Exploring Our Worship and Sermons
- fccsantapaula
- Mar 26, 2019
- 18 min read
Updated: 18 hours ago
Each week, we explore different holy text within the Bible as part of our weekly Sunday sermons. While we base our discussions on the teachings of the Bible, we connect them to our hectic, confusing modern day lives. Our worship services combine reflection on the scripture, singing, praise, praying and a message. Both the pastor and lay people (men, women and children) participate in and lead in worship , service and spiritual growth. Please join us Sundays at 10:00 a.m.!
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PLEASE NOTE: We are meeting in the Sanctuary for worship. Please feel free to come out and join us. If you have questions, please contact us through our Facebook page (@SantaPaulaFCC), email us at fccsp.doc@gmail.com, or call our pastor, Rev. Jenny Crosswhite at 805-351-5501.
This page is regular updated with some of the most recent sermon topics.
SUNDAY, Oct 26, 2025
Scripture: Philippians 2: 1-16
Sermon: FAITH THAT WORKS
Someone called me once while preparing for a Bible study on Philippians 2, feeling puzzled. They had just read, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you.” They said, “I’ve always thought that once I made my profession of faith, I was good to go—so what does this mean?”
I explained that Paul isn’t saying we must earn our salvation. He’s reminding us that faith isn’t a one-time event. It's a lifelong journey of living out our faith in response to how God is working in us. God plants faith in our hearts, but we’re called to nurture it, practice it, and let it shape our daily lives.
When we choose kindness over pride, service over self, and unity over division, we show that faith is alive and growing. Join us Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Philippians 2:1–16 and the theme, “Faith That Works.”
SUNDAY, Oct 19, 2025
Scripture: Isaiah 64: 8 & 2 Corinthians 4: 5-10
Sermon: GOD'S POWER IN CLAY JARS
Working with clay has a lot to teach us about life and faith. Before a potter can shape anything, the clay must be centered on the wheel. If it’s off-balance, it wobbles and falls apart. Working skillfully, the potter shapes the clay with pressure from the outside and support from the inside. The potter knows that clay needs just the right amount of moisture. If it dries out, it cracks and if it’s too wet, it loses its form.
One of my favorite things about clay is that even cracked pots can be mended and made beautiful again both before they are fired, and after. We learn through studying clay that in God’s hands, even the broken pieces of our lives can become something new. We see that in our weakness God’s light shines through.
Join us Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Isaiah 64:8 and 2 Corinthians 4:5–10 and the theme, “God’s Power in Clay Jars.”
SUNDAY, Oct 12, 2025
Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:3-12, 17-19
Sermon: RICH IN GOOD DEEDS
You’ve probably heard it said, “Money is the root of all evil.” But what the Bible actually says is that it’s the love of money that’s the problem. When our love for wealth replaces our love for God and neighbor, it always ends badly. Chasing after wealth and stuff may boost our status, but it can never truly satisfy. Greed always whispers, “Just a little more.”
In our scripture for this week, Paul offers a different kind of wealth: godliness with contentment. Instead of chasing what fades, we’re invited to pursue what lasts—righteousness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Real success isn’t measured by what we own, but by who we’re becoming. Real wealth is found not in what we hold on to, but in what we give away for the good of others and the glory of God.
Join us Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore 1 Timothy 6:3–12, 17–19 and the theme, “Rich in Good Deeds.”
SUNDAY, Oct 5, 2025
Scripture: Romans 8: 18-28
Sermon: GOD OF REDEMPTION
I used to think the phrase, “Everything happens for a reason” was comforting, and then life happened, and it became cold comfort. Did God really cause or allow THAT for a reason? I was a freshman in college, and I was struggling with that possibility. I raised the question at Bible study that week, “Does everything REALLY happen for a reason?” I was deeply relieved by the answer I received, and it helped me to build a stronger foundation for my faith journey and the even more difficult things I would face in the future.
So, what does the Bible say about the truly difficult and/or terrible things that happen in our lives? Join us on Sunday at 10am as we explore Romans 8:18-28 and the theme, “God of Redemption.” What we learn is that the Bible doesn’t say that everything that happens is good, or that God causes it. Instead, it says that no matter what happens, God is at work bringing healing, weaving hope, and writing redemption into our stories.
SUNDAY, Sept 28, 2025
Scripture:1 Corinthians 10: 13; 2 Corinthians 1: 8-11 and Matthew 11: 28-30
Sermon: STRENGTH BEYOND OUR OWN
Ever feel like life is too much? You’re not the only one, and you’re not meant to carry it alone. Unlike the quip, “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” the Bible shows us that sometimes we, like Paul, feel pushed beyond our ability to endure. So, what do we do? We are invited to come to Jesus and lay down our burdens to find rest in life’s difficult seasons.
The reality is that life will throw more at us than we can handle, but never more than God can. Faith isn’t about digging deeper into our own strength but about leaning on God’s strength and the support of community.
Join us this Sunday at 10am as we explore 1 Corinthians 10:13, 2 Corinthians 1:8-11, and Matthew 11:28-30 and seek “Strength Beyond Our Own” when life feels overwhelming.
SUNDAY, Sept 21, 2025
Scripture: John 8: 1-11
Sermon: CLEARING UP A MYTH
In this age of intelligence, knowledge and having computers in our pockets, its amazing that we as people can just as easily spread half truths and misconceptions in the blink of an eye.
Many of us have heard things for years that we believed were in scripture, however this is not always the case! The bible calls us to love people and turn people away from sin, not weaponize our faith and engage in finger pointing to tell everyone else they are wrong.
We are called by Jesus to love each other. That love does not mean to be dismissive of people's sins, but we are not called to be arbiters and place judgment on this that we see are not acting in line with what we feel is right.
SUNDAY, Sept 14, 2025
Scripture: Isaiah 25: 1-6 & Romans 5: 6-8
Sermon: OUR HELP IN TIMES OF NEED
You’ve probably heard the saying, “God helps those who help themselves.” It sounds biblical—but is it? Our scriptures this week paint a very different picture. They show us a God who is a refuge for those in need, a shelter in distress, and a Savior who steps in when we are powerless. A God who helps even when we haven’t proven ourselves and can’t fix things on our own.
Of course, there are steps in life only we can take. But often we need help first before we can move forward. And the good news is that God has never waited for people to “get it all together” before showing up. Again and again throughout history, God has parted seas, opened doors, and made a way where none seemed possible.
Join us this Sunday at 10am as we explore Isaiah 25:1-6 and Romans 5:6-8 and the theme “Our Help in Times of Need.”
SUNDAY, Sept 7, 2025
Scripture: Isaiah 61
Sermon: A Flourishing Community
Last week we explored the Year of Jubilee in Leviticus 25. It was meant to be a time when debts were forgiven, land was restored, and freedom was proclaimed. The reality, however, was that the community struggled to live into God’s vision. In Isaiah 61—later read by Jesus when he declared these words fulfilled in him—we are reminded that even when we fall short, God still cares deeply about the wellbeing of the whole community.
In a world where many are overworked, underpaid, or unseen, God’s promise points us toward justice, release, and flourishing. As we reflect on our own callings and the work of others, may we give thanks for the labor that sustains us, pray for those who struggle under the weight of work, and commit ourselves to shaping a community where all can share in the blessings of God’s good news.
Join us this Sunday at 10am as we explore Isaiah 61 and the theme “A Flourishing Community.”
SUNDAY, August 31, 2025
Scripture: Leviticus 25: 1-19
Sermon: THE GIFT OF REST
When we think of “rest,” we usually picture a nap, a vacation, or just catching our breath after a busy week. But in Leviticus 25, God shows us something bigger. Rest isn’t only for us as individuals; it’s for the whole community and even the land itself. The Year of Jubilee was designed to be God’s way of hitting the reset button: debts forgiven, families restored, land renewed, and freedom for all.
Rest, then, is about more than stopping work. It’s about trusting God to provide, living with balance, and helping others find renewal too. Embracing the gift of rest makes us people of restoration and wholeness. It invites us to ask, “How can I make space for others to rest?” because rest is a gift that is meant to be shared. This scripture gives us a glimpse of God’s vision of justice, healing, and joy for all creation.
Join us this Sunday at 10am as we explore Leviticus 25:1-19 and the theme “The Gift of Rest.”
SUNDAY, August 24, 2025
Scripture: Genesis 1: 26-2:3
Sermon: WHAT KIND OF REST?
This week we continue our exploration of rest with a question, “What Kind of Rest?” In our scripture for this week, we are reminded that we are created in the image of God, blessed, and given a purpose. We are also reminded that even God rested as part of the rhythm of creation. This rest was not rest of exhaustion, but the rest of completion, delight, and presence.
What difference might it make if we thought of our Sabbath day with God as the first day of the week and not a place we collapse in exhaustion at the end of the week? This text reminds us of the importance of taking time to remember that our identity begins in relationship, not in production. We are invited to join God in celebrating creation’s goodness (yes, we are part of that goodness), trusting God’s care, and living in a rhythm where our work flows from worship.
Join us this Sunday at 10am as we explore rest that is wholeness, joy, and sacred time. That is, rest that is a gift meant to shape every part of life. We will be exploring Genesis 1:26-2:3 and the theme “What Kind of Rest?”
SUNDAY, August 17, 2025
Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3: 1-13
Sermon: SACRED INTERMISSIONS
We are living in a noisy, restless time. The headlines change by the hour. Political tension, global conflict, and economic uncertainty swirl around us. Our calendars are packed, our phones buzz constantly, and the pace of life keeps getting faster. The pressure to keep up never seems to stop.
And yet… life still moves in seasons. There are times for planting and harvesting, weeping and laughing, working and resting. Ecclesiastes 3 reminds us that God sets a rhythm for all things… one that’s often very different from the chaos around us.
The reality is that most of us aren’t great at slowing down and treat rest as a reward instead of a gift. Yet God creates opportunities for us to step back, take a breath, and remember who we are… and who God is. These holy pauses remind us that we don’t have to hold the whole world together on our own.
Join us this Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 and the theme “Sacred Intermissions.”
SUNDAY, August 10, 2025
Scripture: 1 Kings 19: 1-9
Sermon: RELEASE INTO REST
After what he thought was a big win on Mount Carmel, Elijah expected things to change. But instead of peace, he saw more threats, more danger, and nothing getting better. Finally, he saw the weight of the situation, and it broke him. Exhausted and discouraged, Elijah fled to the wilderness and told God he was done. God didn’t respond with scolding or shame. Instead, God gave him space to rest and sent an angel with food and water.
This story reminds us that even when we feel burnt out or fed up, God meets us with care. Before asking us to keep going, God invites us to stop, breathe, and be cared for. There are times to work hard, and times to rest. When we’ve seen too much, carried too much, or feel tired and empty, what we may need most isn’t more effort but real rest. We don’t have to hold it all together all the time. Release it into rest. God will still be there. And once renewed, we’re more ready for the journey ahead.
Please join us on Sunday at 10 a.m. We will be exploring 1 Kings 19:1-9 and the theme, “Release into Rest.”
SUNDAY, August 3, 2025
Scripture: Acts 16: 16-40
Sermon: SPIRIT ON THE MOVE
From the day the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus’ first disciples at Pentecost, the ways the Spirit moved through the early church, and beyond, were incredible. In this week’s text, we see how the Spirit brought justice, freedom, and hope. From releasing a young girl from an oppressive situation, to shaking open the doors of a prison and transforming an entire household, the Spirit of God was moving through both confrontation and compassion, in justice and in joy.
Wherever there is bondage, whether spiritual, social, or systemic, the Spirit is at work to set people free. When we look around at all that’s wrong in the world, this story reminds us that there is still hope. The Spirit is still moving, still freeing, still transforming. Are we paying attention to where the Spirit is moving today?
Please join us on Sunday at 10 a.m. We will be exploring Acts 16:16-40 and the theme, “Spirit on the Move.”
SUNDAY, July 27, 2025
Scripture: Acts 15: 1-21
Sermon: STORIES THE SPIRIT TELLS THROUGH US
Sometimes the best way the Holy Spirit speaks today is through the stories we share about what God is doing in our lives. In Acts 15, the early church faced a big question: Did Gentile (non-Jewish) followers of Jesus have to obey all the Jewish laws to belong?
The answer did not come from rules or debates, it came from real-life stories. Peter testified to how the Holy Spirit had been given to the Gentiles, just like it had to the Jewish believers. Paul and Barnabas shared amazing stories of lives being changed and miracles happening among new believers. These stories made it clear that God was already at work, welcoming people by grace, not by rules. This radically changed the church’s future.
The same is true today. The Spirit is still speaking through us. What story of God’s love, welcome, or healing could you share? You never know how your story might encourage someone or even change the way they see God.
Service begins on Sunday at 10 a.m. We will be exploring Acts 15:1-21 and the theme, “Stories the Spirt Tells Through Us.”
SUNDAY, July 20, 2025
Scripture: Acts 11: 1-18
Sermon: ALL MEANS ALL
Human beings naturally migrate into groups of like-minded people. We naturally form into groups – into tribes - it’s what we do politically, socially, educationally.
But, what happens when tribalism is taken to the extreme? In a culture where we identify ourselves as members of certain tribes, we can easily forget our personhood and the personhood of those in other tribes.
In the early church there were tribes too. So, Peter comes back to Jerusalem after an amazing, powerful and God-inspired missionary trip and he receives no “atta boys,” he receives no accolades or congratulations for the miracles he performed on God’s behalf. What he gets is accusations and animosity for breaking the tribal barriers. YOU! You went into the home of the uncircumcised and you ate with them! That’s not allowed. You can’t associate with “those people.” We don’t like “them” because they are not us.
But that’s not God’s message, is it? God’s message is we are more alike than we are different. God’s message is that there is no one individual, no one group of people, that is “unclean.” God’s message is that we need to break down and break through those tribal barriers that separate us so that we can BE the BODY of CHRIST in the world.
Join us at First Christian Church, 829 Railroad Ave on Sunday at 10:00am where we will read from Acts 11: 1-18 and hear God’s message that All Means All.
SUNDAY, July 13, 2025
Scripture: Acts 9: 19b-31
Sermon: A STORY ONLY THE SPIRIT COULD WRITE
After Saul’s unexpected transformation, he went from being one of the biggest persecutors of the church to one of its most passionate and well-known witnesses. His integration into the community of people following Jesus, however, was not immediate, as there was understandable suspicion about whether he had really changed.
Through the work of the Holy Spirit and advocacy of other disciples, like Barnabas, space was made for Saul to find belonging and protection in the very community he once tried to destroy.
Join us as we reflect on what it means to embrace unlikely stories of grace, offer belonging to one another, and trust the Spirit to keep writing new chapters of hope.
Service begins on Sunday at 10 a.m. We will be exploring Acts 9:19b-31 and the theme, “A Story Only the Spirit Could Write.”
SUNDAY, July 6, 2025
Scripture: Acts 8: 26-38
Sermon: SPIRIT LED WELCOME
In our scripture for this week, Philip is guided by the Holy Spirit to take a desert road where he meets someone completely unexpected. The Ethiopian official he encounters is a foreigner and a eunuch. He is someone who would have been excluded by most religious communities. Yet with God, no one is out of reach.
This story shows how the good news of Jesus breaks through cultural, geographic, and religious barriers. When the eunuch asks, “What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” the answer is simple: nothing at all.
As we read this story, we’re reminded to pay attention to where the Spirit might be leading us to overcome obstacles, take risks, and trust that God is inviting us to be instruments of God’s welcome.
Join us Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Acts 8:26-38 and the theme, “Spirit-Led Welcome.”
SUNDAY, June 29, 2025
Scripture: Acts 7: 54-8:3
Sermon: THE SPIRIT MOVES, EVEN HERE
When it feels like things are falling apart in our lives or our world, it is easy to start to wonder if God is still here. In our scripture this week, Stephen is filled with the Holy Spirit as he speaks boldly about Jesus. Unfortunately, it will ultimately cost him his life. But even in the middle of that tragedy, God was still at work.
Stephen offered Spirit-filled forgiveness to those killing him, including a man named Saul. In that moment, Saul seemed like the least likely person to follow Jesus, yet the time will come when God transforms him into Paul, one of the early church’s greatest leaders. Also, even as persecution scatters the early church, the message of Jesus spreads farther than anyone could have imagined.
The Holy Spirit has a way of showing up in places we least expect, bringing courage, forgiveness, and surprising transformation. Where do you need the Spirit’s help today?
Join us Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Acts 7:54-8:3 and the theme, “The Spirit Moves, Even Here.”
SUNDAY, June 22, 2025
Scripture: Acts 3: 1-16
Sermon: Spirit of Restoration
In our scripture for this week, Peter and John are headed to the temple to pray when something miraculous happens. These two ordinary men, transformed by the Spirit at Pentecost, help a man sitting outside the temple begging find healing and hope. The same Spirit who came like wind and fire now moves through an act of compassion and bold faith, restoring a man’s body and giving him a new place in the community.
In response, the man doesn’t just walk, he leaps, praises God, and joins the people in the temple, a place he had likely never fully belonged. His transformation becomes a public witness to the power of Jesus’ name and the Spirit’s presence.
This Spirit still empowers today. We are invited to see the needs around us and to act, not with our own strength, but trusting that the Spirit can work through us. Like Peter and John, may we see the people around us as God sees them and respond accordingly with compassion and care.
Join us Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore Acts 3:1-16 and the theme, “Spirit of Restoration.”
SUNDAY, June 15, 2025
Scripture: John 16: 1-4a, 12-15
Sermon: Spirit of Truth
The world is filled with loud opinions and confident claims, but Jesus reminds us that not all certainty is grounded in truth. Jesus warns his disciples that some will persecute them thinking they are worshiping God, but really their religious certainty is disconnected from the heart of God. The tragedy here is not just in the harm done, but also the misunderstanding of who God is.
But how will they know the difference? Jesus promises the Spirit of Truth—One who will guide them gradually into deeper understanding. The Spirit doesn’t deliver a one-time download of facts but walks with us, revealing truth as we’re ready to receive it.
In an age where misinformation spreads quickly and many claim to speak for God, this promise is more vital than ever. The Spirit of Truth calls us to humility, not arrogance; to listening, not shouting; to relationship, not rigid ideology. Truth is not a weapon—it is a way of life grounded in love, guided by the Spirit, and centered on Christ.
Join us Sunday at 10 a.m. as we explore John 16:1-4, 12-15 and the theme, “Spirit of Truth.”
SUNDAY, June 8, 2025
Scripture: Acts 2: 1-13
Sermon: BEYOND EXPECTATIONS
Pentecost is celebrated as the moment when heaven broke into the world in a new way — and everything changed. One thing about change is that even good change can be hard. The disciples had just lost their teacher, mentor, and friend. They were hiding in an upper room, cut off from the world, when the Holy Spirit descended — disrupting their grief and fear and sending them out into the streets. Their voices echoed in every language, reaching people they never imagined they could speak to. That day, they crossed boundaries of culture, language, and nation. God moved in surprising and disruptive ways, challenging assumptions and opening the disciples to live in the world in a new way. At Pentecost, the church was born not by staying put, but by moving out — filled with power, speaking with boldness, and welcoming the world. Today, the Spirit still calls us to go beyond what we know and to trust that God meets us there.
SUNDAY, June 1, 2025
Scripture: Isaiah 55
Sermon: BEYOND SCARCITY
Summer is around the corner, and with it, there are many distractions, draws on resources and things requiring our focus and large amounts of our energy on a daily basis, that we can feel that there is nothing left to give. Too often, we will choose convenience and comfort over doing what we are called to do by the Lord.
In this time of year, there are so many things pulling us and our focus in many directions: graduations, promotions, weddings, news, the economy etc
There is a scarcity of energy, and a scarcity of focus due to the demands being placed on us from all angles. That scarcity can lead to an attitude of and feelings of lacking, of wanting, and not feeling that we can meet the ever changing needs of our lives on a daily basis. Throughout his ministry and time physically on Earth, Jesus was pulled in many directions: developing and cultivating the faith of the disciples and people of the time, performing miracles and furthering the Kingdom of God, while understanding that he too, would face scarcity, a scarcity of time. Christ knew his time was limited, but his impact on this world would not be.
Join us Sunday at 10am, as we explore Isaiah 55 and the theme, “Beyond Scarcity.
SUNDAY, May 18, 2025
Scripture: Luke 4: 16-30
Sermon: BEYOND OURSELVES
When Jesus was in the earlier days of his earthly ministry, he read a scroll in his hometown synagogue and proclaimed the good news. It was a message not just for the familiar and faithful, but for outsiders and enemies. His message stirs up anger, not because it’s unclear, but because it’s uncomfortably clear: God’s grace extends beyond “us.” The crowd’s fury reveals how hard it can be to accept that God’s love includes those we often exclude.
This passage pushes us beyond the walls we build (religious, cultural, political) and invites us into God’s wider vision. To move beyond comfort, fear, and tribal loyalty into love that reaches across every divide. This is the gospel: not just for some, but for all. The question for us is whether we’ll stay safe and familiar, or risk stepping beyond ourselves into God’s transforming mission.
Join us Sunday at 10am, as we explore Luke 4:16-30 and the theme, “Beyond Ourselves.”
SUNDAY, May 11, 2025
Scripture: Hebrews 8: 1-7
Sermon: BEYOND THE SHADOWS
After Easter, it’s tempting to settle back into routine, as though resurrection was a moment and not a movement. The scripture for this week urges us to think bigger. It reminds us that the earthly tabernacle, where the priests once served, was only a shadow of something far greater.
Easter doesn’t just take us back to life, it takes us beyond the shadow. Jesus didn’t rise to return us to old rituals or religion. He rose to draw us into something real, lasting, and eternal, that embraced the fullness of God’s presence.
Too often, we settle for spiritual shadows. That is, habits or traditions that mimic faith without fully experiencing its power. Jesus invites us into something more: real connection, real grace, and real transformation. We are not called to stay in the shadow. We are called to go beyond it.
Join us Sunday at 10am, as we explore Hebrews 8:1-7 and the theme, “Beyond the Shadows.”
SUNDAY, May 4, 2025
Scripture: Ephesians 3: 1-21
Sermon: LIVING BEYOND
After Easter, we face a question similar to that of Jesus’ first disciples. What does life look like now? How do we live beyond the grave? How do we live as Easter people in a world that sometimes seems uncertain?
Ephesians 3 gives us a vision of life beyond what we thought possible, beyond barriers, and beyond suffering. It’s a life that is shaped by the mystery and power of God’s grace. Paul reminds us that the resurrection calls us beyond exclusion, so no one is left out of God’s family. Beyond limitations, where even our weakness becomes a stage for grace. Beyond death and despair where love and life have the final word.
Paul’s prayer at the heart of this chapter invites us deeper still—to live beyond human power and the weight of the past. We are called into a life rooted in Christ’s boundless love and filled with a Spirit who can do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.”
Join us Sunday at 10am, as we explore Ephesians 3:1-21 and the theme, “Living Beyond.”
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