Sermon Rewind 11/17/2013 - Oceans: A Relationship That Transforms

Psalm 42:1-2

New International Version (NIV)
For the director of music. A maskil[c] of the Sons of Korah.

1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
    so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
    When can I go and meet with God?

Tommy Nixon continued the Oceans series by showing us how our desire to simplify GOD into a one-dimensional being is often expressed in unbiblical statements such as "everything happens for a [good] reason," "GOD will never give me more than I can handle," and "GOD is testing me."  While GOD is too much for us to completely understand, even a grasp of His multi-faceted nature requires a relationship with Him.  And He loves us too much to settle for a transactional relationship.  He wants to have a transformational relationship with us.

Tommy offered three keys to a transformational relationship as demonstrated by (probably) David in Psalms 42 and 43:
1.  Talk with GOD - have an honest conversation, one that is two-way and allows for real emotions like anger and disappointment.
2.  Ask for two things:
    a.  GOD to right wrongs, and
    b.  GOD to restore things to their proper place.
3.  Speak words of Life, not Death (negativity, hatred)
    a.  command your soul, and
    b.  speak into the future in faith.

By Chris Cheung

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Sermon Rewind 11/10/13 - Oceans: Entering The Presence of God

Exodus 4:10-17

New International Version (NIV)

10 Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”
11 The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”
13 But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”
14 Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. 15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. 17 But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”

Benjie Kim continued the Oceans series, recounting the story of Moses. It can be hard to believe in a God we can’t see. We often think to ourselves that if God tangibly manifested Himself in front of us, we would believe. However, we forget that throughout the Bible, entering the presence of God was difficult, and cause for fear and cowering. 

God calls us instead to pursue the journey in the present. This life is a test and preparation for the next life. The reward is not the promise of things, it is the promise of God. Can we take risks and pursue God-sized dreams, learning to trust in God no matter what the outcome? When we do and trust in Jesus in the deepest parts of our souls, we will be changed, becoming readied to experience His full glory.

Moses’ story was not just a story about miracles - it was about God being faithful for a broken people, reminding them of the promise of His presence always.

by Sonny Luong-si

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Sermon Rewind 11/3/2013 - Oceans: Rocking The Boat

Luke 5:1-11

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

5 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,[a] the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

When Peter stepped into the ocean, he stepped into the chaos of rolling seas, thundering skies, and uncertainty. Dave Brubaker began the Oceans series asking: How do we react when our lives are in the midst of chaos? We are called to take a stand and not be moved, even in changing and troubling times. Reading from Luke 5, Dave posits these truths about following Jesus.

1) It is inconvenient, just as when He told to Peter to fish again despite a long night of work. Can we accept when he comes into our lives and disrupts things?

2) It means relinquishing control - He wants to commandeer all aspects of our lives, just as He used the fishermen’s boats as a pulpit.

3) It is unconventional - He will often ask us to do something completely different. Will we, like Peter, agree simply because He says so?

4) It takes the willingness to leave everything - our money and our independence - instead, banking on Jesus to make us the person that He wants us to be.

By Ed Chu

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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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