Olive Branch Christian Fellowship: Recent Episodes
Pastor Trevor O'Keefe
Welcome to the Olive Branch Christian Fellowship Podcast, where you'll find messages from Pastor Trevor O’Keefe.
Olive Branch Christian Fellowship is a Jesus loving Bible teaching church located in San Diego, Ca.
Visit us online at OliveBranchCF.org
This week, we finish our series titled "Letters to the Church", where we are looking at the seven letters in the book of Revelation and the message they have for the church back then, the church of today, and our own church. This week, we study the letter to the church of Laodicea.
Laodicea was a wealthy community but they let that wealth take a central place in their heart. They were also quick to compromise and avoid any conflict. The church took on these characteristics and Jesus' message to the church was correcting them for not realizing these underlying issues. Like the church of Laodicea, we have to be vigilant in our own lives to not let these problems fester and take steps to combat the empty promises our culture offers us.
This week, we are joined by guest speaker Jim Orate as we continue our series titled "Letters to the Church", where we are looking at the seven letters in the book of Revelation and the message they have for the church back then, the church of today, and our own church. This week, we study the letter to the church of Philadelphia.
Jesus' message to Philadelphia was one of encouragement. Though they might have been weak, they were strong in their faith and devotion to Him. Like the church of Philadelphia, we are also encouraged to remain faithful and to be able to experience the promises and gifts He has in store for us.
This week, we are joined by guest speaker Armando Garcia from Servant's Church Calvary Fallbrook as we continue our series titled "Letters to the Church", where we are looking at the seven letters in the book of Revelation and the message they have for the church back then, the church of today, and our own church. This week, we study the letter to the church of Sardis.
Unlike some of the other churches we have studied so far in this series, Sardis faced very little persecution. As a result, Jesus condemns the church for being spiritually dead. The church of today, like Sardis, may look healthy from the outside and doing the right things, but inside is spiritually numb and complacent. We can take comfort knowing that Jesus doesn't reach out to Sardis to only condemn Sardis, but to revive them.
This week, we continue our series titled "Letters to the Church", where we are looking at the seven letters in the book of Revelation and the message they have for the church back then, the church of today, and our own church. This week, we study the letter to the church of Thyatira.
Jesus commends the church for their growth and perseverance in the midst of a pervasive and opposite culture to their values. But the church had become tolerant and allowed outside practices and values to take root in the church. Today's modern church is also at risk of the same dangers with respect to our culture's views on many different things, like relationships. The letter to Thyatira is an invitation for us to examine our own lives for what we are tolerating that will later come back to hurt us and those around us.
This week, we continue our series titled "Letters to the Church", where we are looking at the seven letters in the book of Revelation and the message they have for the church back then, the church of today, and our own church. This week, we study the letter to the church of Pergamum.
Jesus commends the church for their faithfulness in the midst of a dark and oppressive environment. But the ever present pagan acts in the city were practiced by some in the church. Jesus calls them to repent from false teachers and false attitudes of indifference. Like the church of Pergamum, we too are constantly under influence by the culture around us and should not let the church be compromised or tolerant of sin.
This week, we continue our series titled "Letters to the Church", where we are looking at the seven letters in the book of Revelation and the message they have for the church back then, the church of today, and our own church.
This week, we study the letter to the church of Smyrna. When the church was addressed, they were facing severe persecution and enduring suffering because of their refusal to worship anyone else besides Jesus. Jesus recognized the great costs they were paying as a result of their faith. He was a source of comfort as He was both present with them in their suffering, understanding because of His own past experiences, and providing hope with His promise of the crown of life.
This week, we continue our series titled "Letters to the Church", where we are looking at the seven letters in the book of Revelation and the message they have for the church back then, the church of today, and our own church.
This week, we study the letter to the church of Ephesus. The church was commended for it's steadfast commitment to truth while being in the middle of challenging times. But while the church was committed to truth, it had lost love for Jesus and for one another. Jesus calls them to return to the love that they once had. This message doesn't just ring true back then, but for the modern day church and Renewed Life Church today.
This week, we begin a new series titled "Letters to the Church", where we are looking at the seven letters in the book of Revelation and the message they have for the church back then, the church of today, and our own church.
This week, we are reminded that there is an author of these letters, Jesus Christ. Although we have our own idea of Jesus shaped by personal experience or stories of His ministry, John describes Jesus to give us a glimpse of His full glory. Although John fell to the ground in front of Jesus, He was still personal and intimate to remind John to not be afraid. Jesus is both the authority that grounds the message to the church and inspires courage and hope.
This week as we celebrate Easter, we study the simple message of Easter, to come and see, to go and tell. Like those who first went and saw the empty tomb, the gospel is an invitation for all who are weary to come and see for themselves that Jesus overcame death. And just like Jesus charged the disciples, we have good news to share with those around us.
Throughout history, fiction, and today, many communities take the shape and characteristics of their leader. On Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem in a way that announced His Kingship and His Kingdom. Today, we will study what Christ's Kingdom looks like and how Jesus contrasted Himself from the expectations of other rulers. We will also study what it looks like to join the Kingdom of Christ and what it means to be a citizen.
This week, we wrap up our series titled, "The Heart of God, The Heartbeat of Our Church", where we have looked at what Jesus teaches us about the Heart of God for us through a few parables, such as the prodigal son. While we may be familiar with this parable, we often can limit ourselves to identifying with either of the two sons. Ultimately, we are challenged to be like the Father in this story, full of grace, compassion and love for the lost around us.
This week, we are joined by one of our global ministry partners, Zhenya Chekushkin. Zhenya is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Ternopil and the administrator of Calvary Chapel Ukraine. He shares with us an encouraging word about Jesus' presence with us in the midst of the storms and fears of life. He shares an update of the work that the ministries he works with are doing in Ukraine.
This week, we continue our series titled, The Heart of God, The Heartbeat of Our Church, where we have studied how Jesus describes the heart of God and how the church can mirror it.Throughout our series, we have studied how the parable of the lost sheep and lost coin showed us that God's heart seeks after us and how he seeks after us. Today, we look at what the father in the parable of the prodigal son teaches us about the God's heart for us. The son ultimately needs the father's love and forgiveness as those characteristics open the door for the son to come to his senses and realize he can come back home to the father. And when the son does come back home, the father is the first to be celebrating his return.
This week, we wrap up our series titled, The Heart of God, The Heartbeat of Our Church, where we have studied how Jesus describes the heart of God and how the church can mirror it.Looking at the parable of the prodigal son. it is easy to overlook the older brother's role in the story as Jesus talked to the sinners and religious elites in the crowd. Neither brother had to earn their way into their father's house, since the father's grace was freely given. But the older brother believed that he had earned his place, refusing to show grace to his younger brother. The older brother had deceived himself into thinking he was self sufficient and not in need of receiving the father's love and grace.
"Jesus' Final Word, Heaven's First Pronouncement:
The Seven Signs of John" John 19:28-20:18
"Human Enough to Understand, God Enough to Rescue:
The Seven Signs of John" John 18:1-14
This week, we are joined by guest speaker Tyer Bacquet from Everlight Church in Pismo Beach as he shares a message with us that just like Jesus was led into the wilderness, we can be led into the wilderness too. Being led into the wilderness and facing challenges isn't about punishing us, but revealing what is truly in our hearts and relying on the Lord's strength when we fall short.
This week, we wrap up our series titled, The Heart of God, The Heartbeat of Our Church, where we have studied how Jesus describes the heart of God and how the church can mirror it.
Looking at the parable of the prodigal son. some of us may identify with the younger son, while others feel it is representative of a story not personally experienced. Identifying with the younger son does not only come from a journey of returning to your faith. As we'll study today, any of us who look to the world to find a meaning or love that replace's God's can identify with the younger son. Like he did, we are still able to come to our senses and return because God is always inviting us to come home with open arms.
The idea of accountability has long been floating around church, and to many of us has been a mainstay in small groups. But how would we describe the role that accountability should have in our lives as Christians, as church goers, and as a brother and sister to those around us? In our study today, we will see how and why we are called to encourage, challenge, teach, and serve those around us so that we can all be doing life with one another.
This week, we are joined by guest speaker Mike Neglia visiting us from Calvary Chapel Cork.
There are many things discouraging us about the states of our lives and the world around us. As Christians, we have our hope in Jesus and can share the good to those around us. And one day, He will come and the finish the work we are doing. Our hope rests in the work that will be done when Jesus returns, that there will be a revival for the weary, real peace among nations, and a daily renewal for His followers.
This week, we continue our series titled "The Heartbeat of God, the Heartbeat of Our Church" where we study how Jesus describes the heart of God and how the church can mirror it.
In the parable of the prodigal son, we see a request made that would have been shocking in Jesus' day. We see the father giving his son what he asked for and more, since it would come at great cost for the father. When the son finally does return, the father can only respond with extravagant love, which opened the way for the son's repentance. And ultimately, Jesus' comparison of the younger, reckless son to the older responsible son reveals that the safe one might not be the older brother who thought he did everything right.
This week, we finish our four part series where we look at our church's mission, vision, and values, where they come from, and how they influence the way our church interacts with our congregation.
The vision of Renewed Life Church is that we experience renewed life through Jesus, together. We were designed with a deficiency in us, that we are not wholly self sufficient. In order to thrive, we need to be in community and surrounded by people who share the same purpose and mission. There are many places to find community in, but what sets the church apart is that there shouldn't be competition and comparison present. It should be a place where we all stand on equal ground and all find our stability in Jesus.
This week, we begin the third week of our four part series where we look at our church's mission, vision, and values, where they come from, and how they influence the way our church interacts with our congregation.
The vision of Renewed Life Church is that we experience renewed life through Jesus as he gives us renewed purpose. As humans we were created with an original God given purpose and mission. Although sin pulls us away from our original purpose, Jesus restores us to live our lives according to our first purpose and mission. As a church, this translates to a desire that everyone be an ambassador for Christ and that our church will always be welcoming and inclusive to all.
This week, we begin the second week of our four part series where we look at our church's mission, vision, and values, where they come from, and how they influence the way our church interacts with our congregation.
The vision of Renewed Life Church is the way that we carry out our mission of loving God, serving people, and making disciples. Being shaped into a disciple of Jesus may begin with expanding your knowledge, but discipleship does not end there. Discipleship is reforming a life and a heart that is in need of repair because of a world and internal nature pulling it adrift. This happens through the process of reordering the loves in our lives and experiencing renewed affections through Jesus.
This week, we begin the first week of our four part series where we look at our church's mission, vision, and values, where they come from, and how they influence the way our church interacts with our congregation.
The mission of Renewed Life Church is to make disciples of Jesus who love God and love people and this is inspired by the first mission that Jesus laid out for the church. Being a disciple carries the idea of apprenticeship, wanting to be like Jesus and adapting and adopting to His life. This is accomplished as we are transformed from the inside out, away from our broken selves to experiencing renewed life through Jesus.
It was in the spring of 2011 that our church was planted in the San Diego suburb of Poway, California. Initially operating under the name of Olive Branch Christian Fellowship. And as we share in this special announcement, in the beginning of 2025 our church will begin to operate as Renewed Life Church.
The name change is a mission match for our church community, with us stating each week that we exist for people to experience Renewed Life - as Jesus renews our affections, giving us renewed purpose, that we fulfill alongside of a new community.
This week, we continue our series in the book of Psalms titled "Longing for the Savior", where we study a different Psalm each week. We look at Psalm 23 and the peace that David has knowing that He has a good shepherd. Like David, we too can take comfort in knowing we have a good shepherd because we know our Shepherd is powerful enough to protect us, and personal enough to care and love us. Like sheep reflect the quality of the care and protection of their shepherd, we too are examples to the world of the good shepherd we have and the great care and love He has for us.
olivebranchcf.org
This week, we continue our series in the book of Psalms titled "Longing for the Savior", where we study a different Psalm each week. We look at Psalm 19 which highlights the two powerful ways that God reveals Himself, through creation and His Word. This revelation of His existence is accessible to us all, as well as the transformative power of His Word as it guides, corrects, and renews our lives as we are all called to an individual and personal response.
olivebranchcf.org
This week, we continue our series in the book of Psalms titled "Longing for the Savior", where we study a different Psalm each week. We look at Psalm 133 with a simple and timely message. That unity in the church is good, pleasant, and desired by God. Unity in the church is unique and of the kind not encountered anywhere else. It is through God's grace poured out on His church that we can experience the beauty of unity. Ultimately, there is much more that we share in common and outweigh differences.
olivebranchcf.org
This week, we begin our new series in the book of Psalms, titled "Longing for the Savior" by starting in Psalm 1.
Everything in our world is always progressing and changing, even ourselves. We are cautioned against walking in the path of unrighteousness, because we will only progress down that path until we find ourselves mocking those who are righteous. Instead, we are exhorted to be delighting and meditating on the instruction of the Lord and be in this self strengthening cycle. Rather than have our happiness rely on the circumstances of life that will change, Psalm 1 show us that the happy ones are those delighting and meditating on the instruction of the Lord.
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This week, we conclude our series in the book of Jonah titled, "Outrageous Grace" by looking at chapter 4. Through Jonah’s story, we saw God's patient effort not only to guide Jonah in his mission but to shape his heart to reflect God's own compassion. We see that Jonah is angered by God's grace and mercy for others, despite the fact that Jonah was a recipient of His grace and mercy as well. Jonah's anger caused him to try and disengage from God and also exposed his wrong priorities in life. Despite all this, God was working in Jonah's life to expose Jonah to his own heart and prepare his heart for redemption.
olivebranchcf.org
This week, we continued our series titled, "Outrageous Grace", studying the life of Jonah. After Jonah was brought to repentance in the belly of the fish, God delivered him to dry land and repeated the same call on Jonah’s life as He had originally given him: “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach the message that I tell you.” Jonah obeyed this time, entered Nineveh, and preached the bad news of judgment on their wickedness. Nineveh repented, and God showed mercy to the Ninevites. Sometimes, bad news is necessary in order for good news to be seen as truly good.
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We are continuing our series titled Jesus Stories, where we look at the different ways Jesus changed lives. This week, we are looking at how Jesus impacted the life of Simon the leper and Mary. Simon the leper was able to host a dinner with Jesus after Simon was banished from his community because of his illness. Like Simon, we were once separated from the true community we were created for, but Jesus redeems us back to our proper place. During this dinner, we also see an act of worship by Mary, who poured out a jar of fragrant oil on Jesus. She recognized that Jesus was more valuable than any worldly thing. Though Mary made a great sacrifice for Jesus, it pales in comparison to the sacrifice Jesus made for us.
olivebranchcf.org
During our series, Jesus Stories, we will be joined each week by a member of our church as they recount how they came to know Jesus and how He has changed their life. This week we are joined by Pepper Lawrence as he shares his testimony with us.
olivebranchcf.org
We are continuing our series titled Jesus Stories, where we look at the different ways Jesus changed lives. This week, we are looking at the life of Timothy, a respected young man raised in the faith called to do great things for the kingdom of God. While he started out as Paul's disciple, he quickly became entrusted to teach, exhort, and correct the early church and its' leaders. At face value, Timothy was not an obvious choice since he was meek and timid. But by the grace of God, Timothy was able to be faithful to Him and was empowered and strengthened to live out his calling.
olivebranchcf.org
During our series, Jesus Stories, we will be joined each week by a member of our church as they recount how they came to know Jesus and how He has changed their life. This week we are joined by Don Cole as he shares his testimony with us.
olivebranchcf.org
We are continuing our series titled Jesus Stories, where we look at the different interactions Jesus had that changed lives. This week, we are looking at the healing of the paralyzed man. Jesus was not upset by the interruption of the paralyzed man lowered through the ceiling, but welcomed the unexpected opportunity and admired the faith demonstrated. He recognized the man's greatest need was not physical healing, but spiritual saving. Jesus forgave him of his sins and foreshadowed the greatest miracle to come.
olivebranchcf.org
During our series, Jesus Stories, we will be joined each week by a member of our church as they recount how they came to know Jesus and how He has changed their life. This week we are joined by Lindsay O'Keefe as she shares her testimony with us.
olivebranchcf.org
We are continuing our series titled Jesus Stories, where we look at the different interactions Jesus had that changed lives. This week, we are looking at the some of the many interactions Peter had with Jesus. Peter was identified as the rock of the church and given his new name by Jesus. Even while walking with Jesus and receiving his new identity, Peter was far from perfect and still exhibited his original strengths and weaknesses. Like Peter, there is room in our walk with God for ups and downs.
olivebranchcf.org
During our series, Jesus Stories, we will be joined each week by a member of our church as they recount how they came to know Jesus and how He has changed their life. This week we are joined by Bill Doyle as he shares his testimony with us.
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This week, we are joined by Danny Jack with an update on the work he and his wife are doing in an Austrian Christian school at the end of our message. Danny also continues our series titled Jesus Stories, where we look at the different interactions Jesus had that changed lives, like Zacchaeus's. He was an outcast from his community and viewed as a traitor. Jesus invited Himself into Zacchaeus's life and met Zacchaeus right where he was spiritually. Jesus' priorities were aligned with building God's kingdom and Zacchaeus in turn declared his faith.
olivebranchcf.org
During our series, Jesus Stories, we will be joined each week by a member of our church as they recount how they came to know Jesus and how He has changed their life. This week we are joined by Brooke Jack as she shares her testimony with us.
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Prayer is not a magic lamp that we can rub to get our way, but prayer is powerful and as James shows, a mature community is prayerful. Not only in victory is prayer powerful, but in times of despair and great difficulty. Ultimately, prayer aligns us with God's will to work all things for good in the long term, despite there sometimes being pain in the short term.
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This week, we continue our series titled Jesus Stories, where we look at the different interactions Jesus had that changed lives. We look at the woman Jesus spoke to by the well and the love that Jesus was able to demonstrate to her. Jesus didn't just love her, but knew her checkered past and still loved her and offered her the living water He offers us all. Like Jesus, we have a chance to love humanity the same way and that love comes more generously as we deepen our relationship with Him.
olivebranchcf.org
During our series, Jesus Stories, we will be joined each week by a member of our church as they recount how they came to know Jesus and how He has changed their life. This week we are joined by John Boyd as he shares his testimony with us.
olivebranchcf.org
This week, we are joined by our guest speaker Benjamin Morris of Calvary Chapel Svitlovodsk, Ukraine. We look at what the Gospel really is according to the Bible, not what misconceptions we might have. We also look at what the Gospel does in our lives and how it works in us. We also hear a partner update about the important work being done by the ministries Gospel for Ukraine and City to City Ukraine
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Even when our faith is imperfect, the object of our faith is much more important. During the storms of our life, we need to remember Jesus' character and nature, look where He is and know that He is near, and look at what He does for us in the midst of and after the storm.
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When Jesus and the disciples were weathering a storm in the Sea of Galilee, the disciples feared for their own lives because they were placing their faith in the small boat to save them. The power of their faith lied in the object of their faith.
Even when our faith is imperfect, the object of our faith is much more important. During the storms of our life, we need to remember Jesus' character and nature, look where He is and know that He is near, and look at what He does for us in the midst of and after the storm.
olivebranchcf.org
During our series, Jesus Stories, we will be joined each week by a member of our church as they recount how they came to know Jesus and how He has changed their life. This week we are joined by Jesse Jimenez as he shares his testimony with us.
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This week, we are joined by our guest speaker Rod Thompson as we continue our series titled, Jesus Stories, where we look at the impact Jesus made on other people and in our own lives. This week, we are looking at the impact Jesus had on the disciples when He walked on water. The Disciples were given direction by Jesus and chose to obey. Peter went a step further and stepped out onto the water in a display of great faith. They were able to see His profound power through these experiences and recognize who Jesus truly was.
olivebranchcf.org
During our series, Jesus Stories, we will be joined each week by a member of our church as they recount how they came to know Jesus and how He has changed their life. This week we are joined by Cathi Armitage as she shares her testimony with us.
olivebranchcf.org
This week we continued our series titled, Jesus Stories, where we look at the different lives that Jesus touched and the impact He had on them. We focused on John the Baptist and how his whole life pointed toward Jesus. As we look at John’s life, we see that he came to understand the importance of knowing who he was, and who he was not. Even in the midst of confusion and frustration with Jesus, He chose to bring all of his doubts straight to the source of truth – Jesus Himself. John the Baptist gives us a great picture of what it means for Jesus to be the hero of our own story, even through confusion and disappointment.
olivebranchcf.org
During our series, Jesus Stories, we will be joined each week by a member of our church as they recount how they came to know Jesus and how He has changed their life. This week we are joined by Nycole DeLaVara as she shares her testimony with us.
olivebranchcf.org
This week, we began our Series titled "Jesus Stories", where we look at the encounters Jesus had with people and the impact on them. We started this series looking at Jesus healing the demon possessed man and the authority Jesus has over the forces behind spiritual issues, both in His day and ours.
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Since the fall of humanity there has been a deep darkness over the world, and throughout the Old Testament we see God manifesting as the light of Israel. On the heels of the Feast of Tabernacles, a festival where Israel remembers God’s protecting and guiding presence in the wilderness wandering through the pillar of fire and smoke, Jesus makes the statement that He is the light of the world. Jesus is the Light that dispels darkness, gives us life, and guides our paths. As we follow Jesus we shine the Light of God through his grace and mercy at work in our lives.
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While we see bread as a staple or sweet treat, having bread was equated to life back in Jesus day. When Jesus stated He was the bread of life, He was communicating that He was sent from heaven and is God among us. He didn’t compare himself to something exclusive and instead to the most universal food in His day because what Jesus offered was offered to all. In Jesus we are loved fully and are enough. We do not need to continue searching for other idols that ultimately spoil and disappoint us.
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This week we celebrated Easter and the Resurrection of Jesus. We talked about the importance and impact of Jesus in human history, and how the resurrection was essential to Jesus’ claims and his validity. Then we were considered 3 questions in light of this. Why would I need His resurrection to be true, why would I believe it to be true, and what should I do if it is true.
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The first thing that comes to mind when we think of Jesus says a lot about us. For the people greeting Jesus as he entered Jerusalem, they saw their king who had come to deliver them from their oppression under the Romans. They failed to see Jesus for who He was, that He had come to not deliver them from the Romans but to deliver us all from sin. He was not the king they expected and it leaves us with the question of who He really is. In Jesus’ own words, He is the Logos, the answer to the meaning of life that philosophers have searched for. He is the great I Am and also fully man, who walked among us, suffered, and can understand what we face in life.
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Habbakuk carries a great burden seeing the injustices in Israel. As we have seen, Habakkuk takes his struggles to God and. While they both agree that the injustice should be stopped, God said it would be stopped in a way that will be a shock to Him, raising up an enemy to oppress His people.
In the midst of this, Habakkuk embraced faith. He intentionally took the time to recall the goodness of God and His past faithfulness. He also assessed the reality of the circumstances and carefully counted the costs that would come to pass as God said they would. Habakkuk had great reasons to choose faith in God and did not do so by blind faith.
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Last week we saw that God created humanity in his image for the purpose of loving community. This week we continued this theme to see that God’s intent is for our community to share in His mission. We looked at how God’s original charge to our first parents was to love God, love one another, build community, and to steward creation. We observed that sin messed everything up as Adam and Eve systematically failed to do what God called them to do and how that same sin has continued through humanity since. However, Jesus came to the earth and did the very thing our first parents failed to do. So now, we are redeemed to that same mission of loving God, loving our neighbor, building community, and furthering the Kingdom of God.
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Experts are saying we are living in the loneliest era in human history. Genesis 2:18 says “...it is not good that man should be alone...” recent studies confirm this biblical truth as they show prolonged loneliness has a comparable impact on one's health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. This Sunday we looked at the biblical reality that community is in God’s very nature and that because God created us in his image, we were created for community. We then heard how sin breaks community and that the good news is that Jesus redeems us to the loving community on mission that God created us for in the first place! We concluded with the truth that the Church is the only true expression of the community God created us for and we were challenged to lean into that community and invite others in as well.
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Habakkuk brings his questions and doubts to God over His plans for the Israelites, but Habakkuk is not asking to gain insight. Habakkuk redirects his anger to God and questions His every move and authority. Despite being in this tension, Habakkuk doesn’t use his questions as a reason to walk away. Instead he has the patience to wait for God’s response. When we see evil and suffering in the world, we like Habakkuk, could direct our anger to God and being questioning Him. A few common questions and answer we will look at is why he doesn’t stop evil, if evil comes from Him, and why a day of reckoning has not yet arrived.
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What do we do when we can’t isolate ourselves from the grim realities of our broken world? Who can we take our frustrations, questions, and doubts to? Our answer comes from a surprising source giving a voice to this struggle - Habakkuk. Although we don’t know much of Habakkuk, we do know what burden he deals with - if God even sees the injustice in the world and when the wronged will be vindicated. God invites Habakkuk to wrestle with these questions and doubts, just as he invites us to engage with our own with honesty and maturity.
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Prayer is something easy enough for a child to understand, while complex enough for adults to wonder about. It’s too often overlooked, underutilized, and undervalued. We can look at Jesus’ example of how to pray and how we should acknowledge who it is we are addressing and the privilege it is to have access to a caring God. Knowing that He has limitless resources to meet our needs should inform us of what to pray for. He is working beyond ourselves and we should also bring the needs of others before Him. Lastly, we explore what it is that stops us from praying, whether it is forgetfulness of why we should pray, disappointment in not getting what we want, or shame because of not feeling good enough.
olivebranchcf.org
As we look at the story of the widow giving her 2 coins, we see a stark contrast to the religious elites making large donations. These two acts capture the difference of self sacrificial love taking the place of self centeredness. The widow ultimately was after God’s heart, and she was affirmed and commended for it. The religious elites only had empty religion and self serving desires. It’s because of her heart for God that the widow was able to live by faith instead of control, and in turn, generosity took the place of greed. In the same way, when we put our security and faith in Jesus, we can choose to honor Him by putting Him first and change our attitude from giving, to bringing back what is His.
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Before Jesus washed His disciple’s feet, He performed a great act of self-sacrificial service by stooping down to us to become human. He continually was the example of what self sacrificial service was. Even a task too lowly as washing a master’s feet was done by Jesus for His disciples. It’s through a relationship with Jesus that we are given a heart for self-sacrificial. His work in our hearts provides us the desire and ability to do so. We are free to pursue His calling for us since we are secured by His love for us.
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This week, we are joined by our guest speaker Mike Neglia as we continue our series on Unity Through Humility. To better understand what humility is and why we are pursuing it, we begin by looking at its’ opposite - pride. Pride is destructive and deceitful. It becomes the root of many other issues, but it is important to be mindful that pride does not encompass a healthy self image and understanding of ourselves. It is also important to recognize what Humility isn’t. It is not thinking lowly of ourselves, but rather simply agreeing with what our reality is. Through humility, we are able to be gracious, ask for assistance, set aside our differences, and not over promise what we can do for others. Ultimately, we are trying to follow the example of humility that Jesus demonstrated for us.
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Today we look at John 17 and Jesus’ prayer for all believers and that there be unity. This was the desire for His church and is made possible by Jesus. Ultimately, love and unity in the church is how the world knows of our identity in Christ and that He is real. While there are many beliefs and points of view on theological topics, we should not let them all divide us.
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As we turn our attention to Advent, we look closely at the first character of the Christmas Story and her Faith. Mary exemplified great faith when she was told what God had in store for her. Not only did she know who she would bear, but also all the shame, ridicule, and hurt that would follow her having a son out of wedlock. Mary displayed great faith that stemmed from taking a a close analytical look at what the angel told her, she considered the costs, and proceeded in faith. In turn, God demonstrated His faithfulness and trustworthiness to Mary and her faith grew. It is through well placed faith that Mary could receive peace, and that we too are invited to share in that same peace.
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Jesus gave “The Great Commision” to His followers, charging them to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to obey what was commanded. As we look at this passage, we are reminded that Jesus gives this commissioning with authority given directly from God - it isn’t a request or suggestion, but a command. It is clear that we live in a broken world, and that many people need the hope, freedom, and salvation found in the Gospel. We are called to make disciples, and invite them into the family of God. We are also encouraged that we aren’t sent out on this mission by ourselves because Jesus promises to be with His disciples to the end of the age.
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This week, we are joined by our guest Speaker Jesse Jimenez from Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa as we dive into how we can balance our excitement and deep desire to follow Jesus with sometimes feeling a lack of community and solitude in following Him. In the same way that Peter encourages the early church, we need to look to the living hope we have in Jesus and the powerful purpose of what He did for us.
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This week, we wrap up our Series looking at the Seven Signs in John as we look at Jesus’ final proclamation from the cross, that it is finished. We look at what exactly was accomplished when He declared it finished, why His sacrifice was needed in the first place, and how we can have confidence in the finality of His statement.
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As we wind down our series looking at the Seven Signs in John, we continue looking at the seemingly paradoxical truths that the end of Jesus’ life points us toward. Last week, we covered how God can be both a loving and just God, since it was out of His love that justice was not required of us. This week we continue looking at how these two realities can be possible - that God is sovereign and that we have free will.
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Gethsemane in the original Greek translates to oil press. It’s in this garden that the weight of Jesus’ sacrifice begins to set in and crush him. It’s here that we can see Jesus’ humanity fully on display and how Jesus being both fully man and fully God was needed to be our sacrifice. His sympathy and deity in this moment further reinforce the trust we can have in someone who truly understands us and is strong enough to rescue us and point us toward the hope of a future garden.
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This week, we are joined by guest speaker Jon Markey Calvary Chapel Ternopil to provide a field update from Ukraine and the work their ministry is doing.
We also look at Romans 8, at a time when Paul sees the church experiencing growing pains of a congregation with Jews and Gentiles. The only requirement to be a Christian was faith in Jesus and that the church should be a place free of condemnation, judgement and division.
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As we continue our series in the 7 signs in John, we look at Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead and are reminded of the truths about how Jesus comforts’ us in our times of suffering. We are reminded that what seems like delays don’t mean that we aren’t loved or cared for, but that there are works and preparations happening elsewhere. We also take comfort knowing that Jesus can help comfort and understand us and all who suffer because He experienced the same. In times of suffering, we also need to be mindful that our anger is not misplaced at someone who is not responsible.
Seeing the suffering in the world or happening our own lives, it doesn’t always feel like easy to keep in mind that He has His own plans and purpose. There are situations that don’t feel like we can say that God is off the hook. But we have to remember that God put himself on the hook - that He sent His son to experience the human condition and redeem what was lost.
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Karma and reincarnation push a belief that all personal suffering is the result of specific personal sin, whether in this life or a past one. Jesus and the disciples crossed paths with a blind man, the disciples asked Him who had sinned and caused the man’s condition - himself or his parents. This question inherently makes the same assumption as karma, that personal suffering results from personal sin. But Jesus’ answer is partially yes and no. Today, as we study the healing of the blind man, we explore why suffering is even present in our world, why it’s allowed, and who might benefit from suffering.
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As much as we want to think we are in control of our lives, we may find ourselves powerless in the midst of life’s struggles and difficult seasons. This was how the disciples found themselves while in the middle of a storm out at sea. We can take comfort knowing that not only are we not alone in these moments, but also that Jesus can redeems us and gets us through the storm.
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In our ever changing world, the position of the church and of Christians has also been fluctuating. While we must be wary of moral threats, how do we still live seeking the good for our neighbor? This week, we are joined by Dr. Geoffrey Hsu who points us toward the Israelites exiled in Babylon and the parallels to the modern day church. We are reminded that we are still called to be the means by which God accomplishes His purposes for this world.
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Too many times, we think that if only circumstances changed or something was removed from our lives, we would truly be happy. Whether it came to pass or not, we might be left feeling disappointed or unhappy. In these moments is when we need to remember to not give up on Jesus.
This week, we continue our series through the seven signs in John as we take a second look at the feeding of the 5,000 and it’s conclusion. We look at why Jesus had to flee the people who tried to anoint Him as King and why they shouldn’t have given up on Jesus.
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It's increasingly common to feel stressed and overwhelmed with seemingly no end in sight. When we feel weary and burdened by facing life's challenges alone, Jesus brings us comfort and the promise of truly living, rather than barely surviving. As we continue our series on the Seven Signs in John, we look at the story of Jesus feeing the 5,000 and study the transformative offerings of Jesus. He is our rest in the midst of life's chaos, an eternal purpose to love people and a life experience we can't find anywhere else.
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This week, we are joined by Jason Mills to share with us about the great work that Fellowship of Christian Athletes is doing to reach out to young athletes. Jason also shares his message on how we as Christians can stay full spiritually and not run empty.
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This week, we begin our new series in the book of John studying the seven signs John writes about. John writes not to any group in particular, but to the world as a whole, showing that Jesus took on flesh and blood. The event that John writes about, Jesus turning water into wine, is not a miracle, but in the original Greek, is a sign. This is to point us beyond the act itself and to three different directions as we will study today.
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Hesed, a Hebrew word for love, is a difficult word to translate but an easy idea to illustrate. It is loving kindness, when a person who has the right to nothing but is given everything. While we are shown loving kindness from God, we need to be prepared to show this to other like David did to Jonathan’s son as we’ll see in our study of 2 Samuel by guest speaker Chris Mathis of Calvary Chapel High Desert
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Today, we wrap up our series studying the book of Ecclesiastes. We have heard the teachings of the preacher. His teaching is like a rude awakening. That no matter where we search, the meaning of life cannot be found here on earth. But the preacher isn’t the only figure in Ecclesiastes.
The author, who bookends Ecclesiastes, finishes by points us to his conclusion. That we are to fear God and keep His commandments. We look at what it means to fear God in today’s world and why it should be looked at positively.
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Today we are joined by Pastor Mike Neglia of Calvary Cork in Cork, Ireland as we look at John’s recount of Jesus appearing to Mary. In this story, emphasis has been placed on the people and details for the purpose of building credibility to the church then and now. We also look at how Jesus’ sacrifice was much more than just bad things happening to Him and were necessary to bring lasting restoration to both broken people like Mary and to a broken world.
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Despite being as interconnected today than ever before, loneliness has never been higher. The constant of social media in our society hasn’t lead to everyone forming communities and in its’ place its’ tried to be replaced with fame or fortune. We aren’t just social beings but we were designed to to be at our best in community. As we’ll study today, we’ll see how we were meant to be in community and where we should be looking for it.
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Too often, we find it hard to face uncomfortable truths. It’s especially hard when we are forced to look within ourselves and come to terms with our hearts. Today as we continue our study in Ecclesiastes, we are invited to remove our rose colored glasses and confront the envy we don’t like acknowledging is in our hearts. Although the world or even Ecclesiastes has a prescription for our hearts, as believers we have to seek satisfaction in our lives through Jesus.
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Try as some might, there is no escaping the march of time. And in our limited time, it is often marred with remorse of past events and worries of what the future holds. These feelings extend to our present day when we aren’t able to truly enjoy the now. As we study today, we are reminded to turn to Jesus as our response to these feelings and more so when we grapple with the inequities and injustice pervasive in our lives.
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When we face challenges and trials in life, it is far too easy to turn to worldly pleasures to distract ourselves from our reality and problems. This even extends to refusing to come to terms with the futility of life without Jesus. Pursuing pleasure above all else leads to a selfish and empty pursuit that has us wondering why we are always tempted to go down this path.
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It’s common to find yourself wondering what exactly are the keys to the good life. The world has many ideas to offer from finding better friends, a fulfilling career, to just getting more sleep. But if there was one solution that worked, it would be common knowledge to us all. This week, we start our new series in Ecclesiastes with the guiding question of how does someone live the good life. It is not a new question and there are no new untested solutions the world has to offer. Living in a broken world, we have to look for the answer that is not from this world.
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This Sunday, we were joined by Mickey Stonier on a message from the book of Habakkuk. He shares with us the reminder that God is at work in our world and how we each have opportunities around us to live our Christian faith.
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This week we wrap up our series studying Paul’s letter to the Galatians and what we have learned about the gospel, law, and grace. We need to be reminded that the law is not there to be an unreachable set of standards or a way to gain favor with God, but to show us how broken and in need of a savior we are.. Left unchecked, our inner legalist pulls us away from the Lord through feelings of self-righteousness.
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The Bible is full of historical events, but there is one truly historic event illuminated for us in scripture and confirmed in experience - the Resurrection. 2000 years later the world celebrates changes a moment in time that changed everything in the past and everything in the future. The resurrection can change your past and your future.
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Even though we have a new found freedom in Christ as believers, there is still an internal struggle occurring because of the old habits of sin we have. How do we deal with the ways of the flesh and embrace our new freedom? We have to look to the works of the Holy Spirit.
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If you’ve ever felt guilty about something you did (or forgot to do), you’ve probably felt the need to make up for it. Not just to smooth things over, but to also help clear your conscience. As Christians, we can find ourselves in the same thinking - feeling the need to stick to do more good to make up for the wrong choices. We shouldn’t be stuck living according to human efforts but remember the freedom we are able to experience when living according to grace.
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In this week’s teaching, we study Paul’s letter to the Galatians where he questions the legalists among them if they truly understand the law they wish to follow. Paul points us to Abraham and his two sons, one born through God’s promise and dependence on Him while the other is born of self reliance and slavery. We must ask ourselves if we belong to the spiritual children of promise or of slavery
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Once we receive Jesus, we also receive the right to become children of God. Knowing this should change how we live our lives and inform us of our standing with God. It is like a parent’s love for a child, there is nothing more that can be done to improve standing or gain favor much like the parable of the prodigal son.
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Throughout our series in Galatians, a common theme has been exposing the dangers of being legalistic when it comes to our faith. But this begs the question, what is the purpose of the law and striving to follow them? As we’ll learn today, that purpose is to point us back to Jesus and the message of grace
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As much as we try to deny it, we all have an inner Christian legalist that is clearly exposed in the way that we treat others. We introduce lists of do’s and dont’s that divide our community and lead to us unfairly treating others differently. Although we are familiar with the Gospel and its’ message of grace, we are not immune to falling into this way of thinking as even Peter was susceptible to.
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Christianity is so very different from other religions because the burden of salvation is not placed on ourselves. We cannot do anything to earn it. Paul’s exhortation to the Galatians is to remain vigilant and not let the gospel of grace become debased into a works based system. As we will study today, Paul uses his own testimony to defend the gospel of grace and we explore the takeaways for the Galatians as well as ourselves today.
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When Paul writes his letter to the church of the Galatians, the new Christians were being led astray by Judaizers, who were spreading their own false version of the Gospel by adding rules and removing the essence of the Gospel message, that is is received by Grace. Today, we look at Paul’s introduction and what is true about himself, what’s true about Jesus, and what’s true about the Galatians and us as well.
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This week, we breakdown the 7 letters written to the early church found in the New Testament to see what messages of positive affirmation, corrective exhortation, and eternal reorientation are contained to the 7 distinct churches. Then, we reflect on our own church and what a letter written to ours might say to us.
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We continue our series titled, “The Wonder of Christmas”, as it was prophesized that Jesus will forever be revealed and be called a wonder. In this series, we will look at the names and titles that Isaiah said make Jesus wonderful. Today, we discuss the unique title that will be held by ‘the Son who is given’ - that He would be called Everlasting Father.
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We continue our series titled, “The Wonder of Christmas”, as it was prophesized that Jesus will forever be revealed and be called a wonder. In this series, we will look at the names and titles that Isaiah said make Jesus wonderful. Today, we are joined by guest speaker Pepper Lawrence as we look at how Jesus is our mighty God.
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We begin our series titled, “The Wonder of Christmas”, as it was prophesized that Jesus will forever be revealed and be called a wonder. In this series, we will look at the names and titles that Isaiah said make Jesus wonderful. Today, we look at Jesus as our Wonderful Counselor, because of who he is, what he was willing to do, and what he would then become.
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In today’s culture, many people have formed their own connotations and meaning to calling other people sheep and thinking themselves as one. But like sheep, we need a committed shepherd who will care for and guide us. Today we ask and answer why we need a shepherd, how and where we should follow our shepherd and if we can trust Him.
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When we have made Christ our shepherd, his goodness and mercy are always upon us. In times when we don’t sense it, it is still there. The Bible helps to provide that right-thinking of God’s goodness when we stray. It reminds us that he is a God who cares, who is capable, and who is for us. He is our hope and our portion. As Christians we need not fear because we are his–and he is the Good Shepherd.
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This Sunday we heard from Pastor Armando on the wisdom of God found in Christ Jesus. Jesus Christ is God’s wisdom on display. Are we treating Jesus as such in our lives? More and more we need Christ’s wisdom to display the grace and love of God to our culture. The world has its own wisdom that is self-serving. Apart from God, our natural proclivity is to follow after the world’s idea of wisdom. We need the Holy Spirit to recalibrate us around the wisdom of God found in Christ Jesus–we can’t do it ourselves.
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This Sunday we begin our new series in Psalm 23, exploring how Jesus is our good shepherd who is qualified, endured the cost to be our shepherd, and takes the responsibility for our care and provision. God as our shepherd means God takes care of us. His majesty, as revealed in creation, points to a mighty God who is more than capable to handle even our life’s biggest challenges. We can put our trust in him because he is trustworthy and capable–he holds the universe in the span of his hand
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Psalm 20 stands out as a unique Psalm. It is not a personal prayer as many of the psalms are but a corporate prayer for an individual. This psalm is about praying to our trustworthy God on behalf of our beleaguered and embattled brothers and sisters. From it we learn that prayer is not only for personal requests but a powerful resource for the needs of others. This is intercessory prayer, praying–interceding to God–on behalf of someone other than yourself.
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Wrapping up this short series on Philemon, we are challenged by God’s command to forgive others. For some of us, the only way we’ve been able to deal with past hurts is to “move on” without ever dealing with the issue (or person) again. Yet the Bible tells us that to forgive is an essential part of Christian living. To not forgive puts us in bondage. It is to use the other’s offense to build a prison of our own making. Forgiveness doesn’t mean letting someone else win; forgiveness lets you go free.
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Our look at Jesus’ parable of the Unforgiving Servant showed us that forgiveness is critically important for Jesus and a core practice for those who follow him. Forgiveness was put on beautiful display in the cross of Jesus where God’s unending love and perfect justice were revealed.
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Most of us have done things we wish we wouldn’t have done, said things we wish we wouldn’t have said, or made a decision that leaves us so afraid of the consequences and others finding out, just like Philemon who betrayed his master and ran away in shame.
Today we will talk about our similarities to Philemon, who couldn’t see how a way to return to the life he had escaped or receive forgiveness yet received it when he had no way to pay for it.
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What does it mean to be a disciple? In our final week of discussing God’s unfolding story for our church, we looked at our value of discipleship. Looking at the Great Commision, we saw that in order to be disciple-makers, we need to first be disciples ourselves. Being a disciple carries the idea of apprenticeship–adopting the teachings and lifestyle of Jesus
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As we continue our series on OBCF’s values, we examined how God made us relational beings–we are made for and best exist in deep and meaningful relationships with others. This is an essential quality of being made in God’s image who himself exists in relationship. Our need for community is pushed against by an internal drive and external culture that values and even prides itself on individuality. However, we are hard-wired to operate best when we are valued and accepted.
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This week we continued our short series on OBCF’s values, looking at our value of “Mission.” We first were reminded that all mission is God’s mission–it did not begin with the church but is the very nature of God who is love. It is God’s mission that is already at work in the world into which we are invited. We contrasted this against two other, incomplete motivations for mission: legalism (based solely on command) and humanism (based solely on human needs)
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Today, we begin the first of our four week series about Jesus’ works after His resurrection and how that shapes our church values.
The church value we look at today is perspective. We gather to encounter God and connect people to a right perspective, about themselves, and about the world around them. The roots of this are found in the story that we will look at today of of Jesus’ travel to Emmaus
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This week, we wrap up our series covering the Gospel of Mark and recap the 3 main story lines that are developed throughout the gospel - The eternal story, the story of a king and a kingdom, and the story of the two gardens, Eden and the future garden.
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What does it mean when we read in scripture that we will be able to handle snakes and drink poison and how should we respond to this passage today? Does this even belong in the Bible in the first place as we read from the disclaimer? This week, we take a look at the final passages of the gospel of Mark, one of the most hotly debated and controversial passages in the Bible.
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This week, we look at the case for the resurrection and why we can be confident in the validity of the resurrection. The resurrection secures forgiveness from the past, proves that we have power for the present, and that we have hope for the future
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Today, we look at the actions that Joseph of Arimathea took to properly care for Jesus’ body and in doing so, fulfill old testament prophecies. As we will learn, Joseph’s actions are an example to us as he risked everything he had to honor and follow Jesus
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This is the seventh and final week of our series entitled The Crux, looking at the statements that Jesus made on the day of His crucifixion. Today, we look at His final words of surrendering and the expression of trust we can apply to our lives.
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This is the sixth week of our series entitled The Crux, looking at the statements that Jesus made on His day of crucifixion. Today, we look at His words “It is finished” and the great meaning packed into this short phrase about His sacrifice and the impact on our lives.
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This week we are joined by Pastor Danny Jack as we study Psalm 67’s, referred to as a Missionary Psalm, and its’ themes on the Kingdom of God. We will look at what this Psalm teaches us about the Kingdom of God and about the scope of His Kingdom.
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This is the fifth week of our series entitled The Crux, a series of sermons based on the seven statements of Christ from the cross. This week, we look at His cry “I Thirst”. From it we learn that Jesus is God enough to save, and simultaneously Human enough to understand.
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This is the fourth week of our series titled The Crux, a series of sermons based on the seven statements of Christ from the cross. This week, we look at His cry “My God my God why have You forsaken Me”, why he would have said it and what it means for us.
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This is the third week of our series titled The Crux, a series of sermons based on the seven statements of Christ from the cross. Today we look at Jesus’ words to Mary and John, and the duties we have as believers to loved ones in our lives.
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This is the second week of series titled The Crux, a series of sermons based on the seven statements of Christ from the cross. Today we look at Jesus’ words to the two thieves crucified with Jesus and the promises made that we can expect in store for us.
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This week is the beginning of our series titled The Crux, a series of sermons based on the seven statements of Christ from the cross. Today we look at his prayer for those afflicting Him, Father forgive them, and what we can learn about God’s character from this.
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It is not difficult to see that our world is broken and incapable of giving us what we need: real peace and to be made whole again. As Christians, we have a divine discontentment with the broken paradigms of this world and we look forward to the day when Christ’s reign becomes complete. In the Kingdom of God, Christ is the rightfully enthroned King and we are His sons and daughters.
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Despite best intentions, individuals may not always have sound views on law and the gospel based on what the Bible teaches us. This week, guest speaker Dave Van Hook helps us explore the differences between what is and isn’t law and gospel and how we can handle them together.
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This week, we are joined by Pastor Shawn Stone from Far Reaching Ministries to give us an update on the work they are doing to support the people of Afghanistan, Ukraine, and around the world. He also shares a lesson on living life abundantly, something that has been easy to find in less fortunate communities abroad and harder to find here, from his own experience.
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For many people, the appeal of superheroes and other idealistic characters can wane over time because of an inability to ever relate to them. Seeing humanity on display - pain, hurt, and loss is what allows us to relate to someone and know that they have walked the steps that you have been in.
As we look at the story of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, we break down the human experience of Jesus illustrated and how we are not ever alone in our sorrow or suffering.
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Many of us know a sports fan who is passionate about their teams, but not everyone sees them as passionate. Some might think that their fanaticism is simply too much and are left deeply concerned.
In the story we look at today, we will look at a woman’s passionate display of worship to Jesus and why she received reactions from chastisement to affirmation.
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Each holiday we celebrate has a message behind it and we have an understanding of what Easter’s is. But what was heaven’s message and how was Easter defined that first morning? We will also explore why we as believers can be confident the Resurrection is real and why it still matters today.
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Many of us have experienced the sting of betrayal and this is one of many human experiences that Jesus can empathize with us when he was given up by Judas. We will take a closer look at the contemporary customs that better illustrate the sting of betrayal. We will also look at Jesus through the lens of Passover customs and the roots of different practices to illustrate his sacrifice and what we can learn from this.
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The same Biblical prophecy can have soon coming and far reaching implications. Last week we looked at the short coming implications of Jesus’ prophecy about the temple. This week we delve into the far reaching implications.
As we look to the future, we turn to what scripture tells us is waiting for us, what signs we will see when it is the end of an age, and what our response is supposed to be.
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Today we look at Jesus’ prophecy over the temple in Mark 13. The temple was much more than just a building or place of worship for the Jewish people back then, it represented their way of life.
Through His prophecy of not a single brick laying on top another and eventual fulfillment, we can take away 3 key points to remember as believers.
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This week, Jason Mills from the ministry Fellowship of Christian Athletes joins us to share about the work FCA does and a message on how we as Christians should share the word with the people in our lives.
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In today’s world, many base their identity and worth on the amount of money and power they have accumulated. Some might even see it as a sign of having God’s favor, while those who have little are thought to have fallen out of His favor.
As we study the the widow who gave the only two coins she had compared to the extravagant displays of religious leaders around her, opulence and self righteousness can lead us astray and being further from God.
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If you were asked what the essence of Christianity is, what would you answer? What would your friends, coworkers, neighbors, or even the general public answer?
Jesus, answering the same question, informs us of the single thing that would fundamentally change Christianity if it were not at the core of our faith.
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In this passage during Passover week, Jesus shares to the crowd at the temple a parable of the vineyard workers. We discuss the indictment of the religious leaders and what we can learn from their mistakes.
Priests, elders, and scribes confront Jesus and question his authority, integrity, and theology. This inspection of Jesus is fruitless and they have no choice but to declare Him clean and of no fault despite the traps laid out for Him.
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Today we examine two stories in the final days of Jesus’ life: Jesus cursing the Fig Tree and Him at the temple.
When we look at them together, not as separate stories, we are left with three things to consider: a warning to the church, where to turn our attention, and a question for followers of Christ.
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Many people can find themselves wishing for items, outcomes, or situations that they believe are exactly what they need for one reason or another. They may find out that what they had hoped for is either not what they needed or not at all what they expected.
The same can be true of Jesus and our expectations of Him. We may have lofty expectations or expectations based on our current world that we project on Him. The same can also be said about Jesus’ contemporaries and the wild expectations they placed on Him.
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This week, we are joined by Mike and Rachel Neglia, visiting us from Calvary Chapel Cork in Ireland. They share with us how they became involved in ministry in Cork, Ireland and the work they are doing there.
Pastor Mike Neglia also shares a sermon with us on how we can be inspired by David to connect with God in difficult, anxious, or conflicting times.
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Separated by hundreds of years, two requests were made to God in Jericho. The first, by Joshua, led to the sun standing still. The second, by a blind beggar, led to the Son standing still. The same God who stopped the sun paused to make time for a humble blind beggar with nothing to offer. We can learn from the beggar how to pray and cry out to the Lord, with humility, tenacity, expectancy, and specificity.
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Like some of the disciples who were given new names by Jesus when they chose to follow Him, we too receive new identities. This change is permanent and we are also able to change the way we see ourselves and our past mistakes.
This new identity was not free. It took the price of a kings ransom. A cost so great that only our Savior could pay. Today, we will dive into the topic of the ransom Jesus paid for us, how he did it, and why he did it.
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Success, whether it be wealth, power, job, or status, has long been spread to be our life's goal. But the dangers of wealth and success are often not mentioned at the same time. The rich young ruler from the gospel of Mark has defined himself by his success and wealth and could not imagine a life without it. As we'll discuss in this teaching, success clouds our view and blocks us from recognizing our human need for a savior.
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Many of us take time to set goals and resolutions as we welcome a new year. But our time might be better spent doing something in addition to goals. Throughout scripture, God shows us that he wants his people to slow down and reflect as they enter a new season. Today, we will learn more about the spiritual importance of pausing to reflect on God's past faithfulness in our life. olivebranchcf.org
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Because of human nature, we may find ourselves drawing closer to God during times of hardship. But this does not mean that He only calls to us during these times.
Today, we are joined by Pastor Danny Ramos who helps remind us that we are always being called to and invited to grow closer to God and further deepen our relationship with him.
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This is the third week of our four part series observing Advent as we anticipate the celebration of Christmas and the Second Coming of Christ. Each week, we will focus on the topics of hope, peace, joy, and love.
This week, we welcome our special guest speaker Dave Van Hook to share with us. We will discuss the joy that is secured to us as believers in a world devoid of true joy.
olivebranchcf.org
This week is the second of our four part series observing Advent as we anticipate the celebration of Christmas and the Second Coming of Christ. Each week, we will focus on the topics of hope, peace, joy, and love.
This week, we will be focusing on peace from three different perspectives. We will study peace by observing our world being void of it, by remembering that Jesus secured for us peace in his First Coming, and by anticipating a future period of eternal peace.
olivebranchcf.org
This week begins the first of our four part series of our observation of Advent as we anticipate the celebration of Christmas and the Second Coming of Christ. Each week, we will focus on the topics of love, peace, joy, and hope, which is this week’s topic.
In our present world, you may find few things to draw hope from. However as Christians, we have a reason from hope that is fundamentally different than a wish or optimism. We have hope in a savior who has proven to us that His promises are kept and we can trust in them.
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For many of us, we may struggle with or have struggled with feeling accepted and worthy of love. Our human desire to be loved may trap us in a pit of despair when we feel isolated and alone. In Jesus, we are able to experience both what we yearn for and what he uniquely offers: to be fully known and fully loved.
olivebranchcf.org
This is the second message in our multi-part series exploring what the scripture teaches us about marriage.
Last week, we covered two themes of marriage, Foundation and Priority, and briefly touched on a third theme - Purpose.
This week, we will take a closer look at the Biblical purpose of marriage. That purpose being twofold: completeness and companionship. We will also examine the role that headship has in a marriage.
olivebranchcf.org
This is the first message in our multi-part series exploring what the scripture teaches us about marriage.
Today, we cover what the Bible teaches us about divorce. We learn about the cases in which divorce is condoned by scripture. We also examine the impact that divorce has through the lens of what God originally intended marriage to be.
olivebranchcf.org
Anyone belonging to a community of any kind or size will have been raised to follow their cultural norms. These cultural norms influence who we are, how we act, and the views we have. We may not even realize it until we interact with people of different communities and cultures.
In today’s message, we will learn about the cultural norms that should be present in our lives as citizens of the kingdom of God.
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Following the Transfiguration on the mount, Jesus is approached by a father who asks Jesus to drive an evil spirit out of his son because the disciples could not. In this moment, we are both able to see the destructive nature of evil as well as the compassion and authoritative power of Jesus. We will also explore the deceptive nature of evil present in our lives and learn from the disciples who failed to heal the boy before Jesus arrived.
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As Christians, we are called to take up our cross and follow Jesus. While we may think of the cross as a positive symbol worth celebrating, in Jesus’s time this image symbolized shame and humiliation. Why then did Jesus’s followers choose to accept these terms and follow him? In this sermon, we will learn why taking up our cross is worth doing so.
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Slowly over time, Jesus revealed His true self to His disciples and followers, but it was not immediately understood for them. As we study today, we examine that the same spiritual blindness to who Jesus is may still exist in our lives.
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Often times, in our frustration, we can ask God why He won’t just show us a sign. Why won’t He answer that one prayer, bring justice to that one situation, change that one circumstance? In this message, we dive into some of those questions, and reflect on the power of the gospel. Join us as we discuss the difference between asking God a question, and questioning God.
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We serve a God that is full of compassion for His creation. In Jesus, we see a God that pursues and cares for people regardless of their background or their past. If our goal as believers is to become more like Jesus, that should impact the way that we care for those same people.
olivebranchcf.org
Guest speaker Edward Amaya gives us an update from Far Reaching Ministries.
olivebranchcf.org
The portrait of God that Jesus provides for us so different from every other religion in the world. We have a God who cares for us individually, who we don’t have to fight with to notice us. He is a God who cares for us compassionately, He suffered for us and still suffers with us. Jesus reveals a God who loves us perfectly in spite of our imperfection.
The story of Jesus and the deaf man who stood before Him - displays the heart of God is such a beautiful way! It’s not just who God was for that person who was overwhelmed and hurting, it’s who is presently is for me when I am overwhelmed and hurting.
Be refreshed by taking the time to admire the heart of Jesus on display in this story. And, choose to love like Jesus does.
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To be a person of faith means that we trust in the goodness and power of Jesus before we see the answer to our prayers or the resolution to our broken stories. This week we talk about a woman who is willing to take Jesus at His word and worship before she sees the miracle that she is asking for.
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The gospel is not about external modification. Though it’s tempting to reduce the Bible to a list of rules, the gospel is ultimately about internal heart transformation. The purpose of the law is to show us what perfection looks like & it functions as a mirror that reveals our true need of a savior.
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Faith isn’t natural; fear, doubt, and envy are. Sometimes it can be hard to trust that God is really in control, and that He really cares about us.
But this story is about a God who comes near in the midst of a storm.
He asks us to not just be amazed by His power, but to trust in His goodness and faithfulness while the storm rages on.
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Intuition and well-tread arguments tell us we have good reasons for our belief in the Creator God of the Bible. But is there any evidence that His purported son Jesus actually rose physically from the dead and appeared to his followers, as Paul records in his letter to Corinth? Actually, there is a particular set of twelve facts of history supported by the vast majority of scholars (including skeptical and even atheist ones) that cannot be accounted for with any other explanation except the bodily rising of Jesus of Nazareth from the grave.
References from:
Matt 22:37
Acts 5:33-39
1 Cor 15:3-8
Phillipians 3:4-11
1 Peter 3:15
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olivebranchcf.org
There are times that we may feel tempted to take on the burdens of others, or even to try to fix all of our own problems. Unlike us, God is not limited by limited resources. He has the ability to bring growth and healing in our lives, but we have to be willing to surrender those burdens to Him.
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Following Jesus is always the best option, but it is rarely the easiest. Through this challenging story, we are reminded that we can’t judge Jesus’ love for us based on our circumstances. We serve a God who is faithful and kind; but what happens when our circumstances leave us to doubt that?
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Jesus wants us to know Him and to trust Him. He offers us a place to rest, provision, and His own faithfulness. He doesn’t require us to produce results and success – He just wants our willingness to follow Him.
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We have a habit of making Jesus in our own image, rather than recognizing ourselves as His creation. Although it can be very uncomfortable, it’s a good sign when we still find ourselves offended or challenged by Jesus.
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God is not a cosmic vending machine, but a loving parent. While He is our provider, He wants to be so much more than that.
God sees value in the process of getting us somewhere, even if we are only focused on the destination.
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As a church, we want to connect people with a right perspective on God, themselves, and the world around them. As children of God, our motivation isn’t ritual, expectation, or pressure – it’s love.
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“Faith is born out of conviction - conviction comes from reasonable belief.”
People often view faith as something completely separate from reason and logic. This week, Dave Van Hook discusses apologetics and the conviction that can lead to, and help to strengthen our faith in Jesus.
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Jesus alone can heal what sin and satan have destroyed – but we need to be willing to let Jesus walk amongst the tombstones in our life. This week, we discuss Jesus’ authority over physical, mental, and spiritual brokenness in our lives. Only He can touch what is unclean and make it clean.
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This week we reflect on what it means for Jesus to have authority over the storms in our lives. We are invited to turn from questioning God to answering God’s question – “Why are you so afraid?”
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The first three chapters of the Gospel of Mark make it clear that Jesus is here to do a new thing; He’s here to set up His Kingdom. Until this point, Jesus is yet to tell us what the Kingdom will be like & how He will establish it. In the parables we discuss in this message - those questions begin to be answered.
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Jesus often used parables to draw people in – to reveal & conceal truth. This week we talk about The Parable of the Sower, the powerful seed of the Gospel, and the call to be people who sow that seed in the lives of those around us.
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