The weekly messages of New Life Irvine
This Sunday marks the launch of a new teaching series on the book of Nehemiah called, "God is Not Done". The Babylonian invasion and total destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC marked the lowest point in Israel's history. For the next 70 years, Israel lived in exile, displaced from home, while the temple laid in ruins. It was during this time where many began to doubt and question God's faithfulness. "Has He forgotten us? Is He finished with us?" Through Nehemiah, we are reminded that though life may look bleak at times, God is not done with us. Join us this Sunday as we collectively gaze at the One who is not finished with us yet.
We arrive at the final installment of our three part series on forgiveness where we will discuss the how of forgiveness. How do we forgive when the offender refuses to repent? How do we forgive when the offender is no longer alive? Does forgiveness always lead to reconciliation? What if I don't want to forgive? These are some of the important questions that we'll be answering.
We live in a cultural moment that hungers for justice and struggles with forgiveness. In recent years, voices from the #MeToo movement and other abuse survivors have raised poignant questions: Does forgiveness only perpetuate harm? Is it just a way to silence victims? Does it minimize justice? These are real concerns—and show how forgiveness is often misunderstood, misapplied, and even weaponized. Yet, in the parable of the unforgiving servant, we see that forgiveness does not abandon justice or enable abuse. Join us this Sunday as we look at the nuts and bolts of forgiveness and understand how forgiveness is a friend of justice.
Forgiveness. It's one of the core teachings of Jesus, and yet one of the hardest commands to obey. When someone wounds us deeply—whether it's a single life-shaping event or years of accumulated hurt—forgiving feels impossible. In fact, it feels doubly cruel as we must process the attack of our offender and the guilt of withholding forgiveness.Yet the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant teaches us that forgiveness is not designed to punish us but to free and empower us. It is not a path towards great oppression but deeper joy. Join us this Sunday as we explore how forgiveness transforms us into forgivers.
Joy is a defining characteristic of following Jesus. The difficulty with this though, is joy isn't something we can just produce on our own. This Sunday we will see how despite being out of our power to produce, joy can be uncovered.
This Sunday, we'll explore one of Jesus' most challenging parables — the story of a master, his servants, and what they did with what was entrusted to them. In a world where it's easy to play it safe or bury our potential, Jesus calls us to live boldly and faithfully with what we've been given. Whether it's our time, talents, or treasures, how we steward our lives matters to God. Join us as we discover what it means to live for the Master and hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Few thoughts are more terrifying than to be on your death bed and come to the realization that "I have wasted my life." We only have one life, one chance to live in this world. What a pity it would be to realize that we wasted it. In the parable of the Rich Fool, Jesus shares about a man who thought he had it all—bigger barns, early retirement, and a future full of ease. Unfortunately for him, God calls him a fool. Join us this Sunday so that we don't make the same mistake and instead understand what the good life truly looks like.
In a world that often values the crowd over the individual, Jesus tells a story that flips the script, one of Jesus' most beloved parables, the Parable of the Lost Sheep. This Sunday we'll examine the scandalous grace that seeks out the wayward and throws a party when they are found. Whether you've wandered far or stayed near, this parable invites all of us to meditate on the radical, pursuing love of the Good Shepherd.
This Sunday, we continue our series Sacred Stories as we examine some of the parables Jesus used in his teaching ministry.Luke 18:9–14, at first glance, appears to be a simple story about prayer—but it's really about something deeper: our craving for approval, our need to be accepted, and the quiet calculations we make to prove we belong.In this short parable, Jesus exposes the games we play—and offers something better.
In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, we encounter a fascinating story about a rich man who suffers in hell. Through the rich man's folly, Jesus reshapes our understanding of sin. We see how sin doesn't just break God's rules, it ultimately breaks us. More specifically, sin disintegrates our souls. Join us this Sunday as we come face to face with the wonder of our sin and the greater wonder of God's love.
This Sunday, we look at one of Jesus' most pointed parables — the Parable of the Wicked Tenants. It's a gripping parable of a vineyard owner, rebellious tenants, and a beloved son sent into hostile territory. Through this story, we come face to face with the darkness of the human heart and confounding nature of God's love. Come ready to be challenged and comforted because the Lord of the vineyard continues to speak today.
We work for what we cherish. Therefore, discovering the real identity of our treasure can lead us to either praise or repentance or both. In our relationship with God who gave us His very best (Christ), the only reasonable currency is to cherish Christ back, our heavenly treasure. The affection associated with our treasure serves as a conduit for deeper empathy and connection with God that enriches our daily existence.
In this week's passage, Jesus tells a story that flips our sense of justice on its head: a landowner hires workers throughout the day, from early morning to late afternoon—and then pays them all the same. Those who worked all day are outraged. Wouldn't you be?Matthew 20:1–16 isn't just a lesson about the nature of God's kingdom; it's a confrontation with our hearts. This parable reveals the self-righteousness that lurks in our hearts and sabotages our capacity for joy. Jesus, however, offers another way--to live with glasses of grace.
People tend to be hopeful about their future yet often their present circumstances are far from ideal. Why is life in this world so challenging? And why do we maintain such hope for the future despite difficult circumstances? We'll look at Genesis 3 in order to get a glimpse at what our future will be and what it could be.
Throughout this sermon series on Abide, we talked extensively about why we need to abide and how we can abide in Jesus. Yet, one thing we haven't covered yet is the goal and purpose of our abiding. To answer that question, we will go back to where this series started and unpack Jesus' words in John 15 where He identifies Himself as the vine and us as the branches.
Don't invite your friends or family?! How do we make sense of what Jesus says in Luke 14 in light of the scripture's teaching on the importance community? This Sunday we will delve into the tension of engaging in community with one another and extending hospitality to those outside our community is a practice that helps us "Abide" in the Lord.
Most Christians understand the importance of community. They've heard over and over again about how God has created a "we" instead of simply a "me". What many don't understand, however, is how to deepen and strengthen community. How do we go about cultivating the type of community our hearts long for? How do we go beyond the superficial and create the type of depth and vulnerability we were created for? Join us this Sunday as we continue our talk about relationships within the body of Christ.
Up until now, the practices of our Abide series have largely been individual practices. Solitude, sabbath, scripture, prayer, generosity, and fasting...these are all practices you can do alone. However, the Scriptures make definitively clear that when it comes to abiding in Jesus, when it comes to growing our faith, community is indispensable. We cannot grow unless we tether our lives with fellow brothers and sisters. Our pursuit of God must be done in the context of community. Join us this Sunday as we understand the importance and challenges of doing life together.
Fasting is a doorway to deeper experience, clearer discernment, and a more intimate walk with Jesus. It is a practice found all over the pages of Scripture and one that is frequently observed throughout the global church. It's time for the Western church to take advantage of this spiritual discipline. Join us this Sunday as we finish up part 2 of our mini-series on fasting and talk about how fasting amplifies our communion with God.
One of the most powerful practices God has given us to abide in Him also happens to be the most neglected: the practice of fasting. While there are some today who regularly fast because of its health benefits, many fail to see its overwhelming spiritual benefits. Join us this Sunday as we rediscover this spiritually renewing practice and learn how we can more faithfully abide in Jesus.
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