31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.[a]”
39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered.
“If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would[b] do what Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the works of your own father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
48 The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?”
Tommy Nixon's message on Father's Day was about identity, and referred to John 8:31-48. The teachers of Jesus' time questioned Him about who He was. Our identity can be shaped by our past, our family, and what others say about us. We can choose to believe in what others say about us and what the world says about us, or we can choose His Word, where we are loved as children of God, created in His image and never abandoned. Turn to Him. Love others. Christ is eternally trustworthy. His truth stands up in a world of lies created by the father of lies. If you really knew and were to accept these things, how would your life look like living our that truth? To be loosened from the chains of doubt and shame, and experience freedom?
Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/
Friday, June 24, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Sermon Rewind 6/5/11 - Give Till You Need Jesus
1 Timothy 6:17-19 (New International Version)
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Tommy Nixon continued the Empire State of Mind series with a sermon from 1 Timothy 6:17-19 about whether we are hindering our relationship with God because of our lack of giving. Our common perceptions of giving are full of arrogance. God’s perceptions of giving are relational. When we think of our relationship with God as a transaction instead of transformational, we build up barriers that hinder our relationship with God. God created us to be in deep relationship with Him without barriers. Giving of our time, talents and treasures is an essential act of affirming who we follow. Every act of giving is a reflection of our faithfulness to God. We should give enough so that it forces us to need Jesus and therefore spend time with Him – that’s all He wants from us! How are you giving of yourself? How does it look?
Listen to this sermon and others online!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Sermon Rewind 5/22/11 - Betting Our Trust & Security In Our Father
Exodus 16:13-21,31
13 That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat. 16 This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer[a] for each person you have in your tent.’” 17 The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. 18 And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed. 19 Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.” 20 However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them. 21 Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. 31 The people of Israel called the bread manna.[a] It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey.
Benjie Kim kicked off the Empire State of Mind Series with a message from Exodus 16:13-21,31 about trust and security in our Father. God is always consistent in providing for us. Benjie shared three phases of his current life: 1. "The God of War," a phase of anger; 2. "Connecting the Dots," a phase of reasoning his anger and having the trust and security in the wrong place; and 3. "You Got to Bet Big to Win Big," a phase where God is asking us to pick up our cross and trust His provision. All of us are called to make radical decisions. God, what do you want? What is your will? What is your kingdom purpose? Daniel Chen, from our NOC family, shared his journey of trust. Rest in the presence that God’s goodness is abundant and great. Are are we truly followers of Jesus, or are we merely fans?
Listen to this sermon and others online!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Sermon Rewind 5/15/11
God Loves Community
I John 4:7 - 12
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
Peter Park closed the Wonder.Full series with a look at God’s epic love in the context of community. In I John 4:7 - 12, we see that love not only comes from God, but that He IS love. God showed His love for us by sending us Jesus so that we may have eternal life with Him. But, a relationship is always proactive and reciprocal. Thus, God asks us to love each other. Why is this? Because when we love each other, God’s love is brought to full expression, and He becomes tangible. It is only through our actions that God’s love becomes real and draws others to Him.
Jennifer Ryu shared how God’s love became more real as she attended the Oasis life group. This was only made possible when she remained steadfast in her pursuit to know God better. Do we pursue Him as He pursues us?
Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/
I John 4:7 - 12
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
Peter Park closed the Wonder.Full series with a look at God’s epic love in the context of community. In I John 4:7 - 12, we see that love not only comes from God, but that He IS love. God showed His love for us by sending us Jesus so that we may have eternal life with Him. But, a relationship is always proactive and reciprocal. Thus, God asks us to love each other. Why is this? Because when we love each other, God’s love is brought to full expression, and He becomes tangible. It is only through our actions that God’s love becomes real and draws others to Him.
Jennifer Ryu shared how God’s love became more real as she attended the Oasis life group. This was only made possible when she remained steadfast in her pursuit to know God better. Do we pursue Him as He pursues us?
Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/
Monday, May 16, 2011
Running to Make a Difference
by Chloe Lee
If anyone were to ask me, “Could you run a 5K?” I would probably say, “No.” I'm a terrible runner, only good at sprinting, because I get awful windburns when I run long distances. The reason I ran the race was to help some person that needed help. My Refuge House (MRH) foundation provides a safe place for young women and children that are victims of sex trafficking to live in the Philippines. What motivated me the most to run the 5K was just to think about the victims and the feat MRH is trying to achieve. I bet some of the sex victims are probably about my age and are living homeless on the streets. It's pretty depressing to think about. What if it had been you living on the streets, and one day being kidnapped and taken away from the closest thing you can call home?
Velocity ran together during the race, except for a few other people. The staff was very friendly and sometimes we would jog while chatting with other fellow runners. It was fun to yell out and hear other kids yelling in response. It was also very tiring, and one time when we were trying to run up a very steep hill, we were yelling our heads off like maniacs while we tried to race up the hill. Each step you take may not seem like much, but each step takes up one step closer to the goal you are trying to achieve.
At the end of the race, a man stepped up in front of the microphone and told us a story. He told us that a little boy was at the beach throwing starfish that had been washed up along the beach. Then a fisherman approached him and asked,"Why are you doing that? It's not going to make a difference because there are millions of starfish in the ocean." Then the little boy says, "I bet I just made a difference to the starfish I just threw back." The pastor told us that when you do something good for a person, even if it isn't a lot, you may not think it makes a difference, but it does because even if you do something as little as that, it makes a big difference to someone else.
My Refuge House (MRH) provides an immediate safe home to young women and children rescued from sex-trafficking in the Philippines. It is dedicated to alleviating the effects of abuse and trauma sustained by these victims.
MRH started 2 years ago with a few Christians who wanted to respond to the horrors of human trafficking. After renting a house for a year and running a successful program, they embarked on a new effort to build a safe house that they could own and expand as God moved. On May 8th, 2011, MRH officially opened the first phase of their safe house. About a quarter of the funds to build the new building was contributed by NOC members! The next phase of the building process is making comfortable living spaces to receive more girls into the safe house. $30,000 will build a dorm pod for 6 girls to live. If you would like more info on how you can pray and contribute to this project, please email johnny lee at Johnny@fullertonact.com
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Sermon Rewind 5/8 - GOD Loves Moms
Ephesians 2:8-10 (NASB)
Cindy Park continued Wonder.Full with a message focused on mothers, but directed to us all. We are GOD’s masterpieces and should reflect the Master’s hand on us and in us. Our lives should point others towards Christ. When we accept Christ, we receive both purpose (“We are not saved BY good works, but FOR good works”), and identity (“when we know who we are, we know how to live”), even when we don’t see the good in them. GOD can restore and redeem any and all aspects of our lives, so long as we are obedient.
Audrey Tang read a Mother’s Day letter to her mother Sue, thanking her, affirming her, and blessing her.
Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/
8For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
Cindy Park continued Wonder.Full with a message focused on mothers, but directed to us all. We are GOD’s masterpieces and should reflect the Master’s hand on us and in us. Our lives should point others towards Christ. When we accept Christ, we receive both purpose (“We are not saved BY good works, but FOR good works”), and identity (“when we know who we are, we know how to live”), even when we don’t see the good in them. GOD can restore and redeem any and all aspects of our lives, so long as we are obedient.
Audrey Tang read a Mother’s Day letter to her mother Sue, thanking her, affirming her, and blessing her.
Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/
Sermon rewind 5/1 - Wonder.full Trust
Psalm 46 (New International Version, ©2011)
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.[c]
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the LORD has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields[d] with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Peter Park continues the Wonder.full series with a message from Psalms 46 - a familiar passage for many Christians about "being still and know that He is God", but it is more than just that. When we trust God and fear God, there is little to fear about our own worries in this world. His awe cannot be understood by mortals, His love is as solid as a rock. Kumi then shared about how even a tsunami in Japan can be used by Him to bring unity and strength to His church and His glory to a nation that needs it.
Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.[c]
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the LORD has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields[d] with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Peter Park continues the Wonder.full series with a message from Psalms 46 - a familiar passage for many Christians about "being still and know that He is God", but it is more than just that. When we trust God and fear God, there is little to fear about our own worries in this world. His awe cannot be understood by mortals, His love is as solid as a rock. Kumi then shared about how even a tsunami in Japan can be used by Him to bring unity and strength to His church and His glory to a nation that needs it.
Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/
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