Sermons

There are some parts of the Bible that are hard to understand (See 2 Peter 3:16!). There are other parts we may just find, well, kind of offensive. We don’t like what they say. Romans 9 has come across that way to lots of people over the years, but often that is because they do not take the time to follow the line of Paul’s logic throughout. In this sermon we will start to make our way toward solving the problem of Israel, which ends up being a problem for God. Does He keep His promises?

Theological convictions cannot and should not be held in isolation. What Christians believe about church governance ties directly to what they believe about Scripture's authority and the gospel itself. Through a comparison between Eastern Orthodoxy and Biblical Christianity, this sermon explores how theological truth is a package deal, and what a person believes about the Church, Scripture, and the gospel will spill over into every aspect of their spiritual life.

Every once in a while it is good to pause and take stock of the health of your relationship to God. Having carefully looked at the first 8 chapters of Romans, now seems like a good time to do just that. Taking all of that text into consideration, what behaviours or values should be marking all of our lives now?

Biblical Christianity and Roman Catholicism have numerous important differences. Yet, at the heart of all those differences is the question of authority: Is Scripture or the Church the ultimate authority? By walking through the book of Hebrews and other biblical texts, we will see that Christians must reject the temptation to build our faith on human authorities. Rather, our faith must be built directly on Christ, guided by Scripture as the sufficient, infallible, and final rule of faith.

In this evil age every Christian will need to endure unjust suffering. Psalm 7 helps prepare you to endure it and to endure it well. In this psalm you will see two big action steps to get to work at when this kind of suffering comes your way; and the good news is this: you’re not the first to encounter this kind of suffering. Your king has already gone before you, and he will carry you through.

There are so many ways the world tries to creep into the church, but when the people of God begin to think more like their God, their display of God looks more like God. God is not afraid of disability, brokenness or old age. He takes pleasure in using the weakest among us to magnify His power and grace. A wise church will jump on the escalator and live according to God’s values so they can see the glory of God in real time, in real ways, in their very real church.

The world is a harsh place and we easily slip into its way of thinking. We value people based on their supposed contributions to us or society, and often avoid the ones we do not understand or find difficult to be around. Is this the way Christians should live? How can we correct it if not?

While Roman Catholicism often uses the same words and refers to the same events as biblical Christianity, in actuality, it teaches a totally different understanding of the cross and therefore promotes a very different gospel. In this sermon, we see how seemingly small deviations from the Bible's teaching on Christ's sacrifice lead to several anti-biblical Roman Catholic beliefs: the sacrifice of the Mass, the Sacrament of Penance, and the doctrine of Purgatory.

Christian pessimism does not exist. At least, it should not. Of all the humans dwelling on earth, none have more to look forward to in this life and the next than believers in the resurrected Jesus Christ. In fact, it is His being raised from the dead that secures such hope. Just as He endured the cross “for the joy set before Him,” we gladly sail through life with a firm confidence that all shall be well.

Throughout history, monarchs have usually fit a certain mould: Dignified, regal, and moving about with pomp and circumstance. In contrast, Jesus is a king of a different sort. Unlike every other monarch, he possesses unrivalled authority, and unlike any other ruler, he uses his power in the most humbling of ways. Jesus is a king like no other.