La Jolla Presbyterian Church Sermons

A Setup On The Sabbath - This Communion Sunday, Pastor Paul is looking at Mark 3:1-6. Jesus encounters a man with a withered hand in the synagogue, and despite the critical eyes of the Pharisees, He heals the man on the Sabbath. This event is not just a miraculous healing; it's a deliberate moment created by Jesus to teach about the heart of the Sabbath and God's intentions for law and m...

Looking For Jesus - This Sunday Pastor Paul is back and discussing John 7:28-39. In this passage, Jesus speaks openly at the Feast of Tabernacles, revealing His divine origin and mission, yet He is met with mixed reactions and deep questions from the crowd about who He truly is. During the feast, Jesus declares, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink," inviting all to believ...

When Did We See You…? - This Sunday is the second week of our July Community Summer Sundays. This Sunday, Pastor Paul will guide us through an impactful sermon titled "When Did We See You…?" based on Matthew 25:31-46. This passage provides a compelling depiction of the final judgment where Jesus identifies Himself with the least in society, saying, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for...

Don’t Look Back - This Sunday Pastor Chad continues our "Look Around" sermon series with a message titled "Don’t Look Back," focusing on Luke 9:57-62. In this passage, Jesus discusses the cost of discipleship, emphasizing the need for total commitment and urging His followers to look forward, not backward. As Jesus travels toward Jerusalem, He encounters several would-be discip...

Time is of the Essence - This Sunday, Pastor Paul is kicking off our Community Summer Sundays with combined Worship at 10:00am, and we'll celebrate Communion. This week we're looking at John 4:31-38. In this passage, we find Jesus conversing with His disciples about the urgency and importance of the spiritual harvest. While His disciples are concerned with physical food, Jesus emphasizes...

Do Whatever He Says - This Sunday, Pastor Scott is preaching one last time before his retirement, looking at John 2:1-11 with a sermon titled "Do Whatever He Says." In this narrative, Jesus performs his first miracle at the wedding in Cana, offering us profound insights into obedience and faith. Join us at 10:00 am for this special service, which will also feature festive music from the...

Two Questions to Consider: How does the concept of “adoption” impact your understanding of being a part of God’s family? What can you do this week to focus on living out the “revealed” will of God?  A Redefining Look - This Sunday Pastor Paul is looking at Mark 3:31-35, and exploring how Jesus’ perspective invites us to view our relationships and community through a new lens—one that sees spiritua...

A Look of Love - This Sunday at La Jolla Presbyterian Church, Pastor Paul returns to continue our enlightening summer sermon series, "Look Around." This week’s sermon, titled "A Look Of Love," examines Mark 10:17-27, where Jesus encounters a rich young man seeking eternal life. Join us this Sunday to delve deeper into understanding the transformative power of Jesus' love a...

Seeing Through The Trees - Join us this Sunday for the second sermon in our "Look Around" series, featuring guest preachers Pastors Jere Lester and Noel Musicha from Ebenezer Church in Linda Vista. Their sermon, “Seeing Through The Trees,” will consider Luke 19:1-10, the story of Zacchaeus, a man who climbed a tree to see Jesus but ended up being truly seen by Him. In this passage, Zacch...

No Ordinary Meal - This Sunday marks the beginning of the new sermon series called "Look Around." Throughout the summer, we will explore various biblical texts that help us to "see" the world as Jesus did, focusing on His interactions, teachings, and the profound ways He viewed and engaged with those around Him. Our series kicks off with "No Ordinary Meal," based on M...

Join us this Memorial Day weekend as Pastor Paul returns to deliver a poignant message titled "Rocks of Remembrance," based on Joshua 4:1-9. In this passage, we learn about the Israelites setting up memorial stones as they cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land. Pastor Paul will draw parallels between the memorial stones set by the Israelites and the ways we remember and honor tho...

Join us this Sunday for a special message from guest preacher Rev. Richard Dahlstrom. In his sermon, Rev. Dahlstrom will explore the concept of living generatively — how we can contribute to the world in meaningful ways, cultivating a spirit of generosity and purpose that transcends our current challenges. He will challenge us to consider what it means to sow metaphorically in all seasons of life,...

Join us this Sunday as Pastor Paul concludes our sermon series, "Changing The Narrative," with a message titled "You Are God’s Handiwork," based on Ephesians 2:1-10. This passage powerfully states that we are "created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do," highlighting that we are not just made by God, but made for a purpose. Th...

This week, we're looking at Luke 7:1-10, the story of the centurion whose faith in Jesus’ authority impresses even Christ Himself. The centurion, a man of authority but also an outsider to the Jewish faith, recognizes Jesus’ divine power and humbly seeks His help, believing that Jesus can heal from afar. This sermon invites us to examine our own perceptions of worthiness and to embrace the fa...

You Are Seen - Today Pastor Paul returns to continue our sermon series, "Changing The Narrative," with a sermon entitled "You Are Seen," based on John 4:7-19. In this passage, we witness the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, a story that powerfully illustrates Jesus' ability to see and understand us completely. Pastor Paul will delve into how bei...

You Are Called - Join us this week as Pastor Chad Fransen leads us deeper into our sermon series, "Changing the Narrative," with a message titled "You Are Called." This week's focus is on Mark 2:13-17, where Jesus calls Levi, a tax collector, to follow Him, challenging societal norms and expectations. In this passage, we see Jesus reaching out to someone considered an outs...

Today, we are looking at John 3:1-9. This sermon explores the radical idea that regardless of our past narratives or how we view ourselves, we have the opportunity to start anew through spiritual rebirth. Jesus explains to Nicodemus, and to us, that being born again is not a physical rebirth but a spiritual awakening brought about by believing in Him. This new birth changes our narrative from one...

Today, we are surrounded by countless narratives—stories we hear from the world around us and the ones we tell ourselves. But how often do these narratives align with the truth? How often do they reflect the narrative God has about us and for us? Through Jesus' baptism and temptation, we see a profound example of knowing and relying on God’s Word to affirm identity and purpose, even in the fa...

Jesus Will Show Up - Happy Easter! Today Pastor Paul is looking at Luke 24:36-49. In this passage, we witness the transformative moment when despair turns to hope, and disbelief turns to faith, as Jesus Himself stands among His followers, showing them His hands and feet, and opening their minds to understand the Scriptures. This Easter sermon will explore the significance of Jesus' resurrecti...

Preparing For The King - This Palm Sunday, Pastor Paul invites us to journey into the heart of Holy Week with his sermon, "Preparing For The King," centered on the narrative of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem found in Mark 11:1-11. This passage not only marks the beginning of the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry but also symbolizes the fulfillment of ancient prophecies, revealing Je...

The One Who Forgives - This Sunday, Pastor Paul brings a compelling message titled "The One Who Forgives," focusing on the powerful narrative found in Mark 2:1-12. In this story, we witness the profound authority and compassion of Jesus as He forgives and heals a paralyzed man, brought to Him by friends who believed in His power to restore. Through this act of forgiveness and healing, Je...

A Different Kind Of Priest - This week Pastor Paul is looking at Hebrews 7:11-28. Unlike the priests who came before Him, Jesus' priesthood is based on the power of an indestructible life, not lineage or the law, making Him the perfect mediator of a better covenant. "A Different Kind Of Priest" will highlight how Jesus, through His once-for-all sacrifice, has made a way for us to dr...

Resisting The Prophet - This Sunday, Pastor Scott takes us further into our "Prophet, Priest, & King" series with a sermon titled "Resisting The Prophet," focusing on Mark 6:1-6. In this passage, we encounter Jesus as He returns to His hometown of Nazareth, only to be met with skepticism and disbelief by those who had known Him longest. Despite witnessing His wisdom and mir...

A Prophet in Our Midst - As we continue our Lenten journey through the "Prophet, Priest, & King" series, Pastor Paul is looking at Luke 7:11-17. This passage vividly narrates the compassion and power of Jesus as He raises a widow's son from the dead. In this profound event, Jesus demonstrates the essence of His prophetic ministry—bringing hope to the hopeless, life to the lifele...

Jesus-The Final Word - As we embark on the profound journey of Lent, La Jolla Presbyterian Church is proud to introduce our new sermon series, "Prophet, Priest, and King." In the offices and roles of the Old Testament—prophet, priest, and king—we see a foreshadowing that finds its fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1:1-9 unveils Jesus as the culmination of God's comm...