A Train, A Satellite, A Table, A Wave

1 Corinthians 12
Kevin Makins

This sermon kicks off thirteen weeks learning about the core convictions of our Christian Way; perhaps best captured in the Apostles' Creed.

How can a Creed that is nearly 2000 years old still serve and build up the church today? 

Let's start by understanding the Creed with four metaphors: the Creed is a train, a satellite, a table, and a wave.


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Doubt

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2015.04.12 - Matt Willard - The Church Calendar

Doubt

John 20:19-31

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After the resurrection Jesus appeared to his disciples… except Thomas was out running errands or something.

So Thomas, naturally, doubts what they are saying.

What is the role of doubt in our relationship with God? How does God use our doubt to grow and shape us?

The text:

John 20:19-31

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Practice Resurrection

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2015.04.05 - Kevin Makins - The Church Calendar

Practice Resurrection

Mark 16

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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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Come and See

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2015.01.18 - Justin Eisinga - The Church Calendar

Come and See

John 1:43-51

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Justin tells the story of Jesus calling the disciples, and how he meets them in the midst of their skepticism!

Also, this sermon resulted in a bunch of people from our congregation telling stories of how God has made himself known in the most unexpected places. It’s really good.

The text:

John 1:43-51 43

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 49 Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

The Shadow Side of Faith

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2014.02.16 - Prayer 2014 - Leshia Knopf

The Shadow Side of Faith

Habakkuk, Romans 8

Leshia Knopf shares an honest and reflective sermon on suffering, lament, trust, and being angry with God. Leshia is a part of the Eucharist Church “Preaching Guild”, a student of theology at McMaster Divinity College, and has spent the last few months driving her mother back and forth to her cancer appointments.

Suffice to say, this is not an intellectual exercise.

Leshia draws from the (little preached on) prophet Habakkuk to present a way of wrestling with God that is both faithful and raw.

Jeff Wynands also lead us in songs of lament, including a remixed version of Psalm 137.

The music starts at 32 minutes.

The lyrics to the song are below:

If I sing it wouldn’t mean a thing

If I dance it wouldn’t prove a chance

If I shout it wouldn’t lift the doubt

But I will if just to trust

We sit in endless sorrow at this river of defeat

We hang our songs in sadness on this tree of memory

Our joys are shapeless shadows these foreign city streets

We’ve fallen prey to mockers and their morbid mockeries

These hands surrender function and this heart it stutters beats

Were I to forget mount Zion my lips would surely seize

The wreck and rubble of a promise now dust upon our feet

We pray the same for the infant of these wretched godless deeds

If I sing it wouldn’t mean a thing

If I dance it wouldn’t prove a chance

If I shout it wouldn’t lift the doubt

But I will if just to trust…

Your will is enough oh God

Father this city’s cursed but you bless it with your name

Oh son this home is exile but you make it all the same

Easter Epilogue 2013 - What The Resurrection Means To Me

2013.04.24 - David Barker - Easter Epilogue 2013

What The Resurrection Means To Me

Dr. David Barker from Heritage Seminary takes us through his personal story looking at what the resurrection has meant to him, and how it confronts the way we view the world and the way we interact with God.

There is also a brilliant little section about doubt and faith, and how they work so well together.

Audio recording is medium quality, but you should be able to listen along just fine.

A joyful, gospel sing-a-long ruckus is led by Jared Both - starts 42 minutes in.