New City Church

"Only God can judge me" is often used as a "spiritual do not disturb sign" but what Jesus teaches is that self examination must come before correction. This weekend Pastor Joaquin Pardo continued our (RE)FORMATION series with a message from Jesus' Sermon On the Mount.Matthew 7:1–3“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 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?" 1) The standard you set will be used against you.When we judge others harshly, we invite that same measure onto ourselves. That way of living creates a culture that eventually turns on itself. This is not the way of Jesus. He invites us to participate in this new Kingdom culture.Kingdom culture is loving, not hateful.Kingdom culture is patient, not reactive.Kingdom culture is authentic, not fake.Kingdom culture is humble, not hypocritical.2) “I'm not as bad as them” reveals how broken I really am.Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”Comparison doesn't lead to righteousness, it leads to self-deception. Romans 3:23 reminds us that “all have sinned.” Grace puts us all on level ground because at the foot of the cross there is only one category: people in need of a savior. 3) You can't help others if you're not honest with yourself.Jesus tells us to deal with our own plank before touching anyone else's speck. Pretending to be someone you're not or pretending you have it all together can hurt people. Allow Jesus to do the work "in" you so that he can work "through" you. 4) Jesus can handle the speck and the plank.You don't have to clean yourself up before coming to Jesus. He's not offended by your mess—He came to carry it.Don't play God. Let Him do what only He can do.

Are you hungry for God? This weekend Pastor Steve Andres continued our (Re)Formation series with a message about fasting.Matthew 6:17-18But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.Fasting is a choice to deny myself something good (food) in order to focus on something better (God). Most Christians in most places in most times have prioritized fasting. Why?1) Fasting gives me FOCUS.Fasting nurtures my appetite for God above other appetites in my life. It helps me focus on what God is saying and doing in my life and world.2) Fasting reminds me of my FRAGILITY.When we are denied something as small and commonplace as food, we are reminded of our weakness and dependence on God's faithfulness. 3) Fasting helps me heed God's GUIDANCE.When we sense we have arrived at an inflection point, we choose to fast because it sharpens our spiritual senses.4) Fasting is a way of embodying REPENTANCE.When I need to turn to God and grieve for sin, fasting is a way of experiencing that in my body, emotions and spirit.5) Fasting shows SOLIDARITY in pain.Jesus assumes his disciples will fast simply because the world is filled with pain and brokenness. It is good to fast in solidarity with those who are suffering, and to pray for help and relief from their pain.WHEN WE FOLLOW JESUS WE HAVE A REASON TO FAST.WHEN WE FOLLOW JESUS WE HAVE A REASON TO FEAST.Just as the sin and brokenness of our world calls us to fast, the rescuing love of God is a reason to feast. Both practices strengthen our sense of God at work in our world!

How are you being re-formed by the example of Jesus? This weekend Pastor Steve Andres continued our (RE)FORMATION series with a message from Jesus' Sermon On the Mount.Matthew 6:1Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. Jesus begins this portion of his teaching with a warning to WATCH OUT! Greed and materialism have the peculiar effect of making us blind to our own greed and materialism. Jesus' teaching can lead us to three questions.1) What are my assumptions about money?Many of us assume that our blessings are tied to our own goodness. But what if we are blessed, not to raise our standard of living, but to raise our standard of giving? Jesus starts with a statement about WHEN, not IF, we give to those in need. The assumption is that those who follow Jesus will live with an open hand, just like he did.2) What is my approach to giving?Generosity is not an amount. People can write big checks without being generous. When we give, our approach should be to give with faith and generosity. Generosity is not an emotion. Giving is the regular, rational response of a person who has correctly identified God as their source.Generosity is not an achievement. We never graduate from generosity, we only grow in it.3) What is my aim in being generous?Are we out to BLESS or to IMPRESS? Don't forget that we will give an account for the way we steward what is entrusted to us. The reward that we receive from God will be better than any reward we can receive now!Romans 8:31-32What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

This weekend, Pastor Joaquin Pardo continued our Christmas series with a message centered on the life-changing truth that God is with us.Matthew 1:23“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel' (which means, God with us).”The Christmas story isn't cute—it's powerful.The manger in Bethlehem reminds us that God didn't shy away from the mess of our world. He stepped right into it, showing us that no matter how broken or messy life may feel, He is with us.God will interrupt your plans.Just as He interrupted Joseph's life with the news of Mary's miraculous pregnancy, God may show up in ways that challenge your comfort or convenience. But His interruptions are never random—they are invitations to trust Him and realign with His purpose.God is approachable.In the Old Testament, God's presence often felt overwhelming. But through Jesus, He shattered the distance. The baby in the manger grew into a man who loved sinners, touched the untouchable, and embraced the broken. The Christmas story proves that God isn't distant or terrifying—He is approachable, knowable, and deeply desires a relationship with you.Luke 2:6-7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. No matter how messy your life feels, God isn't afraid to step into it. He's not looking for perfection—He's waiting for your openness. Will you make space for Him today?

The Christmas story is not always comfortable! This weekend Pastor Steve Andres began our THIS CHRISTMAS series with a message about the Magi.Matthew 2:1-2After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”The Magi were outsiders to God's people, and yet they have a prominent place in Matthew's account of the Christmas story. What can we learn from this?1) The Christmas story is irritating in its inclusivity.All throughout the Christmas narrative we see unexpected characters given starring roles in God's redemption story. The Gospel is the story of God's wild grace extended toward people who don't deserve it, and that begins with us.2) The Christmas story is irritating in its exclusivity.King Herod knew that the arrival a new king was a challenge to his rule. At the heart of the Gospel story is the challenge to every ruler that would take God's place in our hearts. Jesus didn't mince words when he said, “I AM the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”Jesus was born to be LORD and KING!

Discussion Questions:1. What are your initial thoughts or reactions to the video?2. How does disciplined giving teach us to be better managers of our resources?3. Do you see a connection between a commitment to generous giving and other areas of our lives (relationships, career)?4. What does giving say about our trust in God as our source?5. Do you have a story of God's faithfulness in your generosity?

Discussion Questions:1. What are your initial thoughts or reactions to the video?2. Who has impacted you with their example of generosity? How?3. How does our relationship with God impact our understanding of generosity?4. What are three ways that you feel you have been blessed?5. How does a person learn to be more generous?

Blessed is a story, not a status! This weekend New City began a new journey of faith, and Pastor Steve kicked off a series called BIG DREAMS! Genesis 12:2“I will make you into a great nation,  and I will bless you;I will make your name great,  and you will be a blessing.”This season will be a defining moment for our church, and our prayer is that everyone who calls New City Church their home will participate, heart and soul! The BIG DREAMS INITIATIVE is an effort to prepare our church for the next season of growing ministry, expanded outreach, and a permanent home for our church.As we enter this season, what does Abram's call from God teach us about our journey? 1) It's easier to believe that God is powerful than to believe that he is good.But in Abram's call we see an incredible moment of GRACE from God. God's promise of BLESSING came to Abram BEFORE he ever did anything for God.2) Faith begins with trust in God's goodness.Faith says I believe in God's GOODNESS so thoroughly that I can ASK him for what I need, and I can TRUST him to do what's best.3) This journey is not about what God wants FROM YOU, but what God has planned FOR YOU.The BIG DREAMS that we have as a church are rooted in God's promise to Abraham, “I WILL BLESS YOU, and YOU WILL BE A BLESSING.” We believe that as we remember God's blessing in our lives, we will have a clearer sense of how he has called and equipped us to be a blessing to others!