Saddleback Church Weekend Messages

Why does it feel so hard to live with peace? In the first message of our series, The Path to Peace, we look at how to experience peace in our minds. So often, we carry more than we were meant to, taking on thoughts and responsibilities that slowly erode our peace. Isaiah 26:3 reminds us that God keeps those who trust in Him in perfect peace. Peace isn’t the absence of chaos. It’s a steady life that flows from a right relationship with God, available in any circumstance. The battle for peace begins in our minds. This message explores how to pause, protect your thoughts, and pray. When we don’t guard our minds, we’re vulnerable to lies. But when we shift our focus to God’s truth, everything begins to change. God invites us to trust Him with what we can’t control and take responsibility for what we can. As we do, we experience His peace and come to know Him as the God of peace.

What is hope? For some, it’s a wish or a state of mind. But how do we hold onto hope when we lose a loved one, when a marriage falls apart, or when our health fails? In this Easter message, Pastor Andy Wood walks through John 11 and the story of Jesus raising Lazarus. In their grief, Mary and Martha ask where Jesus was and why He didn’t come sooner. In response, Jesus reveals who He is. He is the resurrection and the life, greater than any circumstance we face. He is the God who cares, meeting us in our pain and reminding us we are not alone. He is the God who keeps His promises, calling Lazarus out of the grave and showing His power and faithfulness. This Easter, we’re invited to lift our hope above our circumstances and place it in Jesus, who offers new life, real peace, and a hope we can hold onto.

Pastor Buddy Owens walks us through the powerful truth of Galatians 2:20 and what Jesus’ sacrifice really means for our lives today. The cross isn’t just about eternity. It changes everything about how we live right now. Because of the cross, three things are true for anyone who puts their faith in Jesus. We are forgiven, fully and completely, with nothing left to prove or pay. We are set free, no longer defined by sin, shame, or our past. And we are given a new life, not a restart of the old one, but a completely new beginning with new purpose and hope. This message reminds us that what Jesus did was finished and final. Our role is to trust what He’s already done and live in that freedom every day. No matter your past or what you’re carrying, this is an invitation to come to Jesus just as you are and step into the life He’s already made possible for you.

Pastor Kurt Johnston wraps up our final week of Jesus on the Move, walking through Jesus’ healing of the paralytic man in Mark 2. When all else fails, a group of friends asks, “what if Jesus could?” and stops at nothing to get their friend in front of Him. When the crowd blocks the way, they push through, lower their friend down, and create a moment that changes everything. This story reminds us that faith sets the stage for God to move in us and through us. Every opportunity for faith comes with obstacles, but while the barriers are real, they don’t have the final say. God is with us, walking us through each one. We also see that what feels messy or unexpected to us is often the very place Jesus invites us to trust Him more. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment, this message is your invitation to trust Him and take your next step.

What if God isn’t distant from your pain, but actually drawn to it? In Week 4 of Jesus on the Move, Pastor Stacie walks through Mark 1:40–45, where Jesus meets a man no one else would touch. Instead of stepping back, Jesus moves toward him with compassion, reaches out, and changes his life completely. This message shows us the heart of Jesus. He sees the broken, the isolated, and the overlooked, and He moves closer, not away. His compassion is not passive. It is active, personal, and powerful enough to make the unclean clean. And it doesn’t stop with Him. The same compassion we receive is the compassion we’re invited to live out. If you’ve ever wondered how God feels about you, or what it looks like to love people in a real way, this message is for you. Watch now and discover a compassion that moves toward you and through you.

Pastor Andy continues our Jesus on the Move series by exploring the authority of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark. Many of us try to control our lives and circumstances, but underneath that struggle is a deeper question: who is really in charge of our lives? In Mark 1 and 2, Jesus teaches with authority and demonstrates it by confronting evil, healing the sick, and forgiving sins. Through these moments, we see that His authority brings freedom, healing, and forgiveness. Scripture reminds us that pride and rebellion place us outside of God’s authority, while humility and surrender open the door to His grace and peace. As we surrender our lives to Jesus and allow Him to lead, we begin to experience the peace that comes from trusting Him.

In a culture where people are searching for their calling, Jesus offers something deeper. In Mark 1, Jesus invites ordinary fishermen with simple words: “Follow me.” Their calling did not begin with a career or plan. It began with a relationship. First, Jesus calls us to relationship with Him. Following Jesus is not about rules or religion. It is about letting Him lead our lives. Our lives are defined not by what we do, but by who we follow. Second, Jesus calls us to transformation. The disciples came as ordinary fishermen, but as they followed Him, He changed them. Jesus meets us where we are, but He does not leave us there. Third, Jesus calls us to make a difference. Jesus told His disciples He would make them fishers of people. Their decision to follow Him changed the world, and God still uses ordinary people to reach others with His love.

Before any healings or miracles, Jesus’ ministry begins with a declaration of identity. In Mark 1, as Jesus rises from the water, God the Father declares: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” This past weekend we kicked off Jesus on the Move, exploring the life and ministry of Jesus through the Gospel of Mark. Pastor Andy walked through Jesus’ identity revealed, the kingdom of heaven inaugurated, and His obedience tested in the wilderness. We’re challenged to reflect on our own identity. Everything we do flows from who we believe we are. Because of Jesus, we are given a new identity as children of God, invited into His mission and strengthened for our own wilderness seasons.

What if the season you are in is actually preparing you for what God wants to do next? This message from The Return Gathering focuses on a season of preparation for revival. Pastor Andy Wood reminds us that before God moves in powerful ways, He first prepares His people. Through Scripture, we see that every season carries purpose, shaping our hearts for what He wants to do next. The question is not if we are being prepared, but how we will respond. We can resist it or lean in. God invites us to prepare our hearts, our homes, and our community, allowing Him to do a deep work within us. As we do, we begin to position ourselves for renewal, transformation, and a fresh move of God.

From the Garden of Eden until now, Scripture tells one story: God’s constant desire to dwell with His people. Guest speaker Luke LeFevre calls us to be a generation that seeks the face and glory of God. Throughout the Bible we see God pursuing nearness, from the Tabernacle to Jesus to the Church today. We also see how God raised up and walked with people like David, who sought God’s glory and nearness in their lives. But what is God’s glory and how do we experience it? God’s glory is His presence among His people, and Luke asked a piercing question: Are we content to live without His presence? Like David, who longed to dwell in the house of the Lord, we are invited to seek God above all else. As we look ahead to The Return Gathering and what God has next, may we be a church that longs for His glory and seeks His face.