Sermons: Recent Episodes
SOMA Church Community: Santa Rosa, CA
Scripture: Romans 9:1-6a. The apostle Paul has great anguish for his ethnic brothers and sisters who don't believe and we should have great anguish for the yet to believe in our life.
Scripture: Romans 8:14-17. To be children of God by the Spirit of God is both encouraging and assuring.
Scripture: Romans 8:12-13. We are obligated not to the flesh but to the Holy Spirit, and by the Holy Spirit to put to death the deeds of the flesh.
Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23. True spiritual living will be characterized by fidelity in every area of life.
Scripture: Romans 8:1-4. Believers are entirely free from condemnation and empowered to live righteously through Christ and the Holy Spirit, leading to transformed lives filled with hope and purpose.
The fulfilled promise of Jesus’ birth gives us hope today that no matter what we face, Jesus is with us, and has made a way for our forgiveness.
Scripture: Romans 7:1-6. Christians have been set free (died) from the binding authority of the law and now belong to Jesus.
Scripture: Romans 6:15-23. Christians are no longer slaves to sin but slaves to God, and there is indeed freedom in being enslaved to God.
Scripture: Romans 6:1-14. Christians are dead to sin's enslaving power and alive to God.
Scripture: Romans 6:1-14. Christians are dead to sin's enslaving power and alive to God.
Scripture: Romans 5:12-21. We are able to have the life-changing results of justification by faith alone because we are no longer in Adam but in Christ, the second Adam.
The power of the church - including SOMA as we celebrate 16 years - is the Holy Spirit.
Scripture: Romans 5:3-11. The apostle Paul continues to list some of the life-changing results of being justified by faith alone.
Scripture: Romans 5:1-2. The apostle Paul begins to list some of the life-changing results of being justified by faith alone.
Scripture: 3 John 1-15. What ordinary gospel progress looks like for ordinary Christians.
Scripture: Luke 15:1-32. The commission of discipleship is to join Jesus in seeking the lost and rejoicing when the lost are found.
Scripture: Luke 10:38-42. Listening to the teaching of Jesus is the better choice of discipleship because it determines how we should serve (Garland).
Scripture: Luke 5:1-11; 27-32. Jesus takes ordinary people and transforms them into instruments for his use (Bock).
Scripture: Romans 4:1-8. Abraham was justified by faith, not works. Same with everyone!
Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Psalm 119:105. God’s Word can change us when we understand its origin and recognize & respond to its usefulness.
Scripture: Matthew 28:1-6; 1 Peter 1:3; Romans 8:11; Romans 10:9-10. In this message we look at what happened on the first Easter and why it matters.
Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11. In the account of Palm Sunday we see the kind of King Jesus is and how we are to respond.
Scripture: Acts 8:26-40. It is the Christian's calling to faithfully follow the Lord's evangelistic leading.
Scripture: Romans 3:27-31. An introduction to saving faith and the doctrine of faith alone (Sola Fide).
Scripture: Romans 3:21-26. The doctrine of Justification is summarized (via Stott) as the righteous God righteously righteousing the unrighteous.
Scripture: Colossians 1:28-29 and 1 Corinthians 3:6-7. SOMA's Mission is to help people begin and grow in following Jesus.
Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6. Psalm 23 teaches us that the journey through is a doorway to breakthrough in our lives.
Scripture: Matthew 5:17-20. Christianity is not about what we do, but what Jesus did. Our righteousness completely fails to keep the law, but Christ’s righteousness completely satisfies it.
Scripture: Romans 2:17-29. Having the law and circumcision do not make one righteous. Neither do being religious and moral!
Scripture: Romans 1:24-32. In this passage we see the results of idolatry: sexual sins and many other sins.
Scripture: Revelation 3:7-13. The church in Philadelphia was full, faithful, and unashamed.
Scripture: John 9:1-41. We are spiritually blind and it is only Jesus, the light of the world, who has the power to give us spiritual sight.
Scripture: John 5:10-18. Jesus' healing at the pool reveals his power over sickness and the Sabbath.
Scripture: John 4:43-54. The account of Jesus healing an official's son provides insight into the nature of genuine belief.
Scripture: Acts 2:42-47. The New Community was devoted to several things - including life together.
Scripture: Acts 4:23-31. In this account from the earliest days of the Christian movement, we see that we are called to pray for THE world to change, not just MY world.
Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:14-17. We should live on God's Word because of what God's Word is, what it does, and what it produces.
Scripture: Various. In this New Years Day sermon Pastor Paul challenges us to live on God's Word in 2003.
Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12. In light of the four different responses to the birth of Jesus, what is the right response?
Scripture: Habakkuk 1:1-3:19. Because God is sovereign and good, we must bring our laments to God, praise his character, and resolve to walk by faith.
Scripture: Acts 17:1-15. The Authority of the Scriptures was central to the Bereans and to the Reformers.
Scripture: Luke 9:10-17. Jesus supplies and satisfies AND he supplies and satisfies through this people.
Scripture: Luke 5:27-32. Jesus feasts with sinners and as his followers he wants us to feast with sinners.
Scripture: Galatians 5:16-25. The gospel is not a reckless life or a religious life. The gospel is Jesus Alive in me.
Scripture: Hebrews 13:1-6. The sermonic letter of Hebrews has communicated that Jesus is Greater. As the author draws his letter to a close he now speaks to what it looks like to live like we believe that Jesus is greater (part 1).
Scripture: Hebrews 12:18-29. In this passage we have a tale of two mountains and a final warning.
Scripture: Hebrews 12:12-17. In this message from Hebrews 12:12-17 we have a charge, a challenge, and a comfort.
Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-12:3. In this message on living by faith we look at what faith means, what faith looks like, and how we in fact live by faith.
Scripture: Hebrews 10:26-39. In this call to persevere we have a warning, a reminder, and a promise.
Scripture: Acts 20:17-38. A gospel-centered ministry submits to the Holy Spirit, speaks the Truth, and sheds Tears.
Scripture: Hebrews 7:11-28. In this passage we learn why we need a better Priest and what in fact makes Jesus that better Priest.
Scripture: Luke 15:11-32. The Parable of the Prodigal Son is actually the story of the Father's radical and reckless love.
Scripture: Hebrews 6:4-12. In this passage we have a warning against apostasy and a comforting word of reassurance.
Scripture: Hebrews 5:11-6:3. In this passage we have a necessary confrontation against spiritual immaturity and a challenge toward spiritual maturity.
Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12. Christmas is a thrill of hope because the baby who has been born is the King.
Scripture: Hebrews 5:1-10. As our great High Priest, Jesus is both the authority and answer to our deepest need.
Scripture: Hebrews 4:14-16. Because Jesus is our great High Priest we can believe what we believe and pray with confidence.
Scripture: Hebrews 4:1-13. God's promise to give us rest still stands. Don't miss out on it.
Scripture: Hebrews 3:7-19. We battle unbelief by watching out, encouraging one another (and receiving encouragement), and by listening to God.
Scripture: Hebrews 3:1-6. We are to consider carefully Jesus because he is greater than Moses.
Scripture: Hebrews 2:11-18. The incarnation teaches us that Jesus is our brother and effective High Priest.
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21. The Protestant Reformation included a rediscovery of the doctrine of Justification - our alien righteousness.
Scripture: Hebrews 2:10. In this verse we see the entirely appropriate sufferings of Jesus.
Scripture: Hebrews 2:5-9. Jesus is (still) greater than angels even if for a time he was positionally lower than angels.
Scripture: Hebrews 1:4-2:4. Because Jesus is greater than angels we are not to drift from or neglect him and his salvation.
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:12-28. Don't get distracted. Nothing can separate us from God's love. Remember Jesus.
Scripture: Colossians 1:24-29. Pastor Paul shares his renewed philosophy of ministry as he returns from sabbatical.
Scripture: Titus 3:1-15. The responsibilities of a healthy church include remembering our obligations, recalling the gospels transformation, and refraining from foolish controversies.
Scripture: Joshua 1:1-18. In the opening chapter of Joshua we learn God’s definition of success.
Scripture: Titus 2:11-15. The apostle Paul speaks of the appearance of the amazing grace of God, the work of the amazing grace of God, and the price of the amazing grace of God.
Scripture: Titus 1:10-16. The apostle Paul warns Titus of the concern of false teachers and the solution to the false teachers.
The apostle Paul give Timothy and us a charge consisting of nine commands on the importance of the Bible for life and ministry.
Scripture: Matthew 7:12-29. Jesus concludes the Sermon On The Mount with four warnings that call for a response.
Scripture: Matthew 7:7-11. Jesus teaches his followers that simple prayer is persistent and confident.
Scripture: Matthew 7:1-6. In this passage we see the danger of judging and the danger of not judging.
Scripture: Luke 24:1-12. We need to remember the miracle of the resurrection and the meaning of the resurrection.
Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11. In order to celebrate Jesus our King, we need to know what kind of a King he is.
Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34. While natural, unchecked kingdom of the world is fear-based, Jesus calls us to seek a truer and better Kingdom.
Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13. In second half of this model prayer Jesus continues to teach his followers how to pray.
Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13. In this model prayer Jesus teaches his followers how to pray.
Scripture: Matthew 6:5-8. Jesus addresses two wrong ways to pray along with his corrections.
Scripture: Matthew 6:1-4. In this passage Jesus speaks about the wrong way and the right way to practice righteousness (doing religion) with giving to the needy.
Scripture: Psalm 139:1-18. The Scriptures indicate that children in the womb are living persons who are remarkably and wondrously made.
Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-22. The blood of Jesus is the reason there can be and should be reconciliation and unity among the different ethnicities of the world.
Scripture: Matthew 16:13-20. The church Jesus said he would build flows from his identity and confesses his identity.
Scripture: Luke 2:10-11. The angel's message to the shepherds contain six sweet words of Christmas for us as well.
Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48. Jesus' followers are to love and pray for their enemies. How?
The scriptures from beginning to end make it clear that our lives are to be marked by giving thanks.
Scripture: Matthew 5:38-42. Jesus calls his followers to a revolutionary response to evil.
Scripture: Matthew 5:33-37. Jesus calls his followers to be people of simple truthfulness.
Scripture: Matthew 5:31-32. According to Jesus there should be no easy divorce and that he believes in the sanctity of marriage.
Scripture: Matthew 5:27-30. In this sermon we see that good and godly sexuality exits, there is an internal component, and it includes a fight.
Remarkable Compassion is an essential characteristic of who God is, and therefore it must be an essential characteristic of God’s people. We reflect God’s love and care towards us, in our love and care for our vulnerable neighbors.
Scripture: Matthew 5:17-20. How does Jesus relate to the Scriptures and how are we to relate to the Scriptures?
Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16. Jesus tells his followers that they are to relate to the world as salt and light.
Scripture: Matthew 5:8-12. In this final sermon from the Beatitudes we look at the last three kingdom norms.
Scripture: Matthew 5:4-7: In this second sermon on the kingdom norms from Matthew 5 we look at the second through fifth Beatitudes.
Scripture: Luke 10:25-37. In this famous parable we will learn what it means to engage in gospel neighboring and why we are to engage in gospel neighboring.
Scripture: Luke 18:1-8. Jesus told this parable so that his followers would always pray and not loose heart.
Scripture: 1 Peter 5:6-14. Peter closes his letter with timely encouragement and challenge.
Scripture: 1 Peter 4:1-6. God can use suffering in our lives as a crucible to motivate us to live to live the rest of our lives for his will.
Scripture: 1 Peter 3:13-18. The apostle Peter shares how God's sons and daughters are to respond when they suffer for righteousness' sake.
Scripture: Luke 2:8-14. One of the things that Jesus came to bring was peace. But what exactly is this peace?
Scripture: 1 Peter 2:11-12. God's people are to abstain from sinful desires and they are to maintain a good way of life.
Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-9. According to Peter in his thanksgiving section of this letter, salvation brings two things to God's people: hope and joy.
Scripture: 1 Peter 1:1-2. In the opening greeting, Peter reminds his readers that we are elect exiles dispersed - all the work of our triune God.
Scripture: Mark 2:1-12. We are a church family that needs Jesus together because we need forgiveness for our sin.
In 1 Corinthians 12:12 the Apostle Paul states that “… the body is one and yet has many members.” The Body of Christ has unity and diversity. God’s Word instructs us the be connected. If we are to function as a local Body, our connection with the Head (Jesus) and the members is necessary for true function and life.
Scripture: Hebrews 3:1-19. A biblically functioning church must live in covenant community together. In this message we learn why and how this is possible.
Scripture: Matthew 5:17-19. A church should have the same view of the Bible that Jesus had and therefore function under the Authority of the Scripture
Scripture: Revelation 21:1-8. The new heaven and the new earth are part of the Christians hopeful future.
Scripture: John 4:1-30. In the encounter of Jesus and the Samaritan woman we see our deepest needs and God’s perfect provision for those needs.