Afleveringen
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Would you rather have a God who grieves over tragedy, or one who prevents it? What about a God who reverses tragedy?
One of those three things feels rare, but happens far more often than you know. The other two happen all the time without exception.
As you face the reality and pain of loss and death, a look into Jesus' tear-filled eyes will answer your doubts and soothe your fears. -
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms lays out the rights and freedoms that we believe are essential for a free and democratic society, things like: life, liberty, and personal security, freedom of religion, expression, and peaceful assembly.
If someone threatened those rights, how would you feel? If someone tried to limit those freedoms, what would you do?
The Apostle Paul advises the absurd: we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
There is a world - far more commonplace than you may think (or hope) - in which it is better for a Christian to give up his rights in service to the Gospel and to other people.
Listen to this week's sermon to find out when you should consider doing the same. -
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Finish this sentence: I would truly be happy if only ________.
Don't we often do that - impose conditions on our happiness the depend on the circumstances of our life? But whether you finished the sentence with "I had more money" or "more free time" or "less stress," how do we ever know how much money or free time is enough? Or how much stress is too much?
Thankfully we don't have to depend on the circumstances of our lives to be content. God teaches us the secret to be content all the time. Listen to this week's sermon to learn that secret. -
A parent’s definition of “clean” often is very different than a child’s definition of “clean.” Just ask them to wash their hands before dinner and you'll know what I mean.
The same is true for you and your Heavenly Father. You may have one idea of cleanliness. God's standard is invariably higher. And yet, so is his grace.
Listen to this week's sermon to hear how dirty hearts come clean before God. -
Sometimes it can feel inconvenient to set aside time to be with Jesus. You’re too busy. You’ll have more time later in the day or later in your life to figure it out. But when Jesus interrupts your routine and intercedes for you, you’ll find that not only was it at just the right time for him to help you, but also just the right time for you to glorify him.
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If you were laid up in the hospital and someone asked you, “Why do you want to get better?” how would you answer? "I want to be healed so that I can live without pain again, so that I can go hiking, so that I can enjoy travel, etc…" Those things are nice, but as Christians who recognize where our health and healing come from we understand that God has a better answer for us. Listen to this week's sermon to find out what that plan is.
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Aren't homegrown vegetables simply better than the ones you buy at the grocery store or even the farmer's market? Somehow they're sweeter, juicier, generally more delicious. You get a sense of satisfaction from reaping the rewards of your hard work.
The Apostle Paul said something similar about our spiritual lives - you reap what you sow. If you try to please your sinful nature, you will reap destruction. If you sow to please the Spirit, you will reap eternal life.
Listen to this week's sermon to find out exactly what that means for you. -
Can you imagine pledging money to Poilievre’s campaign but voting for Trudeau? How about rooting for the Oilers at Roger’s Place in the battle of Alberta while wearing a Flame’s jersey? The two things don’t go together! You'd be a two-faced, double-minded hypocrite!
But here's the thing, while we can come up with all kinds of historical or hypothetical examples of hypocrisy, it’s not always as easy or as pleasant to uproot our own.
Listen to this week's sermon to examine your own hypocrisy when it comes to serving the Lord with all faithfulness. -
Have you been to the Grand Canyon? Was it worth it? Do pictures of it do it justice?
In most cases (at least for those who answered "Yes" to the first two questions), the answer to the third question is almost always "No." There are some things that just defy description. There are some sights that can only be seen, not shared (unless you were there).
This was true - and not - in Isaiah's case when he saw the Lord on his throne in his temple. He couldn't possibly share the beauty of God's glory. But what he could share was the glory of God's grace.
Listen to this week's sermon to hear how that grace not only speaks to you personally, but also how you get to personally share it with others too. -
How did you feel when you took the training wheels off your bike? That's probably how the disciples felt when Jesus ascended into heaven - a mixture of excitement and terror, feeling empowered and anxious all at the same time.
But you don't have to be afraid or anxious, because even though Jesus ascended into heaven, he has given us gifts from there to equip us to carry on his work here on earth.
Listen to this week's sermon to hear what those gifts are, why he gave them to us, and how you can use them. -
What do John, Paul, Ringo, and George have in common with Taylor? Both the Beetles and Taylor Swift have precisely 11 songs with the word "Love" in its title.
Love is beautiful. Love is inspiring. You ask some people and love is the reason for living.
If 11 song titles with "Love" in them is a lot, what does that say about this portion of God's Word that uses that same word 20 times in 8 short verses??
It means that love is important, but not in the way that John, Paul, Ringo, and George would tell you. Taylor can't show you what true love looks like. But God can and he has. He has shown you both his love for you, and how you can love one another.
Listen to this week's sermon to learn how not to be a liar, but how to love with more than a love-song love. -
Have you ever played the role of bandwagon fan? You don't pay attention to your team until the playoffs, and then you dust off your jersey and Google relevant storylines so you can be part of the fun? I wouldn't fault you for that. You can be whatever kind of hockey fan you want to be.
But are you ever tempted to treat your Christian faith and life that way? To "wear Jesus' jersey" but not actually put in time or effort on a daily basis?
John warns us that that's not real faith. He calls for sincere love as a fruit of faith, but then he does this beautiful and he points troubled hearts to a God who is greater than them.
Listen to this week's sermon to see your God and to know how much greater he is than your heart. -
What fun scenarios can you come up with using the word "if"? "If you were stranded on a desert island..." "If you won the lottery..."
"If" can be a fun word to paint a pretty picture. It can also serve as a mirror to show us the less pleasant parts of ourselves.
John uses it both ways in his first letter. Listen to this week's sermon to hear both the pretty and not-so-pretty realities of our relationship with God. -
How would you respond to someone ridiculing Christianity for crazy claims like a carpenter being God or a dead man coming to life? Would you respond with joy? The Apostle John did.
In his first letter, John addresses false notions about Jesus (and the ridicule of those who follow him) by speaking to the joy that is ours from the fellowship that we enjoy with God and each other.
Listen to this week's sermon to find peace in the resurrection of your Saviour Jesus. -
"Poor Christians!"
"Poor Christians!"
Christianity in Canada has declined by 25% in the last 20 years. In a recent poll, "Evangelical Christianity" was the only religion seen as being more damaging than beneficial by every other religious group. Our non-Christian neighbours are more like to describe us as misogynistic, transphobic, and homophobic than generous, friendly, and caring.
"Poor Christians!"
Is that what we should say?
It's not what Jesus said.
Listen to this week's sermon to see how Jesus would rather have you respond to adversity, based on his own reaction to people pitying him on the way to his death on a cross. -
What is truth? You don't have to be a philosopher to know the importance of the truth. Just ask the toddler with chocolate on his face to tell the truth and see what he does. Every time you turn on the news, you're confronted with that same question: What is truth?
Pontius Pilate asked the same question of Jesus while Jesus was on trial for his life. Whether he really wanted to know the answer or not, we know and Jesus did too. Listen to this week's sermon to finally answer that question forever. -
No one who put Jesus on trial understood him. Some of them didn't want to. Some didn't care. Some tried, but didn't like what they saw.
What about you? Do you consider Jesus your enemy, an inconvenience or your personal, divine vending machine?
Listen to this week's sermon to learn the truth about Jesus, which is infinitely better than the misconceptions we often have of him. -
On Maundy Thursday, Peter was afraid to be associated with Jesus. He denied even knowing him, not once but three times, not casually but calling down curses on himself.
Are you similarly afraid of being associated with Jesus? Have you looked for excuses for your faith, or for a way to change the subject so that you don't have to talk about it?
It's time to put that fear to rest. Listen to this week's sermon to find out how. -
How do you react when you feel wronged? Apart from feeling your body temperature and blood pressure rise, what do you do? Do you lash out? Do you plot revenge?
What did Jesus do? In the Garden of Gethsemane he exercised restraint, which not only set an example for us to follow, but started him on his path to provide us forgiveness and salvation.
Listen to this week's sermon to learn more about restraint - both Jesus' and ours. -
Do you ever wonder why life can be such a struggle? Do you ever wonder why your problems don't just go away even though you go to church and pray? Wake up and realize what you're up against! The devil is a fearsome enemy!
But dear Christian, take heart. The devil may be a roaring lion - or a serpent or a dragon - but Jesus is the one who was born to crush his head and give you the strength to resist him.
Listen to this week's sermon to find out how. - Laat meer zien
