Sunwest Fc's Weekly Sermon Podcast

From the outset of Jesus' ministry through the first century and into today, God's plan is for the church to be the visible representation of God's Kingdom. The church gives voice to God's truth, observable evidence of God's grace, practical examples of God's love and transformative experiences of God's community. The church is the agent through which God's Spirit does His transforming work in the world - when the church is aligned with God's plan and purpose. Jesus never told us to build great churches; He said He would build world-changing churches through us.

We are concerned about our planet these days. There has been a lot of debate about global warming and climate change, but either way there is far too much pollution, there are copious emissions floating around our atmosphere; there is a lot to be concerned about. Unfortunately it's not just a problem that's floating around in the air. It's everywhere. But this Sunday particularly THIS Sunday there is good news. Very good news. The best news. Transformation is all around us. Things are improving dramatically.

Jesus said that He was the good shepherd, in contrast to bad shepherds that were talked about in Ezekiel 34. A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep while a bad shepherd functions like a hired hand who leaves when there is trouble. What is the significance for us that Jesus is the good shepherd? What would it look like if He was our model? What if we started shepherding others like He does instead of simply being a hired hand? Come and consider how Jesus guides us and the implications that has on the places we have influence.

"I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die." John 11:25. This week we look at a fifth "I Am" statement that Jesus makes: "I Am the resurrection and the life." At some point in life we all face dead ends. Whether it's jobs, finances, family, relationships or whatever the situation is, disappointment and discouragement is something everyone encounters. Jesus' incredible claim that He is "the resurrection and the life" is not just a story that happened two thousand years ago but is something that we can experience right now. The Resurrection is not just an event... it is a person. This morning, we look at how this claim altered the lives of Jesus' closest friends; Mary, Martha and Lazarus.

Jesus claimed that before Abraham was on the scene, he already existed. As if that wasn't controversial enough, Jesus, using the language of a conversation between God and Moses, used God's language claiming to be the great "I AM". This Sunday, we will review what is perhaps the prickliest of statements when he declares "I AM the true vine". The implications of this particular claim are the strongest and the heaviest of the seven.

In week four of the "I AM" series, we will look at Jesus' statement that He is the gate. In John 10:9, Jesus says "I am the gate. Those who come through me will be saved." On Sunday, we will look at what it means to be disciples of Jesus and belong to God and how we live that out.

In part two of the "I AM" series we will unpack Jesus' statement, "I am the way, truth and life." This was the revolutionary kind of claim that could get somebody killed. Jesus really ticked off the establishment with these words. Oddly enough, it's still upsetting people today, but mostly religious people. There is something profound about words that are 2000 years old that still unsettle folks after all that time. Come explore the part of us that Jesus still wants to mess with.

2016-02-21 I AM - Part 3: The Light of the World, Drew Johnson by

We are beginning a new sermon series at both campuses this weekend. The "I AM" series will focus on John's gospel where seven times, Jesus declared "I AM"! This week we will start to understand significant components of Jesus' character, who he was, who he claimed to be and the significance of the 7 "I AM" statements. As we get to know Jesus better, we understand the Father better, and we gain solid theological understanding. It helps us become more specifically like Jesus, so ultimately we are prepared to transform our world. In part one we will unpack Jesus' I AM statement, "I am the Bread of Life."

For the past three weeks, we have been exploring the questions that we all ask that begin with "If God is Good...". God's response to this question was not an idea but a person and Jesus was not only the answer but the window through which we anticipate a new heaven and a new earth. This hopeful future drastically changes the way we as Jesus followers live in the midst of our world today. Please join us as we conclude the series and imagine a world without evil.

2015 brought many headlines that reminded us of the pain, suffering, and evil that exists in this world. It is at moments such as these where many people ask, where is God? Or, if God is good then why is there suffering, pain, evil...? These are mysterious questions that the church has wrestled with at many times throughout its history. We won't pretend to have all the answers, but we will enter the question with you and with our world. This week's title is "The Crucified God".

2015 brought many headlines that reminded us of the pain, suffering, and evil that exists in this world. It is at moments such as these where many people ask, where is God? Or, if God is good then why is there suffering, pain, evil...? These are mysterious questions that the church has wrestled with at many times throughout its history. We won't pretend to have all the answers, but we will enter the question with you and with our world.

2015 brought many headlines that reminded us of the pain, suffering, and evil that exists in this world. It is at moments such as these where many people ask, where is God? Or, if God is good then why is there suffering, pain, evil...? These are mysterious questions that the church has wrestled with at many times throughout its history. We won't pretend to have all the answers, but we will enter the question with you and with our world.

In this message, Clarity 2016, we will look at some of the "big picture" issues concerning the direction of SunWest. Proverbs 29:18 tells us that "where there is no vision, the people perish". We want to be clear about our vision. Vision is two-fold: it's a desired goal or ideal, but it also includes the practical steps to get there. As we start off the year, it's very important that we all be on the same page knowing what our plan is, some practical steps to get there as well as a few down to earth applications.

We all have our favourite one hit wonders from "Mississippi Queen" to "Lean on Me" to "Life is a Highway". The Christmas story has a couple of individuals who made their musical debut as well. These songs weren't written for radio but for us, to reveal something about God, Jesus and His plan for the world. Join us as we look at what these songs tell us about Christmas and their ongoing relevance for today.

We all have our favourite one hit wonders from "Mississippi Queen" to "Lean on Me" to "Life is a Highway". The Christmas story has a couple of individuals who made their musical debut as well. These songs weren't written for radio but for us, to reveal something about God, Jesus and His plan for the world. Join us as we look at what these songs tell us about Christmas and their ongoing relevance for today.

"How much longer?" "Are we there yet?" We've all said these words at some point, and heard these words from others. While dealing with the impatient can test our patience, the question is a legitimate one: how do we know when we get to where we are going? What does it look like? Is there an end coming soon? Although the relationship and mission that Jesus invites us to with Him is a life long one, our 'destination' is right in-front of us. Join us as we close this four-week series articulating where we're going and how we know when we get there.

Road Trip! Who doesn't like a good road trip? The Bible tells the story about a journey. A journey that started thousands of years ago, and a journey that you are a part of, and that SunWest is a part of still today. Just like any road trip we need to think about where we are going, who is coming, how are we going to get there, and what are the obstacles that could stop us. This week we will look at Car Sickness, Flat Tires and Bathroom Breaks...the things that deter us from going where we want to go.

To "manifest" means to display or show by one's acts or appearance. As Christians, we can all display the Goodness of God in radical and practical ways that will change our community. Come this Sunday and learn from guest speaker Ian Green, how you can be simply brilliant.

Road Trip! Who doesn't like a good road trip? The Bible tells the story about a journey. A journey that started thousands of years ago, and a journey that you are a part of, and that SunWest is a part of still today. Just like any road trip we need to think about where we are going, who is coming, how are we going to get there, and what are the obstacles that could stop us. SunWest has just celebrated our 20th anniversary and it is time to think about what's next. Join us for Part 2 of the series "Are We There Yet?" and re-imagine the journey that God has invited you to be a part of.