Touch the Risen Christ: Five Essentials for Mission

In this sermon Pastor David examines Exodus 20 and Matthew 5 to explore the sixth commandment: "You shall not murder." Jesus expands the command to include anger, insults, and the heart’s intentions. The sermon unpacks four responses to God-given life — taking, hating, saving, and honouring — and points to Christ’s atoning sacrifice as the remedy for our unrighteous anger. As a community committed to honouring God-given life, we look at how we may practise long-lasting forgiveness, radical reconciliation, and loving our neighbour by speaking out for the voiceless and vulnerable of our society.   MAIN TEXT Exodus 20:13 & Matthew 5:21-24   Both Lives Check out this great resource from Both Lives - A pro-women and pro-life movement – imagining a people and place that values the life and health of women and unborn children, and pursues the wellbeing of both. https://www.eauk.org/what-we-do/initiatives/both-lives   SPEAKER David Varney, pastor at Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE   ADVANCE MOVEMENT We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.   LISTEN TO MORE Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foundation-church-belfast/id1599109887   Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6uAXPfwFLdZGmKFlc0jRLX   Deezer https://link.deezer.com/s/30mr8UHtormGRTICQHHkP   Podbean https://foundationchurchbelfast.podbean.com/    Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0d056dc4-313c-4ccf-9064-398b5c0a3b06   YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@foundationchurchbelfast

Some people have said, as go the family, so goes the church. And as goes the church, so goes the nation. This sermon unpacks Exodus 20:12 - the fifth commandment - exploring why God emphasizes honouring parents, how that honour looks across seasons of life (children, adults, elderly).  We also wrestle with what to do when families are broken or authority is abused. The message offers pastoral care, the power of forgiveness, and the gospel promise that honouring family points us to an enduring inheritance in Christ for us and our children.   MAIN TEXT Exodus 20:12   SPEAKER David Varney, pastor at Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE   ADVANCE MOVEMENT We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.   LISTEN TO MORE Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foundation-church-belfast/id1599109887   Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6uAXPfwFLdZGmKFlc0jRLX   Deezer https://link.deezer.com/s/30mr8UHtormGRTICQHHkP   Podbean https://foundationchurchbelfast.podbean.com/    Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0d056dc4-313c-4ccf-9064-398b5c0a3b06   YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@foundationchurchbelfast

In this sermon, Pastor David explains the fourth commandment by showing Sabbath as a gift of rest, a time to receive God’s blessings, and a reason to rejoice. It traces Sabbath from God’s creation-rest to Jesus’ invitation to enter true rest, and explains how Christians observe the Lord’s Day. We consider practical tips—prepare, come hungry, lead your family, and practice reading, singing, talking, and praying—to make the most of the weekly Sabbath.   MAIN TEXT Exodus 20:8-11   SPEAKER David Varney, pastor at Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE   ADVANCE MOVEMENT We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.   LISTEN TO MORE Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foundation-church-belfast/id1599109887   Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6uAXPfwFLdZGmKFlc0jRLX   Deezer https://link.deezer.com/s/30mr8UHtormGRTICQHHkP   Podbean https://foundationchurchbelfast.podbean.com/    Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0d056dc4-313c-4ccf-9064-398b5c0a3b06   YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@foundationchurchbelfast

This sermon unpacks the third commandment, showing it is not just about avoiding crude oaths but about not misusing God’s name in vows, lies, false prophecy, or everyday speech. David explains how God’s personal name (Yahweh) calls for reverence and warns of the seriousness of blasphemy. Using three essential steps—the law (to reveal sin), the gospel (Jesus’ substitution and forgiveness), and the Spirit (new desires and power)—the message gives practical guidance for believers in how to speak, act, and think in ways that honour God.   MAIN TEXT Exodus 20:7   SPEAKER David Varney, pastor at Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE   ADVANCE MOVEMENT We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.   LISTEN TO MORE Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foundation-church-belfast/id1599109887   Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6uAXPfwFLdZGmKFlc0jRLX   Deezer https://link.deezer.com/s/30mr8UHtormGRTICQHHkP   Podbean https://foundationchurchbelfast.podbean.com/    Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0d056dc4-313c-4ccf-9064-398b5c0a3b06   YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@foundationchurchbelfast

In this sermon on Exodus 20:4–6, Matt explains the second commandment and warns against creating carved images or reshaping God to fit our preferences. Using Old Testament examples and the message of Christ’s grace, he urges believers to worship God as He has revealed Himself—through Scripture, obedience, humility, and faith.   MAIN TEXT Exodus 20:1-6   SPEAKER Matt Adams, member of Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE   ADVANCE MOVEMENT We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.   LISTEN TO MORE Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foundation-church-belfast/id1599109887   Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6uAXPfwFLdZGmKFlc0jRLX   Deezer https://link.deezer.com/s/30mr8UHtormGRTICQHHkP   Podbean https://foundationchurchbelfast.podbean.com/    Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0d056dc4-313c-4ccf-9064-398b5c0a3b06   YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@foundationchurchbelfast

This episode introduces a 10-week series on the Ten Commandments, exploring their origin in Exodus and their ongoing relevance. It explains that the commandments are given to a people already freed by God and emphasizes living under grace, not law. Focusing on the first commandment, the Pastor David examines who God is, why worship belongs to Him alone, and how we respond by living in joyful obedience and freedom through Christ.   MAIN TEXT Exodus 20:1-17   SPEAKER David Varney, pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE   ADVANCE MOVEMENT We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.   LISTEN TO MORE Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foundation-church-belfast/id1599109887   Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6uAXPfwFLdZGmKFlc0jRLX   Deezer https://link.deezer.com/s/30mr8UHtormGRTICQHHkP   Podbean https://foundationchurchbelfast.podbean.com/    Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0d056dc4-313c-4ccf-9064-398b5c0a3b06   YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@foundationchurchbelfast

This sermon explores Psalm 27, emphasizing God’s offer of intimacy. We can know God as our light, salvation, and fortress. We think through how Jesus and the Holy Spirit make God’s presence available to us and why drawing near to God brings courage amid trials. Practical steps are offered for deepening that intimacy: corporate worship, personal devotional time, and small-group community. The message closes with an encouragement to wait patiently, be brave, and trust in the Lord.     MAIN TEXT Psalm 27   SPEAKER David Varney, pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE   ADVANCE MOVEMENT We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.   LISTEN TO MORE Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foundation-church-belfast/id1599109887   Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6uAXPfwFLdZGmKFlc0jRLX   Deezer https://link.deezer.com/s/30mr8UHtormGRTICQHHkP   Podbean https://foundationchurchbelfast.podbean.com/    Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0d056dc4-313c-4ccf-9064-398b5c0a3b06   YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@foundationchurchbelfast

In the final message of Foundation Church Belfast’s summer–autumn series The Spirit of Mission, David opens Luke 24:36–49 and lays out five essentials for a successful mission: the truth the vision the message the call the power The message covers the eyewitness reality of the risen Christ, how Jesus fulfills the law and prophets, the gospel’s call to repentance and forgiveness, and the commission to go in Spirit-empowered boldness. The episode closes with a time of reflection and prayer, inviting listeners to respond—seeking conviction, clarity, courage, and the empowering presence of God for mission.   MAIN TEXT Luke 24:36-49   SPEAKER David Varney, pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE   ADVANCE MOVEMENT We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.   LISTEN TO MORE Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foundation-church-belfast/id1599109887   Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6uAXPfwFLdZGmKFlc0jRLX   Deezer https://link.deezer.com/s/30mr8UHtormGRTICQHHkP   Podbean https://foundationchurchbelfast.podbean.com/    Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0d056dc4-313c-4ccf-9064-398b5c0a3b06   YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@foundationchurchbelfast

Jesus warns his hearers to make every effort to go through the narrow door and enter into the banquet he has prepared for us. Expect biblical teaching, pastoral application, and encouragement for those who feel like outsiders—an invitation to humble repentance, trust in Jesus, and a life of devoted following as the path into God’s feast.   MAIN TEXT Luke 13:22-30   SPEAKER David Varney, pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE   ADVANCE MOVEMENT We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.   LISTEN TO MORE Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foundation-church-belfast/id1599109887   Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6uAXPfwFLdZGmKFlc0jRLX   Deezer https://link.deezer.com/s/30mr8UHtormGRTICQHHkP   Podbean https://foundationchurchbelfast.podbean.com/    Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0d056dc4-313c-4ccf-9064-398b5c0a3b06   YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@foundationchurchbelfast

This sermon from the Spirit of Mission summer series, focuses on Luke 12 and Jesus’ teaching about his second coming (parousia). Jesus teaches on four pathways of readiness: the call to readiness, the lifestyle of readiness, the failure of readiness, the benefits of readiness. Check out the Discipleship Project Bible Plan:  https://foundationchurchbelfast.com/the-discipleship-project/   MAIN TEXT Luke 12:35-48   SPEAKER David Varney, pastor Foundation Church Belfast   FOUNDATION CHURCH BELFAST Every Sunday 10:30am - 2d Knockwood Crescent, Belfast, BT5 6GE   ADVANCE MOVEMENT We are part of the Advance Movement of churches and the wider Newfrontiers family.   LISTEN TO MORE Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/foundation-church-belfast/id1599109887   Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6uAXPfwFLdZGmKFlc0jRLX   Deezer https://link.deezer.com/s/30mr8UHtormGRTICQHHkP   Podbean https://foundationchurchbelfast.podbean.com/    Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/0d056dc4-313c-4ccf-9064-398b5c0a3b06   YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@foundationchurchbelfast