December 26, 2021
First Sunday of Christmas - Luke 1:26-38 No word from God will ever fail
For many of us the story of how we live does not include the reality that “all things are possible with God”. There have been too many broken and unexpected moments, prayers not answered the way we hoped for and pain too deep to believe relief could really enter into this moment with transformational healing. Often times it is simply the belief that God’s way for our story to unfold is not ours and the clash is inevitable with the results being our dreams being waylaid. Is this really true? What if we took God at His Word? What if we came to a brand new understanding of His Heart? What would it mean to live a story where God is at work powerfully?
Guest Speaker: Paul Racine
December 19, 2021
Fourth Sunday of Advent: Love - Luke 1:39-55 The Magnificat: Mary’s Song of Praise
This fourth Sunday of Advent, we turn our attention to the story of Mary. A woman who says “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true." That ‘yes’ to God is a yes to immense heartache and social judgment. However, it’s a yes to a God who extends his mercy to generations, a God who opposes the proud, a God who sees the hungry and the humble. It’s a yes to a God who says yes to dwelling with us. At Christmas, we celebrate a God who could not remain distant because God is love.
Respond:
Elizabeth and Mary are keenly aware of their social status yet they find their identity in their spiritual status!
How do you see yourself? Ask God what he thinks of you.
Do I rejoice in my limitations, knowing that it enables the Holy Spirit to empower my presence and honor God with my life?
The practice of pursuing lesser things over the greater things is the result of disordered loves.
In what ways do you chase ‘flies,’ distractions that end up being misplaced hope?
What invitation is the Spirit extending to your story that requires a Mary-like response from you?
In the story of the rich young ruler (Luke 18) and Zaccheaus (Luke 19), Jesus extends the same invitation but receives two very different responses.
What seems to be the common themes that Luke is emphasizing in these stories?
December 12, 2021
Third Sunday of Advent: Joy - Luke 3:1-18 Preparing the Way
Vipers. The word draws associations with predators, venomous, threatening, and stealthy. John the Baptist faces a crowd that has gathered to be baptized and he opens by calling them “a brood of vipers.” He then communicates that God is like a consuming fire. Could it be that these shocking images are meant to inspire the emergence of a new mind and way of life? John acts as a sounding alarm that there is a new heart and abounding joy to be found in Jesus.
Respond:
In this season of repentance and Advent, how will you turn towards God and your neighbour?
How might God be calling you ‘to prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God?’
Our natural inclination is likely to have a higher opinion of ourselves than what John the Baptist appears to see.
How might we imagine the parallels to tax collectors and soldiers in our own life and contexts? What does the Refiner need to burn away (dross, impurities) in us?
Habits have a trajectory, they are moving you somewhere. Where are your habits (personal, work, relationships, leisure) moving you?
Do our habits lead to deformation? Do they move us away from trust, and long term faithfulness?
Ask the Holy Spirit where He is cultivating deeper joy in your life through your circumstances or refining of your character?
December 5, 2021
Second Sunday of Advent: Peace - Malachi 3:1-7a A Call to Repentance
Our weaknesses can often hide in the shadows but cause harm and separation from others. The prophet Malachi uses the imagery of a patient refiner to describe God’s careful work in our lives. What if yielding to God’s painful process, rather than fighting against it; is the pathway to greater peace and wholeness? Advent is a season to prepare Him room so that the Spirit may form our character into the character of Christ.
Respond:
Israel repeatedly asked “Where is the God of justice?” God answers that when He comes, He is not coming to focus on their enemies, He is coming to focus on the people of God. Jesus is coming to cleanse.
In this Advent season we ask: What does Jesus want to refine and burn away in us?
Disordered loves means that we often love low things more than highest things (God & neighbor), and this wrong prioritization leads to discontent and disorder in our lives.
How have you seen the brutal aftermath of disordered loves play out in your own story and the lives around you?
The Lord is not content to allow people to continually be victimized. Those who use their power to fulfill their own desires at the expense of others will not do so indefinitely.
In what ways can you see yourself as the accused in (3:5)?
In what ways have you been victimized by those guilty of (3:5)?
November 28, 2021
First Sunday of Advent: Hope - Jeremiah 33:12-18 Hope for Restoration
Hope is what sustains life. The prophet Jeremiah is imprisoned and writing to an exiled and besieged people and offers them the promise of God. It was hope rooted in God’s character that sustained the Israelites when they faced collapse and bitter exile. It is that same hope that will not lead us to disappointment today.
Respond:
Pascal suggested that there is a God-shaped abyss in our hearts. The teacher in Ecclesiastes, like humanity; tried to satisfy that longing by placing hope on pleasure, knowledge and achievement.
What misplaced hopes can you articulate in your own story and journey?
It has been said that our level of faith cannot exceed our level of hope. The characters in Hebrews 11 walked by faith because of the depth of their hope in the character and promises of God.
Recall God’s faithfulness in your journey, how does the quality of God’s character inform your hope in the present and how you endure your current circumstances?
Jeremiah’s declaration of God’s promise provides an opportunity to reimagine the world being made right through God’s purposes: love, grace, forgiveness and reconciliation.
As we enter into Advent, ask the Holy Spirit, how can we participate in what God is making right in our homes, in the marketplace and our neighbourhoods?
November 21, 2021
Life Together: Unity - 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 One Body with Many Parts
Unity with diversity. And worth in the story we live not by standards that we are used to. For the role we play together is for each to do their part from the heart. And in doing so, honouring Jesus.
Guest Speaker: Paul Racine
November 14, 2021
Life Together: Unity - Galatians 2:11-21 Not living into the truth of the gospel
Our deepest fears and wounds often prevent us from living into greater wholeness. In order to belong, we learn to perform and curate a false self as a layer of defense. In Galatians 2, we see Peter opting to exclude others in order to maintain his own image but losing sight of what he is being called to live into. In what ways can we live out of line with the gospel?
Respond:
Peter distanced himself from the Gentiles out of fear of the criticism of his friends.
In what ways has your life been shaped by fear? What deep fear/wound in your life prevents you from living into a deeper gospel reality?
What are the ways in which human approval is more important to you than God’s approval?
How are we living into the cultural narrative in ways that are not in line with the truth of the gospel?
This focus on who is allowed to eat at the same table is rooted in a bigger question: who are the people of God?
Is it only Jewish Christians or are the boundaries of God's people as wide and diverse as the ends of the earth?
Peter reverted back to the Jewish traditions / obeying the law rather than embracing the freedom in Christ. What are the ‘identities’ you must surrender in order to find your identity entirely in Christ?
November 7, 2021
Life Together: Unity - Romans 14 Do not pass judgment on one another
In light of God’s lavish hospitality, followers of Jesus are called into extending that gracious love towards others. As the early church gathered, people came from every background, bringing along their unique language, customs, and perspectives. In Romans 14, we’ll see God desires that humanity live in diversity that is shaped by the grace of God because of what Jesus accomplished at the cross.
Respond:
Is your identity rooted in the grace of God in such a way that you are willing to yield your freedom because of your love for the people around you?
Have you ever refrained from something you are free to do in Christ out of consideration of someone else?
Paul instructs us to “stop condemning each other”
Have you had experiences in which you were condemned by other Christians? How did that make you feel?
Do you tend to look down on, or even to judge, other Christians who disagree with you?
How might the wisdom of this passage and the Holy Spirit speak to your condemnation of others?
Are you hospitable and welcoming in your character?
Do you work towards providing a place of welcome and safety for those with differing opinions?
October 31, 2021
Life Together: Unity - John 17 The Prayer of Jesus
On the eve of Jesus’ crucifixion, we see an intimate glimpse of what is occupying his heart and mind. In John 17, Jesus showcases the utterly unique unity that exists between himself and the Father. Despite all our brokenness and imperfections, Jesus specifically prays that the family of God would model the extraordinary unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Respond:
In 2 Peter 1, it is written that we are able to “share [God’s] divine nature.”
Have you ever thought that those who are “in Christ” are so woven with the life of God that it is not possible be known or understood apart from that life?
Are there times in which the family of God should not be unified? If so, what character and posture should believers have in those instances?
What primary attribute would you perceive to be most important in order to maintain unity in the family of God?
Jesus prays for unity for the purpose that the world will know.
In a world divided among ethnic, socio-economic, political and religious barriers, what message does disunity in the family of Christ communicate to a watching world?
Does your heart align with Jesus’ desire for unity?
Have you found yourself contributing towards division or drawing people together in unity under Christ?
October 24, 2021
Life Together: Unity - Ephesians 4:1-16 Unity in the Body
God has plans for a people. One of the most harmful mistakes we make reading the Bible is interpreting everything as an individualistic command. For the Christian, your life in God’s plan is interwoven with others in the family of God. On Sunday we begin a new series about our life together and God’s heart for unity.
Guest Speaker: Pastor Jeff Jantzi
Respond:
In the NT, loyalty to Jesus and the body (church family) exceeded the loyalty to their ethnic tribes, political views and other issues that often divide people today.
Reflect on the areas in which the Holy Spirit may be pushing you to grow into maturity and maintain unity in the body.
The word ‘calling’ describes an all-encompassing way of life. The word ‘you’ is plural, Paul is begging a community of the called to live lives in balance with God’s calling.
In what ways does understanding our calling as a community impact the way we live our individual lives?
The Spirit has gifted each of us a special gift. We are not gifted in the same way.
What gifts has the Spirit given you? How are you nurturing and using them to serve the family of God?
Is there anyone that the Spirit is bringing to your mind or heart with whom you feel a need for reconciliation? In what way might God be able to work through you in order to keep or maintain unity in these relationships?
October 17, 2021
Presence: Hope in the midst of Grief - Psalm 56: A Song for the Anxious
Fear and anxiety is a reality of life, for some more than others. So what does it mean to turn to God with our anxieties? In Psalm 56, David shows us how.
Guest Speaker: Pastor Jeff Jantzi
October 10, 2021
Presence: Hope in the midst of Grief - Philippians 4:1-14
Has it ever occurred to you that how we feel about life does not often align with our circumstances? The wellbeing of someone who has a stable income and loving support from friends and family is not always happier than someone who has tight finances and health challenges. If joy and delight are not rooted in our circumstances, where can the first hand experience and source of this joy be found?
Respond:
Have I experienced peace that exceeded my understanding? What common patterns emerge that have acted as thieves to this peace?
Pray that the Spirit would draw you to these instructions as you navigate the week ahead.
Paul’s instruction to fix our minds underscores the importance of what we dwell on. Consider what you dwell on? What do you consume on social media? What podcasts do you listen to? What books have you been reading? What shows seem to re-occur on Netflix?
Consider how these practices affect your imagination and thought processes?
What is true contentment in every circumstance?
How do we learn and acquire true contentment? How do we adopt Paul’s attitude beyond an exercise of human will or fortitude?
As the family of God, we are called to bear one another's burdens. What does that require of us? How is this counter the cultural message of resilience?
October 3, 2021
Presence: Hope in the midst of Grief - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
The closing words of 1 Thessalonians is likely the earliest benediction in the New Testament. These words were an invitation to live by the Spirit, to adopt a depth of joy, dependance and gratitude when facing the harsh realities of the world. Humanity was created to abide in God’s presence, to live in a way that is utterly distinct. This blessing was not only instructive, but simultaneously inspiring, comforting and life-changing.
Respond:
Many in the church of Thessalonica were dying and these words offered a deep sense of joy and hope.
How can we invite the joy of the Spirit ‘always,’ even in the midst of severe suffering?
Paul’s heartbeat was prayer. Here he calls believers to ‘pray continually.’
Spend this week drawing your attention to God in all moments. Practice a yielding to the Spirit as you go about your work, responsibilities and conversations.
The verbs (rejoice, pray, thanks) are plural. Paul is addressing the entire community.
What is the church family’s responsibility in carrying out these commands? In what ways are we mutually dependent on one another?
There is a pattern in Paul’s writing, who we are and our identity, how to live in light of that identity and then followed with a statement on how God will accomplish it.
Since God will accomplish it, the role of the believer is to yield to the Spirit, what areas of daily life and character is God inviting you into deeper surrender?
September 26, 2021
Presence: Hope in the midst of Grief - Psalm 23
Humanity was created to thrive in the presence of God. Psalm 23 is perhaps the most cherished poem in Scripture that is recited in times of dire need. There are layers of depth to this ancient poem that reveal how the presence of God provides true peace, protection, and satisfaction in a world of counterfeit gods. Join us this Sunday as we continue to discover that we can live joyfully and freely in the midst of grief, lament and hardship.
Respond:
In our consumer culture, people are more likely to say “I shall endlessly want.” The Hebrew suggests that when God is our shepherd, “I shall lack nothing.”
When Jesus addressed a man who had everything, he piercingly observed: “There is one thing you lack…” Relational closeness with God helped the psalmist declare “I have all that I need.” Ask yourself if “Is there something I am lacking?”
Those who declared ‘Jesus is Lord’ subversively declared that Caesar or the current emperor is not. The Psalmist showed that God was greater than Hammurabi, Anat and others.
In what ways does Jesus as true King shift our allegiance, affect our fears, and impact our daily lives?
The psalmist declares ‘you are close beside me’ and shifts from talking about God to talking to God.
Do you find yourself talking more about God than speaking with him? Sit in that thought, knowing that God is with you while you process it.
September 19, 2021
Presence: Hope in the midst of Grief - Jeremiah 29:1-14
Humanity was created to live in God’s presence, to make God our home regardless of our circumstances. Many of us frequently encounter situations that cannot be changed, regardless of how we yearn for things to be different. This Sunday, we begin our series on Presence and discover that because of Jesus we can live joyfully, generously, and freely in the midst of grief, lament, and hardship.
Respond:
Jeremiah warned of prophets who promoted false hope.
Have you found that it is easier to trust or give credibility to voices of triumphalism?
What practices can we adopt that help us prioritize God’s plan for us over our own plans for God?
There are two common responses to challenging seasons of faith. The Israelites were tempted to return to their idols or to withdraw from the world.
Have you found your experience to be the same?
While the Israelites longed to return to Jerusalem, God called them to a faithful life rooted in their identity as God’s people.
Have you found yourself longing for different circumstances, yearning for something that always seems elusive? How might the Holy Spirit be comforting and instructing you through the instruction in Jeremiah 29?
In daily life, consider how you are called and equipped (unique gifting and skillset) to be a blessing to the communities where you live, work and worship.
September 12, 2021
The Centrality of the Cross - 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 / John 2:13-22
The cross is central to Christian faith and life, yet sometimes it can seem like Jesus’ work there is at a distance from us. This sermon considers how Jesus’ work on the cross is not far off from us. It not only destines us for glory, but imprints and dignifies every aspect of the Christian’s everyday life.
Guest Speaker: Father Stephen Silverthorne
September 5, 2021
Lament: Moving from Heartache to Wholeness - Lamentations 5
“And they lived happily ever after...” Is that how the story often goes? The poet of Lamentations is more honest and leaves the tension of the moment unresolved. The final poem is a messy outburst of the community's emotions and demonstrates how crucial lament is in the active life of faith.
Respond:
Kathleen O Connor says “[the poet] calls God to bring their suffering alive and to re-enter it in the present.”
In what ways can you call God to bring your lament alive, to enter your stories of pain in the present? What might that look like?
Soong Chan Rah suggests that western prayers are often triumphalistic, we are ready to ask for blessings we feel entitled to, however we rarely pray in recognition of the deepest suffering in our own lives or in the lives of others.
Do you agree? In what ways has this been true or untrue of your own experience?
In what ways has the journey of lament shaped your story? Are there areas of your life and story that feel unsettled and unresolved? Ask the Holy Spirit to meet you in that space.
August 29, 2021
Lament: Moving from Heartache to Wholeness - Lamentations 4
What if lament, grief, and doubt are not a barrier to growth but the God designed pathway of healing and wholeness? This Sunday (29th) we explore the fourth poem where the poet shows the stark contrast of the flourishing past with their current hopelessness. This poem also serves a reminder that the things we value and esteem, may not be aligned with the heart of God.
Respond:
The gospel of Jesus Christ transcends culture, it confronts our scripts, our desires, and motives. What are the narratives of culture that hold us captive in the West?
Lamentations invites us to bring our sorrow, doubts and hard questions to God.
What is your story of pain? In what ways have those experiences shaped your soul and your relational understanding of God?
There is no shortage of warnings about the love of money in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. Examine your own relationship with wealth.
What is a healthy relationship with finances for a follower of Jesus? Where might God be calling you to use wealth as a tool to alleviate suffering, bring wholeness and further the kingdom?
Carefully examine your own attitudes toward image and pride.
What is the lie embedded in the longing/desire for power and influence?
What does it tangibly mean to have your identity firmly rooted in Christ?
How might a deeper relationship with Jesus change your affects and the way you orient your life?
August 22, 2021
Lament: Moving from Heartache to Wholeness - Lamentations 3
As we continue our journey through the poems of Lamentations, we are drawn into the heartbeat of the book. In the midst of disorienting grief and the silence of God, the poet of Lamentations clings to God’s steadfast and unchanging love. The poet dares to hope when he remembers who God is, and that changes everything.
Respond:
The repeated phrase “let them” is the poet’s call to yield to God’s authority. Turning the cheek to those who strike is acknowledging that God is rightful judge and trusting him for justice.
In what areas of your life might God be calling you to yield to his authority and radical command rather than what may seem to be more appropriate/wise in your own wisdom?
What is the larger social impact of your actions (consumerism, voting etc.). Cultural choices resulted in systems like redlining, residential schools and large corporations like Amazon. In the biblical witness, there is a corporate reality to sin that plays out in culture and systems. In what ways can we/you reject western individualism and follow the biblical example in Lamentations of corporate repentance?
When we vote (regardless of what party you lean towards), do you consider only your own needs or do you consider laws that would enable others to flourish?
The good news of Jesus is more, but not less than; the forgiveness of sins. God’s steadfast love, his compassion, his mercy is how he relates to humanity. Jesus hears the cries of those in Afghanistan just as he heard those in Jerusalem, how can followers of Jesus (in everyday life) participate in the restoration of all things?
What redemptive role might God desire biblical lament, grief and mourning to play in the life of a follower of Jesus?
August 15, 2021
Lament: Moving from Heartache to Wholeness - Lamentations 2
What if these expressions of grief, protest and confusion draw us deeper into the heart of God? Can heartache and lament actually lead us to greater healing and wholeness? In chapter 2, we are confronted with the uneasy question: how can such severe judgment co-exist with an all-benevolent and loving God?
Respond:
Have you had seasons in your life where you felt abandoned by God? Maybe even to the point where the poet expressed it felt as though God were an enemy. In retrospect, can you see how God was active and present in that process?
We cannot read Lamentations in isolation from all other books in the Bible.
What can we learn about God’s character when we consider his correction and comfort in Job/psalms and his silence in Lamentations? What has been your experience hearing (or not being able to hear) from God during seasons of intense suffering?
Can you recall any instances where the consequences of your own mistakes and sin have had a redemptive and rehabilitative purpose in your life?
Another helpful thing to think about is the impact of those persons “left behind” during the Babylonian exile. The Babylonians took the powerful, kings, priests, the strong and remarkable; but “Lamentations” cries out about those who remained to pick up the pieces. Likely women, children, persons with disabilities. How do our daily decisions exclude people today? How can we practically lament in solidarity with the forgotten and marginalized?
August 8, 2021
Lament: Moving from Heartache to Wholeness - Lamentations 1
The coronavirus, uncertainties and atrocities have surfaced over the last year and a half that warrant us to pause, repent and grow. What if lament, grief, and doubt are not a barrier to growth but the God designed pathway of healing and wholeness?
Respond:
If the psalms are God’s instruction manual for prayer, or even a prayer inventory for the people of God, then what might God be revealing when 40% of the psalms are lament?
“The Western church has gotten addicted to success and wealth and is influencing Two-Thirds-World Christians to do the same. People who value ease and monetary success will tend to ignore the Bible’s statements on suffering and grief. They will avoid confessing sin since to do so would be to admit that they do not deserve to be happy and satisfied.” - Duane Garrett
Does this criticism match your experience of the North American church? Have you unintentionally adopted the western addiction to ease and success to the neglect of lament and confession of sin?
In his commentary on Lamentations, Paul House says “Those who suffer because of their own sin may cry out to God as readily as innocent sufferers do.” What emotions does this reality produce in you?
Do you feel a sense of comfort or a sense of discomfort that the unjust appear to have the same access to God’s forgiveness?
When we lament, we appeal to God based on confidence in His character. In what ways might the Spirit be calling me to protest, process my emotions, voice my confusion and suffer in solidarity with another? What lament may the Spirit of God be inviting me into in this season?
August 1, 2021
Gideon defeats the Midianites - Judges 7
In the face of hardship, is your hope in your own abilities and resources or is God the source of your strength and hope? The honest portrayal of Gideon’s fears and uncertainties often serve as a mirror of our own experiences with God. Gideon has found himself in challenging circumstances that have progressively reinforced his trust in God. The cultural narrative elevates the strong and confident, as Gideon encounters a vast army of enemies; we can learn to place our hope in the fact that God’s strength is perfected in our weakness.
Respond:
Throughout the Hebrew Bible, the Israelites are called the people of God. Yet they often found themselves worshipping the idols of culture.
If God has called Israel to smash their idols, what does God call Christians to do today?
What are the altars and Asherah poles in which Christians today are called to dismantle in culture?
For God, these symbols reflected a cultural narrative that needed to die in order for people to flourish. What sins are reflected in systems today?
What might God want to call out in our own ‘politics’ and ‘religious attitudes’? Do our ideas of politics/religion enable us to love our neighbor as Jesus did?
Is your pride of self and pride in your abilities actually a detriment to deeper trust of God and deeper mutual dependence in community?
Does the spiritual formation that you have experienced in your life have the same potential to lose sight (as Gideon and his tribe did) of the author of our faith?
If you are honest, our lives can resemble this pattern of the Judges. In 2 Peter 1:1-10, Peter calls followers of Jesus to make every effort to respond to God’s promises. What patterns and habits can be developed to prevent us from falling into the trap that Gideon did?
July 25, 2021
Gideon asks for a sign - Judges 6:33-40
This Sunday we enter the second week in our series on Gideon. The Israelites were called to live as a distinct people for God but found themselves assimilating to the practices of the culture around them. The story of Gideon provides an authentic portrait of the fears and uncertainties the people of God face when God has called us to be obedient.
Respond:
Why was it God’s priority to deal with the idols of the culture prior to delivering them from their physical threats/enemies?
Have you, like Gideon; ever asked the Lord for some sort of sign to assess you were on the right trajectory? What was your experience like?
When you seek God’s wisdom on the unique calls in your lives (ie. marriage/singleness, career choices, stewardship etc), are you willing to have your motives exposed by God?
July 18, 2021
How does God see me? - Judges 6:1-32
“How can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe... and I am the least in my entire family!” This is the authentic cry of someone who is at the end of their abilities. In what ways can you see yourself in Gideon’s story? How do we respond when God extends us the same summons to costly obedience?
Respond:
Have you ever felt a distinct pull from God to take a step of faith but found yourself submerged by insecurities and doubts? What might the Holy Spirit want to teach you in this story?
What might it look like to habitually see ourselves through God’s eyes? What is possible when we live in obedience with the knowledge that God promises He is with us?
Despite feelings of inadequacy or preparedness, he took the next step of obedience with courage and in God’s strength.
In what ways can you see yourself in the tension of Gideon’s story? How do we respond when God extends the same summons to costly obedience?
Like Gideon, does my world feel hostile or unsafe? Does my fear of people and consequence prevent me from being obedient in the night?
July 4, 2021
Set Apart for the sake of the World - John 4:9-26; Matthew 5:13-16
You’re here to be salt seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth . . . Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept.
Nobody says it better than Jesus. The people of God are called to live in such a way that showcases the extravagance of God for the sake of the world.
Respond:
What possibilities does living in a “God-bathed world” open up? Have you found that living in interactive relationship with God has caused you to shift your priorities, your pursuits and relationships? What areas of your life might the Spirit want you to reconsider with an eternal perspective?
Jesus invites the Samaritan woman into relationship with him, offering her living water that will forever satisfy her thirst. In John 7, Jesus says that rivers of living water will flow from the hearts of those who believe in him.
What themes have Hebrew biblical authors connected rivers and streams to? With that in mind, what might it look like (in day to day life) for streams of living water to flow from followers of Jesus?
How might the themes of this Set Apart series: your hope, your love, your forgiveness (pardon, freedom, release), your living into Jesus’ new humanity, your faithfulness draw out the God flavors and colors in the world?
June 27, 2021
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost - Luke 4:14-30
As Jesus emerges from the wilderness, Luke records that he is filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. In his first recorded public teaching Jesus declares these liberating words of God. God’s heart is marked by forgiveness and his forgiveness has many dimensions that deal with freedom from sin, social, economic, and psychological oppression.
Respond:
Caesar exercised power in oppressive ways and proclaimed his own version of ‘good news.’ Jesus, full of the Spirit’s power exercised power in a very different way, his good news was very different than Caesar’s.
In light of how Jesus exercised ‘power’ and announced ‘good news’, in what ways can followers of Christ exercise power/influence, wealth/resources in work and culture today?
Are there people or demographics of people that you deem as unforgivable? When you consider the multiple dimensions of forgiveness (release, pardon, freedom, liberation, restoration), what seem to be the barriers you encounter when you resist extending God’s (aphesis) to certain people or demographics?
Where do you stand in this story from Luke 4? Do you celebrate the breadth, the height, the length, the width of God’s forgiveness (aphesis) and lavish it on others? Or would you exchange the good news of God for the good news that culture promotes? Be careful not to answer this question too quickly.
June 20, 2021
Fourth Sunday after Pentecost - Ephesians 2:11-22
The New Testament teaches us that Jesus has united every nation, language and people as one new undivided humanity by means of his death on the cross. Does this energize, captivate and move you? Is this good news for the world? What does it look like for the ‘set apart’ people of God to maintain the beauty of our own cultures and showcase the brilliant mosaic of God’s transformative love?
Respond:
For the early church, the question of whether Gentiles could be welcomed as part of God’s family caused heated debate as is seen most clearly in Acts and Galatians. Jews and Gentiles were divided by a very hostile history. What social hostilities continue to divide us today whether because of the division of wealth, ethnic tensions, political affiliations, etc. What role do the people of God have in these polarized categories?
The apostle Paul was so captivated by the new humanity that he was willing to risk his life in bringing a Gentile into the inner court. In what ways can the people of God break down similar barriers today? What might these conciliatory acts and practices look like today in 2021?
June 13, 2021
Third Sunday after Pentecost - Isaiah 40:27-31; Psalm 34:13-22
We do not hope like those who do not have a relationship with Jesus; our hope is not mere wishing it could be different. Our Hope truly defines us, leads us and overflows from us because our Hope is attached to the loving Heart of God! This Hope is more powerful now than ever before!
June 6, 2021
Second Sunday after Pentecost - John 13:31-38
The apostle Peter wrote to the early church that she is a chosen people, a holy nation. As a result, she is to “show others the goodness of God.” Is this what our friends, colleagues and neighbours perceive of the people of God? Join us as we continue our ‘Set Apart’ series focusing on the words of Jesus: “Love each other. Just as I have loved you… your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
Respond:
Liberals, Conservatives, Poor people, Rich people, criminals, lawyers, physically challenged people, physically superior people, mentally challenged people, mentally superior people, garbage collectors, golfers, slow drivers, telemarketers, televangelists, homemakers, home wreckers, homosexuals, heterosexuals, transsexuals, non-binary, metrosexuals, students, homeless people, sales people, religious people, atheists, black people, white people, First Nation people, Asian people, Arab people, famous people, fat people, skinny people, vegetarians, people who drink, people who forbid drinking, relatives, bullies.
- Adapted from “The End of Religion: Encountering the Subversive Spirituality of Jesus” by Bruxy Cavey
Jesus extravagantly loved people whom the public and religion excluded. As you read this list of people who differ from you, notice how you feel and any prejudice that may surface in your mind and heart. If you are honest with yourself, there are likely conscious or unconscious hierarchies in your mind. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you love ‘the other’ as Jesus did, ‘they’ are your colleagues, friends and neighbours.
The love that Jesus describes in his new commandment goes beyond affinity and emotions. His love extended to those who mocked and crucified him. Who do you have the hardest time loving? Is it people who are different from you? People who have wounded you? People who hold drastically different views?
May 30, 2021
Trinity Sunday - Isaiah 6:1-8; Exodus 33:14-17, 34:6-10
Holy. Few words are as misunderstood as ‘holy,’ the word often carries a legalistic tone. It conjures up thoughts about behaving a certain way, often involving aspects of purity and morality. The word itself is not about behaviour, it’s about status as completely distinct. It’s been said that the church is more known for what she is against than what she is for. What does it look like to be a holy, a set apart people that showcase the character and goodness of God?
Respond:
This terrifying vision emphasizes the transcendent set apart-ness of God. In the presence of God’s holiness, Isaiah becomes deeply aware of his condition. To what extent does Isaiah’s experience affirm or challenge your understanding of God’s holiness?
A refiner uses an extremely high heat to melt metal to a molten state; then he skims off the dross that floats to the top.
What unconscious, repressed weaknesses or sins does the Spirit want to bring to the surface of your life so that it can be removed from your character?
Isaiah does not seem to hesitate to respond to God’s call. What factors appear to enable him to respond in obedience? What aspects of what he has experienced are consistent to what many of us still experience here and now?
May 23, 2021
Day of Pentecost - Ezekiel 37:1-14
This Sunday is the day of Pentecost where we will explore the narrative of the valley of dry bones. Ezekiel’s ministry took place during the most hopeless season of Israel’s exile. The Israelites endured physical, emotional and spiritual turmoil as they lost all hope. Pentecost reminds us that even in the midst of the darkest despair and even death itself, the Holy Spirit can breathe new life and bring restoration where we least expect.
Respond:
Imagine that you are an Israelite living in exile, would you find this prophecy comforting or painfully disconnected with reality?
Don’t settle for answering the right way, but process your answer with God and ask for insight on what this unearths about your own journey.
Do you see yourself in the valley of dry bones? What circumstances or relational challenges seem lifeless, as good as dead or lacking hope in this season?
What grave or self-imposed grave has a stranglehold on your life? Where are you willing to invite the Spirit of God to breathe into? In these areas, are you willing to be obedient to the winds of the Spirit?
May 16, 2021
Seventh Sunday of Easter - Matthew 20:20-21:6
If Jesus is King, what do you want from Him? In Matthew 20, people come to Jesus with starkly different motives. It's the kind of passage that helps us reflect on the desires that drive us while pointing us in a truly powerful and hopeful direction.
May 9, 2021
Sixth Sunday of Easter - Acts 10:44-48
The writer of Acts showcases how ethnic and religious tensions threatened to divide and destroy the early church, but the Bible shows us that the Spirit of God is not bound by human rules and barriers! The way of Jesus envisions and works toward a new humanity in Christ where the things that divide us are put to death at the cross.
Respond:
Who might you be excluding from the family of God? How might your attitude toward certain people (whether ethnicity, socio-economic status, anything that divides etc) affect how you treat them? Do you love them as neighbours?
Japanese theologian Kosuke Koyama says “[t]he gospel breaks boundaries. Religion often insists on boundaries.” How do your preconceived notions about ‘who belongs and who doesn’t’ act as a barrier to truly lavishing the love and grace of Jesus on people around you?
Have there been times in the past where you may have unintentionally objected to the movement of the Holy Spirit? Where might the Spirit be leading you into uncharted waters today?
God invites people into this ongoing, trusting way of life with the Spirit. Just as Peter’s friends were stunned, we should consider what the Holy Spirit would have to say about the ways we navigate our friendships, giving, and priorities.
May 2, 2021
Fifth Sunday of Easter - John 15:1-8 & Acts 8:26-40
Our relationship with Jesus is to be rooted in love and from that core our obedience flows. It is not trying to be obedient so that we are loved. It is walking in submission to the power of the Holy Spirit as a way of life, as natural as breathing, that lets us experience that love and leads us in obedience. It is living our lives defined by those two simple principles that define us and our experiences with our Lord.
April 25, 2021
Fourth Sunday of Easter - 1 John 3:16-24
“We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us.”
These words from 1 John resonated in a community that was besieged by conflict, racial hostility, and persecution. But the Spirit of God transformed the early Christians into a people that represented a new humanity. The love of God breaks down ethnic, gender and socio-economic barriers.
Respond:
The sharing of goods with those in need was a feature in the early church.
As you review the criteria of 1 John 3:17, does this describe your life?
In what ways can we develop habits of generosity whether through automated support for aid organizations, sponsor children, missionaries, justice et cetera?
Share what investments strategies you have found to be more ethical and creation friendly than what is commonly practiced.
What are the needs of your colleagues, family, friends and neighbours? How can you address those needs with more than words?
What would it mean for you to reach out to someone with an act of love? How can you bear witness to your faith and help create a more caring and trustworthy world?
April 18, 2021
Third Sunday of Easter - Luke 24:35-49
Eastertide is a season to explore the ramifications of resurrection for the renewal of all creation, and for joyful living. This week, we read from the gospel of Luke which reveals a God that is alive, who offers comfort for our fear-filled hearts and empowers us to be joyful witnesses.
Respond:
What is currently weighing on your mind or piercing your heart? What anxious thoughts are robbing you of your peace? Has it occurred to you that Jesus really is present and ‘God with us’? Remind yourself of his love and presence and his gift of peace.
In Luke, the disciples stood in disbelief. In John, Thomas struggles to believe the experiences of others. When do I dismiss what seems to be impossible? Are there things that God is calling you to that seem unrealistic? What might God be asking you to reconsider today?
From being locked away in fear to being launched into culture with the power of the Spirit. What does Jesus’ words: “Peace be with you! And the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power” enable you to do this week? In what ways do you feel trapped in fear?
April 11, 2021
Second Sunday of Easter
Generation Z are passionate influencers that are creating immense change in culture. They care deeply about social issues and better practices for the future. More than any other generation, zoomers are called 'post-Christian.' This Sunday, our beloved sister Ruby will share about her work with Power to Change and how God is empowering this generation to boldly proclaim Jesus' name around the world.
April 4, 2021
Holy Week: Easter Sunday - John 20:1-18
This week, we celebrate Resurrection Sunday. The gospel of John invites us into the grief and fear of Mary and the disciples, but also awakens us to a new reality. That death doesn't get the final word and that everything we ever knew has to be re-imagined in light of the resurrection.
Respond:
Have you ever wondered why it takes Mary so long to consider any other possibility of what has happened to Jesus? Easter is an invitation for us, like Mary; to recognize the risen Christ in our midst.
What is already being made new in Christ in your character, in your family, your relationships… What does God want to make new in your life?
Jesus called Mary by name. Have you ever experienced something that seemed given (or spoken) just to you, a friend said something just when you needed it, things unfolded in a way that you didn’t think possible, something that could have been of God?
The question that Jesus asked Mary, isn’t ‘what are you looking for’ but but “who are you looking for?”
When Mary finds the disciples, her announcement is not about the empty tomb, her announcement is personal “I have seen the Lord!”
How does the resurrection change your life?
April 2, 2021
Holy Week: Good Friday - Psalm 22
On Good Friday, we pause to reflect on the chilling scream of the crucifixion: "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" Psalm 22 captures the heart of what it is to live in the tension of brokenness and trusting in the goodness of God. We cannot properly celebrate Easter Sunday without Good Friday. Why does salvation come through suffering?
March 28, 2021
Palm Sunday and Sixth Sunday of Lent - Philippians 2:1-11
During Lent, we are challenging the scripts and habits of culture and drawing from the wisdom and practices of Jesus. The ancient world, like us; revolved around fame, power and control. This Palm Sunday, we will look at Philippians 2; and embrace Jesus’ self-emptying posture of life, so that we can move from self-centeredness to humility.
Respond:
Jesus’ humility finds its strength in the conviction that God is good. Do you trust that God is wholly good? What barriers or obstacles appear to be in the way of fully yielding to God’s desires for the day to day practices of your life?
Jesus says “those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.”
Do your habits and practices resemble one that aspires to greatness by Jesus’ definition or to greatness by the world’s definition?
How do we live faithfully in that tension of wanting to be ‘the lowest rank’ as a servant but still rightfully desiring to excel in our career/work?
Are you clothed in humility? Have you found that in recognizing your own shortcomings you are more patient and forgiving of those who offend you? Ask Jesus. Ask your closest loved ones.
Download a copy of this week’s Spiritual Exercises for Humility (adapted from the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun).
March 21, 2021
Fifth Sunday of Lent - Isaiah 58, Matthew 6:16-18
Paul Racine will continue our Lenten "Practicing the way of Jesus" series with the topic "from self-indulgence to fasting," he will focus on the issue of the heart and how it needs to be engaged in this type of prayer discipline. The Heart is the most important part of the relationship we have with Jesus and the Father and it is our Heart that the Spirit works in and through. But it is also in conjunction with the Spirit’s leading that we fast.
Download a copy of this week’s Spiritual Exercises for Fasting (adapted from the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun).
March 14, 2021
Fourth Sunday of Lent - Luke 12:13-21
People must be trained to desire, to want new things, even before the old have been entirely consumed… Man's desires must overshadow his needs.” These are the words of a leading Wallstreet banker in the Harvard Business Review in 1927. It is well documented that many forces conspired to manipulate society to be driven by consumerism. Though we take pride in freedom, like the Scripture has timelessly warned; we have become slaves to our own desires. During Lent, we are challenging the scripts and habits that bring harm to others and the planet and drawing from the wisdom and practices of Jesus. Join us as we move from consumerism to simplicity.
Respond:
Do the words of Ezekiel speak against our culture today? Do his words pierce your heart?
Are there any unconscious behaviours (ie. purchases, investments, material wealth) that habitually contribute to the harm of neighbour and environment?
If so, what are some small steps we can take as individuals/communities to offset this?
In what ways have you bought into the lie of consumerism? In what ways does the process of the rich farmer’s thinking resonate with your own?
How do the words of Jesus and the wisdom of the gleaning laws (Torah) challenge you to live differently (think of tangible actions/habits)?
Download a copy of this week’s Spiritual Exercises for Simplicity (adapted from the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun).
Simplicity Exercises (companion piece for the Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer).
March 7, 2021
Third Sunday of Lent - Hebrews 4:1-13
Many of us feel consumed by the relentless and destructive culture of busyness. Our inner lives feel suffocated, teetering on the brink of despair when it appears that there is no alternative. What if the path to healing is to dismantle the old practices that crush our soul and passionately pursue the quality of life that Jesus lived? During Lent, we are weakening our attachments to the habits that act as thieves in our lives and leaning into the practices of Jesus. Join us as we move from slavery to sabbath.
Respond:
Does the prospect of a weekly day of dedicated rest excite you? Could it sustain you on the journey of life, and deepen your hope in Christ?
If you already practice Sabbath, does habitually resting for one day each week connect you more deeply to God and overflow into the rest of your week?
Download a copy of this week’s Spiritual Exercises for Sabbath (adapted from the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun).
Sabbath Exercises (companion piece for the Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer).
February 28, 2021
Second Sunday of Lent - Luke 10:38-42
Lent is a season of preparation for followers of Jesus. God wants us to experience wholeness and change who we will become. Jesus invites all who are restless and anxious to sit in his presence and discover "the one thing worth being concerned about." How and why should we move from restlessness to a state of being in which we know we are constantly seen, known and deeply loved? What quality of life would flow from the practices of Jesus? Join us as we practice a different way for Lent.
Respond:
Jesus modelled a priority for silence and lonely places. Silence is the fertile soil of listening. What hinders you from spending time specifically in silence and solitude?
Like Martha, am I worried and upset about many things, or, like Mary, am I focused on pursuing the ‘one thing’ - listening to Jesus and spending time in his presence? What distracts you from the one thing?
Is your doing for God more important than being with Him?
Richard Foster says “we must seek out the recreating stillness of solitude if we want to be with others meaningfully.” Do you agree with him? Why or why not?
Download a copy of this week’s Spiritual Exercises for Silence and Solitude (adapted from the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun).
February 21, 2021
First Sunday of Lent - Psalm 51
Lent is a season of preparation for followers of Jesus. It's a time for believers to weaken our attachments to the desires of the world and to recognize that our habits can change. God will break us out of deep rooted patterns that are destructive. He wants to change who we will become. Can we consent to a new heart, a new way of living that brings wholeness and empowers us to love ourselves and everyone around us? Join us as we practice a different way for Lent.
Respond:
What impact does a consistent refusal to apologize or lack of confession have on one’s character and self-awareness?
In what ways might lack of confession affect my relationships?
Ask the Spirit and examine your life. How do/have your sins (the ways in which we break relationship) hurt the people that are in your life? Who have I injured through my selfishness, my impatience, my anger or my judgment?
Do you think of God as feeling compassionate (like the nurturing and tenderness of a mother) towards you? Why or why not?
Can we begin to trust one another to create spaces where we won’t have to walk in private with our sin and our wounds?
Download a copy of this week’s Spiritual Exercises for Confession (adapted from the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun).
Please note that no messages were recorded on the weeks of February 7th and February 14th
January 31, 2021
Ecclesiastes 5:1-20
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “Money often costs too much.” Qoheleth redirects his focus towards humanity’s obsession with wealth and power. We dream and labor for it, we are anxious over managing it, unspeakable evil is committed for it, and we grieve in the loss of it. Join us as we continue to learn contentment and glean from the wisdom in Ecclesiastes.
Respond:
The Spirit of God has direct access to your mind and imagination. Ask him to speak into your life.
Is there anything you want to say to me today? What would be pleasing to you today, Father? What lies am I believing? What is the truth you want to replace that lie with?
(Adapted from workbook to “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by John Mark Comer)
In regards to Qoheleth’s observations on government, in what way(s) can followers of Jesus demonstrate proper respect to civil authorities while appropriately challenging and confronting powers regarding injustice and oppression?
Qoheleth observes that those who love money will never have enough of it. This is not a phenomenon exclusive to the wealthy, do you recognize a longing to be financially rich in your own life? If so, in what ways does it impact your habits of generosity?
January 24, 2021
Ecclesiastes 3:1-22
God has set eternity in the hearts of humankind, there is something so mysterious and powerful about this desire that we gravitate towards this pull. Our lives need to be anchored in a greater perspective, one where God has pierced through the ‘hebel’ and despair. We must learn to apply the gospel to our hearts so in order to discover the fullness of eternal living with God as a reality here and now.
Respond:
If life with God in the here and now is the way Jesus describes eternal life, how does this question interrogate your priorities? How does a frantic and hurried life actually act as a barrier that prevents us from experiencing abundant life?
It has been suggested that we spend most of our time ruminating on the past or worrying about the future. Have you found this to be the case?
If we know that our future is guarded by Jesus, and our past is redeemed by Him, then what effect should this have on our perspective on the present, the here and now?
January 17, 2021
Ecclesiastes 2:12-26
Culture tells us everyday what it is to be successful. We find ourselves seduced by external and extrinsic goals, but time after time people make ‘it’ they find ‘it’ elusive. What if we have it all backwards? What if the source that transcends everything is not something we have to pursue but to simply stop hiding from? How do the special effects of sin promise what they are unable to deliver?
January 10, 2021
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
As we resolve to make the most of the new beginning that 2021 offers, we continue to ask: what if the pathway to deeper hope runs through exposing the lies that we may unconsciously live by? In Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, Qoheleth interrogates the pursuit of pleasure, the habit of extracting from life everything we desire. Join us as we glean from the wisdom of Ecclesiastes.
Respond:
Centuries after Qoheleth, culture still pursues hedonism and calls it progress. When pleasure provides one’s needed meaning or significance in life, the hedonistic treadmill guarantees that one becomes dependent on increasing amounts of pleasure. Have you found this to be true? In what ways can this pattern be destructive in your life?
Qoheleth explores hedonism, a philosophy that reflects our culture’s preoccupation of self. Where do I live for self-indulgence and promotion, rather than embracing the self-emptying way of love?
In what ways do the words of Qoheleth (the Word of God) interrogate your life today? What parts of life feel like hěʹ·ḇěl (meaningless) right now?
How might we integrate the perspective we have as followers of Jesus with the wisdom of Qoheleth?
January 3, 2021
Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
Tyler Durden paints a bleak picture of modern life: “we buy things we don’t need, with money we don’t have, to impress people we don’t like.” The teacher in Ecclesiastes suggests that much of our daily time and energy is spent on things that are meaningless. As we move into 2021, what if the pathway to deeper hope runs through exposing the lies that we may unconsciously live by? Join us as we dive into the wisdom of Ecclesiastes.
Respond:
Qoheleth defines everything as hěʹ·ḇěl (a vanishing breath). We can’t grasp or hold on to our wealth, our appearance, our accolades, it’s all hěʹ·ḇěl. What we chase seems to elude us. How does pondering this teaching affect you? Have you found his observations to hold true in your experience?
If you were in dialogue with Qoheleth, how would you respond?
In what ways do the words of Qoheleth (the Word of God) interrogate your life today? What parts of life feel like hěʹ·ḇěl (meaningless) right now?
How might we integrate the perspective we have as followers of Jesus with the wisdom of Qoheleth?