Sermons
Defending Salvation by Grace 05/06/2012
Pastor AJ Camota
Series: Boldly Defending the Faith
When Pastor Jerry announced what we would be doing an apologetic series on “Defending the Faith,” I must admit that I was easily very excited. We were able to sit at a table and discuss issues and beliefs that must be firmly stood on. I could not help but think about my generation and feel this deep conviction within me. I have shared with my peers and with our students that, with all the societal norms that contrast with Scripture and the fact that we have a young gen-eration of Christians who are not fully immersing themselves in the reading of God’s Word, it is sad and of no surprise that many Christians today do not hold a Biblical worldview. Sin is tolerated. Church is unnecessary. Christ is devalued and undermined. Compromised Christians give birth to compromised Christians. So when we were tasked with this particular series, I thanked God for bringing this forward.
Defending the Church 04/29/2012
Rev. Jerry Lepasana
Series: Boldly Defending the Faith
Do Christians need to be a part of a church today? Can one be a good Christian without committing himself or herself to a local church? It is quite unfortunate to realize that, as we examine the kind of Christianity we know today, the church seems to have lost its true value in the minds of many professing Christians. According to the Barna Research Group, 83 percent of the people in America are self-described Christians. But with this percentage, here are some interesting facts: • 3 out of 5 adults don't attend church. • 30 percent have distanced themselves from being protestant; 17 percent from being Catholic. • Even without church, 18 percent say they made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important to them today. • Even without church, 15 percent say their religious faith is very important in their life. • Even without church, 35 percent say the Bible is totally accurate.
Defending the Trinity 04/22/2012
Rev. Jerry Lepasana
Series: Boldly Defending the Faith
The Lord Jesus Christ never called us to blind faith. It is quite obvious that when Jesus was here on earth preaching to the multitudes of people, He supported His claims of Messiahship by performing various kinds of miracles. Everyone who believed in Him exercised reasonable faith because it was based on the evidence they had seen.
The Resurrection of Jesus: A Spirit Does Not Have Flesh and Bones 04/08/2012
Rev. Steve Allen
If Jesus has His flesh and bones, three things are true: One thing for the mind—it changes your thinking; one thing for the will--it changes the way you live; one thing for the heart--it changes the way you feel.
LAODICEA: THE CHURCH OF DEADLY PRIDE 04/15/12
Rev. Jerry Lepasana
Series: 7 Churches in Revelation
What would you say is the best kind of church? One author has listed various kinds of churches. Allow me to use an edited form of his list to get us to thinking about this. • An Active Church – a church where people are actively involved in her ministries and programs. • A Giving Church – a church who is generous in her financial giving. • A Growing Church – a church where there are new people attending and are staying. • A Soul Winning Church – a church involved in constantly winning people to faith in Jesus Christ, while those getting saved are baptized. • A Smooth Running Church – a church that is efficient and orderly. • A Mission-minded Church – a church that supports missionaries around the world. • A Mega Church – a church with large attendance and many programs.
Sardis - The Church of Dead Pretension 03/25/12
Rev. Jerry Lepasana
Series: 7 Churches in Revelation
Many of us can identify with the experience of families going to a popular vacation destination where on a Sunday, they would have to decide on a Christian church they could attend for worship. More often, the churches most would end up attending are the churches that have an attractive facility. Unfortunately, a nice building doesn’t always translate into a healthy church. Today in America it is not unusual to walk into a church with a nice building that has a seating capacity for several hundreds of people, only to find around 20-30 people in a worship service. Yes, the church is still there, but it barely exists. The common question that people often ask is, “How did this happen?”
Thyatira: The Church of Diligent Perseverance 03/18/12
Pastor AJ Camota
Series: 7 Churches in Revelation
When researching the church in Thyatira, I found that this particular passage is the least preached upon among the letters to the seven churches in Revelation. Those who have preached or written about this passage speculate that it is least referenced due to lacking archaeological findings as well as supposed minimal infringement, tolerance being the main sin addressed in the passage. Yet of all the letters to the seven churches, in spite of the fact that Thyatira is the smallest city, this particular letter is the longest. I believe that this should definitely not go overlooked.
Pergamum: The Church at the Devil's Perversion 03/04/12
Rev. Jerry Lepasana
Series: 7 Churches in Revelation
Today, most churches have made it a tradition to hold an annual meeting for strategic planning. More often, this annual planning meeting is designed for church leaders to come together and do extensive evaluations of the church’s strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities. Then, out of these evaluations will come some necessary ministry adjustments, initiatives, and annual goals. I know churches that have done this who testify that doing so has provided them with greater growth and health.
Smyrna: The Church of Devoted Persecution 02/19/12
Rev. Jerry Lepasana
Series: 7 Churches in Revelation
As we move to the second church in Revelation, we’re still going to talk about love. You see, in the Bible, love is always more than words and feelings. It is characterized by actions. If you say to God, “I love you, Lord,” God is going to respond, “You can’t just say it; you have to show it.” If you examine our text this morning, you will find an important characteristic of love that we cannot take for granted – it is loyalty. You cannot have love without it. If a person is truly in love with someone, he or she will certainly be faithful and devoted, even in tough and trying times.
Ephesus: A Church of Dangerous Preoccupations 02/12/12
Rev. Jerry Lepasana
Series: 7 Churches in Revelation
The book of Revelation has been getting a lot of attention since the beginning of 2012 because of some Alarmists who have predicted that the world will end on December 21, 2012, claiming their basis on the Mayan Calendar. According to them, based on the calculations of ancient astronomers, there will be a planetary alignment of the Sun with the Milky Way’s black hole on December 21, resulting in cataclysmic events happening on Earth such as destructive sun flares, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, and other calamities. Now, many of the people who are really worried are turning to the prophecies of the Bible, curious to see if it says the same things about the end of the world.