Grace Valley Church

For roughly 25 years, Sarah walks under a promise of God that not only hasn't come true yet, but was not given directly to her. She's walking in the dim light of an unmet expectation. She's bitter, cynical and cruel to those around her. She's lost sight of God and she can only see the barrenness inside herself and her future. But God sees her. And He knows her. And He appears to her - a woman in a patriarchal society that gave no voice to a woman, no matter who she was married to. God's unwavering commitment to His promise shines through in Sarah's life, illuminating not only her barren womb but her own sin. Sarah emerges completely changed, carrying her son Isaac as a trophy of God's grace to her and the steadfastness of His love. It's stories like these that encourage us as modern day believers. The God who promised Sarah and Abram is the same God that promises to wipe our own tears away for eternity. This promise will be fulfilled as it was for them. We walk in faith and not by sight, but how glorious will it be when we finally see God's glory, illuminating our very souls forever and ever and ever.

In Genesis 16, we begin to see the cracks in both Sarah and Abraham's faith. Here we see a desperate, grieving, barren wife who has been told her worth is only in the sons she bears. We see a victimized young Egyptian woman who has also been told a whole other set of lies. And we see Abraham, caught in an emotional storm between two women and tripping over his own doubt and self interest. But when God sees these three people, He does not turn away. He sees a broken and hurting and desperately vulnerable Hagar and He draws near. He sees Sarah and Abraham and does not go back on His promise that He would bless them with heirs beyond their imagination. God doesn't look at us with disgust, or repulsion, or scorn. He doesn't push us away when we are unpalatable. He draws us closer. This week, we walk through Genesis 16 and we see how our God is the the One Who Sees us

In Genesis 15, we find ourselves witnessing an intimate moment between Abram and the God who has called him out into the wilderness. Abram is overwhelmed with confusion and doubt of God's promises to bless him. He brings his doubt to the Lord's feet and God answers Him with kindness and care. God doesn't shame Abram for wondering. He is tender and He assures Abram that He will do what He said He would do. Pastor Paul takes us through the remarkable promise of God in this passage and the historical and cultural context surrounding it. When God promises, He delivers. We can trust that all of His promises that have yet to come to pass, will indeed be fulfilled in days to come.

Genesis 14 is one of those chapters that's really easy to skip over. It's full of names that many of us are unfamiliar with and it's easy to miss the reason why this passage is included. In this sermon, Pastor Mark takes us through the historical background of what was happening to Abram and Lot during this time. Through a closer examination of the text, we see how Abrams rescue mission for his jealous cousin, Lot, is a mirror of how God rescues us, even when we don't deserve it. This passage goes from a confusing list of kings and battles to a story of redemption and grace, modelled first by the One True God.

We continue to follow Abram and his family as they travel along, led only by the voice of God spoken to Abram. Through famine and strife, they follow God's plan faithfully. But when confronted with the possibility that his life might be in danger, what does Abram do? He takes the reigns from God and tries to make his own plan. Sound familiar? Even though our modern ears will hear this passage and think, "I would never do that.", it's an important lesson to all of us to remain faithful to God's plan. Not just when it looks to be dangerous, but in the minor inconveniences in our every day lives. God's in control, all the time, and it's our job to keep our eyes focused and faithful to Him.

In Genesis 11, we meet Abram. An idol worshipping old man with a barren wife. Abram is a man who is called to leave everything he knows and believes and follow and unknown God to an unknown place. Genesis 11:27-12:9 doesn't really get into how Abram felt about God calling him, but I bet people around him thought he was a little bit crazy. I bet his wife, Sarai, was wondering what was in store for her, especially because she hadn't heard the same calling. But Abram heard God and he obeyed. Abrams obedience, despite how new his faith was is remarkable. He obeyed God before he knew how the story was going to end and he stepped out with tremendous faith. Join us as we learn more about Abram in our new sermon series: "God's Dysfunctional Family: From The Patriarchs To The Beloved Son".

Recovering Eden. When we recover something, it's the act of returning to something we have already possessed. In this sermon, Pastor Mark speaks to us about how we were created for Eden and created to live in perfect harmony with God and one another. When we see how broken, divided and perverse our world can be, our hearts cry out to fix it, to repair it - to recover something that has been lost to us. Many of us do not live with the knowledge that we were created for something else, something infinitely better than what this world has to offer. But that is why our hearts are broken. Many of us wrestle with pervasive discontent, with striving and stretching towards earthly prizes and possessions until the we are so distorted we don't even recognize ourselves. That isn't how God intended us to live. The only way for our hearts to heal is to be in constant communion with our Lord and Creator. The One who made a way for us to return to the perfect paradise He created for us, fully and completely recovering what had been lost.

How can a church that looks so good on the outside be slowly rotting away on the inside? It's easier than you think for a church to slide into spiritual entropy and no church is immune to it, no matter how many boxes we check. In this sermon, Rev. Paul Vanden Brink breaks down the criticism and warning that Jesus gives the church at Sardis, a warning that should catch every Christian's attention, no matter what church they belong to.

Preached by Rev. Mark Hordyk, December 28th, 2025.

Our Christmas Eve sermon, December 24th, 2025.

"You draw the hearts of shepherds You draw the hearts of kings Even as a baby You were changing ev'rything You called me to Your kingdom Before Your lips could speak And even as a baby You were reaching out for me And now we are awaiting The day of Your return When ev'ry eye will see You As heaven comes to earth Until the sky is opened Until the trumpet sounds The bride is getting ready The Church is singing out" www.meredithandrews.com

This past Friday we gathered for a praise and worship night. We were asked to write our sorrows and prayers on one side of a piece of paper, and our hope on the other. What is the reason we have this hope? Why can we say, with the prophet Micah, "but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever"? Because Jesus came to the world as a baby, who grew up to be a perfect man who spread the radical good news of the gospel, who then died and paid for our sins with His blood and now we can, with full conviction, say that we will walk with Him forever (and ever).

Micah leaves no room for misinterpretation in this prophecy. At first glance it sounds like a graphic description of the cannibalism inflicted by the leaders in Micahs day. But does any of it still ring true today? This week we continue to explore the reasons why Jesus needed to come and why He needs to come back. Join us as we wait expectantly for His return and seek to become ambassadors of His peace while we wait.

It's not common practice to talk about God's anger on the first day of Advent. But it sure is neccesary. In order for us to understand why God had to send Jesus to make a way for us, we need to understand how corrupt the human heart was during Micah's time, and how corrupt our hearts continue to be. Our rebellion against God's instructions for how we ought to live cannot simply be shoved under an all encompassing blanket of divine love. It's something that must be dealt with face to face, with God in the flesh. With Jesus. God's heartbreak for His children is expressed in furious anger against our actions and against our sin. His anger is just, it is righteous and it is good. But, in His great mercy, His anger is poured out not on us, but on our Saviour. In this season of Advent, we look towards the hope that the gospel proclaims, the hope that begins with an infant lying in a manger. The hope that points to a God who deeply desires good for His children. The hope that points to a God who sent His own son to cover our sins. Praise be to our Lord Jesus, who came to earth as a baby and made a way for us to be united to our Heavenly Father in eternity.

In this world of deep-fakes, untrustworthy news sources, and AI generated companionship, our world is starving for truth. For many people, the search for truth can be awkward or overwhelming. Where do you even start? You can start by coming to church. Hear the word of God preached and make note of all of your questions. Follow up with the Pastor or an elder. Look for resources to help you find your answers, don't let your questions hang in mid-air and eventually disappear under a pile of busyness. And come back to church again the following week. Forming a habit of regular church attendance will change your life. You'll be connected to God's Kingdom and you will be exposed to the only truth that we can rest on, the truth of the living God. Get to know the folks who are seekers like you and join a group like Alpha or Christianity Explored. Attend a potluck, join a small group. Your heart is calling you to seek community because that's how you were created to be. Come as you are, but know that God will meet you wherever you are in your spiritual journey.

You know how jokes are funnier when they are shared? And how it feels to give someone a present you know they will love? And how sometimes you can't help but re-share that video of the guy who sings lullabies to donkeys? Do you ever wonder where we get that urge to share something that brings us joy? We get it from the Lord! We are hardwired to share something that brings us joy. So what is it that stops us from sharing the thing that should bring us the most joy and the most life to others? I can think of a few, for myself at least. My ego. My love of comfort. My insecurity in Gods promises. But those are all things that I need to lay down at Jesus feet. And I know there are things that are keeping you from sharing the Gospel as well. Jesus literally sent each and every believer on a mission to spread the Good News to others. It's how the kingdom of heaven will be filled and it is our duty as Christians here on earth, Llets' take a good hard look at ourselves and bring our hangups to the Lord so we can go forth in peace and with the confidence that the Holy Spirit will guide and lead us in our mission.

In last week's sermon, we talked about the importance of regular repentance. This week, we talk about the importance of forgiving others. Neither repentance nor forgiveness are easy to do. Both are contrary to our natural self-protective instincts. But both acts are imperitive to living the free and fruitful life that God desires for us. Jesus perfectly modelled forgiveness in every aspect of His earthly walk with us and ultimately in His death upon the cross. Because we are called to model ourselves to look more like Jesus, we must always be striving to move towards forgiveness in our own lives. It's not easy. It's going to hurt. And it comes with a lot of questions. But we can lean on the Lord and seek Him in prayer to guide us as we seek reconciliation in our broken relationships. God knows our hearts and our motives and as we honestly confess our struggles, He hears us. He will not leave us alone in these battles to repair what has been damaged.

The first commandment in the Bible is "you shall have no other gods before me." Which sounds like it shouldn't be a big deal, especially to our modern ears. But if you stop to think about it, what is God saying here? He's saying, don't put anything or anyone before me. This can look different in each of our own lives, but the fact is, we all do it. For example, you could be someone who prioritizes the comfort of your couch instead of meeting with your church community. It could mean you prioritize control and find yourself overworking so you can control your financial future instead of trusting the God will provide for you. You could find yourself obsessively checking your social feeds to find your worth in pixelated hearts or a thumbs up because you prioritize approval of others. Over God's approval of you. Every single human being is made to worship. The problem is, we're giving the wrong 'gods' the wrong attention instead of giving it to the only God that is worthy of it. What are you worshipping? What do you deem worth-y?

One of the hardest things for us human beings to do is say we're sorry. Apologizing is one of those things that requires a great deal of humility and self-awareness that doesn't neccesarily come naturally to most of us. But all throughout the Bible, God calls us to repent of our sins and change our ways. Why does He do that? Why should we even bother? Because without true repentance, we simply cannot be close to our Holy God. God calls us to Himself again and again through our own repentance and His offer of grace and forgiveness. Join us this week as we walk through Psalm 32 and learn about true repentance together.

This week, we take a look at Psalm 119:33-40 and we reflect on what it looks like to learn to love God's law. Loving the law is not something that comes naturally to our human hearts. Usually if someone places a law on our autonomy, it's not likely going to stir up a sense of peace, but rather rebellion. We'd rather look to anyone or anything else but God to tell us what we should do and how we should live. We look to others to satisfy our idol of acceptance and to ourselves to satisfy our idols of control. And let's not even talk about what we look to social media for, despite the ever fluctuating social trends of what is acceptable and unacceptable. But God's laws free us from looking this way and that to fulfill our hearts desires. Instead of binding us so that our spirits are stifled and confused and anxious, they give us boundaries so that we can flourish. As children living under Gods grace, we can go in confidence that Jesus has paid for any mistake - no matter how large or how small or how intentional or unintentional. We can live our lives in the joy that is freedom in Christ and lay our idols down at His feet.

From the breath in our lungs to the sun on our face, everything we have is a gift from God. We are recipients of a million seen and unseen gifts from our Creator and lifting our hearts to God in thanks is key to living a joyful, fruitful life here on earth. Even if the sun hurts our eyes and our breath is shallow, we are called to give thanks in all circumstances - no matter how easy or difficult they may be. This week, Pastor Paul walks us through 1 Thessalonians where we learn more about becoming thankful on the level that God calls us into, join us as we listen to the word together.

Some folks can point to a specific time, even a specific day in their lives where the gospel completely and utterly changed them. Their lives are a stark contrast of before and after. But some folks experience gospel growth in small, subtle ways that begin to change them over time. Both are good, both are growth. But one thing is for sure. The gospel, the good news of the saving grace of Jesus Christ, will change you. Those pinpricks of impatience. That overwhelming desire to publicly share something juicy about someone else. The false confirmation that your own worst fear has just come true. All of it is changed by God's truth, His better way. Join us as we listen to Rev. Mark Hordyk unpack 2 Peter 1:3-9.

This week, Pastor Paul walks us through Luke 18:9-14. It's one of those passages that reminds me of just how human the folks in the bible really were: "God, thank you I'm not like those scumbags over there." (based on Luke 18:11). I'm sure some of us can relate to that, if we're really honest with ourselves. But Jesus' point with this parable is to make us aware of what it looks like when we have our view of ourselves misaligned with the truth. The more we exalt ourselves, the more we start to overshadow the cross. The more we overshadow the cross, the more we forget that we are created beings who will never be bigger, more important, more wise, more intelligent, than our Creator. Having a proper view of ourselves, being humbled and accepting our God-given position here on earth is the first step towards living a full, fruitful life. Find out more by joining us this week!

Before I became a Christian, I had a concept of God. I knew there was 'something more' but I had my own ideas of what that looked like. But once I was confronted with the holiness of God, it literally brought me to my knees and changed my life. The prophet Isaiah could relate - the same thing happened to him in Isaiah 6. As human beings, it's a constant battle for us to figure out our 'place' in relation to God. It's a battle because we're always scrambling to be number one, to be the driver, to get to tell God how He should and shouldn't act. But God is the only truth that holds all of existence together. And me? I'm just a fickle, selfish, lukewarm human being who truly has no control over anything at all. God reveals His holiness to Isaiah and as we submit ourselves to Him, He'll reveal it to us too. Join us this week as we walk through Isaiah 6 together.

This week, we begin a new sermon series called The Gospel Centered Life, beginning in 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. As Christians, the gospel should be so central to our lives that we cannot imagine life without it. The good news that we are free from the penality of our sins should cause us to rejoice so loudly that we can't help but spread it to others. But what does that actually look like? Some of us have been Christians for our whole lives and yet we couldn't honestly say that the gospel is part of our DNA. It has its times and spaces, but our thoughts and actions are more often the opposite of how God calls us to live. Some of us are brand new to the faith and wonder what that looks like in their lives. What will we have to give up? What will we gain? Join us over the next number of weeks as we journey together though The Gospel Centered Life. Church Copyright License® 11460690 | CCLI Streaming License™ 20344699

Genesis 11:1-9 is not some story about a group of people who built a tower that God didn't like. It's a story about what the human heart looks like - a heart that is always striving to be bigger than God. If you don't believe me, take a look at social media these days. Take a look at how many people are promoting themselves, pointing you to themselves, making themselves the ones that dictate how you should live, dress, act. This isn't a slam against social media or anyone who uses it, but it is just one example of what happens when our pride and misplaced hierarchy in our own lives takes place. Pride within oneself is the exact opposite of how we are created to live. Want a more extreme example of what it looks like when sinful pride takes over? Read the news. Every war, every act of violence, every person who is taken advantage of. It all boils down to the tower of babel - the tower that humans build to be the same or better than God. Listen in this week as we hear from guest pastor Kingsley Lai as he walks us through how relevant the tower of Babel really is.

Offering something of ourselves or our possessions is a very tangible way of re-dedicating ourselves to God. After all, the only reason we have the ability to possess these gifts is because He has given us the means to steward them in the first place. The process of giving something back to God's kingdom is a sanctifying act that reminds us of our place in this world. We don't get to call anything our own, we are recievers of these gifts and giving back is the best way to say thank you. Join us this week as we wrap up our summer series on worship, with a walk through 2 Corinthians 8:1-9.

Have you ever wondered why we say "this is the word of the Lord?" after the main scripture passage for the sermon has been read? Tune in this week and find out!

Join us as we learn more about the benediction as part of our mini sermon series on Worship.

All through the book of Exodus, we learn how God has set up boundaries to keep His people at a distance. There are rules (and rules and rules) about what His people must do in order to be able to come even a little bit near Him in the temple. Because He is Holy and perfect, anything (or anyone) who is not holy or perfect will die if they even glimpse at His holy presence. But God made a way for us to be close to Him and that is through Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross. When we take our bread and wine each Sunday, we are participating in a physical symbol of the spiritual practice of God's communion with us through Jesus. Through this communion, we eat, drink and remember what Jesus has done for us and how God loved us so much that He made a way for us to be with Him forever. No more distance and only eternity in His presence.

Join us this week as we walk through an often misunderstood part of reformed Christian practice and that is the practice of confession. Why do we need to confess our sins? Why does God need to hear from us when He already knows what we've done and what we're going to do next? Does God just love to rub our noses in it? Nothing could be further from the truth. As we'll hear, God's grace is most beautifully demonstrated as we come to Him with repentent hearts. In order to know that grace, we need to humble ourselves in front of our holy and perfect God and the only way to do that is through the regular practice of confession. Join us as we hear from Pastor Mark as preaches through Hebrews 12:18-24 and learn how God invites us to come to Him and leave unburdened and assured of our eternal salvation.

Worship is so much more than just showing up on a Sunday morning. When we worship together, God is literally and actively communicating with us through song and through scripture. The God of the entire universe absolutely loves to commune with His people, so much so that He created us for such purposes and He calls us into His presence as a family. Each Sunday, our spirits are shaped and molded by the living word, letting us connect to the One who gives us true rest. Communal worship acts as a balm of protection in a weary and individualized world and our souls thirst for it. Join with us we begin a new series, Worship: What Are We Doing Here And Why

Do you believe that there is a constant battle for your soul, each and every moment of your life? It may sound dramatic, but it's true. Think about how hard it is to make the right choice sometimes. How much temptation you are faced with on every level in every waking moment. How everything and everyone is trying to get you to pledge allegiance. Trying to seduce you into to pledging your likes, your subscribes, the items in your shopping carts, your feeds. Everything wants your worship. It wants control of you. But that's not "just the way it is". That's actual, real spiritual battle. There's a war going on and you and I are in the middle of it. Every time we choose something that is against God's good design, we choose sin. And, as the Bible tells us, the wages of sin is death, the death of our souls. True self-control can come from only one place, and it isn't from within. Tune in this week to hear from Pastor Mark on what true self control really is as we walk throught Titus 2-11-14 together.

Jesus is the epitome of strength cloaked in gentleness. All throughout the New Testament, we witness what it looks like to be a faithful servant in every aspect of our lives. Whether under persecution, when confronted with a hurting friend or when asked tough questions about His faith, Jesus never waivers and He always brings a deep, confident power into every encounter. Join us as we walk through 1 Peter 3:13-16 together.

Tune in this week as we hear from Pastor Phil Tadros as he walks us through Luke 15:11-32.

In a world that is constantly screaming for our attention and worship, we must always be aware of who exactly we're following. Jesus invites us to follow Him down a path that does not require us to do anything except believe in Him. We don't have to trip over ourselves trying to prove our devotion to Him and we don't have to work ourselves to the bone trying to earn our worth. Who and what we worship defines who and what kind of person we will be, so let's make sure to choose wisely.

This week, we hear from Dr John Span, a missionary who works at Mukhanyo Theoligical College in KwaMhlanga, South Africa. Dr Span walks us through two passages that highlight the goodness of God. In the passage from Luke, we see a very human reaction from Simon Peter when confronted with the goodness and provision of our Lord.

We're re-launching some of our older Clearer Thinking Podcast Episodes, beginning with a series called "Calvinism For Cool Kids" which highlights and unpacks the 5 points of Calvinism.

This week, we take a hard look at our own motivations for being kind to one another. Kindess doesn't always look like how we think it looks and true kindness is never easy. Join us as we walk through Titus 3:4-8 with Kevin deJonge.

Patience is so much more than just breathing deep in a traffic jam or choosing to use every relaxation technique you've ever heard while teaching a child to tie their shoes. Biblical patience is an intentional heart posture that leads you towards a deeper relationship and dependence on God. This is not easy to do, especially if you are waiting for medical test results, or you have been waiting for a tough situation in your life to resolve. But it is one of the fruits of the Spirit that can radically change your life when you choose to cultivate it. Join us as we learn more about biblical patience from the book of James 5:7-12.

Cultivating the fruit of joy isn't something that can be done over night, but it is something that every Christian should practice in their every day life. While happiness is an emotional response to external stimuli, joy resides deep in our hearts and cannot be changed by the weather. Listen in as Pastor Paul takes us through Philippians 4:4-9 and we learn how to refocus our thoughts towards joy and the beauty of the Lord.

Why are we so obsessed with love? Our art, our songs, our movies, our television shows all revolve around the topic of love in some shape or form. In this sermon, Pastor Paul unpacks the reasons why our hearts and minds are so focused on love and what that says about our Creator.

This Sunday we follow along with Josiah Ling as he takes us through Matthew 9:35-38. Even though it's a privilege to be invited to share the gospel with others, it can be really intimidating. But the Holy Spirit has got our backs and all we're called to do is show up as God instructs. Join us this week as we learn more about how evangalism works and how we can be a part of God's great harvest.

Have you ever done something you swore you'd never do? So did apostle Peter. It's not hard to imagine the shame he must have felt and the the utter certainty that he was a failure of a human being. But when he encounters the risen Christ, after denying his Lord three times and crumbling under pressure, what does he do? He dives right into the sea and swims headlong right into Jesus' arms. Jesus calls Peter to Himself, despite Peters utter failure, despite the betrayal and despite his self loathing and shame. Peter had spent years with Jesus, following Him, learning about Him and watching how He treated those around Him. Peter knew that he would be accepted and loved and forgiven. Peters actions prove that Jesus was a sure and steady anchor and we can rest in the knowledge that no matter what we have done, Jesus stands ready to forgive and redeem us too.

Here was the Mary who had been possessed by seven demons. The one whose uncontrolled, demonic rage had made her an outcast and an object of scorn and fear. Here she was, a woman whose fragile heart had been broken yet again because the one who told her He'd never leave her, was indeed gone. He'd died on a criminals cross and there was nothing she could do about it. But here was Mary, her eyes widening in disbelief and her soul screaming out in joy and unparallelled relief as her Saviour stood in front of her. Here she was, a woman, who had no social standing, no future and past regrets that threatened to drown her once again. Here she was, clinging to the Lord, her finger nails digging into His flesh (His flesh!) where three days earlier iron nails had been pierced through that very same flesh. As He gently told her to go spread the news that He had Risen, all of her grief begain to shed through the tears and sweat that ran down her face as she went to tell her fellow disciples. Here she was, just a woman, just Mary, and Jesus Christ knew her by her name and chose HER.

In this incredible story of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, we learn that all is not as it seems. While the crowd was looking towards this outcast of a man to save them from Roman rule, shouting "Hosanna!" and laying their clothes at His feet, Jesus was preparing Himself for what was to come - His ultimate rescue mission. A mission that was far from addressing the immediate concerns of the people, yet it addressed the deepest concern they didn't even know they had. The salvation of their very souls. Join us this week as we walk through John 12:12-19 together and ask the question: if you knew Jesus wasn't going to give you everything your really wanted, would you still worship him?

This week, Pastor Paul unpacks John 12:1-8 and we see how Mary, sister of Lazarus, responds to her encounters with Jesus Christ.

In this encounter with Jesus, we see one of the most beautiful descriptions of who Jesus is and how He relates to us as hurting, broken human beings. We have a warrior and a protector who gives us eternal life and a man who weeps with us in the meantime. Tune in this week as Pastor Paul unpacks John 11:17-44 and witness how Jesus rages against death itself and how He is our ultimate comfort and hope in the face of tragedy and loss.

Many people today will say that our culture has moved "beyond" Christianity. That we know better than we did "back then." In the west, our pursuit of scientific exploration and our material wealth has lulled us into a false sense of security. We've figured it out. We were blind, but now we see. But Jesus Christ is telling us that unless we see Him as our saviour, we are just as blind as the man we meet in John 9. Join us today as we walk through the entire chapter of John 9 and we learn how Jesus opens our eyes to the one who truly holds all power and deserves all glory: Himself.

What is freedom, really? We're all enslaved to something - our mortgages, our desires for marriage, the approval of our bosses or our children. Jesus calls us to true freedom. Freedom that untethers our souls from the sinful servitude to the idols in our lives. When we serve Him, we're free from the relentless pursuit of things that will simply not satisfy our perpetual need to be filled. This week Josiah Ling joins us as we walk through John 8:31-47 together and learn what it means to serve and Jesus in true freedom.

We don't get very many glimpses into the early life of Jesus, but John 7:1-9 gives us an interesting peek into Jesus' earthly family, specifically His brothers. Being a brother of Jesus must have been pretty strange. Most people thought Jesus was a nice guy, but kind of weird, and they didn't know what to make of Him. Certainly very few of them believed He was the true Messiah and Jesus' brothers were no different. Believing in Jesus as Lord is an act of the Holy Spirit, and without it, our hearts are subject to all sorts of misconceptions. Some of them seem benign (Jesus was a good man, a prophet, but not my style) and some of them are more serious (Jesus didn't exist, God is dead, this bible stuff is all a bunch of harmful fairytales). This week, Pastor Paul unpacks John 7:1-9 and the subject of unbelief and how there is no inbetween with Jesus - you either fully believe in Him, or you don't.