Let’s get ourselves deeper into the story of Jesus walking towards the cross, and find out what looks like to live a life of meaning.
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Resurrection is incredible not just because it happened, but because it happens.
Featuring a monologue from Terri Drumm and teaching moment from Leshia Knopf!
The text:
Mark 16
When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back.
As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
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A sermon on suffering, following Jesus, and how our expectations shape us.
Also featuring a short parable by Danny Blank, Stephen Edwards, and the Eucharist Kids about the “Ontario Basketball Assocation”!
The text:
Mark 8:31-38
Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
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Most sermons start with information, and then move from your brain to your gut. We had a question: what if we had a sermon that started with your emotions and then worked to your brain?
This lead to an experiment: a musical sermon!
What exactly is a musical sermon? Give it a listen and you’ll hear.
The text:
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.“
The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
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In the ancient world people were used to meeting the god(s) on top of mountains. That was where you expected to find a god!
Jesus also reveals his divinity on a mountain, but what happens before and after this epiphany reveals even more.
The text:
Mark 9:2-9
2 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” 8 Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
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Isn’t it weird to think that Jesus was human? Like a REAL flesh and blood human who had to work, and pray, and get up early, and ask the hard questions about what it mean to do God’s work.
What does it mean to be fully human like Jesus?
The text:
Mark 1:29-39
29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31 He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
32 That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered around the door. 34 And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. 35 In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and his companions hunted for him.
37 When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” 38 He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” 39 And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.
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The live sermon recording failed this week, so instead of having no podcast (which is a bummer) or re-preaching it to no-one-all-alone-in-my-room… I called up Susan Littleton! Sue is a part of Eucharist and was happy to sit down with me and play the role of our whole congregation in the sermon.
And we couldn’t have picked a stranger one: the text this week is about unclean spirits, and exorcisms! HA!
It’s easy to want to write off this sort of talk in scripture as superstitious nonsense, but in many ways the stories of Jesus reveal a part of reality that our culture has forgotten: that there are very real spiritual powers around us, and that they can be unclean!
What does Jesus do with these unclean spirits, and what does it mean for us? Let’s dive in.
The text:
Mark 1:21-28
21 They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. 22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
23 Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, 24 and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
2015.01.25 - Kevin Makins - The Church Calendar
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In the first century Jesus and his followers took a massive risk, and God used them to change the world FOREVER.
In 2015 we go to church on Sunday.
How did Christianity get so… boring? And how can God shake us up again?
It all begins with three simple challenges: repent, believe, follow.
The text:
Mark 1:14-20
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” 16 As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him.
19 As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
2015.01.11 - Leshia Knopf - The Church Calendar
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Throughout history and around the world, people who have had an transformative encounter with the Resurrected Jesus have walked into water, surrounded by their community, and have been dunked under and pulled back up.
So… that’s a bit of a weird thing!
Why do followers of Jesus get baptized? And equally important: why in the WORLD was Jesus baptized?
The text:
Mark 1:4-11 4
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
2014.12.07 - Jared Both - The Church Calendar
Survival Skills for Desert Living
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John the Baptist is a weird, ecentric dude!
Another ecentric dude, Jared Both, takes us through an introduction to John the Baptist, looking at who he was, and what he had to say.
The text, Mark 1:1-8
1 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; 3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’ ”
4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
2014.05.04 - Kevin Makins - So What?
Evangelism: Why Does Good News Sound So Bad?
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Mark 1, Matthew 4, 28, Luke 10
Evangelism is when a Christian tells someone about Jesus with the goal of converting them. When I say “evangelism” or “convert” or “repent”, what do you think of?
Do you think of love, and grace, and hospitality, and mutuality? Or do you think of OTHER things?
Like soap-boxes, and protests, and debates, and arguments, and judgement, and fear, and hellfire?
The message of Jesus is supposed to be good news! How did good news start to sound so bad?
And here is the real question: is there a way to reclaim this good news?
Music is led by Aaron Craig and starts 55 minutes in.
2013.12.22 - COLOSSIANS REMIXED - Kevin Makins
RECONCILIATION REMIXED / ADVENT LOVE
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Colossians 4:7-18, Acts 13 & 14
Paul closes his epic letter with a long list of names that means nothing to us at first glance. Once you find out who these people are, it begins to come together!
The text:
Tychicus will tell you all the news about me; he is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts; he is coming with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.
Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him. And Jesus who is called Justus greets you. These are the only ones of the circumcision among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you. He is always wrestling in his prayers on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in everything that God wills. For I testify for him that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you.
Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. And when this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you read also the letter from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, “See that you complete the task that you have received in the Lord.”
I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
Targum written and read by Chrissy Hurn
2013.04.21 - Kevin Makins - The Thing I Am Most Afraid Of: Two Sermons About Power
Acts 8, Mark 10, Romans 12
Power can corrupt us. How do we survive?
Music led by Justine Lodder - starts 41 minutes in.
2013.03.17 - Dave Witt - Mustard Seeds.
Mark 6
Dave takes us through “the feeding of the five thousand” and looks at how God is at work even when we are resentful/tired/lacking compassion.
Music led by Joel Cumby and Dave Hamilton - starts 28 minutes in.
2013.02.17 - Kevin Makins - Mustard Seeds.
Mark 4
Anyone else feel super guilty that they don’t do all that they should in order to love God and others more?
Anyone else feel completely overwhelmed by all the ways this world is busted and broken and falling apart?
Anyone else ever tempted to just give up, eat some snacks and play video games for the rest of the month?
Ya, me too.
Music led by Aaron Craig - starts 33 minutes in.
2011.10.30 - Kevin Makins - Soma: 1 Corinthians
And in the last days it shall be
1 Corinthians 2:6-16, Joel 2, Mark 1, Acts 2
Paul has done a lot of “wisdom bashing” in the beginning of his letter, but he doesn’t want to suggest that the message of Jesus has no wisdom of its own - it has wisdom and power, but of a very different kind.
This wisdom is a secret to the powers and rulers of our time, it cannot be understood in terms of wealth or success - it is a secret wisdom, revealed to mankind by the Spirit of God.
And that Spirit has been graciously and generously poured out.
Music led by Joel Cumby and Dan Leythem - starts 32 minutes in.
Mark 2; Zechariah 8
We kick off year two of Eucharist Church by revisiting our first series: “Bread & Wine.”
The Christian has to know how to lament, and how to praise. How to mourn, and how to celebrate. How to recognize both exile and home.
This week was our attempt at a liturgy combining feasting, fasting, and maranatha.
Music led by Tim Selles and Jeff Wynands.
2011.06.19 - Chris Cuthill - Imaginarium: The Theological Imagination
Mark 14
The first sermon in our three week series on the theological imagination. Chris Cuthill, who holds the Art Chair at Redeemer University, explores the idea of imagination as it intersects with faith, hope, and life in the Kingdom.
Music led by Joel Cumby - starts 41 min in.
David Barker - The Things That Make For Peace: Sabbath
Mark 2, Deuteronomy 5
There is perhaps no sin more rewarded in our North American culture than the sin of Sabbath breaking. In the midst of a busy world that values productivity above all, Jesus’ teachings on Sabbath become an act of rebellion against the empires of our world.
Sabbath makes for peace.
