Sermons - Joyful Christian Community Church
36 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 3 years ago -Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
2020 Christmas Weekend Worship Service
April 01, 2021 22:57December 20, 2020 Christmas Weekend Sunday Worship Service
"New Norms" - Pastor Randy Choi
March 29, 2020 18:00March 29, 2020 Pastor Randy Choi “New Norms” Luke 6:1-11
"Shameless Audacity" - Pastor Randy Choi
March 22, 2020 18:00March 22, 2020 Pastor Randy Choi “Shameless Audacity” Luke 11:1-13
Stages of a Vision
October 14, 2018 19:17 - 33 minutes - 20.5 MBDo you have a vision for your life? It's important to figure out the vision God has for your life, but it's just as important to know that vision develops over time. Vision begins as a burden, vision requires patience, then vision will present opportunities.
Who Jesus Really Is
September 30, 2018 23:08 - 27 minutes - 16.5 MBWho Is Jesus... Really? For thousands of years, people have made many claims about Jesus. While people can have struggles with the Church and have difficulties with certain passages in the Bible, very rarely will you find someone who has a problem with Jesus. All we really need in order to be a Christian is Christ. There were hundreds of thousands of Christians before the Bible was formed. So while the Bible is very important, it is not more important that Jesus. Very few people have issues w...
Joy in the Journey
September 24, 2018 06:38 - 38 minutes - 21.8 MBIs the goal of your life simply to "get into heaven"? If so, you're missing in integral part of your faith and the plan that Jesus has for your life. If you're simply interested in the end, you'll miss out on a lot of the joy that can be experienced in this present life here on earth because the journey is more important than the destination. God is more interested in HOW you live than WHY you live and God is more interested in WHO YOU ARE rather than WHAT YOU DO.
The Servant Leader
September 16, 2018 21:55 - 38 minutes - 23 MBA life worth living is a life lived not for itself. Jesus Christ gave us the supreme example of what a Servant Leader looks like. There is possibly no better example of Jesus as a Servant Leader than in the story of Jesus washing His Disciples' feet.
Heart Matters
September 09, 2018 19:09 - 35 minutes - 20.9 MBJust because we don't express what we have in our hearts doesn't mean they don't exist. In fact, the opposite is true. The more we allow pain, loss, and struggles to remain in our hearts, the more it festers. When we allow wounds to go unattended, the more it festers and the scars remain much longer than necessary. In order to heal, we must reveal. We must reveal our hearts to God, to others, and to ourselves.
Moving Past Forgiveness
August 26, 2018 22:20 - 42 minutes - 25.2 MBContrary to what most people may think, forgiveness is not merely a decision; forgiveness is a process. Forgiveness is rarely instant. Forgiveness forgives completely. Forgiveness doesn't depend on the offender's response. And just because it takes you longer to forgive someone, doesn't make you an immature believer.
Here Am I
August 19, 2018 22:14 - 39 minutes - 23 MBDo you believe God speaks to you? If you consider yourself a follower of Jesus, then you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you. So the question shouldn't be, "Does God speak to me?" Rather, the question is, "Am I listening to God?" Because in order hear from God, we need to learn to wait, we need to pursue God, and we need to be willing and obedient. It is impossible to hear the voice of God without being fully present.
How Idolatry Works
August 12, 2018 20:06 - 32 minutes - 18.9 MBIdolatry doesn't show up in red tights and a pitchfork. Nor does idolatry appear in the form of a pagan relic or idol statue. Idolatry finds a way to sneak into our daily lives. Idolatry is not isolated. Idolatry is dependent on us. Idolatry demands offerings.
City of Gods
August 05, 2018 22:38 - 30 minutes - 18.1 MBGod loves His children too much to tolerate idolatry. God is a jealous God because He is our heavenly parent and can't stand it when His children are wasting their time, resources, and energy and meaningless idols. Since God is our heavenly Parent, He is our Protector, our Possessor, and our Provider.
The Golden Calf
July 29, 2018 23:42 - 31 minutes - 18 MBThe golden calf was a symbol of fertility and strength. The golden calf was a symbol of paganism. The golden calf was a symbol of wealth.
The Two Commandments
July 23, 2018 00:11 - 33 minutes - 16.8 MBThe Ten Commandments begins with the two commandments against idolatry because idolatry is so pervasive, dangerous, and applicable for everyone. Idolatry in the 21st century is not when you worship a statue, a relic, or a pagan image. Idolatry is most often when you turn a good thing into a god. God knew how futile and empty these false idols were, which was why God was so firm in His stance against idolatry. Behind every command is a loving God looking out for His people’s best interest.
Citizenship
July 08, 2018 23:58 - 32 minutes - 19.2 MBAre you proud to be an American? Whether you are an American citizen, resident, or visitor, we have to remember that our ultimate citizenship lies in heaven. But why doesn’t Jesus take us up to heaven the moment we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior? Why do we remain here in this world? There has to be a purpose why we remain as residents of this world.
Exiled and Embraced
July 02, 2018 06:22 - 29 minutes - 15.2 MBWe are exiles embraced by God. Because we are exiles of this world, it means we are citizens of a greater place.
You're Welcome
June 24, 2018 20:51 - 35 minutes - 21.1 MBWhat do you think Jesus would say about the way America is treating undocumented immigrants recently? In fact, Jesus did have a lot to say on the topic of welcoming others. In Matthew 25, Jesus names six types of people that He identifies with. Jesus not only empathizes with the hungry, thirsty, naked, stranger, sick, and prisoner, He identified with them because He has experienced what it was like to be all six people described. When we are welcoming others, we are directly helping Jesus.
God's Improbable Instructors
June 17, 2018 22:00 - 36 minutes - 21.5 MBGuest speaker Dr. Ken Fong discusses Jesus' unlikely tactic of using the marginalized, the outcasts, and those on the fringe to teach the world about God's love.
A New Kind of Church
June 10, 2018 22:29 - 33 minutes - 19.3 MB“Can someone be a Christian and not be a part of a church?” That question is akin to, “Can someone be a dad without ever seeing his family?” Or, “Can someone play basketball by himself?” Many people like Jesus but hate the Church because of religious hypocrites, narrow-mindedness, or cumbersome traditions. While their criticisms are fair, they forget that the Church has done far more good for the world than bad. Have you ever wondered why so many hospitals have religious names? Did you reali...
A New Kind of Christianity
June 03, 2018 23:58 - 34 minutes - 19.9 MBReligion is based on law; Relationship is based on Christ. Religion is about performance; Relationship is about expression. Religion is about earning; Relationship is about acceptance.
A New View of God
May 27, 2018 22:12 - 40 minutes - 46.3 MBHave you ever struggled with God? If you’re a thoughtful person who either identifies as a person of faith or believes in some sort of Higher Being, you’ve had doubts and questions in your journey of life. Despite what some people may think, God actually wants you to bring your doubts and questions to Him. God has always been this way, even in Genesis 32 when God confronted Jacob in a wrestling match that forced Jacob to struggle with God. Interestingly, it was during this struggle encounter...
A New Kind of Faith
May 20, 2018 22:33 - 32 minutes - 17.6 MBHebrews 11 has been coined by many New Testament scholars as the “Hall of Faith” because of its many references to various heroes of faith from the Old Testament; people like Abraham, Noah, and Moses. However, in verse 31 of Hebrews 11, the author mentioned the prostitute Rahab who was known for one act of faith. Yet, she was listed in Hebrews 11 with all these other renown heroes of faith. This begs the question, “What matters the most to God?”
A New Kind of Wineskin
May 13, 2018 23:14 - 36 minutes - 38.9 MBJesus was in the business of making “all things new.” Jesus’ desire to bring the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven is directly linked with His desire to bringing newness to individuals, societies, and the world. In the parable of the new wineskins, Jesus indirectly said that His followers should be like new wineskins. This shift in thinking led to many paradigm shifts.
Jesus the Feminist
April 29, 2018 21:20 - 31 minutes - 35.2 MBThe first group of Jesus’ followers who discovered Jesus’ resurrection were women. Jesus always gave women a special place in His ministry, but why? The way Jesus loved, cared for, and paid attention to women during His time was revolutionary. Jesus spoke for the voiceless, stood up for the defenseless, and paid attention to the neglected. Unfortunately, women were among those who were fit into these categories. Since Jesus’ goal was to bring the kingdom of God on earth, He would not stand f...
Peter's Failure and Future
April 22, 2018 21:46 - 35 minutes - 38.8 MBWe often shy away and avoid discussing failures in our lives. However, God allows failures to happen because they’re necessary in our growth in faith. In Jesus’ dialogue with Peter, the conversation follows a certain pattern: Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” Jesus waits for Peter’s response. Then Jesus gives the command. This is because our love for Jesus needs to come prior to our obedience to Him, not the other way around. Ultimately, Jesus came to give failures a future.
From Fishers to Disciples
April 15, 2018 22:46 - 31 minutes - 20.3 MBIn John 21:1-14, Jesus goes back to the place where He first called His Disciples to follow Him. At the Sea of Galilee, Jesus recruited His first Disciples, Andrew, Peter, James and John. Jesus' ministry has come full circle and found His disciples doing the same thing they did before Jesus found them... fishing. Jesus was comfortable on boats also, but He never got on another boat again after His resurrection. Why? It's because it was time for the Disciples to step out of their comfort zones.
Faith is the Proof of the Resurrection
April 08, 2018 19:47 - 35 minutes - 38.4 MBIn John 20:19-29, Jesus revealed Himself to His disciples and this was where Thomas wanted to see Jesus’ hands and scar on his side. When Jesus saw Thomas and knew of his desire for proof that His resurrection was real, Jesus did not scold or rebuke Thomas. Rather, Jesus invited Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Hence, as a result of this encounter, Thomas received the unfortunate nickname, ‘Doubting Thomas.’...
Easter: The Resurrected Life
April 01, 2018 23:07 - 35 minutes - 65.2 MBFaith should always straddle the line between belief and disbelief because the story of Jesus Christ is so amazing. In particular, the death and resurrection should never get to the point where it's humdrum or mundane. If the Gospel of Jesus always fills us with awe and wonder, it should result in a resurrected life. But what does the resurrected life look like?
Lent: Palm Sunday
March 26, 2018 06:20 - 32 minutes - 45.2 MBAbout 2,000 years ago on this day was the very first Palm Sunday. This was the day that Jesus entered the holy city of Jerusalem, just days prior to arrest, torture, and death on the cross. As Jesus entered into the city, hundreds of people welcomed Him, but they did not have the same motives. These crowds' motives teach us something very valuable about how we view Jesus today and how we might want shape and mold Jesus in our own image rather than how He truly is.
Lent: Abiding in Him
March 19, 2018 05:10 - 32 minutes - 44.7 MBDuring the last 40 days leading up to the cross, Jesus made a bold divine proclamation about Himself. What did Jesus mean when He called Himself the "true vine"? How do we benefit from Jesus as the "branches"?
Lent: The Pharisee & the Sinner
March 11, 2018 22:59 - 32 minutes - 44.6 MBIn Luke 18:9-14, Jesus shared a parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. While the Pharisee was the one who was respected by many and the tax collector was the one who was despised within the Jewish community, the one who ended being justified in their prayer was the tax collector. Why? Jesus did not have issues with Pharisees simply because they were Pharisees. So what does Jesus look at for in faith? What kind of faith pleases the heart of God? A.W. Tozer said, "The Pharisee is hard ...
Serving Our Neighbors
February 25, 2018 20:11 - 37 minutes - 51.3 MBThe fourth of our Four Core Values sermon series on why JCC is service-oriented. We believe that it is impossible to grow your faith without serving. It is also impossible to love our neighbors without serving. What does Jesus have to say about this? Jesus' words in Matthew 23 confront some of the hypocrisy and apathy that lied in the hearts of many "mature believers."
Relational - Loving Our Neighbors
February 11, 2018 23:58 - 49 minutes - 112 MBThe second core value of Joyful Community Church is "relational." What this means is fulfilling the Great Commandment of "loving our neighbor as ourselves." What does this practically look like? Jesus paints a beautiful picture of this with the story of the Good Samaritan.
Deep Love - Peter & Cornelius
January 29, 2018 00:25 - 37 minutes - 50.9 MBEveryone desires love. Most people love others who love them in return. Very few people will love deeply. What does deep love look like? This was a challenge for even one of Jesus' most devoted disciples, Peter.
Deep Worship
January 22, 2018 00:19 - 39 minutes - 88.6 MBWe all worship someone or something. The more dedicated we are to the object of our worship, the more we are willing to do for the object of our affection. An unexpected hero of faith modeled for us what deep worship looks like.
Deep Faith
January 08, 2018 00:11 - 39 minutes - 51.8 MBFor most of our lives, our faith plays a relatively minor role in our daily routines. But every once in awhile, God commands us to take big steps of faith. This can only happen when we have a relationship with God and are willing and open to God's prompting. And when God calls you to take a deep step of faith, how will your respond?