Resurrection Oakland Podcast: Recent Episodes
Resurrection Oakland
The modern belief of freedom is an absence of restrictions, but the Christian notion of freedom is finding the right restrictions. Tune in for our series, "The Law of Freedom," as we learn how true freedom is found in the confines of God’s law, why this law is good news for the whole world, and the ways in which it all points us to Jesus.
We see the Law of God as constraining and demanding, but Jesus sees it as quite the opposite. In the opening of our new series, “The Law of Freedom,” Pastor Brent teaches us that the the true 4 words that frame the Ten Commandments are beauty, freedom, love, and grace.
This week, Pastor Brent concludes our series on this famous words from John 15. In this passage, John begins by discussing our vertical relationship with God, and concludes by discussing our horizontal relationships with others. Because “God is love,” these relationships must be defined by love itself. Through this lens, Pastor Brent teaches us about the surprise of love, the challenge of love, and finally, the secret of love.
We are invited into a life of abiding in God so we can be changed by God in order that we might be sent out for Him. In this sermon, Pastor Brent discusses the second aspect of that statement—whether change is possible and how it happens. First, Jesus gives us a vision for our lives. Second, change itself is a long journey. Third, there is a shortcut to growth, but no one chooses it. And finally, real change comes as we learn to abide in God’s love.
As we kick off 2025, we contemplate our own dreams for ourselves in the new year. But what are God’s dreams for us? One word: abide. But what does it mean to abide in Jesus? And why is it so important? It means that God makes His home with you, and to know His love and His presence in your life.
Favor and welcome are interchangeable words in Scripture. Pastor Paul Schuler guest preaches about the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19, reveling in the amazing welcome God has for us and ultimately, the welcome we can extend to others.
Despite many harrowing years throughout human existence, the year humanity sinned and lost their relationship with God was unequivocally the worst in our history. In this sermon from Genesis 3, a familiar passage outlining the Fall, we learn that nothing is as good as it could be, nothing is as bad as it could be, and the best is yet to come in Jesus.
Christmas is all about the gifts God gives us, not the other way around. In the final sermon of this series, Pastor Brent outlines the precious gift of hope. Christmas means that hope is possible because with it, there is justice for our world, grace for our hearts, and a mission for our lives.
The reality is that the opposed of joy is not sorrow, it’s emptiness, and God alone can fill that emptiness. The Magi (or Wisemen) were experiencing this emptiness when they sought out the newborn Savior. At our annual Noel celebration service, Pastor Brent teaches us about this through the search of the Magi, the wonder of the Child, and the joy of God.
The radical claim on Christmas is that you can’t experience the gifts of hope and joy without first experiencing the gift of salvation. In the first sermon of our Advent series, Pastor Brent teaches us that salvation is a gift everyone needs, a gift everyone can have, and finally, a gift that changes you.
Former pastor of Christ the King Presbyterian Church in Vero Beach, Florida, Mike Malone, visits us to preach on the second coming as it’s described in 1 Thessalonians 4. He clarifies that death is an enemy, there is life after death, and incredibly, there is actually life after the life after death.
Christianity, at its heart, is about a person—Jesus—to be known and loved, and be known and loved by. The love of Jesus is on full display in the Parable of the Prodigal Son in this passage from Luke 15. We learn so much about it in this story. First, we learn that God’s love for us precedes our love for Him. Second, we learn that God does not simply tolerate us, but He rejoices over us. Third, we learn that God’s love changes us. And finally, we learn that God’s love is available to everyone.
Many character traits of Jesus are obviously desirable—joy, justice, compassion. But how many of us want to adopt more humility? In this passage from Mark, Jesus shows us how much we all need more humility. Through it, Pastor Dave teaches us about the hidden danger of pride, the hidden value of humility, and the hidden glory of Jesus.
Compassion was the emotion that Jesus felt more than any other in the Gospels. In this well-known story of Lazarus’ resurrection, we see Jesus’ compassion with all three characters: Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. First, we see His patience with Martha, then his tears with Mary, and finally, His power over Lazarus.
On the Sunday ahead of a pivotal election, Pastor Brent preaches about the authority of Jesus over politics. In this sermon, there really is just one main point with four applications: Jesus is King, and because of that we participate in politics, we love across political difference, we submit our politics to Him, and we ultimately put our hope in Jesus alone.
Despite being poor and humble, lacking any painting or sculpture from His day, Jesus is the most famous person in human history. Everything we learn about Jesus in this passage from John about preventing the stoning of a woman is emblematic of His grace. In this sermon, Pastor Brent teaches on how the grace of Jesus confronts us, how it confounds us, and how it changes us.
The parable of the Good Samaritan is widely quoted and recognized. But how does it show us Jesus’ heart in relation to justice? Does He want to dominate or liberate? In this sermon, Pastor Dave contemplates this famous parable by examining the search for justice, the problem with justice, and the justice of Jesus Himself.
Pastor Brent kicks off our new series, The Character of Jesus, by examining Jesus’ first miracle: turning water into wine at a wedding. In short, His first miracle was not a healing, but an effort to keep the party going. Through this, we learn about the problem of joy, the possibility of joy, and the price of joy born by Christ Himself.
In the concluding sermon of our annual Vision series, Pastor Brent discusses the palpable ways we seek to be a church for the city through the metaphor of being salt and light, as outlined by Jesus in Matthew 5. This metaphor teaches us three critical things: God’s love for the city, how we are to love the city, and the unique resource Christians have to love the city.
Pastor Brent continues our fall vision series by preaching on the story of the Samaritan woman whom Jesus meets at the well. ResOak's vision is to be a church not just for ourselves, but for the unconvinced and for the city. But what does it mean to be a church for the unconvinced? Pastor Brent explains that there is something that is true about every human heart, something that is true about God's heart, and ultimately, how this story in the book of John will impact our church's heart.
In Acts 2, we learn about the very first church. Unlike some modern churches, it did not repel people--it attracted them. How can Resurrection Oakland become that kind of church? We must imitate the first church by being devoted to God, devoted to His Word, and devoted to the family of God.
At the conclusion of our series on the 7 letters to the churches in Revelation 2-3, Pastor Dave preaches on the letter to the church in Laodicea, which was identified as "lukewarm." Through this letter, we learn how grace is not lukewarm, how our need is not lukewarm, and how Jesus is not lukewarm.
Words hold enormous power, and the words in this letter to the church in Philadelphia is filled with words of encouragement. They're all about who Jesus is, how He works, what He came to do, and why He came to do it.
Are we willing to listen to harder words from Jesus? There's a difference between hearing and listening. But why listen to Jesus at all? Because of a condition that we all have, a cure that we all need, and the hope that we all receive.
There are many words of confrontation from Jesus in this letter to the church in Thyatira, but it astonishingly holds the best words of commendations of all the letters. At the heart of this letter is an invitation from Jesus, outlining the risk of corrupt teaching, corrupt tolerance, and ultimately, how corruption is transformed.
In this sermon on Jesus' letter to the church in the city of Pergamum, Pastor Brent draws connection between life in that ancient city then and life in Oakland today. He discusses Pergamum's problem, our problem, and finally the three promises of Jesus that are more triumphant over them all.
What does Jesus want to say to us in these letters at the beginning of Revelation? In this case, He speaks to us about suffering. They're words we all need to hear, because we all know what it's like to suffer. Jesus deeply understands and empathizes with our struggles. In this sermon, Pastor Brent outlines the depth and reality of His empathy and sovereignty over our suffering.
The book of Revelation is full of open letters from Jesus to His Church. In this series, we'll be asking, simply, "What does Jesus want to say to us?" The first letter, the one to the church in Ephesus, says three things to us: what Jesus wants from us more than anything else, why He wants it, and how we can do it.
Rev. JP Samuel visits us from The Spectrum Church in San Jose to preach on the Beatitudes in Matthew 5, a passage that has a storied history of inspiring Christians and non-Christians alike. The blessedness mentioned in this passage requires us to bring one thing to Jesus--nothing at all.
At the conclusion of our Psalms series, Pastor Dave examines how the Psalms teach us about our yearning for the City of God, fundamentally a city that e everybody wants to live in. In this sermon, we learn about the glory, the ruin, and the redemption of the City of God.
Receiving and offering compassion are constant struggles. We often think we're being so compassionate, but what we're really saying is tantamount to, "snap out of it." In this sermon on Psalm 103, Pastor Dave explains how compassion can't be earned, how it is costly, and how it is easily forgotten.
We're all looking for justice, but it feels like a moving target. We want wrongs to be made right, but we're not sure how to do that. Psalm 129 tells us that our search for justice is not in vain or pointless. Pastor Dave dives into this passage and teaches us about the power of naming injustice, the tension with seeking justice, and the hope of ending injustice.
Even in the most advanced society, security is elusive and fleeting. In this sermon on Psalm 46, Pastor Dave teaches us why we lack security, where to find security, and finally, how to live with security from the its only true Source.
Hope is a necessity in life, and to have hope, we must first have meaning. We need to know that our life has significance and purpose. Pastor Brent teaches us that Psalm 8 tells us how to find this meaning by looking up, looking in, and looking out.
The concept of freedom is a hallmark of Bay Area culture. And yet, the freedom offered by the world always leaves the recipient wanting. In examining an excerpt of the longest Psalm, Pastor Brents teaches us the surprising path of freedom, why the path works, and how we can walk the path.
The human experience is marked by guilt, whether it's a low hum or a haunting. In this sermon on Psalm 51, Pastor Dave teaches us how to remove guilt biblically by examining the meaning of guilt, the power of confession, and the joy of salvation.
Brené Brown says that the most powerful words in the English language are "me too." The Psalms are full of people who are struggling and searching as we are. When you're going through a hard season, you want to be amongst people who have struggled as you have and come out the other side. One common struggle is anxiety, which has become the #1 mental health diagnosis in the USA. In this sermon, Pastor Brent teaches about the condition of anxiety, the causes or anxiety, and the cure for anxiety.
When you study the Psalms, you find kinship with writers who are also struggling and searching in various ways. Psalm 1 deals with our deepest search in life: the pursuit of happiness. We are all looking for happiness, but the problem is that very few of us seem to find it. Psalm 1 tells us a radical claim, a surprising key, and a supernatural power as a modern solution to the ancient problem of the pursuit of happiness.
Pastor Lance Lewis visits Resurrection Oakland and gives a moving sermon about Revelation 7 and how we may bring Shalom to our city. He teaches that there are three aspects of shalom: the supernatural and miraculous gift of changed lives, contentedness and peace with the Shepherd, and a knowledge that everlasting shalom is secured via Christ's victory over Satan.
As we conclude our series on the Lord’s Prayer, Pastor Brent preaches about the line, “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” Jesus is teaching us three things with this final line of the prayer: you have an enemy, he has a strategy, but above it all, God has already won the victory.
Healthy relationships of any kind require forgiveness—relationships between different people, between people and organizations, and most importantly, between people and God. That’s why Jesus teaches us to pray for the forgiveness we need to give, and for the forgiveness we need to receive.
The first section of the Lord’s Prayer is all about adoration, and in this sermon, Pastor Brent teaches us about the turning point when the prayer moves from adoration to petition, from God’s glory to our needs. Towards the end of the Lord’s Prayer, we ultimately learn that that it’s a prayer of solidarity and trust.
Jesus gave us the Lord’s Prayer as a guide, a masterpiece on how to pray. In this installment of our “Teach Us to Pray” series,” Pastor Dave teaches us what it means to pray “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
What does it actually mean to “hallow” God’s name? When something (or someone) is hallowed, it is adored, captivating, and it holds our attention. In this next installment of our series on the Lord’s Prayer, Pastor Brent explains what it means to hallow God’s name, why it matters to do so, and how we can do it.
This is a sermon on the first four words of the Lord’s Prayer—it’s opening address. It allows you to understand who you’re praying to, who God actually is. According to Jesus, He is Our Father in Heaven, provider of an unearned, tender, fathomless family love. Not contractual or performance based like most other religions, but given with total grace.
The radical claim of the Easter message is that Christianity can bring a supernatural joy into your life unlike anything else. Why? Because the Resurrection is true, and it changes everything. Without the truth of the Resurrection, Christianity itself is a sham. And yet, the Resurrection has had too much of an impact on history for it to be a falsehood. It gives you a staggering hope that can be found nowhere else.
In a somber homily during our 2024 Good Friday service, Pastor Dave teaches us that the curtain in the Temple represents a closed door, just as there are many closed doors in our lives. When Jesus hung on the cross, many doors seemed to be closed in his life. And yet, in His death, the door was opened just as the curtain was torn. Pastor Dave explains why there is a curtain and how Jesus tears the curtain.
On the last Sunday of Lent, Palm Sunday, Pastor Dave preaches about the Triumphal Entry of King Jesus. He explains how Palm Sunday shows us the power of the King, the gentleness of the King, and the glory of the King.
At the conclusion of our Exodus series, Pastor Brent teaches us about the construction and purpose of the Tabernacle. This climactic ending of Exodus teaches us three things: what we were made for, why it’s possible, and how it changes our lives.
There is nothing that animates our hearts and culture more than freedom. As the Israelites adjust to life following God in the desert, they grapple with the barrier to freedom and the way to freedom.
As the Israelites grapple with freedom from Egypt and a life following the Lord, God installs the Sabbath. Pastor Brent teaches us about the many gifts of the Sabbath. First, the Sabbath reminds us of who we truly are. Second, the Sabbath reorients us to what’s most important in life. Third, the Sabbath aligns our lives with God’s design. Fourth, the Sabbath grows our trust in God, and fifth, the Sabbath points us to our ultimate rest in Jesus.
After 430 years of slavery in Egypt, the Israelites are finally liberated. The ten laws are given to the people, and the complex relationship between man and rules becomes apparent—some love rules, some hate them. But the reality is much more nuanced than that. In a sermon analyzing this, Pastor Brent teaches us about the purpose of God’s law, the heart of God’s law, and the hope of God’s law.
After their triumphant rescue, the Israelites begin what would become a 40-year stint in the desert, also known as the Wilderness. There is so much we can draw from this in the modern age. Pastor Dave teaches us about the danger of the Wilderness, the opportunity of the Wilderness, and the Savior of the Wilderness.
Beginning with a performance of “Lift Every Voice,” also known as the “Black National Anthem,” Pastor Brent examines the crossing of the Red Sea—God’s people in the book of Exodus finally freed from the Egyptians; the climax of their story. The credibility of this story has been questioned for centuries. But we need to understand—what does this story mean and how can it change our lives? The answer to both is simple—God saves people who cannot save themselves.
In reading about the final plague, the Passover, we’re filled with grief and confusion—why would a good God allow for this to happen? Pastor Brent answers this question under two headings: the problem of judgment, and the hope of the Lamb.
When Moses goes to Pharaoh and demands that he let God’s people go, Pharaoh pays him no mind. Through 6 chapters of intense judgement & suffering from God, the Egyptians are brought face to face with 10 plagues. Why did God bring these plagues, which He also calls “signs?” It is because they point us to a claim, to a warning, and to an invitation.
Exodus 3 is the significant moment of reveal for God Himself. When you see God as He truly is, you will not want Him any other way. What do we learn about God in this passage? We learn that God seeks after us. We learn that God is seeking after people before they seek after Him. Finally, we learn that God wants you to be known and He wants you to know Him.
As we begin our series on the book of Exodus, Pastor Dave preaches about the earliest moments in the Israelites’ journey to freedom: the faithfulness of the Hebrew midwives prior to Moses’ birth, his upbringing in Pharaoh’s house, and Moses’ voluntary exile in Midian. Despite all this, God always heard His people. Through all of this, we learn about the absence of God, the fear of God, and the ear of God.
Stanford RUF Minister Crawford Stevener visits Resurrection Oakland and teaches us about the mountains and valleys of the Christian life via two stories in Mark 9. In the Transfiguration of Jesus, we see the literal and figurative mountaintop, when He is revealed to be the cosmic God of Glory. In the healing of the demon-possessed boy, we learn about the famed quote—”Lord I believe, help my unbelief.” We ultimately see that faith in Jesus is the only thing in this life that leads to true and lasting spiritual healing.
While many don’t make formal resolutions, we all have goals, hopes, and expectations heading into the new year. The Bible tells us that there is just one thing to aim our lives at, and if we have this one thing, we will lack nothing—love. In a sermon given on New Years Eve, Pastor Dave teaches us why we need love, where to aim our love, and how to get love.
During our special Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, we conclude our Advent sermon series with a special performance of “Mary Did You Know.” Luke’s gospel records the very first Christmas song ever sung—the one from Mary herself. Bonhoeffer called it “the oldest Christian hymn.” It shows us that Christmas is hope for broken people and hope in a broken world.
When Simeon sees the young Jesus, he declares his life to be complete. What would have to happen in your life to make that same declaration? We need a longing heart, a cosmic hope, and a piercing sword.
The song the angels sing to the incredulous shepherds is perhaps the most famous song surrounding Christmas in the Gospels. It speaks of the peace we long for, the peace Christmas offers us, and how this peace can change our lives.
Through Zechariah’s Song in Luke 1, we learn that Christmas means three things: it means that God wants you to know His love, it means that God is always working in our lives, and it means that we should never stop looking at Christmas, when Jesus came into our world in the most unexpected way.
In a special sermon by UC Berkeley RUF Minister John Kong, we learned that because Christ confronted the ultimate darkness for us, we can walk in the light. But why is this? It’s because God is light, we need light, and Christ Himself is the Light.
Concluding our series about the life of Peter, Pastor Brent asks the question: What will give us a meaningful life? How do you avoid wasting it? The answer is mission—living a story that is bigger than your own. Living in God’s mission is 1) something happens to you, and 2) something happens through you.
Peter’s denial of Jesus in Luke 22 is perhaps the most famous and relatable story of failure in the Bible. In examining this passage, Pastor Brent teaches us three ways the gospel changes the way you handle failure: it makes you honest about failure, it shows you the true nature of failure, and it offers the only healing for failure.
Understanding who someone is can have radical implications for how you relate to them. In the case of the interaction between Peter and Jesus in Matthew 16, Peter’s confession gives us three things: a truth for our minds, a challenge for our wills, and a promise for our hearts.
In the Bible, the idea of holiness is tied to cleanliness. Lack of holiness is described as being unclean. Jesus shows us that He is the only one who can bring cleanliness and thus, holiness. In examining this passage, Pastor Dave answer three questions: Why Jesus? Why feet? Why us?
There are many parallels between this account in John 6 and modern Christian life. Drawing upon their similarities, Pastor Brent teaches us about the three reasons why the crowd (and people in general) walk(ed) away from Jesus: it was because of an imperfect community, a hard teaching, and a disappointing God. In responses to each of these three points, we see that ultimately, Christianity will keep you persevering by knowing that while you may leave Jesus, Jesus will never leave you.
There is a lot of confusion about faith in the modern world. Thankfully, this famous passage about Peter walking on the water gives us four snapshots of faith: it means getting out of a boat, sinking in a storm, resting in the Savior’s hands, and going out to the crowds.
The picture Peter paints of the Christian life is a realistic one. Pastor Brent teaches us that over the course of the Christian life, there are two sentences that every Christian learns to say over and over again, and there are two sentences that God says to you over and over again.
In the first sermon of our new series, “The Life of Peter: A Portrait of a Christian Life,” Pastor Dave preaches on John 1, where Peter first encounters Jesus. We learn how Peter meets Jesus, why Jesus renames Peter, and how Jesus changes your name, too.
We are to be in the city but not of the city, to embody for people the way of Jesus and the Kingdom of God. But why must we live these different lives? It is so that we can live to serve and bless the city. To do this, there’s a heart that we need to see, a unity we need to embody, and most importantly, a love that we need to experience.
The more we grow as a church, the easier it is to forget why we exist. The main purpose of the church is the glory of God, and secondarily, to exist not just for ourselves but also for the city of Oakland. In this passage, Jesus prays that we would love the world as He loves the world—rather, our church is to love Oakland as Jesus loves Oakland, and Jesus most certainly loves Oakland.
What is Jesus’ mission and vision for the Church? He tells us in John 17, His longest recorded prayer. In it, He prays for the Church. In it, Jesus shows us that the Church primarily exists for God’s Glory. But what does this mean? What would it really look like for a church community to bring God glory? It looks like a community of people who know Christ, are changed by Christ, and are one in Christ.
Life is full of exhausting decisions—most often, we are not choosing between right and wrong, but the large majority of these decisions are a set of options that all seem good, but may not always be wise. There are three things we need to get this discerning wisdom: there is a mystery to embrace, a path we need to walk, and practices we need to cultivate.
In the Bible, we can see that we need wisdom to value friendship, especially in a world that is experiencing an epidemic of loneliness. In this installment of our series on Proverbs, Pastor Dave teaches us about the friends we need to get wisdom, the wisdom we need to get friends, and best of all, the friend we have in Jesus.
Wisdom is navigating the maze of life in such a way that the decisions we make honor God, enable us to flourish, and lead to the flourishing of others. In our dealings with money, wisdom could not be more crucial. Money is good, but it is also dangerous. It can exhaust you, corrupt you, harden you, distract you, and blind you. We rely on it for safety, security, and significance. But when managed wisely, money can also be a blessing to ourselves and others. Hear what Pastor Brent has to say about wisdom, money, and a generous God who out-gives us all.
Proverbs 31 is usually regarded as a descriptor of women alone. And yet, the passage is about work, though it does hold up women. Christians need a biblical theology of work that begins with this truth: all work is good, and all work matters to God. Ultimately, there are 4 ways that faith ought to impact your work: ambition, excellence, integrity, and seeking to bless others.
This week, Pastor Brent discusses a few of the many things the book of Proverbs says about the wisdom of our words. Our words have extraordinary power to either harm or to heal, and there are 4 types of words that we need to heal: measured words, honest words, gracious words, and timely words.
Wisdom is a big deal—Proverbs even claims that it is a matter of life and death. It is “more valuable than gold or money,” and we cannot get through life without it. In the first installment of our series “Ancient Wisdom for the Modern World,” Pastor Brent Webster teaches us about the essence of wisdom, the paradox of wisdom, and how ultimately the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Pastor Dave concludes our sermon series on the Fruit of the Spirit by teaching us about self-control. Though a seemingly underwhelming skill, self-control impacts nearly every aspect of our lives. In this sermon, we learn why self-control is hard, what self-control looks like, and how we can grow in self-control.
In the penultimate installment of our series called, “The Beautiful Life: The Fruit of the Spirit,” Pastor Brent teaches us that gentleness is what we might need more than anything else. Even Jesus directly describes Himself as gentle. Jesus deals gently with Zacchaeus. So why is gentleness lacking? Why do we need gentleness? And how can we get it
Faithfulness is the seventh aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit. In studying the parable of the bags of gold from Matthew 25, we can learn what faithfulness is, why it matters, and how we can grow in it in our own lives.
Note that the audio recording of the initial scripture reading was cut off. It should begin at verse 1 of Psalm 139 and continue through verse 24. This is a special sermon from RUF Campus Ministry John Kong, who serves at UC Berkeley. In Psalm 139, we learn that God knows what your situation is, where your story began, and what you’re searching for. The words “I know” from our graceful God as seen in Jesus can bring restoration and life.
This week, Pastor Dave examines goodness as an aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit. Learn how God grows goodness in your life in the way that goodness is a struggle, goodness is beautiful, and ultimately, the way that goodness points to God.
This week, Pastor Dave Lee explores the next Fruit of the Spirit of the nine listed in Galatians 5: kindness. The passage in 2 Samuel 9 shows us that kindness is a tangible, undeserved, and unfailing act of love. This sermon teaches us what kindness is, what it isn’t, why we need kindness, and ultimately, where to get kindness.
Our world is bent on speed, not patience. We want our circumstances to change overnight, our desires gratified instantaneously. But what does the Bible say about patience? In this sermon on the next Fruit of the Spirit, Pastor Brent Webster speaks about the patiences we don’t have, the patience we desperately need, and how we can grow in patience.
God often uses a small yes in a big way. Pastor Paul Schuler, campus pastor at UC Berkeley with RUF International, speaks from his own experience of hospitality to immigrant students. In studying this passage from Acts about Philip and an Ethiopian court official, we see how the Holy Spirit acts as “Matchmaker” in bringing these two men together for the purpose of ministry.
In celebration of Pentecost Sunday, we heard Matthew 6:34 in eight different languages, all represented in our congregation, and all quoting Jesus’ words about peace, the next aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit in our series. Peace is something that all of us desperately need—it is universal to all peoples and cultures. In this sermon, Pastor Dave teaches us about the enemy of peace, the source of peace, and the purpose of peace.
The second aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit is joy. Mental health professionals have a new category of illness—they call it languishing. Many people who aren’t depressed also aren’t thriving. We’re languishing—stuck in the middle. We wonder if it is possible to even have joy. However, this passage in Philippians teaches us that joy is hard, important, and possible.
Love is the first Fruit of the Spirit, and the primary mark of a Christian. God is not simply loving, God is love (1 John 4:8). Pastor Brent teaches us why love matters, and what it looks like in our relationships, in our church, and in our city.
Why is a series about the Fruit of the Spirit important? Because we need it—we all need it. Also, our city needs it. In this passage, we see three metaphors things about the beautiful life when lived by the Spirit: it is a battle, it is a tree, and it is a dance.
On Resurrection Oakland’s 5th anniversary, Pastor Brent looks back on all God has done and is doing in our church. We see in the book of Acts that Christianity has spread globally, despite the maligning of its followers, because in Christ, there is a joy for you, and there is a joy that is meant to flow through you.
Visiting Pastor Lance Lewis teaches us about God’s incredible love for the lonely, the afflicted, the oppressed, and the marginalized through the tale of Leah: an ignored and undervalued mother and wife who went on the be the direct ancestor of Jesus Christ. Just as He did with Leah, God sees us, and God loves us.
On the road to Emmaus, Jesus meets disciples in the wake of His resurrection, but with a catch—He doesn’t disclose His identity immediately. As their interaction progresses, we see the disciples’ unbelief deconstruct and evolve into wonderment and faith. In this post-Easter sermon, Pastor Dave teaches us how the disciples left Jesus, how they met Jesus, and finally, how they returned to Jesus.
Our series, “Mark: The Way of Jesus,” concludes on Easter Sunday, with the climax of Mark’s gospel centered on the Resurrection. As we commemorate the most important day in history, we’re reminded that the Resurrection changes everything because it is believable, it is personal, and it is beautiful.
When Jesus died, a supernatural darkness fell over the Earth. While this was a literal darkness, it points us to the spiritual darkness in the world and in every human heart. Through it, we see a darkness we need to lament, a darkness we need to own, and a darkness we need to overcome it all.
As we approach Easter, it’s necessary to study Jesus’ final Passover meal, sitting with His disciples even as Judas leaves to betray him. We learn about it as a dangerous meal, a hidden betrayal, and finally, a surprising promise.
In one of the last few installments of our Mark sermon series, Pastor Brent reminds us of one of the most famous women in the world: the woman who made waste of her most precious possession because she saw that Jesus was of ultimate value.
Debates over “the greatest” emerge in nearly every aspect of life. In this passage, a man comes to Jesus and asks Him which commandment is “the greatest.” So what is the greatest commandment? And what is our greatest problem? Finally, what is our greatest hope? Spoiler: It’s the answer to our greatest problem.
While this passage in Mark seems to be about marriage, it actually answers larger questions about heaven and eternity. Jesus shows us in this exchange between himself and the Sadducees (who did not believe in an afterlife) that heaven and its existence are essential, transformational, and beautiful.
“Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s” in Mark 12 is a commonly quoted verse in reference to the Jesus’ opinion of Christian political involvement. Pastor Brent dives into this text, and along with some historical context about the Early Church, offers us one main Biblical principle with three applications—because Jesus is Lord and our allegiance is to Him, we’re to have countercultural unity in the church, a confounding witness in the world, and above all, a confident hope in the true king.
Pastor Brent teaches us about how Jesus turning over the tables in the temple courts is perhaps one of his most relatable, human moments. In it, we see God’s heart for the world. He sees money changers and merchants taking advantage of the poor families visiting the temple, and His anger burns against them. Jesus loves the poor, the marginalized, and the immigrant. Ultimately, He has a heart for justice, and His anger burns against those who harm His meekest and most vulnerable.
In his sermon covering the famously bold queries of James & John (the sons of Zebedee) in Mark 10, Pastor Dave preaches about Jesus and greatness by giving us a new way to think about and pursue greatness.
In this passage of Mark, Jesus famously calls a rich young ruler to sell all he has to follow Him. While understanding that money’s stresses and blessings affect all people groups and income levels, we learn that money is ultimately dangerous because it can blind you to your true spiritual state, it often lies to you, and it gives you the illusion of safety. Despite all these truths, we know that Jesus was the ultimate rich young ruler who gave it all away because He looked at us and loved us enough to do so.
In the next installment of our Mark series, Pastor Brent covers the mystery of the Transfiguration in Mark 9. The person of Jesus Christ is more wondrous the more you look at Him. In this sermon, wonder together with us at the person of Jesus—who He is, why He came, and ultimately, what He has promised to do.
Continuing through our series in Mark, Pastor Brent examines a controversial passage in Mark that describes the sacrifices involved in following Jesus. In reality, the life that Jesus promises comes in the most unexpected and upside-down way. It starts with a questions, is filled with contradictions, and ultimately, it ends with a promise like no other.
Our word is rife with man’s appalling evils. As we examine this reality through a Christian lens, we see that the key to dealing with evil is looking into the heart of Jesus. Pastor Dave walks through three concepts: that evil is universal, that grace is difficult, and above it all, faith is incredible.
In this lengthy and detailed passage addressing Jewish Law, Jesus points out the problem with religion as it related to the self-righteousness of the Pharisees. Pastor Dave looks in detail at this passage and posits that it teaches us about the goal of religion, the problem with religion, and ultimately, the hope of Jesus.
In the Christmas story, we often speak of God coming to live with us. Rev. Crawford Stevener (RUF Stanford) addresses the connection between this truth and when God originally dwelt among His people in the book of Exodus. Through this, we learn that not only is God coming to live with us, but that the ultimate point of life is to be with the God who made us and loves us.
Christmas, at its core, is good news given in a bad news world. Why? Because is Christmas good news as a result of the miraculous conception and the multifaceted calling it provides.
In the final installment of our “He Shall Be Called” series and on the last Sunday of Advent, Pastor Brent discusses what it means that Jesus is the “Prince of Peace.” What is this peace that Jesus alone can bring? Why do we so often not experience it? And finally, how can we have it?
During our special “Noel at ResOak Celebration Service,” Pastor Brent teaches us that the essence of being human is being a creature of longing, and the name Everlasting Father embodies this. It points us to our two deepest longings: the longing for eternity, and the longing to be loved—both needs met in Jesus.
On the second Sunday of Advent, Pastor Brent teaches us what it means that we serve a Mighty God—ultimately, there is hope for the world and there is hope for you and me. In Christmas, we see that Jesus brings hope to a hopeless world.
One of Jesus’ many names declared in Isaiah 9 is “Wonderful Counselor.” Pastor Dave teaches us what it means that Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor. But what does that title mean for us? We learn that what makes Jesus wonderful is our need for Him, His role as our counselor, and our wonder as we look upon Him.
Life is full of storms that overcome us. We can’t predict them, and we can’t weather them on our own. In the passage from Mark 6, we learn that there are storms we can’t escape, but that in the midst of that, there is a love we can never lose.
Hurting and healing are inevitable life experiences in our world. In this sermon covering the healing of the bleeding woman and of Jairus’ daughter in Mark 5, Pastor Dave teaches us how Jesus Heals through desperation, He heals in relationship, and He heals for eternity.
As we consider Jesus’ parables, we learn that God has wired our brains for stories, which engage our imagination, penetrating not just our heads, but our hearts as well. As we examine these particular parables about the Kingdom of God, we learn that the Kingdom looks small and feels slow, but it is better than anything you can imagine.
In this meaningful chapter of our series about the book of Mark, Pastor Brent teaches us why we need the Church and the the world needs the Church. Ultimately, we learn that only Jesus Himself can create the community of the Church.
A Christian is not someone who has found God, rather, a Christian is someone who has been found by God. In this sermon covering a significant passage from Mark, Pastor Brent teaches us about how following Jesus requires nothing from us but our need for Him.
In a restorative and challenging sermon about forgiveness, Pastor Brent teaches us about the metaphysical healing we ultimately need and the amazing Healer we have in Jesus who offers us that very thing.
God speaks incredible and tender words of love over His Son in this passage of Mark, and through it we can learn that there is a love for which we were built. We can also learn how that love can come into your life, and finally, what happens when that love actually does come into your life.
In the first installment of our Mark series, we get right down to the grassroots movement of Christianity and ask: What is the Way? Where do we find it? How do we follow it?
More than anything, we want to be known for the way that we love and serve the city. How do we do that? First, we are a church and a people in the city. Second, we are a church and a people who are not of the city and are different from the city, seeking its peace and prosperity. Finally, we are a church and a people called to realize that we have a God who is for us, not against us.
We at Resurrection Oakland seek to be a church not just for Christ followers, but also a church for the unconvinced. What does it mean to be a church for the unconvinced? In this sermon, Pastor Brent teaches us that it means we are a church where people can process their doubts and questions, a church that believes anyone is a good candidate for the love of God, and ultimately, a community that has been changed by the grace of God.
In the first sermon of our annual vision series, Pastor Brent examines what the Church actually is Biblically. He notes that Scripture tells us that the Church is a nation, a family, and a temple and extrapolates on these three poignant metaphors.
In this next installment of our Spiritual Disciplines series, Pastor Dave teaches us about what service gives us, what service shows us, and finally, where service comes from.
In this latest installment of our Spiritual Disciplines series, Pastor Brent discusses the principles of generosity, the major problem with generosity, and ultimately, how we can overcome that problem.
This week, Pastor Brent teaches us about the often misunderstood spiritual discipline of fasting. Encouraging us to slow down our busy lives, he explains that when we fast and abstain from eating, we alternatively feast on God’s presence, we feed on God’s freedom, and ultimately, we feed on God’s justice.
In a sermon about prayer, Pastor Brent discusses the invitation of prayer, the gift of prayer, the healing power of prayer, and finally, the secret of prayer.
In the second installment of our Spiritual Disciplines series, Pastor Brent teaches us the practice of Christian meditation by examining the principle, the promise, and the practice of meditation.
In the first sermon of our series, Pastor Brent examines the four ways that the spiritual discipline of the Sabbath can change your life: it keeps us from living as exhausted people in an exhausting world, it grows our trust in God’s character, it reminds us that people are more important than productivity, and it points us to the deeper rest we need in Jesus.
In a special sermon from guest preacher Lance Lewis, we learn how God is bringing people from all different backgrounds together in His church to display His Glory. In this lesson, He calls us to display a “chopped basket” of biblical virtues: humility, gentleness, mercy, patience. Each and every one of these virtues was specifically designed to be practiced among living, breathing, sometimes get-on-your-nerves people
In the last installment of our “Authentic Faith” series, Pastor Dave explores what it means to be discontented, and how God gives you a contentment that is bigger than everything you lack, bigger that all your mistakes, and bigger than all your struggles.
Pastor Dave teaches us about how to bring our despair to God in an act of authentic faith by preaching on what despair says to us, what despair asks of us, and ultimately, how to talk back to your despair.
Pastor Dave tackles the difficult topic of anger by looking at what the Bible has to say about good anger, toxic anger, and ultimately, transformed anger.
Pastor Dave teaches us about how God wants to have a relationship with the real you, even your envy. He explains how we can take our envy to God by looking at the danger of envy, the clarity of worship, and the power of grace.
In this sermon about loneliness, Pastor Brent teaches us that we were not built for loneliness, but in fact we were designed for community. He teaches us about the cry of loneliness, the community we need in our loneliness, and ultimately the end of our loneliness in Jesus.
In this sermon, Pastor Brent teaches us about the seldom-discussed topic of lament. Through the lens of Psalm 13, he explains what lament is, why we need it, and how we do it.
In the second installment of our series “Authentic Faith,” taught through the lens of confession, Pastor Brent examines the problem of guilt, the paradox of grace, and the power of forgiveness.
Pastor Dave Lee begins our Authentic Faith sermon series and teaches us about worry. Specifically, how God walks with us through our worry and teaches us to experience it by examining what our worry reveals, why worship can transform our worry, and how we can live beyond our worry.
This week, Pastor Brent teaches about the story of the miraculous catch prior to Jesus’ ascension in John 21. In it, we affirm that Jesus is alive and He wants to find you so that He can transform you by His grace and for His purposes in the world.
Pastor Dave Lee teaches us about how the risen Jesus speaks to our understanding of power, specifically how power is received and not taken, how Jesus offers a power for others and not for ourselves, and how Jesus offers us a power that never fails even when all else fails.
This week, we study John 20 and the famous story of "Doubting Thomas." Listen as Pastor Brent teaches us how this passage indicates that Jesus says four things to us in our doubt: peace, think, believe, and blessed.
This week, on the second Sunday following Easter, Pastor Brent begins a new series about the gospel encounters the risen Jesus and that it means we do not have to be consumed by fear because 1) God is always with you, 2) God is for you, and 3) God is going to make all things right in the end.
Listen to Rev. Lance Lewis’ (New City Fellowship Sacramento) visit to ResOak and hear him preach on Romans 10:1-4 about God’s passionate longing for the souls of Oakland and the overall flourishing of the city of Oakland.
This week Rev. Dave Lee teaches us about Good Friday, the Friday before Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross for our sins.
This week Reverend Chase Daws teaches us about Palm Sunday and how it relates to finding peace. He teaches us about 3 paths to peace; 1. following your dreams, 2. following the rules, and 3. following Jesus’ tears.
This week Reverend Brent Webster teaches us about what it looks like to follow Jesus in Rejection. He shows us how to do this by looking at 4 promises.
This week Rev. Brent Webster teaches us about what it looks like to follow Jesus in Forgiveness. He teaches us three things; 1. why we need to forgive, 2. what it looks like, and 3. how we can do it.
This week Rev. Brent Webster teaches us about following Jesus in humility. We will look at 1. why we ought to pursue humility, 2. what humility is, and 3. how the gospel has a unique power to create humble people.
This week Rev. Dave Lee teaches us about how to follow Jesus in our suffering. We can see God in our suffering by looking at 1. the problem of suffering, 2. the hope of seeing God, and 3. the promise to the end of suffering.
This week Rev. Dave Lee teaches us what it looks like to follow Jesus with our shame. We will look at 1. The lepers shame 2. the lepers request and 3. the saviors touch.
This week Rev. Dave Lee teaches us about how temptation destroys and how temptation is destroyed.
This week we continue in our study of Abraham’s unfaithfulness and God’s faithfulness. Join us as we work through the story of God calling Abraham to sacrifice his only son.
This week Rev. Brent Webster teaches us about the importance of our hearts for the city. He does this by having us look at Abraham’s heart for the city, God’s heart for the city, and our own hearts for the city.
This week Rev. Brent Webster teaches us about joy and laughter in the christian life. We look at how to get this joy by looking at three things: 1. Sarah’s laughter, 2. God’s laughter, and 3. our laughter.
This week Rev. Brent Webster teaches us about how God meets us in our failure. In our failure, God tells us who we are, what to do, and how both of these are possible.
This week Rev. Brent Webster teaches us about how God is a God who sees us by looking at the story of Hagar. This name for God is three things: 1. a comfort, 2. a terror, and 3. a wonder.
This week Rev. Dave Lee teaches us about how Abraham lives a life defined by the covenant of God, not his circumstances. Rev. Dave Lee does this by looking at 1. the context of the covenant, 2. the promises of the covenant, and 3. the security of the covenant.
This week Rev. Brent Webster teaches us about what it looks like to have a big life by comparing and contrasting Abraham and Lot. He teaches us that the way to have a big life is to 1. exist for others, 2. own your stuff, don’t let it own you, and 3. worship.
Rev. Brent Webster teaches us about God’s call in our lives by looking at two things; 1. how God’s call comes into our lives and 2. how God’s call changes our lives.
This week, Rev. Dave Lee teaches us the importance of recognizing the existence of sin in our world. We must recognize that sin is a part of who we are and, if we aren’t willing to recognize this, we will be disappointed in ourselves and others when we mess up. Rev. Dave Lee teaches us how to do this by looking at 1. the danger of folly, 2. the importance of wisdom, and 3. the power of worship.
This week Rev. Dave Lee teaches us about our longing for Jesus by looking at three things. 1. A comfort that is bigger than you, 2. a glory that is greater than everyone, 3. and grace that changes everything.
This Christmas Eve Service Rev. Brent Webster explores two names for Christ and the significance they carry. Please excuse the technical difficulties and missing section of the sermon.
This week Rev. Brent Webster teaches us about our longing for Joy that Christmas satisfies. He teaches us that the way we get this joy is by 1. Embracing the King, 2. Beholding the Treasure, and 3. Following the Way.
This week Rev. Brent Webster teaches us that biblical peace is not found in any outward or inward peace, but only in relationship with Christ.
This week Rev. Brent teaches us about our longing for hope. He teaches us that Christmas makes hope possible because it teaches us that 1. there is no circumstance that God cannot use, 2. no person that God cannot love, and 3. no wrong that God cannot right.
Rev. Brent Webster teaches us about longing for love, something each of us longs for in this life. He teaches us where this longing comes from, how we try to unsuccessfully satisfy it, and why only Christmas can.
This week Rev. Dave teaches us about healing in light of biblical, living faith. He teaches that this type of healing 1. begins with prayer, 2. this prayer pursues righteousness, and 3. that God’s grace ends with healing every single time.
This week at Res Oak, Rev. Dave Lee dives into how we can use our money to reflect a living faith. He teaches us 3 things; that we are not to let money define us, that we should use our money to help others, and that we should store our treasures in Jesus. When we having living faith, we can relinquish our money to be used by God for his glory and the good of our brothers and sisters.
This week we take a deep dive into what it looks like for a Christian to walk in Humility. We look at four things: 1. What it is, 2. Why we need it, . How we get it, and 4. Where it leads.
Our words are very important and James teaches us three things about them. 1. The power of our words, 2. How to use our words, and 3. how to use them to give life. We all need our tongues to be tamed and the only hope we have to use our words for good is Jesus.
This week at Res Oak Rev. Brent Webster teaches about what it looks like for a Christian to live a life of justice. He dives deep into how we are to live lives of justice by looking at the life we are to live and the God we are to love.
Sometimes the Bible and God’s law can seem restrictive but this week Rev. Brent Webster teaches us how freeing submitting to the Bible actually is. This passage teaches us three things about how we relate to the Bible: something hard, something surprising, and something hopeful.
This week Rev. Brent Webster explores what it looks like to have a living faith in the midst of trials. He explains what characteristics indicate a living faith. As a Christian, we are called to find joy in our trials because we know the eternal reality that awaits us. In response, we expect trials, endure trials, find hope in trials, and always come back to the cross in the midst of trials.
This week at Res Oak we look at what love for the world looks like as a Christian. First, it is a responsible love that takes ownership of the world and the issues within it. Second, it is an inviting love that welcomes all, no matter our differences. Third, it is a sacrificial love that pursues and goes out of its comfort zone.
To love one another with a Christlike love includes three things. First, this kind of love is a kneeling love. A Christian puts themselves below others and acts as a servant. Second, this kind of love is a washing love. Christians help one another move forward in truth and love towards Christ. Third, this kind of love is a gracious love and forgives all.
This week Rev. Brent Webster dives deep into what it looks like and means to love Christ as a Christian. We learn that in order to have deep love for Jesus, a christian must abide in Him, obey Him, and trust Him. Join us as we study what it looks like to practice these three in a deep and relational way with our God.
Loved by God is what should describe someone who is a Christian. It is because of God’s love for us that we can love Him and others. God’s love comes from him because it is who he is and it leads us to confidence in who he says we are and humility over what he has done for us.
This Sunday Reverend Lee guides us through Matthew 25: 14-30 and what it has to teach us about being “good and faithful” servants of God. God wants out hearts, not our good works or accomplishments. Jesus is the ultimate example of what it means to be a “good and faithful.” His goodness and faithfulness will always outweigh our sin.
This week we study the story of Jonah and his heart towards the city of Nineveh. It was one of anger and judgement, despite the Lord calling him to go to it and love it. In this story we learn about God’s heart towards Nineveh and that we should reflect this same love in our own city’s.
This week at Res Oak, Rev. Brent Webster teaches us about what the church is meant to be for those who are unconvinced of the claims of Jesus. John 1:35-51 tells us of two individuals who were full of doubt when it came to the claims of Jesus. How Jesus responds to these two people demonstrates for us that the church is intended to be a place for those with questions and doubts to come and process, come and change, and come and worship.
This week Rev. Brent Webster teaches us about the vision God has for his church. We learn that God’s vision for the church is that it is a community of broken and messy people who are honest, vulnerable, and loved. It is a community of people whose lives are knit together in radical love and dependence. Lastly, it is a multiethnic community of people who are different from one another.
This week at Res Oak, Rev. David Lee teaches us about the attributes of pure love. Love bears and endures, hopes and believes, and redeems the loveless. Love is hard, but we are encouraged to find the love our hearts long for in the one who gives it perfectly; Jesus, and to strive to give this same love to others.
This week we study Psalm 134 and the hope we have in Christ that we will make it home one day and celebrate with Jesus in heaven! This Psalm represents a long journey with the author longing for something other than this world. We are encouraged as we face trials of this earth that Jesus has prepared a place for us in heaven and we will one day join him there.
Reverend Elbert McGowan teaches form Psalm 55- a Psalm that speaks of the hurt David has experienced from his close friends. This shows us how real and common it is to be hurt by the church and the power we have as believers to love those around us and bring restoration to those hurting.
This week we take a look at two stories Jesus told that teach us what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Reverend Brent Webster dives into the three things we do when we decide to become a disciple of Jesus. 1. We have considered Jesus’ claim 2. We have counted the cost and 3. We have accepted the call.
This week we dive into the topic of Money. Jesus wants us to realize we are stewards of His money, not owners of our own money. Jesus wants to transform how we think about money, what we do with money, and how we feel about money. Christ love for us transforms our view of money completely.
Whether you’re convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between- we are glad you are here!
This week at Resurrection Oakland we study the story of the pharisee and the tax collector. We take a look at the problem we all have; our righteousness starvation. We constantly try to fill this need with comparison, contempt, and pride when Jesus’ righteousness is already ours.
Whether you’re convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
Join us as this week as we hear from guest speaker Wade Chan. He shares with about Death ad Glory and challenges us with the question; what is Jesus worth to you?
Join us this week as we learn about the parable of the good samaritan. Rev. Chase Daws explains that we can never be the good samaritan without first realizing that we are the beat up man on the side of the road first. Instead, Jesus is the good samaritan that our broken and beat up hearts long for.
Whether you’re convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we’re glad your here!
Join us this week as we dive into a parable on prayer. This parable teaches us how and why we should pray and reminds us that we have a loving, Heavenly Father willing and able to give us good gifts.
Join us as we continue in our “The Stories of Jesus” series. Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
Join us as we continue in our “The Stories of Jesus” series. Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
Join us as we begin a new series titled “The Stories of Jesus.” Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
Join us as we continue the series "Transformed by the Resurrection." Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
Join us as we continue the series "Transformed by the Resurrection." Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
Join us as we continue the series "Transformed by the Resurrection." Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
Our sound went out during the scripture reading. The scripture passage is Genesis 3:1-11 if you would like to read it. Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
We had some sound issues this week so please excuse the quality!
Join us as we continue the series "Transformed by the Resurrection." Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
We had some sound issues this week so please excuse the quality!
Join us as we begin the series "Transformed by the Resurrection." Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
Jesus — God in the flesh — came into our world to save us from our sin and death. To remember this, we are holding a special joint service with Grace Presbyterian Church of Silicon Valley. Join us as we remember the physical and spiritual darkness that Jesus himself felt on our behalf, so that we might experience the light and resurrection life of God.
As we virtually worship together, we continue our series in the Gospel according to Luke. Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
As we virtually worship together, we continue our series in the Gospel according to Luke. Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
As we virtually worship together, we continue our series in the Gospel according to Luke. Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
As we virtually worship together, we are honored to have guest Rev. James Westbrook with us today. Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
As we virtually worship together, we continue our series in the Gospel according to Luke. Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
As we virtually worship together, we continue our series in the Gospel according to Luke. Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
As we virtually worship together, we continue our series in the Gospel according to Luke. Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
As we virtually worship together, we continue our series in the Gospel according to Luke. Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
As we virtually worship together, we continue our series in the Gospel according to Luke. Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
As we virtually worship together, we continue our series in the Gospel according to Luke. Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
As we virtually worship together, we continue our series in the Gospel according to Luke. Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
As we virtually worship together, we continue our series in the Gospel according to Luke. Whether you are convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, we are glad you are here!
As 2020 closes and we enter the new year of 2021, Guest Pastor Lance Lewis invites us to look afresh at Jesus to gain perspective and calling.
What does it mean that Jesus is the joy of our desires? Worship and listen with us as we learn more about our true and ultimate Christmas Joy.
God speaks his Word of truth and of glory in the person of Jesus. Listen with us as we reflect on the good news of Christmas.
We continue in our series of Luke with Grace Presbyterian Church, and hear about God's message of glory and peace from Rev. David Jones.
We are worshiping with our sister church, Grace Presbyterian Church of Silicon Valley this season of Advent. And we explore a new song — a new carol — that God's Spirit gives us through a man named Zechariah.
The mother of Jesus, Mary, sings the first ever Christmas carol and it is a song of God's kindness and promise for justice.
We continue our series in the Gospel according to Luke as the season of Advent begins. The word ‘Advent' means ‘coming,' and it is the season where Christians celebrate the first coming of Jesus in a manger and look forward to his promise to come again in glory. Join us as Rev. Chase Daws from RUF Berkeley shares the beginnings of the Christmas story with us.
We continue in our series of the Gospel of Luke and see how Jesus himself was tempted, but remained sinless - and this is good news for us.
We continue to explore the Gospel of Luke to find that God remains faithful from generation to generation.
We are continuing our series in the Book of Luke — why Jesus came. We will delve deeper into the Good News of our God who chooses to come and dwell with us.
We are beginning our new series in the Gospel of Luke! And just as Luke was encountered by the Good News of Jesus, we too have the opportunity to listen and be transformed.
Jesus is King and Lord over all, and his desire is to bring his Kingdom here on earth, in Oakland, as in heaven. Come listen and rest in the assurance that the goodness, truth, justice, and tender love of God will always prevail.
We hear from God's Word this week and are reminded that Jesus is the source of our security.
We continue our series in Philippians and delve into how the Christian life produces contentment.
In a time where are filled with and surrounded by anxiety, we need to hear the Gospel truth that Jesus has come to bring peace.
Paul shows us that no joys can compare with the ultimate joy we have in Jesus. Regardless your faith background, your doubts, or your beliefs, we invite you to wrestle with the claims of joy as described in the Bible.
God sends his Church in joyful mission together to care for one another, our neighbors, and our city.
Last week, we talked about joy in humility. This week, Rev. Chase Daws from RUF Berkeley shares with us about the Christian joy found in obedience.
When we talk about joy, we don't often think about humility. However, Jesus shows us a perfect joy even in being humble.
Jesus uses the suffering in our world and lives for mysterious and redemptive work for those around us.
How do we discover joy amidst suffering, death, hardship, and injustice? Christianity, despite the mourning we face in life, is also about a joyous hope! Join as we discover that joy together.
Guest pastor, Rev. Iron Kim (from our sister church, Grace Presbyterian of Silicon Valley), shares with us from the Book of Galatians and about living in the promise of our adoption.
Doing justice and living justly was and is supposed to be an integral part of life under God’s rule. Yet, it is often a neglected expectation or conversation in the church. It has become an atrophied part of our spiritual maturity.
Justin Giboney writes, “Young Christians are going to seek out a concept of social justice. If they can’t get it from the church then they’ll get it from secular sources. If that’s problematic for you (and it should), then don’t dismiss social justice, show them a biblical way to pursue it.”
Using Jeremiah 7, we will have a conversation. We will look at the importance of justice to God; the danger of not doing justice; and the power availed to us live justly while also doing justice.
We conclude our series on the Holy Spirit by remembering the final work of Jesus' Spirit.
God gives us his Spirit to teach us his will and his ways. What does it look like to live in and by the Spirit?
In all things, God has given us a Helper and Advocate in Jesus to convict us, move us into righteousness, and give us true hope.
Are the gifts of the Spirit things like speaking in tongues and prophesy, or are there gifts that we have not considered?
Guest Pastor David Lee joins us to consider how the oppressed need advocates, the oppressors need a Savior, and how God is bringing saving justice into the world.
Guest Pastor Randy Nabors reminds us that the Christian faith is one of justice. We must all be working toward bringing God's justice!
In the midst of injustice, racism, and suffering going on in our world, we still have hope. We celebrate Pentecost by remembering that God's Holy Spirit made his people into a global, universal Church. Jesus will be praised by every tribe, every nation, and every tongue, and he invites us into that life of multicultural mission.
The gift of Jesus' Holy Spirit is also God's promise that we have unlimited access to him. We no longer are bound by judgment and fear, but are freed to come before a loving Father.
In this time of shelter in place, we often feel our loneliness. Jesus reminds us of his own presence, God's Holy Spirit, who has been in loving existence since creation's birth, and who resides with us and within us even now.
Our God will use all things to restore justice and goodness to his world. Even injustice, he will use — as we have seen in the work of Jesus on the cross.
When trouble comes, we often tend to think that God is either not good or not God (i.e. all-powerful and in control). However, as we delve deeper into Habakkuk, we learn that God's heart is for us and his desire is to set all things right.
Join us as we begin a new series 'Habakkuk: Trusting God in Troubled Times.' Since we are in our own troubled times, let us look back to the times of Habakkuk, the prophet who was told to share a message in the midst of suffering and hardship.
On Easter Sunday, Brent takes us to the Gospel of Luke, which reminds us of the truth, reliability, and wondrous resurrection hope we have in Jesus.
Rev. Chase Daws from our campus ministry, UC Berkeley's RUF, preaches and allows us to remember the humanity, the suffering, and the deity of our God and Savior: Jesus Christ.
The end of the Bible (and the end of the Apostles' Creed that we've been talking about) end with the promise of God's kingdom coming and new, everlasting life.