Radiant Church Visalia

Scripture References: Acts 2:38-41, Acts 8:36-39, Acts 9:18, Acts 10:47-48, Acts 16:31-33, Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:3-4, 1 Corinthians 12:13 Intro: The familiarity of church practices can obscure their significance. Baptism: often seen as strange, but essential to the Christian faith. Acts shows baptism as a frequent response to preaching. Key Points: Baptism in Acts: Acts 2: Peter's call to r...

Scripture References: Acts 2:14-41; Romans 3:21-26; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; 1 Peter 3:8 Intro: What news is so exciting you'd have to tell strangers? The Christian faith is presented not as advice, but as world-changing Good NEWS about what God has done . We explore this NEWS, its content, and why accurately reporting it (unlike the Brian Williams analogy) is crucial for God'...

Scripture References: 1 Timothy 3:14-16; Revelation 2-3; Acts 15; 1 Corinthians 9:19-23; Ephesians 5:1-2; Romans 12:9-13; Genesis 1-2. Intro: Acknowledge the challenge of church life. Emphasize that the church's identity and function are defined by God, not our preferences. Introduce 1 Timothy 3:14-16 as a key passage revealing God's design for the church. Key Points: Paul's Instruc...

Scripture References: Acts 2, 7, 8, 9, 13, 17, 19, 20; James 1:22; Luke 21:15; 2 Corinthians 2:15-17; 2 Corinthians 4:5-6; Genesis 1:3 Intro: Welcome. Continuing our series on Acts and the Mission of God, today's speaker focuses on a familiar yet crucial gift: Preaching. Why preach about preaching? Because understanding this gift helps us receive it better, stirs up those called to preach, an...

Scripture References: Psalm 139:1-24; Jeremiah 1:5; Matthew 10:28-31; John 10:27; Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 Intro: Have you ever felt the deep longing to be truly known? Sometimes we try to be known for superficial things – our style, achievements, possessions. But there's a deeper knowing God desires for us. His heart beats with this truth: "I know you." Today, we explo...

Scripture References: Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 27; Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:11-13 Intro: Welcome to this sermon in our Acts series. Acts shows the Holy Spirit empowering ordinary believers for God's mission (Acts 1:8). Key to this empowerment are the Gifts of the Spirit. Paul urged believers not to be ignorant about these gifts (1 Cor 12:1). Like unwrapping a gift, we want to unders...

Scripture References: Matthew 4:18-22; Matthew 14:22-33; Matthew 16:13-19; Hebrews 11:1, 6; Romans 10:17 Intro: It's wonderful to be here. While juggling many roles (wife, mom, sister, friend), the most defining identity is "Child of God." Today, we explore Faith – not just passive belief, but an active response to Jesus. Faith calls us outside ourselves, requiring dependence on Him...

Scripture References: Galatians 5:16-26; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; 1 Corinthians 14:1; Colossians 3:16 Intro: Welcome. We're in our "Good Ground" series on the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5). Last week we looked at self-control as foundational. Today, we address a common tension in the church: the relationship between the Fruit of the Spirit (character like love, jo...

Scripture References: Matthew 21:18-19; Mark 9:42; John 2:12-17; John 12:1-8; John 13:1-30; Matthew 26:47-56 Intro: Welcome. Speaker Amber Kinalikin continues our "I Heart Jesus" series. Today tackles a difficult emotion: Anger . Sharing vulnerably from her own journey, Amber explores Jesus' example – times He was righteously angry, and confronting times He wasn't , especially...

Scripture References: Psalm 103; Isaiah 55:1-3; Hebrews 10:19-23; Psalm 119:105; 1 John 1:9; James 5:16 Intro: Good morning. Guest speaker Pam Strain shares personal stories today, not just about God's doctrines, but about encountering the living, active, faithful God. These testimonies aim to stir faith and encourage us to believe God wants to meet us powerfully, reveal His glory, and give u...

Scripture References: Acts 2:37-47 Intro: As we begin studying the Book of Acts – the story of the early church and the gospel's spread – we look at the community formed immediately after Peter's first sermon. When convicted listeners asked, "What do we do?" Peter called them to repent (change their minds) and be baptized. Acts 2:42-47 describes the remarkable community that re...

Scripture References: John 5:1-15; Philippians 3:12-14; Galatians 5:1; Psalm 34:18; Matthew 13 Intro: Following Monica's encouraging share, let's dive into God's Word. He's always speaking, weaving circumstances and moments together. Like the story of Solomon getting the word "hair" for a worried waitress, God knows us intimately and cares about the details. He wants...

Scripture References: Acts 1:8; Ephesians 1:4-14; Isaiah 43:6-7; Romans 11:33-36; Psalm 50:9-15 Intro: Welcome! We're launching a new sermon series exploring the Book of Acts. Written by Luke, Acts chronicles the Holy Spirit's arrival and the birth and expansion of the early church after Jesus' ascension. The key verse, Acts 1:8, outlines the mission: empowered by the Spirit, believ...

Scripture References: John 1:14; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:1-3; John 1:12; John 21:25 Intro: Welcome! Today begins an 8-week sermon series focusing entirely on Jesus Christ . He is endlessly fascinating, the center of our faith, the source of life. As John wrote, the world couldn't contain books detailing all He did (John 21:25). Our goal isn't exhaustive study but to stir fresh awe,...

Scripture References: Mark 1:35; Mark 6:46; Luke 5:16; Matthew 4:1-2; Matthew 11:28; Psalm 46:10 Intro: Happy New Year! Following recent messages on stepping into God's promises and speaking life, today focuses on the personal renewal needed to sustain us. Observing Jesus' life in the Gospels reveals a crucial rhythm: balancing intense public ministry with intentional private retreat to...

Scripture References: Ezekiel 37:1-14 Intro: January: a time for reflection and anticipation of God's work. Ezekiel 37: a vivid picture of God's power to restore. God's desire to bring life to dead places in our lives and church. Key Points: The Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37:1-3): Ezekiel's vision: a desolate valley filled with dry bones. God's question: "Son of man...

Scripture References: 2 Kings 4:8-37 Sermon Notes: Intro: Following themes of mission and contending, today we look at 2 Kings 4 – the story of Elisha and the Shunammite woman's son. It challenges us to engage seemingly dead, lifeless, hopeless situations with persistent faith, prayer, and action, mirroring God's heart to bring resurrection life where death seems final. Key Points: The S...

Scripture References: Numbers 13 & 14 1 Peter 3:9 1 Corinthians 15:57 Hebrews 13:20-21 2 Timothy 4:6-8 Joshua 14:6-15 Intro: New Year's reflection and anticipation for 2015. Celebrating 2014's highlights: attendance, kids, volunteers, babies, Team Casserole. Grace received for 2014 and expected for 2015. Key Points: Vision for 2015: More land to be taken: church expansion, church pla...

Scripture References: Philippians 2:5-8; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:23; Mark 10:42-45; Matthew 13 Intro: Reflecting on the relief of finding an "ordinary" church building after seeking something unique, this sermon challenges our culture's (and sometimes the church's) disdain for the ordinary. We explore how God meets us and finds glory not just in the extraordinary, but...

Scripture References: Mark 4:1-20; Matthew 16:26; Psalm 63:1; Psalm 103:1; Psalm 42:5; Genesis 2:7; Matthew 11:29 Intro: Welcome! Continuing our series on often-overlooked aspects of discipleship, today we focus on the soul . Mark Buchanan wrote, "We feed our egos and starve our souls." This resonates deeply. In a world obsessed with the "self," what does it mean to attend to o...

Scripture References: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Matthew 11:28-30; Mark 8:36; Hebrews 4:15 Intro: Welcome! Many of us feel perpetually busy, longing for rest but often finding vacations just shift the location of our exhaustion ("making memories"). We try to order our external lives hoping for inner peace, but true rest often eludes us. Mark Buchanan wrote, "We feed our egos and starve...

Scripture References: Luke 17:11-19; Psalm 145 (Ashrei); Romans 1:21; 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Intro: Happy Thanksgiving season! This time often prompts reflection on gratitude. A personal "growing gratitude" project revealed surprising levels of personal ingratitude and entitlement. While our culture marks Thanksgiving annually, Christian/Jewish heritage involves daily practices of thankful...

Scripture References: John 14:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:2; Romans 8:18-25; Hebrews 12:1-2 Intro: There's often friction between our perspective and God's. His thoughts and ways differ from ours, especially concerning eternity vs. now. Jesus lived with an eternal lens ("Kingdom of heaven is like..."), while we focus on the present. This clash peaks when facing suffering. How can...

Scripture References: Matthew 10:16-31; Psalm 34; 1 Samuel 21; Proverbs 1:7 Intro: Jesus' "pregame speech" in Matthew 10 is baffling. He commissions His disciples, promising power (heal sick, raise dead), but warns of intense opposition: sent like sheep among wolves, flogged, arrested, hated, potentially killed. Yet, He commands, "Do not be afraid"! How? By redirecting the...

Scripture References: Hebrews 10:32-11:40 (esp. 11:1, 6, 13-16, 24-27); Mark 8:22-25; 2 Corinthians 4:18; 2 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Corinthians 15:19, 32 Intro: Welcome back to our sermon series on "Forever." We've established that to live well now, we must aim past this life, setting our hearts on things above. But often, our vision of heaven is blurry, like the blind man in Mark 8 who...