Teachings from Unionville Alliance

God, as a forgiving Father, exemplifies boundless compassion and unconditional love, offering forgiveness regardless of our transgressions. His divine mercy assures us that redemption is always possible, instilling hope and guiding us toward spiritual renewal. As fathers and mothers, we should emulate this divine example by embracing forgiveness in our lives. By forgiving our children and others,...

When we accept Jesus' invitation to follow Him, we begin the journey of being spiritually formed in the way of Jesus. As we slowly open our hearts for God to work, our lives should gradually transform to embody Christlikeness. Being an apprentice of Jesus means committing to live in a way that is set apart from the world, practicing the way Jesus lived while He was on this earth, and continuously...

Jesus extended an invitation for ordinary people, like you and me, to follow him. No one is exempt. Jesus' invitation to follow him is an invitation to come and be with Him. To walk through life together, hand in hand. What does it mean to be with Jesus and how do we do that in 2024 when he is not physically present?

Pentecost, occurring fifty days after Easter, marks the pivotal moment when the Holy Spirit was bestowed upon the disciples, igniting the birth of the church's mission. This mission, as outlined in Matthew 28:19-20, is to make disciples of all nations. Jesus, through his incarnation, death, and resurrection, had already bestowed upon humanity the gift of salvation from our sinful nature. Now, he e...

On this day, we honour mothers…many of us have loving supportive mothers and we honour them, reflecting on their nurturing qualities and the significant ways they have influenced our lives. Regardless of our upbringing, our current stage of life, our family status, whether we are adults or youth, married or single, parents or not, as followers of Christ and members of God’s family, we are given th...

As we consider Emmanuel in us, we will delve into 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, exploring the profound theme of unity in the body of Christ. In a world marked by division, we'll uncover the beauty of our diversity and celebrate the unique roles each of us plays. Through the Holy Spirit, who baptizes us together in one body, we'll discover God's intention for us to live in close harmony by caring deeply...

For the past seventy-five years, God has established Unionville Alliance Church as a place of growth for many. Spiritual Growth does not happen accidently. For growth there must be eating. For eating there must be appetite. For appetite there must be a supply. This supply is found in the word of God.

"In this New Testament time period, we enjoy the wonderful experience of Emmanuel being in us. We become the temple of God with the indwelling presence and power of the Spirit. This reality transforms how we view ourselves, live our lives, and engage our world. Our lives are likened to the temple's various elements: a place of sacrifice, cleansing, illumination, prayer, meditation of God's Word, a...

God desires intimate fellowship with His people and sent Jesus to live among us so that we can experience Him as Emmanuel. In contrast to the Tabernacle of Moses that had strict rules and regulations, the Tabernacle of David reveals open access and communion with God for all people. David's simple devotion and love for God allowed him to transcend the limitations of the law, illustrating that the...

In a world full of billions of people, multiple social media apps, hundreds of online “friends” and a global village of commerce and interaction, we are lonelier than ever before. Loneliness takes a toll on our emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. But we were never meant to journey through life alone. From the dawn of creation, God desired to dwell with us, but sin separated us from Him....

“The cross represents the universes’ greatest reversal. What seemed to be the greatest defeat was actually the greatest victory. This great gift, originated from the heart of a loving God and offered to all humanity, not only deserves a response—it demands one. Witnesses of the crucifixion found themselves divided into different categories by their reactions. 2000 years later, the same categories...

Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the subsequent temple cleansing was a deliberate act to fulfill the true purpose of the temple: to provide a dwelling place for God among His people. His upcoming sacrificial death would serve as the ultimate cleansing of all people there by paving a way for God to dwell among His people. Jesus has, through his death, opened the way for all people to share...

The Ark of the Covenant is the central and most significant item in the Tabernacle as a powerful symbol of God's presence with his people. The annual Day of Atonement foreshadows Christ's ultimate sacrifice, highlighting Jesus as the High Priest who entered the Most Holy Place with His own blood, establishing a New Covenant for everyone once and for all. The items within the Ark—manna, Aaron's rod...

The Altar of Incense is a symbol of prayer, located just before the veil before you enter the Most Holy Place. The burning of incense represents the prayers of the people, with the variety of spices symbolizing the different ways we can approach God in prayer. Jesus, our High Priest, models prayer in a beautiful way and continues to intercede for us so that we can deepen our relationship with God....

The Bread of the Presence was twelve freshly made pieces bread that was laid out every Sabbath day on the table in the Holy Place. This bread represented God’s provision for Israel during the forty years in the wilderness and beyond, while pointing forward to Christ who is the true bread that came down from heaven. It reveals to us the importance of the word of God in our lives that takes us from...

The Candlestick gave light to the Holy Place in the Tabernacle. Likewise, Jesus is the light of the world, shining the glory of God into our hearts. Similarly, we are called to be a light in the darkness, making the way of Jesus known to all humanity. The Candlestick symbolizes the church's formation through trials, our need to abide in Christ, the Holy Spirit's role in empowering the church, and...

The Washbasin was the second item you would encounter as you entered the Tabernacle. The priests would wash their hands and feet in this basin to cleanse themselves after offering sacrifices at the altar and before entering the Holy Place. This washbasin speaks to us of the work of sanctification because of Christ’s finished work on Calvary and through the power of the Holy Spirit to make us more...

As you enter the tabernacle, the first item that you see is the altar of burnt offering. It is there that the various sacrifices were offered, killed, and burned before the Lord. When Israel sinned, they needed to bring an animal to atone for their failure. This altar reminds us of what happened in the Garden of Eden and the experience of Abraham in offering his son Isaac as a sacrifice to the Lor...

Throughout the life of Moses we see the fingerprints of the presence of God in the midst of his trials. From his birth during a chaotic time, the lonely wilderness years, his return to Egypt to liberate Israel, his leadership of God’s people to Canaan, the building of the tabernacle, and to his appearance with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. As one of the greatest prophets and leaders in Is...

As we look at the life of Abraham, the common patriarch of the Abrahamic faiths—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—we observe a journey that was far from smooth. Abraham experienced both remarkable encounters with God and significant disappointments. Despite making mistakes and facing moments where he needed rescue, the New Testament portrays him as a man of unwavering faith, fully convinced in God'...

In the Noah story as the flood progresses God becomes strangely absent. All God’s words to Noah stopped once God shut the door behind those who have entered the ark. Noah in his circumstances has no idea how long he will be in the ark. And in this moment, we’re all in the story. This story intersects with our story. We have all, at some level, been there-asking where was God? We are going to disco...

From the very first chapter of the Bible, we see the presence of Emmanuel speaking creation into existence and ultimately placing the crown of creation, Adam & Eve, in a beautiful garden with the tree of life so that they could experience the abundant life of God. They had fellowship with God and experienced the beauty of his presence. Then sin entered through their disobedience and they were...

Enduring through times of sickness is difficult, but the Lord gives us hope because of the presence of Emmanuel. Jesus was rejected, despised, beaten, and suffered so that we might be accepted, comforted, made whole, and healed. The healing he brings is holistic as he cares not just for our body, but also for our soul and spirit. Healing is part of the atonement and one of the blessings of the inc...

The wonder of Christmas is the incarnation of Emmanuel, God with us. The birth of a baby can radically change a person’s life, but the birth of this child Jesus changed the course of humanity forever. In a broken and dark world, the light of eternity shined through to enlighten our lives to the power of God’s love. Even till today, we can experience and know the grace, beauty, and kindness of Jesu...

The incarnation is a seminal moment in history that marks an extraordinary event of God becoming man in order to be with us. With deep desire for relationship with humanity, Jesus came to this earth not as a conquering king, but as a baby in order to experience and feel what we go through so that he can relate to us. The incarnation transforms our view of God, suffering, his kingdom, and relations...