Piercing the Darkness (Selected Scriptures)
Speaker: Lew Worrad Text(s): Selected Scriptures Topic: The teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit Series: God In Us: A Study of the Holy Spirit
Jul 26, 2023•38 min•Season 8Ep. 32
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Oakridge Bible Chapel
Weekly sermons from Oakridge Bible Chapel.
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Episodes
When the Holy Spirit Moves In (Selected Scriptures)
There’s a sense in which home ownership has two corresponding realities. There’s the objective reality. When the funds are confirmed and the mortgage is signed the house is owned. It’s a done deal. But there’s also the subjective reality. This is the process by which the owner grows in their experience of their ownership by moving-in, unpacking and renovating, and sharing their home with others. In these ways, the objective reality becomes increasingly experienced and enjoyed. Similarly, when an...
Jul 16, 2023•40 min•Season 8Ep. 31
A Lost Host and a Saving Ghost (Selected Scriptures)
If you’re a Christian, whether you can fully remember it or not, there was a moment when you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ for everlasting life. You may have been seven, seventeen, or seventy. It might have arrived suddenly or after much consideration. Maybe you were praying with a parent, chatting with a friend, listening to a sermon, or reading a book. Maybe you were at an evangelistic event or at home alone. Whatever the details, for all who belong to Jesus in the present , there was a mo...
Jul 09, 2023•34 min•Season 8Ep. 30
Introducing the Holy Spirit (Selected Scriptures)
The Bible teaches that there is one God existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—eternal in being, identical in nature, equal in power and glory, having the same attributes and perfections, and worthy of the same worship, confidence, and obedience. Over the centuries, the Christian church has come to incapsulate this mind-bending, creature-humbling truth in a single word: trinity . Now, most Christians today eagerly worship God the Father and long to know and serve God the Son. But...
Jul 02, 2023•45 min•Season 8Ep. 29
God's Love Known and Shown (1 John 5:1–21)
Not long ago one of my sons was given a remote-control drone as a birthday present. While he had fun almost immediately, mastery of the device alluded him as he chose to ignore the instruction manual and, instead, was content to repeatedly crash it into walls, into the ceiling, and into his siblings. As soon as my son unwrapped that toy he became a boy who owned a drone and, while he enjoyed it to a degree, his experience of that gift was limited by ignorance to its capabilities and proper use. ...
Jun 26, 2023•40 min•Season 8Ep. 28
Five Good Reasons to Love One Another (1 John 4:7–21)
In baking a cake, there are some ingredients that are more essential than others. While sprinkles aid ascetics and nuts add texture, it’s the eggs, flour, and sugar that actually make it a cake. The same is true of a healthy church family. There are many potential elements that can be added to the recipe but they’re not all of equal importance. While a building may add stability and significant attendance can bring excitement, it’s commitment to the gospel and submission to the word, prayer and ...
Jun 18, 2023•33 min•Season 8Ep. 27
Cutting Through the Cloud of Deception (1 John 3:24–4:6)
God wants those who belong to him to experience intimacy with him. That’s why he calls believers to pursue holiness (1:5–2:2), obedience (2:3–6), and familial love (2:7–11; 3:10–23), not because that’s how we’re saved but because that’s how we draw near to him once we’re saved. God so desires that his children abide in him that he tells us to avoid worldliness (2:15–17) and sin (3:1–9), not because if we don’t we prove we don’t belong to him but because such rebellion kills intimacy. God so long...
Jun 11, 2023•36 min•Season 8Ep. 26
Retribution and Restoration (Joel 3:1–21)
Imagine I told you we were going to have a conversation about classic story structure, and invited you to finish the following sentence: “and they all lived…” Exactly. We all know it. In most cases, we probably expect it. And while it’s obviously not true of every story, the opposites are infrequent or undesirable enough that “and they all lived terribly ever after” just isn’t a thing we say. Think of the last fictional book you read or movie you watched (ones that actually resolved the story, n...
Jun 06, 2023•35 min•Season 8Ep. 25
Delivered (Joel 2:18–32)
We’re into the final two sections of the book of Joel and we’re now in part of the book where it finally starts to take a turn for the positive, where God’s people have been challenged to repent, and we now get to see God’s response for when they do so. The last two weeks described judgement on God’s people in the southern kingdom of Judah, and called them to repentance for their disobedience, and it was fairly simple to make the connection to see how those texts could still be relevant and appl...
May 28, 2023•36 min•Season 8Ep. 24
Tear Your Heart (Joel 2:1–17)
Sometimes in times of struggle, difficulty, or suffering, we act as though all we need to do is apologize and everything will be okay. Sometimes we look at the suffering God allows in our life or the discipline he’s putting us through as a combination lock just waiting to be opened, a code to be cracked. “If I just ask forgiveness for this sin” or “if I just read my Bible this much” or “if I just go to church this many times” or “if I just donate this amount of money” God will have no choice but...
May 21, 2023•40 min•Season 8Ep. 23
Cry Out to the Lord (Joel 1:1–20)
It’s Mother’s Day, and a sermon about divine judgement and locust plagues and starving animals probably isn’t what most of you came expecting today. But interestingly enough, the overall tone of the first chapter is not so different from some very common maternal phrases, like “sit here and think about what you’ve done”, “You can come back out when you’re ready to apologize and behave”, or “I hope you’ve learned your lesson”. Today, we’re going to start with the first chapter, and as we read we’...
May 16, 2023•34 min•Season 8Ep. 22
Love Like Christ to Show Christ and Know Christ (1 John 3:10–23)
One of the greatest honours and aspirations for any athlete is to compete for their country on an international stage like the Olympic Games. They dream of wearing the flag and hearing their national anthem played as they stand on the podium. And many athletes make their country proud in those moments, competing and carrying themselves in an admirable and applaudable manner. But some bring shame to the nation they represent by cheating, lying, mistreating teammates and opponents, and even breaki...
May 07, 2023•35 min•Season 8Ep. 21
The Christian and Sin (1 John 3:1–9)
Most people today—and, unfortunately, many Christians and churches—treat sin more like empty calories than like cancer, something that can be enjoyed in moderation but not something to necessarily fear and fight. But even a cursory reading of the Bible reveals sin to be more the latter than the former. It’s pervasive and powerful, corrupting and consuming, and deceptive and damning. Sin is not something with which God’s people should approach casually. Indeed, every Christian can echo the purita...
May 01, 2023•38 min•Season 8Ep. 20
The Cleansing of the Temple (John 2:13–22; Matthew 21:12–13)
Speaker: Nate Vellekoop
Apr 23, 2023•42 min•Season 8Ep. 19
Obstacles to Living in God’s Light (1 John 2:15–29)
Research shows that the sunniest places in Canada are southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, a swath of land that runs from Calgary to Estevan boasting over 2375 hours of bright sunshine annually. (For reference, that’s about an hour more per day than Toronto.) Often the big skies are blue, the clouds are sparse, and the sun is bold. However, some find it difficult to fully enjoy that prairie perk because of the cold. With winter temperatures regularly dipping below -40°, many choose to “appreciate”...
Apr 16, 2023•40 min•Season 8Ep. 18
Let’s Talk About Resurrection
Many people work hard to live forever. For example, the Coalition for Radical Life Extension, an Arizona-based nonprofit, is on a mission to “cure aging.” Its founder, James Strole, labours to make “mortality optional” and to “put an end to The End.” Likeminded individuals are willing to do almost anything to cheat death— from supplements to exercise, from medical procedures to cryogenic freezing. And, if they can’t physically live forever, many at least desire that their work ensures, their rep...
Apr 09, 2023•36 min•Season 8Ep. 17
The Greatest Easter Prophecy (Isaiah 52:13–53:12)
Sometimes in history certain people distinguish themselves by accurately predicting an historical event and they gain notoriety from it. One such person is investor Michael Burry who accurately predicted the collapse of the US housing bubble before the 2008 financial crisis. When many others kept investing freely, Burry was right in acting conservatively and he managed to net 100 million dollars for himself and 700 million for his investors, while others lost their fortunes. How did he do it? It...
Apr 02, 2023•38 min•Season 8Ep. 16
Essentials for Living in God’s Light (1 John 1:5–2:14)
Did you know there are people who have literally won the lottery but have never picked up their prize? While it isn’t the norm, it does happen. In fact, the largest unclaimed prize in Ontario is $5-million from a LOTTO 6/49 draw in 2005. What a waste! Can you imagine winning a life-altering amount of money but never cashing-in? Tragically, this is exactly how many Christians live their lives. Believers in Jesus are sitting on a ticket worth more than millions. This is a prize that goes beyond th...
Mar 27, 2023•41 min•Season 8Ep. 15
A Hope More Powerful Than Poverty (Luke 10:25–37)
We were blessed on this day to hear from Dean Billings on behalf of Compassion Canada about the work they are doing around the globe, work with which we can partner from here in Oakville. We had some unexpected technical issues with the video clip that Dean brought during service, and we wanted you to have to chance to watch it properly, so you can find that video here. For those who want to learn more about Compassion Canada or are considering sponsoring a child, they've created a special site ...
Mar 19, 2023•42 min•Season 8Ep. 14
From Eternity to Knowability to Intimacy (1 John 1:1–4)
While it’s relatively easy to get married, it’s harder to have a good marriage. Repeating a vow is one thing, being faithful to the content of that vow is another. And what makes the difference between the two is work, intentionality, humility, self-denial, and maturity. And while many aren’t willing to invest the time and effort necessary, those that do know that it’s worth it because the sacrifice leads to reward and enjoyment. It’s the same with the Christian life. Relatively speaking, it’s s...
Mar 12, 2023•36 min•Season 8Ep. 13
But Even If He Doesn't ... (Daniel 3; Acts 6–8)
Last week we started into a brief study of God’s sovereignty by reading the story of a man who Jesus said was born blind “so the works of God might be displayed in him”. A man whose physical ailment was healed and that led to a spiritual opening of his eyes to see and believe in Jesus as the Messiah. But as we all know, the Bible doesn’t stop with salvation—believe in Jesus, that’s it, now we’re done. But rather what Jesus invites us all to is a life of following him, of willing submission and o...
Mar 06, 2023•41 min•Season 8Ep. 12
I Was Blind But Now I See (John 9)
A few weeks ago I was invited to be the guest speaker for a youth snow camp weekend up north, and the theme of the weekend was all about God’s sovereignty. It’s one of those words we use a lot in the church, and yet even for those of us who understand it, or think we understand it, it can be hard to accept or appreciate it. As I was preparing for this Sunday and next, the concept of God’s sovereignty came back to me and I thought it could be helpful to take what I had studied for and prepared fo...
Feb 26, 2023•35 min•Season 8Ep. 11
A Brief Look at Church Leadership (Acts 20:13–38)
In 2020, with a virus sweeping across the globe causing fear, anger, and confusion, Oakridge Bible Chapel, like all other church families, faced a trial that tested us, strengthened us, and exposed us. God used that hardship to show our leadership areas of weakness and vulnerability. One such area was in the leadership itself—not in quality but quantity. At the time this body had about 250 members and five elders. Almost overnight there was an influx of legitimate need: isolation, health concern...
Feb 19, 2023•36 min•Season 8Ep. 10
The New Covenant: Perfect Salvation (Jeremiah 31:31–34)
Anyone who has ever been camping, spent significant time in the elements, read tales of extreme adventurers, or watched them on TV, knows that fire is essential to survival as it provides warmth and light, can purify water and cook food, and can discourage predators and signal rescuers. It’s no exaggeration to say that, in the great outdoors, life depends on fire. Now, to build a fire one must first find, collect, haul, and arrange the wood. This can be a time-consuming and labour-intensive acti...
Feb 12, 2023•50 min•Season 8Ep. 9
The Davidic Covenant: Boundless Jurisdiction (2 Samuel 7:1–17)
A quick internet search allows anyone to collect some concerning statistics about Canada. For example, there were over 358,000 victims of reported physical abuse in 2019, 30% of which were domestic. There are more than two thousand organized crime groups in operation, three-quarters of which are violent and have connections to seventy-seven other countries. There are over 47,000 deaths every year linked to substance abuse, nearly 5000 to suicide, and almost 2000 to traffic accidents. Last year s...
Feb 05, 2023•40 min•Season 8Ep. 8
The Priestly Covenant: Perpetual Representation (Numbers 25:1–13)
Good representation can make a big difference. Consider, for example, legal representation. The difference between a good lawyer and a bad lawyer can mean the difference between incarceration and emancipation, between a criminal record and a clean record. Obviously, it’s important and beneficial to have experienced, passionate and well-equipped representation! And that’s exactly what God provides for his people: representation of the highest order in the highest court before the highest Authorit...
Jan 29, 2023•42 min•Season 8Ep. 7
The Mosaic Covenant: Preservation Of the Population (Selected Passage in Exodus 19–24)
People will go to great lengths to protect what’s important to them. It could be their family, their online privacy, a dream car, an endangered species, or a stamp collection. It really doesn’t matter what it is just that it’s important and worthy of securing with diligence, care, and thoughtfulness. People protect what’s important to them. And so does God. After sin came into the world God began a restoration project to rebuild what had been lost. He swore to never again flood the world (Gen 9)...
Jan 23, 2023•44 min•Season 8Ep. 6
The Abrahamic Covenant: Location, Population, and Benediction (Selected Passage in Genesis 12–22)
Canada has one governmental system with three distinct but cooperative branches: the legislative makes laws, the executive implements laws, and the judicial evaluates laws. The whole depends on each part remaining distinct, doing what it is supposed to do and contributing what it is supposed to contribute. The system only works as intended if each branch remains clear on its unique role and unconfused with the unique roles of the other two. If judges start trying to enact laws rather than interp...
Jan 15, 2023•43 min•Season 8Ep. 5
The Noahic Covenant: Laying the Foundation To Rebuild (Genesis 9:8–17)
On December 5th, 2022, Ronald and Carol Wilczak woke to the foreboding beep , beep , beep of their home smoke alarm. It had been only five years since the couple had finished saving, planning, building, and moving into what they described as their “dream home,” but now they helplessly watched it burn to the ground. What do they do now? Walk away or rebuild? In the early chapters of Genesis, God watched as his “dream home” was set ablaze by sin. The damage spread quickly until “the wickedness of ...
Jan 08, 2023•39 min•Season 8Ep. 4
Stories of God's Faithfulness: Alice Popovich
The author of Hebrews gave believers a task: "Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds ... , not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another ; and all the more as you see the day drawing near" (10:24–25). One of the ways we, as the people of God, can stimulate and encourage one another is by sharing stories of God's faithfulness . Alice Popovich, a long-time member (and current office administrator) of Oakridge Bible Chap...
Jan 02, 2023•15 min•Season 8Ep. 3
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