Karen Vineyard Church

Current Sermon Series: 1&2 Peter. For the next couple of months come with us and dive into God’s Word. An epistle written many years ago but so applicable to us today.

Current Sermon Series: 1&2 Peter. For the next couple of months come with us and dive into God’s Word. An epistle written many years ago but so applicable to us today.

Current Sermon Series: 1&2 Peter. For the next couple of months come with us and dive into God’s Word. An epistle written many years ago but so applicable to us today.

New Sermon Series: 1&2 Peter. For the next couple of months come with us and dive into God’s Word. An epistle written many years ago but so applicable to us today.

New Sermon Series: 1&2 Peter. For the next couple of months come with us and dive into God’s Word. An epistle written many years ago but so applicable to us today. 

New Sermon Series: 1&2 Peter. For the next couple of months come with us and dive into God’s Word. An epistle written many years ago but so applicable to us today. In 1 Peter, it encourages the Christian believers to stay strong in the face of persecution. To emulate Christ in His suffering and to beware of their real adversary, the devil who “prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour” In 2 Peter, Peter’s theme is a simple one: Pursue spiritual maturity through the Word of God as remedy for false teaching and a right response to heretics in light of Christ’s promised second coming (2 Peter 1:3, 16).

Pastor Doug Brown is the Teaching Pastor, New Life Church Pomona CA 

He shares from Luke 5. 17-26

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

-- Teddy Roosevelt

"The Kingdom of God is the essence of the Church’s message and life!!!" Craig Luper

What is a Worldview? 

“A worldview is a set of basic beliefs, assumptions, and values that arise from a narrative about the world and produces individual and group action that shapes human culture. A worldview can be broken down into three parts: basic beliefs, a master story, and action. Every worldview you evaluate will contain these elements.”

WHAT IS A WORLDVIEW?

It is what a person believes to be true; it influences how we view every area of life, culture, parenting, marriage, man, woman and the world.

ALL OF US HAVE A WORLDVIEW!

Psalm 40: I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in Him.

Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.
Many, Lord my God, are the wonders You have done,
the things You planned for us.
None can compare with You; were I to speak and tell of Your deeds,
they would be too many to declare.

Sacrifice and offering You did not desire but my ears
You have opened burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not require.
Then I said, “Here I am, I have come it is written about me in the scroll.
I desire to do Your will, my God; Your law is within my heart.”

I proclaim Your saving acts in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, Lord,
as You know. I do not hide Your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of Your faithfulness and Your saving help.
I do not conceal Your love and Your faithfulness from the great assembly.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever

It is not enough to just believe in Jesus as Lord, we need the Holy Spirit. The church cannot function without the power of the Holy Spirit and to partner with the Holy Spirit requires that we stand back and let Him move; and keep praying, “Come HolySpirit”.

In this concluding message the three things we can learn from the Book of Jonah are:

1. God Loves PEOPLE

2. God's Plan For Saving People Involves PEOPLE

3. God's Willing To Do Whatever It Takes To Save PEOPLE

God is a God of second chances. Jonah was a reluctant prophet wanting only his prosperity and not for his enemies but God in his mercies and love gives common grace to all sinners. 3 highlights in Jonah chapter 3: 1. God is sovereign in our salvation; He initiates salvation. Even when we forsake God, his mercy and love does not give up on us. 2. God is in control. He is ever ready to redeem the repentant. Jonah was restored to usefulness. 3. Jonah is called back to this great task. When God calls us there are two things that could apply to us: The greatness of the task and the gravity of the message.

Questions we look at in this teaching from Jonah chapter 2 are:

1. What do we know about the historical Jonah?
2. What do the Minor Prophets indicate about Jonah?
3. What does the book of Jonah say about Jonah?
4. What does the prayer itself reveal about Jonah?

Pastor Craig shares 12 reasons why Jonah drew near to God with his head and not his heart. This teaching will challenge you to move from head to heart prayers. 

3 big ideas that Pastor TC discusses in this passage:

1. God loves his enemies
2. God shows surprising mercies to all kinds of sinners
3. God is Sovereign - controlling history and events of the world.

Patrick Mbugua shares his journey as he teaches from Ephesians chapter 6 on why believers must be alert of Satan's schemes/wiles. He explores the different pieces of the armor of God and how it helps us fight the enemy from his deceptive, condemning, and camouflaging ways. 

Marriage, Christ, and the Church is the theme in Ephesians chapter 5 and it encourages Christians to follow/imitate God by walking in love, light and wisdom. Believers are not only the bride of Christ but also members of his body, flesh and bones. This message is also connected to the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew chapter 25.

This passage in Ephesians chapter 4 highlights 3 things; 1. What should the church of Christ be like? 2. What is the church of Christ to look like? 3. What is a biblically-ordered church? It also looks at what criteria is to be used to be part of a church, and what are the roles and responsibilities of Christians in the church. We are to be prepared, be involved, be built up and become mature. 

Three steps we should take when we come to God.

I. Be humble before God

II. Be filled with God (vv. 16-19)

III. Be mesmerized by God (vv. 20-21)

Let us press into God more and more and see how he glorifies himself through us. When we take these steps, He gets ready to do great things among us as a church.

PRAYER: O God our King, by the resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ on the first day of the week, you conquered sin, put death to flight, and gave us the hope of everlasting life: Redeem all our days by this victory; forgive our sins, banish our fears, make us bold to praise you and to do your will; and still us to wait for the consummation of your kingdom on the last great Day; through the Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

The Prince of Peace grants peace to everyone who will submit to Him (Jesus)
The Peace of God is not deterred or hindered by the situation you are in.
Surrender to the Prince of Peace crumbles the wall of separation and enmity. 

We have unending access to the great riches of God’s grace, realized through the work of Jesus Christ, and revealed to us by God’s Holy Spirit. Murrell Francis

Esther had chosen not to make her request to the King Xerxes at the first banquet and whatever the reason, she delayed it for one more day. It turned out to be significant because God was in it. If this Book of Esther shows us anything, it shows us that God manages the affairs of men, without their knowledge, down to the details. All these seemingly unimportant details – the timing of the events, the things they do and the words they say – were very instrumental to the outworking of God’s plan.

Everything happened according to God’s way and time. That’s the providence of God! That’s the amazing workings of God in our lives. Can we not trust Him?

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

God sees in totality and works all things (many parts) together for the good of those who belongs to Him.

In the book of Esther chapter 4, Queen Esther is seen as a saviour and hero for her people, the Jews bringing them deliverance from the enemy. Scripture reveals that in that time, and even today Jesus:

1. Is a greater King
2. Has a greater Kingdom
3. Has a greater purpose
4. Is a greater Saviour

Part one of the sermon series "The Unseen God", is an introduction to the Book of Esther found in the Old Testament. This first part of the teaching highlights the following:
1. Hear the Message - Everything points to Christ
2. Face the Million Dollar Question - Where is God in all this?
3. See the Masterplan - God is working in EVERYTHING to uphold, guide, and care for you
4. Accomplish The Mission - Faithful Missional Presence in a Faithless culture

A stronghold is where darkness reigns, it is a thought pattern alien to the Word of God, it is anything in us strong enough to keep us from becoming like Christ in a given area of life, it is a Command Post, which the enemy works in the surround areas, it is a system of logic that is tied to a lie and used to perpetrate the purposes of the enemy in our lives and it is an act of rebellion much like cancer in the human body.

Strongholds can come from 3 sources:
1. It may find Root in the Experiences of our past
2. It may be rooted in the Events of our past
3. It may come from a System of error (or lies) Within

We have weapons at our disposal:
1. The Blood of Jesus Deals with Our Sin - I John 1:7
2. The Cross of Jesus Deals with Our Flesh - Romans 6:6
3. The Name of Jesus Deals with our Enemy - Philippians 2: 10-11
4. The Faith of Jesus is Our Shield Against the Darts of our Enemy - Ephesians 6: 14 – 16

Doubt is something that happens to every believer. We are not exempt from it, and we doubt God’s love, His power, His laws and also our own salvation. Doubt is the Devil’s age old trick, and we see that in various scriptures in the Bible.

Satan was using doubt with Jesus in Matthew 4, in ways not very different from how he tempts us or how he did Israel, the 3 temptations are patterned after Israel’s wilderness, and Adam & Eve.

In each temptation he casts doubt on whether God can be trusted?
1. Should we live life obeying God and waiting for his promises, or take charge and get what we want now?
2. Can we simply trust that God is good, without him proving it to us?
3. Will God bring the future he’s promised or should we settle for the earth before our eyes now?

In Matthew 11 vs 1-11 we look at what causes John to Doubt Jesus:
Difficult Circumstances
Unmet Expectations
Limited Perception

And here’s how to deal with doubt
The Word of God
Sacrificial Obedience
The Promises of God

In part one of the teaching on the armor of God, we were reminded that we are in a battle and God has called us to be soldiers/warriors. In this second part of the teaching, we learn that the armor of God begins and ends with Jesus. The command for the whole armor of God is that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. God gives the believer a full set of equipment, and He sends us out into battle with everything we need at our disposal. Prayer is also a part of the armor.

The full armor of God that Christians are called to put on comprises of the Belt of Truth, the Breastplate of Righteousness, the Gospel of Peace, the Shield of Faith, the Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit.

The enemy’s battlefield is our mind, and this where the battles are fought. Ephesians 6:10-20 reminds Christians about the reality of the spiritual battle and describes the protection available to them. Putting on the armor of God in spiritual battles, helps us STAND firm in God’s truths, and helps us FIGHT the enemy.

If someone were to ask you to tell them the beginning of the original Christmas Story, the story of the first Christmas, where would you start?

This Christmas message is concluded with who the "Word":
1. The Son is God Because He was “In the Beginning” (v. 1a),
2. The Son is God Because He is “the Word” (v. 1b),
3. The Son is God Because He is “from the Father” (v. 14b),
4. The Son is God Because “the word became flesh” (v. 14a) What does this tell us?

God has become one of us and His name is Jesus.

This quote by John Piper best describes the glory of God, “The glory of God is the manifest beauty of His holiness. It is the going-public of His holiness. It is the way He puts His holiness on display for people to apprehend it.”

Questions to ponder on from this message are:
Q. Are you making room for Jesus? If you are, He will come in.
Q. What is the “manger” of your life?
Q. What location/situation are you being removed from so that God’s purposes maybe fulfilled in your life?
Q. Do you apprehend the beauty of Jesus’ holiness?

An easter message at Christmas time?! This message is relevant no matter the season. Through this teaching we learn the perspectives of Jesus, the disciples and the donkey. We are chosen, hand picked by Jesus’ grace and for His service. But like the donkey, we are tied to the cords of our past, addictions, inadequacies, background and other excuses that keep us from answering to the call or word of God.

Jesus rode on the donkey to Jerusalem and on this ride he chose to be worshipped and welcomed as a King. Would you allow Jesus to set you free from the "cords", be available and willing to go with him where he leads you and bring glory to Him? We are made of infinite worth when we respond to His call.

This teaching gives a content of what we will be doing as a church in terms of membership. A call to commitment to the church as a follower of Christ requires submission to biblical membership. Acts 20:28-32

The four points highlighted in this teaching are:
1. Appeal to the Elders of the Church
2. Highlight on Membership
3. Why belonging to a local Church matters
4. The Centrality of the Word

The Holy Spirit is a Divine Person. He is co-equal with God the Father and God the Son and is of the same essence. Yet He is also distinct from them. He is called our helper, He helps Christians testify Jesus to the world.

The Holy Spirit is
1. Our Helper - John 14:16, 15:26
2. The Spirit of truth - John 15:26; 16:13
3. The Spirit of God - 1 Corinthians 2:11, 3:16 & 17, Ephesians 4:30, Ezekiel 36:27; Psalm 143:10, 139:7; Genesis 1:2; Zechariah 4:6; Isaiah 61:1
4. Is Holy - John 1:33, 14:26; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Romans 5:5, 15:13; Luke 1:35, 3:21, 11:13; Matthew 1:18,20, 12:31, 28:1;, Mark 13:11; Acts 1:8, 2:4, 33, 38, 4:31, 5:32, 9:31, 10:47, 11:15, 13:2, 10:47, 19:5-6; Ephesians 4:30; Jude 1:20-21; 2Peter1:21; Titus 3:5

What is Repentance?
“It is turning from and a turning to” “metanoia” – to think again, to change one’s mind

Matthew 21:28-32 – Two sons: “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place – unless you repent.”
Revelation 2:4,5

Genesis 3: The Fall

Where are you?
This is a personal and inescapable question today. 

Are you hiding and afraid because of sin? Are you covering up?
Are you running away?
Do you think God doesn't see you?

Christians have something to say (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
Christians have something to stand on.
Christians have something to show.
Christians have something to share.
Christians are saved.
Christians are secure in their salvation- forever.

Why should our Christianity begin with the person of Christ?
Christianity is Christ.
Once we accept that Christ is God, many of the arguments and discussions we get into with other religions begin to untangle. Jesus was always advancing, always pointing people to himself, ”I am the way, truth and life" “Anyone who comes to me has eternal life" 

The Character of Christ

Napoleon Bonaparte wrote:  “Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius?  Upon force! Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love.”