In celebration of Pentecost Sunday, we heard Matthew 6:34 in eight different languages, all represented in our congregation, and all quoting Jesus’ words about peace, the next aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit in our series. Peace is something that all of us desperately need—it is universal to all peoples and cultures. In this sermon, Pastor Dave teaches us about the enemy of peace, the source of peace, and the purpose of peace.

The second aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit is joy. Mental health professionals have a new category of illness—they call it languishing. Many people who aren’t depressed also aren’t thriving. We’re languishing—stuck in the middle. We wonder if it is possible to even have joy. However, this passage in Philippians teaches us that joy is hard, important, and possible.

Love is the first Fruit of the Spirit, and the primary mark of a Christian. God is not simply loving, God is love (1 John 4:8). Pastor Brent teaches us why love matters, and what it looks like in our relationships, in our church, and in our city.

Why is a series about the Fruit of the Spirit important? Because we need it—we all need it. Also, our city needs it. In this passage, we see three metaphors things about the beautiful life when lived by the Spirit: it is a battle, it is a tree, and it is a dance.

On Resurrection Oakland’s 5th anniversary, Pastor Brent looks back on all God has done and is doing in our church. We see in the book of Acts that Christianity has spread globally, despite the maligning of its followers, because in Christ, there is a joy for you, and there is a joy that is meant to flow through you.

Visiting Pastor Lance Lewis teaches us about God’s incredible love for the lonely, the afflicted, the oppressed, and the marginalized through the tale of Leah: an ignored and undervalued mother and wife who went on the be the direct ancestor of Jesus Christ. Just as He did with Leah, God sees us, and God loves us.

On the road to Emmaus, Jesus meets disciples in the wake of His resurrection, but with a catch—He doesn’t disclose His identity immediately. As their interaction progresses, we see the disciples’ unbelief deconstruct and evolve into wonderment and faith. In this post-Easter sermon, Pastor Dave teaches us how the disciples left Jesus, how they met Jesus, and finally, how they returned to Jesus.

Our series, “Mark: The Way of Jesus,” concludes on Easter Sunday, with the climax of Mark’s gospel centered on the Resurrection. As we commemorate the most important day in history, we’re reminded that the Resurrection changes everything because it is believable, it is personal, and it is beautiful.

When Jesus died, a supernatural darkness fell over the Earth. While this was a literal darkness, it points us to the spiritual darkness in the world and in every human heart. Through it, we see a darkness we need to lament, a darkness we need to own, and a darkness we need to overcome it all.

In one of the last few installments of our Mark sermon series, Pastor Brent reminds us of one of the most famous women in the world: the woman who made waste of her most precious possession because she saw that Jesus was of ultimate value.