Ephesians | Week 1 | In the first sermon of his series on Ephesians, Darrell walks us into what he believes is the core message of the letter: things are not as they seem. Written by Paul while imprisoned in Rome in 62 A.D, the letter to the Ephesians shows how those who have put their faith in Jesus are able to see reality through a new lens, one that changes our understanding of power, authority, unity, victory, relationship, time, and where salvation is really found. There is a new empire breaking in with a new emperor. Darrell says that with these new glasses on, we are in for quite an adventure as we explore the book of Ephesians. First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC | January 16, 2011 | Ephesians 1:1-14
In this message from Darrell's time candidating at Glendale Presbyterian Church in 1993, two pieces of scripture are explored: Ezekiel 37:1-14 and Romans 8:18-26. Darrell is inviting the church to remember the hope we find in Christ. We see God's promise of resurrection and new life in the story of Ezekiel and the Valley of Dry Bones. The critical idea for us to grasp in this message is that dry bones cannot make themselves live, but the speech and breath of Jesus Christ can. That is the vision of hope. Glendale Presbyterian Church, CA | July 11, 1993 | Ezekiel 37:1-14 and Romans 8:18-26
In this sermon Darrell lets us hear the cry of his heart to God from Psalm 119:94: “I am Yours, save me!” This desperate prayer is Darrell’s favourite verse from his favourite Psalm. Even though this prayer is only five words long, it is an all-encompassing prayer. We are God’s because He is our creator, redeemer, adoptive parent, and much more. God saves us from sin, doubt, fear, futility, and every other possible evil in this world. Darrell invites us to join with him in this prayer, welcoming us into the personal and life-changing relationship God offers to us. First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC | January 5, 2014 | Psalm 119:94
The Space In Which He Calls Us To Follow | Week 13 | Darrell begins this sermon on evil and the gospel with the declaration: “Thank God for the gospel.” Jesus of Nazareth has changed the way the universe goes together. Darrell tells the crucial story of two mountains - the mountain of temptation in Matthew 4, and the mountain of victorious authority of Matthew 28. Be encouraged by the good news that because Jesus had fulfilled the role of servant, dying on the cross, being raised from the dead he now has all authority to assume the role of King of the nations. The King with nail-scarred hands. First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC | July 18, 2010 | Matthew 4:1-18
The Space In Which He Calls Us To Follow | Week 12 | In this sermon, Darrell reminds us that sin is not something we have to live in bondage to because Jesus Christ has dealt with sin. Not that we can not still sin, but that it is illogical because Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension have fundamentally altered the reality of sin. Sin has no claim on Jesus. His death was the death of the power of sin. His resurrection is resurrection to newness of life. We are united with Him, and therefore sin has no claim on us. First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC | July 11, 2010 | Romans 6:1-11
The Space In Which He Calls Us To Follow | Week 11 | In John 14:1-12, Darrell helps us acknowledge that Jesus makes one of His most startling promises in His ministry: Jesus claims that we will do more works in our life when we have our faith in Him. Darrell shows how the double “truly truly” in this text is a promise that all Christ followers can build their life on because Jesus dealt with the power of sin and death before going back to the royal throne of the Father. Jesus came to set a new reality of how our world comes together and He ultimately ushers in a new reality through His death, resurrection and ascension. When this happened, Jesus promised that He would send an advocate, the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to lean in, welcome, and throw our weight onto Jesus and His promise. First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC | June 27, 2010 | John 14v1-12
The Space In Which He Calls Us To Follow | Week 10 | Though Jesus is physically absent from our lives here on earth, we live with the ongoing presence of His Spirit. The Holy Spirit– the “Paraclete,” our Helper– has one main job: to bear witness to the reality of Jesus for those who believe and for those who don’t yet believe. In this message, Darrell reminds us that the same Spirit who revealed the good news on the day of Pentecost is still convicting and convincing the individual human heart that Jesus is who He says He is. Not only that, the Holy Spirit leads us from the sin of unbelief into the truth that Jesus is victorious over sin, evil, and death, and is translating that victory into our own hearts and minds, transforming our lives so that we, too, may bear witness to Jesus. First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC | June 20, 2010 | John 15:26-16:11
The Space In Which He Calls Us To Follow | Week 9 | In this sermon, Darrell draws our attention to Jesus’ words about how to live once he is physically absent from earth. In every place we go, with every person we meet, even when sin, evil, and death are present and appear dominant, the good news is that the Paraclete is present and active! The Paraclete, also known as the Holy Spirit, is the presence of Jesus with us and with all people. Jesus revealed this good news to his disciples just before he was crucified, died, was buried, resurrected, and ascended. And this good news is crucial for disciples to understand, because Jesus does not ask us to carry on his work alone. Jesus knows we are not strong enough to do so on our own. Rather, Jesus asks us to join the work that the Paraclete is already and always carrying on. First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC | June 13, 2010 | John 15:26-16:11
The Space In Which He Calls Us To Follow | Week 8 | What a friend we have in the Paraclete, who discloses to us what is to come, brings to remembrance all that Jesus has said, teaches us all things, and helps us to love Jesus. In this message Darrell breaks down the wonderful work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the believer. First Baptist Church, Vancouver, BC | June 6, 2010 | John 14: 22-31 and 16:13-16