Real Life, Personally Revealed

Real Life, Personally Revealed —that is what our current series is about. The Bible says so much about so many things. Various Bible teachers ‘prove’ just about everything quoting different texts. Sincere people disagree on what the Bible teaches. And then there are the difficult texts: the command for holy war [genocide really] in the Old Testament; sanctioned polygamy; and harsh words on homosexual behaviour. Then there are the language idioms that are thousands of years old and God words spoken into those cultures which simply could not be applied today as cultural norms are so different. This raises the question of what are the universal truths and what are the time bound truths in the Bible?

Is the bible worth reading? Renowned aetheist Lemuel K. Washburn says no, “There is absolutely no information in the Bible that man can make any use of as he goes through life. The Bible is not a book of knowledge. It does not give instruction in … sciences… no help to labor.. useless as a political guide…” At Cap we have a different view. We recognize that the Bible is an ancient and complex book to understand. But we believe the word Jesus spoke that life is not found in food alone but in digesting words from God [Matt. 4:4]. In this series, Making sense of the Bible for Today we are going to take a look at the book of Romans and try and demonstrate how to make sense of a complex bible text for today. Stick with us through this series and see if you don’t emerge better able to find life in the universal truths of this ancient text.

(Mike Nichols)

Today we are pleased to bring to the community the Reverend TERRY LEBLANC. Terry is Mi’kmaq-Acadian. Terry is the director and founding chair of North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies and is completing a PhD (ABD) in Intercultural Studies. Terry speaks to our community about faith, justice, and first nations.

My People International’s mission statement is: To train and equip North Americans and other Indigenous people via the teachings of Jesus and to encourage spiritual life and the appropriate participation within the wider community of indigenous and other people who follow Jesus. See more at see more at www.mypeopleinternational.com/About.html

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.

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.

WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?

Text: Isaiah 11:1-10–A Saviour who Returns to Restore

Each year at advent we share something with those who have preceded us in faith in the God of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebbeca—we wait. We wait for God our Saviour to appear. Those who have preceded us in faith waited for Christ to appear. He did. For over two millennia we have celebrated Christ’s advent [arrival in this world] as well as what he accomplished in his death and resurrection. But we still wait. We wait for his next advent [coming to his place as sovereign in a new heaven and new earth]. What are we waiting for? We are waiting for the peaceable kingdom described in Isaiah 11: 1-10 and pictured in the painting you see here by Edward Hicks.

Edward Hicks was a Quaker minister who made signs and ornamental paintings in Pennsylvania. He painted more than one hundred Peaceable Kingdoms, using the theme from Isaiah 11:6-9:”The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them…”The scene in the background shows William Penn’s treaty with the Indians, thereby interpreting the Quaker experiment with the beginning of the new era of peace on earth.

Today we look at what the Saviour who returns will restore.

Find the written transcript of the sermon HERE

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”.

I wonder if you have noticed a progression as we have moved through our series “The Seven Faces of Jesus”. Today, we consider Jesus’ claim: “I am the Vine”. This sentence finishes with Jesus making a statement about us as well: “you are the branches”. Jesus’ claims are becoming more confrontational as the weeks have gone by. It is no coincidence that as Jesus moves closer and closer to his death on the cross in John’s gospel, He makes claims that invite, perhaps even demand, a response from his listeners. If I accept that Jesus is the vine, then that makes each of us lowly branches. How do we feel about that? How does that change the way we live our lives, interact with Jesus, and with others? Today, we hear from Cory and Linda Smith as they share their reflections on this face of Jesus from John 15.

(Kim Pierrot)

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?

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

In our pre-Advent series, The Seven Faces of Jesus, we invite you to ask Jesus a series of personal questions of Jesus in response to his self-declarative “I am” statements. For the statement “I am the bread of life” the questions would be—Jesus, how do you nourish a soul? For the statement, “I am the light of the world” the question would be—Jesus how do you illumine a heart? Or what happens to a heart when your light comes in?

I was asked this week if this series, the Seven Faces of Jesus was a “head or heart” series of teachings. I replied—more heart than head as the questions about would indicate. I still think that is the right emphasis, but it partly depends upon where you are at. If you are undecided whether Jesus is a liar, a lunatic or Lord or simply misunderstood, it will be difficult to ask the heart questions. So for you this may be more of a head series than a heart series. Part of our vision here at Cap is to be a wholesome and healing community where you are safe to explore your relationship with God and find answers to your questions. Even if you are undecided about who Jesus is the question, Jesus how do you illumine a heart?, seems to be an important part of deciding who Jesus is and who he can be in your life.

(Mike Nichols)

Find the written transcript of the sermon
here