Valley Life Church

On Sunday, August 13, 2023, VLC gathered in person, which was also broadcasted online via YouTube. Pastor Stuart Nice shared a message about Jesus’ effectiveness in ministry. Luke’s Gospel takes a moment to step back and reflect on the lives that Jesus had touched, reconnecting them to the mission of the kingdom with a sense of renewal as they worked and walked alongside Jesus. This is an invitation for us to pause, reflect, and recalibrate our lives to God’s calling for us. This is also an opportunity to reconnect with those in your community, which is a means of personal renewal. 

Luke 8:1-3 (NIV) 

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

https://bit.ly/Luke8_1-3NIV

n Sunday, August 6, 2023, VLC gathered in person, which was also broadcasted online via YouTube. Pastor Stuart Nice shared a message about Jesus’ experience while having dinner at a Pharisee’s house, when a woman honored him by anointing and washing his feet, which was seen as an act of worship. In this message, we explored what it means to worship, the issues of misjudging, and the price of peace.

Luke 7:36-38, 50 (ESV)

One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.

…And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

https://bit.ly/Luke7_36-38_50ESV

On Sunday, July 30, 2023, VLC gathered in person, which was also broadcasted online via YouTube. Pastor Stuart Nice shared a message about Jesus’ teaching about the purposes of God. The ones who knew they were at cross-purposes to God’s ways, end up repenting. Those who think they are doing everything right, don’t feel they need to repent. We all have places where we reject God’s purposes for us and we play games with God, thinking that we are clever. Embracing God’s purposes for us requires that we change our mind, focus our perspective, and believe that God’s ways are best for us. 

Luke 7:29-35 (NIV)

All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John. Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:

“‘We played the pipe for you,

and you did not dance;

we sang a dirge,

and you did not cry.’

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

https://bit.ly/Luke7_29-35NIV

On Sunday, July 23, 2023, VLC gathered in person, which was also broadcasted online via YouTube. Brook Fonceca shared a message about Jesus’ interaction with John the Baptist regarding him being the Messiah. Through this story we examine our expectations of Jesus, reminding ourselves of what God can do, and allowing God to surprise us as we look to the Lord for healing, restoration, and peace.

Luke 7:18-23 (NIV)
John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

https://bit.ly/Luke7_18-23NIV

On Sunday, July 16, 2023, VLC gathered in person, which was also broadcasted online via YouTube. Giovanni Serrato shared a message about Jesus’ bringing a widow’s son back to life. Jesus steps into a situation where things have gone from bad to worse. Jesus’ heart is for restoration, which brings us to a place of hope as we return to the Lord.

Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”

Luke 7:11-13 (ESV)

https://bit.ly/Luke7_11-13ESV

On Sunday, July 2, 2023, VLC gathered in person, which was also broadcasted online via YouTube. Giovanni Serrato shared a message about Jesus’ instruction to establish our lives wisely, building them on a firm foundation on Christ who is our Rock.

Luke 6:46-49 (ESV)

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

https://bit.ly/Luke6_46-49ESV

On Sunday, June 18, 2023, VLC gathered in person, which was also broadcasted online via YouTube. Brook Fonceca shared a message about Jesus’ instruction to not judge one another. We look at why we judge, what judging does to us, and following Jesus’ example in response to judging.

Luke 6:37-42 (NIV)

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

https://bit.ly/Luke6_37-42NIV

On Sunday, June 11, 2023, VLC gathered in person, which was also broadcasted online via YouTube. Pastor Stuart Nice shared a message about loving your enemies and regarding them as friends because our enemies reveal our hearts, God’s heart, and they set you free to become like Jesus.

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6:27-36 (NIV)

https://bit.ly/Luke6_27-36NIV

On Sunday, June 4, 2023, VLC gathered in person, which was also broadcasted online via YouTube. Brook Fonceca shared a message from Jesus’ command, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31)  When we choose to take a stance of non-violence, we have the opportunity to discern the situation, recognize the need, and employ our resources to stand in the gap for someone, honoring them and loving them as Jesus does. 

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Luke 6:27-31 (NIV) 

https://bit.ly/Luke6_27-31NIV

On Sunday, May 28, 2023, VLC gathered in person, which was also broadcasted online via YouTube. Pastor Stuart Nice shared a message about Jesus’ first public teaching, continuing with the passage after the Beatitudes about loving your enemies. Jesus teaches that we have the opportunity to break the cycle of violence by loving, serving, blessing, and praying for those who hate and mistreat us. This is the Gospel way of God’s kingdom.

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

Luke 6:27-28 (NIV)

https://bit.ly/Luke6_27-28NIV