Church of the City New York

This Sunday, Pastor Jon pointed us to Jesus' unexpected faithfulness in the face of criticism, cultural pressures, disappointments, and suffering. He reminded us that as Jesus' disciples we must follow His lead, not losing the nerve to stand apart or hearts that freely love through seasons of hardship.

UNEXPECTED PEACE - This Sunday, Pastor SUZY preached through the story of Jesus calming the storm and ushering in unexpected peace in the midst of fear. She encouraged us to learn from the disciples, and instead look to Jesus with eyes of faith, trusting that He is who He says He is, and that His heat and plan are always good.

UNEXPECTED VISITATION - This past Sunday, guest Pastor Rafael Castillo preached about the power behind the resurrected Jesus' encounter with the disciples on the road to Emmaus. He taught that, like He did for these disciples, Jesus can defy our expectations, bring revelation, inspire a spirit of hospitality, and set a fresh fire in our hearts.

NO QUID PRO QUO - This Sunday Pastor Dr. Bryan Loritts, called on us to follow the command of Jesus to give up our rights, love our enemies, and be reconciled to each other.

UNEXPECTED EXTRAVAGANCE - This past Sunday, Pastor OLIVIA preached about Mary of Bethany pouring out a year's worth of wages onto Jesus' s feet. Just like King David before her, Mary became undignified before the Lord, washing His feet with her hair and sitting on the floor to listen to Him speak, all because she was able to recognize the presence of God and the beautiful opportunity she had to worship Him.

UNEXPECTED KINGDOM: This past Sunday, Pastor Jon Tyson kicked off the Unexpected Jesus series by exploring Jesus as an unexpected king bringing about a new kingdom, and challenged us to reorient ourselves toward the true Gospel.

SIN: FALLING SHORT - This Sunday, as we enter into Holy Week, Pastor Suzy preached on sin as falling short of God's perfection, by reflecting on Jesus's suffering in the garden of Gethsemane the night before his crucifixion. While many of us may want to skip from Palm Sunday straight to the victory of Easter, Holy Week is an invitation for us to look at our sin, recognize everything it cost Jesus to forgive and to redeem us, and enter into his suffering with him.

Pastor Jon Tyson delves into the concept of lawlessness and its impact on our relationship with God, highlighting the dangers of rebellion and selfishness. He emphasizes the need for believers to combat sin by embracing salvation and resisting the toxic culture of the world, advocating for a deeper spiritual connection with Jesus to maintain hope-based holiness.

SIN: ADULTERY - This past Sunday, Pastor Ashley preached on sin as adultery. Adultery can be defined as not only violating a law, but also as breaching our relationship with the God who loves us enough to tolerate no other lovers in our lives. Just like the Israelites, we can fall into the sin of adultery in three ways: 1) distrusting God; 2) not sharing in God's purpose; and 3) forgetting God's faithfulness. Even though we still break His covenant today, God has paved a path of mercy and restoration for us through the life of Jesus and the price He paid on the cross.

SIN: IDOLATRY - This past Sunday, Pastor Olivia preached on how idolatry can creep deep into our hearts without us even knowing something has become an idol until we actually sin. If we are not careful to guard and examine our hearts, our impatience with the Lord can lead us into idolatry, which can then lead to immorality and consequently, independence from God.