Do Not Fear

SCRIPTURE TEXT: ISAIAH 35:1-10

“Don’t be afraid.” When someone says this to you, does it serve to increase or decrease your anxiety? These are words that God speaks to his people throughout the Bible, and we find them today in Isaiah 35. And yet the call to “be strong” and “not fear” requires a bit of unpacking for us to hear it in the way it was intended, since it is linked here with images of God’s judgment.

In this, the second installment in our Advent series “What Are We Waiting For?” we get a glimpse of what it will be like when Jesus returns to this earth and how an understanding of this can change how we wait right now.

I Am The Way, the Truth and The Life

In this, the final sermon in the series we have called “The Seven Faces of Jesus”, we consider Jesus’ declaration: “I am the Way, the Truth, the Life”. While some take great comfort in Jesus’ words, others might wonder whether He isn’t being a tad exclusivistic when He declares himself to be the only way to the Father.

Hearing these important words in their proper gospel context helps us to understand more about what Jesus was actually claiming about Himself, and also what it actually means for us to follow in the “Jesus Way”.

This week’s sermon begins with an interview with Tony Strachan – a British World War II veteran and German POW – as we reflect on Remembrance Day and the sacrifices made for our country.

THE SEVEN FACES OF JESUS This week we come to one of the most important “I am” statements that Jesus made. Jesus said this in the context of bringing his friend Lazarus back to life, If death and taxes are the two things we know will be part of our lives, then this reality, “I am the one who raises the dead to life!” demands our attention. We see so much of who Jesus is in this episode. Here is the story in brief starting in John 11:22:

Martha said, “Master, if you’d been here, my brother wouldn’t have died…Jesus said, “Your brother will be raised up.” Martha replied, “I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection… “You don’t have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live…Do you believe this?” “Yes, Master. All along I have believed that you are the Messiah, the Son of God who comes into the world.” After saying this, she went to her sister Mary… “The Teacher is here and is asking for you.” …she jumped up and ran out to him…and fell at his feet, saying, “Master, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her sobbing and the Jews with her sobbing, a deep anger welled up within him. He said, “Where did you put him?” “Master, come and see,” they said. Now Jesus wept…anger again welling up within him… “Remove the stone.” …”Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
(Mike Nichols)

Sermon was not recorded this week but transcript is available at the link below. Go to bottom of this introduction for link to the pdf file.

THE SEVEN FACES OF JESUS – PART 4

This week, let us pray “Father, we remember the sacrifices that were made to secure the freedoms we enjoy by countless men and women during the last 100 years.  We remember, O Lord, how different it was for them and we pray that we may be caretakers of freedom and justice worthy of their offering.

Father we hear your word—that wars and conflicts happen because of our desires for things others have. We want to repent of coveting. Give us grace to be content in this covetous culture. We pray for the leaders in the free world who must make difficult decisions about war.

Lord help us by your Spirit to live in the tension of loving our enemies and overcoming evil with good. Lord, foil the plots of those who plan terror, bring down evil, rise up against leaders who seek revenge, bring righteousness to near on nations. Bring the peace that comes from caring for others, the peace that comes when we seek you first, Make us instruments of your grace. Let your kingdom come. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.” See full Remembrance Day prayer on the Cap website here.

Today as we look at Jesus’ statement “I am the good shepherd”. We, and the world, still need such Shepherd to guide us to life.

(Mike Nichols)

Find the written transcript of the sermon HERE

THE SEVEN FACES OF JESUS

Joel M. Hoffman, who holds a PhD in theoretical linguistics, has taught Bible in religious settings and translation theory at Brandeis University. He has published books and has a website called www.goddidntsaythat.com – Bible Translations and Mistranslations. Here is what he says about shepherd: To get started, here’s a question: which actor would you cast as a typical shepherd? When I think of a shepherd, I think of a scrawny man dressed in rags who spends more time with sheep than with people. In term of imagery, I might say, “as lonely as a shepherd,” or “as meager as a shepherd,” or “as ill-dressed as a shepherd.” (If you’re reading this and you are a shepherd, please forgive me!) So in terms of an actor, I think I’d pick Woody Allen. (And Mr. Allen, if you’re reading this, please forgive me; I still love your movies.) But we see a completely different set of images in the Bible. Shepherds were fierce, regal, and romantic. Back then, one might have said, “as brave as a shepherd,” “as strong as a shepherd,” or “or sexy as a shepherd.” So even though the Hebrew in Psalm 23 is ro’eh, and even though ro’eh literally means “shepherd,” I don’t think “The Lord is my shepherd” is a very good translation.

Today, I invite you to ask Jesus a series of personal questions in response to his self-declarative “I am the Sheep Gate”. It seems like some good questions would be: How am I listening to your voice? Jesus where are you leading me?

THE SEVEN FACES OF JESUS

For the next seven weeks, we are going to put you at the party with Jesus across the room and you get to ask him the question—“Jesus, what makes you tick?” The short answer is seven “I Am”
statements Jesus told to people who came to him in a variety of situations. Many have heard the three option response to the question “Who is Jesus?” Either he is a liar, a lunatic or Lord. I think this series, The Seven Faces of Jesus, is for all of us—for those who have not yet answered the question for themselves and for those who have. This was a critical question for me in my 20’s. I was invited by my friends in university to explore the question.

Now in my 60’s, having lived 40 years with the answer “Jesus is my Saviour and Lord”, I ask a different question—“Lord, what’s happening in your kingdom today?” And, “what are we – you and me – up to today?” Wherever you are in your life journey, it will be valuable to look – for the first time, or again, at the seven faces of Jesus.

September is ―Unique Lives and Experiences of God
month at Cap. Drawing from the book of Genesis, we
will be reflecting on the life of Abraham, our father in
faith, and how he encountered God. We will also listen
to the life experiences of people from our own community,
hearing how God has been at work in their lives,
in both hidden and compelling ways. This morning,
as we consider the unthinkable choice God called Abraham
to make, we are fortunate to have James and Barbara Atkins
share their remarkable life story with us.

Text this morning: Gen 22:1-19 (Kim Pierrot)
“By examining as closely and as candidly as I could the
life that had come to seem to me in many ways a kind
of trap or dead-end street, I discovered that it really
wasn’t that at all…there is no event so commonplace
but that God is present within it always hiddenly,
always leaving you room to recognize him or not to
recognize him, but all the more fascinating because of
that, all the more compellingly and hauntingly.”
-Frederick Buechner, Now and Then

UNIQUE LIVES AND EXPERIENCES OF GOD:
THE CALL September is “Unique Lives and
Experiences of God” month at Cap. Drawing from the
book of Genesis, we will be reflecting on the life of
Abraham, our father in faith, and how he encountered
God. We will also listen to the life experiences of
people from our own community, hearing how God has
been at work in their lives, in both hidden and
compelling ways.
This morning, we are privileged to have Jacob Penner,
our beloved elder emeritus, share parts of his life story
with us. His 90+ years of life have taught him a great
deal about courage, personal sacrifice, loving well, and
the faithfulness of God.
Text is from Genesis 11:27-12:9 (Kim Pierrot)
“By examining as closely and as candidly as I could the
life that had come to seem to me in many ways a kind
of trap or dead-end street, I discovered that it really
wasn’t that at all…there is no event so commonplace
but that God is present within it always hiddenly,
always leaving you room to recognize him or not to
recognize him, but all the more fascinating because of
that, all the more compellingly and hauntingly.”
Frederick Buechner, Now and Then

EXPECTING
This has been such a rich ―History Month here at CapChurch! Two weeks ago, Sarah Williams began a series of three devotional reflections on history. Using Hebrews 11 as a foundational text, we have talked about―remembering as a basis for identity in the community of faith, and at how ―listening to the past reshapes our experience in the present. Today, on Sarah’s final Sunday with us, she will consider what it means to allow our shared history to fuel our ―expecting of what God will do in the future.

Last week we embarked together on the first of three devotional reflections on history. Using Hebrews 11 as a
foundational text we talked about the importance of remembering as a basis for identity in the community of
faith. This morning we will return to Hebrews and look at how our understanding of the present can be reshaped as we learn to listen the past and to anticipate the future.