Sermon Guides
Journey to the Cross (and beyond)
Click the PDF button to download your Journey to the Cross Devotional Guide
From February 14 to March 31, Christians enter a season called "Lent". Lent comes from the old English word "lengthen" which means "spring".
We are entering a season of spring.
This is the season where we journey with Jesus towards the Cross and then the resurrection. Lent has been observed by Christians since the 4th Century. Activities associated with Lent include penitence, fasting, almsgiving, and prayer.
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I want to welcome you into this season of preparation by doing 2 things. One is to fast from something during the 40 days of Lent. Some things you can fast from are:
-Social Media
-Chocolate or sweets
-Coffee
-TV
-Fast food one meal a day or one day a week
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The second thing you can do is use this devotional/study guide to deepen your spiritual life. There are 7 studies that will correspond with the 7 Sundays of the season. As a church we are going to be studying the Cross in this series. We will see just how radically Jesus' death on the Cross changes the world and our lives. Behind all of this, my hope and prayer is that as you fast, pray and study you will be drawn closer into the heart of Jesus-that you will feel closer to him.
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Pastor Santosh Ninan
Advent
Click the PDF button to download your Advent Devotional Guide
As 2023 draws to a close we look back on recent history as being very troubled times. Covid restrictions seem nostalgic as we remember those strange days of masking and social distancing. We live with worried anticipation about what will happen in Gaza and Ukraine. Canada continues to grapple with a troubled history of injustice towards its Indigenous population.
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For those of us with children we have also become aware of the spiking numbers of depression and anxiety among the younger generation. Lingering effects from pandemic isolation and overuse of social media on phones have led to a mental health crisis.
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We need healing.
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As a community this year we will be looking at Advent as a "season for healing". As we look at some of the characters in this story, we will see sources for healing of those things that ail us.
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Mary and Joseph show us the healing of shame.
The shepherds show us the healing of low self-esteem.
The wise men show us the healing of worldly wisdom.
And finally, Jesus shows us the healing of loneliness.
Deuteronomy
Click the PDF button to download your Deuteronomy Sermon Guide
Click the PDF button to download your Forgiveness Verses
At Ebenezer Baptist Church we believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ changes everything. The gospel comes to us as a gift of grace which means there is nothing we can do to earn forgiveness and new life in Christ.
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As forgiven people, what should our lives look like now? This fall we will be studying how the gospel changes us by studying the book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy literally means "second law". It is called this because a large part of this book is Moses repeating things that he has already taught the nation of Israel.
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Deuteronomy is a collection of 3 sermons and a song from Moses. It is delivered just before Israel will take the promised land. 400 years of Egyptian enslavement followed by 40 years of wilderness wanderings are about to come to an end. God's long-awaited promise of a new life in a new land awaits. But before entering, Moses wanted to ensure that the Jewish nation would not forget all that Yahweh had done for them and taught them. The result are these 3 sermons and a song.
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As we study this book, we will also begin to see how Deuteronomy is also pointing towards another law giver, prophet and leader who has the power to lead us to the true promised land. These are glimmers and pointers towards Jesus throughout the book.
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Please use this study guide to follow along as we study this fascinating book together.