Are You In a Spirit-Filled Church? | Christ For You

John 16:8–14 | Pentecost

A man walked into Zion, sat through the service, and left with a verdict: the Holy Spirit isn’t here. No raised hands. No tears. No electricity in the room. Just a Bible being read, doctrine being preached, and sinners sitting quietly in pews.

But was he right?

Is the Holy Spirit a force, an energy, a feeling — or something else entirely? Why did Pentecostalism begin only 120 years ago, and how did it become the default Christianity for millions? What happens to your faith when the feeling fades? And who controls your access to God if that access runs through your emotions?

What does Jesus actually say the Holy Spirit does? Why does the Spirit refuse to point to Himself? What does it mean that He doesn’t just inform you — He declares something to you? How do you know if the Holy Spirit is working in you? And what do children receiving their first communion prove about whether the Spirit is here?

Why does the Spirit come first with the Law? And how does the cross change everything?

For those who are sick, aging, and dying — when the feelings are gone and you have no strength left — is the Holy Spirit still there? Who is speaking for you when you no longer have words?

In this Pentecost sermon, Pastor Rojas answers every one of those questions from Scripture.

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Why Is This Church Still Here? | Christ For You

Isaiah 55:10–11 | 104th Anniversary

Redeemer Lutheran Church

2626 Liberty Blvd.

South Gate, CA

90280

A congregation that once overflowed is now down to twenty people. The school is gone. The founding generation is dead. The neighborhood has changed. And the question nobody is saying out loud — but everybody is carrying — is this: Has God’s Word failed here? Has He moved on? Is this place just a monument to a better time?

In this church anniversary sermon, Pastor Rojas walks into that question without flinching — and answers it from Isaiah 55. God doesn’t respond to His people’s despair with a recovery plan or a timeline. He responds the same way He always has: He gives them His Word again.

What does Isaiah 55 tell a struggling, shrinking congregation about whether God’s Word is still working? Why does God hide His success in what looks like failure? What does the incarnation of Christ — a homeless preacher, abandoned by His disciples, dead in a tomb — have to do with empty pews in South Gate? What does “it shall not return to me empty” actually mean when the numbers say otherwise? And how does the cross prove, once and for all, that God defines what His Word accomplishes — and no statistic, no chart, no empty pew ever has?

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What Does It Actually Mean to Be a Christian? | Christ For You

James 1:22–27 | Easter 6

What does it actually mean to be a Christian? Is it going to church? Holding the right doctrine? Being a good person? Everyone has an answer. And almost every answer, on its own, is completely wrong.

Because James doesn’t start with what you do. He starts with whether you’re actually listening. What does it look like to hear the Word of God and walk away completely unchanged? How is it possible to sit through a sermon, say Amen, drive home — and have nothing change? And what does it mean to truly lay hold of a promise — to hear the Word and say, this is mine now?

Why does James say that favoring the rich man over the poor man isn’t just rude — it’s worthless religion? Why does he hold up the widow and the orphan as the measuring stick for true Christianity — the two people who can do absolutely nothing for you? What does a mother’s love reveal about the love of God? And what does it mean that you were the orphan, the widow, the one with nothing to offer — who was given everything anyway?

And what happens on your last day, when the doing is finally over, and the only thing left is what has been done for you?

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Website: ZionWG.org/podcast

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Website: ZionWG.org

If this recording strengthened your faith, share it with others and leave a review. Your support helps more people hear the faithful preaching of Christ crucified and risen for you.

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What does Christianity actually teach?

In this Adult Instruction Class, we walk through the basic teachings of the Christian faith from a Lutheran perspective. We cover Scripture, God, sin, Christ, salvation, Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, prayer, worship, and the Christian life.

This class is especially for those new to Christianity, those exploring Lutheranism, and those desiring to become members of the Lutheran Church. It is clear, biblical, and practical, with room for honest questions along the way.

What does Christianity actually teach?

In this Adult Instruction Class, we walk through the basic teachings of the Christian faith from a Lutheran perspective. We cover Scripture, God, sin, Christ, salvation, Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, prayer, worship, and the Christian life.

This class is especially for those new to Christianity, those exploring Lutheranism, and those desiring to become members of the Lutheran Church. It is clear, biblical, and practical, with room for honest questions along the way.

Each class walks through what makes Lutheran doctrine distinct from other Christian denominations, following the chapters of the book The Lutheran Difference. Designed for youth in confirmation instruction, this series also welcomes anyone who wants a clear, biblical, and Confessional understanding of what Lutherans believe and why.

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Apple Podcasts: Christ For You

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Website: ZionWG.org/podcast

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Email: [email protected]

Website: ZionWG.org

If this strengthened your faith, share it with others and leave a review. Your support helps more people hear the faithful preaching of Christ crucified and risen for you.

The First Communion Class is a teaching series for children ages 7 and up, walking through the basics of the Christian faith using Luther’s Small Catechism. Each episode focuses on clear explanation, repetition, and memorization of God’s Word to help children understand and prepare to receive the Lord’s Supper with faith and reverence.

Subscribe & Share:

• Apple Podcasts: Christ For You

• Spotify: Listen on Spotify

• Website: ZionWG.org/podcast

Stay Connected:

• Email: [email protected]

• Website: ZionWG.org

If this strengthened your faith, share it with others and leave a review. Your support helps more people hear the faithful preaching of Christ crucified and risen for you.

Each class walks through what makes Lutheran doctrine distinct from other Christian denominations, following the chapters of the book The Lutheran Difference. Designed for youth in confirmation instruction, this series also welcomes anyone who wants a clear, biblical, and Confessional understanding of what Lutherans believe and why.

Subscribe & Share:

Apple Podcasts: Christ For You

Spotify: Listen on Spotify

Website: ZionWG.org/podcast

Stay Connected:

Email: [email protected]

Website: ZionWG.org

If this strengthened your faith, share it with others and leave a review. Your support helps more people hear the faithful preaching of Christ crucified and risen for you.