Welcome to The Sermon Recap , the official podcast of Resurrection Church Ottawa. We're a PCA congregation based in Hintonburg, and each week we share sermons and other teachings to help you stay connected to the gospel wherever you are.
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Psalm 104 invites us to read creation as a testimony to the power, creativity, generosity, and joy of God. From mountains and oceans to grass, animals, the sun, moon, and stars, the astonishing richness of creation reveals the greatness of its Creator. Yet creation is not God, nor does it tell us everything we need to know. Scripture gives us the lens to understand creation rightly, revealing the story of sin, Christ’s redemption, and the promise of a renewed creation. We are called to marvel at what God has made, care for it as his gift, humble ourselves before him, sing his praises, and hope
Psalm 98 calls us to rejoice because God has done marvelous things. The Lord has worked salvation for His people, revealed His righteousness to the nations, and continues to bring salvation and righteous judgment to all peoples. In Christ, the salvation once witnessed by the nations is now offered freely to everyone who believes. As the Lamb who gave His life and the King who will come to judge the earth, Jesus shows us both the mercy and justice of God. And because of what God has done and what He will do, the whole earth is invited to sing a new song, rejoice in His salvation, and praise the
Psalm 92 calls us to praise God for His goodness and trust His perfect plans, even when evil seems to flourish around us. The wicked may appear powerful and successful for a time, but their prosperity is temporary. In contrast, those who belong to the Lord are planted in His presence and will continue to flourish, bearing fruit even into old age. This sermon explores the goodness of the Lord, the foolishness of the wicked, and the flourishing of the righteous, reminding us that true flourishing is found not in worldly success but in being rooted in God. As we look beyond what is happening now
Psalm 25 teaches us how to pray with a heart fully surrendered to God. David begins by lifting up his soul, choosing surrender before solution and asking God to teach and lead him rather than simply bless his own plans. He then lifts up his eyes to remember who God is, finding confidence in His goodness, steadfast love, and faithfulness. As David waits, he lifts up his hope, trusting not in a particular outcome but in the God who remains faithful through every circumstance. Finally, all of this leads to a heart of praise, as we stop trying to write our own story and join the song of the God wh
Psalm 100 calls every nation to joyful worship of the one true God. This message explores the psalm's seven commands, revealing that genuine thanksgiving involves both our actions and our hearts. We give thanks because God is our Creator, our Shepherd, and the One whose goodness, steadfast love, and faithfulness never fail. Even when gratitude doesn't come naturally, we are invited to cultivate thankful hearts through worship, reflection, and service. Ultimately, Psalm 100 points to Jesus Christ, who welcomes people from every nation into God's presence with joy, thanksgiving, and enduring pra
Psalm 103 is a call to remember what we so easily forget: the goodness, mercy, and steadfast love of God. While our hearts naturally dwell on disappointments, failures, and fears, David exhorts his own soul to "forget not all his benefits". This sermon explores how remembering God's grace reshapes our lives, highlighting the priceless gifts of forgiveness, redemption, compassion, and God's fatherly care for His people. Ultimately, these blessings find their fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who secures our forgiveness, welcomes us home to the Father, and invites us to respond with wholehearted wors
Psalm 94 confronts one of the hardest questions we face: what do we do when evil seems to prevail? As injustice, violence, and suffering surround God's people, the psalmist does not call for personal revenge but cries out to the Lord, the God of vengeance, trusting that perfect justice belongs to Him alone. This sermon explores four movements through the psalm: the God of vengeance, lament, wisdom, and discipline. We learn to bring our grief honestly before God, to remember that no evil escapes His sight, and to receive His loving discipline that keeps us from wandering. In Christ, we find the
Psalm 93 is a bold declaration that God reigns over all creation. While the world often feels unstable and the floods of life seem overwhelming, this psalm reminds us that God's throne has never been shaken. This sermon explores three truths from the passage: God rules the world, God rules over trouble, and God rules forever. Whatever storms we face, whether suffering, uncertainty, or loss, they never rise above the authority of our King. Rather than ignoring the reality of pain, Psalm 93 invites us to see it in light of God's unchanging reign. The voices of chaos may be loud, but the Lord is
John 11:29-54 shows us the heart of Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus. He weeps with those who mourn, calls the dead to life, and demonstrates the depth of His love by setting in motion the events that will lead to His own death. This sermon follows three movements from the passage: weep, live, and love. We learn to grieve over sin and death, to receive the new life that only Christ can give, and to rest in the love of the Savior who laid down His life to make us His own. Through the resurrection of Lazarus, we catch a glimpse of the greater resurrection won by Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life.
In Matthew 16:1–12, Jesus warns His disciples to beware of the “leaven” of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Though these two groups were very different, they shared a common problem: both had drifted from God's truth. The Pharisees added to God's Word with man-made rules and traditions, while the Sadducees subtracted from it, reshaping faith to fit their own preferences and priorities. This sermon explores the demand for signs, the danger of false teaching, and why even sincere believers must remain watchful. Jesus points His disciples back to the one sign that matters most: His death and resurrec
In Matthew 15:21–39, Jesus ministers among the Gentiles, revealing the surprising reach of His grace. Through the faith of a desperate Canaanite mother and the healing of a great crowd, we see both the welcome and compassion of Jesus. Though many would have considered these people outsiders, Jesus receives them, responds to their faith, and meets them in their need. This sermon explores the welcome of Jesus and who needs welcoming, as well as the compassion of Jesus and who needs compassion. The passage reminds us that the people who come to Jesus are not the self-sufficient, but the desperate
Clean Hands, Corrupt Hearts In Matthew 15:1–20, Jesus confronts the Pharisees’ focus on outward religion and exposes a deeper problem. While they are concerned with traditions and ceremonial handwashing, Jesus shows that true holiness is not measured by external performance but by the condition of the heart. Through His accusation, response, and teaching, He reveals how easily we can substitute human traditions for genuine obedience to God. This sermon explores the danger of performative religion, the ways we hide behind rituals and appearances, and Jesus’ teaching that sin comes from within.
In Matthew 14:22–36, Jesus comes to His disciples in the middle of a storm, walking on the water and revealing His power over creation. This sermon explores two themes: the power and mercy of Jesus, and the faith and unbelief of the disciples. As the waves overwhelm the disciples and Peter begins to sink, we see that Jesus is not merely displaying His power but using it to rescue His people. The passage reminds us that while our faith may falter, Christ does not lose sight of us. Like Peter, we often find ourselves overwhelmed by fear and doubt, yet Jesus remains faithful to save. The One who
Matthew 14:1-21 places two kingdoms side by side. In Herod’s palace we see the kingdom of this world, marked by pride, corruption, vengeance, and ultimately death in the beheading of John the Baptist. Yet in contrast, we see Jesus welcoming the crowds with compassion, healing the sick, and feeding the five thousand. Through these two scenes, the passage shows us that while the kingdom of this world may appear attractive for a time, it ultimately leads to emptiness and destruction, while the kingdom of heaven brings life, mercy, and lasting blessing. This sermon explores the compassion of Jesus
In Matthew 13:44-58, Jesus tells parables about hidden treasure and a pearl of great price to show that the kingdom of heaven is worth more than anything this world can offer. Some stumble across this treasure unexpectedly, while others spend their lives searching for it, but both are faced with the same question: is Jesus worth giving everything for? This sermon explores the joy of finding Christ, the cost of following Him, and the deep satisfaction found when He becomes our greatest treasure. The passage also contrasts those who respond to Jesus with faith and those who reject Him. While the
In Matthew 13:24-43, Jesus tells three parables that reveal what the kingdom of heaven is like in the midst of a broken world. Through the wheat and the weeds, the mustard seed, and the leaven, we see that God intentionally plants His people in the world, where they grow alongside both opposition and unbelief. Though the kingdom may seem small and hidden at first, Jesus shows that it is alive, growing slowly over time, and ultimately accomplishing His purposes. This sermon explores where Christians are planted, how the kingdom grows, and the final harvest that is still to come. Along the way,
In Matthew 13, Jesus tells the parable of the sower to reveal how people respond to the message of His kingdom. As the seed is scattered, it falls on different kinds of soil, showing how some hear but do not understand, some respond briefly but fall away, and others are slowly choked by the cares of life and the deceitfulness of wealth. This passage helps us see that the real issue is not the seed, but the condition of the heart. This passage explores the role of the sower, the many obstacles that keep the word from taking root, and what it means to become good soil. Jesus calls us not just to
In today’s passage from Matthew 12:38-50, Jesus confronts a generation that keeps asking for more proof while missing what is right in front of them. He points to one ultimate sign, His death and resurrection, calling us to decide what we will do with it. This passage also warns against a partial response to God, where outward change is not matched by a heart filled with His Spirit, leaving us more vulnerable than before. Yet the message does not end in warning. Jesus extends a powerful invitation. Anyone who sees Him for who He is and believes in Him can belong to His family. This episode cal
This passage walks us through the powerful scene of Jesus’ anointing and His entry into Jerusalem, where we are called to see Him for who He truly is and respond with our whole lives. Through Mary’s costly devotion and the contrasting response of Judas, we are confronted with a simple but searching question: what do we truly value, and what are we holding back from Christ? The passage shows us that Jesus is worthy of our fullest worship because He has already given Himself fully for us. We also see the heart of Jesus as He enters Jerusalem, not in force, but in gentleness, knowing He is headin
In Matthew 12, a dramatic healing sparks a deeper question about who Jesus really is. As the crowds wonder and the Pharisees accuse Him of working by evil power, Jesus responds with clarity. He is not aligned with darkness but actively defeating it, binding the strong man and rescuing people from its grip. This passage reveals a spiritual reality we often overlook. There is no neutral ground. We are either with Christ or against Him. This sermon explores the controversy around Jesus’ identity, the clarity He brings about His mission, and the warning and invitation that follow. Our words and re
In Philippians 3, Paul shows how the resurrection of Jesus changes everything. What once counted as gain in his life, his background, his achievements, his righteousness, is now counted as loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. This passage exposes how easily we build our lives on a kind of spiritual resume, either trusting in our goodness or despairing over our failures, and calls us to let go of both. This Easter Sunday sermon explores the great reversal at the heart of the gospel and what it means to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. Through Jesus’ death and r
Isaiah 53 answers one of the most important questions of the Christian faith: what did the cross of Jesus actually accomplish? Today’s sermon walks through four movements in the passage, what Jesus did not have, what He did have, what He did, and what is now available to us. Far from earthly power or beauty, Jesus is described as despised, rejected, and full of sorrow, entering fully into the brokenness of human life and identifying with His people in their pain. Yet this suffering is not meaningless. Jesus bears our griefs, carries our sorrows, and is pierced and crushed for our sin, willingl
Daniel 11 to 12 takes us through a sweeping and intense picture of history, marked by conflict, shifting kingdoms, and ongoing opposition against God’s people. What begins as a detailed account of earthly struggles leads us to a greater horizon, showing that history is not random but moving toward God’s appointed end. In the midst of pressure and uncertainty, God’s people are called to remain faithful, trusting that He is at work even when events seem overwhelming. Yet the message does not end in struggle. It points forward to a decisive moment when God will act, raising the dead, bringing jud
Daniel 10 reveals a reality that is both comforting and unsettling. As Daniel prays and fasts over the struggles of God’s people, God responds, not with silence, but with action. From the very first day Daniel prays, God hears him and sends an answer. Yet what follows shows that there is more happening than we can see. Behind the visible world, there is a spiritual conflict unfolding, where forces of good and evil are at work in ways we rarely consider. This episode explores two key ideas from the passage: revelation, as God makes His will known to His people, and apocalypse, as the veil is li
In Daniel 9, Daniel responds to God’s promise in Scripture by turning to prayer during a time of political upheaval. As he reads that the exile will last seventy years, he humbly confesses the sins of his people, acknowledging their guilt, their refusal to listen to God, their rebellion, and their turning away from His ways. This sermon explores the setting of Daniel’s prayer, the depth of his confession, and the surprising way God answers. Even before Daniel finishes praying, God sends Gabriel with a message, reminding us that the Lord hears His people and that they are precious to Him. Thoug
