Good Shepherd Barrhaven Sermon Stream

Discipline can be an ugly word to some people, because it makes us think of high-pressure situations and the prospect of an ugly failure. Yet, the bible often calls on Christians to exercise discipline in pursuit of the gospel. How can disciplines be good news full of grace, when they are so demanding? Today, Josh reflects on St. Paul's imagery of soldier, athlete, and farmer to help us understand how a disciplined life for Jesus actually frees us to pursue God's kingdom with joy.

Scripture reference: 2 Timothy 2:1-15

Preached on the 18th Sunday after Pentecost, October 13, 2019 by Josh Wang

• We change the world by taking on small disciplines
• God's Spirit takes our small efforts and amplifies them to God's glory
• Our Christian life involves effort but not earning
• Jesus' love is a constant comfort and a safety net when our efforts fail
• Focus on Jesus' kingdom frees us to let go of the world's worries
• St. Paul was content and free because he knew Jesus can be trusted
• We can be content even when suffering if we believe the same

The Avengers. An exciting movie in the Marvel Comic Universe. Worth watching for deep spiritual insights gleaned from the Hulk.

Dallas Willard. A Christian and philosopher known for his work on spiritual formation

Make Your Bed Speech by US Navy Admiral William McRaven

Cover Image by composita from Pixabay

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We usually think of faith as an active, personal commitment to Christ. This is true, but it's only part of what faith is. Faith is also a treasure we inherit, so that future generations can be blessed. This sermon on 2 Timothy challenges us to see faith not only as a personal benefit to us, but also the way God gathers a community of people over time. This challenge works out in a responsibility to consider how we pass faith to our children, and how we help our church pass faith on to future generations

Scripture Reference: 2 Timothy 1:1-14

Preached on the 17th Sunday after Pentecost, October 6th, 2019 by Rev. Stephen Silverthorne

Sermon Highlights

• The modern church stresses individual relationship with God
• Saint Paul stresses responsibility of community in passing on faith
• Faith is an inheritance to receive
• Faith is an inheritance to nurture
• We are called to pass it to our children
• We are called to make sacrifices to help our church pass it on

Further Interest

• Comrade Detective A satirical look at propaganda in Eastern Europe during communist rule.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angels, demons and the supernatural are often the subject of mockery in western civilization today. Often, even Christians feel embarrassed when these topics come up in the bible or in sermons. Yet, they come up very often. Not just in bible, but in the belief systems of many cultures today. This sermon challenges us to acknowledge that there may be more to the world than what our modern scientific worldview allows. Why should we consider the possibility that angels and the supernatural exist, and how can we embrace this possibility in a way which doesn't lead us into silly or dark places? Listen as Fr. Stephen attempts to answer these important questions.

Scripture references: Genesis 28:10-17; John 1:47-51

Preached on the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, Sept. 29, 2019 by Rev. Stephen Silverthorne

• Westerners often have a hard time believing in the supernatural
• The bible and the traditions of other cultures believe in them very much
• This fact challenges us to consider we may be wrong to disbelieve
• Modern youth are rebelling against anti-supernaturalism
• We need to take supernatural belief more seriously
• We don't need to be afraid of supernatural forces
• Christ has authority over them
• We don't need to be afraid of believing silly things
• Jesus will help us discern the serious from the silly

The Rise of Progressive Occultism by Tara Isabella Burton. An interesting article reporting on the increased interest in the occult and supernatural among politically progressive Americans.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jesus tells us to love, but how do you love someone who breaks your heart? How do you love someone who continually frustrates you? Today's sermon tackles how to love people and institutions which disappoint and hurt us. Using insights from the prophet Jeremiah, Fr. Stephen reassures us that disappointment and sorrow are normal parts of human life. We must love people who cause us grief because every love causes grief. Yet, Jesus' grace is enough to help us bear this grief with the hope that God can lead us through.

Scripture Reference: Jeremiah 8:18-9:1

Preached on the 15th Sunday after Pentecost - September 22, 2019 by Rev. Stephen Silverthorne

• Jeremiah's lament reminds us that godly life isn't always joyful
• Jeremiah is grief-stricken about Israel's sufferings
• He is also frustrated by Israel's terrible behaviour
• He grieves because he & God love Israel
• We grieve and get angry at the church for the same reasons
• We grieve and get angry at ourselves for the same reasons
• Jesus' answer to grief over Israel is to love it with divine, sacrificial love
• The result is transformation
• This love is applied to the church
• This love is applied to us
• We should let ourselves be transformed by this love
• When we are conduits of this love, we bring transformation to those who hurt us

Why Can't You Behave sung by Ella Fitzgerald

Christ's Body, Christ's Wounds by Eve Tushnet. A collection of reflections from those who have been hurt by the church and reasons why they remained Christians despite their grief.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Bible is full of challenging passages, but the Old Testament prophets seem the most difficult. They often talk of destruction, disaster and judgment. We tend not to like hearing these themes. So what value do we find in the prophets' harsh words, and what good things does it tell us about God? This sermon addresses why harsh words are important for us to hear, and why God's judgment always leaves room for a solid hope.

Scripture Passage: Jeremiah 4:11-28

Preached on the 14th Sunday after Pentecost, the 15th of September, by Rev. Stephen Silverthorne

• Jesus always remains our Good Shepherd, intent on saving us
• OT prophets are hard to listen to because they are harsh and talk about destruction
• We find it hard to hear good news in this because we are too comfortable
• Other communities have held on to these passages because they are oppressed
• Oppressed communities know they can't be free without the intervention of a powerful Saviour
• These passages reveal God's power is sufficient to crush oppression
• Jeremiah shows us that when God destroys, it is so He can rebuild on better foundation
• Jeremiah evokes image of first creation, where God makes order out of chaos
• God is promising to make new order out of Israel's chaos and darkness
• God will do the same with our chaos

The Ebenezer Baptist Church. An African-American church with an historic, central role in the civil rights struggle.

Frederick Douglass. An African-American and former slave, who became an orator, statesman and social reformer.

Martin Luther King, Jr. A Baptist preacher and activist who became one of the most prominent voices in the civil rights movement of the United States

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Judgment is one of the least popular themes in the bible, but it comes up a lot. How do we respond to passages about judgment and why is it important to listen to them? In this sermon, Fr. Stephen looks at an important passage from Jeremiah which helps us understand the purposes of God's judgment on Israel, the church and us.

Scripture passage: Jeremiah 18:1-11

Preached on the 13th Sunday after Pentecost, September 8, 2019 by Rev. Stephen Silverthorne

• Background on Jeremiah
• Potter imagery shows Israel not fit for its purpose
• God reshapes Israel because He wants it to fulfill its purpose
• Jeremiah challenges us to accept God has authority to shape our lives
• Jeremiah challenges us to accept God changes are good for us
• Jeremiah challenges us to soften our hearts to be more flexible to God's shaping

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We all grumble sometimes. Yet, how often do we remember the blessings we receive? Today's sermon addresses the challenge of gratitude during teams of disappointment and struggle. We can go through times where gratitude is hard to feel, but trusting in God will bring us to a place where we can feel it once again.

Scripture Reference: Jeremiah 2:4-13

Preached on the 12th Sunday after Pentecost, September 1, 2019 by Rev. Stephen Silverthorne

• Jeremiah offers a timely challenge to today's church
• He challenges us to consider ways God has blessed us
• He challenges us to be diligent in thanking God for what is good
• However, gratitude is not always easy
• In times of disappointment, God challenges us to remain loyal
• Trusting God in hard times brings us to a place where we can eventually be grateful
• Jeremiah warns Israel to be careful what you worship
• We come to resemble what we worship
• If we portray God as harsh, we become harsh
• If we portray God as soft and fuzzy, we become soft and fuzzy
• Jesus gives boundaries, but also mercy and love
• We become fully human by worship Jesus as he is

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Modern people have more labour-saving devices than we know what to do with. We have more leisure time than almost anyone in history. Yet, we always seem busy and over-worked. How can people with so much free time feel so burdened? This sermon helps address the problem of over-work by reflecting on the gift of Sabbath. Jesus reveals to us that we need rest in order to flourish as human beings. We also have a responsibility to help others flourish by giving them rest. Learn about the importance of weekly rest, and why making it a priority brings real blessings.

Preached on the 11th Sunday after Pentecost, August 25, 2019 by Rev. Stephen Silverthorne

Scripture Reference: Luke 13:10-17; Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15

• Sabbath confrontations are a regular part of Jesus' ministry
• Sabbath is a big deal
• Sabbath is a necessary part of human flourishing
• We have a responsibility to carve out time for genuine rest
• Sabbath is an act of service for others
• Sabbath brings opportunity to help others find rest
• Jesus confronts religious leaders because they keep others from being free
• We should model Jesus, who makes others more free through his ministry

We Have Ruined Childhood by Kim Brooks. In this New York Times article, the author argues that there is a connection between the decline in free time and the increase in sadness. For this she blames the economic pressures forcing parents to work long hours, as well as a society that has decided childhood isn't important except as a stepping stone to college

Free Range Kids by Lenore Skenazy. The author argues that children benefit from free, unstructured time and from increased independence. Yet, our fears keep us from giving this to them. Drawing on facts, statistics, and humor, she convincingly argues that this is one of the safest periods for children in the history of the world, and so our fears are unreasonable.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Money has an important part in our lives. It's a great tool to help us achieve our goals. Yet, it has a nasty tendency to tell us that it is itself the goal we should work for. In today's sermon, Fr. Stephen reflects on Jesus' challenge about money and material things. Jesus doesn't tell everybody to go without work and savings. But he does tell us not to let them rule our lives. When we do, we are diminished as human beings and don't live up to God's hopes for us.

Scripture Reference: Luke 12:13-21

Preached on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost, August 4, 2019 by Rev. Stephen Silverthorne

• We all tend to prioritize the wrong things
• Jesus urges us to put God and neighbour first
• Make time for Jesus to give you a reality check
• Acknowledge our dependence on God
• Acknowledge our responsibility to provide for neighbours

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For many Christians, prayer is one of the hardest parts of faith. Yet, Jesus repeatedly tells us how important it is. How do we keep up a good prayer life, when it presents obstacles? In this sermon, Fr. Stephen reflects on what attitudes can make our prayer more meaningful and effective, as well as some practical tips on how to pray.

Scripture reference: Luke 11:1-11

Preached on the 7th Sunday after Pentecost, July 28, 2019 by Rev. Stephen Silverthorne

• Prayer can often be difficult for Christians
• We seem not to get what we pray for
• We should be bold in our prayer
• Through Jesus we are made God's children
• Children have the right to expect their needs are met by parents
• We have right to expect God will listen to our needs
• We should be humble and trusting in prayer
• Lord's Prayer starts with acknowledgment that God's will is best
• We pray with humility that God can say no when request is wrong
• We pray with trust that His answer is what is best

• Pray As You Go. A handy app and website with short reflections and meditations to help with prayer
• Daily Examen. A method of prayer from the Jesuits, helping us to examine where God is present in our daily life
• The Daily Office. A traditional method of prayer from the Church of England, featuring daily readings from Scripture. Available online or as an app.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.