Author: Chris Evangelista

Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever - WSC
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Thanks and Giving – From Gratitude to Generosity

Summary of my sermon, based on Colossians 3:15-17. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on October 13, 2024.

Gratitude isn’t just about saying “thank you” and moving on—it’s an active response that shapes our actions. I’ve been thinking about this while remembering a particular flight I took many years ago. Normally, I’m the type to wear shorts on a flight, even in the middle of winter, as I did when I used to fly from the frozen streets of Fort McMurray to tropical destinations. But on one flight back from a mission trip in the Philippines, my attire changed thanks to an unexpected upgrade to business class. Out of gratitude for the experience, I swapped my casual shorts for proper pants. It was a small action, but it reflected my appreciation for the generosity I’d received.

This story reminds me of what Paul teaches in Colossians 3:15-17, where he connects gratitude to specific actions three times. First, he writes, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful” (Colossians 3:15, ESV). The “peace of Christ” isn’t just about individual calm or the absence of conflict. It’s much deeper—rooted in the biblical concept of shalom, which encompasses welfare, harmony, and completeness. This peace comes from Jesus, who reconciled us to God through His sacrifice, as Paul explains in Ephesians 2:13-14: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace.”

Knowing this, how can we not feel gratitude? But more importantly, what does that gratitude inspire in us? Paul says this peace should unite us, binding us together as one body. Gratitude for salvation isn’t a passive emotion—it motivates us to live in harmony with others, reflecting the unity Christ calls us to.

Paul goes further in Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Gratitude should also lead us to immerse ourselves in Scripture, not just for our own sake but to share it with others. This sharing happens through teaching, correcting, and even worshiping together in song. It’s a communal expression of thanksgiving, as we gather in unity, centered on the Word of Christ.

Finally, Paul sums it up in Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” This is where gratitude transforms everything—our words, actions, and even our attitude. It’s no longer about obligation but about joyfully responding to God’s grace. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:7-8, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you.”

True gratitude is more than a polite acknowledgment; it’s a life-altering force. It moves us to unity, to immerse ourselves in God’s Word, and to act generously in all that we do. If we truly understand the peace and salvation Jesus has given us, then our gratitude will be visible—not just in our words but in the way we live each day.

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Who Do You Say That I Am?

Summary of my sermon, based on Luke 9:18-27. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on October 6, 2024.

Jesus often used moments of reflection to teach deep spiritual truths, and one such moment unfolds in Luke 9:18-27. After a whirlwind of ministry—healing, teaching, and feeding thousands—Jesus retreats to pray with His disciples. As they gather, He asks them a question that cuts through the noise of their experiences: “Who do the crowds say that I am?” The answers are varied. Some think He’s John the Baptist returned to life, others suggest Elijah, and still others, one of the ancient prophets resurrected. These responses, though intriguing, miss the mark.

Jesus then sharpens the focus: “But who do you say that I am?” Peter boldly answers, “The Christ of God.” Finally, someone gets it! In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus praises Peter for his insight, explaining that this revelation came directly from the Father. Yet, Peter’s understanding is incomplete. While he correctly identifies Jesus as the Christ, he doesn’t yet grasp the full meaning of this truth. This is evident when Jesus explains that being the Christ involves suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection. Peter, horrified, rebukes Jesus, only to be sternly corrected: “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23).

The tension in this passage is familiar. Many recognize Jesus but fail to fully comprehend who He is or what He demands. Even demons acknowledge Him as “the Son of the Most High God” (Luke 8:28), and Satan himself knows His identity (Matthew 4:3). But recognition without submission or faith is hollow. It’s not enough to know Jesus intellectually; we must embrace Him as Lord in every area of life.

Sadly, people often reduce Jesus to something less than He truly is. Some see Him as a great moral teacher, appreciating His wisdom while ignoring the radical demands of His teaching, like loving God above all else (Luke 14:26). Others treat Him as a self-help guru, twisting His words to fit modern ideas of personal happiness. A progressive blogger once claimed Jesus’ central message was to love oneself, an interpretation that misses the point entirely. Jesus calls us to self-denial, not self-indulgence (Mark 12:30-31). Still others view Him as a genie in a bottle, expecting Him to fulfill their every wish. This “prosperity gospel” mindset misrepresents the heart of the Christian life and leads to disillusionment when prayers don’t go as expected.

True discipleship means taking up our cross daily and following Jesus (Luke 9:23). It’s a call to deny ourselves and prioritize Him above all else. Like the man who sells everything to buy a treasure-filled field or a pearl of great value (Matthew 13:44-46), we must see Jesus as the most precious gift. This kind of devotion keeps us from being ashamed of Him or His words (Luke 9:26).

When we truly know Jesus as “The Christ of God,” our lives are transformed. This knowledge moves beyond intellectual assent to wholehearted faith, marked by a willingness to sacrifice everything for the One who gave His all for us. As Paul declares, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). May we, too, live boldly in that truth.

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Five Loaves and Two Fish

Summary of my sermon, based on Luke 9:10-17. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on July 14, 2024.

In the early days of my Bible school years in British Columbia, one of the most memorable experiences was the annual Temple Tour. We would visit various religious temples in Vancouver, including places for Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Hare Krishna. One of the standout moments was our stop at the Sikh temple, or Gurdwara, where we participated in Langar – the practice of serving a free, communal meal to all. This meal, served 24 hours a day, is a reflection of Sikh values of equality and service, with everyone sitting together on the ground, regardless of age, gender, or background. I remember learning that Langar serves not only as a charitable meal but as a global practice, with many travelers depending on it for sustenance. The Gurdwara in New Delhi, for example, feeds 35-40 thousand people daily, with numbers skyrocketing during religious holidays.

The sight of so many people being fed in such an organized manner brought to mind the feeding miracle of Jesus that we find in Luke 9:10-17. This miracle offers a striking glimpse into the power and provision of Jesus, and also serves as a reminder of His identity as the Messiah. In this passage, after the apostles return from their mission, Jesus seeks to give them rest, only to be met by a crowd eager to hear from Him. As the day grows long and the crowd grows larger, the disciples realize that they face a problem: they have nothing to feed the people. In verse 12, they ask Jesus to send the crowd away to find food in nearby towns. But Jesus responds, “You give them something to eat” (Luke 9:13).

The disciples’ initial response is understandable: they have only five loaves of bread and two fish, insufficient to feed a crowd of thousands. In fact, in the parallel account in John, Philip points out that even 200 denarii—about seven months’ wages—wouldn’t be enough to buy food for everyone. But Jesus, undeterred, has them seat the people in groups of fifty, and He miraculously multiplies the food. The result? Every person is fed until they are satisfied, and twelve baskets of leftovers are gathered up (Luke 9:16-17).

This miracle is significant for a couple of reasons. First, it highlights Jesus as the fulfillment of both the Law and the Prophets. In the Old Testament, God provided manna in the wilderness through Moses (Exodus 16:14-18) and fed a hundred men through Elisha (2 Kings 4:42-44). But unlike Moses and Elisha, who acted as conduits for God’s provision, Jesus Himself provides. He is greater than both; He is the Messiah, the Christ of God (Luke 9:20).

In light of this miracle, we also see that provision ministries, like those of the Gurdwara or the various charities that spring up during the holidays, hold significant value. But we must remember that these ministries must ultimately point to the cross. Providing for people’s physical needs is essential, but it must also lead to sharing the gospel—the true “bread of life” (John 6:35). As 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 reminds us, we are ambassadors for Christ, calling people to be reconciled to God, not just to receive food or shelter.

The feeding of the 5,000 points to Jesus’ ultimate provision—His sacrifice on the cross. The language of blessing and breaking bread in Luke 9 echoes the words Jesus spoke at the Last Supper: “This is my body, which is given for you” (Luke 22:19). Just as Jesus fed the crowd, He offers Himself to us as the ultimate provision for our spiritual needs.

As we engage in ministries of provision, let’s remember the source of all provision—God Himself. Just as He provided manna in the wilderness and multiplied the loaves and fish, He continues to provide for us today. Philippians 4:19 assures us, “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” As we minister, let’s keep our eyes fixed on the cross, where God’s provision was made most fully known.

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Sending of the Twelve

Summary of my sermon, based on Luke 9:1-9. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on September 22, 2024.

When I first started in ministry, one of the key events each year was the Christmas musical at Morningstar Christian Fellowship. I was part of the band and orchestra, which was a joy, but as a pastoral intern, my responsibilities expanded. In the late summer, I’d spend hours preparing sheet music for the orchestra, choir, and cast. Our rehearsals would begin on Sunday afternoons and continue with sectionals during the week. All the practice led up to the dress rehearsal—this was the full run-through before the actual performance, done with costumes and makeup, no stops unless something major went wrong. It was the “show before the show,” and we sometimes even invited friends and family to get a preview.

In a similar way, today’s passage from Luke 9 describes a “dress rehearsal” for the ministry of Jesus’ disciples after His resurrection. This is the first of two practices, with the second one covered later in chapter 10, where Jesus sends out 72 others. In Luke 9:1-2, we read, “And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.” At this point, Jesus has already performed incredible miracles—healing the woman with the issue of blood, raising Jairus’s daughter from the dead, calming the storm, and more. These acts are just a small portion of His works, as John writes in John 21:25, “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”

Now, Jesus is delegating that same power and authority to His disciples so they can preach the kingdom and heal the sick. The key here is that this power is delegated. Anyone who has worked in an organization with a hierarchical structure knows how crucial delegation is. You can be given responsibility for a task, but you need authority and resources to complete it. Jesus gives His disciples both the authority (the right to proclaim the kingdom) and the power (the ability to heal and cast out demons). The Greek word for power here is δύναμιν (dynamin), which is where we get the word “dynamite.” It’s a reminder that this power is explosive in its potential.

This same authority and power have been given to us. In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus declares, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” And in Acts 1:8, we read, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses…” We are called to carry out this task with both boldness and humility. We are to be emboldened by the power Jesus gives us, yet humble enough to remember that it’s not our power but His.

Unfortunately, we often allow fear or the world’s intolerance to silence us. But we are reminded in 2 Timothy 1:6-7, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Romans 1:16 tells us, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” Despite the challenges we face in sharing the gospel, we are called to be bold. At the same time, we should never let the power we’ve been given go to our heads. It’s delegated, just like when General Douglas MacArthur was stripped of his command because he forgot the source of his authority.

The disciples understood this well. In Acts 3:6, when Peter heals the lame beggar, he says, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” Paul, too, approached his ministry with humility, as he writes in 1 Corinthians 2:1-2, “I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”

In Luke 9:3-6, Jesus gives specific instructions to His disciples: travel light, live among the people, and if a town rejects them, shake off the dust as a sign of judgment. This is not just practical advice, but a reminder to stay flexible to God’s leading, live among those we minister to, and to not be discouraged by rejection. In Romans 14:12, we are reminded that, “Each of us will give an account of himself to God.” Ultimately, everyone must answer to Jesus, and our task is to faithfully proclaim the gospel.

As Jesus’ disciples spread the word about Him, many were confused about who He was. Herod, for example, heard about Jesus and wondered if He was John the Baptist raised from the dead or perhaps one of the prophets. In Colossians 1:15-20, Paul gives us a clear answer: Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, and through Him, all things were created. He is the head of the body, the church, and through His death and resurrection, He reconciles all things to Himself.

We too are called to declare who Jesus is with boldness, remembering the power and authority He’s delegated to us and carrying out the task with humility.

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Waiting on Jesus

Summary of my sermon, based on Luke 8:40-56. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on September 15, 2024.

In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 8, we encounter a remarkable “two-for-one special” of miracles that reveal Jesus’ authority over disease and death. These intertwined stories—Jairus’ desperate plea for his dying daughter and a woman’s silent, faith-driven act of healing—teach us profound lessons about waiting on Jesus.

When Jesus returned to Galilee, a crowd eagerly awaited Him. Among them was Jairus, a synagogue ruler—a man of status and influence. Yet, this respected leader fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading for his only daughter, a twelve-year-old girl on the brink of death (Luke 8:40-42). Imagine a person of immense dignity, like a grandfather in his finest attire, abandoning all decorum to beg in public. Jairus, in his desperation, cast aside pride, status, and likely even the risk of alienation from other Jewish leaders who were wary of Jesus.

As Jesus agreed to go with him, hope must have swelled in Jairus’ heart. But their journey was interrupted. A woman, suffering from a twelve-year-long discharge of blood, reached out in silent faith to touch the fringe of Jesus’ garment. She had spent all her resources on doctors, to no avail, and lived as a social and religious outcast due to her condition (Luke 8:43-44; Leviticus 15:25-27). Her faith was bold yet humble—believing that even the slightest touch of Jesus’ garment could heal her.

Immediately, her bleeding stopped, and Jesus, knowing power had gone out from Him, asked, “Who was it that touched me?” (Luke 8:45-46). Amid the pressing crowd, the woman stepped forward, trembling, and shared her story. Jesus’ response was profound: “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace” (Luke 8:48). With this, He restored not only her health but also her dignity and place in the community.

But imagine Jairus in this moment—watching precious time slip away as Jesus stopped for someone else. His worst fears were realized when messengers arrived, saying his daughter had died. “Do not trouble the Teacher anymore,” they said (Luke 8:49). Yet Jesus turned to Jairus with reassurance: “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well” (Luke 8:50). Despite the mourners’ laughter at His declaration that the girl was “not dead but sleeping,” Jesus entered the house, took her hand, and said, “Child, arise.” Her spirit returned, and she got up immediately (Luke 8:52-55).

Both Jairus and the bleeding woman show us the power of faith in the face of desperation. Jairus teaches us to trust in Jesus’ timing, even when it feels delayed. The woman reminds us that faith often takes bold, even unconventional, steps. And through both, we see that Jesus’ authority transcends human limitations. His timing is perfect, and His power is sufficient.

As we wait on the Lord in our own lives, let us remember His words: “Do not fear; only believe.” Whatever delays or interruptions we face, His plans for us are always for good (Jeremiah 29:11). Let us wait with faith, trusting that He will act in His perfect time.