitudes and actions, we can experience the incredible peace that God intends for our lives.
When Isaiah speaks about the coming Messiah he gives him the name, Everlasting Father. While we may have different ideas about what a Father should look like, Jesus is both our father and puts on display the Father. As we look at what Jesus has done, it leads us to a greater trust in his promises and greater rejoicing because of them!
In times of confusion, when there are so many choices and opinions in front of us on how to live, we can pick the way that looks like Christmas - a Mighty God who surrendered Might and became like us to lift up the lowly.
Our Advent Series — on the prophetic titles for Jesus from Isaiah — begins with Wonderful Counselor. Want to hear some incredible news? Jesus came for people with problems. Meaning, He lovingly cares. He also came to solve our greatest problems. Meaning, He powerfully works. And what’s most wonderful of all is that Christmas means He not only came to bring solutions to our problems but to give us Himself.
How do you respond when someone opposes you? The natural reaction is usually to try and fight back and oppose them. However, the Bible calls us to a different reaction, to pray for our enemies trusting in the sovereignty of God, and continue to proclaim the good news.
It seems like just about the only thing you’re not allowed to do in a pluralistic society is to make an exclusive truth claim. But Jesus did precisely that (John 14:6) and now the Apostle Peter reaffirms the exact same claim: there is salvation in no one else. While the exclusive nature of the Christian gospel seems unkind and unloving to those around us, it’s actually a more inclusive exclusivity than theirs.
It seems like just about the only thing you’re not allowed to do in a pluralistic society is to make an exclusive truth claim. But Jesus did precisely that (John 14:6) and now the Apostle Peter reaffirms the exact same claim: there is salvation in no one else. While the exclusive nature of the Christian gospel seems unkind and unloving to those around us, it’s actually a more inclusive exclusivity than theirs.
Just as the "pregnancy bible" tells you everything you can expect as a new mother, the Bible-Bible tells us everything we should expect when we share Jesus with others.
The miraculous healing of the lame man at the temple gate caused quite a stir! Peter, seizing the opportunity, pointed those who were utterly amazed at this wonder to the God of wonders – Jesus. Do we do the same?
The miraculous healing of the lame man at the temple gate caused quite a stir! Peter, seizing the opportunity, pointed those who were utterly amazed at this wonder to the God of wonders – Jesus. Do we do the same?
What is the purpose of Miracles? Hearing about God performing a miracle of physical healing is often met with skepticism. God used miracles throughout the Bible to demonstrate his mercy to mankind, bear witness to the Gospel message, and bring glory to Himself. Does He still act in this way today? God desires that all mankind experience the miracle of spiritual healing, and enjoy new life in Him.
What is the purpose of Miracles? Hearing about God performing a miracle of physical healing is often met with skepticism. God used miracles throughout the Bible to demonstrate his mercy to mankind, bear witness to the Gospel message, and bring glory to Himself. Does He still act in this way today? God desires that all mankind experience the miracle of spiritual healing, and enjoy new life in Him.
The early Christian community was a movement fuelled by the Holy Spirit’s presence and power, which led to their devotion to four characteristics that marked their gatherings.
The early Christian community was a movement fuelled by the Holy Spirit’s presence and power, which led to their devotion to four characteristics that marked their gatherings.
Imagine that you are telling someone about Jesus (hopefully not too difficult to imagine!) and they respond by saying, “What shall I do?” What would you say next? That is precisely the question the crowd asks Peter as he concludes his sermon to them.
Imagine that you are telling someone about Jesus (hopefully not too difficult to imagine!) and they respond by saying, “What shall I do?” What would you say next? That is precisely the question the crowd asks Peter as he concludes his sermon to them.
Almost immediately after the Holy Spirit was given to the church came the very first sermon. Peter tells the crowd that the coming of the Holy Spirit is a sign that Jesus is not only the Messiah they had been waiting for but also the Lord on whom we call for salvation.
Almost immediately after the Holy Spirit was given to the church came the very first sermon. Peter tells the crowd that the coming of the Holy Spirit is a sign that Jesus is not only the Messiah they had been waiting for but also the Lord on whom we call for salvation.
When the promised Holy Spirit showed up, it made an immediate and significant difference in Jesus’ first followers - and in the world! And the same power and purpose that God had for them is now ours.
When the promised Holy Spirit showed up, it made an immediate and significant difference in Jesus’ first followers - and in the world! And the same power and purpose that God had for them is now ours.
A biblical understanding of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility leads to effective mission, trust in the authority of God’s Word, a right understanding of the judgment of God, and wise decision-making.
A biblical understanding of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility leads to effective mission, trust in the authority of God’s Word, a right understanding of the judgment of God, and wise decision-making.
Prayer, unity, and persistence are all hard — but they’re also good. When Jesus points us in the way we should go He also empowers us with His own strength to get us there. A church on fire is a church devoted to: Jesus, praying to Jesus, unified in Jesus, and empowered by Jesus.
In a World of Confusion and Consternation, the King of Kings gives us a prescription for how to face the future Kingdom style.
A weekly ministry update + encouragement from our Lead Pastor, Matt Shantz.
Updates on:
- In-Person Services
- Children's Ministry
- Family Discipleship Classes
- Youth Ministry
- Life Groups & Life Group Leader Classes
- Women's Ministry
- Men's Ministry
- Secret Church
Plus, a word of encouragement from Philippians 4:4-7
What kind of legacy do you want to leave? The book of Acts gives a giant vision of what Jesus is still doing in this world, through his church by the Holy Spirit. We are called as Christians to continue on with the work that the early church started and share the good news of Jesus.
The story of Jonah shows us just how great God’s love, grace, and mercy is toward every person, city, and nation.
How should we respond when someone messes up and sins? How does God respond when we sin? Zechariah calls us to trust in God’s mercy, speak the truth, and celebrate his grace as we extend that grace to one another.
The Israelite nation has lost relationship with God; they have broken the covenant. The sacrificial system has stopped changing hearts. Micah speaks to the coming consequence that will befall the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. He also introduces the nation to a new way of following God; Do Justice, Love Kindness and Walk Humbly with your God.
The little 2500-year-old obscure Minor Prophet book Haggai describes our age better than almost anywhere else in the whole Bible. God calls out His people for pursuing comfort and wealth over putting God first. As a bit of an anomaly for Old Testament prophets, the people actually responded positively with sincere heart change that led to changed behavior and they put God and His work first in their lives. Haggai shows us what we know to be true of our own experience, putting God first is what actually leads to deep satisfaction, blessing, and peace.
Have you ever felt like you were just going through the motions of life? Have you found the cultural norms of entitled and self-centered tendencies rubbing off on you and leaving you deeply unsatisfied? The fifth and final practice found in resilient disciples has everything to do with living lives packed full of meaning and purpose by engaging in countercultural mission.
What is does mean to have our faith inform our work and sense of calling in life? Does our work matter to God and how can it be leveraged for his kingdom purposes? This week we learn about what it means to be vocational disciples.
There is an epidemic of loneliness, isolation, and mistrust in Digital Babylon where more and more time is spent on screens, rarely interacting in meaningful ways with real human beings. The church is uniquely positioned to provide a comprehensive solution to this epidemic because it is a counter-cultural community built upon the radical love, grace, and righteousness of Jesus.
We receive a lot of messages throughout our day, from text messages to emails, to the videos we watch, to the news articles we read. But how do we as Christians learn to discern what we should pay attention to and what we should ignore? We are called as Christians to know the Word of God so well that we can recognize the truth from error and live our lives to reflect God’s holiness.
In a culture where non-Christians are avoiding Christianity, and young Christians are abandoning church, it is important to cultivate practices that form disciples of Jesus into people who can not only survive – but thrive. The first such practice is Experiencing Intimacy with Jesus.
A significant recent study revealed that only 9% of young Canadians who grew up in the church would be what we would call Resilient Disciples. So what can we learn from the faith of these disciples that helps us be and make resilient disciples in a context perhaps best described as Digital Babylon?
Jesus said, “Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called “Sons of God”. How can we fight the good fight of Christian Peacemaking? It is easy to steer into the pitfalls of combativeness or passivity. But Jesus calls us to a better way, a Gospel way.
In the middle of the storms of life it’s easy to begin to question who God is and His care for us in our lives. Our text today tells us that in the midst of the storm we can either get lost in the waves or look to Jesus. Storms don’t lead to our destruction but rather our dependence and faith on a Saviour.
There is an incredible blessing attached to this Beatitude: You shall see God! There’s just one problem: Our hearts aren’t particularly pure. So the important questions we must wrestle with are these: Do I have a pure heart? and if not, How can I get a pure heart?
As followers of Jesus, the mercy we are to extend to others flows out of the mercy that God has extended to us.
“At the end of the day” there’s nothing that matters more than relationship. The good life according to Jesus means that our relationships – first with Him, and then with others, are right. This truly is the #blessed life.
Blessed are the assertive, strong, cut-throat, cheaters, famous, powerful, and workaholics, for they shall inherit the earth is the way the world seems to work. Yet Jesus says that it’s the meek who shall inherit the earth. What does that mean? How does that work? And who will you believe?
Mourning and blessing seem to be total opposites and yet Jesus declares that the one who mourns over their sin is truly blessed. As we mourn over our sin, we find the comfort of what Jesus has done so much more gracious.
The Sermon on the Mount is widely considered the greatest sermon ever preached by the greatest person who ever lived. The sermon begins with eight beatitudes that describe the good life according to Jesus. The first is about the poverty of spirit. Without it, no one enters the Kingdom of Heaven.
We are reminded of what God has done, is doing, and will do so that no matter what you’re facing, you can have joy this Easter.
Have you ever wondered why the world seems so messed up? And what God is doing about it? This Good Friday message explores the love of God and his solution for a messed up world.
Written in a context and state of great upheaval, utter chaos, conflict, distress and war, the psalmist both describes and experiences God in some pretty remarkable ways … ways that result in peace, still and calm … ways that you and I can also experience and then describe to others – so that they, too, might experience The Lord Almighty, Jesus Christ, our hope, strength, hope, and peace.
It can be easy to fall into the trap of allowing our circumstances to control how we think and feel. However, the book of Habakkuk reminds us that we can rejoice no matter what is going on. God is always at work, our salvation is secure and he will not abandon us.
Hope springs from truth rehearsed. What is the truth we are to rehearse and how do we rehearse it? In the depths of his suffering, Lamentations 3 reveals how Jeremiah was able to pivot from hopelessness and grief to hope in the faithfulness of God whose mercies are new every morning.
For clarity + encouragement, our Lead Pastor will be doing a weekly ministry update + short devotional, available in our sermon podcast feed.
We wrestle with God’s presence, or lack thereof, in the midst of our suffering. Is he there? Does he care? What about the sin I know is in my own life? Lamentations 2 helps us understand how we should respond to sin and suffering in light of God’s response to it.
Steps Central is taking to pursue the well-being of our church family and community. Plus, a call to embody the calm, care, and courage the Christian Faith affords us at times like these
Over the course of Lent, we are going to learn a new language together. A biblical language: The language of lament. Lament provides us the opportunity to talk to God through the pain, whether it’s a lament of circumstances in our own lives or lament of the brokenness around us in the world.
Learning a new language can be difficult but it's necessary if we want to be able to communicate in different ways. In the same way, learning to lament well is necessary if we want to communicate with God even in our pain. We begin this new series looking at how we can lament to God and how we should be lamenting over our sin.
The smoldering ruins of Jerusalem set the stage for the Book of Lamentations. What brought about their destruction, why are devastating poems in the Bible, is it right of God to afflict His people like that, and how does all of this affect His people and our world today?
Over the course of Lent, we are going to learn a new language together. A biblical language: The language of lament. Lament provides us the opportunity to talk to God through the pain, whether it’s a lament of circumstances in our own lives or lament of the brokenness around us in the world.
Jesus essentially tells the church in Laodicea that their spiritual condition was nauseating. The scariest part of lukewarm Christianity is that its participants are completely unaware. So what are the signs of a lukewarm Christian? And what is the cure for lukewarm Christianity?
Over the course of Lent, we are going to learn a new language together. A biblical language: The language of lament. Lament provides us the opportunity to talk to God through the pain, whether it’s lament of circumstances in our own lives or lament of the brokenness around us in the world.
The final letter that Jesus writes to the churches is a letter of correction and yet it contains hope for every church. Jesus is still at work in this church and he is still at work in our lives as well. We are called to be zealous and repent because Jesus has first loved us.
The final letter that Jesus writes to the churches is a letter of correction and yet it contains hope for every church. Jesus is still at work in this church and he is still at work in our lives as well. We are called to be zealous and repent because Jesus has first loved us.
Jesus essentially tells the church in Laodicea that their spiritual condition was nauseating. The scariest part of lukewarm Christianity is that its participants are completely unaware. So what are the signs of a lukewarm Christian? And what is the cure for lukewarm Christianity?
Have you ever wondered what sets a church like Philadelphia (all commendation) from a church like Laodicea (all condemnation)? Today’s passage reveals that at least one of the factors is patient endurance, or put another way, spiritual maturity.
Have you ever wondered what sets a church like Philadelphia (all commendation) from a church like Laodicea (all condemnation)? Today’s passage reveals that at least one of the factors is patient endurance, or put another way, spiritual maturity.
Have you ever wondered what sets a church like Philadelphia (all commendation) from a church like Laodicea (all condemnation)? Today’s passage reveals that at least one of the factors is patient endurance, or put another way, spiritual maturity.
Has there ever been a time in your life when you tried building something on your own, only for it to failure miserable, and for you to be left exhausted and full of anxiety at the end of the day? The same thing happens in our homes, family, and church when we try building on our strength and effort, but rather we are to be utterly dependant on Jesus!
What does it look like to allow Jesus to build your family and the family of God? When we rely on him, the results are rest and blessing. But when we rely on ourselves, the results are anxiety and busyness. That kind of life will go nowhere. But as we build on the solid rock of Christ, we will enjoy the blessing of God on our kids and family.
Being self-reliant only leads to anxiety and sleeplessness. Recognizing God as the one how actually builds and blesses brings rest and peace.
What does it look like to allow Jesus to build your family and the family of God? When we rely on him, the results are rest and blessing. But when we rely on ourselves, the results are anxiety and busyness. That kind of life will go nowhere. But as we build on the solid rock of Christ, we will enjoy the blessing of God on our kids and family.
The church in Philadelphia had little power in and of itself but Jesus — in His great power — had opened a door for the church that no one could shut. A door of Salvation. A door of opportunity to tell others about Jesus. This serves as a great reminder not to focus on our weakness but His power.
What makes a church live? Is it a bunch of good programs and things to do during the week? Jesus calls out the church in Sardis for being dead even though they looked alive. Our goal is not to have the appearance of life, but to be truly alive.
The church in Sardis was active, wasn’t experiencing persecution, was the largest of the seven churches and the wealthiest, but was dead. Yet Jesus graciously calls those who will listen to wake up and remember that what you have heard (the gospel) and received (the Holy Spirit).
According to Jesus, a church community can have all the signs of life but is nevertheless dead or dying. The way to stay out, or fight out, of this corner is to repent and remember what Jesus has taught and do it.
The church in Sardis was active, wasn’t experiencing persecution, was the largest of the seven churches and the wealthiest, but was dead. Yet Jesus graciously calls those who will listen to wake up and remember that what you have heard (the gospel) and received (the Holy Spirit).
The church is called to follow the authority of Jesus, even when it is tempting to compromise. Jesus commends the church for their love and service, but they had stopped holding to the truth. We are still tempted to do that same thing today, but the promise is that for those who persevere, we will reign with Jesus.
Where Ephesus lacked love, Thyatira lacked truth. And a healthy church needs both. What does Jesus think of a church that tolerates evil? You don’t have to wonder, Jesus tells this church exactly what He thinks about it.
This week’s message looks at both Pergamum and Thyatira. Though some 70 kilometers apart, they both were faced with the same issue, that of compromising allegiance from within. We all must ask ourselves: who sits on the throne in my heart?
The church at Pergamum was threatened from the outside. It experienced a lot of the same suffering and persecution that the church of Smyrna was commended for withstanding and it too remained faithful to Christ. Yet, the real threat in Pergamum was not found outside of its walls. It seems that the church was at risk of losing its way from those teaching within its walls.
Where Ephesus lacked love, Thyatira lacked truth. And a healthy church needs both. What does Jesus think of a church that tolerates evil? You don’t have to wonder, Jesus tells this church exactly what He thinks about it.
The church at Pergamum was threatened from the outside. It experienced a lot of the same suffering and persecution that the church of Smyrna was commended for withstanding and it too remained faithful to Christ. Yet, the real threat in Pergamum was not found outside of its walls. It seems that the church was at risk of losing its way from those teaching within its walls.
The church at Smyrna was subject to all kinds of persecution and suffering. Jesus sees their suffering and brings a surprising word. Instead of removing the challenge he calls them to faith and fearlessness. It is in this command that we see the only answer is to cling to Christ.
The best sports team is the one that doesn’t loose, and the best businesses make the most money. However, one of the best churches in the book of Revelation is the one that is being persecuted most. Yet, the call isn’t to avoid the suffering, but learning to be faithful through it.
The church at Smyrna was subject to all kinds of persecution and suffering. Jesus sees their suffering and brings a surprising word. Instead of removing the challenge he calls them to faith and fearlessness. It is in this command that we see the only answer is to cling to Christ.
The church at Pergamum was threatened from the outside. It experienced a lot of the same suffering and persecution that the church of Smyrna was commended for withstanding and it too remained faithful to Christ. Yet, the real threat in Pergamum was not found outside of its walls. It seems that the church was at risk of losing its way from those teaching within its walls.
The church at Smyrna was subject to all kinds of persecution and suffering. Jesus sees their suffering and brings a surprising word. Instead of removing the challenge he calls them to faith and fearlessness. It is in this command that we see the only answer is to cling to Christ.
Jesus, the one who has authority over the church, starts the letter of Revelation by addressing the church of Ephesus. They are commended for many things but are reminded that their motivation is of primary importance to Christ. Even more than their sound doctrine and good works, Christ is after their heart.
Have you ever noticed that it is so easy to start a project, but it's hard to finish them? When you are excited it makes the time just fly by, but once real life sets in, it can be hard to complete the task. The same thing is true in our spiritual lives, we can become stuck in one area and forget others after a while, which is why Jesus writes this letter to the church.
Sometimes when we look at our life in the church or the life of the church from the outside, there might be something missing: love. As we start our new series on the 7 Letters to the Churches of Revelation, Jesus has a message about doing a heart check regarding the motivation and the action of the church.
Jesus, the one who has authority over the church, starts the letter of Revelation by addressing the church of Ephesus. They are commended for many things but are reminded that their motivation is of primary importance to Christ. Even more than their sound doctrine and good works, Christ is after their heart.
Every year we make resolutions to improve our lives, eat better, exercise more, reconnect with old friends and that is a good impulse! The desire to improve and better our lives is a good desire, the question is always where we go looking for it. The beginning of the book of Revelation points us towards a greater blessing than these things, that we might have the blessing of the King of Kings.
For whatever reason, forgetting the incredible acts of God is something people are good at. To help the Israelites remember, God did something special for them: He commanded them to create a monument, a sign for future generations, that would point back to Him. Is this something we can do today?
How can we follow Jesus more closely as we head into a new year? How do we even know what he wants from us? Paul appeals to the church in Rome to be renewed and transformed by God. As we are rooted in the Gospel we give our whole selves to God in worship, and in doing so we increasingly learn God’s will in our lives and desire to follow it.
For whatever reason, forgetting the incredible acts of God is something people are good at. To help the Israelites remember, God did something special for them: He commanded them to create a monument, a sign for future generations, that would point back to Him. Is this something we can do today?
The fact that the angel appeared to unlikely people in an unlikely place (shepherds outside of Bethlehem) with good news of great joy shows us that this news is for everybody! Jesus really came into the world at Christmas to make you right with God and He can really come into your heart this Christmas to fill and transform your life with hope, peace, joy, love, and light.
Zechariah experienced the mercy and redemption of God and it drove him to worship. Each one of us, who has experienced the grace and mercy of Jesus, should be filled with hope and compelled to radical worship because of the kindness shown to us by the creator of heaven and the author of salvation.
The foundation that John’s birth and prophetic mandate, given by his father Zechariah, laid for Jesus’ life and ministry is also foundational for our lives and ministry. This sermon explores six foundational aspects of a fruitful life and ministry that are essential in proclaiming Jesus and pointing people to Him.
In Luke's gospel, he includes the story of Zechariah & Elizabeth the parents of John the Baptist. In the months prior to the arrival of John the Baptist, It appears that Zechariah, his father, had a crisis in his faith. After some time on the sidelines, he was ready to step into the life of faith that God had for him and God blessed him beyond what he thought was possible. We gain insights into our own beliefs and learn what it takes to have God-pleasing faith.
Ever tried? Ever failed? Admittedly, some of the gaffs that we can make are worse than others. But what about when we sin against someone? Against God? Are there really second chances to mend harms? The story of God’s grace in the life of Zechariah, and his taking advantage of the second chance, teaches us that the answer is yes.
Our lives are too often defined by the word “busy”, especially around Christmas. But as we continue in the story of Christmas, we need to pause and hear how Mary responded to this amazing news. Mary is preoccupied not with all the things that she needs to get done but praising God for all the things that he has done.
Mary begins her hymn of praise to God by saying, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.” As we move toward Christmas, we remember that God poured and will continue to pour out mercy on those who look to him in faith. There is no one so small or unimportant as to be beyond the salvation that God brings in Jesus Christ, and in response, we rejoice in and magnify him alongside Mary!
When we read the Magnificat we might wonder how a 13-year-old girl could possibly compose such loft hymn of praise. Yet, when we begin to understand the reality of her circumstance and all that is coming into focus we find ourselves joining with her in praise.
Our lives are too often defined by the word “busy”, especially around Christmas. But as we continue in the story of Christmas, we need to pause and hear how Mary responded to this amazing news. Mary is preoccupied not with all the things that she needs to get done but praising God for all the things that he has done.
Fundamentally, Christmas is about God initiating. He sent angels, He chose Mary, He invited shepherds and wise men to celebrate, and ultimately, we are reminded that God came to those in need at Christmas. Jesus came to the humble and still comes to those who recognize that they’re spiritually bankrupt and He alone can rescue. Many, like Zechariah, can’t believe it. Others, like Mary, embrace His overwhelming gift of grace.
As we study the angel Gabriel’s announcement that Mary has been chosen to give birth to Jesus, we will learn how God favors his people in a way that is similar to how he favored Mary. We will also give an overview of Gabriel's explanation of Christ's attributes as well as the means God used to allow Mary to conceive the Christ Child.
Names have meaning and are significant to those who give them. Jesus’ name was not given by his mother, Mary, but by God himself – making the name of Jesus extra significant. His’ is the name above all names. What child is this? He’s the Son of Mary, the Son of the Most High, and the Son of David – fully human, fully divine, and the King of Kings. Mary’s response to God’s work in her life should also be our response: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
As we study the angel Gabriel’s announcement that Mary has been chosen to give birth to Jesus, we will learn how God favors his people in a way that is similar to how he favored Mary. We will also give an overview of Gabriel's explanation of Christ's attributes as well as the means God used to allow Mary to conceive the Christ Child.
Be filled with awe and wonder all over again at the link between the prophecies of the OT and the fulfillment of them in the NT – beginning with the birth of John the Baptist. The circumstances surrounding his birth are mysterious, inspiring and faith-building!
Christmas. Again. It can feel a lot like just going through the motions instead of feeling the emotions that you’d expect in this season. Awe. Wonder. Even joy often escapes us. As we start our series on Advent, we get to encounter a group of people who experienced something that was (un)expected and it gave them new hope.
Luke’s Gospel opens by foretelling John the Baptist’s birth. He introduces us to John’s parents who are described as both righteous and childless. This text helps us wrestle with what will come of our faith when we face difficulty? If you serve God for what you can get, you’re actually serving yourself (that’s the prosperity gospel, not the biblical gospel). Christians aren’t free from suffering because we serve Jesus. We serve Jesus because He is our hope and treasure. And God has a habit of using difficult circumstances to purify us and grow our faith.
Have you ever had to wait for someone to respond and you weren’t sure if they got the message? That is so often how we feel when we pray, we wonder if God even got the message. But as we enter into this Christmas season, we are reminded that even when we don’t see or hear what God is doing, he is at work answering prayers and bringing about his perfect plan.
The Bible begins in a garden (Genesis 1-2) and ends in a garden city (Revelation 21-22). The ending of the story isn’t one of getting things back to the way they were but even better than they were. We will see God face to face and joyfully find God-glorifying pleasure in the work of our hands. Not only that, our lives now are not about waiting to die to go to heaven but rather present participation in bringing redemptive culture to bear on the world.
While the cultural and biblical understandings of redemption are similar, they have very different emphases. Biblically, to redeem means to release or set free, with the implied analogy to the process of freeing a slave – in particular, buying back a slave or captive and making “him” free by payment of a ransom. In Christ, this is what God did for us – and because of it, we look forward to that time when all things will be restored, set right and unified in Him.
The grand story of the Bible is all pointing us to see Jesus! The whole story is about Him, what he has done and what he is still going to do. And in this period of waiting we get a part to play in God’s grand story.
While the cultural and biblical understandings of redemption are similar, they have very different emphases. Biblically, to redeem means to release or set free, with the implied analogy to the process of freeing a slave – in particular, buying back a slave or captive and making “him” free by payment of a ransom. In Christ, this is what God did for us – and because of it, we look forward to that time when all things will be restored, set right and unified in Him.
As we look at the greatest story ever told, we quickly come to our greatest problem. The problem of sin and separation from God dominates the storyline of Scripture and it is intended to teach us something about the sin in our lives. It shows us our helpless state and our great need of a Saviour.
While the cultural and biblical understandings of redemption are similar, they have very different emphases. Biblically, to redeem means to release or set free, with the implied analogy to the process of freeing a slave – in particular, buying back a slave or captive and making “him” free by payment of a ransom. In Christ, this is what God did for us. Ephesians 1:7-10 explains how and why – with the correct emphases.
As we look at the greatest story ever told, we quickly come to our greatest problem. The problem of sin and separation from God dominates the storyline of Scripture and it is intended to teach us something about the sin in our lives. It shows us our helpless state and our great need of a Saviour.
As we look at the greatest story ever told, we quickly come to our greatest problem. The problem of sin and separation from God dominates the storyline of Scripture and it is intended to teach us something about the sin in our lives. It shows us our helpless state and our great need of a Saviour.
It was Bobette Buster who said, "Narrative is our culture’s currency; he who tells the best story wins”, and she’s absolutely right. As we embark on a four-week series on The Greatest Story we begin with the first of four major movements in the Bible: Creation. God made a good world and gave His image-bearers a good purpose: to create and cultivate culture, and in so doing, reflect His glory.
As we look at the greatest story ever told, we quickly come to our greatest problem. The problem of sin and separation from God dominates the storyline of Scripture and it is intended to teach us something about the sin in our lives. It shows us our helpless state and our great need of a Saviour.
It was Bobette Buster who said, "Narrative is our culture’s currency; he who tells the best story wins”, and she’s absolutely right. As we embark on a four-week series on The Greatest Story we begin with the first of four major movements in the Bible: Creation. God made a good world and gave His image-bearers a good purpose: to create and cultivate culture, and in so doing, reflect His glory.
It was Bobette Buster who said, "Narrative is our culture’s currency; he who tells the best story wins”, and she’s absolutely right. As we embark on a four-week series on The Greatest Story we begin with the first of four major movements in the Bible: Creation. God made a good world and gave His image-bearers a good purpose: to create and cultivate culture, and in so doing, reflect His glory.
It was Bobette Buster who said, "Narrative is our culture’s currency; he who tells the best story wins”, and she’s absolutely right. As we embark on a four-week series on The Greatest Story we begin with the first of four major movements in the Bible: Creation. God made a good world and gave His image-bearers a good purpose: to create and cultivate culture, and in so doing, reflect His glory.