The Hidden Danger of a Joyless Church

·38 min·3 clips

Pastor Harrison reveals Jesus's prayer for believers to have his full joy before facing crucifixion.

This episode is a sermon from the Kingdom Church Podcast, part of the 'Church on Fire' series, where Pastor Harrison addresses the danger of a joyless church. He begins by reading John 17:13-19, where Jesus prays for his followers to have the full measure of his joy before his crucifixion. Harrison introduces three main points: joy, being planted, and being sent. He explains that joy should be the birthmark of a believer, contrasting it with counterfeit joy from peer pressure or bad theology. The enemy seeks to steal joy, as seen in John 10:10. Harrison discusses how generations often respond to previous ones, with some seeking joy in doing and others in stopping, but true joy comes from entering Jesus's mission of laying down one's life. He references D.L. Moody's quote that 'God never uses a discouraged man.' The second point focuses on being planted, emphasizing that God plants believers in church and family for growth and sanctification, not perfection. Harrison shares personal insights about his need to be understood and how sanctification occurs in community. The third point is about being sent; sanctification prepares believers for mission, as illustrated by the upcoming 'Invite the City' event where the church will invite people in St. Albert to Easter services. Harrison uses Hebrews 12 to frame hardship as discipline that produces righteousness. The sermon ends with an altar call for salvation and sending, praying for a harvest through obedience.

As heard by us

A John 17 sermon that links joy, sanctification, and church purpose to sharing in Christ's mission.

Pastor Harrison frames a joyless church as a church confused about acceptance and about what Jesus' mission requires. Working from John 17:13-19 as Jesus moves toward the cross, the sermon connects joy first to receiving Christ's message, then to sharing in his mission through a…

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Want a sermon that asks why "just rest" cannot carry a church's joy?

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