When Jesus is warned that Herod wants to kill him, he says, ‘Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem you who stone the prophets and kill those sent to you.’ Jesus recognizes that Herod is the most recent iteration of a long history of Israel’s leaders defending themselves from people like him in order to maintain the status quo. Matthew’s gospel tells us that Herod…

The prophet’s ability to predict events decades if not centuries into the future can seem mysterious and appear as if they have psychic powers or a crystal ball. But when we read Jesus’ words closely - and the words of other prophetic voices - we discover that Jesus and other prophets understood how their time and place was really functioning - reg…

During a TV interview, British comedian and outspoken atheist, Stephen Fry, was asked, “What would you do if you died and found out God existed?” Fry responded that he would walk up to God and say, "Bone cancer in children. What’s that about? How dare you create a world where there is so much misery that is not our fault. It’s evil. Why should I re…

The prophet Jeremiah witnessed the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of Solomon’s Temple at the hands of Babylon. Even after being allowed to remain with his people in Judah instead of being taken to Babylon, he had to flee to Egypt where he eventually died, never having returned home. A tragic sequence of events for a prophet of Israel who und…

We are inundated by messages that say that “hopeful” or promising language is too much, too idealistic for this world. The prevailing wisdom tells us repeatedly, this world is a violent world that needs violent solutions. We are confronted by the “facts” and we clam up. “Hope... is an absurdity too embarrassing to speak about, for it flies in the f…

We often get the impression that the prophet operated as a lone voice over and against the rest of society. This idea is reinforced when we flick through the prophetic books of the bible and find that they are all named after particular prophets: Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Jeremiah etc. Certainly, there were times when the prophets felt alone. Rememb…

This episode contrasts the imperial imagination with the prophetic imagination. The imperial imagination tells us that this is the way things are, this is the way things have always been and this is the way things are always going to be. In other words, the imperial imagination is very good at perpetuating the myth of its own eternity. On the other…

The history of Biblical prophetic tradition has everything to do with the relationship between the prophet and the Creator God for whom the prophet functions as a mouthpiece. Continued to this day, it’s a tradition that has been fostered by communities throughout history from generation to generation. Freidrich Nietzsche felt that abstract ideas we…

In this enlightening podcast episode, Pastor Stephen Cheung delves deep into the profound mysteries of the doctrine of the Trinity, drawing from the Gospel of John and the Athanasian Creed. Through a careful examination of scripture and historical context, he explores the intricate nature of the Triune God and its significance in Christian theology…

On this Easter Sunday, Pastor Stephen delves into an encounter between the Apostle Paul and a group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers in Athens, as recounted in the book of Acts. Paul's preaching about Jesus and the resurrection intrigued some but left others skeptical. However, Paul seized the opportunity to share the message of the resurrection…

What does it mean to be human? Amidst our daily routines and societal discussions on rights, the notion of humanity remains elusive and complex. Drawing from existentialist perspectives and cultural observations, Pastor Stephen navigates through the intricacies of defining humanity in a world that demands its rights fervently. Through a journey spa…

12.11 [Sermon] To rescue us from the "lullaby effect" that comes from overfamiliarity with the Christmas gospel narratives, Eric contrasts Jesus with his contemporary and attempted assassin, Herod the Great. The latter's excessive wealth, paranoia, and brutality leads us to especially welcome Jesus as the Prince of Peace. This Advent series explore…

12.4 [Sermon] You've probably heard, "Glory to God in the highest," especially around Christmastime. Why do we pursue fleeting glory--fame, beauty, and bliss? How would our lives be transformed by pursuing the everlasting glory of God? This Advent series explores the vast implications of the birth of Christ and the resounding love, joy and peace im…

11.20 [Discussion] The Story Behind the Doctrine: Part Four - Mezzanine Discussion - Stephen and Eric recap the sermon series and discuss the four main ways doctrine tends to be misunderstood aka 'The Four Flips'. Eric plugs the BEMA podcast and finally opens up the conversation with four questions: 1. What do you think of when you hear the word do…

11.13 [Sermon] The Story Behind the Doctrine: Part Three - Trinity - Stephen Cheung presents on the doctrine of the Trinity; the deeply mysterious state of God as three in one. Three distinct beings, yet still one God, immersed in a perpetual state of relationship. And, if we allow ourselves to view God this way, our ideas of a bearded, power hungr…

11.06 [Sermon] The Story Behind the Doctrine: Part Two - Resurrection - Stephen Cheung explores ideas in and around the doctrine of Resurrection, tying it into last Sunday's teaching on Incarnation and reinforcing the idea that the bodily resurrection of Christ is not only central to the Christian faith but also stands as a life and creation affirm…

10.30 [Sermon] The Story Behind the Doctrine: Part One - Incarnation - Stephen Cheung explores the doctrine of Incarnation; the mystery of the creator God who takes on human flesh and immerses himself in his own creation. A being both fully God and fully human; a paradox pointing to the question, "What does it mean to be human?" In our present day,…

10.23 [Sermon] International Justice Mission - Miguel Lau - This IJM Sunday we explore the work of International Justice Mission to end trafficking and slavery and hear from Miguel Lau. Miguel serves as Senior Officer of Church Partnerships for IJM. In this role, Miguel leads IJM’s engagement with the Church globally, and guides IJM’s offices aroun…

10.02 [Sermon] Being Disciples: Part Four - Staying Power - Chris Lawrence wraps up our series 'Being Disciples' and explores how resilience is not in fact a gift but is a habit that needs to be learned. Or maybe it's something to be “caught” by association, from those who have found themselves pushing through threatening and painful experiences.…

10.09 [Sermon] Being Disciples: Part Three - A Larger Story - We conclude our Being Disciples series on following Jesus. Our prevailing cultural mantra "As long as I'm not hurting anyone..." turns out to be a woefully insufficient rule of life. Jesus instead invites us into the grand story of devoting ourselves to the good of one another, as he did…

10.02 [Sermon] Being Disciples: Part Two - Knowledge and Dust - We often think of spiritual growth as acquiring knowledge or information download. But, when we look at the life of Christ we begin to understand that Jesus's own understanding of spiritual growth seems to be much more holistic and fully embodied. Jesus doesn't view his disciples as 'b…

09.25 [Sermon] Being Disciples: Part One - Come Follow Me - Join us as we explore what it means to follow and learn from the life of Christ. From the very beginning of his ministry, Jesus made very specific decisions, including the way he went about calling his disciples. These small stories, which recount Christ’s first interactions with his futur…

09.11 [Sermon] Thoughts on Church: Part Two - Bodies, Banquets and the Muscle Memory of Love - As we wrap up our 'Thoughts on Church' miniseries we explore what it means to gather and worship as a community of Christians and Skeptics - but this time with a twist. Because, buying into church is one thing but if we're really going to explore prevaili…

09.11 [Sermon] Thoughts on Church: Part One - God With Us - On the first Sunday of our Fall Schedule we explore what it means to gather and worship as a community and more specifically, what it means to gather and worship as a Community of Christians and Skeptics. And, is this even possible? Can doubt and faith actually live alongside each other? O…

07.17 [Sermon] The Things That Shape Us: Part Five - Prayer - Lesslie Newbigin once said “The deepest motive for mission is simply the desire to be with Jesus where he is, on the frontier between the reign of God and the usurped dominion of the devil.” That desire and that consciousness is not something which just 'happens' in us. What if Christian…

07.10 [Sermon] The Things That Shape Us: Part Four - The Bible - Reflecting on the strange collection of writings that make up the Bible, Rowan Williams says, "The diversity of the Bible is as great as if you had within the same two covers, for example: Shakespeare's sonnets, the law reports of 1910, the introduction to Kant's Critique of Pure Reas…

06.26 [Sermon] The Things That Shape Us: Part Three - Baptism - As the story goes, Jesus enters the water and as he comes up the Spirit of God descends on him like a dove and a voice from heaven says, "This is my Son with whom I am well pleased." Reflecting on this story, early Christians began to make connections with another story involving Water…

06.19 [Sermon] The Things That Shape Us: Part One - Communion - I don't know if you’ve ever noticed, but as you read through the New Testament Jesus is always eating. Every time you turn the page he’s eating. He eats with the Pharisees, he eats with tax collectors, he eats with prostitutes and sinners. He eats with his disciples. He feeds the five …

06.12 [Sermon] The Things That Shape Us: Part One - Stephen Cheung explores the basic practices that shape and form what it means to be Christian. Historically, when we look at what the disciples and early Christians understood about allegiance to Jesus Christ, you come up with a small bundle of core disciplines that point to a specific posture and…

06.05 [Sermon] Pentecost Sunday: Spirit of Presence - What do Christians today believe about the mystery of the Holy Spirit? AND, what do we do with these beliefs? How does this stuff play out in real time? Do we behave as if the Holy Spirit exists, works and moves? OR, do we actually rely more on the power of our own efforts?…

05.22 [Mezzanine] I Will Give You Rest: Reflections on the Sabbath - Part Five - At the end of each sermon series, rather than pushing on to the next thing we intentionally take time to rest and reflect on what's been said. This time around we speak with Mark and Mara and hear how Jesus' invitation into Sabbath rest has recently entered their lives…

05.15 [Sermon] I Will Give You Rest: Reflections on the Sabbath - Part Four - Stephen reminds us with the creation story that the Sabbath is an invitation to live freely, and concludes with practices that bring us into the pleasant experiences of rest.Av Trinity Heights Church

05.08 [Sermon] I Will Give You Rest: Reflections on the Sabbath - Part Three - Reclaiming Sabbath isn't always easy especially as we swim in the waters of hurry, efficiency and empire. Chris Lawrence suggests that we might find our way back to true Sabbath rest by following Jesus and adopting His 'unforced rhythms of grace."…

05.01 [Sermon] I Will Give You Rest: Reflections on the Sabbath - Part Two - Stephen Cheung reminds us to welcome the Sabbath as our Beloved. In the Sabbath, God grants us permission to rest, to cease from striving. Creation is good, and Sabbath is "very good." Stephen suggests four practices for us to lean into Sabbath delight: Start where you are…

04.24 [Sermon] I Will Give You Rest: Reflections on the Sabbath - Part One - Stephen Cheung reveals how American culture has slipped away from the restorative gift of Sabbath rest. He reminds us that the Sabbath is integral to Creation, not an addendum - the practice that restores our relationships with ourselves, others, and all creation. Stephen …

04.17 [Sermon] Easter Sunday - When we look around at the people in our lives: children, family, lovers, friends - all the ones we hold dear - and realize that death works to divide and separate us all, it's then that it becomes clear that, 'It is love that believes the Resurrection."Av Trinity Heights Church

Palm Sunday: A Triumphal Entry of Sorts 04.10 [Sermon] Palm Sunday - Historically, it's thought that there were two dramatic processions that entered Jerusalem that day. The Roman parade of governor Pontius Pilate - a true display of power and military might. And, the entry of Jesus - riding on the back of a donkey. Glitz and glamor on the one hand…

04.03 [Mezzanine Panel Discussion] Mountain of Salt, City of Light - With our study in the Sermon on the Mount complete, we take a step back and spend some time remembering what's been said. Stephen, Eric, Ben and Mercy all reflect on the series. *Feel free to refer to the questions below as they correspond to the two parts of the group discussion.…

03.27 [Sermon] Mountain of Salt, City of Light: A Study in the Sermon on the Mount - Part Nine - As we wrap up our Mountain of Salt, City of Light series, we explore the "Parable of the Builders" and the final metaphor used in the Sermon on the Mount: the metaphor of a house. Two houses actually, one built on sand and the other built on rock. But w…

03.20 [Sermon] Mountain of Salt, City of Light: A Study in the Sermon on the Mount - Part Eight - Many of us have grown up with a secretly held view that much of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) is hopelessly optimistic and needs to be replaced by a more realistic ethic. After all, many say, we are on a suicide mission if we take to heart what…

03.13 [Sermon] Mountain of Salt, City of Light: A Study in the Sermon on the Mount - Part Seven - Brandon reviews and recaps the territory we've covered in the Sermon on the Mount over the past few months, focusing on some of Jesus' key teachings and offering practical insights into how we might go about reading Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7.…

02.27 [Sermon] Mountain of Salt, City of Light: A Study in the Sermon on the Mount - Part Six - Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, says "Love your enemies" and Etty Hillesum did just that. Born a Dutch Jew, Etty ignored all advice from friends and, completely of her own volition, went to work in the hospital at the Westerbork Transit Camp - the fin…

02.20 [Sermon] Mountain of Salt, City of Light: A Study in the Sermon on the Mount - Part Five - In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says six times, "You have heard it said... but, I say to you..." and each time He repeats this phrase He attaches it to a unique moral teaching. "You have heard it said... 'You shall not murder...' but I say to you that …

02.13 [Sermon] Mountain of Salt, City of Light: A study in the Sermon on the Mount - Part Four - Jesus says that He has "come to fulfill the Law and the Prophets," but what does this phrase mean? Is Jesus the ultimate rule follower or does He mean something else?Av Trinity Heights Church

02.06 [Sermon] Mountain of Salt, City of Light: A Study in the Sermon on the Mount - Part Three - One way to interpret Jesus' use of the metaphors of "Salt and Light" is to understand them as a direct calling on the lives of Christians to "add flavor" to a bland world and "light the way" in a world full of darkness. But, when we begin to understand…

01.30 [Sermon] Mountain of Salt, City of Light: A Study in the Sermon on the Mount - Part Two - When we hear Jesus repeat "Blessed are those" again and again in the Sermon on the Mount, it's easy to begin to feel that Christ is presenting a list of ways we might each be "blessed" and find individual favor with God. But, when we look closer and begi…

01.23 [Sermon] Mountain of Salt, City of Light: A Study in the Sermon on the Mount. Stephen Cheung explores the rich meaning and symbolism in and around the longest continuous discourse of Jesus found in the New Testament.Av Trinity Heights Church

01.16 [Sermon] Chris Lawrence speaks on "Cana Grace" John 2:1-11 - The Art of Making That One Cup of Water Go a Long, Long Way - We are still just beginning a new year. Are we going to live 2022 deeply, live it with rich purpose, enjoy times which will be appreciated and looked back on in years to come with special fondness? That’s really setting t…

01.09 [Sermon] Christ in the New Year - On this first Sunday of 2022, Bryant Parsons speaks on anchoring all of our New Year's Resolutions, hopes and good intentions in a power greater than ourselves: a power that changes us, a power that works in us and through us and even in spite of us, to bring about the renewal and redemption of all things. Tr…

12.19 [Reflection] Advent - Part Four: Angels, Shepherds and the Lamb of God - On this fourth and final Sunday of Advent, Eric Helvie reflects on the moment when the angels appeared to the shepherds, proclaiming the birth of the Messiah while also shining the light of heaven down upon them. It's as if heaven is pointing directly at the shepherds, t…