The Word at Westminster
Learning and living God's Word. Talks, studies, interviews, sermons and more from Westminster Church in Barrie, Canada
The resurrection and the life
On Sunday March 17, 2024, William Min (our Coordinator of Youth and Outreach) led the Sermon while Pastor Ruttan was away on his annual vacation. William looked at the story of how Jesus resurrects Lazarus from the dead and how it is one of 4 Messianic miracles. He focused on how we will soon be wrapping up Lent as we look towards Easter in a couple of weeks⌠and the resurrection hope we have in Jesus, which leads us to repentance, because He IS the resurrection, the truth, and the life. The key verse was John 11:25-26 âJesus said to her, âI am the re...
âWhen tokens point to Jesusâ (Youth Time message from William from Mar.10, 2024)
Pastor Ruttan recently used the quote â A coincidence is a small miracle when God chooses to remain anonymous.â That has been true for my life⌠on more than many occasions! It is good to remind ourselves that God is always watching over us and provides for us in our time of need⌠even through small tokens. This short piece of audio was taken from our Youth Time segment from March 10, 2024.
Crooked Sticks Draw Straight Lines â Esther, Part 5 (Sermon)
Things are turning into a bloody mess. And yet, there is joy. The Jews of ancient Persia stand under an annihilation order. But now they are allowed to defend themselves. All of it occurs under the providence of a wise, love, sovereign and holy God. This sermon is the final installment in our series on the book of Esther. We explore chapters 9-10, ask if this conflict has anything to do with modern tensions in the holy land, and bring it all together by reflecting on Godâs saving power even when life has become more wayward than we wished. As...
God Works In The Trenches â Esther, Part 4 (Sermon)
Life can feel like a war zone. It gets messy. Mistakes pile up. We try to improve a situation only to make it worse. Our shortsightedness results in long-term consequences. People collide, things break â including hearts. When that happens, does God step back and say, âOh wow, things are too messed up, best let them sort this one out on their own.â Of course not. Ours is the God of Angel Armies. If the earth is the Lordâs and everything in it (Psalm 24:1), God is not put off by the trenches in his own battle zone. This sermon explores Esther 8...
Pride goes before destruction â Esther, Part 3 (Sermon)
Proverbs 16:18 is a famous warning: âPride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.â In this sermon on Esther 5-7, we see this proverb illustrated perfectly in the rise (and fall) of the dreaded Haman. Haman is second only to the king, but his pride, arrogance and anger envelop him, leading to his downfall. In and through it all, the God of providence works â through Esther and other unsuspecting people. Not only do we heed a warning from Haman, but we explore the meaning of pride, and ask how we can avoid it today. Do you want to experi...
For Such A Time As This â Esther, Part 2 (Sermon)
Perhaps Esther had come to her royal position âfor such a time as thisâ (Esther 4:14). She had risen quickly to become queen, but now her people were faced with annihilation at the hands of the murderous Haman. Should she try to hide, or confront the king and act? It was a risky move; she could lose her life. This sermon explores Esther 3-4, and invites us to think about the nature of courageânot only then, but now. Think of your life specifically and the world generally. Perhaps you too are born âfor such a time as this.â
WHEN NUMBERS DONâT MATCH AT THE GATES OF HEAVEN
This short podcast is taken from the service on February 11, 2024. Pastor Ruttan recalls an apocryphal story by Peggy Campolo about the gates of heaven and when Peter and Paulâs numbers donât line up. He then ties it to Romans 3:23-24
STATE OF THE UNION â The annual pastorâs update
Every year Pastor Ruttan includes a report in the churchâs annual report. This year he has made an audio version as well. He provides a big picture review of the past year, and a look ahead. He describes the situation as we emerge from the pandemic and a few key priorities moving forward. Enjoy!Â
Where is God? â Esther, Part 1 (Sermon)
The young Esther rises to become Queen, confronts the misguided King, and saves her people in a great act of courage. Yes, thatâs a big part of the story. But, as we will find, there is much more going on. The book doesnât even mention the name of God. Does that mean God is absent? Definitely not. The lack of Godâs name is intentional; it challenges us to see when and where God is working even when itâs not obvious, and even as Godâs people live in a land far removed from their native Judah. In this se...
Youth Groups Update with William Min
William has recorded this encouraging and informative update on Westminster Youth. There is much to look forward to, but he points out that most importantly, the goal is to raise up disciples of Christ. Thanks for the update William!