Commons Church Podcast

In this sermon from our Soapbox Sundays series, Yelena explores the layered and universal idea of "home". Grounded in Ephesians 2:19–22, this message looks at how Christ breaks down dividing walls, invites outsiders into full belonging, and joins us together into a living sanctuary where God makes a home.

Key Topics Covered:
The Complexity of Home: How personal memories, mobility, and cultural contexts shape our understanding of home.

Who Gets to Belong? Exploring Ephesians 2:19–22 and how Paul redefines household, citizenship, and community.

Home as a Place of Becoming: Moving away from a static view...

In the first message of the Soapbox Sundays series, Scott makes the case for how an intellectual, reflective life is a spiritual life. Looking at the wisdom literature of Proverbs 4, this teaching explores how engaging our minds across generations, embracing curiosity, and asking hard questions helps us love God and serve our neighbours more deeply.

Key Takeaways & Outline:
Welcome & Fall Outlook: Reflecting on community life and upcoming fall opportunities, including the Marda Loop parish launch.
What Minds Are For: Why living a thoughtful and reflective life is integral to spiritual growth.
All We Inherit...

Psalm 7 is a song for anyone who has ever felt falsely accused, misunderstood, or desperate to be vindicated.

But underneath David’s very reasonable words is something more volatile: anger, frustration, and the desire for God to feel exactly what he feels.

In this sermon, Jeremy Duncan explores the poetry of Psalm 7—from Taylor Swift and ancient Hebrew wordplay to necks, noses, swords, and bows—and asks what happens when our longing for justice begins to slip into a desire for vengeance.

The Psalms remind us that we don’t need to sanitize our emot...

What can ancient prayers teach us about our own experience of chaos, confusion, or distress?

In this week’s installment of our Summer Songs series, Yelena walks us through Psalm 86—a powerful "psalm of disorientation." Whether life feels stable or everything is falling apart, the Psalms provide a sacred space for profound honesty with the Divine.

In this message, we explore:
Asks and Reasons: Why naming our disorientation is a time-tested religious practice.
Communal Memory: How we lean on the stories of faith when our own words fall short.
Undivided Heart: Moving towa...

What do you do when God feels far away? Psalm 13 is a song for those moments. In this message, we explore how naming our pain and shifting our perspective can help us move from lament to praise.

Key topics covered:
• The relationship between lament and praise: Why the "Book of Praises" is full of sorrow and how lament provides a place to stand while we grieve.
• Challenging our categories: Understanding how we use bias to simplify the world and how to move past the "outgroup homogeneity effect" to see our neighbors more clearly.
• Learning from d...

What do you do when the world feels unfair and you find yourself “fret-burning” with anger? In this message, we explore the wisdom of Psalm 37—not as a transactional set of rules, but as a roadmap for finding composure, delight, and hope in the midst of life's messiness.

While many read the Psalms looking for guarantees, they are actually poetic invitations to engage with the world honestly. When we choose to notice the goodness around us—even in the face of injustice—we can metabolize our anxiety and find a way back to the source of our strength.<...

What does it mean to trust God when there are still very real reasons to be afraid?

Psalm 46 doesn’t promise a life without chaos. Instead, it points to the presence of God—our refuge and strength—within our complicated histories, uncertain futures, and present moments.

In this message, Alexandra explores how remembering, hope, creativity, mindfulness, and nonviolence can make us more aware of the God who is as close as our breath.

“The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” — Psalm 46:11

#Psalm46 #BeStill #ChristianSermon #Faith #GodsPresence...

What if the greatest idols in our lives aren't statues—but fear, security, money, and the stories we tell to protect them?

In Acts 19, Paul arrives in Ephesus and unintentionally sparks a city-wide riot. On the surface, it's a conflict over religion. But beneath the shouting lies something far more familiar: economic anxiety, fear of outsiders, and the temptation to use spiritual language to defend our own interests.

As we conclude our series in Acts, we explore how the earliest followers of Jesus weren't called to conquer culture, but to become a different kind of pe...

In this episode of our spring series, The Way Forward, we walk through Acts 17:16-34 to explore Paul’s encounter in Athens. As Paul engages with Epicurean and Stoic philosophers at the Areopagus, he provides a model for how we can navigate unfamiliar cultures and carry on thoughtful, faith-filled conversations in our own time.

How do we move forward when our efforts seem to go unnoticed, or when we feel like we are investing in places where there is little immediate "fruit"?

In this talk, we reflect on:
The challenge of exceptionalism: How the go...

In this message, we explore the story of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, examining how early believers navigated deep conflict and cultural shifts within the church.1

Key topics include:
The Nature of Conflict: Why "certain people problems" are a normal, albeit challenging, part of community growth.
Navigating Change: Understanding what to keep from the past and what to leave behind as the mission evolves.
The Power of Conversation: How the Jerusalem Council demonstrates that holy, transformative dialogue is central to the life of the church.
Grace and Inclusion: A look at the paradigm...

In Acts 13, the spotlight shifts from Jerusalem to Antioch—a diverse, unexpected community where the Holy Spirit is doing something entirely new. From former outsiders and unlikely leaders to the commissioning of Paul and Barnabas, this chapter reveals a church that chooses mission over comfort, creativity over control, and expansion over preservation.

In this message, we explore how God's grace continually pushes the church beyond its assumptions, why the most transformative movements often emerge from the margins, and what it means to trust the Spirit enough to send our best into the unknown.

Whether you're na...

How does faith change us over time?

In Acts 10, Peter encounters a vision that challenges everything he thought he knew about who belongs, who is welcome, and how God works in the world. As he meets Cornelius—a Roman centurion and outsider to Israel's covenant story—the early church discovers that the Spirit of God is already moving beyond the boundaries they assumed were fixed.

This message explores slippery slopes, spiritual growth, unexpected relationships, and the surprising truth that transformation is normal in the Christian life. What if the Spirit is at work in places, peop...

What gives ordinary people the courage to speak truth, resist fear, and remain hopeful in a fractured world?

In Acts 4 and 5, the early church faces its first wave of persecution after Peter and John heal a man at the temple gates and boldly proclaim the resurrection of Jesus. Confronted by powerful religious leaders, threatened, imprisoned, and punished, the apostles discover that true power is not found in coercion or control, but in resurrection, community, and the Spirit of God.

In this sermon, Yelena explores:
• Why the message of Jesus provoked opposition
• What Acts teac...

What if the judgement of God looks nothing like we imagined?

In Acts 2 we step into Peter’s first sermon after Pentecost—the moment the church begins to find its voice. But instead of fear, vengeance, or religious certainty, Peter announces something radically different: resurrection changes everything.

Together we explore:

- The real miracle of Pentecost
- Why not everyone recognizes new movements of God
- “Your sons and daughters will prophesy” and the expansiveness of the Spirit
- The Day of the Lord reinterpreted through Jesus
- Resurrection as God’s...

What do you do when the future feels uncertain, God feels quiet, and the old season is clearly over?

In Acts 1–2, the early church finds itself in that exact moment — caught between resurrection and Pentecost, between promise and fulfillment, between what was and what will be. And somehow, in the waiting, God is already moving.

This week at Commons Church, we explore how faith often begins not with certainty, but with trust in the middle of transition.

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📍 Commons Church
🌐 https://commons.church
📷 Instagram: @commons.church

#Acts #BibleTeaching #ChurchOnline #Faith #HolySpir...

What if the real miracle of love isn’t finding the right person—but becoming the kind of person who can stay?

In this final message of The Miraculous series, we explore the ancient story of Ruth and uncover a vision of love that goes far beyond romance. This is a story about commitment, community, and the quiet, steady work of choosing one another—again and again.

From friendships to family, from social responsibility to romantic connection, love is revealed as something we build, not something we stumble into. And maybe, just maybe, it’s this kin...

What if the most meaningful moments in your life aren’t random at all?
In this talk, we explore a surprising story from Acts 8—the encounter between Philip and the Ethiopian traveler—and ask a simple but unsettling question: Can coincidence be a miracle?

Rather than focusing on miracles as interruptions of nature, this message reframes the miraculous as something formed over time—through attentiveness, presence, and the kind of person we are becoming. Maybe the miracle isn’t just in the moment things come together… but in the quiet ways our lives are shaped to notice those...

What do you do when it feels like God is asleep in the middle of your storm?

In this reflection on Mark 4:35–41, we explore one of Jesus’ most well-known miracles—the calming of the sea—and wrestle with what it reveals about fear, faith, and the nature of God. Is the miracle about power…or presence?

This Eastertide message invites you to move beyond what God can do and toward who God is—especially in the moments when life feels overwhelming.

Question for reflection:
How have the challenges in your life shaped your view of...

What if miracles aren’t rare interruptions of reality—but the very fabric of it?

In this opening message of our Miraculous series, we explore the deep connection between faith, science, and the nature of existence itself. 

From Genesis to the Big Bang, from quarks to galaxies, this conversation invites us to rethink what we mean when we say “God.”

Maybe the greatest miracle isn’t when the rules break…
Maybe it’s that anything exists at all.

This is a call to wake up—to wonder, to relationship, and to the sacred rea...

We all know the story of the prodigal son… or at least we think we do.

This Easter message explores one of Jesus’ most famous parables—and reveals the surprising twist we often miss. What if the story isn’t just about a rebellious younger son… but also about the older brother standing outside the party?

And what if Easter is the announcement that God is still coming after both?

This sermon traces the movement from lost sheep, to lost coin, to lost sons—and ultimately to a God whose grace refuses to give up on a...

Palm Sunday is full of celebration—but also confusion.

In this message, we hold together two powerful moments:
• The parable of the unjust judge (Luke 18)
• Jesus’ quiet, subversive entry into Jerusalem

Together, they reveal something surprising about God:
Grace doesn’t always look like justice.
And peace doesn’t always come the way we expect.

As we step into Holy Week, this teaching invites us to reconsider what we’re hoping for—and whether we’re ready for the kind of kingdom Jesus actually brings.

🙏 A reflection on prayer, persistenc...

We’ve all heard that the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed—small beginnings, big results. But what if that’s not actually the point?

In this message, we explore one of Jesus’ most familiar parables and uncover the twist we often miss. The kingdom of God doesn’t just grow—it shows up in unexpected places, disrupts our assumptions, and welcomes the people we might overlook.

Through the story of a healing on the Sabbath and a strange little seed planted in the wrong place, we’re invited to rethink what grace really looks l...

What if prayer isn’t about convincing God to listen?

In Luke 11, Jesus tells a strange story about a neighbour who refuses to help in the middle of the night. At first glance, it sounds like a lesson about persistence—keep knocking until God finally answers. But a closer look reveals something deeper.

In this message from our Parables of Grace series, we explore the story often called The Unhelpful Friend and discover that Jesus isn’t teaching us to badger God into responding. Instead, he invites us into a posture of shameless audacity—standing before G...

Unpack the profound challenge of limitless forgiveness in Jesus's Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18:21-35).

When Peter asks how many times he must forgive his brother, Jesus sets the bar: not seven times, but seventy-seven times—a hyperbolic instruction for no cap on forgiveness. This parable, the capstone of a teaching series on community dynamics, focuses on the vast contrast between the king’s audacious cancellation of an unpayable debt (a "gajillion dollars") and the first servant's brutal insistence on collecting a small one (two to three months wages).

Th...

What did Jesus really mean when He said the shepherd leaves the 99 to find the one?

In this message from Luke 15:1–7, we explore the Parable of the Lost Sheep — one of the most well-known teachings of Jesus — and uncover the scandal, absurdity, and beauty of grace.

This isn’t just a comforting story about being rescued. It’s a disruptive story about a God whose love defies social norms, economic logic, and religious expectations.

In this sermon, we explore:

In this first message of our Parables of Grace series, we revisit one of the most familiar stories Jesus ever told—the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37).

But what if we’ve been asking the wrong question?

When a lawyer asks Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” he’s really asking where the line is—who qualifies for his time, compassion, and responsibility. Jesus responds with a story that doesn’t just redefine “neighbor.” It reframes the entire conversation.

This sermon explores:

What Jesus meant by “eternal life” (and why it’s not just about life after death)

What if the “battle” you’re facing isn’t against the people you think it is?

In this final message of our If/Then series through Ephesians, we unpack Paul’s famous “armour of God” passage — and discover it’s far less about spiritual aggression and far more about communal resilience, subversive grace, and the way of peace.

If Christ reigns… then how should we live?

Together we explore:

Why unity is central to the Christian life

How Jesus redefines victory and power

What Paul really means by “our struggle is...

What does it actually look like to follow Jesus in everyday life?

In this message from our If/Then series through Ephesians, we turn to the second half of Paul’s letter—where belief turns into practice. Using the image of a “masterclass,” we explore how Paul invites followers of Jesus to learn Christ: to put off old patterns shaped by power, status, and exploitation, and to put on a new way of being marked by humility, gentleness, patience, and love.

This teaching wrestles honestly with cultural pressure, sexual ethics, speech, and formation—while holding out a hope...

What if a single word could change everything?

In Ephesians 2, the apostle Paul pivots from humanity’s brokenness to God’s radical grace with one of the most important conjunctions in Scripture: “But God.” In this teaching, we explore how Paul uses language, metaphor, and imagination to describe what God has done in Jesus—and what that means for how we live together now.

We reflect on:

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is built around one powerful structure: if / then.
If God is already at work healing the world in Christ—if grace, not violence, is the true power shaping history—then how should we live?
In this message, we begin a four-week journey through Ephesians by sitting in the if:a bold vision of Jesus, a high Christology, and a radical redefinition of chosen, predestined, grace, and peace. Set against the backdrop of the Roman Empire’s gospel of “victory, then peace,” Paul announces an alternative good news—one where peace is already possib...

What does creativity look like in our relationships—not in art or technology, but in the way we show up for one another?

In this sermon, we explore Mark 2 and the unforgettable story of five friends who refuse to accept the status quo. When a crowd blocks the way to Jesus, they climb a roof, tear it open, and lower their friend down—revealing a bold, relational creativity that leads to forgiveness, healing, and transformation.

This message invites us to:

What if faith isn’t about getting it right—but about staying curious?

In this message, we explore Paul’s surprising approach to spirituality at Mars Hill in Acts 17. Instead of debate, domination, or precision, Paul begins with common ground—quoting poets, honoring spiritual curiosity, and trusting that God meets people even in their confusion.

This teaching invites us to re-imagine spirituality as something creative, relational, and generous—where intent matters more than precision, and grace is wider than our certainty. Drawing on scripture, history, and everyday stories, we’re reminded that God is often found not th...

At the start of a new year, we’re launching a new series on creativity—not as something reserved for artists or content creators, but as a core part of being human.

In this message, we explore how **technology shapes our creativity**, our relationships, and even our spirituality. From smartphones in our pockets to bricks in the story of the Tower of Babel, the question isn’t whether technology is good or bad—but whether we are using it creatively, or allowing it to use us.

We look at:

* Why creativity belongs to everyone...

Simeon waited his whole life for one moment—to hold the Messiah. When it finally happens, he doesn’t cling to hope. He releases it.

In this Advent reflection on Luke 2, we explore Simeon’s song (Nunc Dimittis) and what it teaches us about peace, waiting, generosity, and faith in an unfinished world. Christmas isn’t about getting everything we want—it’s about becoming the kind of people who pass hope forward.

If you’ve ever wondered whether believing still matters when the world hasn’t changed yet, this story is for you.

📖 Luke 2:22–35...

In this sermon for the Third Sunday in Advent, "Joy," we explore the story of the shepherds and the angels' announcement—the "Gloria." What does it mean that God's great, extraordinary glory first breaks in upon the most ordinary, mud-caked, and weather-worn people?

We look at:

In this Advent sermon, we explore the second canticle of Luke’s gospel—the Benedictus, the prophetic song of Zechariah.
Before he could sing, Zechariah had to face something deeper than disbelief: the fear that God had forgotten him. And maybe that’s a fear many of us hold quietly during the Christmas season.

In this message we look at:

✨ Why Scripture gives us songs—not just stories—to prepare us for Christmas
🌑 How the “dark nights” of waiting shape us
🔒 The hidden spaces where shame, disappointment, and unanswered prayers live
🌅 And the renewed hope that...

"My soul magnifies the Lord." Kicking off our Advent series, Advent: The Musical, we dive into the first song: the radical and revolutionary Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55).

In this message, we explore:
Model Disciples: The powerful, non-competitive relationship between Mary and Elizabeth.
An Oldie: How Mary's song borrows from the prophetic words of Hannah in 1 Samuel 2.
The Reversal: Why the Magnificat is a fierce, political song that declares God sides with the humble and marginalized, scattering the arrogant and pulling down the mighty.
Like Mother, Like Son: The striking connection between Mary's song and...

Genesis 22 is one of the most troubling stories in all of Scripture. In this sermon, Jeremy walks through the binding of Isaac with honesty, curiosity, and deep pastoral care. Rather than rushing to easy answers, he explores the generational trauma behind Abraham’s family, the God who sees Hagar, and why this difficult text challenges our imagination of God.

What if the real test in this story isn’t blind obedience?
What if God is inviting Abraham—and us—into a deeper understanding of divine goodness?
And what does this story reveal about the God who ulti...

What really happened in Sodom and Gomorrah—and why has this story been so badly misunderstood? In this sermon, Jeremy Duncan takes us past the clichés and weaponized readings to explore one of the most difficult and infamous passages in the Bible.

Beginning with Abraham’s bold negotiation with God, we look at what this story reveals about divine character: a God who listens, responds, and invites us into courageous, honest conversation. Far from depicting a capricious or vindictive deity, the narrative highlights God’s patience, justice, and surprising willingness to engage with human questions.

We al...

Join us as Scott delves into Genesis 15, exploring Abraham's journey of faith and doubt. This sermon unpacks the "base of fear" we often experience, the "hard-fought" space "where faith forms" through honest questions, and the "sacramental discernment" that guides our "ways forward." Discover how God's "sure sign" in a unilateral covenant reveals His unwavering commitment, stretching beyond our limited years and inviting us to live with a faith that trusts His goodness in every small, painful step.