2016-09-25: That You Bear Much Fruit play

John 15:1-8 Summary: This is the first of a 6-part series on our new Vision Statement. This sermon will focus on the phrase, “Our vision is to become more passionate followers of Jesus Christ…” Our text serves as a reminder of the very reason for which we have been saved; namely, to bear fruit (or […]

Continue reading

2016-09-11: Stewards of Manifold Grace

1 Peter 4:7-11 Summary: Our emphasis will be particularly on verses 10 and 11. Verse 10 tells us about the nature of ministry and verse 11 tells us the goal of ministry. The nature of ministry is to be stewards of God’s manifold grace. In other words, all the various ministries of the church display […]

Continue reading

2016-09-04: As Done for the Lord

Colossians 3:22-4:1 Summary: Our text is chosen in light of the fact that it’s Labour Day weekend. Although Paul addresses the working culture of his day (i.e. slaves and masters) the principles he articulates offer a timeless perspective on the Christian view of work and what it means to be faithful as employees and employers. […]

Continue reading

Jeremiah 2:1-13 Summary: Jeremiah gives a timeless definition of idolatry when he says in chapter 1:16 that Israel ‘worshipped the works of their own hands.’ Worshipping the one true God forced Israel to admit how helpless and dependent they were (see 2:6-7). Idols demanded far less and afforded Israel the luxury of believing they were, […]

Continue reading

1 Kings 18:17-40 Summary: As we saw last week, the heart of Elijah’s ministry is a conflict between God and Baal, because compromise with Baal worship ran rampant among Israel in the days of Elijah. In verse 21 Elijah accuses Israel of ‘limping’ between two different opinions, referring to their lack of dedication to God […]

Continue reading

2016-07-17: The God Who Gives Life

1 Kings 17:1-24 Summary: Starting this Sunday we’ll begin a three week series on the ministry of Elijah (subsequent weeks will cover chapters 18 and 19). At the heart of Elijah’s ministry is a conflict between God and Baal. Compromise with Baal worship ran rampant among Israel in the days of Elijah. Baal was the […]

Continue reading

2016-06-26: God of Justice

Amos 5:18-27 Summary: Although Israel was very actively engaged in religious practice in the days of Amos, absent from their daily lives was any real concern for justice or righteousness. The poor in that day were being actively exploited and ignored in court (2:7; 5:10-12) and many in Israel were engaged in immorality and idolatry […]

Continue reading

Luke 7:36-50 (First Nations Version) Summary: The contrast in this text is between the woman who has been forgiven much and therefore loves much; and Simon who [thinks he] has been forgiven little and therefore loves little. We see illustrated in this text (as David says in Psalm 51:17) that God delights in the broken […]

Continue reading

2016-06-12: One Glorious Family

Hebrews 2:10-13 Summary: The emphasis in these brief verses is on the unfathomable willingness of Jesus Christ to identify himself with sinful human beings. Together, he and the Father willed that he would become a brother to sinners and suffer in our place in order to make us all into one glorious family. The familial […]

Continue reading

2016-06-05: Inseparable Love

Romans 8:28-39 Summary: Paul’s famous promise in verse 28 is not that everything that happens to us in life is good. He writes these verses precisely because so much of what we experience in life is not good and can be downright heartbreaking and evil. His expansive list of things that cannot separate us from […]

Continue reading