Christ is our life.

This is the main theme of John’s Gospel account. It is seen clearly in the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, and his teaching that follows in chapter six. Jesus gives bread to the crowd and then states that he is the bread of life. He meets their most basic physical need to live, and then shows them their most basic need to experience true life.

Bread is the most basic life source for people across the world. Likewise, Christ is the most basic source of true life.

This Sunday we have the honor of hearing Rev. Josh Eby continue our Epiphany sermon series through the Gospel of John, preaching on chapter six. Rev. Eby was a missionary in Peru that Redeemer supported for years, and he is currently the Founder and Executive Director of Vida House in Austin, Texas. Vida House exists to train ministry leaders in and for cross-cultural mission in life-giving ways. Rev. Eby also currently works for Redeemer as a consultant, to help the Pastoral Search Committee and Session during our search for our next Senior Pastor.

Prior to the sermon, I am excited that one of the members of the Pastoral Search Committee (PSC) will come forward to give an update on all the work the PSC has done over the past month, and will give an overview of the next few months.

I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday!

Pastor Adam

Do you want to be healed?

In John 5, Jesus asks a man this question, and it’s the same question he still asks us today.

Don’t immediately assume you know the answer to that question.

Often, we don't really want to be healed. We might be in denial of our sickness - whether physical, spiritual, or some type of an addiction. Perhaps we are aware of our sickness, but the work it would take to change feels like too much to invest, or even fathom.

Or maybe we’ve just become complacent in our current state.

"Do you want to be healed?" Seems like an easy question to answer. But as we will see, it’s often not that simple.

This Sunday we will return to our Epiphany sermon series, looking at the life and ministry of Jesus from the Gospel of John with the overarching theme of our life in Christ. In preparation for Sunday's sermon, spend a few minutes to read, meditate and pray through John 5:1-18. Reflect on Jesus' question to the man near the pool, and how you would answer that question if Jesus asked you.

I look forward to gathering to worship with you this Sunday!

In Christ,

Pastor Adam

How long, O Lord?

Have you ever prayed that prayer? If so, you are not alone.

King David knew what it felt like to pray and cry out and wonder what God was doing, or maybe what God wasn't doing.

This Sunday Pastor Chad Brewer will be preaching on King David's prayer from Psalm 13. Take a few minutes to simply sit with this psalm, this prayer. Remind yourself that you are not alone when you pray "How long?", and more importantly, notice how King David concludes his prayer. His final words are hopeful in the midst of distress, and the same can be true for us today.

I look forward to worshiping with you on Sunday!

Pastor Adam

How does the Church bear witness against the powers of the world?

Purity, peace, gentleness, open to reason, mercy, being impartial and sincere are some of the attributes that James mentions that the Church should cultivate.

Last Sunday Dr. Kyle Strobel, Associate Professor of Spiritual Theology at Biola University, introduced the truth that Jesus' power comes through weakness. This Sunday Dr. Strobel will be preaching part two of his mini-series on Power/Weakness from James 3:13-4:4 with the emphasis being on the witness of the Church in the world.

To best prepare for this sermon, read, meditate, and pray through James 3:13-4:4. As you focus on the attributes that James mentions, reflect on which ones you need to cultivate as you live day by day in Orange County.

I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday!

Pastor Adam

I am excited to announce that Dr. Kyle Strobel, Associate Professor of Spiritual Theology at Biola University, will be preaching at Redeemer for the next two Sundays!

This week he’ll be teaching on the nature of Christian power from 2 Corinthians 11:30-12:10.

In our culture, we think that weakness is the antithesis of power. However, when we look at the person and work of Jesus, as well as the life and ministry of the Apostle Paul, we see that power comes through weakness.

As you prepare for Sunday, meditate and pray through these words from 2 Corinthians 11:30, "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness."

If you are interested in reading more on this topic, check out Dr. Strobel's book The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb: Searching for Jesus' Path of Power in a Church that has Abandoned it

I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday!

Pastor Adam

We all thirst. Every day we experience the basic desire for thirst, and we satisfy that desire with water.

Life is dependent on water. Clearly, since 60% of the human body is made up of water. If we don't quench our thirst, we will slowly cease living.

If we don't quench our soul’s thirst with the living water of Jesus Christ, we will slowly cease finding our life in him.

This Sunday we will be looking at Jesus' interaction with the woman at the well in Samaria from the Gospel of John chapter 4.

As we study this story, we'll be reminded that all of us struggle with quenching our thirst with habits, passions, or people other than Jesus.

We try to find life and meaning in our desires for money, work, image, sex, family, approval from others, etc. We experience a temporary satisfaction when we indulge those things. But as we will see in the text, none of them will offer us true and ultimate satisfaction for our souls.

To best prepare for Sunday, read, meditate, and pray through the story and themes in the Gospel of John chapter 4. As you do so, take a moment to reflect. How might you reorder some of your desires? What desires do you need to put to death? Is Jesus Christ your main desire? Does your soul thirst for him?

I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday!

Pastor Adam

What is your life about?

This Sunday begins the season that comes after Epiphany and before Lent. It's a two-month period for the church to focus our attention on the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, before making our way to the cross and resurrection. It's a time to remind ourselves that our lives are found in Christ, so that ultimately others may see Christ in us.

In an effort to ground our lives in Christ this season, we will be looking at various interactions Jesus had with individuals, recorded in the Gospel of John. This Sunday we'll begin by studying John 3:1-15, the story of Jesus and his conversation with a Pharisee named Nicodemus.

To best prepare for Sunday, I recommend you read, meditate, and pray through the above verses. Reflect on how Nicodemus comes to Jesus with answers, but instead leaves confused.

I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday!

Pastor Adam

Throughout Advent we prepare for the coming of Jesus.
During Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus.

On Epiphany we remember the visit of the wise men and their gifts to Jesus.
In the season after Epiphany we try and embody the life and ministry of Jesus.

This Sunday, January 6th, is Epiphany! Come and celebrate with us. Our worship service liturgy will have a special Epiphany theme. Jesse Robinson will be preaching an Epiphany sermon on the visit of the wise men from Matthew 2:1-12, and we will be serving the traditional Three Kings Cakes after the service in the chapel hall! Jesse is a long-time friend of Redeemer and is currently finishing this Ph.D from the University of Virginia in theology.

To best prepare for Sunday, keep celebrating Christmas for another day. Then read, meditate, and pray through the visit of the wise men in Matthew 2:1-12. As you do, reflect on the humility of Jesus as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The King who was not born in the splendor of a royal palace, but in the simplicity of a lowly manger.

Pastor Adam

"What's love got to do with it, got to do with it, who needs a heart when a heart can be broken." - Tina Turner

When we are hurt from another person (friend, parent, child, or spouse) we often want to remove our hearts and give up on love all together. We want to be self-protective instead of self-sacrificial in how we relate to others.

This third Sunday of Advent, we are going to continue preparing for Christmas by looking at the third mother mentioned in Jesus' genealogy, Ruth. Ruth is the main character of the Old Testament book of Ruth and is renown for her self-sacrificial love. A love that isn't felt at a candle-light dinner, but displayed in actions that give life to others. A love that risks being hurt, because another's needs are greater than someone's own. A love the ultimately points beyond itself to Jesus and his self-sacrifice for the sake of others.

To prepare for our study of Ruth this Sunday. Spend some time reading through the book of Ruth and notice the picture of self-sacrificial love that Ruth displays, while also stopping to see how the other characters, Naomi and Boaz, likewise display this type of love. Then ask yourself how those pictures of self-sacrificial love point us to Jesus, the great celebration of Christmas, and how we also can live out a similar type of self-sacrificial love in our own lives.

I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday!

Pastor Adam