Good Shepherd Barrhaven Sermon Stream

Christians are supposed to be hopeful people. God gives us great promises about how He will care for us, and how He will make all things right. Yet, these hopeful promises can be hard to believe when our everyday life is full of challenges and disappointments. This sermon argues that Advent is meant to help us keep hope while remembering that the challenges are real.Scripture Reference: Jeremiah 33:14-18; Luke 21:25-36Preached on the First Sunday of Advent, December 2, 2018 by Rev. Stephen SilverthorneSermon HighlightsPeople flourish when they stay hopeful without denying the bitter truthThe birth of Jesus reminds us that God keeps His promises to IsraelJesus' prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem shows us that when an era ends, it is natural to be fearfulWe can keep hope that Jesus will come again, when we prepare ourselves through daily looking for ways Jesus is present nowFurther ReadingA useful prayer app for preparing us for Church in AdventPray As You Go: Advent ReflectionAn Advent reflection for

This section of Mark's Gospel is hard to read because it talks about judgment, signs and wonders. Fr. Stephen explains why this type of writing is known as apocalyptic literature, and how we can understand it despite it being odd-sounding. He also notes that this passage is about judgement on the Jerusalem of Jesus' day but also speaks to us about our responsibilities in uncertain times. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What is the point in thinking about heaven, if it's just something coming in the future? This sermon reflects on how famous, well-known saints and unknown, everyday saints point us to the reality and value of heaven. Fr. Stephen also reflects on how we see heaven revealed in those places of beauty in our daily lives. What we see now only partially, will be revealed fully when Christ returns See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This sermon examines the way money and possessions exert unhealthy influence on us. In this passage from Mark, Jesus gives a rich young man a very difficult task: to sell his possessions and give them to the poor. This command rightly shocks us, because most of us live with many possessions. Money and possessions can warp our priorities, and make us forget the things which are of greater value. Jesus' challenge here should make us rethink our priorities and ask whether the way we spend our time and money really reflect who Jesus wants us to be. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This sermon deals with the challenging topic of divorce. Fr. Stephen explains here how we are to look at divorce, and then challenges us to ask why God created marriage. How do we live up to the purpose for which marriage was made? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Fr. Stephen gives some background on the letter, and explains that it was written to a group of Jewish Christians who are experiencing persecution. Under these circumstances, it was tempting to "fight fire with fire" and respond by using the same methods as those who are attacking. James reminds his readers that their existence as a body of believers only came about through God's action. Their continued growth and protection can only rest on this, not by mimicking the world's methods. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this sermon, Fr. Stephen argues that by dismissing supernatural evil, we are in danger of being surprised by evil when it attacks. We also run the risk of ignoring it because it doesn't seem so evil on the surface. The sermon concludes with St. Paul's advice on how to protect ourselves from evil by putting on the armour of God. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today many feel the legacy of the church's suspicion of pleasure and sexuality. Many still feel a sense of shame from bad interactions with the church. So how do Paul's words on sexuality apply to us today, without shame? Fr. Stephen speaks to the importance of vulnerability and intimacy in our lives, encouraging us to consider how we can better shape our intimate relationships to allow them to take on a Christ-like character. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In today's passage from Ephesians, St. Paul reminds us that we are to help each other grow more fully to resemble Jesus. His particular focus is on the sacrificial character of Jesus' ministry, and calls his readers to imitate this. They can do this through letting go of old, self-focused ways and embracing the way of service which Christ embraced. Paul supplies some examples of how these ways contrast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this section of his letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul continues the theme he started in chapter 2: the church experiences unity because of Christ's work in reconciling different groups. But what does this unity really look like, and what are we supposed to do about it? This sermon reflects on how unity is a gift for us to appreciate, but also a challenge for us to maintain. It includes practical ways for us to contribute to unity in our local church while appreciating our differences. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this section of his letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul tells us that we should focus on unity in the Church, if we want to show the world what Jesus' ministry is all about. His power in bringing separated groups together is one of the most attractive features of church life. However, this power is only shown when we actually live out that unity in our own congregations. This sermon also deals with the way we talk to and about God. St. Paul here addresses God as Father, and this is how we usually talk about Him in church. But is this appropriate? God isn't a man is He? Fr. Stephen shares some of the ways this language is can be overcome, and some of the reasons why we might want to keep it as part of the language of public worship. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Loving your enemies is a core Christian teaching, but sometimes this seems impossible. At best, we usually just end up tolerating those we dislike. In this sermon, Fr. Stephen reveals that St. Paul shows us Jesus does much more than tolerate enemies: he reconciles them. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Human beings don't always treat others with the respect that comes from being made in God's image. Yet, today's Gospel lesson shows us that this isn't how Jesus operates. He deals with an important leader in the same way he deals with a poor, nameless woman in need of healing--he shows them respect and love. This sermon reminds us that Jesus genuinely loves each of us, regardless of who we are. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

John the Baptist's ministry didn't come from nowhere, but instead was made possible by the faithfulness of his parents. Their everyday faithfulness and trust in God's promises prepared him for the great work he did for God. This sermon focuses on the importance of everyday faithfulness in our lives today. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The ongoing impact of the Indian Residential School policy, the loss of Indigenous language & heritage, and the terrible conditions on many reserves have pushed our society to wrestle with reconciliation. Sarah addresses these themes in her talk, acknowledging the ways our own church tradition took part in these events but calling on us to be a force for reconciliation and healing in the future. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this sermon, Fr. Stephen challenges us to take rest seriously as both a gift God gives us and a command God expects us to follow. He concludes by suggesting ways of taking rest, but also ways we can bring rest to others. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This sermon reminds us not to approach God as a puzzle to solve, but a loving God we can relate to. The Trinity teaches us that He is mysterious and beyond our understanding, but also someone who wants us to enjoy friendship with Him. Both realities are expressed by the Trinity, and both are great comfort to those in need. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Pentecost is more than the story of a great thing which happened in the past. It’s the story of how God gave His church the Spirit of Jesus to carry on Jesus’ ministry on earth. When Jesus’ body ascends, he gives us his Spirit so that we can act as His hands and feet in the world. That same Spirit animates the church today. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This sermon explores why the Ascension is important for Christians to appreciate and understand. The ascension tells us that we have someone in heaven who understands us, and can appreciate the many frailties and challenges that come from being human. It also tells us we have a champion in heaven, who has won a victory for us over sin and death. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How can we accept demands for obedience, when so many leaders have shown themselves to be unworthy of trust? This sermon points out how Christ's leadership is different, because he is someone who lays down his life for his friends. This sacrificial love demonstrates that he has our interests at heart. We begin to enjoy his love when we start to act on what he tells us to do See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.