Messages

A message from the series “The Story of Hope.” Pastor Christian emphasizes the significance of Advent in the current series “The Story of Hope,” exploring themes of peace, hope, love, and joy through a relationship with Jesus, while also reflecting on the darker aspects of the Christmas narrative, such as the slaughter of infants depicted in Matthew Chapter 2. This sets the stage for a broader discussion on Israel’s past suffering during Babylonian exile and God’s promise of restoration, articulated through the prophecies of Jeremiah that point to a New Covenant established by Jesus. The message highlights the importance of living authentically as followers of Christ and accepting His grace for transformation. Ultimately, the sermon transitions into a reflection on the Last Supper, celebrating Christ’s perfect sacrifice that brings forgiveness and hope, while concluding with an invitation to upcoming Christmas services and a prayer for blessings.

A message from the series “The Story of Hope.” Pastor Christian continues to walk through the book of Matthew, leading to the birth of Jesus. In this week’s sermon, he compares the Old Testament story of Mosses being a rescued baby who would rescue a Nation to Jesus, a rescued baby who would rescue the world. Pastor Christian reminds us of how much God loves us and demonstrates that through the rescuing of both babies. God continues to reach out to broken and rebellious people. This is His heart, that God would save a baby in order to save the world and He would allow His Son to go to the cross because of how much He loves the world.

A message from the series “The Story of Hope.” Pastor Christian continues in our series on “The Story of Hope.” He reminds us of God’s peace even in troubled times and challenge us to be better than King Herod, who only looked to the Bible in times of trouble. Pastor Christian shares that Jesus is ruler but also a shepherd to his people. He concludes the message by asking three challenging questions: 1. Jesus is King but is he your king?; 2. Jesus is Priest but is he your priest?; 3. Jesus died in place of sinners, did he die in your place?

A message from the series “The Story of Hope.” Pastor Christian explores themes of hope and community during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. He humorously addresses the complexities of family gatherings while emphasizing the church’s commitment to serving those in need through initiatives like delivering Thanksgiving meals and organizing Christmas adoptions. Transitioning into a new Christmas series, he discusses the genealogies in the Book of Genesis and their significance in revealing God’s plan, culminating in the hope embodied in Jesus Christ. Pastor Christian highlights the prophetic messages in Isaiah regarding Jesus, underlining God’s constant grace and invitation for trust even in times of doubt. He articulates the importance of the Advent season in recognizing the past, present, and future roles of Jesus, and encourages attendees to embrace hope amidst struggles. He also promotes the upcoming Christmas services at Journey Church International as opportunities for community engagement and outreach, culminating in a call to prayer and seeking hope through faith in Jesus.

A message from the series “Global Impact Sunday.” Cyrus Mad-Bondo joined us this Sunday to remind us of the great commission. He reminded us that the Lord wants us to simultaneously the Gospel with those in our community and all the nations not sequentially. We do not wait until everyone in our community knows Jesus before going to all the nations to share Jesus. He also reminded us that ministry is messy and requires us to give up comfort to reach those for the Gospel. Cyrus challenged all of us to Pray. Give. Go.

A message from the series “Living for Others.” Pastor Christian finishes out the series, Living for oOthers, by drawing parallels between the Book of Ruth and the need for a righteous king in Israel. The narrative explores the brokenness of humanity and the continuous struggle between living for oneself or for God throughout history. Emphasizing the significance of having a king with a heart for God, the video highlights the foreshadowing of King David as a solution to Israel’s plight, ultimately pointing to Jesus as the ultimate King who offers redemption, restoration, and nourishment to those who believe in him. The overall message encourages personal connection within the church community, contributing talents and efforts to foster a sense of belonging and ownership, while also inviting viewers to open their hearts to Jesus for complete care and guidance.

A message from the series “Living for Others.” The video discusses the importance of selfless service and living for others, using the story of Ruth and Boaz as a metaphor for Christians’ attitudes towards Jesus and spiritual inheritance. Pastor Christian emphasizes choosing to serve God’s purpose over personal gain, highlighting the contrast between focusing on self-interest and assisting others. Examples from the Old Testament and World War II illustrate the enduring value in aligning one’s actions with God’s purpose and embracing the community chosen by God. The message encourages the congregation to re-engage with serving at a deeper level, focusing on God’s promises and purposes rather than personal problems, and practicing generosity and service for God’s glory.

A message from the series “Living for Others.” Pastor Christian discusses the concept of redemption as depicted in the Book of Ruth. He explains that redemption is found in seeking rest and that the Book of Ruth illustrates the wrong and right places to look for rest. Naomi and her family initially sought rest in food security, but when they lost their husband and sons, they realize that rest could not be found in material possessions. Instead, Naomi encouraged Ruth to find rest in Boaz, a kinsmen redeemer. Boaz acts as this redeemer to Ruth as he protects her in many ways and provides. The speaker draws from Naomi’s experience emphasizing that people who have lived through bitter experiences can find hope and learn to live for God and others, rather than for themselves.

A message from the series “Living for Others.” Guest Speaker, Pastor Jimmy Dodd, shares how the Gospel changes our perspective on social reality. He emphasizes everyone’s special plan and God’s use of underdogs, like Ruth from the Book of Ruth. The video series tells the story of Ruth, a widow who married into a Jewish family, faced challenges, and ultimately found redemption. Pastor Jimmy highlights Ruth’s loyalty, Boaz’s generosity, and the unexpected inclusion of women and scandal found in Jesus’ genealogy. He encourages seeking wisdom from God, comparing it to the value of a ruby , and emphasizes the importance of commitment, loyalty, and God’s inclusivity.

A message from the series “Living for Others.” Pastor Christian uses Boaz as an example of what it means to be generous. He tells other how farmers would allowing gleaning in their fields, meaning that before they would ever harvest the crop they would have to decide to be generous. Boaz trained in his workers to allow those in need to glean the fields, trusting that the Lord would provide. This is the spirit of generosity we are called to uphold. Pastor Christian reminds us that we do not give out of obligation as Christians but out of trust. Generosity is rooted in our belief before our behavior.