Sunwest Fc's Weekly Sermon Podcast

Throughout history, there have been unique places where the presence of God dwelt more intensely than others. These spaces were cause for both excitement and fear. In God’s ongoing plan to bring Shalom to the world, there has been an increasing invasion of this sacred space. In fact we know that there is a divine takeover in the works and we are right in the middle of it all! This has significant implications for our role as worshipers in the present. Join us for week two of the Shalom Project.

This week we begin a sequence of four series called the Shalom Project. These series’ will help us dive deeply into our vision statement, which is "To see Shalom breakers becoming Shalom makers". There is so much to unpack as we scratch the surface of what it means to live in Shalom with God, self, others, and the world.

The last few years we have kicked off the beginning of each year with a Vision Sunday and 2022 will be no different. With a world that is in constant change it is critical that we keep our eyes on the bigger picture. Today Pastor Matt will bring us back to the patterns and practices of Jesus and the early church, that saw God's Kingdom expand in the volatile world of the first century. Perhaps it's time that we revisit them.

Listen as this Christmas Eve we explore what it really means to be home. Home in and with God the Father through the miraculous birth of His Son, Jesus.

Well this is the week we finally wrap up our Reunion series. We’ve spent 10 weeks doing a deep dive into what we mean by the Gospel or Good News. In order for the Good News to make a difference in our personal lives and the lives of those around us it needs to be met by us in a particular way. This way can be summarized in one word that begins with “F”.

So far in our Reunion series we’ve looked at the gospel in one word, three words, and thirty words, and broken down the grounds and the gifts of the gospel within that. But what’s it all for? Why did Jesus, God with us, come to show us God’s love, save us from sin, set up God’s Kingdom, and shut down religion? This week we are going to explore together what it means to share in God’s life, and it might not be what you’ve always understood it to be.

This Sunday we will continue to break down the Good News in 30 words. We are currently unpacking the gifts of the Gospel. These gifts are what God has done for us that we cannot do for ourselves. This week we are going to look at how Jesus shut down religion. You might be asking yourself; didn’t Jesus start one of the world’s largest religions, what do you mean he shut it down? Discover this Sunday the gift of grace and the freedom that comes from a relationship with God.

This week we continue to unpack the gifts of the gospel. Jesus not only came to reveal God’s love and save us from sin, he also came to set up his Kingdom. This kingdom is not of this world, although it is all around us. It cannot be contained by geographical boundaries and it is open to all.

This Sunday we continue to break down the Good News in 30 words. We are currently unpacking the gifts of the Gospel. These gifts are what God has done for us that we cannot do for ourselves. This week we are going to look at how God has saved us from sin. Even though this phrase is really common in church circles, it is not un-common that many have misunderstood what this means and the beautiful implications of this gift.

We’ve begun to breakdown the Good News in 30 words. Last week we looked at the ground of the gospel and this week we will start to unpack the gifts of the gospel. The apostle John said that “God is love”. These words have profound implications on who God “is”, not just what God is like. God is not just loving, his very essence is love. What this gift means for you is nothing short of life changing.

As we know, the Good News of Jesus (or the Gospel) is simple enough for a child to understand and complex enough to ponder for our entire lives. The last two weeks we looked at the Gospel in its most simplistic forms, summarizing it in one word and three words respectively. This week we will begin moving deeper into its beauty and complexity. Join us for the rest of the series as we explore the gospel in thirty words.

Many religions or belief systems have what is called a creed. No, we’re not talking about your favourite 90’s rock band, we’re talking about a summary (creed) of what a group of people believe. A creed can help people think through what they really believe, how they really want to live, and what they are really willing to die for. For example, Islam has one called the Shahada and it says: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.” Does Christianity have a similar creed? Actually, it does. The earliest creed of the church was summed up in a simple, beautiful, world-changing, three-word statement. Join us this week as we cover the Good News in three words.

There is a board game called Othello, and it’s tagline is “A minute to learn, a lifetime to master.” We could apply this phrase to the Good News of Jesus. It is simple enough for children to understand, yet complex enough to ponder for your entire life. As we look at fully understanding the good news of Jesus for seekers, saints, and sinners we will begin with the good news in its most simplest form. This week we will learn the Good News in one word.

This week we begin a brand new series called (re)union. We will be doing a deep dive into what is often referred to as the gospel. Gospel means “good news”. Often this good news has been oversimplified and sanitized. In these increasingly volatile times it is so important that we understand what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Join us as we rediscover the good news of Jesus for seekers, saints, and sinners.

In this series we’ve been looking at distorted views of God that many of us end up believing. Science and faith have often been positioned as enemies. This is a new concept that is a distortion of what faith in God is all about. Historically, faith and science have been friends. If God is real and true, the pursuit of science can and should lead us to greater awe and worship. Join us this week as we re-discover a God who is pro-science!

If God is real, good, and all powerful why does suffering and evil exist? This question has historically been the biggest barrier to faith for many. When bad things happen how do you make sense of it? Where is God when tragedy strikes personally or to those around us? Does God even care? He seems to be heartless. Join us this week as we dive into this mystery and see God’s response to the problem of suffering.

Where is God? I can't sense God. I can't hear God. I can't feel God. Have you ever said or thought any of those things? Maybe they've been a hurdle to you believing in God. Join us this week as we dissect more false assumptions that many of us believe that ironically cause us to struggle with our belief in God.

There are many reasons why people choose not to believe in God. It’s possible, that many of those people may not really be rejecting the true God but rather a distorted view of God. In this series we look at these assumed views and offer an alternative one. This week we will focus on the “Killjoy” God that is out to overwhelm us with a million rules and suck the joy out of life.

It can be difficult to believe in a God we cannot see. We wonder why God didn’t answer our prayers, why God allows suffering, or why we can’t feel His presence. God may not meet all your expectations—but that’s good news! Find out why in a new series: "I Want to Believe, But..."

We may not be able to control what going on in the world around us, but we can control what is going on inside of us. The Bible teaches us that thankfulness is a choice. And this choice has the potential to change what we see and how we experience what is happening in the world around us.