From the Pulpit

One of the many wonderful characteristics of God is his faithfulness. He is totally trustworthy, unwaveringly reliable, infallibly dependable, and completely incorruptible. So, it shouldn’t surprise that he expects his people to be faithful as he is faithful, to value fidelity as he values fidelity.

Unfortunately, during the days of Malachi’s prophetic ministry, Israel had developed a pattern of unfaithfulness. They’d started minimizing God’s covenants—the ultimate proofs of his trustworthiness—saying, “God didn’t really mean all that he said.” This serpentine posture allowed them to then ignore their covenant responsibilities. “If God’s not obligated to his word, then we aren’t to ours either.” And this lax loyalty, this playing fast-and-loose with promises, offended God, hurt people, and squandered unity. May God help his people learn from the mistakes of generations past and, thus, enjoy the unity he creates and offers.

God’s people are a privileged people. Through faith in Christ, we receive perfect redemption and eternal salvation, forgiveness and access, belonging and cleansing, mercy and hope. It is beyond amazing! Yet, because these blessings are so permanent and secure, taking them for granted is an ever-present danger. We may forget our unworthiness in receiving them, the immense price paid to secure them, and the immeasurable greatness of the One who bestows them.

Simply put, God’s people are always at risk of taking God for granted—of minimizing his power and sidelining his person. This apathetic attitude toward the Almighty profoundly affects how we live, approach, serve, address, share, praise, and anticipate him. When we fail to give God the honour he deserves, we despise his grace and insult his holiness.

Whether one is in the practice of making resolutions or not, there is something about the New Year that encourages reassessment and recalibration. Seeing a new number on the calendar can prompt thoughtful and goal-inspiring questions, such as, “Where do I want to be in twelve months?”, “What changes should I make?”, or “In what ways must I grow?” Similarly, God’s people may find this introspective and aspirational practice helpful, asking ourselves, “What kind of disciple does my Saviour want me to be?” and “What can I do to mature in the Lord?”

As we think seriously and prayerfully about our walks with God, our dedication to Christ, and our usefulness to the Spirit, what spiritual resolutions might we make this year? Through his prophet, Malachi, God gave Israel six corrective and foundational resolutions to embrace as they entered a new phase of their lives. We’ll learn along with them.

The theological introduction that the Apostle John provides to his account of the life, death, and resurrection of Messiah (John 1:1–18) is as deep as it is lofty, as commanding as it is inviting, and as mysterious as it is familiar. It draws readers close, not only with its infinitely-interesting Subject but with the reverent way it explains and extols him. Simply stated, this passage of Scripture is all about the Word, the person who was with God in eternity and is God eternally. It’s all about he who is the origin of all life and the source of all light. It’s all about, as verse 17 makes explicit, Jesus Christ. And the five concluding verses of this inspired prologue summarize and celebrate three specific things about him: who he is (God himself), what he did (took on humanity), and why he did it (that humanity may know God).

Light is an essential component of life. Without it, human beings would struggle to understand, explore, and interact with the world in which we live. Biologically, sunlight plays a significant role in managing our circadian rhythms and in the production of vitamin D and serotonin. Most dramatically, if the sun stops shining, plants stop growing which leads to stifled food and oxygen production, both of which are hard to live without! So, again, light is an essential component of life. If it is wholly absent, there is only sadness, sickness, and death.

And that’s not only true of our physical lives but also of our spiritual lives. If we want to be a people who enjoy healthy and happy souls now and forever, we need a very specific Light because the Light is essential for life. And the good news is that God sent that Light into the world. The question is, will we defiantly stay in the shade?

With the dawn of December comes the blooming of the Christmas season. Lights are hanging, carols are playing, classes are ending, and carts are filling! With all the decorations and pageants, gifts and music, activity and excitement, it’s easy to forget that, for some, this is anything but “the most wonderful time of the year.” Many people—including many Christians—will endure this otherwise-celebratory month with a very non-festive limp, burdened with pain and frustrations, sadness and worries, fears and uncertainties. They will struggle to sing “Joy to the world!” and will, instead, seek space to groan, “Even so, it is well with my soul.”

As God’s people, we must understand how to navigate such desperation and help others do the same. Thankfully, in God’s kindness and wisdom, he has provided us guidance on how to do just that, how to turn deep lamentation into worshipful anticipation.

Who is my God? This vital question challenges us to truly know the Creator—a God of infinite power, purpose, and relationship, revealed through the wonder of creation. Like Paul in Athens, who declared the "unknown God" to be the Creator of all and the One in whom we live and move and have our being, we are called to move beyond vague ideas and fully understand who God is. He is not distant or detached but deeply involved in His creation, longing for a

It is a fact of history that a Jewish man named Jesus lived morally, taught powerfully, and died horrifically in the first century. Ancient literature is littered with attestations to his existence, reputation, popularity, teachings, and eventual execution (see, for example, the works of non-believing first-century historians like Thallus, Tacitus, and Josephus).

So, the question that any honest person must ask themselves isn’t so much “Did this really happen?” but, rather, “Since it did happen, how should I respond?” And, as we’ll be reminded from Luke’s record of Christ’s crucifixion, there are only a few possibilities. First, we can respond in passivity, apathetically or ignorantly doing nothing. Second, we can respond in mockery, arrogantly dismissing the life and death of Jesus as nonsense, insignificant, or mere superstition. Finally and ideally, we can respond with dependancy, recognizing our personal need of what his sacrifice provides.

Discover a joy that surpasses fleeting pleasures and temporary highs—a joy rooted not in circumstances but in the unshakable presence of God. In this sermon, we’ll explore the difference between a natural joy, which depends on external achievements and comforts, and spiritual joy, a deep, abiding gladness that comes from the Lord. Drawing from Scripture, we'll see how true joy flows from a relationship with Christ, empowering us to face trials with hope and live fully in God’s purpose. Come and experience

Hebrews was written to a group of believers who had experienced affliction, temptation, and stagnation in their lives of faith and, because of that, were considering a departure from Jesus. It’s to these weak and confused Christians that the author writes this urgent and pointed letter, encouraging them to continue in sanctification for the simple fact that anything for which they leave Christ is deficient. Jesus Christ is the greatest revelation of God. He’s greater than the prophets and angels. He’s greater than Moses, Levi, Joshua, and Melchizedek. He offers a greater rest, a greater ministry, a greater priesthood, a greater sacrifice, a greater example, a greater promise, a greater covenant, and a greater future. He is immeasurably supreme, glorious, majestic, exalted, and victorious! “So,” he says, “don't shrink back. Press on to maturity and faithful service to the Lord, by the power of God, and for the glory of Christ!”