La Jolla Presbyterian Church Sermons

This Sunday, we continue the Gospel of Mark with an engaging message titled 'Listening Matters,' based on Mark 4:1-20. This passage, the Parable of the Sower, highlights the importance of hearing and responding to God's word. Rev. Paul Cunningham will lead us through this teaching, showing how Jesus calls us to cultivate hearts open to His truth. As we reflect on the different types...

We continue our journey through the Gospel of Mark with an inspiring message titled 'Getting Closer to Jesus,' based on Mark 3:7-19, focusing on verses 14-15. In this passage, Jesus calls the twelve disciples to be with Him, equipping them to share His message and extend His healing to others. Rev. Paul Cunningham will share this powerful message, reminding us of Jesus' deep desire...

This Sunday, we're continuing our journey through the Gospel of Mark with an inspiring message titled "A New Life" from Mark 2:13-17. In this passage, we witness Jesus calling Levi, a tax collector, to follow Him, a powerful moment highlighting Christ's mission to reach those in need of grace. This sermon invites us to reflect on Jesus' radical, life-changing grace and His...

This Sunday, we’re kicking off an exciting new 16-week sermon series on the Gospel of Mark. Pastor Paul begins the journey with a sermon titled "A New Way For A New Year," focusing on Mark 1:1-8. This opening passage introduces us to John the Baptist, the one sent to prepare the way for Jesus, declaring a message of repentance and renewal. This passage sets the stage for a transformative...

Pastor Chad shared a message titled "God's Way is the Best Way," focusing on the teachings from James 1. This chapter of James served as a powerful reminder of the blessings that come from enduring trials and relying on God's wisdom rather than our own. In his message, Pastor Chad challenged the congregation to reflect on their responses to life's difficulties and to recog...

This Sunday marks the fourth week of Advent, and we are continuing our Advent sermon series, Home for Christmas , with a message titled "A Better and Future Home." Pastor Paul Cunningham will focus on Hebrews 11:13-16 , where the writer reflects on the faith of those who longed for a better, heavenly home. Verse 16 reminds us that God has prepared a city for those who trust Him, showing...

This Sunday is the third week of Advent, and we are continuing our Advent sermon series, Home for Christmas, with a message titled "God Makes Himself At Home." Pastor Paul Cunningham will focus on John 1:6-14, where John describes how "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us." Verse 14 reminds us that God did not remain distant but entered our world to live among H...

This Sunday is the second week of Advent, we’re continuing our Advent sermon series, Home for Christmas , with a message titled "A Home of Promise." focusing on Deuteronomy 8:1-11, where Moses reminds the Israelites of God’s faithfulness as they prepare to enter the Promised Land—a land described as flowing with milk and honey, a home promised by God to His people. "A Home of Promis...

This Sunday, we began our Advent sermon series, "Home for Christmas." Pastor Paul introduced the series with a sermon titled "A Brand-New Home," based on Genesis 3:1-10, 21-24. In these verses, we witness the profound moment of humanity's initial departure from their first home, the Garden of Eden, due to disobedience and the consequential longing for a return to a place o...

This Sunday, Paula Taylor concludes the "A Resilient Faith" series with "Grateful," looking at Luke 17:11-19. In this passage, we encounter the story of the ten lepers healed by Jesus, but only one returns to give thanks. Paula will guide us through these verses and the transformative power of gratitude. This message invites us to reflect on how living with a heart of thankfuln...

Join us this Sunday as Pastor Paul continues the series, "A Resilient Faith," with "Generous," looking at 1 John 3:16-18. In this passage, John challenges believers to embody love in words and through action and truth, urging a life of selfless generosity. This powerful message highlights the call to meet the needs of others and show Christ's love in practical ways. Togeth...

This Sunday, Pastor Paul continues with the series, “A Resilient Faith” with "Gracious," focusing on Colossians 4:2-6. In this passage, Paul encourages the Colossians to be devoted to prayer, watchful and thankful, and let their conversations be full of grace. This inspiring message stresses the importance of embodying grace in our interactions and cultivating a heart of gratitude. The s...

Grounded - This Sunday Pastor Paul is launching a new sermon series titled, “A Resilient Faith” with "Grounded," focusing on Ephesians 3:14-21. In this passage, Paul prays for the Ephesians to be grounded in love and strengthened by the Spirit so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith. This profound prayer highlights the foundational need for inner spiritual strength to weat...

Abundance - This Sunday Pastor Paul returns to conclude our "Cultivate" sermon series with a message titled "Abundance," based on 2 Corinthians 9:6-15. In this passage, the Apostle Paul speaks to the Corinthians about the blessings of generous giving, emphasizing that those who sow sparingly will also reap sparingly, and those who sow generously will reap generously. This sermo...

Wheat, Weeds, and the World - This Sunday Abraham Musto, our Middle School Director, delivers a compelling sermon as part of our ongoing "Cultivate: Lessons from the Land" series. His sermon, titled "Wheat, Weeds, and the World," will explore Matthew 13:24-30, where Jesus presents the parable of the wheat and the weeds. Abraham will discuss how this parable reflects the challen...

Lessons from a mustard seed: Cultivating Faith - This Sunday Pastor Chad is preaching, sharing a sermon titled "Just A Little Faith," based on Matthew 17:14-20. This passage recounts the moment when Jesus heals a boy with a demon, a miraculous event that occurs after His disciples were unable to perform the healing themselves. Jesus attributes their failure to their lack of faith, famous...

Grief and Gratitude - This Sunday Pastor Paul delivers a poignant sermon titled "Grief and Gratitude," focusing on John 15:1-8. In this passage, Jesus uses the metaphor of the vine and branches to illustrate the deep, life-sustaining connection we have with Him, emphasizing the necessity of pruning for growth and fruitfulness. The process of pruning, though painful, is essential for bear...

Do You See The Potential? - This Sunday Pastor Paul is looking at Luke 13:6-9, a passage that tells the parable of the barren fig tree. In this parable, Jesus speaks of a fig tree that hasn't produced fruit for three years, and the owner of the vineyard wants to cut it down. However, the gardener asks for patience and more time to cultivate the tree—fertilizing and tending to it, hoping that...

Dealing With Drought and Doubt - This Sunday Pastor Paul continues our sermon series, "Cultivate: Lessons from the Land," with a sermon titled "Dealing With Drought and Doubt," based on Psalm 126. This psalm reflects on a time of past deliverance and expresses a longing for renewal, likening the restoration of Zion to streams refreshing the Negev — a desert transformed by water...

God’s Love And Wild Olive Branches - This Sunday join us as Pastor Paul continues our new series, "Cultivate: Lessons from the Land," with a sermon titled "God’s Love And Wild Olive Branches," based on Romans 11:17-24. This passage uses the rich metaphor of grafting wild olive branches onto a cultivated olive tree to illustrate how Gentiles have been included in the spiritual h...

It All Began In A Garden - This Sunday we embark on our new sermon series, "Cultivate: Lessons from the Land." Pastor Paul will kick off the series with a sermon titled "It All Began In A Garden," focusing on Genesis 2:4-9 and 15. In this passage, we revisit the Garden of Eden, where humanity first interacted with the land under God's directive. Here, God placed Adam not j...

Rest on Labor Day? - This Sunday Pastor Paul's sermon is titled "Rest on Labor Day?" Looking at Matthew 11:25-30. In this passage, Jesus extends an invitation that resonates deeply with our modern celebrations of Labor Day: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” As we reflect on the meaning of labor and rest in our lives, especially during this h...

One Last Look - This Sunday we are honored to welcome Rev. Paula Taylor as our guest preacher, wrapping up our "Look Around" sermon series. Her sermon, titled "One Last Look," draws from Acts 1:1-11: the moments before Jesus' ascension into heaven after His resurrection. The disciples' last glimpse of Jesus, as He is taken up before their eyes, leaves them looking tow...

Looking For The Kingdom Of Heaven - This Sunday our Director of Women's Ministry, Cynthia Blase, is looking at Matthew 13:44-46. In these parables, Jesus tells of a man who stumbles upon a treasure hidden in a field and a merchant in search of fine pearls. Both individuals, upon recognizing the immense value of their finds, sell everything they have to secure their treasures. These stories po...

The God Who Goes Looking - This Sunday our Director of Children's Ministry, Susie Dhus, steps up to the pulpit to deliver a sermon titled "The God Who Goes Looking," based on Luke 15:1-10. These verses tell the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, highlighting the relentless pursuit and boundless joy of God in recovering what is lost. Susie will explore how these parables n...