SunWest Church Weekly Sermon Podcast

In this series we have been looking at different metaphors that the Bible uses to help us understand what God has done through Jesus on the cross. One of the primary pictures we see is that Jesus is our substitute. This is often described in legal metaphors where God is judge and Jesus is an innocent victim who takes our place, so that we can be free. This model is very helpful in some ways, but i...

What happened on the cross? This is a reality and mystery that has transformed and challenged every Jesus follower in history. There are many paradoxes at the cross, that if we over simplify we will miss its significance. We often view Jesus as only a man, but the Bible shows us that Jesus was fully man and fully God. And if Jesus is fully God, what does God hanging on a cross reveal to us?

Jesus died on Good Friday 2000 years ago. He died in place of all mankind to bring us into a place where we could once again have connection and relationship with God the way it was intended to be since creation. But, why did He have to die? There are various reasons and theories as to what Jesus' death was all about. This message will look at the "Christ the Conqueror" theme, as well as the "Rans...

We often hear the phrase "Jesus died for us" but what does this mean? For many of us, the event of Good Friday has become so domesticated that it has lost its revolutionary message and power. During this Lent season we are going to dive into the meaning of Good Friday to recover the mystery and scandal of the cross. TGIF-Thank God it's Friday!

Jesus has a heart for intergenerational community in his church. Yet many churches are filled with fence sitters or those who are disengaging completely from their faith community. Through unprecedented research and study, James Penner will paint a picture of why people are fence sitting and the critical changes that we can make to move people from the fence to full engagement.

The heart of this series,the roots of community, will be the focal point of the message this Sunday - a heart of grace. In many ways, the table and the hospitality that surround it are the context where community grows and then extends practically to our world. Meals, hanging out together, and the Calgary spirit of hospitality are all part of how SunWest engages in community.

Meals in community often turn into a time to share stories and old memories. There is nothing like a hot apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream to take you down memory lane. Sharing stories and memories are how we deepen our relationships with the people around us. Jesus understood this well when he sat down to eat with his disciples for the last time. As Jesus prepared the meal he told them...

Community is often most clearly seen around a dinner table. We tend to only eat with those who are like us. Yet Jesus ate with everyone, and it got him in a lot of trouble. Meals provide us with the opportunity to practice radical hospitality and demonstrate the Kingdom of God that transcends boundaries. This week we will follow Jesus' lead and consider meals as mission.

Jesus had a mission. In the Gospel of Luke we read that He came to seek and save the lost. He came not to be served but to serve and give His life so others could live. But HOW did He do it? We could think of many things that Jesus did, but there is a very simple daily activity that Jesus utilized. It's something that we all do, everyday. Meals. Yes, food! Luke puts a table in the centre of Jesus'...

We often talk about having a relationship with Jesus, but do you ever feel like He's distant? Do you wonder where He is? Do you feel like the intimacy you used to have isn't there? Our relationship with God is not static... and He refuses to fit into our neat little boxes. Perhaps this is an indication, not that something is wrong but that God is leading you to a deeper relationship with Him. How...

Would you use this phrase to describe yourself: "A disciple whom Jesus loves"? There is an individual in the Gospel of John who repeatedly refers to himself in this way. It isn't boastful, just simply factual. He demonstrates the type of relationship with Jesus that is available for every person. A relationship that is not religious but relational; not agenda driven but presence driven. Come this...

Joseph. A good man with a good heart. Willing to endure shame from his community to do what he knew was right. A true God pleaser, not a people pleaser.

God knows how to create a good story and used unusual circumstances and the most unsuspecting people to bring about his Son. This week we will be focusing on the life and calling of a teenaged mom, Mary. God used someone who seemed unqualified, and unprepared to raise the Saviour of the world. Despite her fear and confusion she was willing to align her will with God's and say yes to the seemingly...

For the Advent Season, we will be focusing on the coming of the Christ child... but have you heard the Christmas back story? If you think your family or extended family presents awkwardly at times, wait until you hear the background story of Jesus. Behind the usual Christmas story there are beautiful pictures of grace and redemption. Jesus was born in a stable, a barn... and laid in a manger. That...

Scorecards are valuable in any game because they tell you whether or not you're winning. But what do we look at to tell if the church is 'winning'... doing what we should be doing? What we choose to measure will be followed by where we choose to put our attention and energy. It's easy to focus on the numbers... attendance and money. At SunWest we believe that God transforms us, and through us He t...

Did you know that your individual everyday choices effect the community around you? As we learned last week, if we want to be transformational in our world we need to be transformed in our inner world. We may begin this journey as an individual but we walk in this journey as a community. Our individual transformation or lack of transformation will have a corresponding effect on those around us. Go...

Kids often come to parents and ask for money...money for candy, money for a Slurpee, or money for a game etc... Very rarely do parents have cash on hand anymore. We simply (and conveniently) have to tell them that we don't have any money so they're out of luck! We can't give them what we don't have. As we unpack the theme of Transformation, it is important that we start with ourselves. Scripture i...

How do you communicate with your friends? Do you get caught up in their issues and hurts? How well do you love others, especially when they are hard to love? We live in a world where people are often angry and would rather curse than bless. Having Christ in us, allows us to look beyond the wounds and draw out the best in others. We can influence our environment by being the light and hope of Jesus...

Jacob moved through his life looking for love and acceptance. Like many of us he was putting expectations on human relationships (horizontal relationships) that didn't satisfy his deep longings. His search finally led him to an encounter with God (a vertical relationship) that would change the entire trajectory of his life. Come and explore how our encounter and relationship with God is the source...

Every human being has an innate desire to belong and to be loved. Advertisers know this and can dangle this desire like a carrot before us. Sometimes this strong desire can lead us down destructive paths and sometimes it can lead us to places where we've never felt more alive. The Bible is full of humans, like us, that have followed this desire and been led to both life and to death. We will look...

This Sunday is the beginning of the new series "False Advertising". Have you ever bought something based on a commercial or ad that didn't quite deliver on it's promise? That burger... that car... that gym membership... That infomercial product that was going to clean your house for you... (and let's be honest... that church event). We are bombarded with promises everyday. Sometimes it's hard to k...

As we wrap up the "Pray First" Series we will be focusing on Persistence in Prayer. Our scriptural inspiration will be the story of the persistent widow in chapter 18 of Luke's gospel. This widow repeatedly comes to an unjust and indifferent judge and finally, after her pestering, gets justice. Jesus shares this parable with his disciples, "to show them that they should always pray and not give up...

Does your prayer life often depend on your situation? Do you find it easier to pray when life is difficult but when life is going according to plan you forget to pray because you don't know what to pray for? Maybe the frequency of our prayer shouldn't depend on our situation. Find out what happens when we make Prayer our Priority.

In Part Two of this series, we will consider a notable passage of scripture from the Old Testament, a wonderful and dramatic story concerning the prophet Elijah as he confronts the prophets of Baal. In it, Elijah prays one of the most powerful prayers in scripture - and yet it's powerfully simple. It's delightful how this ancient story has an incredible amount of content to teach us about the Powe...

This week we kick off our "Pray 1st" series. Is your prayer filled with requests? Are they left answered or unanswered? Maybe you don't have any type of prayer life because you feel that what's going to happen is going to happen anyway. Maybe prayer is far less about our requests, and them being answered... maybe our approach has been misdirected. This week we will talk about the Purpose of Prayer...