Hope is a powerful thing. In moments of dark despair hope can be a shining beacon. But we must be careful where we place our hope because the source of our hope must be stronger than our struggles. Greater despair comes when we realize that the thing in which we have put our hope is weak and ineffective. We continue our sermon series on "Fear and H…

Romans 15:5, Romans 12:16, Philippians 2:5, Romans 8:5, Romans 12:3, 1 Corinthians 13:11, Philippians 3:15 We are called to be of the same mind and therefore in harmony in that way. This comes from seeking to have the same mindset as Jesus rather than focusing on human desires. _______________________________ Orchard Community Church 8180 Telephone…

Galatians 5:13 and Mark 10:35-45 We are called to serve one another in love. Serving others is a way to put our love for one another into practice in concrete ways in this world. Serving others is also the model that Jesus set for us, and at the very heart of who he was. Having a servant's heart is one of the greatest attributes we can have in God'…

Fear is usually thought of as a negative thing (unless you are one of those strange people who enjoy horror movies). We try to avoid or overcome fear. We want to feel safe, certain, and secure rather than fearful. We often cry out to God because we are afraid of situations in our life so we ask for God's help. Yet when we dig into God's Word we lea…

Surrender, Sacrifice, Service - Guest Preacher Nita Hanson Philippians 2:5-8, Matthew 10:37-39 ________________________________________________________ Orchard Community Church 8180 Telephone Rd Ventura CA 93004 www.OrchardVentura.org Contact us at Info@OrchardVentura.org Orchard's Streaming and Song Select CCLI# 160190…

We use the word great with casual frequency. A movie is great. That new ice cream flavor is great. Our favorite pro athlete is great. What do we really mean by saying something is great? Great compared to what? In Isaiah 40, God's people are struggling and God is sending them a message to comfort them. He does this by giving them an immense perspec…

What are you afraid of? Fear is rampant in our society today. We are barraged by images and ideas that stir up a sense of lostness, hopelessness, and fear. We grab onto those things that we think will fix our fear. We put our hope in things that promise an answer to, or at least some sense of relief from, our fears. Where we put our hope reveals ou…

"Honor and be Humble with One Another" Romans 12:10, I Peter 5:5 and Philippines 2:1-11, Matthew 23:12. Scripture calls to honor one another, which means to put others above ourselves, and to humble ourselves means to put ourselves below or behind others. Jesus is our best example of both of these things, and we also see from Him that, in the end, …

"Encourage and Build Up One Another" 2 Corinthians 13:11, Romans 14:19, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 3:13, 1 Thessalonians 4:18, 1 Timothy 5:1-2, Hebrews 10:23-25 Life and faith are hard; for these reasons, scripture calls us to "encourage one another" and "build one another up. We are to be a support system for one another to carry us through har…

Worry, anxiety, fear, and cruelty seem to be the prevailing spirit of our culture and all too often within the church. The media, advertisements, internet personalities and politicians prey upon these emotions and are constantly fueling the fire in our hearts. It is easy for us to fall into the trap and get swept along. In a sermon titled "Guarding…

"Members of One Another" Romans 12:3-8 and Matthew 12:46-50 Christianity is not a solo quest, nor is it something we do together with no responsibility to one another. Scripture says that we are "members of one another," which means we share a deep spiritual bond and commitment to one another in Christ. _____________________________________________…

Someone humorously lamented, 'I've always wanted to be somebody, but I see now I should have been more specific.' How do you want people to view you? How do you identify yourself when asked? How do you portray yourself on social media? Often people’s identity is wrapped up in their job, their hobbies, their kids or grandkids, their ministry or volu…

"Love and Forgive One Another" John 13:34-35 and Colossians 3:13 To begin this series, we'll look at the two "one another" statements that are most fundamental to our life together in community, the call to love and forgive one another, and note how they both flow from our relationship with Jesus. ___________________________________________________…

First impressions are always tough to navigate. You want to leave the people you are meeting with a good representation of you. But what can make those first impressions difficult is when the people you are meeting come in with preconceived notions of who you are. They might assume things, misunderstand you, and even attribute actions to you incorr…

“Worship vs Ritual” Matthew 15:8, Isaiah 29:13, Psalm 29:1-2, John 9:39 When we’re just going through the motion spiritually, our worship degenerates into an empty ritual because our desire is not for God, so our hearts are not in it. It’s about worshipping Jesus. _____________________________________________________ Going Through the Motions (Tent…

We conclude our sermon series on 2 Peter with a sermon simply called "Growing in Grace." We look back on the main themes of this letter and explore how we can and should continue to grow in grace today.Por Pastor Dave Daye

“Conformed vs Transformed” Romans 12:2 Mark 1:16-20, Romans 8:29 When we’re just going through the motions spiritually, we inevitably begin to conform to the patterns of this world rather than seeking to be transformed and conformed more and more into the likeness of Christ. It’s about becoming like Jesus. “Good Deeds vs. Serving Jesus” James 2:14-…

How do we grow in grace? This would seem an impossible task since grace is something that is given to us. As we look at the final passage in our 2 Peter Sermon series called "Growing in Grace," we will see that Peter gives us several ways that we can grow in grace. We need to nurture a focus in our lives on what Christ has done for us through his d…

Today Jimmy Mac, Orchard's Worship Director, shares his faith story. Orchard Community Church 8180 Telephone Rd Ventura CA 93004 www.OrchardVentura.org Contact us at Info@OrchardVentura.org Orchard's Streaming and Song Select CCLI# 160190Por Orchard Community Church

I've called this sermon on 2 Peter 3:8-14 "Preparing for the End of the World." (How's that for an attention-grabbing, click-baity title?) I have found that there are basically two types of Christians: those who get obsessed with studying the end times and those that want to avoid anything to do with it (largely because they want to avoid talking a…

“Living for Self vs. Living for Jesus” James 4:13-15, Psalm 24:1-2, Romans 12:1, 1 Thessalonians 2:4 When we’re just going through the motions spiritually, we begin to believe we belong to ourselves and live for ourselves rather than remembering that we belong to God and seek to live for Him. It’s about belonging to and living for Jesus. __________…

Some people struggle with feeling like God just doesn't care or that he really isn't involved in the affairs of this world. Just over 2000 years ago Jesus ascended into heaven and said he would come back to take us to be with him. But where is he? As time goes by, it is easy to give up hope. In a sermon called "The Power of God's Word" we look at 2…

Religion vs. Faith Matthew 13:15, 15:8, Hebrews 11:1-3, 6, John 6:68-69 When we’re just going through the motions spiritually, we can easily slip into religion in the worst sense of the word, which simply means doing religious stuff rather than seeking to have vibrant and alive faith in Jesus. It’s about believing in Jesus. ________________________…

In all of the political turmoil going on right now, never once have I heard someone say, "You know what we need? We really need to go back to being a British colony!" Can you imagine going through the Revolutionary War, fighting for freedom, winning, gaining our independence... and then just going back? In a sermon called "Trading Treasure for Tras…

One Crazy Farmer Mark 4:1-9 and Ephesians 17-18 In this parable from Mark, Jesus tells about a farmer who sows seed in some strange places where it’s unlikely to grow, but the seed that does grow produces an amazing yield. The point is that God reaches out to everyone, and those who respond experience amazing transformation, which the Ephesian pass…

In a sermon called "A Problem with Authority," we look at 2 Peter 2:1-12 as part of our sermon series on 2 Peter called "Growing in Grace." In chapter two of this letter, Peter highlights some false teachings that have infiltrated the church. He warns the people against these teachings and these teachers. We look at the first aspect of their false …

Remember Esther 9:20 - 10:3 As God's people are saved, they respond with a celebration, the Jewish festival of Purim. It's a celebration of looking backward and remembering but also moving forward. All the stories of deliverance in the Bible, including Esther, foreshadow the ultimate deliverance of God's people through the salvation we have in Jesu…

We continue our sermon series called "Growing in Grace" on 2 Peter by looking at 2 Peter 1:12-21 in a sermon called "Reminded of Truth." We all need to remember important things. In his letter of 2 Peter, Peter says again and again that he is writing to remind his readers of important things. We look at why we need reminders and why it is important…

"Saved" Esther 9:1-19 In another stunning reversal, the decree of life is carried out. People marked for death are spared and given a new lease of life. This reversal feels harsh to us, but it would have been seen as equal justice in the time. And yet this event foreshadows a much greater reversal, one in which life also came out of death—the Cross…

Sin is rampant. There is war, disease, and natural disasters. In addition to this, the world is against God and his church. At best Christians are seen as foolish, naive or backwards. At worst, the church is hated and persecuted. Within the church, there is corruption, abuse and false teachers. As we look around it seems overwhelming and we wonder …

"A Decree of Life" Esther 8:1-17 God's providence leads to another reversal. An irrevocable decree that brought death to the Jews had been given, but now a counter degree bringing life. In the same way, a decree of death stands against us for our sin that can't be revoked, but the counter decree of the gospel has been issued, bringing life. When we…

As we continue our "Growing in Grace" sermon series on 2 Peter, we will look at 2 Peter 1:5-11 in a sermon called "Faith in Action." Grace is not something we can know but remain unchanged. If we believe in what Jesus has done in our lives then we cannot remain who we were when we were saved. Peter challenges us to "make every effort" to live out o…

"Justice of a Sort" Esther 7:1-10 God provides another amazing reversal; justice is served, and Hamman meets the fate that he had set for Mordecai. The death of a substitute satisfied the King's wrath. With Mordecai and Haman, it was the guilty dying in the place of the innocent; with Jesus and us, it is the innocent dying in the place of the guilt…

Have you ever packed for a trip and then had that feeling like you were forgetting something? I feel this way every time I pack! I can't imagine leaving the house for a trip and being absolutely sure that I had everything I needed. In our "Growing in Grace" sermon series on 2 Peter, we are looking at 2 Peter 1:1-4 in a sermon called "Everything We …

"The Man the King Delights to Honor" Esther 6:1-14 God's providence leads to a great reversal; Mordecai is honored instead of Hamman. This is really no surprise since scripture says that God "opposes the proud and shows favor to the humble." Both Hamman and Mordecai were servants of the King, but Mordecai had the humble heart of a servant, so he wa…

We are starting a new sermon series called "Growing in Grace" which will cover the New Testament book of 2 Peter. In this short letter, Peter, knowing his life would soon be over, gives some final reminders to people he cares about. Most importantly, he wants them to know the grace given to them through Christ and for them to be diligent to live li…

"The Prequel" John 14:15-31 At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out with power on all believers, and the church was formed. With this passage for today, Jesus helps us understand that the Holy Spirit comes to help us to know Him more, to live our faith in Him, and to continue His ministry in the world. Orchard Community Church 8180 Telephone R…

When we became followers of Christ, we began to look at the world differently. Almost as if we were given brand new eyes to see with. The way we view our culture and the world changes when Christ comes into our lives. But in a sermon titled "Spiritual Blindness" we look at an encounter between a physically blind man and Jesus that shines a light on…

"Approaching the King" Esther 5:1-14 In this passage, we have contrasting characters. Esther approaches the king by faith and with humility. Haman has an approach, too; his is one of foolish pride in his accomplishments. With God, it's never about accomplishment; it's always about relationships. Do we know and belong to Him? _______________________…

We conclude our sermon series on the local church called "A Peculiar Unity" by looking at Ephesians 3:20-21 in a sermon titled "The Power and the Glory." There are times throughout history when having faith in Jesus has not been popular. Followers of Jesus face persecution and ridicule. It is easy to get discouraged and feel like being a Christian …

"Seize the Moment" Esther 4:1-17 God will accomplish His purposes. The question is whether He'll do so through or in spite of us. In this passage, Mordechai and Esther's faith comes to life, and they begin to follow God's lead. No matter where we find ourselves, we can be confident that God can use us for his purposes. God's providence leads Esther…

We continue our sermon series called "A Peculiar Unity" where we are looking at the importance of the local church in God's plans. In a sermon called "Guardrails," we look at how our unity must be shaped by a common mission and shared values as we look at the mission statement and core values of Orchard. I hope we are all be challenged to make sure…

"Buckle Up" Esther 2:19-3:15 We live in a broken world where life is often hard and unfair, and we often sin and suffer, but God is always near and at work for the good of His people. So we always have hope, not least of which is for a greater King! ________________________________________________________ Esther God Behind the Scenes Esther is the …

I remember as a kid watching reruns of the show called "The Lone Ranger." Just the title gives away the basic idea which is that there is one person, who is all by himself, taking on the world. Of course, he wasn't actually all by himself as he had help along the way. But our culture today values the idea of a person who does not need anyone and is…

"God Prepares the Way" Esther 2:1-18 While Xerxes is enacting his plan, God's providence leads Esther to become Queen because of the role she will play in His plan. God is often at work in our lives in ways we can't see, and He can use us despite our situations, shortcomings, and sins. _______________________________________________________________…

If we want a cup of coffee, we have a lot of different places to go. We can go to Tim Hortons one day, McDonalds on another day, and then Starbucks on another day. There is nothing wrong with this. But what if we have this attitude toward the church? There should be a difference between our attitude toward our place for coffee and our local church.…

“Where is God?” Esther 1:1-22 It may seem to us at times that God is absent when, in fact, He is present behind the scenes. God used one person standing up for what was right, exposing the frailty of this worldly kingdom and creating the opportunity for his plan to unfold. God's power and providence mean we always have hope, not least of which is f…

There are many ways to be united with other people. You can find others who are just like you. You can find others who like the same things you like. You can find people who hate the same things you hate. But at some point something can change. Maybe you don't like or hate the same things anymore. What happens to the unity then? If our unity is dep…

I Am the Bread of Life Jesus is the one who fills us John 6: 32-39 Guest Preacher - Melinda Hoyt Orchard Community Church 8180 Telephone Rd Ventura CA 93004 www.OrchardVentura.org Contact us at Info@OrchardVentura.org Orchard's Streaming and Song Select CCLI# 160190Por Orchard Community Church

"When God wanted to bring the incredible message about new life through His Son’s death and resurrection to the world, He didn’t create a program, build a structure, or start a country. He used a group of people. Though these people were different from each other and were each flawed, what joined them together was that they had been changed by Jesu…