A weekly podcast of Forward Kitchener's Sunday sermons.
On a mountain, Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John. His appearance changes as His divine glory is revealed, and Moses and Elijah appear alongside Him speaking about His coming departure in Jerusalem. The voice of the Father declares Jesus to be His chosen Son and commands the disciples to listen to Him. This extraordinary moment reveals that Jesus stands at the center of God's redemptive plan. The disciples catch a glimpse of the glory that lies beyond the cross, a vision that will sustain them in the days ahead.
Immediately after Peter's confession, Jesus reveals a startling truth: the Messiah must suffer, be rejected, and be killed before being raised again. This revelation overturns the disciples' expectations of a triumphant political deliverer. Jesus then extends the challenge to all who would follow Him, calling them to deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow Him. In doing so, Jesus begins shaping His followers to understand that the path to life runs through sacrifice, surrender, and faith.
In a moment of quiet reflection, Jesus asks His disciples what people are saying about Him. After recounting the various opinions circulating among the crowds, Jesus presses them further: “But who do you say that I am?” Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ marks a pivotal moment in Luke's Gospel. The disciples are beginning to understand Jesus' identity, yet they still have much to learn about what that means. Recognizing who Jesus is is the foundation upon which all true discipleship is built.
When thousands gather to hear Jesus, the disciples quickly recognize the impossibility of feeding such a large crowd. Their instinct is to send the people away. Instead, Jesus invites them to bring Him the small amount of food they possess. Through the miracle that follows, Jesus multiplies what they offer and feeds the crowd abundantly. The disciples learn that the Kingdom of God does not depend on human sufficiency but on divine provision. Jesus shapes His followers to trust Him even when what they have seems insufficient.
As news of Jesus spreads, people attempt to explain who He might be. Some say John the Baptist returned from the dead, others Elijah, and still others a prophet from long ago. Herod himself is perplexed and curious. Luke shows us a world full of speculation about Jesus but lacking clarity. This passage reminds us that curiosity and conversation about Jesus are not the same as genuine faith. Every generation forms its own theories about Him—but eventually each person must move beyond speculation and decide who Jesus truly is.
Jesus gives the twelve disciples authority over demons and diseases and sends them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God. For the first time, the disciples step into the ministry they have been watching Jesus perform. Yet Jesus intentionally sends them out with minimal provisions, forcing them to depend on God rather than their own resources. In doing so, He begins shaping them into people who trust God's provision and participate in His mission. Disciples are not merely spectators to the work of Jesus; we are sent to be participants in it.
This message highlights how the suffering servant of Isaiah 53 finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus' death and resurrection. The prophecy shows that the Messiah would suffer, die, and yet ultimately live to see the fruit of His sacrifice. Easter proclaims that Jesus is not only the suffering servant, but the risen and victorious Saviour God promised long ago.
This sermon aims to show how Adam functions as a representative head of humanity and how his failure sets a pattern repeated throughout the Old Testament. Jesus is revealed as the “better Adam” who succeeds where Adam—and all who followed him—failed, bringing life where sin brought death. The aim is to show that from the very beginning, the story was moving toward a new and faithful representative.
For the opening message of this series, we're aiming to establish Jesus' own claim that the entire Old Testament ultimately testifies about Him. The goal is to reframe how we read Scripture—not as disconnected moral stories, but as one unified story that finds its meaning and fulfillment in Jesus. This sermon sets the theological and interpretive foundation for everything that will follow in this series.
Jairus and the bleeding woman approach Jesus from positions of desperation, one publicly pleading, the other secretly reaching. Jesus responds to both with compassion and power. Even when delays seem to jeopardize hope, Jesus brings healing and resurrection. This passage invites us to bring our desperate needs to Jesus, trusting that His timing and power are always sufficient.
Jesus confronts a man possessed by a legion of demons, demonstrating absolute authority as the demons beg for permission to act. He restores the man to dignity, sanity, and community, commissioning him to proclaim what God has done. This passage calls us to trust Jesus as the One who delivers from even the darkest spiritual bondage and sends us out as witnesses to His power.
Jesus' authority over the storm reveals both His divine power and the disciples' fragile faith. The crisis exposes what they trust and what they fear. This passage invites us to bring our fear to the One who rules over every storm we face.
Jesus expands the definition of family to include all who hear and obey God's Word. His statement reorients our primary loyalties and invites us into a new spiritual community. This passage calls us to embrace our identity as God's people and to live that out through obedience and belonging.
Jesus' Word exposes the reality of our hearts and calls us to hear Him with obedience. Overview: Jesus' parables expose the hidden realities within each listener, showing that the problem isn't the seed but the soil. Hearing God's Word is not the same as receiving it and receiving it is not the same as obeying it. This message invites people to honestly examine how they are responding to Jesus' voice.
As Jesus travels from town to town proclaiming the Kingdom, He is accompanied not only by the Twelve but also by women whom He has healed and restored. These women financially support His ministry, demonstrating their full inclusion as disciples in a culture that routinely marginalized them. This passage calls us to value and elevate those whom society overlooks, recognizing that Jesus builds His Kingdom through unexpected people.
In Simon the Pharisee's home, Jesus contrasts the self-righteous coldness of a religious leader with the humble, love-filled response of a forgiven woman. Jesus exposes Simon's lack of hospitality and declares the woman's sins forgiven, revealing His divine authority to pardon. This passage invites us to abandon pride, receive Jesus' grace, and respond with the kind of love that only forgiveness can produce.
John the Baptist's doubts lead him to send messengers to Jesus, prompting Jesus to point to His works as the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecies about the Messiah. Jesus affirms John's role while exposing the hard-heartedness of a generation that rejects both John's call to repentance and His own offer of grace. This passage calls us to anchor our expectations in Scripture and embrace Jesus as the One who fulfills God's promises, even when He doesn't fit our assumptions.
As Jesus approaches the town of Nain, He encounters a funeral procession and is moved with compassion for a grieving mother. Without being asked, He commands the dead son to rise, revealing His authority over death itself. This passage invites us to trust that Jesus sees our pain and has the power to meet us in places of deep loss and hopelessness. That with Jesus even death doesn't get the final say.
When Joseph discovers that Mary is pregnant, his peace is shattered. Confusion, hurt, and fear could have driven him away, instead he listens to the words of God and chooses to trust. He's able to move forward because he trusts the promises of God over his feelings and despite his circumstances.
Our lives inevitably reveal what fills our hearts, just as trees are known by their fruit. Words, actions, and attitudes grow from what's planted within us. Following Jesus means cultivating a heart rooted in Him so that our lives bear good fruit.
Jesus calls the poor, hungry, sorrowful, and rejected 'blessed,' overturning the world's categories of success. The kingdom of God elevates those who seem forgotten and weak in the eyes of culture. True blessing is not found in comfort but in belonging to Christ.
Jesus commands His disciples to love each other with the same self-giving love He has shown them. For us, that means caring well for our families, joining a discipleship group for spiritual growth, and serving one another through ministry teams. Our devotion to Christ overflows into practical, sacrificial love for His people.
Jesus calls us to remain connected to Him like branches to a vine. Abiding happens through spending time with God in prayer and His Word, worshipping together as the church, and giving generously as an act of trust. When we abide in Him, His life and love flow into us, growing our devotion to God.
Peter's sermon shows that salvation is not achieved by our effort but received through Jesus' death and resurrection. Everything necessary for salvation has already been done by Christ. Because of His finished work, our lives shift from striving to devotion — gladly committing ourselves to Him and His ways.
Ancient Prayers, Present Power | Paul's Prayer for Love and Power (Nate Tucker)
Ancient Prayers, Present Power | Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom (Evan Garst)
Even in times of fear, loss, and uncertainty, God's goodness is not absent—it is our anchor. David declares confidence in God's goodness not after deliverance, but while still waiting. This Psalm calls us to a faith that sees God's goodness through the fog of hardship, not just in hindsight.
As this part of Luke wraps up, we get the list of the twelve people Jesus handpicks to be His closest friends and followers—His apostles. Some of the names jump out right away: Peter, James, John. They're all over the gospel stories and go on to become major leaders in the early church. But then there are others—guys like James, son of Alphaeus—who we honestly don't hear anything else about, apart from their names. It's a mix of personalities, backgrounds, and even political views. You've got Matthew, a tax collector who worked for the Romans, and then Simon, a Zealot who probably couldn't stand Rome. That's a pretty wild combo to put on the same team. There's no one type of person Jesus chooses. No spiritual résumé required. Some of these guys had serious doubts, some made huge mistakes, and one of them even betrayed Him. Still, Jesus chose them—flawed, messy, regular people—to be part of His mission. And that's the reminder tucked into these few verses: Jesus can call anyone, and He'll use everyone who's willing to say yes to following Him.
Imagine it: it's your day off, the sun's out, there's a soft breeze, and you're just walking through a wheat field with Jesus. As you stroll, you casually pick a head of grain, rub it in your hands, and pop it in your mouth—just enjoying the moment and the peace of being with Him. The whole scene just feels like rest. But not for the Pharisees. They're watching this peaceful moment and instead of seeing rest, all they see are broken rules. And it's the same thing in the next scene, when Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath—they're upset, not amazed. Why? Because somewhere along the way, they lost sight of what the Sabbath was really about. The Sabbath wasn't meant to be a burden—it was meant to be a gift. It's not about control; it's about letting go. It's a weekly reminder that we're not in charge and we don't have to be. The world keeps turning even when we stop working. Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, is our true rest. And He invites us into that rest—not just once a week, but in every part of our lives. Taking a break, pausing, resting—it's not laziness. It's trust. It's us saying, “Jesus, you've got this.”
We kicked off this part of Luke with Jesus calling some pretty unexpected people to follow Him—but now, He takes it even further. In this story, Jesus doesn't just invite someone unlikely… He invites someone most people would've seen as completely undeserving. Back in the day, tax collectors weren't just unpopular because, well, no one loves paying taxes. In first-century Judea, they were seen as traitors. They worked for the oppressive Roman Empire, collecting money that funded the very soldiers keeping their fellow Jews under control. And to make things worse, most of them padded their own pockets by overcharging people. And yet—Jesus looks at one of them, Levi (aka Matthew), and says, “Follow me.” Just like that. No lecture. No conditions. Just an invitation. And Levi? He's so overwhelmed that he throws a huge party and invites all his fellow outcasts to meet Jesus—the one who reaches out to the people everybody else rejects and says, “You're invited.” And here's the thing: Jesus is still doing that today. He's still inviting the unexpected, the outcasts, and the ones who feel like they don't belong. And every time one of them says “yes”? Heaven throws a party. The only question is—are we joining the celebration? Or are we standing off to the side like the religious folks back then, complaining about grace because we've forgotten just how much we need it too?
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This story is a classic Sunday School favourite and it's easy to see why. You've got friendship, bold faith, and a powerful moment where Jesus not only says He can forgive sins, but proves it. For anyone listening who hasn't made the decision to follow Jesus yet, this is such a great moment to introduce them to who He really is— yes, He's someone who sees and cares about our practical needs, but He also sees our deepest need: the need to be forgiven. Jesus doesn't just fix what's broken on the outside. He goes deeper. He has the authority to heal hearts and make lives whole. And for those of us who already know what Jesus can do, this story is a challenge. It's a reminder that we've got people in our lives who haven't met Jesus yet—and we've got a role to play. The paralyzed man's friends didn't just hope for healing—they believed Jesus could do it, and they did whatever it took to get their friend in front of Him. That kind of faith and determination made all the difference. So, the question for us is: who needs us to carry them Jesus so He can heal and forgive them?
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If we have trusted in Jesus' death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sin. If Jesus has paid the price for us, then Paul tells us our promise from God is as follows: 1. We can walk in newness of life (vs.4) 2. We will be resurrected. (vs.8-9) 3. We are no longer slaves to sin (6-7) 4. We are not subject to the law but recipients of grace (vs.14) On Good Friday, Jesus paid the price to secure all these promises for anyone who believes in him. On Easter Sunday, we celebrate that through the price Jesus paid, we who believe in him, are recipients of these incredible promises. Paul then tells us that the only reasonable response to receiving the new life Jesus gives us is to live like new people: “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires. 13 And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. 14 For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.” On Easter Sunday, we celebrate all that God has promised us through Christ, and we are reminded that the resurrection life we have been given through Jesus should cause us to live our lives differently here and now.
News of Jesus has gotten out. The crowds are swelling, wanting to see this man who has the power to heal and cast out demons, this Jesus who speaks with an authority none of them had ever experienced before. And then something truly incredible happens: Jesus withdraws from the crowds who are clamoring for Him and heads elsewhere. Often our greatest moments of testing come, not in moments of failure but in moments of perceived “success.” What allows Jesus to resist the temptation to be drawn into the adulation of the crowds? What allows Him to resist getting comfortable where He is? What allows Him to make a decision that cuts against the grain? It's that He knows His purpose. As Christians, as a church, the temptation to achieve worldly success and adulation will lead us into a failure to live out God's real purpose for us if we don't have clarity on what God's mission and purpose for us truly is.
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