Lindsay explores a recurring biblical pattern: darkness descends, people despair, and God responds with unexpected new life—often in the smallest, most fragile form.

Beginning with Isaiah 9, the sermon describes the fear and political collapse in ancient Judah as the Assyrian Empire threatened destruction. In the midst of national crisis, Isaiah announces hope using prophetic past tense—speaking of God’s future salvation as if it has already happened:

God’s promised solution is surprising: a baby. Historically, this refers to Hezekiah, who eventually became a faithful king. But Christians also understand Isaiah’s words as pointing forward to Jesus, born 700 years later during yet another time of oppression — this time under Rome. Again, God’s response to overwhelming power is the quiet arrival of a child.

Lindsay teaches that this ancient pattern still repeats today. In a world filled with darkness—personal, social, or global—God continues to bring forth new life, sometimes dramatic, sometimes subtle, but always powerful enough to push back the shadows.

We are not asked to create the light; that is God's work. Our role is to notice it, trust it, rejoice in it, and live as though God's future is already unfolding.

A modern illustration comes from Denzel Washington, who received a prophetic word as a struggling college student. Believing that God was at work shaped his choices, career, and sense of purpose. His story mirrors the message of Isaiah: when God speaks hope into darkness, new life breaks forth—and it is enough.

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This message explores the powerful connection between Genesis 1 and John 1, showing how the story of creation and the story of Christ reveal the same truth: God brings light into darkness—on purpose, with purpose, and through Jesus Christ.

From the very beginning, God’s first act was to speak: “Let there be light.” Light wasn’t an accident; it was intentional, good, and foundational. John picks up this theme to show that Jesus is that Light—the divine Word present at creation, the One through whom life and light came into being.

The sermon walks through Scripture, childhood memories of fearing the dark, and even the dramatic testimony of rock star Alice Cooper, illustrating that no matter how thick the darkness seems—fear, anxiety, exhaustion, grief, addiction—light is stronger. One small light changes a room more than one small area of darkness ever could.

This message explores the last Sunday of the Christian year and the powerful way Scripture chooses to end the book of Psalms: with praise. Just like a playlist filled with every emotion, the Psalms cover the full spectrum of human experience—joy, sorrow, doubt, hope, anger, and deep trust. Yet after all the twists and turns, after all the cries for help and honest confessions, the final word of the Psalms is simple and bold: “Praise the Lord.”

As we approach Thanksgiving, the sermon invites us to let praise and gratitude be the final word in our own year. Whether our year was full of blessings, challenges, or pain, we can still choose praise—because praise honors who God is, and thanksgiving acknowledges what God has done. Even in seasons where gratitude is hard, praise is still possible.

Around your own Thanksgiving table—whether crowded or quiet—this message encourages you to pause and speak the final word with intention: “God is good, and I am grateful.” Let praise and thanksgiving finish the year strong.

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In a world full of filters, AI fakery, and half-truths, telling the truth has become a radical act. We often say “Nothing’s wrong” when something always is. We hide behind curated images, polite answers, and put-together masks.

Jacob did the same—his whole life was built on deception. He tricked his father Isaac, cheated his brother Esau, manipulated his father-in-law Laban, and lived on the run from the consequences of his own actions.

When Jacob hears Esau is coming to meet him with 400 men, fear hits him hard. He divides his people, he prays, and then—like many of us—he schemes, trying to “save face” with gifts and plans. The original Hebrew shows Jacob trying to literally “cover Esau’s face” with gifts so Esau won’t have to see the real Jacob.

But God steps in.

Jacob ends up wrestling all night with a mysterious figure—God, an angel, or the physical form of his inner struggle. For the first time, Jacob fights honestly. No tricks. No masks. Face to face. And that changes everything.

God renames him Israel—“the one who wrestles with God.” Jacob didn’t win by overpowering God; he won by not giving up, by finally bringing his real self into the struggle with God.

And that honesty prepares him for what comes next: reconciliation.

When Jacob finally meets Esau, he bows in humility, and Esau runs to embrace him. Their relationship—once shattered—is restored. Jacob even says seeing Esau’s forgiving face is like “seeing the face of God.”

This sermon calls us to the same path:

In an age of deception, let us be truth-tellers—before others, before ourselves, and especially before God. Honest wrestling leads to blessing, transformation, and seeing the very face of God.

How God Does Big Things | 2 Kings 5:1–14 (Naaman’s Story)

In this message, we explore one of the richest stories in Scripture — the healing of Naaman — and what it reveals about God’s power to do big things through our small acts of faithfulness.

From the unnamed servant girl who spoke hope, to Naaman’s hesitant obedience, every person in this story had one simple thing to do. And through their faithfulness, God worked miracles.

💡 Key Takeaways:

God invites us to participate in His work — not because He needs us, but because He wants us to share in the blessing.

Sometimes, God’s greatest work begins with one simple act of obedience.

When we are faithful in the small things, God does big things.

🙌 Whether it’s forgiving someone, stepping out in faith, or simply obeying God’s nudge — your “one simple thing” matters in the Kingdom of God.

📜 Scripture: 2 Kings 5:1–14

In this All Saints message, Pastor Lindsay reflects on our human need for certainty — especially when facing grief and the mysteries of the afterlife. Drawing from Jesus’ comforting words in John 14, we’re reminded that even though we don’t have all the details about heaven, what we do know is more than enough.

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In this message, we explore how our assumptions shape our actions—especially when it comes to sharing our faith. Too often, we assume people aren’t interested in God or church, and that keeps us silent. But what if we’re wrong?

Drawing from 2 Timothy 4:1–8, this sermon challenges us to rethink those assumptions and recognize that most people are far more open to faith conversations than we think. Research shows that nearly 80% of unchurched people would come to church if invited by a friend—and even more are open to simply hearing about Jesus.

Pastor Lindsay reminds us that our personal experience with God is one of the most powerful testimonies we can share. In today’s world—where arguments are everywhere and truth feels divided—no one can deny your story. Just like word-of-mouth advertising remains the most trusted form of communication, sharing how Jesus has changed your life is still the best way to connect others to Him.

Using the Methodist “Wesleyan Quadrilateral” (Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience), the message highlights that while culture may reject tradition or argue against Scripture, experience still opens hearts. When we tell our story of how God has worked in our lives, we plant seeds of faith.

The call is simple but powerful:

Don’t assume rejection—assume openness.

Don’t argue—share your experience.

Don’t stay silent—tell your story of Jesus.

Because through your story, God is still transforming lives, redeeming hearts, and reconciling the world. Let’s be ready, in season and out of season, to “fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith.”

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🎥 Summary for YouTube – “First Fruits: Go Serve”

Title: Go Serve – Finding God in Vulnerability

🌙 Opening Story

The sermon begins with a relatable moment — being startled awake by a child in the middle of the night. It’s a vivid image of vulnerability and comfort — how, when we’re scared or weak, we draw close to those who love us.

🙏 God’s Presence in Weakness

Scripture after scripture reminds us that God meets people in their low points:

Elijah in the cave hears God’s whisper.

Jonah prays from inside the whale.

The woman at the well finds Jesus in her shame.

Jairus, desperate for his daughter, meets Jesus in fear.

God’s power is made perfect in weakness, and our closeness to Him often grows from our most difficult moments.

❤️ Serving the Vulnerable

When we’re not the ones in need, Jesus calls us to serve those who are.

Because people often experience God’s love through us — the hands and feet of Christ.

Because being close to those in need helps us experience God’s presence more deeply.

🌍 Practical Examples

Pastor shares stories from ministry:

Working with people in Pasadena who have little yet show profound faith.

Encounters at NIA and on mission trips to Honduras or Cuba, where faith shines brightest in poverty.

The reminder that Jesus is close to the broken-hearted (Psalm 34:18).

We often avoid vulnerability — stepping back from tears, hospitals, or the unhoused — but Jesus says:

“Lean in. Go visit the sick, feed the hungry, welcome the stranger.”

It’s in those places that God’s beauty and power are revealed.

✝️ Living Out Matthew 25

Jesus identifies Himself with “the least of these” — the hungry, the sick, the imprisoned, the stranger.

A powerful story illustrates this:

🤝 Two Challenges

Each Week: Find one person in need to serve — however small the act.

“Just one, one, one.” — Mother Teresa

Each Year: Serve in community — with your church, on a mission trip, in local outreach.

Doing these will:

Fulfill Jesus’ command to love and serve.

Draw you closer to God than ever before — a closeness that settles your heart in His peace.

🕊️ Closing Thought

Just as God came close in Jesus — fragile, vulnerable, human — He calls us to go close to others.

“Go serve. Go love. Go, and find God in the faces of the vulnerable.”

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The sermon “First Fruits: Giving to the Giver” (James 1:13–18) teaches that God is the source of every good and perfect gift, never the cause of temptation, pain, or suffering. Unlike people who can give both good and bad, God’s nature is purely good, and recognizing this leads believers to respond with gratitude and generosity. Giving back to God—through the biblical principle of tithing—is not about obligation but about faith and trust in the Giver. Using the “ten apples” illustration, the message shows how putting God first with our resources strengthens faith and reorders priorities. The preacher encourages believers to “test God” in this area, as invited in Malachi 3:10, confident that God will prove faithful. Through personal stories and examples, the sermon emphasizes that generosity deepens trust, transforms the heart, and reminds us that true security is found not in money but in the unchanging goodness of God.

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Pastor Lindsay's sermon begins with two illustrations—a child questioning the need for sleep and a phone plugged into the wrong charger—to show how rest and connection are vital to life. Just as our bodies need rest to be restored, our souls need worship to be spiritually renewed.

The message connects to the church’s five spiritual practices—Gather, Get Connected, Grow, Go, and Give—rooted in Acts 2:42–47. This sermon focuses on Gathering, or worshiping God.

The biblical concept of First Fruits teaches that God deserves our first and best—our time, devotion, and resources. Worship means placing God above everything else and adoring Him for who He is. Psalm 103 gives reasons to worship: God forgives, heals, saves, loves, and sustains us endlessly.

True worship is not passive attendance but offering our whole being—our thoughts, emotions, doubts, and gratitude—to God. Worship isn’t about what we get out of it, but about honoring God because He is worthy. Yet, as a side benefit, worship restores our spirit, just as sleep restores the body.

The sermon shares powerful examples of worship’s impact—from personal experiences of deep connection during services to stories of global believers finding joy in worship despite hardship.

Ultimately, worship honors God and transforms us. It reminds us of God’s goodness, recenters our hearts, and renews our spiritual strength. The invitation closes by urging everyone to “praise the Lord and forget not all His benefits,” finding rest and restoration in Him.

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