Sermon Rewind 10/27/13 - Unity In The Community

Ephesians 4:3-6, 15-16

3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Benjie Kim echoed the Apostle Paul's stance that avoiding division within the church is critical if The Gospel is to be spread. Unity must be an intentional goal because division occurs naturally in a diverse community. In Ephesians, Paul lists out three solutions we can follow:

1) Trust. We need to trust that God has a plan for our lives and for NOC. Though we are all broken humans, do we trust that God can work in them?
 

2) In all things, act and speak the truth in love. Avoid gossip and slander, and instead seek out engagement and conversation.

 3) Radical acts of service. Benjie encourages us to go out of our way to serve the greater good, in all aspects of our lives. When others see a community serve in this way, they will see Jesus. 

What is one act of radical service you can do for someone this week? Let us strive to be a church of unity.

by Chris Cheung

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Sermon Rewind 9/8/13 - Marked By God

Ephesians 1
New International Version (NIV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To God’s holy people in Ephesus,[a] the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he[b] predestined us for adoption to sonship[c] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he[d] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[f] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.



Dave Brubaker talked about how the excitement of a church retreat often fades after it ends. Many times after a retreat, people say "Well, it's back to reality" but in actuality, the Bible is the true reality. Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see Jesus, and Jesus met him and changed his life.

Dave drew inspiration from Ephesians 1, which talks about how God chose us and gives us every spiritual blessing. Dave summarized Ephesians 1 with the phrase "You have what it takes." Often, we underestimate ourselves - sometimes others see our strengths that we are blind to, and sometimes we have strengths that others are unaware of. Dave encouraged us to have a greater awareness of our capabilities and use them for God.


Jesus told his disciples, "I will make you fishers of men." Jesus will make you what you need to be to do his work. The Holy Spirit seals us and owns us, much like Andy in 'Toy Story' wrote his name on Woody's boot.

by Kenny Yamada

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Sermon Rewind 8/25/13 - Soul Talk: Facing Tragedy

Dave Brubaker concluded the Soul Talk series by answering, "How does the church address tragedies of life and depression?"

When people face tragedies, well meaning friends try to give advice, like 'There's a plan'. In the Bible, Job suffered many afflictions, and his friends’ advice didn't help. Dave explained that many times, the best thing to do is just be there for your friends, say nothing and simply be a caring and listening ear.

In 2 Corinthians: 7-9, Paul recounts a “thorn in the flesh” that God would not take away from him. But God said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Sometimes God does give us things that even we can't handle. Why? So that we will fall on our knees before him.

Dave concluded by sharing the story of a lesbian woman who near the end of her life, was filled with struggles and doubts. She met Mother Teresa, and poured out her heart to her.  Mother Teresa said few words, but expressed her love for the woman - the thing she needed most.
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by Kenny Yamada

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Sermon Rewind 8/18/13 - Soul Talk: How Do I Love Someone Who Is Hard To Love?

Last Sunday Alex Wu continued the Soul Talk series and addressed the question: “How do I love someone who is hard to love?”

To really understand the question, Alex asked the following:

1. Who does the hard to love refer to? It can be someone you don’t like, as well as someone you are simply indifferent to.

2. What makes loving these people hard? Because we view love on a scale of transactions. When we love someone we expect to be loved back.

3. Why should we love them? Because Jesus says to love God, and to love your neighbor as yourself.

4. How do we do it? Following I Corinthians 13:4 - “Love is patient, love is kind.”

- We should pray a prayer that taps into the power of God, who can love in a way we cannot. - We need to make the choice to be kind to those who are unkind to us.
- We do it because we want to please God by reflecting His heart.

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Sermon Rewind 7/28/13 - Soul Talk: The Role Of Women In The Church

1 Timothy 2:8-15

New International Version (NIV)

8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. 9 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
11 A woman[a] should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man;[b] she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But women[c] will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

Last Sunday, Pastor Benjie Kim continued the Soul Talk series and addressed the question, “What is NOC’s position on women in church leadership”? As part of the Evangelical Covenant Church, NOC affirms the ordination of women.

I Timothy 2:8-15 is often cited to argue the role of women in the church. Benjie asks us to remember the importance of context when reading a passage, as Paul was writing to a specific people in specific situations. Though Paul addresses false teaching and modesty, his one command is to “let a woman learn” - previously an unacceptable social norm - with obedience and cooperation.

It is important to see whether passages in Scripture are consistent with the heart of the Bible. God’s heart for women is revealed when He entrusted Mary Magdalene with the task of alerting the Apostles of Christ’s resurrection. If Jesus had confidence to trust a woman to lead, then so should we.

by Sonny Luong-si

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Sermon Rewind 7/21/14 - Soul Talk: Homosexuality

Last Sunday, Peter Park addressed what our witness should be to the LGBT community. Our witness should be of love, not of judgment, in truth. We are to love the LGBT community, yet still keep Christ in our witness. 

In light of the recent Supreme Court rulings on DOMA and Prop 8, there's more grey than black and white when it comes to same-sex marriages and Christianity. There is a unified answer though: love. Seeking being right must be secondary to seeking loving right.

by Ed Chu

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Sermon Rewind - 7/14/13 - Realizing God's Abundance

Passage: John 10:10

Benny Yu brought a message from Mexico City about receiving the abundant life that God desires us to have. Our biggest obstacle is mistaking lack of restrictions for freedom. Submitting to God's authority leads us to a place where we can thrive.  Benny gave us steps to achieve this:

• Lay aside our own agendas for His. This includes our desires for control and getting credit.
• Practice God's presence.
• Don't hide before GOD. Be authentic with our sins and our junk.
• Focus on God's causes. Allow Him to transform us into blessings for others.

Janice Yu offered up a prayer of blessing for NOC and encouraged us to join the "healing pool party" that awaits us beyond the barriers we've put up between ourselves and God.

by Chris Cheung

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