Walnut Creek Downtown - Sermons

"I am the bread of life," Pastor Luke explains what this incredibly significant statement means and how Jesus offers the ultimate satisfaction in this life.

In this message, we're challenged to examine our motives for following Jesus. Are we seeking Him for the right reasons? The story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 and the crowd's subsequent pursuit of Him across the Sea of Galilee serves as a mirror for our own hearts. Just as the crowd sought Jesus for more physical bread, we too can fall into the trap of following Him solely for material blessings or quick fixes to our problems. However, we're called to a higher purpose - to seek the 'bread of life' that Jesus offers. This eternal sustenance isn't about temporary satisfaction, but about a lasting relationship with God. We're reminded that true faith isn't about what we can get from Jesus, but about who He is and what He's done for us. As we reflect on our own journey, let's ask ourselves: Are we chasing after miracles, or are we pursuing the Miracle Worker Himself?

In this powerful exploration of John 6, we delve into the profound reasons why God allows storms in our lives. The central message revolves around Jesus walking on water, a miraculous event that reveals His divine nature and power over creation. This story challenges us to see our trials through a spiritual lens, recognizing that often, it's our obedience to Christ that leads us into difficult situations. The key takeaway is that Jesus sends us into storms not to harm us, but to grow our faith and reveal His glory. We're reminded that God's primary concern isn't our comfort, but the purity of our faith. This message encourages us to worship Jesus in the midst of our storms, trusting that He sees us, is with us, and ultimately uses these challenges to deepen our relationship with Him. As we face life's turbulent waters, we're called to look beyond our immediate circumstances and see Christ walking on the waves, sovereign over all our trials.

Pastor Dan Rude explains the context of what is happening when Jesus arrives at the other side of the Sea of Galilee to find over 5,000 heads of household waiting for Him. His reaction to the crowd and the questions He asks intentionally reveal more of Christ's care and mission.

As promised from last week (https://youtu.be/F-bXd_DFXU8) Pastor Luke Hukee reveals the fourth witness of who Christ is and why it is so important we view it correctly. The Pharisees did not and therefore rejected the promised Messiah.

Jesus did not only say that He was God, He showed it and He had others testifying about Him. Pastor Luke Hukee unpacks what these witnesses were and why they give us further confidence that Jesus is who said He was.

Here we find a clear explanation of how to be saved by Christ and why we need to be saved. In His case for divinity, Jesus points to his ability to bring the dead to life and the reality that there will be an ultimate judgement day.

Jesus claimed to be God. This reality means that you cannot claim Jesus is just a good moral teacher. He is either a liar, a lunatic, or who He says He is. Pastor Dan Rude unpacks Jesus' claim to be God and how it affected the religious leaders of the day.

In John 5, we find Jesus in the colonnades surrounding the pool of Bethesda. Why? Jesus is about to reveal His power over sickness, His power over the sabbath, and His heart for the hopeless. However, the response of the man He heals may surprise you and reveal the danger of relying on legalistic systems for your salvation.

Why Christ died and rose from the dead has everything to do with humanity's greatest enemy: death. Pastor Dan Rude explains how Christ offers a living hope, a hope that transforms our lives through forgiveness, fellowship with God and the promise of eternal life.

The death and burial of Jesus, the reason behind it, serve as our ultimate hope! A hope for change, for purpose, for new and everlasting life!

Crucifixion is a horrible, painful death but the writers of the gospels did not dwell on the pain of the cross but rather what was happening on the cross. Pastor Dan Rude explains how Jesus' death was not a surprise, an accident or a hiccup in God's plan but rather at the cross something amazing and unthinkable was happening! Something that would make a living hope available to all.

Jesus experienced six different trials on his way to the cross. Pastor Dan Rude focuses on what unfolds in Jesus's last trial, why Pilate had a problem, and what the choice of the crowd means for you and me today.

Usually, when you see a long list of hard-to-pronounce names, we tend to skim over it. In the list of names at the end of Romans, Paul pulls back to the curtain on what a healthy church looks like.

The Christian faith is a very personal faith but not meant to be a private faith. Pastor Luke Hukee talks about the mindset, the motive, and the means by which Paul shared the gospel in his time and how we can imitate that today.

Because Christ welcomes us, we are called to and able to welcome one another. This allows for unity and diversity amongst believers! Pastor Luke Hukee offers 4 reasons (4 P's) why we are able and called to be united to one another even in our differences.

In the last few messages, we discussed what it means when Paul talks about the weaker and stronger brother. Pastor Dan Rude finishes this 3 part message by unpacking how to live practically in unity while having different convictions on disputable matters.

At the end of our last message (Building Convictions, Part 1), Paul emphasized the danger and importance of convictions on disputable matters. Urging Christians in verse 5 to know why you live the way you live. In this message, Pastor Dan Rude continues our conversation on convictions and presents 4 principles to be aware of when creating biblical convictions.

What does it mean to have strong faith or weak faith? Why does Paul bring it up? Pastor Dan Rude explains the necessity and danger of having strong convictions in disputable matters.

Discover what it truly means to be a Christian in this insightful message by Pastor Dan Rude. He unpacks Paul's call to "put on Christ," exploring the debt of love Christians owe to others and how to walk in decency, reflecting Christ's character in daily life.

What does it mean to be a Christian? You could summarize it with the phrase "put on Christ". Pastor Dan Rude explains what Paul is calling Christians to when it comes to the debt of love owed and walking in decency.

Pastor Luke Hukee discusses the importance of government for the people of God, based on Romans 13. Learn how to view and respond to government with the right attitudes, rooted in God's perspective and teachings.

Does government even matter to the people of God? According to Romans 13, it does. Pastor Luke Hukee explains how to think about government and attitudes to have towards it in light of who God is and what He has to say about it.

Pastor Dan Rude explores the phrase 'I'm going to kill them with kindness' through a biblical lens, unpacking how Christians should respond to mistreatment. Drawing from the end of Romans, he highlights the challenging yet powerful call to reflect God's character in the face of wrongs.

Is the phrase "I'm going to kill them with kindness" a phrase Christians should use? Pastor Dan Rude dives into the end of Romans, explaining how we are to respond when we are mistreated and wronged. The answer is not easy but we have God's character to fall back on.

In this message, Dan Rude explores the different meanings of love in the English language and explains the specific kind of love Paul refers to in Romans 12. He also offers practical insights on how this love can be applied in everyday life.

In this message, Dan Rude explores the different meanings of love in the English language and explains the specific kind of love Paul refers to in Romans 12. He also offers practical insights on how this love can be applied in everyday life.

God has designed us to live in community for His glory and our good. Pastor Dan Rude offers practical advice on cultivating the right attitudes toward fellow believers and provides actionable steps to live out our identity as part of Christ's body within the local church.

God has designed us to live in community for His glory and our good. Practically that looks like putting roots down in a local church body. Pastor Dan Rude gives practical advice on what attitudes we should have toward other Christians and some practical steps to live out our identity as part of Christ's body.

Learn how to understand God's will with clear guidance from Romans 12:1-2. Pastor Dan Rude unpacks the meaning of these verses and offers practical insights on how to align your life with God's purpose.

Have you ever wanted to know what God's will is? Romans 12:1-2 gives us clear instructions on how to know. Pastor Dan Rude unpacks what these two verses mean.

In Romans 11, Paul explores God's plan for salvation, extending it to all people, not just the Jews. Pastor Luke delves into God's heart for Israel and the coming kingdom, revealing the depth of God's redemptive purpose for both Jews and Gentiles.

In Romans, Paul unpacks the reality of God's plan to offer salvation to ALL people, not just the Jews. But what about Israel? Paul addresses this in Romans 11. Pastor Luke continues to unpack God's heart for the Jewish nation and the new kingdom coming.

In Philippians 3:10-14, Paul challenges us to know Christ deeply, to become like Him in His resurrection, and to make every effort toward this goal. Pastor Derek Wadle encourages us to prioritize intimacy with Christ as our ultimate resolution, instead of fleeting goals that offer only temporary happiness.

In Philippians 3:10-14, Paul's aim is (to know Christ), why (to be like Christ in His resurrection), and how (making every effort). But what do you do when you mess up? Pastor Derek Wadle encourages us to aim at greater intimacy with Christ as our primary resolution and not settle for goals that may bring temporary and subjective happiness.

The shepherd's perspective of Jesus' birth offers a profound insight into His true nature, revealing key aspects of who Christ is and what His arrival means for the world.

Pastor Dan Rude focuses on the shepherd's perspective of Jesus' birth and what it tells us about who Jesus is.

God is present not only in the big picture but also in the details, including the significance of Jesus' birth in the humble town of Bethlehem. Pastor Dan Rude highlights the importance of this location and what it foreshadows about God's plan.

God is not only a "big picture god;" we see Him over and just as much in the details, including when, where, and how Jesus was born in a little town called Bethlehem. Pastor Dan Rude explains the importance of this town and what Jesus' birth foreshadows.

Pastor Dan Rude explores the transformative message the angel brought to Mary and the profound impact of the child she would bear. Learn why this moment changed everything for Mary—and for the world.

After the angel visited Mary, everything changed for her and the rest of the world. Pastor Dan Rude unpacks the powerful message the angel brought to Mary and why this child matters to us.

In Romans 11, Paul explores God's plan to offer salvation to all people, not just the Jews, addressing the question of Israel's role. Using his own life as an example, Paul reveals how God's grace extends to everyone, regardless of background.

In Romans, Paul unpacks the reality of God's plan to offer salvation to ALL people, not just the Jews. But what about Israel? Paul addresses this in Romans 11, citing his own life as part of the answer!

Pastor Luke Hukee answers important questions from Romans 10, including what must happen for someone to call on the name of the Lord and why the Jews didn't believe. Gain clarity on faith, salvation, and God's plan.

How can they believe if they haven't heard? We'll finish out Romans 10 by answering the question, what must happen for someone to call on the name of the Lord, and then, why didn't the Jews? Pastor Luke Hukee answers these questions and more.

Discover how to become a Christian through Paul's teachings in Romans 10. Learn why our feelings may not lead us to God and find the true path to salvation according to Scripture.

How do I become a Christian? Paul answers this question in Romans 10 by explaining how a way we feel might work actually does not and points us to the true path to God.

Pastor Dan Rude concludes his exploration of Romans 9, revealing how the Jews' pursuit of righteousness through their actions led them to miss God's ultimate plan. Discover how the gospel redefines Abraham's heirs and expands God's promise to all.

The Jews attempted to gain righteousness through what they did, but in the pursuit of their own goodness, they missed what God had in store all along. Pastor Dan Rude finishes unpacking Romans 9 and how the gospel has expanded God's definition of Abraham's heirs.

Explore Romans 9 with Pastor Dan Rude as he unpacks the objections to God's mercy, offering insights into the relationship between God's sovereignty and human free will. Learn how to approach the mysteries of Scripture with a deeper understanding.

As we continue to explore Romans 9 and the objections of mercy, Paul does not explain how God's sovereignty and human free will interact, but he does give us some whys. Pastor Dan Rude also discusses how to think about the mysteries of the Bible.