by Pastor Patrick Cho

Dear LBCSD family and friends!

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful week and walking in the Lord! This morning I was reading through the end of Leviticus and came across a fascinating passage in chapter 25. Part of this chapter is devoted to the instructions given about the Sabbath year (vv. 1-7). Basically the way this worked was that Israel was permitted to farm their land for six consecutive years, but on the seventh year they would need to allow the ground to rest. Part of this was to give the land time to recuperate, but perhaps the greater reason for the Sabbath year was to follow after the pattern of creation in obedience to the God of creation. Simply put, God required it so the people were expected to follow.

This is one of those passages in Scripture where obedience to the Word of God on the part of God’s people certainly became exceptionally practical. We are sometimes tested with moments of obedience, decisions here and there, but Israel was asked to exercise trust in God for an entire year (every seven years)! Imagine not being able to sow or reap a harvest for a year! Even if you had some food saved up, how could you adequately prepare for such a time? God answers the question in vv. 20-21. Basically He promises that He would provide for them during the sixth year with enough food for three years – food for the sixth year itself, food for the seventh year with the Sabbath, and food for the eighth year while they awaited the new crop!

It makes me wonder how many Israelites worried at the end of the fifth year, as the sixth year approached, whether God would keep His promise. How easy would it have become to simply trust that food came as a result of labor and natural processes (e.g., good soil, rain, etc.). Why should the sixth year produce three times as much food? Consider how much faith this would have required on a regular basis.

There are times when God gets into our comfort zones and challenges us to believe in Him. When we go through seasons of doubt with our feelings, can we confidently return to our faithful God and the promises He has made in Scripture? He doesn’t only challenge us in spiritual areas, but is also the God of the practical and everyday. This passage also serves as a reminder that God is our great provider. What do we have that has not been given to us? How easy is it for us to fall into the belief that our income is only the result of our own effort and time? The jobs we have are God’s grace to us. The money we earn is God’s grace to us. The food we purchase and prepare is God’s grace to us. Praise God for His gracious provision and kindness to us!

In His grace,

Pastor Patrick

Here are some opportunities for ministry for you to consider!

1. This Week. There is no Single Life Bible study tonight because of the retreat this weekend. Grace Life and Kids Club will be meeting on Thursday at 6:30pm. College and Youth will still be meeting on Friday at 7pm.
2. Sunday. This Sunday, since it is the first Sunday of the month, we will be taking communion so please come with your hearts prepared for that time. We are planning to continue in our study of Titus looking at Titus 3:5b-6.
3. Sunday School. Due to the singles retreat, we will not have Sunday School classes during second hour this weekend. All classes will resume the following weekend.
4. Shepherds’ Conference. Please pray for the men who will be attending the Shepherds’ Conference next week at Grace Community Church. Pray that God would use that time to build up the leadership of the church and that the men would be greatly blessed by the time of worship, instruction, and fellowship together.
5. Membership Class. The next membership class will be on Saturday, March 19, from 9am-12pm, and Sunday, March 20, from 2-5pm. Attendance at both classes is mandatory. If you are interested in becoming a member at LBC San Diego, please contact Pastor Patrick for an application (pastorpatrick@gmail.com).
6. Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. On Friday, March 25, we will have a special Good Friday service at the church at 6:30pm. Come out as we take time to remember Christ’s work on the cross. Then on Sunday, March 27, we will have a Resurrection Sunday service during our regular morning service time. Also on that Sunday, at 7:30am, you can come out for a breakfast fellowship at the church. Be sure to invite family and friends to hear the awesome message of the gospel!

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Dear LBCSD family and friends!

I hope you are enjoying a wonderful week! One of the great words from the book of Titus is soteros. This is the word that is translated “savior” and is repeated twice in each chapter (1:3; 1:4; 2:10; 2:13; 3:4; 3:6). Since the time of the Old Testament, God’s people have known Him to be a wonderful savior. In 2 Samuel 22:3, David cries out, “My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; my savior, You save me from violence.” The Lord Himself proclaims, “I, even I, am YHWH, and there is no savior besides Me” (Isa. 43:11). Whether receiving deliverance from physical peril or knowing God as the Savior of the soul, He stands alone as the savior of His people in the Old Testament.

This context is significant in Titus because of how the Apostle Paul employs the word throughout the short epistle. In Titus 1:3, God is our Savior, but in 1:4, Jesus is our Savior. In 2:10, God is our Savior, but in 2:13, Jesus is our Savior. In 3:4, God is our Savior, but in 3:6, Jesus is our Savior. What can we conclude by this usage other than what Paul himself declares in Titus 2:13? Christ Jesus is our great God and Savior!

The pattern of salvation is also significant throughout Titus. We have seen that the term “good deeds” is a major theme throughout the book (1:16; 2:7; 2:14; 3:1; 3:8; 3:14). The pattern that we see throughout Titus is that God has not only saved His people from the sin that once enslaved them, but He has also saved them to live for Him by engaging in good deeds. In particular focus is the effects of those good deeds as an encouragement within the church and as a testimony of the life changing power of the gospel to those outside. But the thought does not end with the present effects of the gospel’s work in our lives. The Apostle Paul is also good to remind the church of the coming, future, final appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ. In this sense, all believers are motivated to live in obedience to the Lord’s commands because 1) they have been amazingly saved from their sins by the grace of God, 2) they have been transformed by the gospel to live for the Lord, and 3) they hope to one day see their Lord and Savior again.

I hope these reflections from the general themes of Titus encourage your hearts and further motivate you to live fully for the Lord in obedience to His Word by the power of the Spirit.

In His grace,

Pastor Patrick

Here are some opportunities for ministry that you will want to be aware of:

1. Sunday. This Sunday, we will be doing things a little bit differently. During our morning service, two of our members will be baptized after the sermon. Since it is a special Sunday, we will take a break from our study in Titus and take some time to examine the ordinance of baptism.
2. Flocks. Don’t forget that it is flocks week, which means that our regularly scheduled midweek Bible studies are canceled this week. Bible studies will resume next week.
3. CPR/First Aid. There is still time to sign up for the CPR/First Aid class that is happening this Saturday, February 27, from 1:30-4:30pm. The cost is $75 ($35 for LBCSD Children’s Ministry workers). You can sign up with Randy Sarmiento (randy.p.sarmiento@gmail.com).
4. Care Month. As Care Month winds down, there is one more event that is still happening on Saturday, February 27. We will be showing the movie “The War Room” at 5pm at the church building.
5. LBCLA Anniversary. LBCLA will be celebrating its 2nd anniversary this weekend with a special morning service and a concert in the evening featuring The Master’s College Chorale. For those interested in attending the evening concert, an RSVP is requested because dinner will be provided after the concert. LBCLA has set up a Facebook page to RSVP or confirm your attendance (if you signed up with Joseph and Lynn Ho).
6. CCM UCSD. Pastor Patrick will be preaching for UCSD’s Crossroads Campus Ministry on Wednesday, March 2. More information will be posted on the various affinity group Facebook pages in the next few days. The topic of the message will be “Bearing Witness to the Goodness of God.”
7. Single Life Retreat. The Single Life retreat is almost here! The retreat will be on March 4-6 at Pine Valley Bible Conference Center. Our speaker this year is Pastor Kurt Gebhards, and he will be preaching a series entitled, “The Disciples’ Prayer.” You can still register with Roger Alcaraz if you would like to attend (rogeralcaraz@gmail.com). The cost is $150/person.
8. Shepherds’ Conference. If you are planning to attend this year’s Shepherds’ Conference at Grace Community Church, please email Pastor Patrick (pastorpatrick@gmail.com). We just want to know who will be in attendance from LBCSD. There is a possibility to help with housing during the conference. If you are interested, please indicate that in the email.
9. Membership Class. NOTE: The upcoming membership class dates have been changed. The class will now be on Saturday, March 19, from 9am-12pm, and Sunday, March 20, from 2-5pm. Attendance at both sessions is required. If you are interested in pursuing membership at LBCSD, please contact Pastor Patrick for an application.
10. Good Friday Service. We will be having a Good Friday service on Friday, March 25, at 6:30pm. Come out as we reflect on God’s amazing gift of salvation and the work of Christ on the cross. As is our custom, we will be taking communion together at the service.
11. Resurrection Sunday Service. On Sunday, March 27, we will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus with a special Resurrection Sunday breakfast and service. Breakfast will be served beginning at 7:30am and then we will have a special service during our regular service time of 9am. Be sure to invite your family and friends to join us for worship.

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Dear LBCSD family and friends!

I hope you are doing well and walking in the Lord! This past Sunday, I was pleased to announce the annual theme for 2016 – As One, In One (John 17:20-23). The focus of the theme is our unity in Christ and its implications on our unity as believers in Christ. As the church body continues to grow, I believe it will become more and more vital to the life of the church to be brought back to this prevalent idea in the New Testament. I’m really looking forward to an awesome 2016! Let’s pray that God would work through the Word preached to build up the body.

In His grace,

Pastor Patrick

Here are some ministry opportunities for your consideration!

1. Sunday. This Sunday, we will be picking up in our study through Titus, looking at Titus 3:3. The title for the sermon is “Your Brain on Sin,” which is a homage to the anti-drug commercials of the 80’s.
2. College Retreat. Please be in prayer for the college ministry as they enjoy their weekend retreat at Pine Valley Bible Conference Center. Pastor Scott Ardavanis is their speaker this weekend!
3. Elders Q&A. Instead of our regular Sunday School classes, we will be having a special time of Q&A with the elders of LBCSD during second hour! This is a great way to get to know the leaders of the church.
4. Midweek Bible Studies. All our regular midweek Bible studies will be meeting next week. Single Life – The post-college singles meet on Wednesday at 6:30pm. Grace Life – The Grace Life MEN will be meeting on Thursday at 6:30pm. LKC – Kids Club will be meeting on Thursday at 6:30pm. Lumos – Next week, the youth ministry will be meeting on Friday at 6pm. College Life – The collegians will be meeting on Friday at 7pm.
5. Women’s Mission Bowl. Congratulations to the men’s flag football team on a valiant effort at last week’s tournament. The women will have their tournament on Saturday, February 20, beginning at around 12pm at Hourglass Park by Miramar College. Come out and support our gals as they seek to bring home the trophy!
6. Parent/Child Dedication. The last day to signup for the Parent/Child Dedication service is this Sunday, February 14. The parent/child dedication will be on the following Sunday during the morning service. Please contact Pastor Patrick if you are interested (pastorpatrick@gmail.com).
7. LBCLA Anniversary Service. LBCLA will be celebrating the ministry’s anniversary on Sunday, February 28. Their morning speaker will be Dr. Irv Busenitz of The Master’s Seminary. In the evening, they will be having a special service featuring The Master’s College Chorale, led by Dr. Paul Plew. Dinner will also be provided. Everyone is invited to join in the celebration! If you would like to attend the Sunday evening service, please RSVP through the sign up sheet in the foyer on Sunday.
8. Single Life Retreat. The singles ministry will be having their annual retreat on March 4-6 up at Pine Valley Bible Conference Center. The speaker this year is Pastor Kurt Gebhards, who used to serve on staff at Grace Community Church and is now in Chicago. You won’t want to miss this awesome time together! Signups are currently being taken through Single Life.
9. Membership Class. The next membership class will be on the second weekend of March. This is a two-part class and attendance is mandatory at both classes. Part 1 will be on Saturday, March 12, from 9am-12pm. Part 2 will be on Sunday, March 13, from 2-5pm. Please email Pastor Patrick for an application or if you have any questions (pastorpatrick@gmail.com).

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Dear LBC family and friends!

I hope you are doing well and walking in the Lord! This week, I have been reading through Leviticus and examining the theme of holiness. Obviously, there are countless reminders of the holiness of God as you read through Leviticus. But because of the relationship established between God and His people made possible through the sacrifices of atonement, there is also an expectation of holiness for God’s people. Consider this passage:

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘I am the LORD your God. 3 You shall not do what is done in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what is done in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes. 4 You are to perform My judgments and keep My statutes, to live in accord with them; I am the LORD your God. 5 ‘So you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, by which a man may live if he does them; I am the LORD.'”

God has taken Israel and made them a people for His own possession. They are no longer part of Egypt where they have come from. They are also not part of Canaan where they are headed. They are His. As such, He calls them to live distinctly. They were not to blend into their surrounding culture but were instead to be living and walking illustrations of God’s holiness.

As Christians, we have likewise been called by God to be a people of His own possession (1 Pet. 2:9), and this applies to us in the same way as it did to the Israelites in the Old Testament. We are not called to blend into our surrounding culture, but are called to be holy as He is holy (1 Pet. 1:14-16). But the big difference on this side of the cross is that the gospel transforms us and frees us from our enslavement to sin and God’s Spirit now indwells us and empowers us to give us everything we need to walk in holiness in obedience to His commands. We have all that we need because Christ has made it possible through His death and resurrection.

In His grace,

Pastor Patrick

Here are some ministry opportunities for you!

1. Sunday Service. This Sunday, we’ll be introducing the theme for 2016! We’ll also be taking communion as a church body, so please come with hearts prepared. Perhaps take some time to read and think through 1 Corinthians 11:16-34.
2. Midweek Bible Studies. Things are a little different this week for our midweek Bible studies because of Mission Bowl. The Friday night College and Youth Bible studies are cancelled this week due to our Mission Bowl Pep Rally.
3. Mission Bowl. This Friday night (2/5), come cheer on our flag football teams at our Mission Bowl Pep Rally! The pep rally will be at 6:30 PM at the church building. Then on Saturday (2/6), the men will be having their football tournament at Hourglass Park by Miramar College. All the action begins at around noon. The gals will have their tournament on Saturday, February 20. Wear your blue and gold!
4. Super Bowl. We’ll be playing the big game on Sunday at 3:30 PM. Stick around to watch the game, enjoy the commercials, or just be with other church people! Bring a snack to share! Drinks will be provided. Go Chargers! (Hehe.)
5. Baptism Class. Our next baptism class is on Tuesday, February 9, at 7:00 PM, in Room 108. If you are a Christian and have not yet been obedient to the Lord by being baptized or if you simply would like to learn more about Christian baptism, please come out to the class!
6. College Life Retreat. Please pray for our collegians as they go off on their retreat on February 12-14. The retreat speaker is Pastor Scott Ardavanis from Grace Church of the Valley. It should be an awesome time of worship together!
7. Elders Q&A. On Sunday, February 14, we will be having a special Q&A with our elders during the Sunday School hour. This is a great way to get to know the leadership at Lighthouse a bit better. Mark your calendars!
8. Parent/Child Dedication. We will be having a Parent/Child Dedication service on Sunday, February 21 during our morning worship service. If you would like to participate, please let Pastor Patrick know by Sunday, February 14.
9. First Aid and CPR. If you would like to be trained up in Adult/Child/Infant CPR/First Aid/AED, Randy Sarmiento will be providing instruction on Saturday, February 27, at 1:30 PM. There is a cost to participate ($75/person) but the church will cover the costs for our children’s ministry coordinators.
10. Single Life Retreat. Sign ups are now being taken for the upcoming Single Life retreat on March 4-6! Our speaker is Pastor Kurt Gebhards, who used to be on staff at Grace Community Church and is now in Chicago. This is a combined retreat together with some of the other Lighthouse churches so it should be a particularly special time of worship and fellowship. Sign up at Single Life Bible study!