Wellspring Church Weekly Sermon: Recent Episodes
Wellspring Church
Sunder Krishnan speaks on how God redeems our failures with His vitality, looking at the story of Israel from Genesis 12 - Malachi 4.
September 29, 2024.
Guest Speaker JC Alzamora preaches on John 1:1-5, speaking on the newness of life in the covenant of grace.
September 22, 2024
Sunder Krishnan kicks off our fall series called "The Whole Story," speaking on how we can reflect His image, for His glory, and for the benefit of others, focusing on Genesis 2:16-25.
September 8, 2024
Sunder Krishnan continues our series "The Whole Story," by speaking on the anatomy of temptation from Genesis 3.1-19.
September 15, 2024
Jon Miller concludes our summer "Jesus Can" series by looking at how a relationship with Jesus isn't about checking the boxes, focusing on Mark 2:23-3-6.
August 25, 2024
Steve Wright speaks on stepping into the challenges that grow us by looking at 1 Samuel 14:1-15.
August 18, 2024
Pastor Dan Martin preaches on Luke 15:11-32, a Story of a Father's Heart.
September 1, 2024
Guest speaker Tim Lennox focuses on Acts 8, God is on the move, and he is calling us to join him on mission.
August 11, 2024
Glendyne Gerrard unpacks Micah 6:1-8, which teaches us to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God.
August 4, 2024
John Miller picks our our series, "Jesus Can," by speaking on Mark 2:1-12, Jesus has the power to forgive your sins.
July 28, 2024
Guest speaker Adam looks at Romans 8:18-30 and preaches on how God's hand is at work in all things, even suffering, working for our good.
July 21, 2024
Jon Miller opens our summer series, "Jesus Can," by looking at how Jesus has the power to bring healing, restoration, and freedom, focusing on Mark 1:21-34.
July 14, 2024
Pastor Dan Martin brings a word on how Christianity is more than simply believing a message, looking at John 1:35-39.
July 7, 2024
Pastor Dan Martin preaches on how the gospel is larger than personal salvation by looking at Colossians 1:3-6 and 15-20.
June 30, 2024.
Guest Speakers David and Donna bring a powerful message on expanding the Kingdom through the Great Commission, focusing on Romans 10:9-15.
June 23, 2024.
Jon Miller brings the message on how our feelings are not the foundation of our faith, by looking at Revelation 2:1-7.
June 16, 2024.
Doug Gerrard explores the idea of overing the lie of works and embracing a gospel of grace by looking at Ephesians 2:8-9.
June 9, 2024.
Guest speaker Darren Herbold, President of the Alliance Canada, preaches on how making a big difference requires us to go all in, focusing on John 4:3–4.
June 2, 2024.
Guest speaker Wayne Baxter concludes our Unfit series by looking at Job 42:1-6, we’re unfit to pray, but God hears our prayers anyways.
May 26, 2024.
Pete Leeder focuses on Luke 22:54-62, looking at how Peter was thrice denied, but thrice restored.
May 19, 2024.
Jon Miller continues the "Unfit" series, by looking at Luke 7:36-50, a deeper revelation and experience of God's grace fuels our gratitude and love for Jesus.
May 12, 2024.
Sunder Krishnan picks up this week where he left off last time, looking at how we participate in God's mission through the practice of prayer, through focusing on John 15:5-16.
May 5, 2024.
Sunder Krishnan continues our "Unfit" series as he speaks on finding our fit in the body of Christ, as he uses many texts including Ephesians 4:11-14.
April 28, 2024.
Guest Speaker Jason Persaud speaks on how our definition of "greatness" is not God's, focusing in on Luke 9:46-48.
April 21, 2024.
Pastor Dan Martin preaches on Matthew 1:1-6, exploring the unfiltered family portrait of God.
April 14, 2024
Jon Miller speaks on how Jesus calls unlikely and unfit people to play a part in fulfilling His mission by focusing on Luke 5:1-11.
April 7, 2024.
Pastor Dan talks about life on that side of the curtain, the tabernacle, focusing on Matthew 27:50-54.
March 29, 2024.
Jon Miller explores what life looks like on this side of the curtain, in light of life on that side (the tabernacle), focusing on Hebrews 10:19-25. Everything has changed!
March 31, 2024.
Glendyne Gerrard finishes this section of the Acts series giving us a historical look at the details of this chapter and beautifully bringing it home for us here today.
March 24, 2024
I AM the Vine - John 15:1-8 This is the last of the "I AM" series. Our speaker is Glendyne Gerrard.
To start the Fall season, Pastor Dan speaks on one of our four core values: Transformation. Being transformed by Jesus is a process. It was for Peter and it is for us.
Guest Speaker Rodney Slagter speaks on navigating current culture while honouring ancient Biblical truths.
Guest Speaker David Chotka speaks on the story of Namaan. God had to heal Namaan on the inside before the outside.
Pastor Dan breaks down Mark 10:17–31, Jesus' conversation with a rich young ruler - and asks the important questions: How much does it cost to follow Jesus?
Join us for Pastor Shane's final message for Wellspring Church as Senior Pastor. Full Service available online at wellspringburlington.com or on YouTube.
Pastor Shane talks about the reality of the 'other place' in this fourth and last week of the sermon series on heaven.
Join us this week in part 3 of our series on heaven where we explore the realities of heaven according to the Bible.
Last week we look at why we need to talk more about heaven. This week, we look at some of what the Bible says heaven will be like. Some of what we read about what heaven will be like in God’s Word may surprise us, as it may not be what we think. What we see in God’s Word this week is that when we have a right view of heaven, it changes how we live now. It changes our attitude toward heaven. It changes how we consider God’s creation. And a right view of heaven also motivates us to live in light of the rewards of heaven.
As we seek a right view of heaven, not based on what we think but by what God reveals to us in his Word, this week we look to dispel three common myths people sometimes have about heaven with what the Bible actually says. As you consider your view of heaven, how much do you think you need an update in your thinking about heaven when confronted with what the Bible actually teaches? Let’s find out!
Heaven. It’s a huge topic in the New Testament but not one we talk a lot about. Over the next few weeks we want to look together at some of the things the Bible teaches us about the reality of heaven…what is heaven like? What is heaven about? What does the Bible say about some of our questions about heaven? And we will also look briefly at what Jesus says about the ‘other place,’ about the reality of hell.
This week we begin by looking at Jesus’ words in John 14:1-4 and then the apostle Paul’s words in Colossians 3:1-4. Both are about heaven, even though neither actually use the word. Heaven is a concept that can be hard for us to get our head around. God doesn’t tell us everything we want to know about heaven. Just what we need to know. But if we are not sure exactly what heaven will be like, then why talk about it? This week in Sunday’s message we look at 4 reasons that are also able to change how we live and experience life now.
Have you ever received that dreaded phone call that someone you love is very sick or has had a bad accident? When we receive news like this our thoughts are consumed with wanting to help, wanting to be there for the one we love. This week we are examining the story where Jesus received news that his close friend Lazarus, “the one he loved”, was deathly sick. Instead of rushing to his friend’s aid, Jesus waits...2 more days. Although his followers did not understand his delay, Jesus reveals his purpose in the waiting. The waiting was not a reflection of a lack of love Jesus has for others, but the sickness became an opportunity for God’s glory to be displayed not only in Lazarus’ life but also Jesus’ life. As we examine the story we will see that in order for Jesus to bring life to his friend, the one he loves, he himself must face death head on showing that he alone is the master of life and death. After Jesus raises Lazarus he has his grave clothes removed so he can dress like the living. Jesus not only calls us from death to life but to live like the living. We no longer need to wear the grave clothes of our past because Jesus clothes us in his righteousness.
The words of Psalm 84 were intended to be a sung or heard by those on pilgrimage in making the journey to worship at the Temple in Jerusalem. A pilgrimage is a journey someone goes on to seek a fresh encounter with God. In the Old Testament, the Temple was where God made His presence known. And so, Psalm 84 was intended to be heard or sung by those making their way to the Temple, to encourage them and keep them going in taking this sometimes long and tiring journey — because at the end they would arrive at God’s “dwelling place” — the place of his presence.
The words of Psalm 84 reminds that when we daily pursue God’s presence, we not only grow closer to God but our lives become characterized by His peace, His strength, and His blessing.
In the Bible, we see that every day God wants us to seek His presence. These three things (peace, strength, blessing) are the reward of those do. Psalm 84 encourages each of us not to give up or lose sight of pursuing Jesus every day, that each one of us would Know God’s peace, God’s strength, and God’s blessing, as we keep focused on pursuing Him above all else. This week we look at ways to pursue Him.
The resurrection isn’t a theory and more than just a historical or religious truth but a CALL to live today according to Jesus’ power. So far in this Easter series, we have seen the cross from the perspective of a Roman centurion, through Jesus’ final words in giving up his life, through the actions of two men who had kept their faith secret (Joseph & Nicodemus), and through the women who first discovered the empty tomb...all to help us see from their vantage point the LOVE, COST, HOPE, and POWER of the CROSS.
This week, we see the CALL of the cross, as we consider Jesus’ words in Matthew 16 and what the apostle Paul teaches in his letter to the Galatians, where he reminds us that the freedom of the cross is experienced by faith through the promise of being given God’s Spirit. Paul writes, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” In Galatians, Paul takes us on a journey of seeing that the cross of Jesus leads to the promise of the Spirit, who produces in us the fruit of freedom and transformation — the experience of new life. Have you taken up that call and invitation?
Listen to this Easter Sunday sermon from Pastor Shane on the power of Jesus shown through his resurrection.
This week, as we come to Palm Sunday and Jesus’ triumphal entry, we look at one of the Roman centurions responsible for ensuring Jesus’ death just 5 days later. The synoptic gospels (Mark, Matthew and Luke) each mention this centurion who at seeing Jesus die on the cross said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” At the cross, the centurion came to see Jesus as God — the one who is truly in control who makes outsiders ‘insiders,’ and who gave up his life for the world. Through the eyes of the centurion, we see the LOVE God was demonstrating in sending his Son to die in our place. Can you see the love?
This is our last week for this series on God’s plan of deliverance for the Israelites, bringing us to chapter 15, to the song of Moses and Miriam.
Last week, we saw that through the parting of the Red Sea and the display of God’s power over the Egyptians, God was showing his glory, that the Israelites — and us with them — might be eternally ‘wowed’ by God’s greatness, that we might never lose sight of the one who calls us.
As this part of the story comes to a close, we see Moses, and then Miriam, Moses’ sister, break into song. It’s a reminder of the message God was giving throughout the plagues, that God was delivering his people for the purpose of freeing them to worship and follow him.
The key verse for this week’s text is verse 2, where Moses says, “The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” When people have hope and joy, they have a song in their heart. God wants to be the song bubbling up in each of our hearts, as we see his concern, love, and power to bring us salvation through Christ. What is the song in your heart these days? Do you have worship in your heart for God over what he has done for you in Christ? Do you have joy in the Spirit?
Retired pastor of over 35 years at Rexdale Alliance Church, Sunder Krishnan's message reflects on God's glory then and as it is revealed in Jesus today, both Lion glory and Lamb glory.
Guest Speaker and Worship Leader Darin Martin teaches on the pillar of cloud and fire that guides the Israelites through the desert in Exodus 13:17-22.
This week we come to the final plague God brings to display his power and release His people from Pharaoh’s grip. Bible commentator D. A. Carson writes, “The importance of this event cannot be overestimated. It signalled not only the release of the Israelites from slavery, but the dawning of a new covenant with their Redeemer.” It’s the Passover.
The tenth and final plague is the greatest and worst of all the plagues where God warns Pharaoh that he will send the judgement of death upon the first born male of every household, upon both man and beast. But upon the households of the Israelites, who God commanded be marked with the blood of a sacrificed lamb, God’s sentence of death would pass over: “The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you (12:13). Only those households marked by the blood would be spared of God’s “judgement on all the gods of Egypt” (12:12).
From that moment forward, God instituted the Passover meal to commemorate his salvation and mark the beginning of a new year. It was this commemorative meal of Passover that Jesus used at the Last Supper to point to him being God’s Passover Lamb for our sin.
Up until this point in Exodus (ch.1-6), God has been preparing his people for their deliverance by revealing, calling, and giving Moses and the Israelites the assurance of his Word to save them, to do what he said he will do — even if it feels delayed — as we heard last week.
Now, chapter 7 marks a transition in the story to the 10 plagues. The plagues will be the means by which God will now reveal himself, to not only Pharaoh but all Egypt, but also the Israelites, too. The plagues will be how God displays his power, manifests his glory, and executes his just judgement to bring his people to a place of being free to worship Him, as each plague will strike at the heart of Egypt’s false gods.
The plagues are a heavy read. We can respond to them in one of two ways — with a soft heart or a hard heart, to seeing them as acts of love and mercy to pry people away from false gods, or, like Pharaoh, respond to God with a hard heart, viewing God’s judgement in an opposite way, as un-loving or un-just. About God’s revelation, Charles Spurgeon wrote, “ The same sun hardens clay and melts wax.” How is your heart toward God? Like ‘clay’ or like ‘wax’ in response to God and His Word?
Last week in the story of Exodus, we transitioned from God’s preparation to the plagues, in moving from Exodus ch. 6 to 7-8:19, as we looked at the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart versus our need to keep a soft and repentant heart toward God.
As we continue this week to look again at the plagues — these acts of mercy sent to soften and pry people’s hearts away from worshipping false gods — we now cover plagues #4-9. The key verse in our text for this week is ch. 9:16 where God says regarding Pharaoh: “I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” God was not only using the plagues to pry people’s hearts away from worshipping idols but in Pharaoh’s resistance to also show God’s power to the glory of His name.
In a sentence, what we see in this week’s text is that God has no rivals, and uses His power to demonstrate the greatness of His name over all. How are we to respond? To savour His unmatched greatness, to follow God unconditionally (unlike Pharaoh), and to unashamedly embrace God’s call to make the name of Jesus known..
Last week, in Exodus 5, we saw the need for us to persevere in our walk with God, as faithfully following God sometimes makes life harder instead of easier...but in the end always better. This week, as we turn to Exodus 6, we see that following God and trusting in his saving work for our lives also entails faithfully waiting on God to fulfill his promise.
Our chapter this week begins with God telling Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh...” Only God’s definition of ‘now,’ seems different than ours, because God’s rescue still doesn’t come right away. Instead of action, what proceeds in this chapter is God once again giving Moses and his people the reassurance of his promise instead: God’s promise to bring them “out from under the yoke of the Egyptians” (v.6). God tells Moses that in the past God had not yet made himself “fully known”(v.4), as he is now about to do...but how? Through the Israelites waiting on him to act in power in a way they had not known... but to see God’s power they would have to still patiently wait.
Faithfully waiting on God to act and bring about the fullness of his saving work for our lives prepares our heart to receive God’s promises.
How do you respond when faithfully following God’s Word makes life harder instead of easier? This week, we turn to Exodus 5 where Moses and Aaron faithfully follow God’s Word in going to tell Pharaoh to let God’s people go. Pharaoh rejects God’s voice (v.2). In hearing their request, Pharaoh not only rejects their message but answers back by making the Israelites’ labour ‘harder’(v.9). Seeing the trouble Moses’ obedience to God’s call and God’s Word has brought to their situation, it says, the Israelite overseers found Moses and Aaron and cursed and criticized them. Instead of things getting easier, obeying God’s Word — for both Moses and the people — at first, it made life harder.
We sometimes see this same pattern in our own lives when we commit ourselves to living faithful to God’s Word and call in Christ. In the New Testament, Jesus actually promises us that, “In this world you will have trouble” (Jn. 16:33). How will you respond to trouble? At the end of ch. 5, how does Moses respond? That is what we look at this week.
Over the last three weeks in our Encountering God through Exodus series we have learned that not only does God see us but wants us to see Him and know Him. Knowing who God is is foundational for doing life with God. Once God makes Himself known to Moses He calls him to participate in God’s mission to save God’s people so they can be His people again. In this way Exodus foreshadows the entire story of Scripture where God rescues people from sin by sending a Saviour, Jesus, so they can be His people again.
What an incredible privilege that Moses would be called by God to participate in this unfolding story of redemption. Although God’s call is clear, Moses is slow to answer and when he does he finds that he has compromised the call. This week’s text is a challenging reminder of the holiness of God. God’s holiness requires faithfulness, is developed in our lives as a process which takes time as we learn to follow God’s call on our lives.
In the opening chapters of the story of Exodus, we have so far seen that God is a God who sees, that God sees us and remembers us — even if things look to the contrary. Last week, we saw that when God draws us, he first reveals himself, as God did for Moses at the burning bush. This week, we see that God also calls us, and that God’s calling upon our lives is not dependent upon who we are but who God is, as He calls each of us to serve Him as His witness in the world.
Only how does Moses respond to God’s call? When God calls him to go back to Egypt to bring the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob up out of Egypt, how does Moses reply? With the same type of response we often give God when we consider His call upon our lives to go and reach the lost. Our text says Moses answers God back with 5 questions that question God. This week we examine each question, both as a window into our own doubts and fears, but also to see how God answers and what God’s answers reveal about Him and His promises. Moses’ questions remind us that the true hero of this story is not Moses but God Himself. God’s call isn’t dependent upon us but Him.
Last week, we ended examining chapters 1-2 by seeing that ‘God Sees’ us and always remembers us — no matter how it may look. This week in chapter 3, we see through the call of Moses that God’s call upon our lives to be saved and then to serve Him graciously first begins with ‘God Revealing’ Himself. In this text, we see God introduce and reveal Himself to Moses in four ways, as the God who 1) is over Creation, 2) is Holy, 3) is Generational, and 4) Intimately Speaks. These are the ways God also wants you to know Him. God’s call upon our lives begins with first seeing who He is and never losing sight of Him.
Last week, we began this advent series looking at how, even though Jesus’ birth was unexpected, his coming was God’s plan all along — something we see from Genesis to Revelation.
This week, as we look at the birth of Jesus, we see that he is also God’s unexpected gift to each one of us. In the OT, in Isaiah 9:6, it says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.” Perhaps the most well-known verse in all of the Bible, John 3:16 states it again: “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son.” When they found Jesus, Matthew 2 says the wise men from the east bowed and gave Mary and Jospeh gifts in worship to the birth of the messiah. In this one gift of Jesus, we receive all the rest of God’s gifts — forgiveness, eternal life, the Holy Spirit’s presence, and every good thing God intends for us.
In 2 Corinthians 9:10-15, the apostle Paul says the gift of Jesus should lead us to give generously to others in need, which will overflow in “many expressions of thanks to God.” At Christmas, we give gifts as a reminder of Jesus being God’s greatest gift to us that Paul says is “indescribable.” How about you? Like the magi, how much is giving part of your worship in response to God’s “indescribable gift” to us in Jesus?
For our fourth and final week in our series Plugged into Prayer, we are going to look at what James says about prayer. In our text, James says that pretty much every situation is an opportunity to pray. Are you in trouble? Are you happy? Are you sick? Are you in need of getting right with God? The answer, James says, is always to pray — to go to God, to talk with God, to relay your heart and your needs — as well as the needs of others — to God through this incredible gift we call prayer.
But sometimes, our prayers don’t always feel that effective. Sometimes that is simply because we don’t see God answer right away or in the way we want. But other times the problem may be that we don’t pray effectively. James says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” One of the ways our prayers become more effective is by us growing into our spiritual authority — the righteous position God has given us with him through Christ. As Rob Reimer states, “Spiritual authority is rooted in identity, expanded in intimacy, and activated by faith.” Let’s look at these ingredients to a more powerful prayer life.
This is our third week of our Plugged into Prayer series. The first week we learned how we should pray though the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6. Jesus provided a model for the practice of prayer that started with God and invited us to participate in his kingdom work in this world. The second week we looked Paul’s prayer for the believers in Ephesus in Ephesian 1. Paul persistently prayed for these believers remembering them regularly as he prayed to the Father. Through prayer we are invited to intercede for others in our lives bringing their needs before God. This week we will hear stories about how we can further partner with what God is doing in this world by loving our neighbours. This happens through prayer but also by being the hands and feet of Jesus, bringing the transforming gospel of Christ into the lives of others.
This is our second week in our new Plugged into Prayer series. In week 1, we looked at the prayer Jesus gave us: The Lord’s Prayer. This week, we look at the example of the Apostle Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1, where he writes, “I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers” (v.16).
By praying, God not only wants us to remember Him, and to remember to come to Him with our needs, but in prayer He also wants us to remember others. Our text for this week is, basically, one long, single sentence prayer of intercession. To ‘intercede,’ means to act on behalf of, or to intervene, for another. What can we learn from this packed prayer of Paul for our own prayers for others? As Paul prays for the believers in ancient Ephesus, we see him praying for an increase of 3 things in their life in Christ: 1) an experiential knowledge of God, 2) an understanding of hope, and 3) a belief in God’s power. Paul’s prayer is that, as believers, they would more fully know what they have in Christ, as there is nothing more important for a believer to apprehend. Do you remember others in prayer? What do you pray for?
This is the first week of our new Plugged into Prayer series. Over the next four weeks we will learn how God wants to shape our lives around the practice of prayer. Throughout this series we will look at various prayers of Jesus and the apostle Paul in the New Testament.
This week like the disciples in Matthew 6, we are going to sit with Jesus and learn from him how to pray. Although called the “Lord’s Prayer” it was actually the “disciples prayer” which became a model of prayer and life for followers of Jesus. As we examine this prayer we are going to learn that the kind of prayer that Jesus taught is one that begins not with our needs and wants but with God’s. Jesus’ model for prayer begins with God; a focus on God, the worship of God, and invites us to participate with the kingdom of God as he works out his will in this world and in our lives.
Listen as special guest Juan Carlos 'JC' Alzamora speaks.
Guest Juan Carlos 'JC' Alzamora is a gifted preacher and also operates in the spiritual gift of prophecy as he ministers. His passion is to see people's walk with the Lord come alive. Originally from Venezuela, he travels the world helping to plant churches and encouraging congregations, with emphasis on teaching about the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
In Hebrews 10:25, we are told to “encourage one another,” because encouragement is something we all need. At one time or another, all of us get discouraged and are in need of being encouraged. The biblical concept of encouragement literally means ‘to come alongside to build up.’ Proverbs 25:28 says, “A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.” Encouragement is about building back up the walls of a person’s heart through faith in the hope of Christ. We can’t control what happens to us in life or sometimes what goes on around us, but we can take control of what we allow into our heart. When we don’t attend to the walls of our heart, discouragement can find a way in. There were many in Scripture who at one time or another became discouraged, such as David or Elijah, to name just two, who God strengthened in their time of need. Like David, we need to encourage ourselves by strengthening ourselves in the Lord (1 Samuel 30:6). As Hebrews tell us, we also need to encourage one another. And, like we see in the words of Paul (Ephesians 3:14-16), we need to look for ways to encourage the Body of Christ. That is what this week’s focus is all about.
In the Bible, we see that God is at work in the world, and he wants us to join him. After the resurrection, the Gospel of John says Jesus appeared to the disciples to show them he was alive, to dispel their fear, and to then commission them with his Spirit to carry on his mission. Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” Our English word mission comes from the Latin word missio, which means ‘to send.’ As the Father sent him, now, Jesus sends us into the world to be his representatives and to carry on his work. As was shared in the message this week, taking up Jesus’ mission as our mission is a ‘command,’ not a suggestion (Matthew 28:18-20). God’s Word tells us that our mission in life is to be a continuation of Jesus’ mission and has eternal significance. The cost of embracing God’s mission for our life here on earth is abandoning our own agenda and accepting God’s agenda. It requires a shift from self to others, from thinking just locally to globally, and from being focused on only the now to a more eternal perspective. Together, let’s embrace Jesus mission!
As we continue our series on our church vision and values, this week look at our core value of Relationship. In John 13, Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Out of the love of God, Jesus initiated deep relationship with his disciples, even when he knew one of them would betray that love, as we see in this pivotal chapter in the Gospel of John.
Jesus’ words about love are a command, reminding us that if we claim to follow Jesus we must show love for others — first and foremost to other believers. What makes this command of Jesus ‘new’? It is that we are to now love one another, as he has loved us. How has Jesus modelled love to us? This week, that’s what we want to find out, as we re-commit ourselves to forging ‘redemptive relationships’ with one another in the Body of Christ as a witness to the world.
This week we are continuing our Pursuing Jesus series looking at our vision and values as a church. Last week we looked at the core value of being Spirit-led and this week we are focusing on Transformation. This core value is that we would experience transformation through Jesus on every level of our lives from the way we think (head), feel (heart) and live out our faith (hands). Evidence of a transformed life is usually seen through changed behaviours (how people live) but this change often begins first in the mind as God transforms our thoughts and renews our minds as we encounter his truth.
This week we are going to examine a story of a woman who experienced transformation when she met Jesus. The truth of Jesus changes her mind, her heart, and ultimately her life. Paul in Romans 12 also invites us to experience a transformed life by conforming our thoughts, not to the pattern of the world, but to the ways of Jesus through the “renewing of our minds”.
This is the third week in our fall series focused on our vision and values as a church. In week 1, we looked at our vision: pursuing deeper life in Christ - to be passionate pursuers of Jesus — to not just be fans but true followers. In week 2, we looked at the foundation of our vision: God’s Word. This past week, have you been growing a stronger grip on God’s Word by being in God’s Word? Memorizing it? Meditating on it?
This week, we look together at the first of our church’s four core values: Being Spirit Led. In John 14, Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth.” In John 16, Jesus expands on this saying, “when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” Jesus calls the Holy Spirit our ‘Advocate’ and the one who will lead and guide us into truth. Later, the apostle Paul in Romans 8 talks about living life led by the Spirit, saying, “the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace” (v.6). We are led by the Spirit by being surrendered to the Spirit.
This fall we are looking at what it means to pursue Jesus through the words of Jesus in the Gospel of John. John opens his gospel in a unique way, calling Jesus the ‘Word’ that “became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (1:14). It means that Jesus is God’s living Word to us. Later in John 8, Jesus said to his disciples, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (vv.31-32). And then in John 15, Jesus says, “If you love me, keep my commands.... Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” (vv.15,21). In these words of Jesus, we see that pursuing Jesus is wrapped up in pursuing him in his WORD. Making a commitment to Jesus necessitates making a personal commitment to God’s Word. How can you make a greater commitment to God’s Word? Let’s look together to see the ways and find out!
Check Out This Week Sermon by Guest Speaker Tommy Tsui answering the question Is The Lord With Us?
Check out this weeks Sermon given by Guest Speaker Jon Miller for Week 3 of our Encountering God Series.
This week we conclude our Lives Changed by Jesus series by examining the story of a man who is in a situation that we would call impossible. This man could arguably be considered the most tortured person that we read about in the pages of scripture. This is a man who possessed not by one demon but a legion of demons who terrorized him day and night. As we read about his condition, we learn that humanly speaking this man is beyond help and beyond hope until he meets Jesus and is changed forever. Additionally this story serves as a declaration that Jesus is the Son of the Most High God, whose authority knows no limits.
As we near the end of this series (one more week to go), this week’s passage is not about one person’s life being changed but two — two daughters whose stories are intermingled. The first woman we look at is the woman who suffered an abnormal period that lasted 12 long years — that is until she was healed and called a ‘daughter’ by Jesus. The second was a young girl, the daughter of Jairus, who died before Jesus reached her, only to then be raised back to life. The first woman’s story is sandwiched in Luke’s gospel by the story of the second. Both the woman with the issue of blood and Jairus, the father of the little girl, had to press into Jesus and not let the crowd choke out their faith. When each came to Jesus, Jesus’ power to save — his power to both heal and restore — was released into their lives. Will we do the same? That is the question we take away.
In most bibles, the title given to our text for this week is ‘Jesus Honours a Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith.’ That is what this story teaches us: what Jesus honours is FAITH. But what kind of faith? This life-changing story of Jesus takes effort on our part to get to the heart of because embedded in Jesus’ words is a potentially disturbing response given in parable, an allusion to Jesus’ call first to Jews, and an affirmation that a demonic spirit had possessed a child. But underneath all of these challenging things, what the gospel writer Mark wants us to see most is that what Jesus honours and responds to is simply faith. We don’t find the word ‘faith’ in the passage, but that is what we see in the actions and words of the woman as she pursues, engages, and trusts Jesus with the need she brings him. How about you? Are you exercising faith in Jesus for your need right now?
The gospel of Mark reads like an action movie trailer cutting quickly from scene to scene. Unlike the other gospels, Mark does not rely on genealogy or birth narrative but demonstrates Jesus’ authority as the Messiah through both word and deed. Jesus heals sickness and casts out demons as he brings the kingdom of God to bare against disease, death, and the devil. Jesus demonstrates his authority when he touches the untouchable and heals a leper. As we examine the story we will learn that the leper is changed when when he meets with Jesus, is loved by Jesus, is touched by Jesus, and in turn shares Jesus with others.
In every genuine believer is the gift of God — the living presence of the Holy Spirit. But as Paul tells a young Timothy in our text for this week, God’s presence and gifts in us are something we must tend to and ‘fan into flame.’ Timothy is one of the most talked about figures in the New Testament. His journey of being changed by Jesus seemed to be less a dramatic moment of change (like that of the forgiven woman in last week’s text) to more of a gradual change. In 2 Timothy 3:15, Paul talks about how Timothy had been taught the Old Testament scriptures from infancy, which prepared him for believing in Jesus. But when he received the ‘gift of God’ through faith in Jesus, the direction of Timothy’s life changed in terms of God directing him to full-time service. How have you been continuing to fan into flame your gifts?
When someone has done something for you of great significance, our response is usually one of gratitude. This week’s scripture revolves around the story of a woman at a dinner party who knew she had been forgiven of her sin. In your bible, she may be referred to as the ‘sinful woman.’ But after encountering Jesus, she should probably be known as ‘the forgiven woman.’ Remarkably, Luke tells us that this woman shows something for Jesus that the host of this party, Simon the pharisee, did not — gratitude and honour. Jesus’ love for her drove her to show Jesus gratitude and honour. In typical ‘Jesus fashion,’ Jesus tells Simon a story to help him see that someone who has been forgiven much, loves much. What Simon doesn’t seem to see is that he too is a sinner in need of God’s forgiveness. How is your honour toward Jesus?
This week we are going to examine how when Jesus changes lives it is not only for the individual but others. The change that Christ does in us is also meant to be done through us as we share Jesus did others. As we enter a relationship with Jesus we get caught up in the mission of God to rescue and redeem the nations of the world. Sharing Jesus with others can be challenging, but we are going to examine how Philip shares Jesus with an Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8. As we do we are going to see how effective sharing begins with hearing from the Spirit, finding common ground, doing life with people, and is based on God’s transforming word.
This week we look at yet another life changed by Jesus. In our text, the gospel writer Mark tells us that word has gotten out about Jesus’ power to heal, deliver, and change lives, which draws crowds of people to Jesus. This leads four guys to do something daring — to bring their paralyzed friend to Jesus for healing by literally lowering him through the roof of the house Jesus was teaching in. The story breaks down into two parts: 1) the first part is about Jesus’ ministry to the man on the mat; 2) the second is about the revelation of Jesus’ words spoken to the scribes questioning Jesus. Both moments in the story help us see Jesus more clearly and help us better understand how Jesus wants to change our lives.
This week we begin a new message series looking at various lives in the New Testament changed by a single common factor: an encounter with Jesus. Some were seeking Jesus, others were found by him. Some met Jesus face-to-face, some were told about him by others. We begin with a woman named Lydia from the story of Acts 16. While we are not told a lot about Lydia, there is a lot we can learn from her life. Her encounter with Jesus did not appear overly dramatic but nonetheless miraculous in the sense that Acts tells us that in hearing about Jesus “the Lord opened her heart”. Lydia’s open heart led to her life being open to Jesus, and much more. This week we look at four traits of a heart being opened by God.
This week we wrap up our look at the book of Colossians. The big idea of this week’s focus is that the small things we do for Christ can be used of God to make a BIG difference. In this last chapter, the apostle Paul lists small ‘every day’ things believers are called to practice that God will use to impact the lives of both believers and unbelievers alike — sometimes in a big way — such as taking a moment to pray for someone or bringing God into a conversation. Paul ends his letter by also listing a number of what we might call ‘small names’ of scripture who faithfully served the cause of Christ. Sometimes we can forget that the apostle Paul had a whole team of other believers around him to help him carry out the work of the Gospel. God wants each of us to see that we all have an important part in his plan — even if it looks small.
The first half of Paul’s words in Colossians focus on theology, doctrine, and understanding the supremacy of Jesus as “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (1:15). The second half of Colossians is about the difference being in Christ makes in our life in the practical. One of the things we learn about life in Christ from this week’s passage of scripture is that whoever we are, wherever we are, and in whatever we do in life, we are "to do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (v.17). In our text, Paul talks about 3 spheres of life that are impacted by being in Christ: church, family, and work. Being in Christ makes a difference in each of these three circles. How we are at home and at work is just as important — or more — to our life in Christ than who we are at church.
In chapters 1-2, Colossians focuses on the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus. Now, as we move to chapter 3, Paul begins to focus on what applying the truth of Jesus’ supremacy to our lives should look like. In other words, the first half of Colossians is theological about Christ. The second half of the book focuses on the practical in putting on what Paul calls the ‘new self.’ To do that, from Paul’s words, we see the need to give Christ supremacy in four dimensions of our life: ‘life above’ where we look at our life from God’s point of view (3:1-2), ‘life below’ where we pay attention to how we live (3:5-10), ‘life within’ where Jesus resides and we abide with him (3:3,11), and ‘life beyond’ where we stay mindful of the hope, and even coming wrath, of Jesus’ return.
The book of Colossians is all about the importance of knowing Christ — that living in Christ is everything. But in this week’s passage, the apostle Paul warns that after coming to faith, we can still be led astray. The point of this text is that we must continue to stay connected to Christ. It’s only when we continue to ‘live in him’ just as we first ‘received Christ,’ that we will experience the fullness of what he has done for us. So, it’s important that our confession of Christ be accompanied by follow up, a focus on building a strong foundation, and exhibiting fortitude in our faith through thanksgiving. Paul warns us that we must guard against any deceptive philosophy that would lure us to depend on anything rather than Christ.
In this section Paul describes life as citizens of the kingdom of God, and its King Jesus Christ. Paul describes not one but two kingdoms. A kingdom of darkness that these believers have been rescued out of and a kingdom of light that they have been brought into. Just as God rescued Israel from the kingdom of Egypt and brought them into a new inheritance (Canaan), God through Christ has rescued them once again but not from a physical kingdom but a spiritual kingdom. After describing the kingdom, Paul poetically describes the King whose universal reign matches the universality of the gospel. Christ as King over creation extends to the cross and our very lives as his followers.
Paul a minister of the gospel is bound in chains while he writes this letter to the Colossians believers, a people he has never met, whose church he has never visited, to commend them on their faith in Jesus. Paul may be bound in chains but the gospel is breaking free and spreading beyond and independently of Paul himself. Paul does not need to have met these believers to have a relationship. He address them as fellow believers who like him are “In Christ.” Paul’s relationship with the gospel is also shared with this community. He understands that it is a gospel that flows from Christ, is accomplished through Christ, and is for the sake of Christ and his mission.
As we wrap up our message series on what it means to be a devoted follower of Jesus and a church devoted to the Gospel — especially in a time of disruption like COVID — we conclude by looking at the parting words of Jesus to the disciples: “‘As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.’ Then he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” On the day of Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples were huddled in fear of the Jewish leaders. In the midst of their fear and how they thought everything had changed, Jesus appeared to them to reassure them that everything was in keeping with the Father’s plan — they were to continue his ministry. But to do so, they would now need to receive and rely upon the Holy Spirit.
What mattered most to the apostle Paul was people hearing the message of the Gospel, and he knew that he was God’s medium for hearing it. So, Paul says in our passage, he devoted himself to “become all things to all people” for the sake of the Gospel and for people to come into a saving relationship with Jesus. Even though Paul considered himself free and belonging to no one — other than Christ — he was willing to become a ‘slave to everyone’ else’s culture or situation in order to reach them with the Good News of Jesus. Paul didn’t compromise, change, or water down the message, but he adapted himself to communicate it in a way that helped others receive it. Like Paul, God wants us to be willing to change or accommodate those around us for the sake of reaching them.
In our text this week, we are given a picture by Jesus of what brings God and heaven joy. This week we are going to look at the first of three parables that Jesus tells in response to being criticized by the Pharisees. All three parables are about something ‘lost’ being ‘found.’ In the context of the chapter, Jesus is illustrating for us what matters most to God. The Pharisees were muttering to one another about Jesus welcoming and associating with people not yet living a godly life. Their concern was the integrity of God’s law being followed. But Jesus points out to us in the parable of the one lost sheep what matters even more to God — even just one person ‘being found.’ What matters most to us? What do we most celebrate? Are we devoted to the lost as Jesus was?
Last week, we looked at being devoted to unity for the sake of spiritual maturity in Ephesians 4. This week we look at how each one of us through Christ has been made a member of God’s household, “being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” In a household, every member is important and plays an important role. In God’s ‘house,’ it’s the same. Each one of us needs to see ourselves as a ‘living stone’ as it says in 1 Pet. 2:5, being joined and fitted together for what God is building. The question is, how do we find our place or fit in God’s household? One way is by looking at our personal S.H.A.P.E. as a believer (spiritual gifts, heart passion, abilities, personality, experience) and being devoted to serving God ’s mission in the way God has made or ‘shaped’ us.
This week guest speaker Jon Miller returns to Ephesians 4, picking up from where we left off 2 weeks ago on the apostle Paul’s words on keeping the unity of the Spirit as a body of believers. Paul now talks about one of the things that flows from unity in the life of a local body of Christ: a devotion to growing spiritual maturity. A church walking in unity will be devoted to maturity, being a people who stand arm in arm, growing together in Jesus Christ. In our passage, Paul talks about unity being expressed in a diversity of gifts and callings within the Body of Christ. Paul says, “Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people” and to build up believers “all until reach unity in the faith.” The focus and result of this diversity of gifting is being unified in Christ.
In our passage, the apostle Paul brings us back to the basics. Paul reminds believers what is core to Christianity and what is “of first importance”: passing on the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection, according to the Scriptures. Steven Covey famously coined the phrase, ‘The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing,’ about the need for organizations to keep focused to be effective. For the Church, the main thing is Jesus and his resurrection. When the core of the Gospel becomes forgotten, displaced, or even denied, Paul says we are in danger of having “believed in vain.” This week we look at being devoted to “the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2) in being devoted to the message of the cross being the core of what it means to truly be the Church and a follower of Jesus.
As Paul sits in prison for the gospel, his chains are a constant reminder that he is not simply a prisoner of Rome but sees himself as a prisoner for the Lord. He is bound to Christ, his Church, and to the community of believers he is writing to. Paul implores this community to “make every effort to keep the unity” (4:3) of Christ. As the Church today, when we choose to fight, not for what divides but for what unites us, we become a community that reflects the presence, power and purpose of Jesus to the world around us. The unity that we are called to maintain is not a creation of the Church, but flows from our identity in Christ (2:13–22). Unity was so important to Jesus that he prays that we would be one so that the world would know of the love of God (John 17:21–23).
In Acts 2, with the coming of the Holy Spirit the early Church ignited with explosive signs and wonders pointing to the reality of Jesus, which translated into a growing community devoted to new life in Christ and sharing the good news of Jesus with others. Their devotion to Christ led to close fellowship and sharing with one another to meet peoples needs where “the Lord added to their number daily” (2:47). But then suddenly, their Acts 2 world was turned upside down by persecution in Acts 8, “where all except the apostles were scattered”(8:1). God used persecution to push the Church to where God wanted the Gospel to go. The Early Church was forced to reimagine what it looked like to be devoted in a time of being scattered. In this time of COVID, we need to do the sam
As we move into a new year, how can we be people of prayer, like the Apostle Paul was, and what should we be praying for? Listen this week to hear Pastor Shane breaks down Colossians 1:9-14. Together, let's be a church of prayer in 2022.
Listen to Pastor Dan Martin speak on the Gospel of John and what it really means for us to follow Jesus.
This week Pastor Shane breaks down John 1:14-18 as we remember the miracle of Jesus, -who is God - coming in the form of a baby.
Behind all the lights and festivities, what exactly is Christmas about? In one word, Jesus. But who is Jesus? Join us as we look at four truths about Jesus from the Gospel of John that will lead you to experiencing new life.
In this message, Pastor Shane breaks down the opening verses of the Gospel of John.
Prayer is the most powerful weapon God has given the Church and is the subject of our final passage in James for this series. In the six verses of our passage, prayer is mentioned in every verse. James reminds us that those who have become spiritually mature in their walk with Christ don’t just pray when there is trouble but pray on all occasions. When we are happy, James tells us to pray in the form of praise. Christian writer David Foster says, “Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us.” James talks about the importance of praying individually but also initiating prayer with others, whether it be the elders in praying for physical healing or praying for each other in the confession of sin. Prayer is our most powerful tool.
Most of us don’t think of ourselves as rich, but by virtue of the fact that we live in North America by world standards almost all of us are wealthy. In our text this week, James reminds us that God cares how we use our wealth, that God hears the cry of those who are poor, and that God’s desire is for us to use our wealth to enrich our lives spiritually by following Jesus’ command to give to the poor and to treat others fairly to build up for ourself treasure in heaven (Luke 6:33). Some could take James’ strong — even harsh — words about those ‘who are rich’ to be about class warfare or solely the 1%. But wealth and greed has a pull on us all. It’s not about the numbers but more about the heart: ‘So, what will you do with your wealth?’
The night before Jesus went to the cross, he prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Lk. 22:42). That is what this week’s passage from James is about — embracing and trusting in God’s sovereign plan instead of our own. James writes to remind believers not to be self-confident but God- confident in going about life, knowing that ultimately God is sovereignly in control. This is the same message we read in the apostle Paul’s letters: “[Jesus Christ] is before all things, and in him all things hold together”(Col.1:17). A true Christ follower consciously lives life under God’s control, reaping rewards in character, mental health, and living with eternal purpose
We have been journeying through James now for several weeks and have come to see that this is a small book of the Bible that packs a big punch! This week is no different, as James turns to the topic of quarrelling and what leads to a peaceful life. James begins our passage by acknowledging that we all fall to the temptation to quarrel, which he says, is rooted in the selfish desires we battle within. Without even realizing it, James says, we can be so caught up in a selfish pursuit that it shapes even how we pray — if we even take time to pray. Thankfully, James says, God will keep giving the grace we need to turn and submit our desires and battles to him, which will lead to the promise of a peaceful and godly life.
Guest speaker Steve Cox speaks this week on James 3:13-18:
There is a great deal of difference between having knowledge and wisdom. Both are good, but wisdom is knowing how to best apply the knowledge you have. Scripture states that, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom”(Prov. 9:10). In our passage this week, James talks about there being two kinds of wisdom — a wisdom that is earthly in contrast to a wisdom that is from above, from God. Like many other aspects of our faith, James says the kind of wisdom you live by shows itself in how you live. James makes the point that to truly understand God’s Word is to put it into practice — to live out what God says. To help us see the difference and not be confused, James gives examples of both to help us choose.
In challenging believers to make sure the ‘rubber is hitting the road’ in their relationship with God, James goes for the jugular in targeting one area: the use of our tongue. James reminds us of the power of our words. He writes, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness” (v.9). What we say can have great effect — both positive and negative. James argues what we all know — that we stumble in sometimes saying the wrong thing. A need we all have is to is filter what we say, for which we need God’s help. In our passage, James gives us three reasons to tame our tongue, a problem that we need to recognize is rooted in our heart, as we ask Holy Spirit for help.
Over the centuries, there has been much debate over James’ words in this week’s passage about the question of whether we are saved good works or by faith alone. Thankfully, the sufficiency of Jesus’ work on the cross and the Apostle Paul’s words in Ephesians 2:8-9 settles the issue, where Paul says we are saved by grace through faith alone, “not by works, so that no one can boast.” What James is really getting at in our passage is a different question: What is the nature of genuine faith? Typical of James, he does not mince words in making it clear that genuine faith in Jesus is always accompanied by works (action) — as opposed to simple mental assent. Faith without deeds, James claims is actually dead — worthless.
In his letter, James lays out the importance of matching your ‘walk’ with your ‘talk’ in pursuing genuine faith and a true walk with God. From a place of loving concern, James in our passage this week, calls out an issue we all struggle with — showing favouritism. Exposing the incompatibility of favouritism and faith, James asks the question, “how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favour some people over others?”(v.1). Showing favouritism has two sides. Partiality and prejudice. Both come down to treating or relating to someone based on appearance or outward things. Instead, James says we should love everyone the same and show mercy to those the world shuns.
Taking a break from our sermon series on James this week to hear an update from a Global Missions partner.
In our passage this week, Jesus tells us that looking to him for healing and salvation is the only the way to receive God’s gift of eternal life. In speaking to Nicodemus, a Jewish teacher and rabbi, Jesus reveals his uniqueness as the only one who can save because he is the only one truly from heaven — the place of God’s unhindered presence. And because of that, he is the only one who is able to grant us the eternal life that defines heaven. In speaking with Nicodemus, Jesus uses the picture of God telling Moses to lift up a bronze snake for the Israelites to gaze upon for healing in Numbers ch. 21 to foreshadow how Jesus through the cross would be lifted up in order to be the source of eternal life for all who believe - an interesting story!
When taking the ‘tube’ in London, an announcement is made on the loud speaker every time the doors open, saying, ‘Mind the gap!’ It’s to help passengers beware of the gap between the train and the station platform, so they don’t trip up. In our text this week, that is what James is saying about minding the gap that there can be between us listening to God’s Word and us actually doing what it says. James says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” Doing what the Word says, according to James, is true religion. James’ concern is not to explain all the details of doctrine but to help believers live a truly sanctified life by not just being a ‘hearer’ of the Word but being a ‘doer’ of God’s Word.
In this next section of James’ words, he gives wisdom regarding the nature of temptation. His first word of wisdom to us in week 1 was the importance of recognizing that God uses trials to grow us. But when facing temptation, James says, don’t blame God. He writes, “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’” God may test, but he never tempts. Only the enemy tempts us to sin. In talking about how we can become lured or enticed to do something wrong, like a fish being baited with a hook, James says don’t be deceived into taking sin’s bait. In contrast, James reminds us that only things that are good or perfect come from God. We can always count on good things coming from God because He never changes.
We are beginning the fall by turning to the Book of James, what some call the ‘Proverbs of the New Testament,’ because it is filled with practical wisdom for godly living. James was the half-brother of Jesus, not to be confused with the other James’ who were disciples. At first a skeptic, James encountered the resurrected Jesus and went on to be a pillar of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15). Originally speaking to Jewish believers, James wrote to share the importance of putting faith to work in action, providing insight for true godly living. He begins by speaking about God’s overall goal for your life, which is to make you a mature and a holy reflection of him through the testing of your faith, a goal of God’s that should give us joy.
For more information about this sermon, visit wellspringburlington.com/current-sermon-series.
Join us this week as Pastor Shane breaks down the story of Nehemiah and the journey he went on to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Pastor Shane "dives" into the story of Jonah, and the freedom we find when we surrender all to Jesus.
Pastor Shane breaks down the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19. Elijah has just walked away from an epic victory against false gods and prophets, but ends up feeling discouraged and even depressed only a day later.
Learn how God meets us in our discouragement and gives us hope and strength beyond the things of this world.
This week, Pastor Shane breaks down the first chapter Ruth, the Bold Confession she makes, and how her story leads to the birth of Jesus many years later.
Check out the full service online at www.wellspringburlington.com or visit the Wellspring Church Burlington Youtube Channel.
This week, Jon Miller takes a break from our current sermon series "Lessons from Characters of the O.T." to talk about John 15, and the importance of abiding in Jesus.
Pastor Shane breaks down the story of Gideon from the book of Judges, teaching us to see ourselves the way God sees us.
"To be people of justice means to engage in radical Christ-centred ministry of mercy and compassion."
Guest speaker Jon Miller continues the summer sermon series on Lessons from Characters in the Old Testament. This week he continues on his topic from last week from Isaiah 58; how we should be committed to justice and compassion for people.
This week, Jonathan Miller continues the summer sermon series on Lessons from Characters in the Old Testament in Isaiah 58.
This week, Pastor Shane continues the summer sermon series on Lessons from Characters in the Old Testament, talking about the story of Hagar and how God saw her despite how she felt. The story of Hagar can be found in Genesis 16.
We kick off our new Summer Series where are going to be looking at different characters of the O.T. with looking at the life of Noah. Pastor Shane talks about the importance of having a deep rooted faith that we see exemplified in the life of Noah.
In the final week of our Investigating Jesus series, Pastor Shane talked about the subject of Joy and how that Joy is a manifestation of being filled with the Spirit of God that is for all believers!
In this week's message Pastor Shane talks about the power of the Holy Spirit and how one of the main reasons that we as believers have been filled with God's very presence is to move and walk in God's power!
In this week's message Pastor talks about the importance of living a life where we are in constant pursuit of the Holy Spirit and encountering his presence! There is always more!
In this week's message, Pastor Joel talks about both the emotional benefits of spiritual community as well as how our personal spiritual growth happens best in community!
In this week's message, Pastor Shane talks about the necessity and importance of being a part of spiritual community and the role it plays in the life of a believer.
In this week's message, Pastor Shane talks about the famous story of the demoniac in Luke 8 and focuses on the man's salvation encounter with Jesus.
In this weeks message, Pastor Shane talks about what it means to live by faith when it comes to believing for a miracle. He takes a look at very familiar portion of Scripture in Luke 8 with the woman with the issue of blood and the healing of Jairus' daughter.
In this week's message Pastor Joel talks about the subject of forgiveness. He used the story found in Luke 7:36-50 involving Jesus, a woman, and a Pharisee which is a beautiful demonstration or picture of the forgiving love that Jesus has for each one of us.
In this week's message, Pastor Shane looks at two well known healing stories from Luke 5 and talks about the amazing reality that Jesus still heals today! So, if you need a physical healing in your body, than this message is for you!
This week's message is a little bit different. Pastor Shane briefly talks about God's heart for the lost using the 3 well known parables from Luke 15. However, we also heard from Lorna Dueck and her passion and heart for the Alpha course as well as a few testimonies about what God has done in and through the course here at Wellspring.
Hope is Alive! Jesus is Alive! Today Pastor Shane talks about the the life changing hope that we have in Jesus because he rose from the grave!
In this week's sermon, Pastor Shane tackles the subject of 'demonic deliverance' as is seen in Luke 4:31-37. This text is a great example of the power of Jesus and how nothing can stand against him!
In this week's sermon, Pastor Shane takes a look at the exciting passage of Scripture known as the genealogy of Jesus that can be found in Luke 3:23-38. Most people simply skip this portion of Luke, but as will discover, there is a lot in there that can rock your life for the better!
In this week's sermon pastor talks about the difference between the baptism of John and the baptism of Jesus. Do you need a fresh baptism of the fire of God in your life? If so, this message is for you!
We are in week 2 of our new series called Investigating Jesus in the gospel of Luke, and In this week's message, Pastor Joel walks through the amazing story of 12 year old Jesus in the temple and looks at the earliest recorded words of Jesus that we have in the Bible! Get ready!
In our final message, Pastor Shane takes a few minutes to talk about the subject of heaven and how we as believers need to live each day with heaven and eternity in mind.
Our culture is fascinated with the idea and subject of the "After-Life." In today's message, Pastor Shane talks about 3 common myths surrounding the "After-Life" that we can see in our culture and then weighs it against what we find in the Scriptures, and in particular, Rev 20.
The book of Revelation is more about staying true to Jesus than it is about predicting the future. Revelation ends with the announcement of a wedding reception celebrating Jesus being united with his people after a long period of waiting, as a bridegroom is united with his bride after a long engagement. This is both a beautiful picture and reminder of what our relationship with Jesus is all about!
In this week's message Pastor Shane talks about the important topic of what as believers to "Be in the world, but not of the world."
This week Pastor Joel is going to talk about the topic of Idolatry and how God is a jealous God who doesn't not want to share the "wall of your heart" with anyone or anything! Something to think about as you listen... IS there something or someone on the wall of your heart that should not be there?
In Rev. 12, God pulls back the veil to reveal an epic spiritual battle going on in heaven that Satan loses. John then sees Satan and his demonic entourage take their fight to earth. Chapter13 shows how in revealing what commentators call a counterfeit “Unholy Trinity”: the Dragon, the beast coming out of the sea, and the beast arising from the earth. In Rev. 12, the dragon is identified as Satan. In ch. 13, the first beast has come to be considered the “Anti-Christ,” and the second the “False Prophet.” The world is lured into worshipping the Dragon by being in awe of the first beast’s power and the second beast’s deception. The chapter ends with a call for wisdom in light of this counterfeit Trinity’s deception.
G.K. Beale writes, "Revelation 12 has always been, consciously or not, considered as the center and the key to the entire book.” Revelation 12 explicitly casts the dragon as the great accuser of God’s people, that ancient Serpent, the Devil. The kingdom of God was inaugurated by Jesus’ ministry, bringing the body of Christ, the Church, into existence. The dragon’s role as the accuser is completely undermined because there is no condemnation for those in Christ (Rom 8:1). The dragon thus seeks vengeance against the Church. Revelation 12 is very detailed and graphic picture of the ever present reality that we have an enemy, BUT, this enemy has been defeated and we can live in the victory that Jesus purchased for us.
At chapter 11, we reach the half-way mark in Revelation — and again, though chapter 11 is another chapter of difficulty, it is a chapter of hope that tells us ahead of time that in the end Jesus wins! As the 7th trumpet is blown, it’s declared: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah”(v.15). In this chapter, John is shown a contrast between the earthly temple in Jerusalem and “God’s temple in heaven”(v.19). Just as John prophesies, Jerusalem — “the holy city” — and its earthly temple were “trampled” by the Romans in AD70. But the true temple of God’s presence is now with believers who will be resurrected at Jesus’ return. Believers are now God’s living temple (see 1 Peter 2:4-5).
Chapter 10 brings us to a pause in the dramatic storyline of the outpouring of God’s judgements symbolized by the 7 seals and the first 6 trumpets. But before the 7th and final trumpet is blown, ch. 10 opens with John seeing a giant angel representing God’s sovereign control, declaring there will be ’no delay’ to God plans being accomplished. We are not shown the details, represented by the contents of the scroll in the angel’s hand not being revealed. But John is instructed to take and eat it, a picture of him internalizing the message. It tastes sweet, but becomes sour, reminding us that God’s Word is sweet but also contains hard truths. The chapter ends with John being told to keep preaching to the nations.
In chapter 8 we were introduced to the first 4 trumpet judgments. Now in chapter 9 we see the fifth and the sixth trumpet judgments being released on the unbelieving world! John describes terrifying locusts unleashed upon the unrepentant oppressors for five months. As with the horses in the latter half of the chapter, the descriptions are meant to terrify and alarm the unrepentant. The imagery describing these creatures is borrowed from various portions of the Hebrew Bible. This vision shoes the increase of demonic activity in the world as the era of God’s patient restraint draws to a close. This one is intense, let’s jump in!!
Revelation ch. 7 was a break as the writer John pauses talking about Jesus breaking the 7 seals of the scroll to talk about his vision of the Great Commission being fulfilled. But now the break is over, as John picks up where things left off at ch. 6. With the opening of the 6th seal, more judgement is released, leading to the final seal, which does not complete God’s judgement but leads to a 7th seal. But when we read the 7th seal being opened in Rev. 8:1, John says all of heaven became quiet — one of the most powerful scenes in the Bible! Chapter 8 begins in silence and ends with the unleashing of the 7 trumpet judgements. Let’s find out what happens!
Chapter 7 forms a parenthesis or interlude between the sixth seal and the seventh seal and seeks to answer the question posed at the end of chapter 6, “who can stand?” There is much debate and controversy surrounding the “Great Tribulation” and the identity of the 144,000. But regardless of how you interpret these two things, the underlying message is that no matter how much suffering we endure, there is an extremely large number of people that God is going to seal/ mark with his presence, purify and cleanse by his blood, clothe with righteousness, wipe away every tear, fulfill every desire for and welcome into his wonderful presence.
We reach now the pivotal turning point in the book of Revelation. Up to now, things have moved along nicely. We have seen John describe his amazing visions of the risen Christ, of the Lamb, and of God’s throne. We have also seen Jesus’ interaction with the seven churches and how these mini-letters impact us today. But now things are going to get more and more intense. In chapter 6, Jesus releases the ’seal judgements’, which are the first of 3 sets of 7 trials, or tribulations to prepare the way for his return. This week, we discuss how these seals represent trends that characterize life on earth in the lead up to Jesus’ second coming.
Pastor Shane continues the sermon series Hope Unveiled on the book of Revelation. This week he is breaking down chapter 4 of Revelation, and how our behaviour will always follow our perspective. The bigger we see God, the smaller our problems become. Visit our website www.wellspringburlington.com to watch the full service, find more resources for this weeks sermon and to get connected at Wellspring Church.
There is an old English legend called “The Sword in the Stone.” It's a tale of how the great King Arthur came to be king. The basic premise is that there was a sword that appeared in a stone and only the true king would be able to pull it out. Many tried but were unsuccessful, that is until a young boy named Arthur, the true king, came along and pulled it out. Revelation 5 continues the throne-room vision initiated in Rev 4. Here, the glorified Christ is reintroduced as the slain Lamb, the world’s true Saviour as He takes the sevensealed scroll in preparation for judgment. Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals? It is revealed, only Jesus.
One of the more significant themes in the book of Revelation is the ‘Unseen Realm.’ Whether we want to admit, or think about it or not, the reality is there is a spiritual world that is real that effects our everyday lives. The Bible talks about how we as believers have an enemy that plans and schemes different ways of trying to trip us up and distract us in our walk with God. In our text today, we see Jesus instructing John to write 7 mini-letters to 7 churches about the ways the enemy has been messing with them. Let’s see if we can identify what these ways are so that we can be on our guard in our lives as well!
While on the island of Patmos, John has an incredible experience where he comes face to face with the risen Christ! In this encounter with Jesus, John is instructed to write down all that he sees into a book that he is to then give to seven churches. Not only are there specific letters written to each of the churches (ch. 2-3), but the entire letter as a whole was to be given to and received by each church. Jesus makes it very clear that He is and has been walking among them and that there are things from Him that they needed then and that we still need today. He is with us today, among His churches!
Last week we looked at the reality that as believers we have a an adversary, an enemy called the Devil, or Satan, who wants nothing more than to distract, disrupt, and ultimately destroy your relationship with God. However, even though we are engaged in a spiritual battle, as believers we know how the story ends. We know that on the cross Jesus conquered sin, death, and the grave, and that He is soon coming back to put down the final hammer on the devil — a powerful truth that should impact our lives every day. We are called to be a conquering church — to live in Jesus’ victory. So, let’s look at how we can do that in Jesus words to the 7 churches…
Few books of the Bible trigger as much intrigue, confusion, or even fear as the book of Revelation. Some can’t get enough of Revelation, while others shy away from it – let alone preach on it! If you are part of the second group, don’t feel bad; you are not alone. And yet, Revelation is the only book of the Bible that directly promises a blessing to those who read it, listen to it, and take its message to heart (1:3). Yes, there are some disturbing things in Revelation, but our desire is that this message series will change the way you look at Revelation and help you personally begin to access the hope and blessing of its message and truth.