Living Faith - Sermons: Recent Episodes
Living Faith Bible Fellowship
Living Faith Bible Fellowship in Tampa, FL is a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-generational, gospel-centered community that desires to look like Jesus. We want everything we do to point people to Jesus because trusting him as Savior and following him as Lord has changed our lives. We know he will do the same for you.
We're starting a new sermon series to kick off 2025! In the first sermon in the series, Pastor D explores the importance God places on human work as shown to us in the Garden of Eden narrative in the book of Genesis.
Even as our dark night experiences are emotionally straining, by his word Christ shows us that our weakness has an important theological purpose: to showcase his strength in our weakness. When we internalize this word from Christ, our souls are not only healed in our troubles, but we are brought to praise. Our lament is transformed into hymns of rejoicing.
If dark nights of sin and suffering are truly grace in disguise, how do we find hope in the midst of tremendous seasons of hardship that can feel unbearable and seem meaningless?
Sin is a subject that we often want to avoid. Ignoring it may be just as big of a problem as committing it. There is great danger in ignoring sin in our lives but there is unsurpassed joy to be found in repentance.
In response to our dark night experience, Christ does not simply promise to eradicate those difficulties, but instead invites us to himself to learn from him and acquire his character in an apprentice relationship. This is an invitation to discipleship, where we take on the humble character of Christ.
Our difficult and challenging experiences are often referred to as a “dark night” when the effect of them leads to discouragement and places our faith at risk. Even though there is real spiritual peril in the dark night experience, we are usually led into them by God for our spiritual growth. So then, dark nights are actually grace in disguise, and God’s word exhorts us to rejoice in the spiritual benefit that difficulty produces in us.
God’s economy is not based on human effort but is instead entirely fueled by divine grace. In the provocative Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, Jesus shows God gracious generosity to those who need him and respond to his call to the kingdom. This is particularly encouraging for those who feel that God’s grace has passed them by. Jesus is clear that far from that, grace is for those who most don’t deserve it think they have missed it. Grace is sweetest when it surprises those who think there is no hope.
God’s vision for the church is grounded in his calling her to be a theological statement about his own glory and wisdom. Indeed, the power of the gospel is seen most keenly in the character of the church. Because of this grand purpose, Christ himself supplies his church with the resources to change the saints into servants with hearts like his so they can serve one another, helping the church to grow into unity and a greater experience of himself.
The Scriptures are the single most important literary resource for the Christian. Yet statistically, many seem to only experience the sacred words of God in an unmethodical way. In a world of constant devices gnawing at our spirit man/woman, we see that the greatest antidote is not based on a set of rules or practices but on how the scriptures help bolster the Christian into true human flourishing. This flourishing does not come without risk, tension, and even loss (at times). We see vividly in our text, “All Scripture is God Breathed,” which not only supports the authenticity of God's voice in history but also the power to speak authoritatively in such a way that you and I can experience true redemption both in this life and in the eschaton (end times).
Sacred spaces and practices, such as temples or churches, and the ways we serve God there, help us to both encounter and understand the distinctive holiness of God. Sacred spaces enable us to approach God properly, and more than that, as embodied human beings they provide us with concrete ways to experience and worship him.
2 Chronicles 16:9 tells us that the Lord relentlessly searches the earth to give His strength to those who are fully committed to Him. What does it look like to be one of those who the Lord will find to be whole-heartedly committed? The 41 year reign of King Asa recorded in 2 Chronicles 14-16 helps answer that question by providing helpful examples of both faithfulness and failure that are worth examining.
The reality of the judgment is something every Christian should be mindful of, and all of Christian ministry is intended to prepare us for that day. In our passage, Paul prays for his Philippian readers to be ready for that by developing discernment or the ability to practically approve spiritual excellence.
Despite the good faculties God has given human beings as his image bearers, human giftedness and wisdom are not sufficient faculties for understanding God's values and aims in this world. We can only adequately understand the gospel and its implications for us through the enlightening and teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit.
The key to being a transformational church is having a gospel culture that is grounded in the priority of peace that leads to expressions of praise and gratitude.
Reverend Rob continues our Grow & Discern sermon series with a message that reminds us who we are and what our fashion choices should say about that.
Despite the common experience of Christians struggling with sin, we are assured by God’s word that we can practically defeat sin. That doesn’t mean that we will be sinless, but by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, sin can be weakened and utterly put to death in the life of the Christian.
If we are going to move beyond spiritual mediocrity, we must take the essential step of "cleaning house" in our lives, those things which detract from the Lord's preeminent place. As we make those necessary changes, we begin to experience spiritual flourishing.
Though spiritual community and relationships are essential to our spiritual growth, we need to cultivate our direct and personal reliance on the Lord through the practice of solitude. God is calling us into a quiet and restful relationship with him, which is how we gain increased confidence in his ability to deliver us from the many things that threaten our faith and our lives. Practicing sacred solitude helps us to feel that keenly and genuinely.
Our brother Luther Fleury blessed us with a sermon on the spiritual discipline of fasting. When seeking God, fasting is either 1) used to cultivate humility or 2) performed organically out of an inner state of lowliness and/or godly sorrow. It is all at once, a tool, a response, and a sign, that reinforces our ongoing reliance on God.
Despite having ample evidence and knowledge of the power of prayer available to us as believers, why do so many of us fall short of the prayer life that God wants to have with us? Rev Rob Weyand explores King David's prayer example shown to us in the Psalms as we continue our "Grow & Discern" sermon series.
It is normal for followers of Christ to find themselves in difficult circumstances, but it is also normal for God to deliver them out of those circumstances. Biblically we see this is one of the ways he proves his commitment to his people. In this sermon, Pastor D shows us how earnest prayer is God's prescribed way of unleashing his deliverance presence and power.
In our latest Grow & Discern sermon, Pastor D looks at a problem many of us struggle with: anxiety. Though it is a common problem, it can also be a soul-threatening problem. The Lord does not intend for us to be bound up in excessive and debilitating worry. His prescription for anxiety is prayer. Prayer in anticipation of our being heard and answered - prayer that is a spiritual balm to the heart and mind.
The power of God's word to change us into Christlikeness is only unleashed when we live by it. This will only happen when we are motivated by a genuine love for God which then leads to meditating on his word, soaking it into our souls. But it is not enough to know this principle - we must also have a plan for practicing it in our daily lives.
Pastor Randall shares a Palm Sunday message of hope about a coming King. We rejoice because our King is a righteous and victorious one!
Out of our longing for Christ, his gospel, and people, God intends to grow us into a glorious house in which he will dwell in this broken world. Our loving relationships and the service we bring to one another and the world will display to those who see in us the power of another world entirely.
We continue our "Grow & Discern" sermon series with Pastor D explaining how confidence is essential to the Christian life and is fundamental to our spiritual growth. We need to be confident of who we are in Christ and able to develop that confidence by taking the necessary actions with the right mindset that moves us toward Christlikeness.
The very presence of Christ is the source and aim of our Christian growth, and in all the activities and practices he has called us into, what are often called sacraments, Christ is present in them. That presence in our lives is most expressed in Christ’s Lordship in our lives.
The Holy Spirit warned believers to guard their faith so that they would avoid being carried away by false teaching or negative influences that could lead to spiritual ruin. Pastor Randall shows us how this involves not only being vigilant to guard our hearts but is also a charge to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If staying in a state of spiritual immaturity is a mortal threat to the faith of Christians, how then do we move forward into maturity? Pastor D continues our "Grow & Discern" sermon series with a message that is meant to challenge and encourage us toward the goal of spiritual maturity.
Pastor D kicks off the Grow & Discern sermon series that will be our focus for 2024. In order to grow in our faith, we must recognize that spiritual immaturity is a mortal threat to Christians - it is vital that we recognize that we will drift away from God if we are not continually growing closer to him.
Pastor Randall examines Jesus' conversation with the paralytic at the healing pools of Bethesda. Specifically, we look at Jesus' question to the man: "Do you want to be healed?"
Do you feel like you are in a period of drought? Do you feel that God is distant? Pastor D reminds us that our God is relentlessly pursuing us! He is calling us into a wholly new reality of spirit and truth.
We have begun a new and brief sermon series called "Heart to Heart with Jesus: 3 Conversations that Change Everything." Pastor D takes us through the conversation that Jesus has with the Pharisee Nicodemus who is an example of an "almost Christian." We dive into the call to abandon religiosity to instead live a truly new life in Christ.
We continue our Advent season journey with a look at how the Word became the embodiment of divine empathy among us.
"In the beginning was the Word..." Pastor D shows us four revelations of Light through John's opening statement of his gospel.
Believers will have their faith tested. Pastor D takes us through Jesus' words to exhort us to live faithfully regardless of our circumstances.
A powerful message from Pastor D that examines the faith journey we all travel, from the "dark night of the soul" to a faith that delivers, heals, and saves.
Our brother Fenol Dera examines the categorization of "evangelical" and offers his own definition as we dive deeper into our "Who Is This Man, Jesus?" sermon series.
Pastor Randall delivers a powerful word as we look at the familiar story of Jesus healing the paralyzed man with fresh eyes and ears.
Continuing our series, we examine the words of Jesus and dissect what he meant when he tells the Pharisees to "go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'"
If we only have what Jesus did on the cross, then we don't have all of Christ. Pastor D takes us to the gospel of Luke to unpack for us both a promise of what Jesus is doing for us, and also a promise of what he's calling us into.
We start a new sermon series this week, returning to a focus on Jesus. By looking at the question, "Who is this man, Jesus?" we are looking to profile the identity of those who follow him. Join us as we study how Jesus is both a mirror and a goal for us - what it looks like for us to actively participate in his life.
Our brother, Fenol Dera, brings the final message of our Ruth sermon series. As the story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz comes to a close, we see a picture of faithfulness. We also see how their righteousness is used by God to bring about the promised Messiah.
Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz all show us how God uses the faithfully obedient to bless and provide for others. Pastor Randall examines the three main characters of this "gospel" and encourages us on our own faithful life journeys.
As the story of Ruth unfolds, Pastor Randall shows us how we can see God's incredible generosity and faithfulness to those who pursue his standard of righteousness.
Pastor Darryl Williamson begins a new 4-part sermon series with a look at how Ruth and Naomi's love and loyalty for each other is a picture of a loving God that will never leave us, even in times of great difficulty.
Pastor D wraps up our study of Titus with an in-depth look at Paul's exhortation that closes his letter: "Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives."
Using Paul's letter to Titus as a template, our brother Justin Luttrull guides is through reflection on who we were and who we are becoming through the lens of God's kindness and love.
Our fractured world pushes back on authority and the idea that someone outside of you can speak into your life. Pastor Randall continues our Titus series by showing us how the revealed glory of God in his Son, Jesus, transforms lives and offers us hope through his grace.
Pastor Randall continues our series in Titus. He shows us how Paul's letter to Titus is meant to remind us that the people of God are meant to be a community built on and shaped by sound doctrine.
Paul's letter to Titus as he ministers to the people of Crete shows us that our faith is meant to flourish, even in fractured times.
Paul's letter to Titus gives us an overview as to what kinds of character a leader in the church should have. Pastor D adds detail to this as we continue our study of Titus.
Part 2 of Pastor D's intro to our sermon series in Titus. This is a further examination of how the church should look in the midst of 'interesting' times.
Cohost of the Southside Rabbi podcast and our brother Ameen Hudson brings us the final message in our Team God sermon series titled "God Wins." Ameen takes us through a few passages from the John's Revelation to show us how Team God will ultimately triumph over Satan and the deceivers.
In the penultimate sermon of our Team God series, Pastor D defines what strongholds are, how they are formed, and how we can work with the Holy Spirit to break free of their grip.
What does Paul mean when he implores us to put on the full armor of God? Pastor D leads us through this well-known passage as we examine how to stand against the powers in our continuation of the Team God series.
On Mother's Day, Pastor Randall shares how the faithfulness of the early church mothers provides for us a pattern for parenting and discipleship. We look to their lives as a way of pushing back against the schemes of Team Condemned as we continue our Team God series.
Pastor D brings us his third installment of his Team God sermon series where we zoom in on who makes up our opposition, specifically focusing on the rulers and powers of darkness mentioned in Paul's exhortation to the church at Ephesus. Listen in as we learn more on what it means for us to put on the full armor of God, the one who has made a spectacle and mockery of the devil's schemes.
Last week we looked at the roster of "Team God." In this week's sermon, Pastor D shows us the roster of the team we're playing against. This organization of devils is doing everything they can to thwart the purposes of God and his people, and Pastor D zooms in on 7 ways they try to attack!
We're kicking off a new sermon series titled Team God. This week Pastor D sets the stage for where we're going as he presents to us how God is the ultimate team player.
He is risen! On Easter Sunday, we celebrate our Savior who conquered sin and death. Pastor D shows us how we, as Christ followers, participate in his death and resurrection.
On Palm Sunday, Pastor Randall reminds us that our faith is not just for Sundays, but is to fill and affect every aspect of our lives. We look at Mary as an example: her faith was sincere, her love extravagant, and her devotion undeniable.
This is our final week in our sermon series titled "The United Church." Pastor Darryl Williamson wraps up this excellence series with an exhortation from Paul's letter to the church at Colossae and the call to action that this has on our lives as Christ-followers.
Pastor D is back in the pulpit with a lesson on gardening from Paul's letter to the Romans. This is a sobering call to be discerning as we cultivate the community around us.
As our series on The United Church continues, Pastor Randall explains what "fruits" we should expect to see growing out of Christ's love that unites our congregation and the global church body.
Darin Anderson, Lead Pastor at Oakwood Community Church, is our guest pastor this week. As a co-laborer at a church in Tampa, he continues in our series on The United Church by looking at Paul's letter to the Ephesians and what mature Christians' role in Christ's body looks like.
You might have heard the saying, "No Christ, no peace; know Christ, know peace." Pastor Darryl adds some clarity around what "peace" means particularly in the context of Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus as we continue our series called "The United Church."
We're continuing in our series titled "The United Church" which is a deep look at Jesus' vision for the church. Building on this theme, we examine the idea of our calling to be beautiful.
Disunity has become an epidemic within American churches. Yet the vision of unity is core to the very purpose and identity of the church! Pastor Darryl walks us through how Living Faith Bible Fellowship can pursue unity within our community that lasts because our unity proves that Christ is Lord.
Pastor Darryl wraps up his "Reset" sermon series with a message drawn from the book of Leviticus. Together we look at the Year of Jubilee and explore how the character of the Jubilee is to be the character of our church.
In the second sermon in our Reset mini series, Pastor D gives us the map of where Living Faith Bible Fellowship is going with God in our community. We want to be a church that righteously stamps out poverty in our pews and in the neighborhood around us so that generational bonds can be broken and flourishing can take place. Disclaimer: Pastor D is NOT a socialist.
We jump into a brief new sermon series to kick off 2023! As we look to the coming year at Living Faith Bible Fellowship, Pastor D encourages us to look back at God's faithfulness and to then begin to dream about what that will look like as we humbly work to make much of His name in our community.
We've finished our journey through the Sermon on the Mount, but we're still looking at Jesus' ministry while he was here as a man. This week, Pastor Randall examines the story of a man who had leprosy that came to Jesus for healing and what a model that is for us.
This is the final sermon from our "What a Way to Live!" series. Tying in to last week's sermon, Pastor D continues to examine Jesus' Sermon on the Mount to prepare us for awaits us on the day of Christ's judgment.
As we near the end of our journey through the Sermon on the Mount, Pastor D walks us through a very compelling message of what the Judgment Day will look like for us all.
Our souls are shaped by the things we surrounds ourselves with. Social media, news outlets, friends - these are some of the many things that influence who we are and who we are becoming. Pastor D gives us a timely and prophetic challenge to take care to mind who and what we are allowing to influence our discipleship.
Have you ever looked at your life in comparison to the life Jesus is calling you to and asked, "Can I really change?"
Ask. Seek. Knock. Trust. A powerful message from Pastor D with a compelling prompt to unleash the power of prayer.
Pastor Randall takes us through a difficult passage as we continue our journey through Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in our "What a Way to Live!" sermon series.
"How dare you judge me?!" Has anyone ever replied to you like this? Have you ever said something similar? We often like to point to Jesus' words on judging others from the Sermon on the Mount, but are we doing so correctly? Pastor Randall leads us through this commonly cited passage in this week's teaching.
Sometimes it is easier to treat the symptoms rather than the root cause of the problem. Our brother Fenol digs into Jesus' teaching on how we can move past temporary relief from our anxieties and pains, trusting Him with our lives.
Indeed, Jesus tells his audience that you cannot love God and money. But money is just one of many 'masters' warring for our love rather than our heavenly Father. Our hermano Rafy Amador takes us deep into this examination of Matthew 6:24 as we continue our "Way a Way to Live" sermon series.
What does Jesus mean when he tells the gathered crowd that "the eye is the lamp of the body"? Pastor Darryl connects last week's message about treasure with Jesus' teaching on developing eyes that perceive His kingdom.
How do we discern if our faith is authentic or performative? Jesus speaks about this in his Sermon on the Mount and Pastor D unpacks this question for us as we look specifically at the spiritual discipline of fasting.
In Luke's gospel Jesus says, "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." In our continuing "What a Way to Live!" sermon series, Pastor D explores the idea that in God's economy repentance is seen as more valuable than even righteousness.
Pastor Randall adds to last week's sermon on Right Prayer to dig into how Jesus taught us - His disciples - to pray.
God has called us to know Him fully, and we can't do that without prayer. Pastor Randall continues our "What a Way to Live" study of the Sermon on the Mount by helping us examine why we must cultivate a disciplined focus on prayer and how we should go about it.
Do we think about the reward we will receive in heaven? As we continue walking through the Sermon on the Mount, Pastor D helps us see that God pays! His good, righteous, and holy character is the assurance that our faith and works are an investment in an eternal future.
"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Pastor D explores what Jesus' command to "be perfect" means for us as we pursue a life with Him.
By this all people will know that you are my disciples... What makes a Christian a Christian? Pastor D walks us through the Scriptures to answer this question as we continue in our "What a Way to Live!" preaching series.
Pastor Randall continues our sermons series from the sermon from the mount with a message from Matthew 5:17-21
Pastor Darryl continues our sermons series from the sermon from the mount with a message from Matthew 5:17-21
Pastor Darryl continues our sermons series from the sermon from the mount with a message from Matthew 5:13-16
Pastor Darryl continues our sermons series from the sermon from the mount with a message from Matthew 5:10-12
Pastor Darryl continues our sermons series from the sermon from the mount with a message from Matthew 5:9
Pastor Darryl continues our sermons series from the sermon from the mount with a message from Matthew 5:7-8
Pastor Darryl continues our sermons series from the sermon from the mount with a message from Matthew 5:3-6
Pastor Darryl introduces our new series "What a Way to Live!: Living like you know Jesus and have been changed by Him."
Pastor Randall leads us in a message, "The Gift of the Son of God," from Luke 2:41-52, will look at Jesus' awareness of His identity and mission as a child and see how they fueled obedience and commitment to mission, even at an early age.
We hope that you had a joyous and grace-filled Christmas Day of celebration! Please join us this morning for the message, "The Promise of a Savior," from Luke 1:46-55 with Pastor Randall
Join us for today's message from Isa 40:1-11 is “Advent Reminds That God Will Show Up.” with Pastor Randall
Pastor Darryl continues our series in the book of Esther with a sermon from Chapter 4, titled A life and a Church that matters.
Pastor Darryl continues our series in the book of Esther with a sermon from chapters 2-3 titled Grace in a Dry Land.
Pastor Darryl kicks off our new sermon series in the book of Esther in Chapter 1 with a sermon titled Hidden Presence: God's silence need not mean he isn't speaking.
Our brother Fenol, preaches from Psalm 1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law[b] of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
Pastor Darryl preaches from Hebrews Chapter 3. Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.
Pastor Darryl Williamson continues our sermon series with a sermon from John 3:3-8 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God ....”
Pastor Darryl continues our series with a message from John 1:29 titled Behold the Lamb.
Our brother Ameen Hudson preaches a powerful sermon from John 17:15-19 as he has us consider how we ought to engage the world and culture around us with a redemptive God-given purpose.
Minister Jon Aragon continues our sermon series with a message from Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.
Pastor Darryl Williamson continues our sermon series with a word from Colossians 3:18-21
Pastor Darryl Williamson continues our Christ among us series with a sermon titled Loved by God, Love like God
Pastor Darryl Williamson continues in our Christ Among Us series with a message from Ephesians 1:18-20
Pastor Darryl Williamson begins our new series "Christ Among Us" with a message from 1 Peter 1:13. Orthodoxy is not so much the expression of true belief, it is the reality of it, and the experience and reflection of it. Truth is not known by stating it, but by living it. A living truth is the only real orthodoxy, dead truth is a lie.
Jon Aragón concludes our mini-series in the book of Acts by reminding us of this multiethnic community and the ways they loved and served one another. The goal and aim was for them to be filled with the spirit for the purpose of mission.
Pastor Darryl Williamson preaches this Easter Sunday sermon on Jesus being alive from Luke 24
Pastor Darryl Williamson continues our preaching series in the books of Acts with a message from Acts 2:22-24
KB (Kevin Burgess) Preaches on Acts 2:1-13 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Pastor Randall continues our series in the books of Acts as we look at Acts 1:15-26 15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.
Pastor Randall continues our series in the book of Acts with chapters 1:12-14.
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
Pastor Darryl Williamson continues our sermon series in the book of Acts in chapter 1 verses 9-11
Pastor Darryl begins our new series titled "The Spirit of Mission" in the book of Acts.
Acts 1:2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
Jon Aragón speaks about how God can be our hope in the wilderness. We should all feel unsettled right now. Let’s be clear, we denounce all forms of racism, white supremacy, Christian nationalism, and all forms of bigotry and hate. All those things are anti-god, anti-gospel, anti-everything that is good, pure, holy, and beautiful. And I know you’re all grieved, as am I. We’ve seen the news, pictures, videos… We need a word this morning.
This morning we see that our hope is Him while we’re in the wilderness. Deuteronomy 8:1-3 Whatever your situational circumstance. As a community, I urge you to stay engaged as we're all navigating our own fashioned deserts but also corporately as we navigate this much larger cultural desert filled wilderness with so much hate, violence, and systemic evils.
Pastor Darryl helps us being the new year as we reflect on Matthew 16:21-27 with the Right Expectations
Pastor Darryl has us reflect on Joshua 1:1-11 Games Changer: The Conditions that Unleash the Promises & Purposes of Grace
Pastor Darryl continues our Mission Heights Series in the book of Nehemiah 9:36-38. The title of this sermon is Becoming Whole: Redemption & Restoration by the Power of God.
Pastor Dave continues our Mission Heights Series in the book of Nehemiah 8:1-12. The title of this sermon is The Wall is Done but the People are Still Incomplete
Pastor Darryl continues our Mission Heights Series in the book of Nehemiah Nehemiah 5:1-11. The title of this sermon is Gospel Mission & Vulnerable Families
Pastor Randall continues our Mission Heights Series in the book of Nehemiah Nehemiah 4:15-23. The title of this sermon is Engage: Laboring at the Work
Pastor Darryl continues our Mission Heights Series in the book of Nehemiah 2:17-18. The title of this sermon is The Call to the Wall
Pastor Darryl continues our Mission Heights Series in the book of Nehemiah Chapter 1. The title of this sermon is Revival
Pastor Darryl begins our new Mission Heights Series in the book of Nehemiah Chapter 1. The title of this sermon is Hurt for the Work.
Pastor Darryl has us reflect on Psalm 23. The title of this sermon is His Presence in Life's deep adversities
Pastor Randall has us reflect on Exodus 33:12-23. The title of this sermon is The Goodness and Glory of God
Pastor Darryl continues our series in the book of Jonah as we reflect on Jonah 1:4-16. The title of this sermon is Your Sin Problem is More Than Your Problem
Pastor Darryl Williamson begins our new series in the book of Jonah titled "God's Heart for the Guilty" today he begins the series in Jonah 1:1-3. Grace to you as you listen.
In this passage in Luke 5:12-13 Pastor Dave Saville helps us see a man who is the living embodiment of need having an encounter with another who is the living embodiment of willing, and in His willingness, Jesus shows us not only His heart but the very heart of God because this is the Christian message. That God has come to be with us and to do all that is necessary for us to gain relationship with Him. God has come to show us through Jesus what He is lilke.
Minister Marc Diaz reminds us that love at its foundation is commitment. He preaches on John 15:9–17. Being in Jesus means abiding in his love and obeying his commandments. This love and those commandments are so intertwined that they cannot be separated.
In our passage, Peter is ending his epistle with an admonition and encouragement. The call to humility in verse 6 connects this section to the one prior. Wrap yourself in humility knowing that suffering and trials are in the hand of God.”
KB concludes our Home Life Series in the book of Colossians with Chapter 4: 1 "Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven."
KB continues our series in Colossians 3:22–25. In Colossians 3, the household codes were systematically opposed to the construct and institution of that day. Paul is constantly disrupting and revolutionizing the norms of the Roman culture that surrounded him through the Kingdom reality.
Obeying your parents is one way God lets you practice for a lifetime of deepening obedience to God. Deepening obedience isn’t supposed to be a constant, absolute grind. The verse says ‘this pleases the Lord.’ It deepens pleasure with him.
The Bible takes the world’s view of marriage and the household and redeems it, and shows that the home and marriage look different when lived for the glory of God.
We do not drift into sanctification. It doesn’t happen if we do nothing. The world, the flesh, and the devil battle against our faith every day. So Paul is exhorting the Colossians to give themselves to a life devoted to Christ.
Paul is talking about corporate prayer in this passage. Of course, he would’ve supported a private prayer closet. But he’s talking here about praying together. A hunger for prayer is a hunger for God. A thirsting for prayer is a thirsting for God. There is no yearning for him without a yearning for prayer, and especially a yearning for prayer with the people of God.
Jon Aragon continues ends our series in Revelation 5 — It’s one thing to wonder if someone else’s freedom is worth fighting for. But when you identify with that someone and commune with them, that’s when it’s no longer a question. You fight and you press ahead. Is that not what God did for you and for me? Christ’s worthiness is connected to what he did. To the world, a slain lamb looks like failure, but not to us. Why would you want to identify with weakness, a lamb? The cross of Christ is foolishness to a fallen world. God will use weakness to shame the proud.
John writes Rev. 4 pastorally to hurting people, to people up to their eyeballs dealing with culture and their own sin. They need a window into some greater reality that is meant to affect their hearts and not just tickle their imagination.
This letter from Jesus is a highly contextualized letter to the church in Laodicea. But we get through this letter what a truly successful church looks like and what it doesn’t look like. In so many ways, this letter is a church revitalization letter.
Pastor Darryl Williamson continues our series in Revelation — We need more than apologetics to be faithful. If you’re going to be faithful, you’ll need more than just answers and winning debates. You’ll need something more personal.
One of the key tenets to a victorious Christian life is not being distracted by the various voices and faces that are all around you, including the internal voice of your own heart. You must raise your sight above the sight line of this world to hear and discern God’s voice.
Pastor Dave Saville continues our series in Revelation and preaches from Ch. 3:1-6.
Repentance is obedience. It’s not all of obedience by itself, but repentance is obedience. The first step is to repent and to keep on repenting.
The church can wound us badly, whether on purpose or unwittingly. Yet Jesus is saying here, 'Keep going. You’re still learning how to love, how to be patient. Stay together. This is my plan.'
If we're going to be witnesses to the world, we can no longer be on the sidelines of issues like justice and race. The church should be concerned about justice because God is a just God who cares for the widow, the orphan, the poor, the unborn, the oppressed, and the immigrant
Lament is good for our faith as we take our troubles, our fears, and our difficulties to the Lord. It was in times like these that the psalmist cried out to God. When times bring us to our knees, Yahweh is our only hope for deliverance and salvation.
We don’t value smallness—in the church, outside the church, etc. We value strength, influence, talents, ability, money. But there are some aspects of God’s grace that we can’t know outside of real vulnerability. There are some graces that are reserved for the weak and the broken.
Slander is violence, verbal violence. It diminishes the social capital of people. You bring them down in the minds and hearts of others. You encourage people to withdraw from them. Not only that, slander assaults the soul. Jesus qualifies all slander as the devil’s work(Rev. 2:9)
Pastor Darryl Williamson begins our new series in Revelation 2:1–7 “The scariest human situation in all of Scripture and human reality is what we can call ‘deceived righteousness’—when I look at myself and perceive a sort of righteousness, and others look at me and see righteousness, but God looks at me and sees self-righteousness.” Pastor Darryl
Minister Jon Aragón gives us a fuller character sketch of “doubting” Thomas (spoiler: he wasn’t a one-dimensional doubter, but so much more), how Jesus met him in his doubt, and how that led him into mission. He exhorts us to experience Jesus and to allow that to propel us into His mission.
Minister Marc Diaz gives us a powerful word from John 20:19-23
19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
Pastor Darryl brings a powerful word of encouragement from John 20:1-10. 1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
Is crying a virtue? We would have a warped view of God if we envision a God that does not cry when it is right or righteous to do so. The word of God shows here in this passage that Jesus cried not because He is human but because He is good.
Our first Live Streamed service with Pastor Darryl. How do we find comfort and understand what God is doing during these uncertain times?
Amid the uncertainty and fear in our country and world at this time, Pastor Randall gives an encouraging word from the Lord on trusting God through difficult circumstances, and reminds us of Paul's exhortation for us to bring everything to our loving God in prayer, as well as God's promise to guard our hearts and minds with His peace.
Pastor Darryl reminds us of the responsibility we have as believers to love our neighbors and the salvific implications of it as seen from the passage from Luke 10:29-37.
Minister Jon Aragon brings a stirring word on this 3rd Sunday of our Advent series, about the power of God. Tune in and celebrate the Savior with us!
Pastor Randall Harris gives us a stirring message on the fact that Jesus is the King, sent by God through a virgin.
Pastor Randall expounds on the age old passage of Christ's incarnation at the start of this Advent season.
Minister Jon Aragon preaches from Colossians 1:13-14 and reminds us how we're delivered into the Good Life. This deliverance is a past completed act that God initiated. He also continues to deliver us currently in our circumstances. There are times He delivers us from our trials, and at other times He delivers us in our trials.
Pastor Randall preaches from 2 Corinthians 5:16-20 and exhorts us to be reminded that Jesus has the power to change perspective and our purpose.
Matthew 28 is a brief part of the gospel account where the proof of the resurrection is seen. Though other gospel accounts show it more fully, it is Matthew 28 that does the most compelling job of answering the question “now what?”.
Pastor Darryl delivers a stirring, convicting message from 1st Corinthians about the great draw and gift that we receive in Christ as Christians.
Pastor Darryl offers an exceptional look at the reality of God's trajectory for His people, and our true prize as Christians: the resurrection from the dead.
Minister Jon Aragon expounds on the narrative of Christ appearing to His followers, showing His hands and feet, speaking peace to them,encouraging us to trust in His work done for us before God.
Pastor Darryl preaching from Numbers shows the Lord's warning for our appetites, and the threat our cravings have on our bodies, our finances, and our souls.
Pastor Randall continues our Not Your Body series with a look at Paul's instructions to the church at Ephesus, not to live any longer as the Gentiles, darkened in their minds and greedy after sensuality. But rather, we must put on the eternal dress of Christ's righteousness given to us.
Minister Marc Diaz preaches from Luke 11 and exhorts us to take heed and watch over our eyes, exposing our hearts to the light of Christ, praying for the Lord to guide and keep us
Pastor Darryl offers an exceptional look at the roles and functions God gave to men and women as His image-bearers, created as partners in Christ.
This Holy Family, (Mary, Joseph and King baby Jesus) as Matthew recounts the story, were fleeing because of a “well-founded fear of persecution” because of their “membership in a particular social group,” in this case people with young children living in Bethlehem.
Matthew illuminates their situation. Look again at verse 13. Get up! Take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt
The greek word to focus on here is pheuge, “flee,”
from which derive the word (can anyone guess) “refugee,” My goodness even angel identifies the Holy Family as refugees.
Mary, Joseph and Jesus were refugees seeking asylum. Immigrating to another land for safety. What does that say about how we should treat. Foreigners, outsiders, immigrants.