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In this text we come to another parabolic saying of Jesus. What we discover as we explore the story that provides the context of that saying is that there is a clash of kingdoms taking place right now, a clash between the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of God. Though we are called to spiritual vigilance and resistance to Satan, we need not live with fear because, as Jesus makes very clear in this parabolic saying, the end is not in question. The clash is not between equals. Jesus is the stronger man.

As we celebrate Easter we examine Pauls words to the Corinthians who failed to see the importance or significance of Jesus resurrection for their lives. But as Paul makes clear, Jesus' resurrection impacts our lives massively. Without it, our whole faith crumbles but if it did happen and it did everything changes. Sin has been dealt with, death has been defeated, and we have entered into the life of the future in the present!

In this message, we begin a new sermon series on the parables of Jesus found in Matthews gospel. The first one we come to is found in Matthew chapter 9. Jesus speaks about patching an old garment and about wine and wineskins but what is he getting at what is the reality to which he is pointing? Himself! His coming changes everything and demands that each of us make him the very centre of our lives as his disciples.

In this message we look to Peters first epistle as we reflect on our mission as a local church, the thing we are all about. What Peter helps us see is that our identity in Christ shapes how we live for Christ in a world that needs Christ. There is nothing more important that we can do than to Make Jesus Known.

What we discover in this passage serves to encourage us and embolden us as we step into the mission to which Jesus has called us as his people. All around us are those who are harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Christ wants to fill our hearts with his compassion for those people, move us to pray for workers for the harvest, and then show us that we are part of the answer to that prayer. And we step out into that harvesting work with confidence because of what Jesus, the Lord of the harvest, will do.

As we move to the second part of our Sunrise vision statement, we are turning to Pauls letter to the Colossians. In this passage Paul calls the believers in Colossae to put on a list of qualities and practices, and what becomes clear when we pause to consider his list, we recognize that each by its nature requires us to be in community with others. This passage reveals to us what is clear throughout the New Testament, namely, that when we enter into relationship with Jesus we also necessarily enter into relationship with others who are in Christ too. Christian community is a necessary and essential entailment of a life of faith in Jesus.

In this message we begin walking through our vision and mission statements. Our vision is a picture of the ways in which Christ is wanting us to grow and that begins with growing in our walk with Him. As Jesus asserts in this interchange recording in Marks gospel, there is nothing more important for us to do in response to Gods amazing grace and redemptive work of the cross than to love Him with the whole of who we are.

Here we come to Pauls last words in his correspondence to the church in Rome. After some final greetings from those with him to the recipients of the letter, Paul draws together some of the key threads from the letter and exhorts readers to give glory to God who has saved them. By His power and through His wisdom the good news of has been made known by which all who call upon Jesus will be saved. He alone deserves our worship and praise!

Just before Paul wraps up his letter to the Romans, he shares with them an important word of warning about false teachers. Wrong doctrine poses a threat to their spiritual well-being thus they are to be vigilant. Paul calls them to rigorous, careful thinking ensuring that they remain faithful to what they have been taught and avoiding those who distort that message.

This passage might seem like little more than a list of names that we can skim over or skip altogether but there is more here than we might at first recognize. Though there are many things not revealed to us about most of these individuals, there are some things that we can know, and there are things for us to learn and take away. Perhaps chief among them is this that in Christ each one of us with our different histories and different stories has been swept up into Gods grand story of redemption and within that story, we each have a role to play.

As Paul continues wrapping up his letter to the Romans, he speaks of his travel plans but there is more going on here than we might at first recognize. We see in what Paul writes here, what is true of those who are in Christ. We are deeply connected with one another, called to care for one another and urged to contend in prayer for one another. The Christian life is not a solitary exercise but a life together.

Here Paul begins to wrap up his letter to the Romans and in this section he affirms the believers in Rome while at the same time explaining to them the right he has to speak into their lives as he has. In all he writes what is abundantly clear is that Paul is not doing his own thing for his own purposes. Rather he is simply living out that to which Christ has called him and in everything. What is clear to us as readers is the Christ-centredness of Pauls life and ministry. Though some of the particulars will be different, we are each called into this same kind of life, fully centred upon Christ.

Too often time and familiarity dull our sense of wonder when it comes to what it is we are celebrating at Christmas. In this message we walk through several amazing truths asserted by John in a single verse early in his gospel. Without reference to Mary or Joseph, angels or shepherds, magi or gifts or a mad king, John leads us in reflection on the wonder of Christs coming! Listen and let John lead you to marvel at the amazing gift of Immanuel, God with us!