Sermons – Ottawa Church of Christ

To every mother and mother figure here today: your fire matters. It may burn quietly. It may go unnoticed by the world. But heaven sees. That sacred flame changes generations. The post Heart of a Mother appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

Discover how Jesus reached out to the poor, the outcast, and the forgotten. Together, we'll explore how His compassion, justice, and radical love for the disadvantaged continues to speak to us today. The post Jesus and the Marginalized appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

We're diving into the powerful story of Esther—a woman of incredible boldness and wisdom who God used to deliver His people in a time of crisis. Esther's courage reminds us that God calls each of us to stand boldly for what is right, not just in word but in action. The post Esther: When God is Silent appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

Resurrection Sunday isn't just about life—it's about the end of death. On this day, we celebrate the moment death was defeated once and for all. From the fall in Genesis to the empty tomb, humanity's story has been shaped by the curse of sin and death—but Jesus rewrote the ending. The post The Day Death Died appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

When we are attentive to what God is asking us to build—whether that's a physical ministry, a spiritual culture, or a renewed commitment to His mission, even the shortest message, if Spirit-led, can change everything. The post Rebuilding God's Temple appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

You know, this week in Ontario, we've seen it all—snowstorms shutting down highways, freezing rain turning sidewalks into skating rinks, and power outages that left many of us cold, in the dark, and frustrated. And it's in moments like these, huddled under blankets, or nervously checking the weather app every hour, that we find ourselves… The post Peace, be still appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

Ezekiel's prophetic work wasn't glamorous. If you looked at the stats of his ministry, they might seem discouraging. But the impact? Eternal. Because Ezekiel didn't get to choose the times he lived in—he only got to choose how he responded. And he responded in obedience. The post Life in Exile – Ezekiel appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

The world is always changing, but we know that God is the same “yesterday, today and forever.” As the world around us continues to shift priorities and values, wise leaders are able to hold onto God's foundation while adapting the church to reach the ever shifting world. This is prophetic work! The post Life in Exile appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

God's people were taken into exile, not just because of their disobedience, but specifically because they refused to rest. The Sabbath was never meant to be just another religious obligation—it was a gift, a rhythm designed to bring life, renewal, and trust in God's provision. When we neglect rest, we don't just burn ourselves out; we also fail to create space for God to move. The post Jerusalem's Fall appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

It is difficult to fathom the devastation that fell upon God's people when Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed. The physical ruins were but a fraction of the sorrow. The deeper pain lay in the crumbling of hopes, dreams, and the very identity of Israel. Their place of worship, the symbol of God's presence among them, was gone. How could they move forward? The post Judah's Exile appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

It's difficult to process the devastation that the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple had on God's people. Surely, the physical disaster was only a small part of the pain that was felt. The hopes and dreams of Israel also crumbled with Jerusalem's walls. So many of us face periods of crisis and even devastation.… The post Exile – Northern Kingdom appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

The prophets were certainly concerned with the world, but they were also concerned with the hearts of God's people. We prophetically demonstrate God's word when we serve the marginalized, but we must also teach prophetic messages within our congregations. Remember, prophecy is not about predicting the future, but rather, an honest look at the current state of affairs through the lens of God's Word. The post Judah's Prophets appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

God has always dreamed for justice in society and we've already seen visions of justice in the Law. Prophets, like Amos and others, radically remind people of the heart of God from the Mosaic covenant. As leaders in God's kingdom, we too should remind people of God's heart and give them opportunities to respond. Depending on the makeup of your group, this can be difficult because of the disunity in our world. The post Israel's Prophets appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

In this new Thread series, we're looking at a topic that many of us are unfortunately all too familiar with: division. Division isn't just something we read about in the Bible. Fellowships, churches, small groups, and even families must often face the consequences of humanity's impulse to divide instead of unite. This impulse makes the lessons of the three centuries of history that we call the Divided Kingdom invaluable for us. The post God's People Divided appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

Discovering our place in God's story is a lifelong journey. Yet, many of us approach it with the assumption that we already understand what God's story truly is. The Bible is often seen as a mere collection of stories or a guidebook for becoming a better spouse, parent, or friend. While it certainly offers valuable wisdom for leading a fulfilling life, this is not its primary purpose. The post Finding Ourselves in God's Story appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

Many ministers, shepherds and teachers are heading toward the second half of life if they aren't there already. After such a promising first half, Solomon, even with all of his wisdom, failed in the second half. It's not all negative though. We can have a great impact for many years. What opportunities do you see when you think about what's ahead as a Christian? The post King Solomon appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

We are never going to be perfect, as Christians. Sometimes, we can feel like the people around us expect us to be perfect. We are never going to be perfect, but we should strive to have the responsive humility of David when we do make mistakes.   We need true friends and advisors (see the… The post David: The Heart of a Godly King appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

Take a moment to ponder about the state of your relationships. What does it, or would it, mean for you to have relationships that will be committed to you no matter what is going on in the church or in leadership? How might you go about developing these types of relationships? The post David Shaped and Formed appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

Saul was quick to make up his own plan when it was difficult to follow God's. poHe had a hard time even recognizing that he was off course. Where have you made your own plan? Where do you need to surrender to God again regardless of how scary, or difficult, or unpopular your surrender may be? The post King Saul appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

Is your life full of prayer? Do you pray with intention and depth or do you just have “filer” prayers? Do the people in your church pray for each other? In church, right on the spot, and throughout the week? Let's examine Samuel's heart for prayer to examine our own. The post Hannah and Samuel appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

Most of our disappointments in the pursuit of love come from the quest itself.    We elevate love, marriage, bff's to believing the perfect mate or perfect friend will satisfy us, even complete us. But our mates and friends actually prove to be imperfect, even selfish!!   And then the turbulent wave crashes our hopes,… The post Ruth – Tragedy To Triumph appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

What does it really mean to “Be strong and courageous” as Christians today? This week, we'll dive deep into the ancient world of Joshua, Judges, and 1 Samuel to explore the incredible value placed on courage in the face of overwhelming odds. Through the lens of ancient warfare, we'll unpack rarely preached texts that reveal… The post Joshua: Promise Fulfilled appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

We explored Deuteronomy 11 through two perspectives: Moses' speech to the Israelites on the verge of entering the Promised Land, and King Josiah's rediscovery of the Deuteronomy text during a period of spiritual decline in Judah. Just as Moses' words prepared the Israelites for their battle to claim the Promised Land, centuries later, these same words fuelled Josiah's reform efforts. The post Promised Land: Rediscovering Blessing appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

Why are we here? We are here to live, give, and love make sure we exemplify these ideas in our daily lives. God gave us talents that we can use to showcase God's love to people around us. Talents do not just come naturally. They require hard work and consistent practice. In a world of… The post We are here to… appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

In this message, we'll explore the profound meaning of forgiveness in our relationships with God and with others. This sermon guides us on how to seek forgiveness, extend it, and experience the transformative power of mercy in our lives. The post Forgive Us Our Sins appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

We are exploring the powerful topic of prayer with a sermon entitled “How to Pray.” Whether you're looking to strengthen your prayer life or curious about how to begin, this message is sure to resonate with everyone. The post How To Pray appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

God provides us with strength and hope in our daily lives. Whether you are seeking comfort, inspiration, or a deeper understanding of God's presence, this message is for you. The post God That Encourages appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

We are called to worship God in spirit and in truth. Therefore, truth matters because our thoughts about God must be true to qualify as worship, and without truth, our worship is hollow at best. It's not about our truth, it's about God's truth. And the greatest truth we can bank on is this: God did not spare his son but gave him up for us. The post Truth Matters appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

How much time do you spend thinking of the Holy Spirit? We have Jesus with us every day, but we ignore him or don't recognize his presence. God desires to take us from the darkness of the world to live out the fruits of the spirit. He made it possible to do this through his son, Jesus, and then through sending us his holy Spirit to be with us, live in us, guide us, speak to us, remind us, teach us, and make himself known to us The post Led by the Spirit appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

When we look at a map of a place we've never been, it has little meaning to us. But as we travel the roads and experience the place, we add dimension and depth. We take a flat piece of paper and fill it with memories and meaning. The Lord's Prayer is just a handful of verses; seven thoughts. But if we are brave enough to pour ourselves into each section and set our souls on discovering each place, the Lord's Prayer can become like the map of our favorite vacation destination. The post Place of Prayer appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

One of the things that God forms in his people in the wilderness is culture. Israel's culture was multifaceted and revolved around family traditions, priestly rites, and days, weeks, and years of celebrations centered around fasting and feasting. As we continue to read Scripture, we see that these festivals were more than just vacation days on the Hebrew calendar. They become a part of God's cosmic calendar, with each celebration taking on greater meaning in the life of Jesus and the church.  The post The Culture (Disponible en français) appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

Just as the intricate design of the Tabernacle followed a pattern so the people could experience God in worship, Jesus' incarnation was intricately designed so we could experience the presence of God in our lives and the church. This Sunday, we'll examine the state of our tabernacles and the difference God's presence should make. The post The Tabernacle appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

We all have things that we rely on or look to in our lives. Often we don't give these strong influences much thought. As Israel makes their escape in Exodus they are given a physical reminder of the presence of God in the form of a pillar of cloud and fire. Day and night, God was with them, leading their steps, and protecting them powerfully. What are you leaning on? How do you know where God is leading you? Is the presence of God a pillar in your life? The post The Presence appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

In Christ, we have been gifted with a lifetime of opportunities that if grasped, help us find our place in God's story. We will look at David who grasped his opportunities and subsequently was described as one who fulfilled God's purpose for his life. We will look to see what we can learn from David's life to help us find our place in God's story. The post Gifted Opportunities appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

We all need to grow in our understanding of God's process of formation. We want growth to be easy. But that's not the reality we see in any part of creation, including our own souls. When God wants to grow us (and he does!), he takes us into the wilderness to be formed into people… The post The Wilderness appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

In the Great Commission, we are tasked with making disciples and baptizing them. The Exodus story powerfully shows that this has always been God's plan. But just as there is much more to the Exodus story than moving through the parted waters, there is much more to the Great Commission. The freedom that comes from piercing the waters of baptism should be celebrated as the Spirit-enabled beginning of an incredible journey marked by learning to obey all that Jesus taught. The post The Exodus appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

The theme of this week's service is formation. That might not be a word we use every day – but it is something that God is doing in our lives every day whether we realize it or not. Formation means that God has big plans for our lives, but he needs to mold us or form us into the kind of person who can accomplish his will. The post The Sign appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

As we look into what our vision is for the church, we must ask ourselves who are we and where are we going? We get many of our answers to these questions in the book of Matthew where Jesus tells us that sight/vision is more than just physical - there is also spiritual sight. We are reminded that, while we must "go and make disciples of all nations," church is not just about getting more people into the church but about transforming lives through love. The post Eyes That See appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

Using our own lives as well as the lives of biblical characters such as Simon Peter as examples, we are reminded that God never fails and that he is willing and able to do all things. We are reminded that we are all following someone/something and that others are following us. Therefore, if we want to live in the kingdom ever after, we need to stand firm in Jesus and declare, "I will follow you." The post I Will Follow You appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 tells us that there is a time for everything, including death. Today's sermon looks at death as our eternal retirement (from life) and asks us how we are preparing for it. We are reminded that even Jesus was conscious of time and that what we do with our time is critical. We are reminded that God has expectations of his children and their time on earth. What are you doing with your time? The post What Time Is It? appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

Holiness is often misunderstood even by Christians. Our minds might picture Puritan preachers yelling or solemn church services in cathedrals. There's much that we can learn from Moses' encounter with our holy God at the burning bush on Mount Horeb. When we better understand the holiness of God, holy living as disciples of Jesus becomes more accessible. The post Moses – The Wilderness appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

Moses' unlikely but divine path to becoming Israel's deliverer challenges us to look for ways that God can use his followers to be deliverers. We often over simplify the amazing and unique things that happened in our lives to allow us to be delivered from sin. This can lead to many in our churches feeling like they can't really contribute evangelistically. In this message you'll see how little things in Moses' early life set him up to be a great deliverer for God. The post Moses in Egypt appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

The story of Joseph teaches us that God is with us in our struggles. Not only that, but God is able to produce something from that struggle. Joseph had God's perspective on struggles in his life and remained faithful to God's promises. The post Joseph, God is with him appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

Hebrews 11:1-20 reminds us of God's faithfulness - from creating purpose out of chaos and nothingness to our lives today. We are reminded that, without faith, it is impossible to see God. Instead, we must trust God in our limitations because God is incapable of being unfaithful. If you wait until your life is in order to let God in, you will be waiting forever because (as with creation) only God can bring order to the chaos and nothingness of our lives. The post Faithfulness of God appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

Jacob's wrestling match, in the middle of the night, comes when he is not expecting it. He realizes that he's not just wrestling with man, but God himself, and the experience leaves him (and history) changed forever. As Christians, we can be surprised by the ways that God engages us too. Things in our lives that start out lacking clarity in darkness and even in isolation often end up being the things we wrestle and struggle with until God brings them to light. The post Jacob' Wrestling Match appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

Jacob's story highlights that blessings come about in unexpected ways if we're willing to look for them and even work toward them in a sense. We may have ideas about how we want God to work in our churches but they don't always match up with his. How might God be working unexpectedly in your church? Is the Spirit working in a way that you didn't see coming? What trends do you see? What ministries are producing fruit? The post Jacob: Birthright and Blessing appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

The saga of Sarah and Hagar is raw and real. We are not unfamiliar with feelings of emptiness and hopes deferred even with thousands of years separating our lives from the lives of these women. How do we deal with brokenness and loss? How can we trust when the answers to our prayers may not be seen in our lifetimes? Where is God in our deepest struggles? He sees us. He hears us. The post Sarah & Hagar: The God Who Sees and Hears appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

As Christians, we have an advantage over Abraham and the faith heroes of the Old Testament. What they looked forward to in hope, we can look back upon with awe and gratitude. However, even though we've received such precious promises, we can often forget that God has kept his word. We need to remember the precious promises of God. Even the ones we still wait and hope for. The post Abraham & Covenant appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

One of the remarkable things about Abraham, who God chose to enter into a covenant with, was that his faith was not compartmentalized. He worshiped God wherever he went. Wherever he set up his tent, he also built an altar to the Lord. When he won a war he worshiped a Jesus type in Melchizedek. He involved his family in worship, albeit in one of the wildest texts in the Bible, as Isaac carries the wood for his own sacrifice. The post Worship On The Way appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

While Christmas is a time of quiet reflection over Christ's impact on our lives, New Year's Eve often makes look at the year ahead. Those who trust God's promises have a lot to hope for. And 'hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." The post Hope That Never Disappoints appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.

The story of Jesus's birth shook the world. It calls people to surrender their lives to a baby boy who will eventually grow up to be a man who will die for the sins of the humanity. The post What Nativity Really Means appeared first on Ottawa Church of Christ.