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Sunday Messages
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JANUARY 2020
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01/05/20
I Am That I Am |
Interim Pastor Linda Bergeon
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Sermon (audio)
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01/12/20
Jesus Christ Super Star |
Interim Pastor Linda Bergeon
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Sermon (audio)
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01/19/20
Holy Spirit |
Rev. Khan Lolly
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Sermon (audio)
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01/26/20
Soul Freedom |
Rev. Tony Aboagye
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Sermon (audio)
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FEBRUARY 2020
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02/02/20
For and From |
Interim Pastor Linda Bergeon
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Sermon (audio)
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02/09/20
We Are Saved by the Priests |
Rev. Tony Aboagye
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Sermon (audio)
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02/16/20
You Do Church How?! |
Interim Pastor Linda Bergeon
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Sermon (audio)
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02/23/20
God Shows No Favoritism |
Pastor Karen Yee
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Sermon (audio)
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MARCH 2020
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03/01/20
Intro to Spiritual Disciplines |
Rev. Ada Omekenji
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Sermon (audio)
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03/08/20
Be Still and Know |
Pastor Karen Yee
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Sermon (audio)
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03/22/20
Strength In Solitude |
Rev. Tony Aboagye
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Part 1 (video)
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Part 2(video)
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03/29/20
It Really Is Quite Simple |
Interim Pastor Linda Bergeon
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Sermon (video)
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APRIL 2020
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04/05/20 (PALM SUNDAY)
Unmet Expectations |
Pastor Karen Yee
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Sermon (video)
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04/12/20 (EASTER SUNDAY)
There Is Power |
Interim Pastor Linda Bergeon
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Sermon (video)
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Sermon text
There is Power Mt. 28.1-10 He is Risen! He is Risen! Today’s passage is found in Mt. 28.1-10. I am reading from the New Revised Standard Version. 1 After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” 8 So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” I chose to read Matthew’s report on the resurrection because, call me crazy, the idea of an earthquake as a result of an angel coming to earth and moving the stone caught my attention. I have read this passage many times and yet this is the first time these words popped out at me. “And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.” Hmm, I wonder if living in CA had anything to do with it? This passage is only found in Matthew. None of the other gospel writers mention how the stone was rolled away, only that it was. Reports of the resurrection are found in all four gospels which highlights how important this event was. Each report varies a bit and I could talk today about how they differ. I could dig into how many angels there were – 1, 2 or none. or were those brightly shining young men dressed in white really angels? I could wax poetic about which women were at the tomb that morning, whether Mary Magdalene was alone or with an untold number of other women. I could examine why three Gospels say the women went and told the disciples while one says they were afraid and didn’t tell anyone. I could talk about why Mark has three endings and what that may mean or I could delve into the interesting fact that Jesus’ story starts and ends with women. Think about that for a minute – he was born of woman and who was first at the tomb? Women. I could unpack how the social order of the day made it possible for people to believe rough and smelly shepherds when they said they had seen a chorus of angles but wouldn’t believe the women when they shared the message the angels had given them. There are many aspects of these reports that I could talk about but there is only one that matters. He is Risen! He is risen indeed! These resurrection stories prove that God keeps his promises. Centuries before the resurrection God promised Abraham that his family would be the means for redeeming all other families. A promise that began to be fulfilled when his son, Jacob, and Jacob’s 12 sons, became the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel and heirs of the Abrahamic covenant, which found its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. These resurrection stories prove that despite humanities repeated rebellion and rejection of God, God never gives up on us. Our sinfulness has never and will never deter God, our weaknesses never have and never will discourage God. God continues to shower love and grace on us no matter what. The resurrection stories reveal the power of God through Jesus Christ. Jesus finished the work God gave him, he conquered sin and death on the cross. Through Jesus we can commit ourselves into the mighty hands of a faithful God and walk in confidence and freedom. He is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Through Jesus we have the power to overcome fear and anxiety. No matter how bleak our circumstances, we have power in the name of Jesus. I was blessed this past Friday to attend a Zoom Good Friday service where a soloist sang “There is Power in the Name of Jesus.” Listen to these words, and yes, I’m saying them not singing them (it’s okay to say praise the Lord). No fear, no lie can stand against us now He is here, The Word has come to silence every doubt. He is here. There is power in the name of Jesus There is power, power in His name. One name, one name can save. One name, one name breaks every chain. One name, always one name, Jesus. One name, one name remains. One name, we will proclaim! One name, always. There is power in the name of Jesus There is power, power in His name. Can I hear an amen? Amen! There is no winter so cold he cannot bring spring from it. There is no night so dark he cannot bring light to it. There is no desert so dry that he cannot bring a flower to bloom in it. One name can save, one name breaks every chain…there is power in the name of Jesus. There is power, power in His name. There is no disease that can overcome him. There is no social chaos that can conquer him. There is no incompetent response or misinformation that can defeat him. There is no one and nothing that can now or ever triumph over him. One name that saves, one name that breaks every chain, one name that will always remain. He is Risen! He is risen indeed. Brothers and sisters, we live in a difficult time. A time of uncertainty, of a certain amount of chaos. A time when we are feeling cut off in many ways from all that brings us comfort. And yet and yet here we are celebrating the resurrection and I want to share with you that this has been a really special holy time for me. As we started the journey into holy week I started thinking about Jesus and the thoughts he must have been having as he put one foot in front of the other on his way to Jerusalem. I thought about what he had been feeling and thinking. What was going through his mind? Was he in his humanness like us? Frightened, anxious wonder what would happen next? We know, we know that he poured out his anxiety and fear at least one time to his father God. In the garden of Gethsemane, it is reported that he poured it all out to God. And so, sisters and brothers it is okay if we pour out our fears and anxieties to God. God is there, God will listen. Jesus opened the way for us to have this one to one ability to commune with God. And as we moved into holy Thursday and on into good Friday I wondered, where did Jesus find his strength? How did he keep going? Because, remember he was fully human and fully divine. So he must have had some source that filled him up and I think we find the answer to that question of where did his power come from in Gethsemane. It came from his acceptance of God’s will for his life. At the end of his prayer time in Gethsemane he said “your will be done” “your will” and from that moment on he had the strength to continue the journey that took him to Jerusalem and the cross. Then there was Saturday, sometimes called silent Saturday, because it is a time of waiting and as I journeyed through Saturday, I kept thinking, I wonder how the disciples felt. Imagine, they were behind locked doors. Sounds familiar right? They were anxious, they were afraid, they were waiting they didn’t even know for what. They were waiting with no knowledge whatsoever of what was to come. You know what? As I thought about them and their waiting, I realized how different it was from our waiting, from our Silent Saturday because we know the end of the story. The end of this story is He is Risen! We don’t have to wait in fear and anxiety because we know He is Risen. Can I hear an amen? Yes, this is a crazy time, it is a chaotic time, it is a confusing time and yet if we keep our eyes focused on the bigger picture, the picture of redemption and forgiveness of sin, we can walk through these days in faith and confidence without fear. Because when we keep our eyes on Jesus his peace will fill our hearts and we will know that we know that we know we are forgiven and saved. Amen. |
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04/19/20
On The Road to Emmaus |
Rev. Khan Lolly
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Sermon (video)
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luke 24: 13-35
On the Road to Emmaus 13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14They were talking with each other about everything that had happ ened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 “What things?”he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.” 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. |
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04/26/20
A Call to Persevere in Faith |
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may 2020
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05/03/20
Following The Good Shepherd |
Rev. / Dr. Tim Tseng
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Sermon (video)
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05/10/20 (Mother's Day)
Loving, Kind & Generous |
Interim Pastor Linda Bergeon
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Sermon (video)
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05/17/20
Love Over Rights |
Pastor Karen Yee
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Sermon (video)
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05/24/20
Voice of God During a Crisis |
Rev. Tony Aboagye
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Sermon (video)
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05/31/2020
Happy Birthday to the Church |
Rev. Khan Lolly
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JUNE 2020
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Faith and Chaos
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Interim Pastor Linda Bergeon
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Sermon (video)
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Vertical Divider
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Surely Goodness, Surely Mercy
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Rev. Khan Lolly
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Sermon (video)
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Children's Message
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The Heart of The Matter
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Interim Pastor Linda Bergeon
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Sermon (part 1)
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Sermon (part 2)
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Sermon (part 3)
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JUly 2020
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Freedom In The Shadows
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Interim Pastor Linda Bergeon
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Vertical Divider
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Acts 5: 12-16
The Apostles Heal Many
12 The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade.
13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people.
14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.
15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.
16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.
12 The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade.
13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people.
14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.
15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.
16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.
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Unity In The Spirit
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Pastor Karen Yee
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Vertical Divider
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Acts 6: 1-7
The Choosing of the Seven
1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.
3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them
4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip
Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.
3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them
4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip
Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
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God's HOPE When We Are Down
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Rev. Augie Bau
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Sermon Video
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Vertical Divider
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Persecution and The Growth of The Church
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Rev. Tony Aboagye
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Sermon Video
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Vertical Divider
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ACTS 8: 1-8
The Church Persecuted and Scattered
1b On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.
3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.
Philip in Samaria
4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there.
6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said.
7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.
8 So there was great joy in that city.
1b On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.
3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.
Philip in Samaria
4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there.
6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said.
7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.
8 So there was great joy in that city.
august 2020
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To The Ends of The Earth
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ACTS 8: 4-40
Philip in Samaria 4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city. Simon the Sorcerer 9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.” 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. 12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. 14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” 24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” 25 After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages. Philip and the Ethiopian 26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” 34The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” 37-38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea. |
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Two Questions...
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Pastor Karen Yee
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Sermon Video
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Vertical Divider
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ACTS 8: 26-40
Philip and the Ethiopian
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship,
28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet.
29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”
35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”
[37] 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship,
28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet.
29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”
35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”
[37] 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.