Episodes
-
Why would God care who I sleep with?
Why does God care about our sexual choices? This message in the Big Questions series approaches an often uncomfortable conversation with gentleness and grace, presenting sex as a good gift from God. It explores the sermon’s central claim that God’s boundaries reflect his care for us, with sexual...
-
What to do about Halloween?
What do we do when we disagree? As followers of Jesus, we won’t always share the same opinions, preferences, or personal convictions. But how we respond to those differences matters. Continuing our Big Questions series, we turn to Romans 14, where Paul challenges believers to pursue unity without...
-
Is the Church Just Full of Hypocrites?
If the church is supposed to represent Jesus, why do so many people experience hypocrisy, judgment, and hurt from those who claim to follow Him? In the first week of our Big Questions series, we tackle one of the most common criticisms of Christianity: Is the church just full of hypocrites?…
more -
Exodus 35-40 | In God’s Presence
In the final message of our journey through Exodus, we arrive at the construction of the tabernacle in Exodus 35–40 and see the heart behind the entire story: God wants to dwell with His people. After rescuing Israel from slavery, providing for them in the wilderness, and remaining faithful even...
-
Exodus 32 | No Other gods
What do we turn to when God seems distant? In Exodus 32, Israel grows impatient waiting for Moses and trades trust in God for something they can see, control, and worship: a golden calf. While our idols may look different today, the temptation remains the same. In this message, Pastor Amos…
more -
Exodus 19-20 | Keep My Commandments
The Ten Commandments weren’t given as a way for Israel to earn God’s rescue. God rescued them first, then taught them how to live as His people. Continuing through Exodus 19–20, Pastor Amos looks at the Ten Commandments and what they reveal about our relationship with God, our relationships with...
-
Exodus 14-17 | No Longer Slaves
What do you do when God has led you forward, but the path ahead looks impossible? In Exodus 14, the Israelites find themselves trapped between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army. Fear takes over, but God reminds them that they don’t have to fight this battle on their own. He makes a way where there…
more -
Exodus 11-12 | Saved by the Blood
This week, guest speaker Josh Hampton continues our journey through Exodus by exploring the Passover and how it points us toward the heart of the gospel. In Exodus 11–12, God prepares to deliver His people from generations of slavery. Judgment is coming, but God provides a way of rescue: a…
more -
Exodus 2-3 | God Knew
The story of Exodus begins with a people in bondage, crying out for rescue—and a God who hears, sees, remembers, and knows. As we begin a new series through the book of Exodus, we look at the story of Moses, the suffering of Israel, and two simple words found in Exodus 2:25: “God knew.” This…
more -
It’s Complicated | Parenting Relationships
Healthy homes don’t happen by accident. They’re built through intentional relationships between parents and children. Continuing our It’s Complicated series, we look at Ephesians 6 and what God’s Word teaches about creating healthy relationships at home. For children, that means learning to obey...
-
It’s Complicated | Marriage Relationships
In this week’s message from It’s Complicated, we turn to one of our most important—and often most challenging—relationships: marriage. Walking through Ephesians 5, we look at God’s design for marriage as something bigger than simply making two people happy. Marriage is meant to reflect the…
more -
It’s Complicated | Neighbor Relationships
In week two of It’s Complicated, Pastor Amos turns to one of Jesus’ most familiar stories—the Good Samaritan—to challenge the way we think about our neighbors. In Luke 10, Jesus shifts the question from “Who is my neighbor?” to something far more personal: Will I actually be a neighbor? Being a...
-
It’s Complicated | Work Relationships
Relationships can be complicated—especially at work. Different personalities, expectations, communication styles, pressures, and past experiences all collide in the places where we spend much of our week. In the opening message of the new series, It’s Complicated, Pastor Amos looks at Ephesians…
more -
Different on Purpose | 2 Peter 3
This week, guest speaker Stephen Kimbrell continues our Different on Purpose series by walking through 2 Peter 3 and reminding us that what we believe about the future should shape how we live in the present. As Peter addresses false teaching surrounding the return of Christ, Stephen unpacks why...
-
Different on Purpose | 2 Peter 2
This week, guest speaker Noah Taylor continues our journey through 2 Peter with a timely message from chapter 2, reminding us that popularity doesn’t determine truth. Peter warns the church about the danger of false teachers—people who may appear credible, attract large followings, and speak with...
-
Different on Purpose | 2 Peter 1
What makes you different may be the very thing God intends to use for His kingdom. In this message from 2 Peter 1, guest speaker Christian Castro reminds us that we are not called because of our greatness, but because of God’s grace. He has already provided everything we need for life and...
-
Different on Purpose | 1 Peter 5
What should the church look like when life falls apart? Teaching from 1 Peter 5, guest speaker Pastor Marcus Witherspoon challenges us to see the church not as a hotel for people who have everything together, but as a hospital for broken people seeking the perfect Healer. Through stories of loss,...
-
Different on Purpose | 1 Peter 4
In this message from 1 Peter 4, we continue our series, Different on Purpose, by looking at what it means to live a life that stands out because it belongs to Jesus. Peter reminds believers that following Jesus means leaving the old life behind, living for God’s glory instead of our own, and...
-
Different on Purpose | 1 Peter 3
In this message from 1 Peter 3, guest speaker Tony Madrid continues our Different on Purpose series by exploring what it means to live as a faithful witness in our relationships, our character, and our response to the world around us. Peter’s words to wives, husbands, and all Christians point us...
-
Different on Purpose | 1 Peter 2
This Father’s Day, guest speaker Todd Kear continues our Different on Purpose series with a message from 1 Peter 2, exploring what it means to build our lives on the only true foundation—Jesus Christ, the Cornerstone. Through personal stories, biblical teaching, and Peter’s encouragement to the...
-
Different on Purpose | 1 Peter 1
In this opening message of our new series, Different on Purpose, guest speaker, Pastor Jomel, walks through 1 Peter 1 and reminds us that Christians are called to live differently—not to appear better than others, but because we belong to Jesus and have been given a living hope. Through Christ’s...
-
Go Into & Preach the Gospel
In this episode, Pastor Amos reminds City Lights of the heartbeat of the church: to help people find and follow Jesus and to experience a disciple-making movement in Chula Vista. Looking at Jesus’ call to His first disciples in Mark 1 and His commission in Mark 16, we’re reminded that following...
-
God is in Control
In the final message of the “Even Though” series, Pastor Amos walks through the closing verses of Psalm 23 and reminds us that God’s presence does not disappear in the valley—it becomes even more personal. Reflecting on the image of the Lord as both Shepherd and King, this message explores what…
more -
Jake & Ilse's Story
In this episode of the City Light Church podcast, we continue the Even Though series through Psalm 23 with a deeply personal conversation from Jake and Ilse as they share the story of losing their son, Axel. Through heartbreak, grief, and impossible decisions in the NICU, they recount how God met...
-
The LORD is My Shepherd
This week, we begin our new series, Even Though, with a message from Psalm 23 about trusting God in the valleys of life. David reminds us that faith does not deny the reality of darkness, pain, grief, or uncertainty. Instead, faith declares that the valley is not the end. Through the image of the...
-
Peace of Mind
In the final message of our Renew Your Mind series, we look at Philippians 4 and the promise of peace that comes through Christ. Paul reminds us that peace of mind is not found by ignoring anxiety, denying pressure, or pretending life is easy. It is found by rejoicing in the Lord, remembering…
more -
Mind of Christ
This week in our Renew Your Mind series, we look at Philippians 2 and what it means to have the mind of Christ. Paul calls the church to a shared mindset rooted in unity, humility, servanthood, and complete obedience. In a world that pushes us toward pride, selfish ambition, and proving…
more -
Above Thinking
This week in our Renew Your Mind series, we look at Colossians 3 and the call to set our minds on things above. What we think about shapes what we love, what we love shapes how we live, and Paul reminds us that following Jesus means choosing a new direction every day. In this episode, we talk…
more -
Capture Your Thoughts
This week, we continue our Renew Your Mind series with a message from 2 Corinthians 10 about the unseen battle that takes place in our minds. While we often focus on the struggles we can see around us, this episode reminds us that some of our greatest battles are spiritual, and that the enemy…
more -
Renew Your Mind
This week, we kick off our new series, Renew Your Mind, with a message from Romans 12 about the connection between how we think and how we live. In a world that is constantly trying to shape our values, identity, and perspective, this episode is a call to resist conformity and pursue true...
-
Easter Sunday 2026
On this Resurrection Sunday message, we look at 1 Peter 1 and the life of Peter to see what Easter really means. Peter knew failure, fear, doubt, grief, and shame firsthand, yet he also experienced the life-changing reality of the risen Jesus. Because of the resurrection, Peter’s story was not...
-
Miracle Worker
In this episode, we look at the miracles of Jesus not just as powerful moments, but as signs revealing who He is, what He does, and why He came. From giving sight to the blind and calming the storm to raising the dead, every miracle points beyond the act itself to Jesus as the promised Messiah…
more -
Sinless One
As the Easter season begins, this message turns our attention to Jesus, the sinless One. Walking through Hebrews and other key scriptures, this sermon shows why Jesus had to be fully God and fully man, why His virgin birth and sinless life matter, and how He became the perfect sacrifice for our...
-
The Lost Ones
In Luke 15, Jesus tells three connected stories that reveal the heart of God toward “the lost ones”: a shepherd who leaves the 99 to find one sheep, a woman who turns her house upside down to recover a single coin, and a father who runs to welcome home a rebellious son. Each story follows the…
more -
One Another
In this message from the “The Ones” series, we zoom in on a core set of “one another” commands that shape what the church is supposed to be: not a building, but a people marked by Jesus. Pastor Amos walks through why love is the foundation (John 13:34–35, 1 John 4:7) and why the world should be...
-
One Thing
In Luke 10:38–42, Jesus steps into the home of Mary and Martha—and exposes a tension most of us live with every day: serving Jesus versus sitting with Jesus. Martha welcomes Him with sincere hospitality, but she gets pulled in a hundred directions until her good intentions turn into anxiety,...
-
Vision Sunday 2026
City Lights is growing up—and this message is a clear call to grow together on purpose. In this sermon, Pastor Amos shares the heart behind City Lights: a disciple-making movement in Chula Vista that helps people who feel far from God and far from home know they belong. You’ll hear the church’s...
-
Community
In the modern West, we have more comfort, convenience, and “stuff” than any generation before us—yet so many of us feel deeply alone. In this final message of The Way, we look at what it means to practice community the Jesus way: not as a Sunday event, but as a new kind of family formed around...
-
Generosity
In this message, we talk about generosity—specifically the “treasure” side of it, and why Jesus addressed money so directly. Most of us live in one of two money stories: scarcity (“I don’t have enough”) or more (“just a little bit more”). Either way, money has a way of consuming our thoughts,...
-
Approach to Scripture
In this message from The Jesus Way, we lean into one of the most important rhythms Jesus practiced: life in the Scriptures. From Matthew 4, we watch Jesus face temptation in the wilderness and respond the same way every time: “It is written…” He fights lies with truth, not willpower. But there’s…
more -
Praying & Fasting
In this message from the Jesus Way series, Pastor Amos moves from last week’s practices of Sabbath and solitude into two core rhythms Jesus modeled: prayer and fasting. Walking through Matthew 6:5–18, he highlights what Jesus confronts head-on—performative religion. Prayer isn’t a show, a script,...
-
Sabbath & Solitude
In this message from the “Jesus Way” series, we confront a problem most of us feel daily: we’re exhausted—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—because our world trains us to believe we are what we produce. Pastor Amos unpacks the biblical practice of Sabbath as God’s counter-rhythm to nonstop...
-
The Jesus Way
As City Lights steps into 2026, this message is a call to live “the Jesus way”—not just admiring Jesus, but following Him as disciples and apprentices who become like Him and do what He did. Tracing Jesus’ invitation to ordinary fishermen and the early church’s identity as “people of the Way,”…
more -
The Invitation of Heaven
In this message, Pastor Amos continues our On Earth As In Heaven series by talking about the invitation of heaven—and why Christmas isn’t just something we celebrate, it’s something we’re meant to respond to. This sermon centers on “Heaven’s Invitation: Come and See.” Walking through Mary and...
-
Heaven's Peace for a Broken World
In this message, Pastor Amos continues our series built around the prayer, “on earth as it is in heaven,” reminding listeners that heaven came down when Jesus took on flesh and dwelled among us. Pastor Amos encourages the church not to rush through the holidays, but to slow down, be present, and...
-
Heaven Came Down
In this Christmas message, we explore the simple but life-changing truth behind the prayer “on earth as it is in heaven.” Walking through John 1 and Luke 2, the sermon unpacks how heaven came down when Jesus—God in the flesh—stepped into our world with humility, light, and salvation. We look at…
more -
The Promise of Heaven to Earth
In this Advent message, we trace the promise of “heaven on earth” from the garden of Eden to the manger in Bethlehem. Looking at Genesis 3 and Isaiah 9, we see that Christmas didn’t begin with twinkle lights and sentiment, but with God stepping into humanity’s darkest moments with a promise of...
-
Learning to be Grateful God's Way
In this episode, we explore what it really means to “learn gratitude God’s way.” Even with a fading voice, the message is clear and strong: gratitude is more than a feeling. It is a spiritual practice that reshapes our hearts and minds, moves our focus from what is wrong to the God who is always...
-
Is There Only One Way to Heaven?
Is Jesus really the only way to God? In this message from the Big Questions series, we look at John 14 and the claim that all religions “coexist” and ultimately lead to the same place. Amos explains why every worldview makes exclusive truth claims, what makes Jesus’ claim different, and how the...
-
How Can God be Good and Allow Suffering?
Suffering is real. It’s not a sign that God has abandoned us, but a reminder that we live in a world fractured by sin. This message walks through why suffering exists at all, how a good God can step into it without being cruel, and why for those in Christ suffering will not last forever. You’ll...
About this show
Weekly sermons by Pastor Amos Dillard and special guests at City Lights Church. For more information, visit citylightscv.com
Hosted by
City Lights Church
Categories