Sermons

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been diving into the Practice of Celebration— but what if joy doesn’t come easily? What if you want to celebrate but feel emotionally disconnected - or simply tired? On Sunday, Lauren shared her journey of learning to feel joy again—how God brought healing, restored joy, and taught her to laugh again.

We all have a built-in negativity bias — our brains are wired to feel negative emotions more strongly, dwell on them longer, and remember them more vividly. No wonder joy can feel out of reach sometimes. And yet, Scripture commands us to rejoice always. This is where the discipline of celebration comes in: it’s a way to push back on our negativity bias and train ourselves to actually notice and embrace joy.

One of the greatest challenges to practising celebration arises when we’re called to rejoice in the ways God has blessed others, which can stir feelings of envy and resentment. At other times, we hold back from celebrating, unsure how to embrace joy in a world marked by pain and suffering. Yet celebration isn’t something to avoid because of the world’s suffering—it’s something we desperately need because of it.

We all have a built-in negativity bias — our brains are wired to feel negative emotions more strongly, dwell on them longer, and remember them more vividly. No wonder joy can feel out of reach sometimes. And yet, Scripture commands us to rejoice always. This is where the discipline of celebration comes in: it’s a way to push back on our negativity bias and train ourselves to actually notice and embrace joy.

Celebration isn’t mere indulgence—it’s a vital spiritual discipline where we remember the good God has done so we can rest in the good He will do. This practice is rooted in how Scripture reveals God — not as an angry, distant figure, but as the happiest being in the universe.

What happens when you finally say “yes” to God? In this honest and personal message, Kalyn shares her journey from comfort and control to deep intimacy with the Holy Spirit. Through stories of wrestling with doubt, breaking down spiritual boxes, and stepping out in faith, she invites us to trust that even the smallest yes can lead to life-changing encounters with God.

Jesus didn’t just claim to be God — He proved it by rising from the dead. He is more than a story — He is the living Saviour, and that changes everything. He is risen indeed!

Initially, Jesus’ death on the cross looked like a defeat — but it was actually a divine breakthrough. The moment He died, the temple veil tore from top to bottom—revealing that this was no ordinary execution. His sacrifice brought forgiveness for our sins and reopened the way into God’s presence.

Jesus used the symbolism of the Passover meal—a celebration of God’s past deliverance—to usher in a new covenant. In doing so, He established a new way to remember: not what we must bring, but that He became what was needed, fulfilling what we never could. Now we no longer need to strive to measure up but instead are invited to live from the fullness of God's grace.

On Tuesday of Holy Week, Jesus was anointed at Bethany—a costly act of love that revealed the true essence of worship, showing us that offering our best to Jesus becomes a joy when we truly understand His worth.

After the Triumphal Entry, Jesus did two surprising things: He cursed a fig tree and cleansed the Temple—actions that might seem unexpected if we think of Him as only 'meek and mild.' But what if these moments reveal something deeper? And what if His message is just as relevant for us today?

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem was a deliberate fulfilment of prophecy and a public claim to be the Messiah. However, the same crowd that welcomed Him with praise on Sunday were clamouring for His death by Friday because He didn’t meet their expectations of a conquering king. This shift challenges us today: Will we continue to trust and worship God even when He doesn’t act according to our expectations?

While many associate fasting with personal devotion or intercession, few are aware of its connection in Scripture with “almsgiving” — a practice that combines generosity, serving, and justice. This perspective shifts fasting from a purely inward practice into a tangible way to love and serve our neighbours.

Throughout Scripture and church history, the people of God have found that fasting increases the effectiveness of their prayers. But why? Fasting is a means of humbling ourselves before God, which seems to release God’s Kingdom in surprising ways.

Jesus taught that part of following Him means we will have to deny ourselves. But how can we develop a heart of self-denial while living in a culture that encourages us to indulge every appetite? One way is through the practice of fasting, which cultivates self-denial in us and transforms us to become like Jesus.

Fasting was a routine part of Christian life for the first 1,500 years of church history, but the Western Church rarely practices it anymore. Could it be that we are missing something? What if all those people throughout church history discovered that fasting could usher us into a much richer and more transformative experience of our faith?

How does God transform us to become like Jesus? We commonly think that it’s the result of more information, more self-discipline, or that God will just miraculously fix us. But the pattern we see in Scripture reveals that transformation mostly comes through a process of confrontation, surrender, and practising the way of Jesus.

We’re all in the process of formation. Every day, whether you’re a Christian or not, our culture is forming us to be like someone or something. So the question we all have to ask ourselves is: “What kind of person am I being formed into?” At Antioch, we exist to help you become like Jesus. Our transformation is the foundation for everything we do at church.

On Sunday, we acknowledged the transition into the new year by giving God an opportunity to speak into our lives as we looked back at 2024 and sought His guidance and counsel for 2025.