New Life Pismo Sermons

When Jesus encourages the little children to come to him and he blesses them, this was very counter-cultural in his day. Children were seen as one of the lowest of society, unable to "pull their weight" and surely not worth Jesus' time. However, Jesus shows that in His kingdom, things will be different. No one will be looked on as less than or unworthy of Jesus' blessing. That&...

So we now recognize ourselves as a sent people...so why don't we go? Do we lack desire, discipline, or direction? It can be overwhelming to get started in following the great commission. A great place to start is to simply use what you have. Your talents, gifts, and passions in places you already find yourself and simply serve those around you. 

To be human is to suffer. HOW we suffer is a great witness to the world of God's nearness and his redemptive power to bring good and healing and righteousness through the most difficult seasons of life. 

When Jesus calls us to be His witnesses, He doesn't send us out alone. In fact, when we try to go it alone, there's temptation to go with an agenda, and it usually leads to burn out. We've been given the power of the Holy Spirit to equip us for this mission. We've also been given each other, the family of God to sharpen us and be the environment where the gifts of the Spirit ar...

Statistics show that most Christians believe sharing the Gospel is an important part of our faith, yet so few actually participate in it on a regular basis. Why? As we go, we transport the Gospel with us wherever we find ourselves. May we listen more than we speak...both vertically (with God) and horizontally (with others) so that we might leave hope, goodness, and mercy wherever we go. 

Pastor Philip challenges us to walk in our identity as a sent people...which begins, first and foremost, with a deep consecration. We cannot change others if we have not been first changed ourselves. May we go at the pace of Jesus, walking in rhythm with the Spirit so we may be able to see and love others clearly. 

Like much of Jesus does in His upside-down kingdom, He redefines what greatness is. While we have been discipled in the world and what it says is "great" we must leave that behind in our pursuit of the kind of greatness Jesus describes. The kind that serves others and does so without need for recognition. 

Jesus wasn't the Messiah that many expected because their view and sights were too small. We miss out on so much when we try to define Jesus by our own terms and agendas. Like, Jesus, following Him and his ways means picking up our cross. Denying ourselves and our agendas is the foundation of following Jesus. 

Those that were asking for a "sign" were those who really didn't want to believe in Jesus in the first place. May we have ears that actually hear and eyes that actually see all that Jesus was and how He's still working today!

The Pharisees & teachers of the religious law got a bad rap from Jesus because they were imposing man-made rules and customs on the people of God, rather than turning their hearts over to Him. Let's not be like them, but let's give attention to our hearts and remember that what "defiles" us starts in our heart and not external forces. 

Like the God of the Old Testament, Jesus is the One who passes by and walks on water. Jesus does stuff only God can do, encouraging us to ask the question, who really is Jesus? Not only does He pass by, He comes near and he has the power to bring good stuff out of stormy stuff. 

We may not see it at first glance,  but Jesus' feeding of the 5,000 was a revolution... a revolution of compassion. The crowds in the hill country had come to Jesus, hoping he would lead them into a political revolt and willing to make Him king by force. Following Jesus would definitely lead to a revolution. However, instead of distributing weapons, He distributes bread, a symbol of life. In...

We don't want to be seated...we want to be sent, 2 by 2 in community to proclaim the Kingdom!

Are we seeing Jesus clearly or has our vision of who he really is been clouded by our expectations, familiarity, or past experiences? We don't want to be like those in Jesus' hometown who missed who Jesus truly was because they were unwilling to change their perceptions. We also don't want to let our past or other's memory keep us from God's promise in the future. You are...

The miracles recorded in the book of Mark point to the person of Jesus...they aren't a prescriptive "how to" receive miracles in our own circumstances. We miss the point when we pursue what Jesus can do for us, rather than seek Jesus himself. 

Our God is the God who goes into the mess and rescues people and sets them free. This story happened and it happens all the time.

There is transformative power in the story of Easter! Even when it feels like the pieces aren’t adding up, we can trust that God is working for redemption, renewal, and fullness of life! Join us this Easter as we celebrate the risen King who has come to make all things new.  Allow hope to bloom this Easter! 

What spills out when we get bumped? Palm Sunday gives us insight into the tension between encountering Jesus as a part of The Crowd and Following Jesus daily. The difference between seeking Jesus with our agenda or surrendering ourselves to his Lordship. The importance of integrating our exterior life with our interior life. May we recognize our need for a savior, without any agenda, as we wave ou...

Oftentimes we feel like we have no control over our thought life and the toxic and destructive thoughts that linger beneath the surface. While we may not have control over every thought that pops in our head, the Bible tells us we can take thoughts captive and CHOOSE what ideas and thoughts we dwell on. 

Anxiety is our built-in "check engine" light, alerting us to trouble or danger. However, many times it goes into overdrive and begins to consume and overwhelm us. How can we trust God when anxiety threatens to control us? Join Pastor David as he discusses what the Lord has to say about anxiety and how we can find victory in this area of our lives. 

We all live with a certain level of grief beneath the surface of what we show others. Pastor Gina shares how God wants to comfort us in our distress and help us navigate grief. Unresolved grief can lead to many other areas of pain and unhealth, so learning how to share and let God into our grief is key to living the full life he wants for us. 

Why do we get so angry? Usually our anger is a symptom of something that's simmering a little deeper than the surface: hurt, injustice, fear, frustration. Not all anger is equal...as Ephesians tells us we CAN be angry and still stay away from sin. But how? Join us as we learn to surrender our anger so it can be used as fuel for trust, wisdom, and even righteousness.  New Life Website

We find it counterintuitive to draw near to God, remove our masks and stop pretending that everything is OK. It is easier to ignore our interior life and just move on. Or we might let our emotions and our sin control us rather than trying to understand them. But God wants us to integrate what's beneath the surface into His grace and process and own it all. He wants us to invite Him in to sear...