Douglas Mennonite Church

Douglas Mennonite Church

A weekly Mennonite Church sermon from Douglas Mennonite Church

  1. Pearls to Swine

    FEB 3

    Pearls to Swine

    Pearls Before SwineSpeaker: Lorelle PerryScripture: Matthew 7:6, 1 Corinthians 5:12We tend to think that if we have life changing information, it should be shouted from therooftops or be trending on Twitter. This is especially the case when have formed a judgementabout an issue or topic. But curiously, Jesus says “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do notthrow your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tearyou to pieces.”(7:6) What does he mean by this? Firstly, Jesus assumes that there are thingsthat are “sacred” or holy. “Do not give dogs what is sacred” had an original connection tosacrificial meat or to leaven. Thus, Leviticus 22:10 reads: “No one outside a priest’s family mayeat the sacred offering.” The later rabbis said something quite like this statement by Jesus:“For they do not redeem Holy Things to feed them to the dogs” (m. Temurah 6:5). Jesus hasobviously adapted a typical expression and applied it to his own sense of the sacred. Secondly,the animals chosen by Jesus were among the most despised, and historically connected withthe Gentile world. Dogs and pigs have no sense of value, so dogs will rip apart a precious itemand pigs will trample on items of immense worth. So what is Jesus teaching us in this passage?Firstly, in connection the previous section on judgement (7:1-5), we understand Jesus teachingus to not engage in a plank eye process of moral discernment with those who are not ready tohear. We should refrain from forcing sacred Kingdom treasure onto the wider culture. (1 Cor5:12) Secondly, we need practice discernment about whether people are ready to hear to theGospel. We should not assume that everyone is listening with ears to hear. Finally, we need tohold sacred things with care. In the same way that we value a fine wine, or fine china, we needto hold a reverence about the things of God. We seek to hold the Kingdom message withhonour so that our witness brings glory to Jesus. Ultimately, we need to remember that howthe Kingdom comes is what the Kingdom is.Desired Outcome: To challenge our people to value the sacred treasure of the Gospel, bybeing discerning about the how, when, where, and to whom we share this Good News — sothat our witness is effective and honouring to Jesus.

    28 min
  2. Episode 233: Sermon on the Mount-Quitting the Judgement Game

    FEB 3

    Episode 233: Sermon on the Mount-Quitting the Judgement Game

    January 25— Quitting the Judgement GameSpeaker: Pastor Paul WalkerScripture: Matthew 7:1-5; James 4:11-12If there is one thing we do as humans, it is judge others. Research tells us that it takes just one-tenth of a second for people to judge someone and make a first impression.3 We then use our judgements to form how we engage a person. We live in a system in which everyone judges themselves and each other and creates a hierarchy of those above and below them. To judge another person is to ascribe worth to yourself at the expense of others. This minimizes your sins and faults, while maximizing the sins and faults of others. If you’ve ever said to yourself, “At least, I’m not as bad as that person (or group)” then you were likely playing the judgement game. Jesus says to us, “ ‘Do not judge, so that you may not be judged.”(7:1) Jesus is not talking about moral discernment of behaviours, but about how we view other people.4 As John Wesley said of this text, “The judging that Jesus condemns here is thinking about another person in a way that is contrary to love.” Ultimately, Jesus is inviting us to see people the way God’s sees people: with infinite love. This doesn’t mean we don’t discern behaviours as good or bad. It means we learn to go through the “plank-eye process” in which we view our own sin and failings as worse than others, which creates a humility that treats other sinners with mercy (cf. Gal. 6:1; Jas 2:13). Jesus is inviting his followers to quit the judgement game and live into a Kingdom society shaped not by condemnation buthumility, love, and forgiveness.Desired Outcome: To explore our addiction to the judgment game — and challengefolks to view all people the way God sees them: with infinite love.

    33 min
  3. Sermon on the Mount – O Worrier, Consider the Lillies

    JAN 19

    Sermon on the Mount – O Worrier, Consider the Lillies

    Sermon: O Worrier, Consider The Lillies Date: January 18, 2026  Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34 Speaker: George Veith We live in an age of worry. Studies from Statistics Canada tell us that 1 in 4 Canadians report to have moderate to severe anxiety. Gen Z and Millennial Canadians between 18 and 39 years old reported the highest levels of anxiety, loneliness, depression and stress of any age group (33.5 per cent for anxiety, 43.2 per cent for stress, 29.1 per cent for loneliness and 27.7 per cent for feelings of depression). We are in an epidemic of worry, anxiety, and stress.  We face so many issues in day-to-day life that worry and anxiety are par for the course. To not worry seems to be something that only those who do not live in reality can do. What does it mean then to follow Christ’s teaching in this passage regarding worry? Jesus seems to think that we need to change our mindset about the value of worry (v27), change our relationship to possessions (v28), and to trust in the abundance of our Heavenly Father who “knows that you need all these things”(v32). We can abandon our scarcity mindsets because of the one who announces the abundance of God. Abundance, not scarcity, is the mark of God’s Kingdom. But that abundance must be made real through the lives of a people who have discovered that they can trust God and one another. Such trust is not an irrational gesture against the chaos of life, but rather a witness to the very character of God’s care of creation. So it is no wonder that Jesus directs our attention to the lilies to help us see how it is possible to live in joyful recognition that God has given us more than we need.Desired Outcome: To name the reality of our age of worry — and receive the invitation of Jesus to an alternative way of living that trusts in the care of our Heavenly Father.

    31 min

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A weekly Mennonite Church sermon from Douglas Mennonite Church