Sanctus Church Audio Sermons

Speaker: Jon Thompson Scripture: Exodus 20:8 Sermon Description: Welcome to the 4th Commandment, Sabbath keeping! What does it mean? Is it even relevant? Is it optional? Is it a duty?   We invite you to listen and find out why this is one of the greatest gifts God gives us as followers and also challenges us not to believe that we are stronger or more in control than God. Series: 10 Commandments Series Description:  This series is on the 10 Commandments. We are exploring - are they relevant, are they useful, how do they help us see God, how do they drive us to God’s mercy and can they become life-giving laws after you have met Jesus?

Speaker: Jon Thompson Scripture: Exodus 20:7 Sermon Description: Welcome to Week 3.  This week we look at the 3rd Commandment; ‘Do not take the Lord’s Name in vain.'  Though this command may seem to have an obvious application in our lives, it’s actually more pervasive than any of us may want to admit. It’s a helpful conversation for us to have so we can love God and love our neighbour better. Series: 10 Commandments Series Description:  This series is on the 10 Commandments. We are exploring - are they relevant, are they useful, how do they help us see God, how do they drive us to God’s mercy and can they become life-giving laws after you have met Jesus?

Speaker: Jon Thompson Scripture: Exodus 20:3-6 Sermon Description: What is idolatry in 2019? Why does it matter? Does it effect my everyday life? We will also be discussing why freedom from idolatry can be one of the most life-giving gifts from God to all of us. Series: 10 Commandments Series Description:  This series is on the 10 Commandments. We are exploring - are they relevant, are they useful, how do they help us see God, how do they drive us to God’s mercy and can they become life-giving laws after you have met Jesus?

Speaker: Jon Thompson Scripture: Exodus 20:1-3 Sermon Description: This is the introduction to the 10 Commandments.  We will be exploring what they are, what they are not and how they will help all of us. Series: 10 Commandments Series Description:  This series is on the 10 Commandments. We are exploring - are they relevant, are they useful, how do they help us see God, how do they drive us to God’s mercy and can they become life-giving laws after you have met Jesus?

Speaker: Jon Thompson Scripture: Matt 28; Mark 1:10; Acts 8:36-38; John 14:6; 1 Cor 6:11; Eph 1:13-14; Rom 6:1-5 Sermon Description: Christian Baptism is a way of demonstrating your faith in Jesus Christ. It demonstrates a new identification with Jesus as your Saviour and the leader of your life. The symbol of water baptism is profound and beautiful. When a person is immersed in water, the action is an expression of the death to your former way of life, and a resurrection to your new life in Christ. Simply going through the ritual of baptism does not make you a Christian. Only one thing makes a person a Christian - faith in Jesus Christ. Water baptism is simply the “outward and visible sign” of God’s "inward and invisible" work. It is a step of obedience after trusting in Christ. Nor does the ritual of baptism produce instant spiritual maturity. Being baptized is a step of obedience, but only one step in a lifelong pursuit of obedience to God. Spiritual maturity is the gradual development of the character of Christ over time, the result of a seasoned walk with Christ. Baptism reminds us all that sin no longer own us, since we share in Jesus resurrection power we can say no to sin. And it also publicly and personally reminds us that this great symbol says one day we all be physically risen from the dead!   Series: Easter 2019 Series Description:  All of us want purpose, all want meaning, all want peace in the end. Which of course is part of being human, part of the human experience. And this leads all of us today seeker and skeptics, believers and unbelievers to ask where can one find these identity giving moments. Can it last more than a moment or is it always fleeting? Some of us trust in wealth, many chase beauty and youth, others follow power. Most want promotion. Some demand likes and status. We clamour around certain  movements, systems of thinking found in books and podcast or other people or ourselves to find purpose to escape it all. Politics, video games, sex, money, jobs, friendship, food, travel, religion, Netflix, spirituality, mindfulness, control, manipulation the list goes on and on. And it is here  in this ongoing search that 3 people in the story of Jesus just before his death bring so much of this home. One is the best expression of political power and self-reliance, another the best that family connections and religious power hold and the last is what rebellion and brut force can bring,  a Pilate the Roman leader and there is Caiaphas the high priest, and Barabbas the insurrectionist. We enter the Easter moment just before Jesus is confronted by Pilate and the Barabbas And as we look at each historical person the question to all of us if we truly allow this to happen will be who do you trust in, who do we do want, who can give us real purpose, peace and meaning, identity?

Speaker: Jon Thompson Scripture: Matthew 27 Sermon Description: Matthew 27:21 “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.“Barabbas,” they answered. 22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” So it seems even Jesus with all his miracles, and love and kindness cannot overcome the world as it is even today. They held all the cards, this are the best 3 expressions of earthly power. Nothing changes again, religion wins, power wins, violence wins, injustice wins,  Barabbas goes free, Pilate washes his hands, the Caiaphas keeps all things intact. Control, fear, intimidation, status quo at any cost So Jesus Barabbas is free and on his way, Caiaphas the religious leaders win, their greatest threat is dead! But fear based living makes them tie up all loose ends. Rome and Jerusalem get together one last time to end this religious, political, personal issue. Well what happened? Well Matthew tells us just before the women arrive the best the institutional  fear based religion could bring, the strongest political and military might, the worst back room scapegoating and injustice is thrown to the side like it was nothing. Heaven comes down into all we trust and hope for purpose, meaning identity, freedom and rest and breaks it, brushes it aside and opens up a new and living way. So just when is seems that nothing will change, the powerful win, it is the most powerless, those that did not have access to anything money, power, backroom dealings it all gets swept aside by a greater more holy, more loving power. What Saviour do you want? The answer, your response, is seen in which way you turn, will you be like the women running to find Jesus? Or will you be like the soldiers running back to the old forms of power and trust, running back to the world of Pilate, Barabbas and Caiaphas. Notice both were filled with fear but the end points are drastically different. Which news will you carry, to whom will you run. Most of us will run back with soldiers. The resurrection of Jesus proves the body mattes, proves God is not done with you, proves our body will last forever. Your body has been stamped for resurrection, it is part of God’s plan and work to make all things right. We don't confess the immortality of the soul, we confess foreverness of the whole person, And so we cry out with all hope and confidence the old confession in the Apostles Creed that yes we believe in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen! you personally matter to God. N.T.Wright simply wrote “The message of the resurrection is that this world matters!”   Series: Easter 2019 Series Description:  All of us want purpose, all want meaning, all want peace in the end. Which of course is part of being human, part of the human experience. And this leads all of us today seeker and skeptics, believers and unbelievers to ask where can one find these identity giving moments. Can it last more than a moment or is it always fleeting? Some of us trust in wealth, many chase beauty and youth, others follow power. Most want promotion. Some demand likes and status. We clamour around certain  movements, systems of thinking found in books and podcast or other people or ourselves to find purpose to escape it all. Politics, video games, sex, money, jobs, friendship, food, travel, religion, Netflix, spirituality, mindfulness, control, manipulation the list goes on and on. And it is here  in this ongoing search that 3 people in the story of Jesus just before his death bring so much of this home. One is the best expression of political power and self-reliance, another the best that family connections and religious power hold and the last is what rebellion and brut force can bring,  a Pilate the Roman leader and there is Caiaphas the high priest, and Barabbas the insurrectionist. We enter the Easter moment just before Jesus is confronted by Pilate and the Barabbas And as we look at each historical person the question to all of us if we truly allow this to happen will be who do you trust in, who do we do want, who can give us real purpose, peace and meaning, identity?

Speaker: Dave Adams Scripture: Matthew 26 Sermon Description: This Easter at C4 we’ve been asking the questions “Whom do you trust and whom do you follow?” Some trust in wealth. Some chase beauty. Some follow power. Some want promotion. Some demand likes. This Easter we’re saying,“GIVE US JESUS!”. On the night that Jesus was betrayed Matthew records the events this way. Matt 26:57 “Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled.”So what do we know about Caiaphas? Why is he so important to make it into the Bible. There are a lot of things we know about Caiaphas and understanding each of them is going to help shed light on exactly what is going on in this so-called trial of Jesus that eventually leads to his crucifixion. Why was Caiaphas so bent on getting rid of Jesus? What was it about Jesus that rubbed Caiaphas the wrong way and drove him to such extremes to seek the death penalty, even through unusual and illegal methods?Remember Caiaphas is the High Priest and a Sadducee. He doesn’t like Jesus brand of spirituality. All this talk about heaven and the Kingdom of God. About love and forgiveness and prayer and fasting and giving - all with the right motives. I’m sure Caiaphas felt the threat to his religion when Jesus would address demons and cast them out of people. As a Sadducee Caiaphas didn’t even believe in the demonic, yet hundreds maybe more were telling of the freedom they’d found when Jesus spoke. There was a power & authority in Jesus that threatened everything Caiaphas believed, trusted in and stood for. Here’s what Caiaphas helps us see on Good Friday 2019. It was true that night before Jesus went to the cross and it's true in this room right now. Jesus plus anything leaves you with nothing - that’s called religion. But Jesus plus nothing gives you everything - a faith based relationship.  Caiaphas has made his choice. So what do we do when Jesus challenges us like he did Caiaphas? Do we want Jesus or Caiaphas?  What will we do if Jesus threatens everything we hold valuable. Is he worth more than our power, our connections, our influence, our position, our good looks, our wealth, etc. Can you honestly say today “Give me Jesus?” Series: Easter 2019 Series Description:  All of us want purpose, all want meaning, all want peace in the end. Which of course is part of being human, part of the human experience. And this leads all of us today seeker and skeptics, believers and unbelievers to ask where can one find these identity giving moments. Can it last more than a moment or is it always fleeting? Some of us trust in wealth, many chase beauty and youth, others follow power. Most want promotion. Some demand likes and status. We clamour around certain  movements, systems of thinking found in books and podcast or other people or ourselves to find purpose to escape it all. Politics, video games, sex, money, jobs, friendship, food, travel, religion, Netflix, spirituality, mindfulness, control, manipulation the list goes on and on. And it is here  in this ongoing search that 3 people in the story of Jesus just before his death bring so much of this home. One is the best expression of political power and self-reliance, another the best that family connections and religious power hold and the last is what rebellion and brut force can bring,  a Pilate the Roman leader and there is Caiaphas the high priest, and Barabbas the insurrectionist. We enter the Easter moment just before Jesus is confronted by Pilate and the Barabbas. And as we look at each historical person the question to all of us if we truly allow this to happen will be who do you trust in, who do we do want, who can give us real purpose, peace and meaning, identity?

Speaker: Jon Thompson Scripture: Mark 14:60-64; Matthew 27; Luke 23 Sermon Description: Barabbas, a life of rebellion, a life of violence, a life of fighting the system, using violence to overcome violence, my life choices are justified because i am not as bad as the one I am fighting. You can become so consumed by a just cause, that you become eat you hate or the cause become where you think you find purpose, meaning, life and identity. All three them if you got them in a room  would say I am not those others, yet they all trying getting identity and purpose, all trying to deal the ups and downs of life by bringing all that they can. They all are motivated by Fear, Self Sufficiency, intimidation, control to get purpose,  meaning and peace even more a moment. Yet Jesus never used any of these. And here is powerful moment in the story Jesus literally takes Barabbas' cross, he choose to take his place and Barabbas goes free, Jesus does not. Barabbas is unbound, Jesus remains bound, one Jesus dies so the other Jesus goes free. And why would we every want to put our hope in Jesus and not anyone or anything else? Oh because he can give us what we all really want. Jesus promises rest for the deepest part of us, but He requires us to take on His yoke. He offers to exchange the yoke we are already wearing for His yoke. If we won’t accept His offer, we will remain yoked to sin, lost dreams, broken relationships, dead religion, or lies. The lie that we are independent is just that, a lie. We always serve somebody or something. The choice for us isn’t whether to live unyoked or yoked but to choose the right yoke to wear. As R. T. France noted, “We should remember that the ‘rest’ Jesus offers is not relaxation of the demands of right… It is not the removal of any yoke but a new and ‘kind’ yoke which makes the burden ‘light’. A ‘yoke’ implies obedience, indeed often slavery! What makes the difference is what sort of master one is serving. So the beneficial effect of Jesus’ yoke derives from the character of the one who offers it.”6 Jesus promises purpose,  meaning and peace in an ongoing permanent way. Series: Easter 2019 Series Description:  All of us want purpose, all want meaning, all want peace in the end. Which of course is part of being human, part of the human experience. And this leads all of us today seeker and skeptics, believers and unbelievers to ask where can one find these identity giving moments. Can it last more than a moment or is it always fleeting? Some of us trust in wealth, many chase beauty and youth, others follow power. Most want promotion. Some demand likes and status. We clamour around certain  movements, systems of thinking found in books and podcast or other people or ourselves to find purpose to escape it all. Politics, video games, sex, money, jobs, friendship, food, travel, religion, Netflix, spirituality, mindfulness, control, manipulation the list goes on and on. And it is here  in this ongoing search that 3 people in the story of Jesus just before his death bring so much of this home. One is the best expression of political power and self-reliance, another the best that family connections and religious power hold and the last is what rebellion and brut force can bring,  a Pilate the Roman leader and there is Caiaphas the high priest, and Barabbas the insurrectionist. We enter the Easter moment just before Jesus is confronted by Pilate and the Barabbas And as we look at each historical person the question to all of us if we truly allow this to happen will be who do you trust in, who do we do want, who can give us real purpose, peace and meaning, identity?

Speaker: Jon Thompson Scriptures: Matthew 16:13-15, 17:1-5; Exodus 24:15-17; Exodus 40:34; 1 Kings 8:10; Ezekiel 1:4; Luke 2:9; Acts 2 Sermon Description:  As we conclude our series on the Spiritual Gifts we come to this final discussion on Disciplines, Gifts and Revival. Is there a distinction between renewal, revival and awakening? Well at C4 here is how we use these 3 words. RENEWAL: is when God touches the heart of a single individual.   REVIVAL is when God touches a community of faith on mass. AWAKENING is when the wider society is impacted thought mass conversion and life change. Disciplines are open to all Christians, they are normative. Spiritual gifts are also expected, normative but are sovereignly assigned. But what about other experiences that don't fall into either category, what do we do with revival? And how is the different and how does that change our expectations? Revivals always include mass conversions of people to Jesus, and a true awakening takes place. But a common mistake many make is to pair the outworking or unusual manifestations of the Spirit during revival with the gifts that are always present in the daily Christian life. No, the revival settings I’ve described above are not about gifts or disciplines. As we have learned, spiritual disciplines are for all to exercise at any season of life. Spiritual gifts are sovereignly assigned and are normative, day in and day out. But revival is not normal, is not always, and neither are the results. Much of the time during revival there is greater power and presence of God, which means the disciplines are used more and the power behind the gifts is stronger. But revival is started and ended only by God. These seasons are given to send us out and to sustain us over a lifetime. Don’t pair one experience with the other. Some revivals last days, some last years. Should we pray for, ask for, and expectantly wait for God to move in revival? Absolutely. But if He says, “No,” or “Not yet,” that does not affect the gifts He has given or the disciplines He has modelled.  

Speaker: Jon Thompson Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 7, Luke 9:23-25, 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, Revelation 6:9-11, Acts 6:1-7;7:59-60;15:36-41  So welcome the second last week in our series on Spiritual gifts, Today we end with two last gifts, we tackle gift tension head on, we talk about the grace needed for us to keep going. Celibacy: The gift of celibacy is the special ability that God gives to certain members of the Body of Christ to remain single and enjoy it; to be unmarried and not suffer undue sexual temptation. Though many of us do not have the gift, we are all called to the discipline of chastity and fasting, either by situation of life (we are not married) or if we are married, by an agreed time of mutually seeking God! Others of us have this gift and we can celebrate and find joy in this. Now why would any of us even be willing to do this? To deny what we want, what we are, to not fulfilled as a culture defines it? And the answer is simple, we love Jesus more than our own lives, rights, wants and desires no mater how strong. Martyrdom: The gift of martyrdom is a special ability to undergo suffering for the faith even to death while constantly displaying a joyous and victorious attitude that brings glory to God! One example is what happened in the story of Stephen. Christians went on the run for their lives but as they did the good news of Jesus spread all the way from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria into the Roman world all by this man death. God takes hate and death and brings life and forgiveness and will reward those that suffer for his name. Gift Tension & Grace: Our spiritual gifts make us respond almost instinctively (or better, with supernatural, spiritual sensitivity) to a situation that places us in a position to alert or encourage others to take action even though they may not perceive the need in the way we do. Most of us are grace-filled when it comes to the love gifts and word gifts as a rule.But when it comes to the power gifts, the grace drops real quick. For example, if someone speaks in tongues, but don’t do it correctly within the community, the response by others is too often a quick “See? It’s just fake; it’s not real”—rather than asking, “How could we do this better?’” We assume there’s room to grow and learn in the use of the love and word gifts but often don’t extend that assumption to the power gifts. Those are assumed to be delivered “fully functioning,” when in fact, just like the other gifts, people with power gifts have to grow into their gifting.