Vista Community Church

John's gospel account begins with a big, majestic view of Christ who is the Word made flesh, who was with God in the beginning, and who is the light of the world. John's gospel account ends in chapter 21 with this rather intimate conversation on a beach with one of his disciples. John completes his gospel account by reminding his readers about the good news of the gospel... specifically that this really big, majestic, amazing God desires an intimate relationship with each one of us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John's account of Easter morning reminds us that the Easter story is not a perfect story told perfectly by perfect people for perfect people, but an unthinkably gracious story told imperfectly by imperfect people for imperfect people that testifies to the unthinkable graciousness of a perfect God. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter is generally considered the leader of the disciples. He got to see all of Jesus' miracles, hear his teaching, experience his transfiguration... he even walked on water for brief moment. Peter, more than most, knew and experienced Jesus as God. Yet, in Jesus' darkest hour, Peter still failed Jesus by denying him three times. Make no mistake, in that moment, Peter failed at following Jesus. I think this is part of the reason why so many of us feel like we can relate to Peter. At times we may all feel like failures. We all fail at following Jesus sometimes. However, failure can also teach us some really important lessons and we can choose how we respond to failure in our lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jesus claims to be the true vine, the one who gives life. He calls us the branches which means our purpose is to bear fruit in our lives that glorifies God and points others to him. But we can't do this on our own. We have to abide in the vine if we want to bear fruit. This means spending time in the quiet place, alone with the Father, like Jesus did time and time again. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jesus' disciples are troubled by several things that have just happened. So in Chapter 14 of John's gospel, Jesus tries to comfort them by reminding them of some things to focus on when they feel troubled. It is solid advice for all of us who seek to follow Jesus with our lives because at times we will all feel troubled in this world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a close friend of Jesus' dies, Jesus goes to the man's town and raises him from the dead. You might say that this is Jesus' most "miraculous miracle" up to this point in his ministry. In doing this, Jesus builds the faith of his followers and reminds us that we can bring him glory even during the difficult seasons in our own lives. It's also a reminder that no matter what we go through in this life, the story ends with "Resurrection." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In John 10 Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd." In saying this, he reveals a lot about the nature and heart of God toward his people. This also means that we (his people/the church) are his sheep. So what does the good shepherd do for the sheep? And what do we need to do in order to be good sheep? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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This is a message about using the season before Easter pay special attention to the ways in which God has made, is making, and will make things right. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jesus performs an amazing miracle when he feeds thousands of people with a little boy's lunch. This miracle sets the stage for one of Jesus' most emphatic statements where he declares himself to be God, when he says, "I am the bread of life." The problem is the people are chasing after Jesus because he fed them actual bread and they're not really interested in the spiritual "bread" Jesus was speaking of. You might say they were chasing after the wrong bread... much like us, they were too easily satisfied with temporal things. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jesus passes through a region called Samaria and stops to have a brief conversations with a woman who had come to get water from a well. The conversation takes a lot of twist and turns, but ultimately this woman comes to believe in Jesus as the Messiah. In addition, the text tells us that many other Samaritans come to believe in Jesus because of this woman. You might say that this brief conversation has ripple effects that change many people's lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In John chapter 3 Jesus has an encounter with a man named Nicodemus. Through this conversation, we learn some really important things about what God does and doesn't want for us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John writes his gospel so that people will know Jesus. In chapter 1 he uses three different titles for Jesus... Jesus is "the Word, the Light, and the Lamb." Each of these titles has a way of pointing people to Jesus and helping us better understand who he is. At the end of the day, our calling is the same as John's... to know Christ and point people to him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Christians, the New Testament says that we "belong" to Jesus and that we "belong" to the church. But what does it mean to really belong? So many believers settle for simply visiting or attending rather than belonging. In other words, so many people settle for less than what God wants for them. Why do we settle for less than God has for us and how can we move towards belonging? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The biblical world was filled with spiritual energy and activity, and our world isn't. Or at least, it doesn't seem to be. Why? Because we live in a secular age in which we've forgotten how to expect to experience a living God who shows up in our lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We want to be a church that diligently seeks wisdom because we live in a foolish age. We're the smartest people to ever live, but we are very foolish because we've untethered ourselves from ancient sources of wisdom in the mistaken belief this is liberation, but it's madness. True wisdom is not being your own authority, but submitting yourself to the authority of God mediated through Scripture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We spend some time looking back on God's faithfulness to us in 2024, and then looking forward to the future in anticipation of what future faithfulness awaits us in 2025. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Our relationship with our past can be complicated. We can allow our past to hold significant power over us. We can allow the stories we tell ourselves to define who we are. But it doesn't have to be that way. Jesus can rewrite our stories and use our past to refine us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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John 3:16 is by far the most popular and quoted verse in all of the Bible. It's been called "the gospel in one verse." In many ways it is a verse about Christmas. It explains the greatest gift ever given... a gift given by God to us all because he loved us. If you take time to really break this verse down and contemplate it's meaning, you'll see just how deep and rich the love of God really is. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One day all the nations will be drawn to God by the beauty of God's peace, so why do we resist that peace so much now? And what is the greatest obstacle to you living a life of peace? It's you. Becoming a person at peace with yourself is the key to becoming someone who can share God's peace with others. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What brings you joy? Where do you find joy? These are great questions. We often assume that things we enjoy will produce in us more joy. However, scripture seems to indicate that obedience, even to things we don't always feel like doing, is actually what produces more joy in our lives? In other words... the things that produce more true joy in us are not always enjoyable in the moment. So, the question really is... what are the things God has asked us to do that will produce more joy in our lives? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As believers, we know that our HOPE is found, or should be found, in Jesus. But what is HOPE? Where does this emotion come from? And why is it so important in the life of a believer? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Church should be the first place we come with our questions! Over the past month, you submitted questions you wanted tackled, and Austin and Dave select a few to discuss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're in the midst of a fussy cultural conversation about social justice and human rights, but what does Scripture say about these things? A lot! Imploring us to care for the vulnerable because that's what God did for us, Scripture also specifies that the most important political question for Christians is not "How do we vote?" but "Are we practicing the politics of Jesus as a church?" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is it OK to be angry? Yes! But Scripture also tells us to be very careful with our anger, and quick to let go of it instead of pouring gas on it in the name of an allegedly greater good. Because while we like to tell ourselves we're good at being angry for a good cause, Scripture disagrees. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If we're single, we tend to spend a lot of our time looking for the "right" person to spend our lives with. If we're married and having trouble, we tend to spend a lot of time trying to fix the "right" person (our spouse). However, the writers of Proverbs seem far more concerned with us becoming the "right" person that God wants us to be. What does it look like to be the right kind of woman or the right kind of man in God's eyes? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Proverbs has a lot to say about how we use our words. Wise people are careful with their words and use them to speak life. Various New Testament writers say the same thing. For example Col. 4:6 says that "our speech should always be gracious and seasoned with salt." So, what does it mean that our speech should be "seasoned...?" What are some practical ways we can season our speech in order to be people who speak life with our words? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scripture makes it clear that good and wise company is a necessary component to cultivating wisdom in our lives. But how do I know if the company I keep is wise or foolish? Do they fear God? Do they speak the truth in love? Are they able to hear and receive Godly truth in their own life? Do they help carry the burdens of others? Proverbs gives us incredible insight into the characteristics of good and wise company, the kind of company we need in our lives if we want to grow in wisdom. But also the kind of company we should strive to be for others. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do we best steward our resources? By gaining them righteously, using them wisely, and giving them generously. Threading the needle between prosperity and poverty gospel readings of Scripture, Proverbs offers a blunt but generous set of teachings on the intersection of wealth and possessions in God's economy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We should spend more time understanding what will not change than trying to anticipate what will change. This is a fundamental lesson of Proverbs, and in Proverbs 8 we learn it is not prudent people who are naive and sheltered, but foolish people. Because prudence makes holy play possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Proverbs is a book about wise living. God wants his people to walk in wisdom rather than live lives of foolishness and folly. So, how do we become wise people? Where does wisdom come from and how do we practically learn to walk in it in all areas of our lives? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The story of the Tower of Babel reminds there are things we can do that we nevertheless should not do. Using this story as a source of wisdom, we discuss how Christians might use or not use modern technology. Technology is good when it produces connection, attention, and creation, but bad when it produces isolation, distraction, and endless consumption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hype is the rise and fall of nothing, and we live in a hype culture wherein big, exaggerated promises of the next thing that is going to change everything fill our lives. But Jesus was, if anything, an anti-hype man who lived a mostly obscure life. Because life's basic-ness is beautiful, and we don't need to live high on hype. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Politics is such a "hot button" topic. Some Christians feel that the church should be very engaged in the political process. Some feel the church should stay out of politics altogether. Should Christians care about politics? If so, how do we do so in a God-honoring way? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the only things almost everyone agrees on is that we're living in the midst of a mental health crisis. And far from belittling our anxiety or outsourcing treatment of it solely to "the professionals", God understands our anxiety and wants to help. A less anxious life is the byproduct of having a mission in life greater than the self. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's no question that safety and protection are at the forefront of people's minds these days. The world is sometimes dangerous and hostile, so it's easy to get consumed with staying safe. The question we must ask as Christians is, "How does God want us to live?" Or, to put it another way, "How can we live with courage in a dangerous world?" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do we feel like everything is getting worse when most things are actually getting better? In short, entitlement, and entitlement is a huge psychological, sociological, and spiritual problem because it makes us forget everything is a gift. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A sacrament is defined as a Christian rite that is believed to have been ordained by God and that is held to be a means of divine grace or to be a sign or symbol of a spiritual reality. In the catholic church there are believed to be 7 sacraments. In most evangelical protestant churches we primarily emphasize two (Baptism and Communion). What is the purpose of the sacraments and how should we approach them as Christians? These and other questions will be answered in this final sermon of our "Churchology" series. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Faith is personal. Much like any other relationship in our life, our relationship with God grows and deepens when we spend intentional time alone paying attention to Him. Don't settle for a seat in a church on Sunday mornings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Tabernacle is a vital element in the overall narrative of scripture. The Tabernacle is where God "lived" amongst Israel. Why did Israel need the Tabernacle? What does it ultimately point to? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is message about the meaning of discipleship in the Churchology series. The goal is to show that Jesus himself was a disciple who made disciples and to show what he has done for us and what he desires to do in and through us as we follow him as disciples. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean to be saved? What does salvation look like and how do I attain it? Is it something I receive once or is it an ongoing work in my life? These are very important questions. When it comes to salvation, it's important for believers to have a full understanding of what it means to be "saved." A right understanding of salvation has past, present, and future implications that change the way we live. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What was the Law? What was it for? What is it for? Contrary to what many have heard, the Law was a gift intended to help us live in sync with creation's moral design, and while it's not our master or savior, it can still be our friend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Covenant" is a word we don't use a lot when it comes to relationships these days. Most people think of a covenant as nothing more than a legally binding contract. However, in scripture, the idea of covenant is everywhere and it carries a lot deeper meaning than what most people think. Scripture reminds us that covenant isn't just an old word found in the Old Testament. It's a way of thinking about some relationships that helps us be more faithful to Christ. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everything happens for a reason. People say it a lot when something terrible or miraculous happens. But what do Christians mean when they say it, and is it a biblical thing to say? Examining what Scripture has to say about God's relationship to the evil and unexpected in our lives, we discover that it's more helpful to say that things happen, but God is and will always be good to us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christians often use words and phrases that may sound confusing to people who are new to faith or don't have much of a church background. For example, what does it mean when a Christian says that we are "redeemed by the blood of the lamb?" Where does the biblical doctrine of redemption come from and how does it apply to us? We explore this statement in week one of our Churchology series. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Apostle Paul knew his life was coming to an end, but he could confidently say that he was proud of the life he lived serving God and others. What can we learn from some of Paul's last words in his letter, 2 Timothy? We should listen to Paul and follow his example on what it looks like to fulfill your ministry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you better than them? We all have a THEM, a person or group we despise. And yes, we think we're better than THEM. But no, according to Scripture, we're not. Following Jesus and Paul's lead, we seek to be people who are for THEM, even when they are against us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.