Deepest Magic

1 John 4: 7-8 - 01.11.09
Deepest Magic

Every story has a force that propels it, a fuel, an engine. The Christian story claims to be the true story of the universe, the story that holds together all the other stories: what is its engine?

A sermon about a God who is eternally committed to the seemingly absurd and illogical notion that this place and these people are worth saving, and who refuses to be motivated by anything but pure, true, good, break-you-open-pour-you-out love.

Download "Deepest Magic" from Freechurch.ca

Influences:

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - C.S. Lewis
Harry Potter series - J.K. Rowling
The Drama of Scripture - Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen

"Going" and "Being"

Acts 2: 42-47 - 11.10.09
"Going" and "Being"

It's simple. So simple. But we forget it every day: church is a family.

Not a building, not a time in the week; a group of people coming together as family. We say its obvious, but we ask people: "What church do you go to?"

"What family do you go to? How was family last night? I am family shopping."

If we think of church as something that we go to, then we show up, smile, consume our spiritual goods, and go on our way. If we think of church as something that we are, then everything will change. There is a world of difference between "going" to something, and "being" something.


Sermon not recorded properly.

Influences:

Derek Webb - She must and shall go free (album)
No Perfect People Allowed - John Burke
George Hunsberger's essay in Evangelical Ecclessiology - John Stackhouse Jr.

"What is that to you?"

John 21 - 20.09.09
"What is that to you?"

There is this moment in John's Gospel where Peter betrays Jesus three times next to a charcoal fire. He is broken, ashamed, and lost. Later, the resurrected Jesus sits Peter down next to a charcoal fire and asks him three times if he loves him. Peter is forgiven, empowered, and given the most important mission of all time. His response to this incredible, personal, history-altering moment? He points to someone else and says "What about him?"

We have all been forgiven, equipped, and trusted with a mission that will change the world. Each of us has an individual calling to do things that only we can do, to bring God's Kingdom in ways only we can. How often is our response to point to the person next to us and ask "What about him? What about her? Why does he get that house? Why is she so good at that?"

Jesus' response? "What is that to you? You follow me."

A sermon about always asking "What is that to me?"

The sermon was not recorded at FreeChurch, but a similar one was at Hope Fellowship. Click for the download.

Influences

Name (Nooma) - Rob Bell
A hundred conversations with a hundred people who feel the same thing

dead people's bones

Matthew 23: 27-28 - 23.08.09
dead people's bones

Jesus points out two ways of existing. In one we are filled with living waters that overflow into life. In the other we are like a tomb filled with dead people's bones.


Not recorded.

Wrestling

Matthew 15: 21-28 - 09.08.09
Wrestling

In the ancient world, your name was more than just a title, it spoke to the core of who you were. The name of God's chosen people? Israel.

Israel means "wrestles with God."

A teaching about wrestling with God and man.

Download a clip of "Wrestling" from Freechurch.ca

Influences:

The Orthodox Heretic - Peter Rollins (specifically the parable "The Final Trail")
Kester Brewin's parable "Footprints" (http://www.kesterbrewin.com/2009/09/04/winning-a-parable-competition/)
Derek Webb - Stockholm Syndrome (album)
Being able to be honest with God about things He already knows

more like Rome

Matthew 6: 9-10 - 02.08.09
more like Rome

Earth, glory, sin, death, order, chaos, anti-kingdom, redemption, cosmos, escapism, justice, dancing and the reconciliation of all things.

What is Christianity really about?


Download 'more like Rome' from Freedomize.com

Influences

Books:
Surprised by Hope - N.T. Wright (or any of his other work, specifically 'Simply Christian')
The Drama of Scripture - Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen

Other:
Mockingbird - Derek Webb (Album)

the Rabbi and the Talmidim

Matthew 4 - 14.06.09
the Rabbi and the Talmidim

Jesus calls a bunch of fishermen to leave everything and follow him, and they just do it. No questions, no doubts. They just go. Why?

Not recorded.

Influences:

The Rabbi and the Talmidim - Ray Vanderlaan (http://www.followtherabbi.com/Brix?pageID=2753)

Youth Retreat: Jacked up stories in Judges

The Book of Judges - 16-19.05.09
Jacked up stories in Judges

Note: None of these sermons were recorded. They were preached at both the Elmira Youth Retreat (May 09) and Joy Winter Retreat (Feb 2010)

The Bible is a messy book. You might not know it from ‘Veggie Tales’ and flannel-graph boards, but there is some seriously twisted stuff in our Holy Book! What do we do with it? So often we ignore the stuff in the Bible that makes us uncomfortable, but what if we dealt with it head on? What if we intentionally spent time in the most violent, depraved, jacked-up sections of the Bible? Maybe we will all close the book and never speak of it again… or maybe something beautiful and redemptive will happen in the very place we least expect it!

The Bible is God’s Word to us, right? And that means the whole thing, doesn’t it?

1) we just call them by different names

God promised to always love, defend, and provide for His people; but what happens when they turn their back on Him? What happens when they grow cold to the one true God and chase around all the others? What happens when we grow cold to the one true God and start chasing around all the others?



2) we’re all left handed

We do a lot to cover up our weakness, don’t we? We dress cool, listen to cool music, wear cool sunglasses, slick back our hair and roll up cigarette carts in our sleeves (no one else?). We all want to be friends with the most popular people; we want to grow up to be famous, to be winners! But the God of the Bible seems to prefer those that are the weaklings, the losers, those on the underside of power… God runs with the underdogs.



3) you don’t get to be Batman

The book of Judges is filled with interesting characters who save the day… so it’s a book of heroes… isn’t it? But what happens when heroes let us down? What happens when we can’t save the day? Who is the real hero of the story?



4) a new deliverer

We get it, we need rescuing: but who will deliver us?

jumping into the pool and running around the block

Psalm 137 - 10.05.09
jumping into the pool and running around the block

Tragedy strikes, the walls fall down, Babylon comes, and we find ourselves at the rivers side; sitting, mourning, and wondering 'where is God?' We ask the question 'how can we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?' Sometimes suffering takes us into exile, and we wonder what to do with our pain. Maybe the Psalms have something to say about our pain? Maybe God wants us to voice it?

Download 'jumping into the pool and running around the block' from Freedomize.com

Recommendations/Influences

Books:
Out of the Depths: The Psalms Speak For Us Today - Bernard Anderson
The Drama of Scripture - Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen
Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven, But Nobody Wants To Die - David Crowder and Mike Hogan
Answering God - Eugene Peterson

Other:
Introductions to the Psalms (Heritage Seminary Course) - Dr. David Barker
I Can Feel Your Pain; Sleeper 1972; Where Have You Been?; I Can Feel A Hot One - Manchester Orchestra
Matthew (Nooma) - Rob Bell

you only have I known

Amos 1-3 - 03.05.09
you only have I known

Subversive, edgy, out-spoken, poetic. At a time when Israel was comfortable with the 'status-quo' it was the prophets who stood up, gave voice to the way things were, and pointed to the way they should be.

'Prophecy is the voice that God has lent to the silent agony, a voice to the plundered poor, to the profaned riches of the world. It is a form of living, a crossing point of God and man. God is raging in the prophet's words.'

Who are the prophets today? What do they say to us? What is raging in our words?

Download 'you only have i known' from Freedomize.com

What you can't hear:
Near the end of the sermon, after Joy spoke of her sister's piece, a video played showing its display and construction. The other thing you can't hear (much) is the technical errors!

Recommendations/Influences

Books:
The Prophets - Abraham Heschel
Wall and Peace - Banksy
The Drama of Scripture - Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen
Jesus Wants to Save Christians - Rob Bell and Don Golden
An Introduction to the Old Testament - Tremper Longman III

Other:
She Must and Shall Go Free; Mockingbird (Albums) - Derek Webb
Of Plastic Circumstance - Rose Broadbent (http://ofplasticcircumstance.com/)
The Old Prince (Album) - Shad K.

no more heroes

Judges 6-8 - 15.03.09
no more heroes

It is in Israel's darkest times that they realize the most profound truths. In their darkest time God raises up for them a deliverer, but will he forget who raised him up? Will Israel remember who the hero of the story is?

Link not available

Recommendations/Influences

Books:
Judges: Such a Great Salvation - Davis Dale Ralph
NIV Application Commentary: Judges - K. Lawson Younger
Word Biblical Commentary: Judges - Trent Butler

Other:
Watchmen (Comic Book) - Allan Moore
Judges (McMaster Divinity School Course) - Dr. Keith Bodner

the walls fall down

Numbers 13 and Joshua 6 - 08.03.09
the walls fall down

In the face of incredible promise and overwhelming challenge... Israel has a decision to make. Do they trust God and claim the land they have been promised? Or do they doubt, fear, and return to Egypt? Do they trust in horses and chariots, or the God that has been leading them?
Do they really believe that God can be trusted? Do we really believe that God can be trusted?

Download 'the walls fall down' from Freedomize.com

What you can't hear:
During the sermon, starting from the mention of walking around the walls, members of the band, one by one, began to stand up and walk around the sanctuary. Once the finished the lap they would take their place up front. When all six band members had circled and sat, I began my walk around the edge for the final part of the sermon. Upon reaching the front and shouting 'the walls fall down...' the band exploded into a celebratory song and led us in the worship of the God we trust.

Recommendations/Influences

Books:
Slaves, Women, and Homosexuals - Dr. William Webb (deals with the idea of God's ethical ideal, or potty training... if you don't get it, listen to the sermon)
NICOT: Joshua - Martin Woudstra