Good Friday service at Core Church Los Angeles. Watch and listen as Pastor Steve teaches through the word of God, as we remember the sacrifice of our Lord.

1. He Wept

2. He Was Passionate

3. He Gave a Warning

Today's sermon explored the events of Palm Sunday through Luke 19, examining how Jesus fulfilled ancient prophecy by riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. We witnessed three powerful aspects of Christ's character that day: His compassion as He wept over Jerusalem, His passion as He cleansed the temple, and His warning about the cost of rejecting Him. This memorable event calls us to examine our own response to Jesus—are we truly following Him wholeheartedly, or are we among those who praise Him one moment but turn away the next? The implications for our spiritual life are clear: Jesus went all in for us through His sacrifice, and He calls us to go all in for Him.

Takeaways:

- Jesus offers love, hope, and liberty in a broken world. Even when circumstances around us are unstable and discouraging, Christ remains our source of peace and restoration, inviting all who feel lost to come to Him for forgiveness and renewal.

- We must recognize the time of our visitation. Jerusalem missed their moment when the Messiah came. Today, we must not be blind to God's work in our lives or reject His truth because it conflicts with cultural preferences or personal comfort.

- Halfhearted commitment is not an option. Jesus said, "He who is not with Me is against Me." We cannot remain neutral or uncommitted—either we are gathering with Christ and following His Word fully, or we are working against His purpose.

As we move toward Good Friday and Easter, let us not be fickle like the crowds who shouted "Hosanna" on Sunday and "Crucify Him" by Friday. Instead, may we respond to Christ's total commitment to us with our own wholehearted devotion to Him.

Let's join together this Friday from 12:00-1:00 PM for our Good Friday service, where we will take an in-depth look at Jesus' death on the cross and share communion together.

1. When Life Is Hard

2. Prepare to Be Used

3. Be Ready to Move

Today's sermon explored how the ancient struggles Joel faced with locust plagues mirror our modern battles with worldly distractions, personal sin, and spiritual warfare. Just as Joel called God's people to return wholeheartedly to the Lord, we are being called today to wake up, prepare ourselves to be used by God, and be ready to move in obedience. The message emphasized that we live in the most strategic time in history, positioned in a generation where multitudes stand in the valley of decision, and God desires to pour out His Spirit on all who will surrender to His purposes.

Takeaways:

- When Life is Hard, Remember Your Purpose: The gnawing, creeping, and stripping locusts represent the cares of this world, unchecked personal sin, and the enemy's attempts to destroy us. Yet God promises to restore the years the locusts have eaten when we fully return to Him with our whole hearts.

- Prepare to be Used by Rending Your Heart: True preparation for God's work begins with tearing open our hearts before Him, retreating back to our starting point with fasting, weeping, and genuine repentance. We cannot bore the Christian life with our lack of desire to fully serve the Lord—He calls us to be holy men and women proclaiming salvation to a dying world.

- Be Ready to Move in the Power of the Holy Spirit: God hasn't called us to serve in the power of our own weakness but promises that His power is made perfect in our weakness. Whether through Palm Sunday, Good Friday, or Easter Sunday outreach, now is the time to invest in eternal souls, pointing others to Jesus who alone can bring hope in the midst of chaos.

As we approach this Easter season, let's ask ourselves: Will we pray? Will we be available to share the hope of Jesus with those around us? Our mission field is only 36 inches away. Let's not squander the greatest message of all humanity by keeping silent when multitudes stand in the valley of decision.

1. Knowing the Ground Rules

2. Living It Out

3. Denying Ourselves

Today's sermon explored God's blueprint for marriage as outlined in Ephesians 5:21-33, reminding us that while it's easier to get married than to stay married, God has given us clear guidance to not just survive but thrive in this sacred covenant. We examined how marriage reflects the relationship between Christ and the Church, with both husbands and wives called to die to themselves and live for each other. The message challenged cultural norms and called us back to biblical truth: wives are called to submit to their husbands as to the Lord, while husbands are called to love their wives with the same sacrificial love Christ demonstrated for the Church. This isn't about inequality but about God's ordained structure that, when followed, leads to flourishing marriages that testify to the Gospel.

Takeaways:

- Mutual submission is the foundation. Before any specific roles are assigned, Ephesians 5:21 calls all believers to "be subject to one another in the fear of Christ." Marriage requires both partners to become servants by their own free will, seeking nothing in return, just as Jesus came to serve rather than be served.

- Love and respect are non-negotiable. Husbands are commanded to love their wives as Christ loved the Church—sacrificially, unconditionally, and with a purifying love that builds her up in the Word. Wives are called to respect and submit to their husbands, trusting God's design even when it's countercultural. Both callings require dying to self daily.

- Marriage requires everything, but God provides the power. The cost of a thriving marriage is everything—our pride, our selfishness, our desire to be right. But God is able to do "far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us" (Ephesians 3:20). Today can be a day of recommitment, forgiveness, and fresh start in your marriage.

Let's commit this week to applying these truths in our relationships. If you're married, ask God to show you one specific way you can better love or respect your spouse. If you're single, prepare your heart now to honor these vows when the time comes. And remember, the same grace God extends to us is the grace we must extend to our spouses.

1. Walking With Wisdom

2. Always Being Filled

3. Living a Life of Joy

Today's sermon explored what it means to truly "look ahead" as believers living in what the Bible calls the Last Days. We examined how the signs around us—increasing lawlessness, wars and rumors of wars, the rise of secularism, and the rejection of absolute truth—all point to Christ's imminent return. Rather than causing us to live in fear or depression, this reality should awaken us to live with purpose, wisdom, and joy. We explored three key areas: walking with wisdom in a spiritually sleeping world, being continually filled with the Holy Spirit's power, and living a life characterized by genuine joy and thanksgiving. Let us examine whether we're wasting our lives on temporary things or investing in eternity, and to make ourselves available as instruments in God's hands during these critical days.

Takeaways:

- Wake up and walk with wisdom. We cannot afford to be spiritually asleep while the world around us abandons God. We must be alert, making the most of our time, understanding that tomorrow is not guaranteed. The question we must ask ourselves is: Are we allowing our faith to breathe and come alive, or is it confined to Sunday mornings? God desires all people to be saved, and we must be His voice of reason and warning to those around us.

- Be continually filled with the Holy Spirit. While we receive the Holy Spirit at conversion, we need regular "refills" of His power and influence in our lives. This means dying to ourselves, surrendering to God's will, pursuing purity, and not grieving the Spirit through habitual sin. We must examine our hearts honestly: Is there anything—even "good things" like hobbies or sports—that is consuming our time and robbing us of becoming who God has called us to be? Don't waste or squander your high calling.

- Live with overflowing joy and thanksgiving. When we are filled with the Spirit, joy naturally flows from our lives. We encourage one another, sing praises to the Lord, and give thanks in all circumstances. This isn't manufactured happiness but the fruit of being refreshed by God's power and ready to be used by Him. Our joy becomes a testimony to others and creates a welcoming atmosphere that draws people to Christ.

As we look ahead to Christ's return, let's not be found sleeping. Let's make every day count for eternity, continually seeking fresh anointing from the Holy Spirit, and living with a joy that can only come from knowing our redemption draws near.

May the Lord bless you and keep you this week as you walk in His wisdom and power.

1. Being an Imitator of God

2. Not Allowing Deception

3. Walking in the Light

Today's sermon explored our calling as believers to be imitators of God in a dark and hurting world. We examined how Christianity is not a spectator sport—God hasn't called us to sit on the sidelines while our world spins out of control, but rather to be His voice of reason and light. We looked at three crucial areas: being imitators of God, guarding against deception, and walking in the light. The message reminded us that people are dying all around us, and if we have tasted and seen that God is real and good, we need to share His love with our lost world to impact our culture.

Takeaways:

- Be an imitator of God in your daily life. People should be able to look at our actions, listen to our words, and see God in us. This means walking in love, maintaining sexual purity, and speaking with words that honor God rather than filthiness, foolishness, or coarse jesting.

- Don't be deceived by empty words. When we knowingly continue in sin, we cheat ourselves out of God's best and become separated from His voice. We must submit every aspect of our lives to Christ and refuse to console ourselves with the world's excuses that "everyone's doing it."

- Walk as children of light and expose darkness. We were formerly darkness, but now we are light in the Lord. This means being ready to share Christ with strangers and consistently planting seeds with family, neighbors, and coworkers—looking for doors to share Jesus wherever God places us.

Remember, God sees you as the finished product—what you can become when filled with and led by the Holy Spirit. Don't let another day pass without being ready to shine His light in this dark world.

1. Watching for Trickery

2. Laying Aside the Old

3. Putting on the New

Today's sermon explored Ephesians 4:14-32, challenging us to examine our Christian walk and whether we're truly living out our faith. Just as physical walking requires 200 muscles working together without conscious thought, our spiritual walk should become second nature as we mature in Christ. We were reminded that God's will for us is so much more than we could ever imagine, but it requires us to be grounded in Biblical truth, not tossed around by every wind of doctrine or cultural trend. The message called us to stop being spiritually immature—to put off our old self with its deceitful lusts and put on the new self, created in God's likeness in righteousness and holiness.

Takeaways:

- Watch for Trickery and Stay Grounded in Truth: We must examine Scripture for ourselves (like the Bereans in Acts 17) rather than simply accepting what culture or even persuasive arguments tell us. Our feelings and hearts can be deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9), so we need solid Biblical truth as our foundation. We're called to speak truth in love, even when it's difficult.

- Lay Aside the Old Self: True repentance means stripping away our former manner of life—the things we know are wrong. This isn't just feeling sorry; it's actively turning away from sin and submitting to obedience. We cannot continue wearing our "grave clothes" when Christ has made us alive and set us free.

- Put On the New Self: It's not enough to simply stop sinful behaviors; we must replace them with godly ones. Put off lying, put on truth-telling. Put off anger, put on peace. Put off stealing, put on honest labor. Put off unwholesome words, put on edifying speech. Put off bitterness, put on kindness and forgiveness. This is what it means to walk with Christ daily.

Let's commit together to growing up in all aspects into Christ, being doers of the Word and not just hearers. Remember, when we each do our part, the whole body of Christ grows and is built up in love.

1. Gifts for Our Purpose

2. Results From Our Gifts

Today's sermon explored God's divine design for the Church and how He equips each believer with specific gifts to build up the body of Christ. We examined how God has given apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers not as titles to pursue, but as gifts to equip the saints for the work of service. The implications for our spiritual life are profound—we are not meant to simply attend church, but to actively participate in God's mission. Just as successful businesses train employees and organize effectively, God has structured His Church with purpose, calling us to pool our gifts and talents together to reach our world with the Gospel without compromise.

Takeaways:

- We are called to grow up in Christ, not be tossed by every wind of doctrine. God desires us to be rooted in His Word, moving from chaos to order in our lives. This requires us to be doers of the Word, not merely hearers who delude themselves (James 1:22).

- Every believer has a purpose in God's calling. Whether you work with your hands, communicate well, serve at home, or minister in the church, God has equipped you for service. The question is: Are we doing what we do well, to the best of our ability, or are we just doing enough to get by?

- We must speak the truth in love, finding the balance between biblical correctness and genuine compassion. Unity is not uniformity or conforming to culture's ideology. Real love waits for the right moment to speak truth without compromising it, and it's always easier to hear truth from someone who genuinely cares.

Be encouraged to ask yourself this week: Am I growing up in Christ? Am I using my gifts to serve His Church? Am I speaking truth in love to those around me?

Let's not waste the gifts God has given us, but instead become vessels He can work through to reach our world.

1. Letting Go

2.Getting to Heaven

Today's sermon explored the transition from understanding our spiritual wealth in Christ (Ephesians 1-3) to living out our calling through our daily walk (Ephesians 4). We were reminded that while Jesus accepts us just as we are when we come to Him, He doesn't want us to stay that way. God has called us to a "Royal Route" - a new path that leads to Heaven, marked by humility, gentleness, patience, and love. The message emphasized two key points: "Letting Go" of our own desires and plans to fully surrender to God's purpose, and "Getting to Heaven" by understanding the eternal reality that awaits us and sharing that truth with others.

Takeaways:

- Surrender completely to God's calling - Like Paul, who referred to himself as a prisoner of the Lord, we must be willing to relinquish our rights, plans, and personal desires for what God has for us instead. Ask yourself: Is there any area of my life I'm holding back from God?

- Walk in unity and bear the fruit of the Spirit - We're called to preserve unity through humility, gentleness, patience, and love. This isn't uniformity imposed from outside, but unity that flows from within as the Holy Spirit transforms us. There is one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God over all.

- Share the Gospel urgently - Understanding the reality of Heaven and Hell should compel us to share the good news. Every person we know will spend eternity in one of two places. We are all called to be evangelists, building up the body of Christ and helping others come to saving faith in Jesus.

This week, consider what "stuff" you might be holding onto that's working against your relationship with God. Remember, we can never outgive God or have more fun than His blessings provide.

May we all walk worthy of the calling we have received in Christ Jesus.

1. Strengthened With His Power

2. Filled With His Fullness

3. Beyond All by His Power

Today's sermon explored our human tendency to always want "more" and how only God can truly fill the void within us. Drawing from Ephesians 3:13-21, we examined how our culture constantly tells us that happiness comes from having more things, being more successful, or achieving more status. Yet as Solomon discovered, and as Eddie Murphy confessed, even those who gain everything the world offers still feel something is missing. The good news is that we were created with a God-shaped void that only He can fill. Through Christ's sacrifice, we can experience the strengthening power of the Holy Spirit, the fullness of God's love, and His ability to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all we could ask or imagine.

Takeaways:

- We are strengthened by His power within us - The Holy Spirit living in us is God's seal and guarantee, giving us power to live for Him, to stand when we fall, and to keep moving forward even in hardship and defeat.

- We can comprehend the breadth, length, height, and depth of God's love - His love is wider than we can imagine, longer than time itself, deeper than the cross, and higher than the heavens where He prepares a place for us.

- God is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all we ask or think - When we make the Lord our Shepherd and find our contentment in Him first, He unlocks the gates of prayer and enables us to move in His attributes, sharing with others what He has done for us.

This week, be encouraged to pause when you feel that longing for "more" and ask yourself: Am I seeking fulfillment in things that can never satisfy, or am I drawing closer to the One who fills every void?