SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 Samuel 15:1-35  

As we come to the conclusion of our sermon series on “The Samuel Story” that takes us through the first half of the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel, we’re looking at “The Importance of Saul,” the first King of Israel, asked for by the people in a rebellious turn away from God, yet also appointed by God & anointed by God’s Spirit in order to provide the people a leader led by the Holy Spirit. Yet Saul elected to be led more by his fears, foolishness, & frustration. Thus, the impatience of Saul in following God shows us the importance of Saul, for there’s a little bit of Saul in us all. And the lesson of Saul’s negative example also reinforces the positive principle illustrated in the life of Samuel the Prophet & later David the King: in the eyes of God, obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Sam 15:22). God sees our hearts and looks for sincerity in our submission to Him.  

SUNDAY SERVICE  PREACHER: Pastor Courtney Hall  

DATE: Oct. 2, 2022.

SERVICE TIME: 10:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*  

SERIES: The Samuel Story (Part 11)  | SERMON: Saul's Fall (III) - The Importance of Saul

Sermon Slides

SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 Samuel 14:1-52  There’s a little bit of Saul in us all. God appointed & anointed that first King of Israel to lead His people in purity of spirit, with the integrity of heart. But Saul used his royal position according to his own terms & agenda. In the prior lesson from 1 Samuel 13, we saw how Saul’s fear of failure in battling the Philistines led him to jump ahead of God, trying to force God to follow Saul’s timeline, by offering the priestly sacrifice himself in violation of God’s command. Next, in 1 Samuel 14, we see how Saul’s impatience begot imprudence, as the effects of his fear produced the fruit of foolishness in his reign & created added risks for his people. To avoid such imprudence ourselves, we can ask God to grant us the patience & wisdom, found in His living word, and we can obey Him.  

SUNDAY ENGLISH SERVICE  

PREACHER: Pastor Courtney Hall  

DATE: Sep. 25, 2022.  SERVICE TIME: 10:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*  

SERIES: The Samuel Story (Part 10) | SERMON: Saul's Fall (II) - The Imprudence of Saul

Sermon Slides

SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 Samuel 15:22 22. At sinabi ni Samuel, Nagtataglay kaya ang Panginoon ng napakadakilang pagkatuwa sa mga handog na susunugn at sa mga hain. na gaya sa pag-sunod tinig ng Panginoon? Narito, ang pagsunod ay maigi kay sa hain, at ang pagdining kay sa taba ng mga tupang lalake.  

SUNDAY TAGALOG SERVICE  

PREACHER: Brother Ivan Castro  

DATE: Sep. 25, 2022.  ​SERVICE TIME: 8:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*

Sermon Slides

SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 Samuel 13:1-25  

Surely all human beings are susceptible to fear, foolishness, & frustration. Yet in the Lord, all human beings have an invitation to live by faith with trust in God & the wisdom He grants fostering fruitfulness & spiritual fulfillment. While fear, foolishness, & frustration lead to impatience of heart & imprudence of action, trust, hope, & love in the Lord lead to patient faith & faithful living. Unfortunately, Israel’s first King would not be her best. Saul’s impatience & lack of trust in the Lord evidenced the pride of his heart that went before his fall from favor & into frustration—a lesson for all to live by faith, with patient trust in God, obedient to His will & receptive to His love.  

SUNDAY ENGLISH SERVICE  

Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall  

Date: Sep. 18, 2022. | Service Time: 10:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*  

Series: The Samuel Story (Part 9)  

Sermon: Saul's Fall (I) - The Impatience of Saul

SERMON SLIDES

Tagalog Sunday Service  

PREACHER: Pastor Arturo Cabrera  

DATE: Sep. 18, 2022.  ​

SERVICE TIME: 8:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*  

SERMON: Ikamamatay mo ang iyong kasalanan

Sermon Slides

SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 Samuel 12:1-25  

As Samuel, great priest, prophet, & judge of Ancient Israel, entered the latter years of his life overseeing the nation’s transition to the rule of a monarch in the person of King Saul, he gathered the people once more for a major address in the mode of Moses in Deuteronomy & Joshua at the end of the Canaan Conquest. The Prophet’s Speech in 1 Samuel 12 provides a pattern for what good & godly living of a leader’s legacy entails: a clear conscience derived from a consistent commitment to serving God’s people with integrity; a true testimony to the goodness of God at work in our days; & a pure profession of God’s glorious prophetic promises to His people. May we all strive to live in this character of integrity, testimony, & prophetic witness, by God’s grace.  

SUNDAY SERVICE  

PREACHER: Pastor Courtney Hall  

DATE: Sep. 11, 2022. ​

SERVICE TIME: 10:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*  ​

SERIES: The Samuel Story (Part 8)  SERMON: The Prophet's Speech

Sermon Slides

Mga Awit 78:4 Hindi namin ikukubli sa kanilang mga anak, na isasaysay sa slin ng lahing darating ang mga pagpuri sa Panginoon, at and kaniyang kalakasan, at ang kaniyang mga kagilagilalas na mga gawa na kaniyang ginawa.  

SUNDAY TAGALOG SERVICE  

DATE: Sep. 11, 2022.  

SERVICE TIME: 8:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*

Sermon Slides

SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 Corinthians 2:9  

Over 2,500 years ago the prophet Isaiah wrote of the Lord, “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.” The Apostle Paul quoted this Scripture to the believers in Corinth to remind that the unimaginable glories of what God has prepared for His patient people have now been revealed to us in Christ Jesus by His holy Spirit. This Labor Day weekend message of Pastor Henjie Pimenta will inspire & refresh the Lord’s faithful laborers with the word of His promise: the best is yet to come.  

SUNDAY SERVICE  

DATE: Sep. 4, 2022.  

SERVICE TIME: 10:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*  

2022: The Year of Patience  

SERMON: Unafraid to Cross

Sermon Slides

SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 Samuel 11:1-15  

God’s people faced many foes who sought to “divide & conquer” the tribes of Ancient Israel. But when the Lord anointed Saul as king, he unified those tribes into a nation in which the people pulled together as one (1 Sam 11:7). Similarly in our lives, the enemy of our souls seeks to blind our spiritual vision, dash our faith-filled hope, & strike division among God’s people. Yet the same Holy Spirit who invigorated & inspired Saul to become a victorious warrior, delivering his people, also equips believers today to be “more than conquerors” united as one in Christ (Rom 8:37; 1 Cor 1:10).  

SUNDAY SERVICE  

PREACHER: Lead Pastor Courtney Hall  

DATE: Aug. 28, 2022  SERVICE TIME: 10:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*  

SERIES: The Samuel Story (Pt. 7)  SERMON: A Victorious Warrior

Sermon Slide

SUNDAY TAGALOG SERVICE  

DATE: Aug. 28, 2022.  

SERVICE TIME: 8:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*