Santa Cruz Bible Sunday Messages: Recent Episodes
Santa Cruz Bible Church
Weekend Messages from the Santa Cruz Bible Church teaching team led by our Lead Pastor, Matt Roden. For more information, visit santacruzbible.org
Psalm 104 invites us to look up! Lift your eyes. Let creation speak! His world is not just scenery, it's a testimony to His goodness, His creation and His care.
When we allow God to lead us in the dance of life, we have to give up control. We must place our hand in God’s hand, take a deep breath, release it and let God move us to the song he is trying to teach us to move with.
Life has highs and lows and a lot of in-between. What if there was something you could hold onto that could give you peace no matter what is happening in your life?
Can we lose who we are in an attempt to get what we want? Can what is rightfully yours be wrongfully gained?
Do you struggle with being present in the present? Whether it’s longing for the past or anxiety for the future, Jesus gave us a new way to focus on the now.
What does following Jesus look like today? In Matthew 25, Jesus gives us a shocking answer.
Ever felt responsible for decisions that your kids or someone you love has made? When we do, we beat ourselves up or give up altogether. But there is another way.
For many people who maybe discovered faith at one point, you’ve had to take a second look at things you’ve been taught along the way. That’s not only OK, that’s how we grow.
Have you ever been disappointed in God? Have you wondered why God feels distant when you need Him the most? Then this message is just for you.
The crowd waved palm branches to welcome Jesus but then wanted Him dead. But one woman recognized something different in Jesus, giving Him a gift that would be remembered forever.
Jesus loves us breath by breath, step by step. And with His presence our stories
become holy, even when they aren’t finished. And our calling is to do the same
for each other...in the middle...in this holy place.
Our words can either bring life or start fires. This simple yet powerful prayer will help you think before you speak and choose the right way to respond.
All of us want to make wise decisions. There's only one source for wisdom and one question that will revolutionize how we make decisions.
This message gives an update on the church and answers the question : How can anyone afford to be generous nowadays?
GRIEF GUIDE: WWW.COM
Weep, Wait, Worship. in Community - Lessons from the Bible on how to grieve in a society that shies away from dealing with death.
With all that’s going on in the world, Hope For Everyone is more than a vision. It’s a reminder we need more than ever.
How do I understand the Bible? Where did the Bible come from? Is there a best place to start? Is there a best way to read the Bible?
We all have tried prayer in different ways. What if prayer is not about saying the right words? What if it’s about more than just feeling a connection? Is there a key to unlocking the power of prayer?
We cradle hopes and dreams: Jesus cradled us on the cross. What are you cradling? What are you holding in your bundle of hopes? What have you wrapped up tenderly and carry around with you? Are you ready to say yes to what God is doing in you? Offer those thoughts, hopes, and dreams to God.
Before the birth of Christ, Mary expressed her longings for a Savior to make things right in her world. And today we share that same longing.
Gossip seems harmless but can get out of control fast, destroying relationships in its wake. This message gives us new ways to deal with people and problems using our words.
How do so many people get caught up in politics? While the political pitfall is a real temptation for all of us, Jesus offers a different way to live and respond to our political climate.
We tend to use superstition to understand the supernatural. But an irrational fear of evil can lead to some pretty scary stuff. That’s where the truth can set us free.
A look at how to handle being offended or hurt and how to see God's movement in your hurt.
Temptations are not big, dramatic moments. There’s little turns we barely notice taking advantage of unmet desire in our lives.
We are all broken people living in a broken world. Is that brokenness a curse? Or a gift?
As we continue in Genesis 3, we see what happens when we try to find who we are in the acceptance of others or even our own achievements. Good news: there’s another way to live!
We all play the blame game. Shame drives us to blame others for what we did wrong. But what would happen if we came clean and confessed our mistakes?
One of the most important yet misunderstood chapters in the Bible, Genesis 3 begins with the origin of a feeling that’s a struggle for everyone: shame.
The Bible is a book full of meals: time around a table shapes us and reminds us of who we have been, who we are, and where we are going.
Community is a key that unlocks new life for us and surprisingly, it's a key anyone can create.
In the most well-known parable, the Prodigal Son, Jesus gives us a dramatic picture of grace and the cost of living out that grace to others.
Jesus tells a story about sin and sinners with a shocking twist. This twist shakes up the ways we think about ourselves and others.
Any of us can end up making what we have the priority of how we live. But Jesus gives us a better way to live.
The first parable in the series is about forgiveness. How do we show forgiveness to those who have hurt or humiliated us?
Have you ever been too tired to be present? These are the signals that burnout is coming. Jesus offers us a way to live that doesn’t ignore our limits, but honors them.
The resurrection of Jesus sparked the reconnection of His people to each other. Hope means we don’t have to go through life alone. We can, as they did then, find each other again.
On Palm Sunday, the arrival of Jesus into the final week of His life still speaks to us today.
In this special vision message, Matt talks about where we’ve been, where we are and where we’re going as a community of faith.
Deep in all of us, there’s the way we see ourselves and the ways we see others. But if we see ourselves as saints and others as sinners, we’re not seeing reality.
Inviting someone to our home, dinner or even church seems like a simple thing. But God uses invitations to change people’s lives. There is so much power in a simple invitation.
Our vision is Hope For Everyone. But how do we get to a place where we are not judges of others, but bridges for others? The answer may surprise you.
We live in a world where everything over-promises and under-delivers. We chase satisfaction and success but nothing works. Jesus offered a new way to live that satisfies us...but what is it?
Jesus is the example of how to live a whole and Holy life. A look into the Truth, the Way and the Life of Jesus.
One of the misconceptions about Christianity is that religion is a list of rules and ways to earn God’s favor. But the truth may not only make you uncomfortable, it may finally set you free.
Our past is full of experiences that have shaped us but sometimes it’s hard to move on from what’s behind us. Is there a way we can finally move on and embrace what’s ahead of us?
Have you ever believed in God while not being sure that He will help you or even can help you? Everyone experiences doubts so how can we find faith in our doubt
Sometimes God is with us in the moment; other times He is with us in the process. God’s work in us can be painful and take a long time. But on the other side of struggle is the growth we desire.
So, how do we managing Expectations and find joy in our lives -even when things
don’t seem so Merry and Bright.
We all know generous people in our lives. But have you ever known a miserable, generous person? There’s a joy in generosity where we see provision, promises kept and a legacy made.
What is the core of the Christian faith? Is it more important to be “Biblical” or be like Jesus?
How people experience Christians may actually be a reflection of how Christians experience God. When we deeply experience God’s love, we can extend that love to everyone.
We hope the work we do can bring us income, purpose, friends, etc. But it’s actually what we bring to our work that makes the difference.
When our kids do immature things or make unexpected choices, it’s hard to know what to doBut fear is never the answer. Jesus shows us a way to love anyone through any situation.
When you’re playing a game, it’s frustrating to land on a space that starts you over. But what do you do when that happens in life? Unexpected setbacks, challenging situations, it’s all part of a process we can either enter or ignore
If life is a game, how do you win? In fact, what’s the point of life at all? The answer is in one simple word: purpose. You’re here for a reason.
Guest speaker, Dawn Lindholm, shares her own journey and the sense of being Disconnected
What do you think of when you hear the word “younger” or “older”? When different generations connect, great things happen. But when they’re disconnected, the division leads to bad decisions. Part 2 of 4
It’s hard to spiritually grow from a distance. If our walk with God becomes more content than community and more convenient than challenging, are we missing something? Part 1 of 4
There’s 2 ways we engage the words of Jesus. Hear them or follow them. Jesus wants us to“work these words” into our lives so let's look at practical ways to do that. Part 11 of 11
The reputation of Christianity has been stained by scandals, frauds and politics, but Jesus gives us a way to find what’s real in the midst of all the chaos. Part 10 of 11
When Jesus talks about stuff, we get nervous. We struggle with being generous especially in a tough economy. Jesus gives us a way to do good with what we have while we still can. Part 7 of 8
Jesus’ teaching on lust definitely got people’s attention. The idea that sexual fantasy disruptsreality was revolutionary. What was Jesus’ solution to this and how can we live it out today? Part 4
Part 3 of 8. Anger is something we all experience. Jesus’ teaching on anger raised a lot of eyebrows. But the way He calls us to process our anger is both shocking and life-changing.
As Jesus begins describing a new way to live in Matthew 5, He describes a blessed life that seems puzzling to us. But in the Beatitudes, we find there’s more to life than comfort or happiness.
Listening to women and valuing their voices is not just Biblical wisdom, it’s a way we reflect Jesus to the world around us.
Is it true that God wants me to be happy No! The truth is: God wants more for you. Episode 2 of 5 in this series
Is it true that God never gives you more than you can handle? No! And the reason why will surprise you and show you God’s love in a new way.
There’s a story behind some of the things we do and feel. If you’re willing to find the “why” behind the “what”, you’ll find that God’s love is deeper and wider than you think.
What makes a church a church and how do I know if I’m part of it? The answer may inspire you to find what you’ve been missing.
Jesus calls His people to be a living invitation: inviting others into our homes, our hearts, our lives. Matt gives two practical ways we can “be a light” in today’s times.
Grounded Hopes and Dreams are large enough to really live because they are anchored to God’s Hopes and Dreams for we humans.
When everything is falling apart, where is God? Sometimes life causes us to feel forgotten. The life of Joseph shows us what kind of choices we can make when everything is going wrong.
It’s good to go to church or watch services, but this week is an invitation for you to be a part of the church. Being involved and invested in a community of faith will change your life.
Everyone who follows Jesus is called to one purpose and one way of life. If you don’t know the way of life God is calling you to, politics may fill the blanks with its own passions and purposes.
Fear is a tool used by all sides in an election year. It gets results but it carries a heavy price to those it affects. That’s why we must choose to fight the fires of fear.
Politics is an easy place for people to get swept up. We can conduct ourselves in a way that hurts our relationships and our reputation. If our hope is misplaced, so are our passions.
In a prophetic passage 700 years before His birth, we find a personal Jesus who understands us more than we may have ever imagined.
The shepherds and Magi are examples of God’s unexpected love to the most unlikely people. But God doesn’t just want you to experience His love, there’s another gift many never open.
In life, it’s easy to focus on discouragements and disappointments. But if we take the wider lens of gratitude, we see our lives from a new perspective and find hope in any circumstance.
The holiday season means family are coming. Are you prepared? This week we’re providing help by giving you something you can do anywhere, anytime to get peace straight from the Scriptures.
We all experience doubts. But if faith is the opposite of doubt, what exactly is faith? It’s
understanding the difference between confidence and certainty.
If you were to start over regarding faith, where would you start? Understanding the essential core of our faith keeps you away from empty religion and leads you to new life.
In a time where many are experiencing doubts and disillusionment about faith, we look at what deconstruction is, why it happens, and how we can follow Jesus by being there for others.
We all face huge challenges in life and need courage to push through them. Matt describes how God gives us courage and the unique challenges our church faces as we move into the future.
The past has shaped us but it does not define us. One of the writers of the Bible wrestled with his past and shows us the way to freedom from what is behind us.
For some, the past is a reminder of mistakes and flaws that we try to hide in different ways. But in our struggles with shame, God gives us a unique hope that changes everything.
Speaker: David Tieche
David Tieche, From WestGate Church, speaks on denying oneself to grow closer to the Lord.
Speaker: Matt Roden
In a time where church is more convenient than ever, are we missing what’s most important? Is convenience getting in the way of community in our lives?
When we think back on our lives, we see God’s faithfulness. This week we celebrate God’s unending and faithful love to all of us.
Through our struggles and stress, the joy of the Lord is a gift that will sustain and grow us if we let it.
It’s hard to feel peace within us when it seems there’s no peace around us. But God offers us a powerful peace of mind and heart that changes us from the inside out.
When we have experienced the unconditional, sacrificial, and powerful love of God, that love becomes our motivation for everything we do.
When we’re facing challenges and hard situations, the real struggle is not what’s happening to us. It’s what’s happening in us. God puts us all through processes where we find power in patience.
Goodness is often overlooked because we all assume we’re good and do good things. But if we’re all created to do good in the world, how do we know if we are?
We’re kicking off The Spirit of Summer by looking at kindness. Kindness is not weakness, it’s strength! It’s a gift God gives us that we give to others.
In the series finale, Samson gets one last shot to change his legacy. We all leave behind a legacy. What will yours be and is it too late to change it?
In this famous (and infamous) story from the life of Samson, he meets Delilah. What do you do when getting what you want means giving up who you are?
The story of Samson continues in a lustful, rage-filled story with violent consequences. Our desires can drive us into self-destruction. But there is another way for all of us.
Our four-part saga begins with Samson risking it all to flirt with danger. In our lives, where do we come too close to danger and what can we do to get life back on track?
The resurrection of Jesus shows us that there is always hope. In those moments where we are so discouraged that we want to give up, there is always hope.
We get questions all the time about two things: communion and baptism. Both are sacred reminders of what matters most.
We get questions all the time about two things: communion and baptism. Both are sacred reminders of what matters most.
Church can be more than Sunday. It can be a healthy, thriving community giving life to all of Santa Cruz. These candid and inspiring conversations will help you find your part in helping everyone find the hope they've been longing for.
How can everyone find hope? When our lives are an open invitation to others.
Church can be more than Sunday. It can be a healthy, thriving community giving life to all of Santa Cruz. These candid and inspiring conversations will help you find your part in helping everyone find the hope they've been longing for.
How can everyone find hope? When our lives are an open invitation to others.
today we are speaking on how "Hope For Everyone" applies to real life and how it looked like in Matts life.
We Need each other! Life without community is no life at all. We are meant to share life with each other. The good and the bad.
Jesus shows us what it is to be human. He's the restoration of God's image, He pours himself out and we are invited to do the same. We are most human when we are serving and pouring ourselves for others.
Our limits and reminders to depend on God and other people because that's what they are there for. We just don't always treat them like that.
It's a new year filled with new beginnings and new opportunities. If your spiritual life has felt drained, dry or nonexistent, this series is the fresh start you're longing for. This series will give us bold ideas and a brand new approach to revitalizing our faith.