Clyde Christian Bible Church

Well, we've finally wrapped up all the loose ends on Stephen's speech in Acts 7, and this last loose end was a BIG one. By exploring New Testament Temple theology, we will see how the new thing God is doing (which is actually an old thing) has ramifications for our faith today. A Greater Tabernacle, and a Lesser Temple, and YOU. Yes, you.Now excuse me, but I have fireworks to watch on TV. I've heard that's spectacular.

WARNING: CONTROVERSIAL STATEMENTS AHEAD! Well, maybe not. It's just the words of Jesus and Stephen. But they might shake us up. In this sermon, we examine three of the minor lessons we can apply to our own faith from the speech Stephen makes in defense of his faith. 1) We are unbound to any nation; 2) We should avoid looking back with longing at our former lives; 3) Watch out for the things you get stubborn about. Also, listen as Shane nearly plummets through the front doors of the church to his doom!!!!

Stephen's speech (and his life) have come to an end. As he points out the blasphemy of his accusers (who had themselves accused Stephenof blasphemy), Stephen also points out the glory and power of Jesus. See what his last words have to say to us, and how they connect Stephen to Jesus. Also, hear Chris discuss a bizarre tattoo, offer a whistle interlude, and forget the name of Ajith Fernando. Sorry, Ajith. Your commentary is really good. You deserve better.

If I make a birdhouse, am I confined to that birdhouse? No, I am sovereign over that birdhouse. Starting with some basic theologies about the power of our Creator God, we examine why Stephen depreciated the Temple (and was condemned for it). God could not be contained. So why did the enemies of the Gospel attempt to do so? It's a mistake we have to learn from.Another mistake? Chris' astronomy facts. For the record, Darcey is right, it takes 8 minutes for light to go from the sun to Earth. Space is big, y'all. (Our Father is bigger!)PS- Happy Father's Day!

After using the Patriarchs to emphasize his point, Stephen then turns his attention to Moses. In all three eras of Moses' life we see God at work in foreign places, creating holiness out of common places (and people), and truth being rejected from even the most powerful truth-tellers.History repeats itself, from the exodus to the martyrdom of Stephen and even through to today. Will we be doomed along with those who fail to learn over and over again? Or will we break the cycle and find life? And how good is Chris' Elmer Fudd impersonation? Answer: adequate.

In his great defense of the new work God is doing through Jesus, immediately before his martyrdom, Stephen takes the Sanhedrin all the way back to the roots of their faith. The Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and his sons) are full of many familiar, powerful stories. But Stephen ignores many of these stories in favour of details that highlight his three apologetic thesis statements: a) A God Who is not confined to a specific location; b) a worship of God not confined to a specific location; and c) The rejection of God's truth-tellers by God's people.How does Stephen use the Patriarchs to highlight the transformative work of the Kingdom?Also: a quick geography lesson (google "Ur of the Chaldeans" sometime), Kristy defeats Chris at a game of "Name the Sons of Jacob", and Chris briefly discusses ancient erectile dysfunction techniques.

We've already examined what made Stephen a hero in life: today we begin summarizing what made Stephen a hero into death. His speech before the High Council contains powerful truth that can affect us even today, many centuries later. Stephen is a hero because he is a martyr, a witness. Like any good witness, he speaks truth about the defendant, God, rather than about himself. We are introduced to the main themes of Stephen's speech, and discuss the nature of apologetics. All in an attempt to set the stage for the next 4 weeks of examining the last words of a great hero. Also, find out that CCBC doesn't care much for Law & Order. And special shout out to our friends Stephanie Gurnett and Julia Penner!

The death of Stephen marks a turning point for the Book of Acts, the history of the Church, and our own understanding of heroism. Today, in part 1 of a multi-part series, we will examine Stephen's character and conduct and get a portrait of an excellent man of God, filled with wisdom, grace, faith, and the Spirit of God. A true hero in life and death. As usual, Chris leans on a sports metaphor for all this. Classic Lantz.

Our good friend (and homegrown missionary) Kristy Fraser gives us updates from her recent trip to serve in the African nations of Lesotho and Tanzania. Kristy used her many gifts in agriculture and love for others while there. Hear about tourist hats, methods of seed planting, and (above all) trusting in God.We are proud to support Kristy as she serves in the Kingdom!

You know the lesson of the rocks in the jar? It features prominently in today's sermon. The big things go in first, then the smaller things, then the smallest things. It's a good lesson. But there are some problems. What happens when small things get overshadowed and neglected? What happens when big things break down? What happens when the jar threatens to break? All of these questions are examined in the lens of our service in the Kingdom. Are some acts of service bigger and more important than others? Are some people "big rocks", while others are "small rocks", like the Greek-speaking widows in the passage? Let's ask these questions together. Let's also hear Chris attempt an Italian accent, and cry openly at the mic. (Big shout outs to Aislinn & Jason Machushyk and Ron & Monelle Fraser!)

Our dear friend and sister in Christ, Marcella, is currently in the last days of her very sudden battle with cancer. With that in mind, and with the stunning statement made by the Apostles after their unjust arrest and painful flogging, we begin an exploration of the purpose of pain, and a believer's response to suffering.

Sometimes human words become accidentally prophetic, and that's the case with our story in Acts this week. A lot gets covered in this passage: the imprisonment of the apostles, their deliverance at the hands of an angel, the weaknesses of the Sanhedrin, the ongoing faithful rebellion of the followers, the repeating of the Kerygma, and timeless wisdom from an unlikely source that ends up validating God's empowering of the Church.It's a lot, but in the end, hopefully we come out with a better understanding of Who is in control, and Who we should be obeying. Also, we get to hear Chris attempt a theology of angels, and it doesn't go well.Special thanks to Angie, Trish and Tom for the musical accompaniment at the end (Our God)!

There have been many issues faced by the Church in Acts so far, but through a partnership between the Presence of God and His followers (particularly Peter), they have overcome each time. Today's passage (which may seem to be a strange one for Easter Sunday) is sandwiched between two stories of struggles for the early church. It is a reminder that God's plans are advancing. In this little story, we examine the purpose of the Church (Ekklesia). Although the answer may seem obvious, it is still challenging, and still requires the gracious guiding presence of God. We examine the steps to becoming the Presence of Jesus, and the purpose of those who follow Him. At Easter, we remember that He is in the business of bringing healing to the hurting, water to the thirsty, and life where there is death. And He uses you and I to accomplish this miracle. Stick around until the end to hear a bonus track: Because He Lives, with Angie and Barb!

Cultures have many unique superstitions; small scale lies we tell each other to affect behaviour and attempt to control the world around us. But what happens when these untruths begin to alter our identities? ...our souls? What happen when we become shaped by lies?These are the question explored by one of CCBC's favourite guest speakers: Ricot Leon, who's mission in Haiti is very dear to our hearts. Enjoy his wit, wisdom, and Haitian accent!Details on Heart for Home Haiti can be found here: http://www.heartforhomehaiti.com/

Trap Games are a real danger to champion sports teams. They're rolling right along, nothing but victory and success... until a lesser foe causes them to stumble and fall. In the Book of Acts, everything has been incredibly successful, under the powerful guidance of the Holy Spirit. Our last sermon in Acts highlighted the church's unity, generosity, and victory. But today we examine their first "trap game", in the story of Ananias & Sapphira. See how the Old Testament story of Achan, combined with the generosity of Barnabas, along with the very un-pastorlike tone of Peter, the presence of the Holy Spirit, the Edmonton Oilers, and the dishonest discipleship of Ananias & Sapphira have to teach us about our own faith journey. Also: apologies to any fans of the Buffalo Sabres. I basically label them an incarnation of sin. I hope you will understand.

We sometimes assume that the way our western society functions is good or normal or right. It isn't. After contrasting the conquering Europeans to the Indigenous peoples they conquered, we then turn our gaze towards the early church.Luke continually reminds us that the early church, fueled by the Holy Spirit, was made powerful through their unity. The primary way this unity was manifested was through the selfless sharing typical of the first believers. We spend this sermon examining both unity and selfless giving. They were more than a community: they were a force to be reckoned with, because they were "kardia kai psyche mia": One in both Heart and Mind. They chose to give all they had because they loved their Lord and they loved each other.See if you can find the moment where Chris projects a picture of the Oilers holding the Stanley Cup. Shouldn't be hard!

Perspective is important. This is true in Kindergarten, and this is true in the mission of the Church. Now that the followers of Jesus have had the first taste of persecution, how will they respond? What is their perspective on suffering? Acts 4:23-31 is a prayer, and there is much to learn from it. We examine the key element of togetherness, and compare this prayer to the template prayer Jesus gives in Matthew 6. We examine the titles of Sovereign, Lord, and Creator, as well as the humility of His slaves, the apostles. We discuss the primary focus of our prayer: His Kingdom, His will, and His glory... only after seeking these things do we then bring our petitions to Him. We finish by looking at the Lord's answer to His subjects (spoiler alert: He hears them and answers!). In all this, we are reminded of the proper perspective we should have on the more challenging aspects of our faith. We also hear a bonus version of Seek Ye First from Angie, Trish, Sharon and Chris to wrap it all up. Not to

First steps are miraculous, but they often cause problems. That is true for infants, and for apostles. Persecution arrives at the doorstep of the early church, as Peter and John are called before the Sanhedrin to account for what power and name they healed the beggar. We examine why the Sadducees are so upset, and why the apostles cannot and will not stop proclaiming the Name of Jesus. We examine how these uneducated common folk can speak with such power and authority. We discuss what we need in order to defend our faith. And through it all, we stoke the fires of determination: WE CANNOT STOP. We cannot BE stopped. Also, I call myself and all my brothers and sister in the church a bunch of idiots. But in a nice way.

Wait, didn't we just hear this? Acts 3 seems at first glance like a repetition of Acts 2, since both feature a powerful miracle and a Kerygma response by Peter. But the differences are stunning. Here, the healing of a disabled beggar leads Peter to deflect glory from himself and properly attribute it to Jesus. He then speaks of the role of faith in the amazing work of the Kingdom. Peter uses the occasion to tell about the saving Name of Jesus (with a subtle shot at the false name of Mammon). We examine other famous names in this passage, and what they say about the One Great Name of Jesus. And we finish by examining the nature of the Name of Jesus, especially Suffering Servant and Author of Life. In the end we find that even the biggest enemies of His Name are offered salvation and life in Him. As you'll see. for maximum effect, repeat the podcast several times so it sinks in!

After Peter's mic drop of a sermon climax, the people have one desperate question: "What should we do now?!"Peter's immediate answer includes 2 requirements and 2 blessings: repent and be baptized, and you will receive forgiveness, as well as the Holy Spirit. We discuss each of these, especially baptism.From there, we catch a glimpse of what the life of the early church looked like in response to forgiveness and the Holy Spirit. The believers devoted themselves to four things: Apostolic teaching, fellowship (koinonia, in Greek!), breaking bread, and prayer. They also committed to a revolutionary new kindness, generosity, hospitality, thankfulness, and unity that would eventually sweep across the globe.Finally, Chris connects all of this to our humble little Kingdom outpost: Clyde Christian Bible Church. Where the early church is still alive and kicking, by the grace of the Holy Spirit.