What advice would you give a nearsighted baseball player?

That seems like the start of a good joke, but I don’t have a punchline. Write one for me and email me back.

The truth is if you cannot see the ball you cannot hit it, you cannot catch it, you could not even throw it accurately. You would not be much of a baseball player.

Nearsighted Christians have the same struggle. If we can’t vividly imagine heaven coming to earth or learn to perceive the heavenly reality we are already connected with today, we will swing and miss, drop the ball all over the place, and miss the mark on our critical throws.

This Sunday we begin our sermon series, “Heaven with Us,” and like the right lens prescription it is meant to clarify and bring into focus what we need to see the most.

When you think about Heaven what do you think?

Does your view of heaven clarify your future and give you rock solid hope?

Does your view of heaven give you passion for life now and give creative direction on how to live today?

It can.

Let us fight to overcome our nearsightedness by looking deeply into God’s description of heaven.

Pastor David

I am a liar.

Well, is it a lie if you’re just trying to be polite? Maybe I am just a polite liar avoiding an uncomfortable and long-winded answer.

Many of you have asked, “How was the sabbatical?”

I have responded it was good and it was, but it was also hard and even miserable at times. Much of the sabbatical was great. The opportunity to read and study was wonderful. I am so grateful for the additional time with my family, rest from vocational responsibilities, and the space to take on personal projects that have been long neglected. The sabbatical was “good”, but a challenging, revealing, and refining type of “good.”

This Sunday I will explain. I think God was doing to me what we will sing about in our second “Hymn of Praise” this Sunday, entitled “I Asked the Lord.” The Order of Worship is online. Download it. Read through our liturgy to prepare for worship and read that hymn closely.

Also read Philippians 4:4-7 and Psalm 3. What Paul explains in Philippians 4 and what King David experiences in Psalm 3 is available for all of us now. Peace, joy, and strength despite our circumstances. Together let’s learn how to live this way, rooted, grounded and solid, and support each other in the storms of our weakness and trouble.

Pastor David

Jesus is called Immanuel, which means “God with us.” When we pause and think of Jesus, we are to be reminded that he dwelt among us and is still with us. Repeat those words a few times to yourself, “God with us.”

This Sunday we are honored to welcome back Rev. Chad Brewer, the new RUF Campus Minister at UCI, to preach a part two sermon on John 1 in which he will address the practical implications of the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

To best prepare for this week’s sermon, spend 5 minutes around the table with family and/or friends reading John 1:1-18 and then ask each other, “Why is it so stunning that God put on skin and dwelt among us, and how does that continue to affect us today in our daily spiritual practices and habits?”

I look forward to worshiping together with you this Sunday!

Pastor Adam

Jesus came as the Word made flesh and dwelt among us. In his coming, he came to give us a purpose.

What is your purpose? In the words of Henry David Thoreau, “It is not enough to be industrious; so are the ants. What are you industrious about?”

​Join us the next two Sundays as we have the honor of Rev. Chad Brewer, the new RUF Campus Minister at UCI, preach at Redeemer on the text of John 1 and the purpose for which Jesus came to give you.

To best prepare for this week’s sermon, spend 5 minutes and read John 1:1-18, then ask yourself, family, or friends, “What does this passage say about Jesus coming and our purpose in this world?”
​
​I look forward to worshiping together with you this Sunday!

Pastor Adam

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. The beauty of God is revealed across all of creation.

Join us this Sunday for worship as Rev. Joel Pelsue, President/CEO of Arts & Entertainment Ministries in Los Angeles, preaches his second sermon on the topic of beauty in the scriptures. This Sunday Joel will specifically be preaching from Psalm 19 on the revelation of God and beauty found in the world around us.

To best prepare for this week’s sermon, spend 5 minutes reading Psalm 19, then ask yourself, family, or friends, “How have you noticed the handiwork of God in creation lately? When you experience something beautiful in the world, what effect does that have on you?

I look forward to worshiping together with you this Sunday!

Pastor Adam

A woman comes to Jesus and pours expensive oil on his head. Jesus responds in Mark 14, “She has done a beautiful thing to me.”

I am excited to announce that for the next two weeks we have the honor of having the Rev. Joel Pelsue, President/CEO of Arts & Entertainment Ministries in Los Angeles, preach for Redeemer on the topic of beauty in the scriptures. This Sunday Joel will begin by preaching on the beautiful fragrance of love found in the Mark 14 story of the woman who came and poured her expensive oil on Jesus.

To best prepare for this week’s sermon, spend 5 minutes reading Mark 14:1-10, then ask yourself, family, or friends, “What is so beautiful about the woman’s actions in Mark 14, and what does she understand about Jesus that the disciples do not?”

I look forward to worshiping together with you this Sunday!

Pastor Adam

Praise God! Make a joyful noise! He will judge the world!

Psalm 98 seems like a normal psalm of praise until we read the final verse when the psalmist speaks of God judging the world. We are not used to seeing praise and judgment going hand and hand, yet this psalm puts them together.

Join me this Sunday as we study Psalm 98 and let this psalm teach us and give us words to pray for the life of the world.

I look forward to worshiping with you all this Sunday!

Pastor Adam

Be doers of the word, not hearers only.

Too often our lives are like that of people who, as James says, look intently at their face in a mirror and then forget what it looks like as soon as they walk away.

This Sunday, we are excited to welcome back Rev. Dr. Darian Lockett, Associate Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at Biola University and a world-class Book of James scholar, as he preaches his third and final sermon of this three week series on James chapter one. This Sunday Dr. Lockett will specifically be addressing our great skills of listening to God’s Word, while also struggling to be doers of that same Word.

If you can spend 10 minutes preparing for the sermon, read James 1 a few times over and focus on verses 22 through 25. Then ask yourself these questions: How often do you hear God’s Word and not do anything in response to it? How can you respond to God’s Word after reading James 1?

I look forward to worshiping with you all this Sunday!

Pastor Adam

Temptation and deception.

Two words that automatically, and rightfully so, cause us to pause and reflect a little deeper into what is happening in and/or around our lives.

This Sunday we are excited to welcome back Rev. Dr. Darian Lockett, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Biola University and a world-class Book of James scholar, as he preaches part two of a three part series on James chapter one. This Sunday Dr. Lockett will specifically be addressing temptation, deception, our loss of wholeness, and the way back to wholeness that comes from what James calls the “implanted word.”

Have a great 4th of July and I look forward to worshiping together with you this Sunday as we will be enriched and encouraged by the teaching of God’s Word from the Book of James.

Pastor Adam

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” (James 1:2)

Wow, James, those are not the most empathetic and caring words that most people would want to hear amidst difficult times in their lives. But they are the words he chooses to use in order for his listeners to have a faith that will endure through their trials.

I am excited to announce that we have the honor of hosting the Rev. Dr. Darian Lockett, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Biola University and a world-class Book of James scholar, as he will preach three sermons on James chapter 1 in the next month at Redeemer. Come ready to listen to this great preaching mini-series.

To best prepare for this week’s sermon, spend 10 minutes and read through James 1 a few times, focusing specifically on the first 11 verses. Then ask yourself, “What wisdom can I receive from these verses regarding trials and testing in my faith?”

I look forward to worshiping together with you this Sunday!

Pastor Adam