The power of God’s Spirit is the power of this local church. As Sovereign Grace Santa Ana heads into its second calendar year of existence, what we ultimately need is not more money, more people, more resources or more effort. We need a greater and deeper dependence on God. Click below to listen to the last sermon of 2018.
This past Sunday, Cristopher Erkelens continued our four-message series concerning “The Cast of Christmas” by looking at the life and circumstances of Joseph. When Matthew 1:18-25 is read honestly, we realize the Joseph was caught in between two awful, life-altering decisions. There seemed to be no good solution. But when the Angel, Gabriel appeared to him in a dream, it was revealed to Joseph that the baby his fiancé was pregnant with was God come to be present with him - even in that lonely space between a rock and a hard place. Furthermore, what Joseph would come to find is that that baby would give Himself for Joseph in between an even greater rock and hard place. The message Joseph received is the same message for us today,
In the second message in our Christmas series, Pastor Kyle preached from Luke 1:26-38 concerning a young girl named Mary. This young girl is considered by many the world over as sinless and able to dispense God’s grace. Hardly an ordinary person. However, the Biblical account rather teaches us about a Mary who, rather than being able to dispense grace, is desperately in need of it. More importantly, it teaches us about a God who delights to give grace and to give it through a King whose Kingdom will never end.
The story of the birth of Christ is one of the most unfathomably awesome stories ever told. What makes it infinitely more incredible is that it’s real. This Christmas, we’re being introduced to four real characters of the real story of Christmas, who in turn introduce us to the story’s central character. Listen to the first message in our series about Zechariah, the man God used to bring the forerunner to the Messiah into the world.
Jesus did many works while on earth. In this last Sunday’s message out of John 10:22-42, Jesus explains in His own words what the meaning of His works are. More than just a history lesson, though; Jesus is continuing to work today - saving sanctifying, sustaining. His words concerning His works apply just as much today as they did then. Jesus was and continues to be God at work.
Is authority good or bad? Should you submit to authority? Do we need leaders in our time? If so, what kind of leader should we follow? In John 10, Jesus addresses these questions and others through the imagery of a Shepherd and sheep. He makes it clear that there are leaders with poor intentions- and they’re everywhere. But there is one leader that everyone should follow. Because He’s good. We know He’s good because He’s willing to go to the greatest lengths possible to care for His sheep.
We love our partnerships with other Gospel-proclaiming churches in Orange County - especially the church that Sovereign Grace Santa Ana came from. This past Sunday, we had the privilege of hosting Grant Sigafoos from Sovereign Grace Church of Orange as he preached to us from John 9:1-41.
Sin is behind all human suffering and all brokenness in the world. Jesus makes it clear that sin originates in the heart. It produces darkness and bondage. Oftentimes, we detour and deny, unwilling to admit that the problem isn’t “out there” but actually within our very own hearts. The problem is grim, but the solution is grander than you could imagine - Jesus Himself is Light and Freedom.
Most scholars believe that John 7:53-8:11 was not originally part of the Gospel of John. It didn’t begin appearing in manuscripts until nearly 400 years after John wrote his Gospel. Why then do you still read it in your Bible? More importantly, if there are texts that shouldn’t be in the Bible, is everything up for grabs? Can you really trust your Bible? The answer is a resounding yes. And for good reason. Beyond being able to fully and completely trust your Bible as the written Word of God, there’s also something profoundly important we can learn from the passage in question. Even if it wasn’t part of the original manuscripts, there’s a reason the Church has maintained it for 1500 years.
This week, we’ve published the manuscript of last Sunday’s sermon online. Give it a read and learn how to approach a text like this and how to grow in godliness through it.
Responses to Jesus’ teaching during His ministry varied widely- from confusion to amazement to outright anger. As Christians, the message at the heart of Jesus’ teaching, the Gospel, produces the same range of reactions today. No matter the response to the Gospel, we can be confident in it because it’s a message backed by the authority of God and filled with the grace of God. Listen to last week’s message from John 7:14-52.
