Forward Church Kitchener Sermons

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.

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 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.

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’ 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’ 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.

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.

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.

Waiting in Hope (Simeon)

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.

A Different Love

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.