The electronic devices we all are so dependent on can be fun and a tremendous benefit in life, until they don’t work the way they are supposed to. Most of us love the challenge of trying to figure out what went wrong and try with all our might to fix it. But at the end of the day the sure fire way to right the wrong of an electronic device is to hit the reset button. Amazingly that usually fixes whatever was ailing your device. The spiritual life can be a bit like that. It seems to be going good, until it isn’t anymore. And we also try to fix it with all our natural resources and might. But like that electronic device the sure fire way to get our spiritual life back to where it needs to be is to hit the reset button as it were. The Apostle Peter got imself in a bad situation during the cricifixion of Christ by denying that he ever knew Jesus. When we meet up with Peter and some of the other disciples in John 21, Peter has returned to what he did before he met Jesus – fishing. In this passage Peter, an experienced fisherman found his efforts in fishing to be futile, until Jesus showed up. After Jesus causes Peter to make a miraculous catch of fish he lovingly restores Peter’s walk with him and Peter hits the reset button. You will often here me say that the success of the Christian life is a series of new beginnings. It was for Peter in John 21 and it may be time for you to hit the reset button and have a new beginning with Jesus. Join us this Sunday.

The Bible is a supernatural book that records many supernatural events. People are intrigued to hear how about the exodus of the Jesus under the leadership of Moses: the 10 plagues and then the crossing of the red sea. It was supernatural. We love the account of Daniel and the lion’s den, Elijah and the prophets of Baal and the miraculous victory of Gideon. In the New Testament we read about the supernatural visit of angels to the people in the Christmas narrative and the amazing events around the birth of Jesus. And of course, we love to hear about the miracles of Jesus in the four gospels. As great as all those events are in the biblical narrative, by far the greatest supernatural event in all the Bible is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave. The resurrection is what makes every other miracle worth paying attention to and it is the central truth of the Christian faith. For that reason, the resurrection has faced the greatest opposition from humanists, resulting in many people being deceived into thinking it never happened. Join us this Sunday are we explore a defense of the resurrection of Christ, using both the Bible and non-biblical sources to support this fact of history. Why I believe in the Resurrection of Jesus.

We also will have three people being baptised this Sunday at the 10:30 service. There is no better way to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus then with a baptism during the service.

Peace in a World of Evil –

This Sunday is Palm Sunday! It is the start of Holy Week and the day we remember Jesus rode a donkey into the city of Jerusalem as people spread palm leaves and coats on the pathway. Why a donkey and why on that day? Jesus chose to ride a donkey in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, but also because it communicated that He was coming to offer his kingdom to the people of Israel in a peaceful way. But the fact that Jesus did it on this particular day is also significant. That day was one week before the Day of Passover and was the day Jewish families would select the lamb they would sacrifice on the Day of Passover. Jesus came to offer PEACE in a World of Evil. As events would unfold during Holy Week the nation would reject Jesus and his kingdom offer, culminating in His crucifixion. What is amazing about this event is through his death and resurrection the ultimate PEACE was accomplished as Jesus satisfied the wrath of God by taking our sins on himself, making it possible for mankind to have relationship with a Holy God. Join us for Palm Sunday as we find PEACE in a World of Evil. Text – Matthew 21:1-11.

The Walk of the Spiritually Mature

James states the main theme of the book in the opening words of the book (1:4): “. . . that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” The book’s theme is spiritual growth toward maturity and thus, the title of this series; “Growing Up with Jesus.” This Sunday we will conclude this book and sermon series by considering chapter 5:13-20. James opens (1:2) “Consider it pure joy . . . when you face trials” and closes this book, (5:13) “Is any one of you in trouble,” by pointing out the role trials play in our spiritual growth. If spiritual growth is the theme of the book, it is hard to miss the point that we grow through our trials. These closing verses of the book paint a picture of what the mature follower of Christ will be like. We might think it is because of the great things they have done or the deep knowledge they have of scripture but it’s not. James characterizes the mature follower of Christ as a person that lives with an attitude of prayerful dependance on God. Once again, the spiritual life is the opposite of the natural world. In the natural world maturity comes when the individual learns to live autonomously of their parents. Christians are mature when they learn to live dependent upon their heavenly father.

The Services Sunday will conclude with Communion.