Sermons

Our Elder, Adam West, continued our series on the Apostles’ Creed looking at the phrase “I Believe In The Holy Spirit”. The Holy Spirit is often the least understood person of the Trinity, yet He has been present since the very beginning of creation. As a believer, He lives inside you, serving as your Counselor, Comforter, Convictor, and the giver of your spiritual gifts. Walking in step with the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, and the other fruit described in Galatians 5. Several things can separate us from fully experiencing His presence, including habitual sin, filling our minds with things of the world, and treating faith as a checklist rather than a living relationship. Sharing your faith does not require a perfect script. It simply requires obedience and trust that the Holy Spirit will take it from there. The same Spirit that hovered over the waters at creation and rushed in at Pentecost lives inside every believer today. Do not keep Him at arm's length.

Pastor Rob looked at the statement, “He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.” as he continued our series through the Apostles' Creed. A day of judgment is coming, and the Judge is not a distant, impartial stranger. He is Jesus Christ, the same One who died in our place and rose from the dead. For those who are in Christ, Romans 8:1 makes an extraordinary promise: there is no condemnation. None. The Judge and the One who intercedes on our behalf are the same person, and the debt has already been paid in full. That grace, however, is not automatic for everyone. It is received through faith by those who turn to Jesus. And because grace cost Him everything, it should never make us casual about how we live or indifferent toward those who have not yet received it.

Pastor Dell continued our series, I Believe, spending time looking at the phrase "He descended to hell." Most Christians know the story of the cross and the resurrection, but what happened in between? The Apostles' Creed includes the phrase 'He descended to hell,' and understanding it reveals the full scope of Christ's victory. After His death, Jesus proclaimed total defeat to the fallen angels held in spiritual prison, not as a suffering prisoner, but as a conquering champion. He also gathered the Old Testament believers who had been waiting in paradise, because the price for their redemption had finally been paid. The resurrection that followed was not an isolated miracle but the firstfruits of a coming harvest, the guarantee that all who belong to Him will one day rise as well. Because Jesus ascended, the Holy Spirit now lives inside every believer, and that same power that raised Christ from the dead is available to us today. The church, filled with the Holy Spirit, is actively holding back darkness in the world. The victory has already been won, and we are simply walking it out.

Pastor Dell walked through Mark 15, as he continued our series on the Apostles' Creed. The cross is the center of everything Christians believe, and it deserves to be taken seriously rather than softened. Jesus did not endure a symbolic or theatrical suffering. He was beaten, mocked, crucified, and buried, and every detail of it was real. He stayed on the cross not because He was powerless, but because He was obedient and deeply loving. His death tore the curtain in the temple, opening direct access to God for every person. Whatever you are walking through, Jesus has been there Himself. He does not comfort from a distance. Because He went all the way into death for us, we can come honestly to Him with our failures, our grief, and our need for grace.

Pastor Dell continued our series on the Apostles' Creed by walking through the second line of the creed, "I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary." The identity of Jesus Christ is the most important question any person can face. He is not simply a good moral teacher or a wise prophet. He is the one and only Son of God, fully human and fully divine, who entered human history to save a world that could not save itself. John 3:16 is not just a familiar verse about love. It is a declaration of who Jesus is and what our response to Him must be. True belief is not intellectual agreement. It is a complete transfer of trust from yourself to Christ, surrendering every part of life under His lordship. Just as Mary said yes to God without having all the answers, we are called to the same surrendered faith. Jesus is Lord, and that truth demands a response.

This morning Pastor Dell started our new series, "I Believe" by looking at the first line of the Apostles' Creed, 'I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth,'. This line is far more than a religious formality. It is a personal declaration that shapes how we see God, ourselves, and everything around us. God is not a distant force or vague spiritual concept. He is a Father who adopts us through Christ, a Creator who made us with purpose, and an Almighty Ruler whose authority extends over every part of life. Because He is Father, we are not spiritual orphans. Because He is Creator, our lives are not accidental. Because He is Almighty, we can trust Him even when we cannot see what He is doing. The real question is not simply whether we believe God exists, but whether the way we actually live reflects that belief.

Pastor Dell concluded our series, "A Church Worth Becoming" as he walked through 1 Corinthians 16:19-24, speaking on grace. Grace is not just how we enter a relationship with God. It is the foundation of how we live together as the church. The church in Corinth struggled with division, sexual sin, worship disorder, and doubt about the resurrection, yet Paul never stopped reminding them of who they were in Christ. A holy church is not a perfect church. It is a church being continually transformed by grace. The grace we receive from God must be reflected outward to the people around us. Grace calls for a response, and that response is wholehearted devotion to Jesus Christ. After sixteen chapters of correction, Paul's final word to the Corinthians is grace, and that is no accident.

Pastor Dell continued our series "A Church Worth Becoming" as he picked up where we left off in 1 Corinthians 16. Paul's final commands to the Corinthian church provide a blueprint for building spiritually mature faith communities. Churches must stay vigilant against false teaching and spiritual drift, stand firm on gospel truth rather than cultural preferences, demonstrate courage in obedience and confronting sin, and wrap all actions in genuine love. Additionally, recognizing and honoring faithful servants encourages continued devotion to ministry. These five principles help churches develop deep spiritual roots that can withstand any storm, creating communities that reflect Christ's character and endure through challenges.

Our Elder, Adam West, continued our series "A Church Worth Becoming" as he started to walk us through 1 Corinthians 16. Paul's final chapter in First Corinthians provides timeless wisdom about Christian stewardship and church unity. He establishes principles for biblical giving, emphasizing that we should give on the first day of the week from our firstfruits, not our leftovers. Common obstacles to generous giving include comparing ourselves to others, worrying about how money will be used, and getting overwhelmed by calculations. Paul also demonstrates the importance of planning with flexibility, saying if the Lord permits about his travel plans. Church unity matters because we're all on the same team working toward eternal goals, and we must support one another regardless of age or experience while keeping our focus on matters of eternal weight rather than temporary preferences.

Pastor Santiago shared his final message as a pastor at LGCC, walking through Acts 13:1-4 as we remember Pentecost Sunday.

The church at Antioch demonstrates what happens when believers unite around God's mission. This diverse group of leaders - including Jewish, African, Greek, and upper-class members - came together despite their differences to advance the gospel. Through worship, fasting, and prayer, they heard the Holy Spirit's call to send out Paul and Barnabas as missionaries. The church isn't meant to be a place where we simply gather and stay comfortable, but a launching pad for God's mission. We gather to grow, but scatter to serve, living as salt and light in the world.