Sunwest Fc's Weekly Sermon Podcast

2025-06-01: Acts 5 tells how the apostles, empowered by God, performed miracles and boldly preached about Jesus, even when threatened by religious leaders. What made the early followers of Jesus so radically courageous that they were impervious to threats, persecution, and even torture? What did they know and believe that has implications for how we live today? Come and find out what might be the most critical question you will ever have to answer if you’re going to follow Jesus.

2025-05-25: We’ve raced through the first four chapters of Acts. There have been miraculous events and explosive growth. But that didn’t come without its challenges. The 'bigger and better' trajectory of the story has a sudden blip. We encounter in Acts 5 two miraculous deaths from judgment. We may be tempted to skip the story and get back to the ‘positive stuff’. But we must lean in and ask what it was that God took so seriously in the early church. Join us this weekend as we discover that the warning God issued for the first-century church is just as relevant for us today.

2025-05-18: After the Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, they boldly went out to proclaim and demonstrate the Good News of the Kingdom of God. But the message of Jesus provoked strong reactions—some were deeply moved and compelled to follow, while others fiercely resisted and sought to silence it. This week, we explore how Jesus, the cornerstone, continues to be either a foundation of hope or a stumbling block even today.

2025-05-11: This week, we begin a new series called "To be continued...". We will consider the growth of the early church and how we are still a part of that ongoing story today. How did the movement Jesus started 2000 years ago transform the entire Roman world in two hundred years and eventually find its way around the globe? On top of the resurrection event that turned skeptics into believers, there was another event. Fifty days after the resurrection, something cataclysmic happened that completely transformed individuals and communities. In fact, Jesus said the mission he gave his disciples wouldn't be possible without it. It was critical then, and it is just as critical today.

2025-05-04: So there was an election this week. Some were thrilled with the result, and some were disappointed. The polarization of our world will continue. But how do you respond? If your candidate won, have you placed all your hope in them? If your candidate lost, is it all doom and gloom and hopeless? Our responses display our true allegiance. The Politics of Jesus does not rely on a political platform to change the world, it relies on something else. What exactly is that something else? Well, that’s what we will tackle this weekend - and the answer might surprise you.

2025-04-27: There’s an election on the horizon. This inevitably leads everyone to consider their values, assess the current world, and take responsibility (or not) for what type of world we want to live in. It also becomes a moment in time (in an increasingly polarizing time) where people of faith live out their understanding of how that faith impacts politics and culture. What does it mean to be a citizen of the Kingdom of God and a citizen of Canada? What party would Jesus vote for? Would he even vote? This week, we begin a two-part series exploring the politics of Jesus and what that might mean for those who claim to be Jesus followers.

2025-04-20: Rejoice! The Lord is indeed risen! Doubts? Disbelief? Come, listen and hear how we know Jesus is alive today and why His defeat of death changes the way we look at life now and forever!

2025-04-18: The most important event in history! We’re celebrating the real and present hope of Jesus. You’re invited to join us this Easter weekend. Today we reflect on the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ.

2025-04-13: The Apostle John began his journey as an arrogant, power-hungry follower of Jesus, driven by ambition and the desire for status. However, through a profound transformation, he became known as the "disciple Jesus loved," learning valuable lessons that revealed the contrast between his perception of success and the true measure of success in God's eyes.

2025-04-06: Thomas was one of the twelve disciples who followed Jesus very closely. We best know him as “Doubting Thomas.” This is a harsh nickname and probably the wrong one. It was not doubt driving Thomas, but his disappointment when his expectations of God did not match his current reality. Like Thomas, we’ve most likely experienced disappointment that has resulted in doubt. Is God really who he says he is? Why did God allow this to happen? Are you even there, God? Can we, like Thomas, sincerely ask to encounter Jesus together in community?

2025-03-30: Peter, one of Jesus' closest friends and one of the most celebrated among the twelve disciples, is often remembered for his bold faith - yet also his frequent failures. This week, we'll explore Peter's journey, particularly the moment he steps out of the boat to walk on water toward Jesus, only to begin sinking when doubt creeps in. Does walking by faith mean we're always called to step out fearlessly, or does God make space for our doubts along the way?

Have you ever wondered what it takes to follow Jesus? We’re not alone in that question. This week we are exploring the journey of two brothers, James and John, also known as the Sons of Thunder. They tended to act impulsively with their own best interests in mind. To follow Jesus, they had to learn to move from self-serving to self-sacrificing. Let’s discover together what it takes to be a disciple, and how we can learn from the lives of the Sons of Thunder.

2025-03-16: Jesus spent his ministry years intentionally shaping twelve individuals who would lead the way when he left. These guys were very different, yet their goal was the same: follow Jesus and be like Jesus. This concept is known as "discipleship". But the implication of being a disciple was unique for each of them, and it also has unique implications for each of us. In this series, we are looking at one of the twelve each week and considering what it meant for them and what it means for us today to be a disciple of Jesus. This week, we’re looking at the disciple named Matthew/Levi. Why did Jesus pick “that guy”?

2025-03-09: Jesus spent his ministry years intentionally shaping twelve individuals who would lead the way when he left. These guys were very different, yet their goal was the same: follow Jesus and be like Jesus. This concept is known as "discipleship". But the implication of being a disciple were unique for each of them, and it also has unique implications for each of us. In this new series, we will look at one of the twelve each week and consider what it meant for them and what it means for us today to be a disciple of Jesus.

2025-03-02: So, let's be real. You've tried to connect in community. It hurt. Being alone is easier. But something in you still wants that deep connection with others. What do you do? This is the inevitable tension that every single one of us will find ourselves in. There are no exceptions. Jesus found himself there, too. Is there something we can learn from him? Listen in as we conclude our series on the loneliness epidemic.

2025-02-23: You can be surrounded by others or be digitally connected to others and feel lonely. That much seems clear, given the epidemic of loneliness our world is going through. What is not as clear, however, is that you can be alone and be connected. In fact, being alone and being lonely are two very different things. Jesus and his followers, throughout history, have practiced the habit of solitude and silence. Could it be that part of the antidote to loneliness is learning to be alone well?

2025-02-16: Romance. Marriage. Singleness. So much of our energy is tied up in romantic relationships. If we don't have one. If we do have one. Sometimes those who are alone want to be in a relationship and those who are in a romantic relationship want to be alone! It seems loneliness can be pervasive in singleness, marriage, and everything in between. Join us this week as we look at what a single celibate jewish leader has to say about marriage, relationships, and contentment.

2025-02-09: It's no secret, we live in a time in history where we've never been more connected and we've never felt more disconnected. Have you ever felt alone in a crowd? Isolated, even when there is so much buzz around you? This epidemic is impacting many of us personally and all of us collectively. Join us for this series as we look at the epidemic of loneliness, how Jesus changes the conversation, the role the church plays, and how quick and easy answers may not be as effective as we think.

2025-02-02: So we made it to the last week of the series. We’ve talked about routines, habits, and steps that we can take to align with who we are and where God has called us. But we’re still missing a piece, the most important piece. True transformation is spiritual transformation, and that comes from God. Does God invite us simply to a self-help movement or a transformative spiritual journey? And how do we go about accessing his power in our lives? You don’t want to miss the conclusion of this series… because the ending could be a new beginning for you.

2025-01-26: "How did they get so lucky?” Have you ever looked at someone's success and thought this? The truth is, it isn’t luck. Successful people make small intentional choices every day that lead to big results over time. We often want results without putting in the work. However, just like planting an apple seed won’t grow an orange tree, the seeds we sow in life determine the harvest we reap. The same applies to our lives. Let’s learn together how we can sow the life and faith we desire.