Hillside Community Church Podcast: Recent Episodes
Ron Kool, Arek O'Connell
Hillside Community Church will live out Jesus’ life-changing message, seek to love our neighbors well, and develop authentic community where all people are welcome, worthy, and have a place.
We all have rhythms in our lives—patterns, certain times when we do certain things. This morning, we’ll see that God knows we need some of those patterns in our lives, as we look at the rituals, celebrations, and offerings that God called upon Israel to practice. And we’ll think about how those practices might impact our rhythms of life today. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Pastor Ron Kool opens by noting the enormous religious diversity in the world—over 11,000 religions—yet almost everyone falls into seven major groups, with Christianity and Islam comprising more than half of the global population. Using worldwide and North American statistics, he highlights the rapid rise of the religiously “non-affiliated” and the decline of Christianity in the West, which increases our proximity to people of different faiths.
From there, he introduces the idea of religious exclusivism—the belief that only one faith is ultimately true—and shows that Scripture supports this claim. He then explores why many people push back against exclusivism today, citing concerns about arrogance, cultural bias, and the fear that exclusive truth claims create conflict. The session ends by acknowledging these tensions and preparing to address how Christians can thoughtfully respond in the next part.
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God's people are just about to head into the Promised Land, but are completely unaware of a threat behind the scenes. The prophet Balaam was hired to curse the Israelites and damage their relationship with the God of Israel. What we'll explore together this Sunday is how God can turn the intended curses of others into blessings, promises, and hope for our future. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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God’s people are on the move and the nations around them are getting extremely nervous. They band together and call on a Prophet for Profit—Balaam. Balaam knows God and knows he should obey God. But, like us, sometimes it’s hard for Balaam to obey God when there is so much money on the line. - Pastor Ron Kool
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In this session, Pastor Arek O'Connell explores the central Christian claim that Jesus is truly God. He begins by affirming that for Christians, the trustworthiness of Scripture matters deeply because so much rests on what it says about Jesus. He unpacks how the Gospels present Jesus claiming divinity—not only through his words, but through his miracles, forgiveness of sins, fulfillment of prophecy, resurrection, and the worship he receives. He then addresses objections: Was Jesus simply a great moral teacher or prophet? Was the Divine claim added later? Pastor Arek O'Connell points to historical, textual, and archaeological evidence that the Gospel accounts are reliable.
The takeaway is that believing in Jesus as God is not mere faith without basis—but faith grounded in historical claims, the character of the witnesses, and the power of the risen Christ.
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In one of the strangest and most memorable stories in the book of Numbers, God sends salvation to His people—but it’s a bronze snake on a pole! The people at the time didn’t know it, but that snake on a pole would become a great picture of Jesus. - Pastor Ron Kool
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One of the lessons we’re learning about being in the wilderness with God is that the wilderness is a mixed bag. There are extremely difficult moments followed by instances of amazing grace. This morning, we’ll see that so clearly as we come to one of the saddest, most graceful chapters in the book of Numbers. - Pastor Ron Kool
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What do we do when challenges to leadership arise from within? What should we cautiously consider before challenging our leaders? How do Godly leaders respond to challenges? How does the community caught up in the mess respond in a way that honors God? Regardless of the circumstances, all of us are called to submit to God's leadership. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Kristin Hileman kicked off a practical session on “Can I trust the Bible?”—framing it as the foundation for the whole "Defending Your Faith" series.
After a playful fact-or-fiction opener, she shared Sean McDowell’s story to underline this: if we ask people to stake their lives on an ancient book, we need reasons, not circular claims. She defined what Christians mean by “the Bible,” noted its own claims and fulfilled prophecy, and then offered three simple lenses we can remember: the character of the witnesses (specific names/places, eyewitness reports, even unflattering details, and costly devotion), the reliability of the copies (manuscript evidence and Dead Sea Scrolls consistency), and outside corroboration.
Kristin wrapped up the session with heart-level guidance from 1 Peter 3:15—be ready, gentle, and respectful; start with your story; ask what the other person already knows; admit what you don’t; and pray—trusting God to use both evidence and lived light to build confidence in Scripture.
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There are times when the challenges ahead of us feel overwhelming. As a person, a family, or a church, there are times when we feel like we don’t have what it takes to keep moving forward, to stay faithful to God in the face of the temptations and challenges ahead of us. Here’s something we need to know: We’re right! We can’t handle it. This morning, we’ll look at a story that reminds us that it doesn’t matter if we can’t handle things. It’s not about us. - Pastor Ron Kool
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It doesn’t take long for things to go bad for Israel. Up to this point in the book of Numbers, the people have been listening to and obeying God. But almost as soon as they hit the road, the complaining starts. God hears their complaints, and this morning, we’ll look at how God responded to their crabbiness. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Pastor Ron Kool introduced a new season of adult discipleship focused on apologetics—defending the Christian faith. He emphasizes that apologetics is about offering reasons for belief in Christianity and exposing weaknesses in alternatives, with the goal of strengthening believers and encouraging non-believers. He stresses that living out faith with love comes first, and explanations follow when people ask. There is encouragement to use clear logic, avoid fallacies, and keep discussions respectful, aiming to win people rather than arguments.
Future sessions will explore questions such as the reliability of the Bible, suffering, doubt, science and faith, and salvation, while balancing both faith and reason in conversations.
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God knows that when we’re in the wilderness, it can be hard for us to trust Him. When things aren’t going well and the problems seem overwhelming, God knows that we will be tempted to believe that He forgot us. This morning, we’ll look at some of the gifts God gives His people to help us stay faithful to Him in the wilderness. - Pastor Ron Kool
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As we journey through the wilderness of our lives, we need to know that we are not on our own. This morning we’ll see how God tells Aaron to “put His name” on the people through blessing them. This is perhaps the most important thing we need as we go out into our world. - Pastor Ron Kool
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As Israel gets ready for the journey through the wilderness, there is another matter they must take care of: how are they going to be organized? Who is going to go first? Second? Third? And who is going to camp where? And who is going to do what? These may seem like mundane details for us, but they have some extremely important lessons for us. - Pastor Ron Kool
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You don’t just leave on a long trip. You’ve got to have some organization. You need to know who is sitting where and where you’ll be stopping for breaks. You need to be prepared for problems that may come up on the road. God’s people are the same way. God’s people are at Mount Sinai and getting ready to go to the Promised Land. But God has some final instructions for them before they go. They need to get organized. - Pastor Ron Kool
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As followers of Jesus, we want to tell others about Him. We want to bear witness to Him in our neighborhoods and school and with our friends. We also want to tell others about Him at work, but that can be a little tricky. This morning, we’ll look at how we might grow in our effectiveness in witnessing while we work. - Pastor Ron Kool
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So often we equate loving “the least of these” with doing something to or for them. However, the way Jesus interacts with “the least of these” in the Gospel shows that the most empowering way to love “the least of these” is to do life with them, helping them no longer see themselves as “least.” - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Last week we saw that all of scripture testifies to the unique love, care, and relationship God has for “the least of these.” This week, we take a real, practical look at the passage and explore ways we can love “the least of these” here at Hillside and in our daily lives. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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This week, we start a new 3-week series on what it means to love “the least of these” as Jesus commanded us to do in Matthew 25. But before we do anything to or for “the least of these,” we need to understand that we’re called to love “the least” because God loves them and identifies with them. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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How do we end our prayers? Do we just stop? Do we say “Talk to you later?” Throughout the ages, the church has said that it is good to end our prayers by focusing on God and declaring that everything—the kingdom, the power and the glory—everything belongs to Him. - Pastor Ron Kool
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We can be so foolish. We say we shouldn’t do something that’s wrong (Eat or drink too much, gossip, lie). We really don't want to do that thing. Yet we keep doing it. And one of the main reasons we do is because of what we call temptation—it looks SOOOOO good! This morning, we’ll learn about asking God to help us resist temptation. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Sometimes we do things without really thinking about them. We go through the motions, but we’re not really focused on what we’re doing. For many of us, that can happen when it comes to confessing our sins. We just say the words but don’t think about what we’re actually asking God to do. This morning, we’ll think about what we’re doing when we confess our sins. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Jesus taught us to pray for our daily bread in the Lord's Prayer, yet it’s not only bread we’re asking for. We’re asking for God to provide for our basic needs and our neighbors. We’re asking God to help us continue to live and to remember how dependent on God we and everyone else ultimately are. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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One of the most radical, life-changing things Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord’s Prayer is “your kingdom come, your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.” It is radical and life-changing because the first thing we do when we offer this prayer is leave our plans at the door. When we offer this prayer, we are telling God to do His work and to have His way in our hearts and in the world. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Of all the things we say in the Lord’s Prayer, this might be the one that sound strangest to our ears. We don’t talk that often about hallowing things today. This morning, we’ll think about what it means to hallow God’s name and why it’s so important for us to do this. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Many of us struggle with prayer. We’re not sure what to say, we stumble over our words, and sometimes we even forget to pray. Jesus knew this would happen. And that’s why He spent time teaching His followers how to pray. This morning, we’ll start to look at what Jesus taught us about praying. - Pastor Ron Kool
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We finish up our series on the characteristics of God by talking about what, for many of us, is His most important characteristic—He is full of grace. It’s wonderful to know that God is powerful and all-knowing and unchangeable and just, but what we need is a God who is full of grace. We need a God who saves and restores His broken people—that’s grace! - Pastor Ron Kool
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Last week, we talked about how God is just in all that He does and in every judgment that He makes. This morning, we’re going to think about what it means for us to be people who seek justice in our lives and in our communities. - Pastor Ron Kool
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You’ve heard it a lot. You’ve probably said it a time or two. “It’s not fair!” we say and then follow up with what isn’t fair. “Why did she get a bigger piece of cake?” or “I deserved the promotion more than they did!” We all have a sense that life should be fair—that there should be justice. This morning, we’ll see that God is always just. And we’ll see that this is both good news and bad news. - Pastor Ron Kool
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We live in a world where everything changes. No matter how hard we try to make something last, nothing does. Except God. He is who He always was and who He always will be. He is always the same. And that’s good news. - Pastor Ron Kool
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What does it mean that God is all knowing? It means He knows every inch of His creation perfectly. Nothing catches God by surprise because He gives life, definition, and purpose to everything around us. Psalm 139 tells us there’s one thing God knows that impacts our life more than anything else. God knows you! - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Our understanding of what God is like can make a huge difference in our lives. If we don’t know He is merciful, we will live in fear. If we don’t think about His holiness, we won’t be committed to being holy. This morning, we’re starting a sermon series on who God is, and we begin with a very important fact: God is All-powerful. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Some of the best news in the Bible is that our failures are not final. God doesn’t just cancel us and move on to someone or something else. Our God specializes in restoring people who have blown it. This morning, we’ll see how Jesus does that with Peter, the one who had denied Him three times. - Pastor Ron Kool
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The disciples of Jesus had not done very well with the crucifixion of Jesus. They had run away and denied even knowing Him. And when He rose again, they weren’t exactly quick to grasp what had happened. Jesus comes to them and does an amazing thing—He reminds them that it is their turn now. He gives them the task of spreading the Good News. What an amazing thing; God trusts people like us to carry on His work in the world! - Pastor Ron Kool
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John 11:17-27
In each of His “I AM” statements, Jesus addresses a human problem. He said He was the Bread of Life that would satisfy our hunger. He said He was the Light of the World, to guide and protect us in the darkness. This morning, we’ll look at Jesus as He tells us what He will do about our greatest enemy—death itself. - Pastor Ron Kool
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From a human standpoint, those coming to arrest Jesus had all the power and were in control. They had larger numbers, weapons, and the power of Rome behind them. They will “succeed” in arresting Jesus, but only after Jesus has shown them who is really in control. - Pastor Ron Kool
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An important question we need to ask frequently in life is, “What’s the real root of the matter here?” Whether it be in navigating relationships, making business decisions, or making plans for the future. As we consider what it means for Jesus to be the True Vine, John wants us to understand the real root of the matter when it comes to life and faith… God causes growth in us when we make our home with Jesus. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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We live in a world where we have, it seems, way too many choices. Do we choose this career or that career? Do we live here or do we live there? At times it can feel overwhelming and we may feel lost in a sea of choices. In the midst of all these options, Jesus calls us to follow Him because He knows and is The Way to the Father. - Pastor Ron Kool
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We don’t like it when people ask for too much. It just doesn’t seem right. They should be happy with what they have. But this morning we’re going to look at a story in which Jesus says that the problem with us sometimes is not that we ask for too much but that we don’t ask for enough. We settle for too little and miss the important thing--Him. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Kirk Kingsley leads this week's class on the Spiritual Discipline of Silence and Solitude.
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Of all the animals we might want to be compared to, a sheep is probably the worst. If you call me a tiger or a lion or a bear, I’m happy. They’re strong, fast, tough. Sheep, on the other hand, are weak and defenseless and not terribly bright. Yet the Bible tells us over and over again that we are like sheep. This morning we’ll think about what sheep might need in a good shepherd. - Pastor Ron Kool
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A belief that is very popular in our world is that there are multiple ways to find and connect with God. However, John is going to make it clear that there is really only one way in and one way out, through the door… and that door is Jesus. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Kristin Hileman leads the second part of "Evangelism and Sharing Your Story." In this Intro to Spiritual Disciplines class, you'll hear testimonies from 3 different women and how an act of sharing the gospel has had a generational impact.
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In a recent survey, over 50% of the adults responding admitted that they were afraid of the dark. And they had good reasons—some said they were afraid of what can be hiding in the dark. Others pointed out that statistically more crimes happen in the dark. The fact is, when it gets really dark, I think we all get afraid. And that’s when we need to hear Jesus say, “I am the light of the world.” - Pastor Ron Kool
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When we think of Jesus, we tend to think of Him in one of two ways. On the one hand, we see Him as the gentle shepherd, kind and compassionate. On the other hand, we also see Him as God Almighty, controller of all creation. This morning we’ll look at a story that reminds us that Jesus is both of these things—all the time. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Pastor Arek O'Connell discusses Evangelism and the importance of Sharing Your Story at Hillside's Intro to Spiritual Disciplines class.
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James has one more challenge for those to whom he is writing—when someone who had been walking with Jesus wanders from the truth. James knows that there are times when people are going to drift or walk away. His call to us is, at one and the same time, simple and difficult. We are to bring the wanderer home if it is possible. This morning, we’ll think about how we might do that. - Pastor Ron Kool
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James has been full of practical advice for living in troubled times. He’s called us to be faithful and make sure our faith shows itself in works. He’s called us to watch our tongues and how we spend our money. As he gets ready to close his letter, James calls us to one more practical activity: Praying. James reminds us of the power and effectiveness of prayer. - Pastor Ron Kool
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In times and seasons where we fall victim to pain and suffering, we are prone to certain behaviors. We try and take the situation under our control and alleviate our pain and suffering as quickly as possible. However, James' best advice for us in the face of pain and suffering is to be patient and persevere so that we might learn to depend on God even more. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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James has used strong language throughout his letter, but now he turns the heat up even higher. He has saved his strongest warnings and announcements for this place in his letter—where he has extremely strong words for rich people who are not using their wealth the way God intended them to. These words are deeply challenging but also deeply important for us to think about. - Pastor Ron Kool
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One of the things that is way too easy for us to do is to live our lives without really thinking about God too much. We know He’s there, but we don’t include Him in our planning and thinking—He’s sort of a “God on the Shelf.” We may call out to Him if things fall apart, but until then, we’ll live our lives on our own terms. This morning James will remind us of how foolish this is. - Pastor Ron Kool
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From the very beginning, Christians have gotten into fights and disagreements with each other. Why is that? Shouldn’t we be able to get along with each other and love each other? This morning James will help us understand why there are fights and quarrels among us. - Pastor Ron Kool
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We live in a world where we are surrounded by thousands of voices, many of them ready to give us advice on how to live. There are podcasts and news stations, Facebook posts, blogs and web pages. There are books we can read or listen to. But what’s worth our time? How do we know if the person we are listening to is wise—is worth listening to? This morning James will help us answer that question. - Pastor Ron Kool
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As we come to the end of another year, it’s natural to reflect on the year overall in order to make preparations for the year we’re about to enter. No matter what accomplishments, successes, failures, or disappointments we faced in the last year, the Apostle Paul wants to encourage us to head into next year, or any day for that matter, with the goal of pressing on towards Christ until we meet in heaven. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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We’re really close to celebrating the birth of Jesus—and that’s exciting. God came to be with us! Jesus came to save us! But how will He do that? How will Jesus save those who would follow Him? This morning we’ll look at the plan that God gave to Isaiah 700 years before Jesus was born and we’ll see the plan for how Jesus will save the world. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Kathy Douma leads this week's Intro to Spiritual Disciplines class on the discipline of "Serving."
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Full Christmas Program audio recording - One of the words that describe many of our lives at this time of the year is the word “busy.” We are running here and there with things to do, people to see, and presents to buy. In the midst of all our running, Isaiah the prophet has a word for us: “Listen!” It’s an important word but the question is whether we can find time in our busyness to slow down and listen.
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Last week we saw the need for Jesus—we are sinners who deserve death. We also saw that God promised to send someone to save us. This morning we’re going to learn more about that One whom God promised to send—His Servant. And we’ll see that this Servant is going to do some amazing things. - Pastor Ron Kool
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This Sunday is the first Sunday of the Advent season. A season where the church collectively anticipates the arrival, or ‘advent,’ of our savior Jesus Christ. Just as he came in the flesh as a baby 2000 years ago to save his people, one day Christ will return again to save his people. What is it that we need saving from though? The book of Genesis shows us that what we need Jesus for and saving from the most is ourselves. We need Jesus to show us how to Love God and each other. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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We will think about the question Jesus asked when He had healed ten lepers, and only one came back to thank Him. We'll talk about how they probably were doing decent, good things - and saying thanks just slipped past them. - Pastor Ron Kool
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It’s such a little thing—the tongue. It only weighs about 2.5 ounces. But it can do so much. It can destroy and it can give life. This morning James wants to challenge us to tame our tongues. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Stewardship - it's not just about us telling you to give more money to the church (we know pastors say this all the time). It's really about discovering an amazing thing that God allows us to manage His resources. He works through us and wants us to enjoy it and celebrate it.
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This morning, we’re going to look at an important question that James challenges us with: Is our faith real? James knows that it’s possible for us to go through the motions, say all the right things, and even believe some of the right things about God but still not have a faith that is real. This morning, we’ll look at how James tells us we can know that our faith is the genuine article. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Did your parents have a “favorite” child? Was one of your siblings the “problem” child? What about in school—did you ever have a teacher who had a favorite student? We’ve all experienced the reality of favoritism. This morning James will challenge us to not let it happen anywhere—especially not in church! - Pastor Ron Kool
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Kirk Kingsley continues our Wednesdays at Hillside series on the Intro to Spiritual Disciplines. He shares examples of prayer in Scripture and discusses reasons why we do not pray sometimes. He also teaches different ways to pray more often and effectively and grow in greater intimacy with God through prayer.
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James has been offering us wisdom when it comes to doubts during trials, wisdom when we face temptation. What does James have to say in general about wise faith in action? How do we know our faith is real and we’re living it out wisely? James might encourage us to take a deep breath, listen to God’s Word, and take care of the little people. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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We talked last week about the fact that storms come into all of our lives. People we love get sick and die. Someone hurts us deeply with their actions or their words. We lose a job. This week we’ll continue to look at what James has to say to us about what we should do in the midst of the storms that come our way. - Pastor Ron Kool
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This morning we’re beginning a sermon series on the book of James. James is one of the most practical letters in the New Testament and he jumps right in by talking about what we should do when the trials and difficulties come our way. We’ll take a look at what it means to trust in God when our world feels like it’s falling apart. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Bibles. For most of us, they are something that we have multiple copies of around our house. And if that's not the case, we have access right at our fingertips to download an app and have multiple translations.
What are we doing with the Bible? How are we engaging in God's Word? What is the value of being rooted in God's Word? What are some of the roadblocks that get in our way and keep us from doing that? What should our heart posture look like when we engage in God's word?
Kristin Hileman looks at some practical methods for Scripture Reading - it's not just reading, but listening, meditating, memorizing, and praying God's Word. We hope you are inspired, but also let the Bible, God's living and active Word, transform your life.
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As we finish up our series on judging others this morning, we’ll see one more area where we are called to judge others—if they are someone who is spreading false teaching. If a Christian is teaching or believing something significant that isn’t true to Scripture, we owe it to them to challenge their teachings/beliefs. This morning we’ll think about when and how we might do that. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Wednesdays at Hillside: Our faith walk is a life-long journey in which we are called to become more and more like Jesus. Each week, we will focus on different spiritual disciplines such as prayer, scripture reading, serving, and more. Some disciplines will be taught lecture-style, while others may include discussion time, small group interactions, or a time of personal reflection.
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Do I have the right to judge the sin of other Christians? There are plenty of areas we might feel comfortable offering judgment, but to look into someone’s personal life and call their action a sin against God? Can’t we just let God take care of that? As uncomfortable as it may make us, Paul teaches us in 1 Corinthians 5 that it’s necessary for the health of the church and for us to see restoration take place. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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The Bible says that some of our Christian beliefs and behaviors are expected to be followed by every Christian. They are necessary to being a Christian. But some of our Christian beliefs and behaviors are left up to the individual Christian—we can disagree on these matters and still call each other Christians. But what beliefs and behaviors are in which group? This morning we’ll look at what Paul meant when he said that we shouldn’t judge each other about “disputable matters.” - Pastor Ron Kool
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“You Christians are so judgmental!” “Only God can judge me!” “Why aren’t Christians speaking up more? We should be calling sin what it is—an abomination before God!” Should we judge other people? Or should we be quiet? This morning we’re beginning a series in which we’ll look at what the Bible has to say about judging other people. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Where do you look for role models? Who do you want to learn from? Most of us want to learn from those who are great—the successful businessperson, the best football player, the smartest scientist. This morning the Proverbs will tell us to look in a different place for life advice—to four “little guys” who know some things we should know. - Pastor Ron Kool
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We’ve been talking about wisdom—the ability for broken people living in a broken world to navigate life as well as possible. Wisdom is knowing what to do and having the strength to do it. This morning we’re going to look at what the Proverbs have to say about the biggest barrier that gets in the way of our becoming wise. - Pastor Ron Kool
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We don’t always realize it, but the Bible actually says quite a bit about work. Work was created by God and was intended to be a source of dignity and appropriate pride for all of us. But now we’re working in a broken world (and we are broken people) and work doesn’t work like it’s supposed to. So how do we navigate work well? What do the Proverbs have to say about work? - Pastor Ron Kool
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We all have to deal with anger. For some of us it’s our own anger—we too often blow up and damage the people around us or we clam up and simmer with anger. For some of us it’s the anger of others—our spouse gets mad and yells at us or calls us names. Anger is a reality in our world and the writers of the Proverbs tell us that we need to learn to deal with our anger wisely.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Doubts are a tricky thing when it comes to faith. Because unlike sin and grief, some doubts are good to have. Some doubts don’t cause us any trouble because they’re grounded in truth and some can even be useful and constructive. But what about doubts concerning the nature and faithfulness of God? How does Jesus give us good news in the midst of THOSE doubts? Jesus keeps revealing His love for us until we can believe.
- Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Perhaps the most difficult seasons of faith that we endure are seasons when we experience pain, suffering, and loss. Deep down we know that suffering is part of the deal when it comes to being a Christian, but when grief hits hardest, it can feel as if God has forgotten about us and our pain altogether. But there’s good news, even in my grief. The good news in my grief is the good news of the Gospel: God loves you and is bringing dead things back to life in Christ!
- Pastor Arek O'Connell
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For the next three weeks we’re going to be looking at stories from the Gospel of John for some much needed good news in a world that has plenty bad to offer. The best news usually comes when we think there’s only bad news or no hope. But there is good news in all seasons, even in the times when we fall short and blow it. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Did your parents always want to know who you were hanging out with? Were they constantly asking about your friends? If they were, then it’s probably because they were wise and they loved you. The people we hang around with matter—a lot—and this morning we’ll look at what the Proverbs have to say about our friends. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Our tongues are relatively small—they only weigh about three ounces. But they are powerful. They can cause great damage in our lives and the lives of others. They can also be the source of great blessing. This morning we’ll look at what the Proverbs have to say about our tongues. - Pastor Ron Kool
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At times we can all be fools. We make foolish choices. We say foolish things. We go foolish places. At times we can all be fools. And we need help. That’s where the book of Proverbs comes in. Proverbs is a book of God’s wisdom that can help us navigate life well. This morning we’ll start a series on the book of Proverbs. - Pastor Ron Kool
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As we come to the end of the book of Acts, we have several questions yet to be answered. What will Paul do in Rome? What is going to happen when Paul appears before Caesar? Will Paul ever get to Spain? This morning we’ll see how Luke finishes the story he’s been telling us. - Pastor Ron Kool
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It’s interesting to think about how we should think about ourselves. Should we look at ourselves as bad people? As good people? Should we be proud of ourselves or ashamed about who we are? This morning we’ll look at what Luke tells us about Paul and about how we should look at ourselves. - Pastor Ron Kool
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This week at Hillside, our kids have been learning what it means to be a hero. We’ve been following the life of David and learned that hero’s have a pure heart, they face their fears, they trust in God and offer forgiveness. There’s one more story we’ll look at together as a church and see that what ultimately makes someone a hero in God’s eyes is devoting your whole heart to God and God alone. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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One of the lessons new drivers need to learn is what it means to yield. It’s not the same as stopping—but you may have to stop. It’s not the same as going—though you may get to go. Yielding can be hard to learn when driving. But it can also be hard to learn when we’re following God. This morning Pastor Jul Medenblik will teach us about being yielded to God.
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Sometimes you know that there’s a crash of some sort coming. Even with God’s help, sometimes we hit the rocks. Paul and his companions on the ship know that they are going to “run aground” (crash) on an island during a terrible storm. This morning, we’ll look at what they did to prepare for the rocks and what we can do. - Pastor Ron Kool
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God has promised us some pretty amazing things—His presence and strength, a new earth where everything will be the way it is supposed to be, new bodies that will never get cancer or die. Some days it’s easy to believe in God’s promises. We just know they’re going to happen. But some days we wonder—is it really true? Will God keep His promises? This morning we’ll look at a story that shows us that our God will not be stopped. - Pastor Ron Kool
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In his last recorded speech in the Bible, Paul stands and gives a defense before King Agrippa in preparation for his arrival to Rome and ultimately Caesar. Paul makes a lengthy speech in his defense, and what is significant to notice about his speech is that Paul can’t talk about himself without talking about Jesus at the same time. For Paul, every day was an an opportunity to testify about Christ in word and deed, do we believe the same? - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Sometimes we’re in situations where we’re not sure what we ought to do. Does God want us to stay where we are and wait for Him to do something? Or does God want us to take matters into our own hands and do something ourselves? This morning we’ll look at a situation in which Paul has to figure out whether he waits or whether he takes matters into his own hands. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Paul’s missionary journeys have placed him in stressful situations repeatedly. Wherever Paul seemed to tell people about Jesus, trouble followed. Living with a clear conscience when things are good is hard enough. How do we live with a clear conscience before God and man under pressure? We see in the example of Paul before Felix we can live with a clear conscience in any situation when we seek the Lord with honesty, humility, and patience, living for an audience of one: Jesus. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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As we’ve gone through the books of Acts, we’ve seen God do a number of miracles—healings and earthquakes and blindness and bright lights. This morning we’re going to look at a passage in which God doesn’t do any of these kinds of miracles. He’s behind the scenes, working through “natural” means and circumstances. We’ll think about how God might be at work behind the scenes in our own lives. - Pastor Ron Kool
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As we’ve gone through the books of Acts, we’ve seen God do a number of miracles—healings and earthquakes and blindness and bright lights. This morning we’re going to look at a passage in which God doesn’t do any of these kinds of miracles. He’s behind the scenes, working through “natural” means and circumstances. We’ll think about how God might be at work behind the scenes in our own lives. - Pastor Ron Kool
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One of the opportunities we sometimes have is the opportunity to tell others about Jesus. It can be an exciting thing to do, but it can also be scary. This morning we’re going to take a look at one of the most effective ways we can share our faith—we’ll see how Paul simply tells the story of when he met Jesus. As we look at Paul, we’ll all be challenged to think about our story and how we might share it. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Paul has been on his way to Jerusalem for quite a while and he’s finally arrived. He’s been looking forward to being in Jerusalem but he also knows that troubles are ahead of him. This morning we’ll see what happens when Paul goes into the city. As too often happens, the first trouble comes from other Christians. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Sometimes Christians disagree. One of the things Christians disagree about is the strategy we ought to pursue. We might have the same goal, but we might have different ways of getting there. What do we do then? How do we decide? This morning we’ll look at a situation in which Paul and a lot of his friends disagree and we’ll watch as they figure out what to do. - Pastor Ron Kool
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The site of an empty tomb on Easter morning is a symbol of victory. Death has been defeated, the bondage of sin has been overpowered by God’s power and love. But the first time people saw an empty tomb on Easter, they became so scared and confused that they ran off in a silent panic. What could possibly be scary and confusing about Easter + the empty tomb? Well, if Christ is risen and He is Lord, what does that mean about my failures and future plans for life? If Christ is risen am I living the life that is seeking to follow Him or am I in control? - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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As we gather together this evening for worship, we’ll take time to follow Jesus from His arrest to when He died. It is a sad, painful journey. But it also is a journey that leads to life for us. In our meditation, we’ll take a look at the person at the cross who sees most clearly—a Roman Centurion. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Sticks and stones may break my bones, but…Most of us know the rest—words will never hurt me. It would be nice if it were true, but it’s not. Words and gestures do hurt us and Mark wants us to know that Jesus faced a tremendous amount of mockery, scorn and humiliation on His way to and while He was on the cross. We'll look at what this has to teach us this morning.
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We move ahead to the day that Jesus was crucified. In the early hours of the morning, we see Him at prayer, but this is a different kind of prayer than we have seen before. Jesus is in anguish. He is struggling like never before. And as we realize why Jesus is overwhelmed, we begin to see the pain and suffering He will endure for us. - Pastor Ron Kool
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One of the things that was most difficult for the disciples to understand was why Jesus came. They got that He came to save but they didn’t get HOW He would save and what the Kingdom of God would be like. They just didn’t get it. This morning we’ll watch as once again Jesus tries to help them (and us) “get it.” - Pastor Ron Kool
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Summary: We want to follow Jesus because at the end of the day we know that the best life, eternal life, can only be found in following Jesus! So if following Jesus offers us the best eternal destiny, why do we find it to be so difficult to follow Jesus as God’s Word tells us? Usually, it’s because we’re still holding onto something. However, new life in Christ and God’s love can only be found when we let go. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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It was only two words. Two fairly simple words. But they changed the lives of these fishermen forever. Nothing was the same after Jesus came to them and said these two words. This morning Jesus says the same words to us: Follow Me. The disciples followed. Will we? - Pastor Ron Kool
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Many of us don’t like to think of ourselves as leaders. We’re just followers. But for almost all of us we will be, at least for a time, leaders. If we are parents, we are leaders. If we lead a small group, we are leaders. If we are elders or deacons, we are leaders. This morning we’ll take a look at what Paul said to the leaders of the Church in Ephesus and see what it has to say to us as we lead today. - Pastor Ron Kool
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The Apostle Paul’s missionary trips are going to come to an end. He’s heading to Jerusalem, and he knows he’s heading for trouble. As Paul begins his trip to Jerusalem, we see him busy with a number of details, putting things in place while he still can. In doing this, Paul teaches us some important lessons about what it means to be in the church. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Paul’s time in Ephesus ended with a bang! A large number of people are converted, God’s power is on display, and the people in Ephesus show a radical devotion to God upon their conversion. Time and time throughout Acts we keep seeing that the Gospel always transforms, it often divides, and is never compromised. Is our faith in action a walking testimony or rejection of those truths? - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Paul is going to spend three years in Ephesus planting and growing the church there. The church becomes an important church and plants other churches. What made this church so effective, so dynamic? This morning we’ll look at three marks of this dynamic church. - Pastor Ron Kool
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We’ve been following the growth of the early church. It’s been exciting to see the movement grow from a small group in an upper room to a large body of believers spread across a good portion of the world. But wherever there is growth, there are also growing pains—there are challenges that come up. This morning we’ll look at some of these challenges and how the Spirit led the church through these challenges. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Sometimes we just get tired. We’ve been going along and doing okay, but things start to catch up with us. We want to keep going, but it’s not easy. We’re worn out. At times like this, we need help from God—help like God gave the Apostle Paul in Corinth. - Pastor Ron Kool
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When Paul preaches to the people of Athens, he is dealing with people who do not accept the authority of the Bible. He must find a different point of connection with these folks. As we see what Paul does, we learn important lessons about how we talk about Jesus to our family members, friends and others who do not know Jesus and who do not believe the Bible has authority. Paul ties in to a sense of longing he senses in them and proclaims that Jesus is the One they’ve been looking for. - Pastor Ron Kool
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As we approach a new year, we tend to do two things. First, we reflect on the past year, and we resolve what to do the following year. As you consider what type of year you want 2024 to look like, our text in Jeremiah will encourage us to remember a faithful group of nomads called the Rekabites. Perhaps they will help us all resolve to be faithful!
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For many of us, we would rather be on the giving end of gifts than on the receiving end. We like to give to others, and if someone gives us something, we want to be able to give them a gift back. It’s not always easy simply to receive a gift. But at the heart of the Christmas story is a gift from God that we can only receive and never repay—the gift of His Son. The question for us today is this: will we receive the gift of Jesus? - Pastor Ron Kool
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At this time of the year, we sing songs that talk about God coming near to us. We sing, “O Come, O Come, Immanuel,” or “Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus.” We look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus. But before we get too excited, we need to hear the prophet Malachi. He reminds us that when Jesus comes, it’s not just angels and stars and happy thoughts. Jesus also comes as a Refining Fire. - Pastor Ron Kool
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The most difficult circumstances and seasons to have hope in are the ones where nothing seems to go right. We look at the world around us and it feels like everything is falling apart and certain evils, injustices, and suffering don’t seem to have an end in sight. But Isaiah prophecies of one who can put an end to it all, the one that we can put our hope in, the tender plant. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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This morning we begin getting ready for the arrival (advent) of Jesus on Christmas day. To help us get our hearts ready to welcome Jesus, we’re going to look at four images from the Bible that help us understand who Jesus is. We start with an image from 1,400 years before Jesus was born—He is the bright Morning Star. - Pastor Ron Kool
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If someone didn’t know much about Christianity and they asked you to tell them about Jesus, what would you say? What words would you use to describe Him? What would you focus on? This morning we’ll listen in to what Paul said about Jesus to people who didn’t know who Jesus was or what Jesus did. - Pastor Ron Kool
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On this Thanksgiving Day, most of us know we should be grateful. And most of us genuinely want to be grateful. But how do we grow in gratitude? This morning we’ll look at three necessities for growing gratitude. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Paul and his companions are about to meet some new friends and enemies as they bring the gospel into new territories with new rules. However, God and the gospel message never change. As the gospel begins to challenge and change these new places Paul shows us that even when things get tough, our central commitment is to Christ and the Gospel because the Gospel is central and above everything. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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If we’re disciples of Jesus, we want to be where God wants us to be. But how do we know where God wants us to be? How do we know if God wants us to stay where we are or move on to some other place? This morning we’ll see Paul, Silas, and Timothy struggle with those questions. - Pastor Ron Kool
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It’s one thing when we disagree. It happens. But it’s another thing when those disagreements become personal, when we are not talking about an issue or a problem but we are attacking a person. We might wish we could say that such a thing would never happen among Christians, but this morning we’ll see it happen between two amazing Christian leaders. - Pastor Ron Kool
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How do we as Christians get along? We’re not all the same and sometimes, if we’re honest, other Christians can bug us a little (or a lot). Sometimes they don’t just bug us. Sometimes we think they’re wrong on some things. How do we get along when we don’t always see eye to eye? It’s not always easy, but it is always important that we work at it. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Paul and Barnabas were extremely excited about what God had done on their mission trip. It seemed like God was clearly at work. But then some of the believers began to ask questions. Is this really from God? Are the changes that are happening the right ones? Luke tells us that a “sharp dispute and debate” broke out. Who was right? What was the real issue? And how will the church decide? This morning we’ll think about these questions. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Paul and his companions are coming to the end of their missionary journey. Paul has traveled far and wide and witnessed the numerous ‘doors of Faith’ God opened to the Gentiles. At the end of his journey, we’re told the church gathers to hear about all the doors of Faith being opened. This morning we’re going to hear similar testimony from our mission partners around the world. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Paul and Barnabas may have gotten whiplash. One moment the crowds want to worship them. The next the crowds are trying to kill them. This morning we’ll look at the amazing story of how Paul and Barnabas went from heroes to villains in just a few minutes. - Pastor Ron Kool
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One of the hardest things to do is to try to explain something to someone who already thinks they know everything. They don’t tend to listen very well—after all, they already know everything they need to know. This morning we’ll take a look at a sermon Paul preached to people who thought they knew it all. - Pastor Ron Kool
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We live in a world where we are taught to be tolerant of everyone. There’s something good about that. But there are times when “speaking the truth in love” means that we will confront people in the name of Jesus. This morning we’ll see Saul face one of those times. - Pastor Ron Kool
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As we kick off a new year of activities and programs, we’ll take some time this morning to listen to what Peter had to say at the end of his second letter. He closes with one final command for all those in the church—Grow! As followers of Jesus, we are not called to simply hang around until we die and go to heaven. We are called to grow and become more and more like Jesus. - Pastor Ron Kool
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We’ve been talking about the power of hope. We’ve seen that hope in Jesus Christ can be an anchor for our souls and the reason we encourage each other. This morning we’ll see how hope can help us to stay faithful as we follow Jesus. - Pastor Ron Kool
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As we hold onto our anchor of hope, especially during the stormy seasons of life, we all need encouragement at some point or another. We need encouragement from God, but we also need it from one another. Encouragement fuels hope when we need it most, but encouragement doesn’t happen in isolation or in a vacuum. We can only encourage one another how God desires us to when we’ve drawn near to Him while never losing hope. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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For the next three weeks we’re going to look at three different passages in the Letter to the Hebrews, all of them dealing with hope. This morning we’ll take a look at what the writer of this letter says about how our hope is guaranteed—it is firm and secure—an anchor that will hold during the storms of life. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Why does God choose to bless me and others? What am I supposed to do with His blessings? How am I supposed to steward them faithfully? The Apostle Paul tells us that the amount, the time, or the recipient ultimately isn’t what matters most when it comes to giving. Our primary objective is to channel the same blessings we’ve received from God unto others. We’re blessed to be a blessing. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Once we’ve committed to giving to the church on a regular basis, naturally one of the first questions we always ask… “How much?” If I want to follow Christ faithfully, does it mean that I can only do that if I give God 10% of my money? The good news is absolutely not! God doesn’t require you to give 10% of your money, that’s too easy… He wants 100% of your heart first and foremost. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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This Sunday we begin a three-part sermon series on the subject of giving and stewardship. One of the first questions we or others may ask when it comes to this subject is “what right does anyone, God included, have to tell me how to spend my money, time, and resources?” As we look through the Creation account of Genesis, we’ll see that God has the right because God who owns everything, generously provides so that we can flourish and bless others. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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The early Christians had some great successes. They also faced some very serious threats. This morning we’ll look at one of those threats and see that from a human standpoint, the threat can do serious damage and seems overwhelming. But when we put God into the equation, we see that He and His church will not be stopped. - Pastor Ron Kool
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We’ve seen God at work throughout the book of Acts. This morning we’ll watch as God does some “set-up” work—bringing the right people to the right place so something really good can happen down the line. Like a chess grandmaster, God is always thinking many moves ahead. - Pastor Ron Kool
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We’ve been talking about the story where Cornelius and those closest to him become Christians. It’s great news and something to be celebrated. But it’s also something that raises a question—one that the church is going to struggle with for some time. The question is this: What expectations should be made of Gentiles who are becoming Christians? How much of the Jewish faith do they need to adopt as followers of Jesus? - Pastor Ron Kool
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I don’t know if Peter ever got over it. What an amazing day. Gentiles—Pagans—filled with the Spirit. Praising God. Speaking in tongues. Who would have guessed this could happen? This morning we’ll be reminded of just how far the love of God goes. - Pastor Ron Kool
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We’ve all had that experience of feeling like we’ve been “accepted” into a group but we still feel a bit like an outsider. Maybe we don’t wear the right clothes or have the right political opinions, but we don’t quite feel like we really belong. This morning we’ll start looking at a story that would force the early church to think deeply about who really belongs. - Pastor Ron Kool
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There has been a whole lot of action recently with the early church! Samaritans and Ethiopians are being saved! The greatest persecutor of the church became God’s chosen instrument to grow the church! This week we’re going to see a little break from the “big headlines” and see how even in times of peace, the Spirit is still active and ahead of us and calling us to be “meanwhile missionaries.” - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Last week we saw that the biggest enemy of the church (Saul), became a Christ-follower with a significant calling. As Saul begins his life as a Christian, he finds himself unsure of where he will fit in. His new community—the church—is reluctant to embrace Him too quickly and his old community—Judaism—will not accept him any longer. This morning we’ll think about this question: What does it take for Saul to find his place in the new community? - Pastor Ron Kool
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He hated Christians with a holy fire. He wanted nothing more than to wipe these people out. But then it happened. Saul was stopped in his tracks by Jesus. And nothing was the same for Saul for the rest of his life. - Pastor Ron Kool
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One of the main themes of the Book of Acts is that we are to tell others about Jesus. For many of us, this can be a bit scary. We worry about what to say and what not to say. We worry about whether the person we’re speaking with will get angry. This morning we’ll take a look at a story that reminds us that the Spirit is always going ahead of us, preparing us and preparing those with whom we’ll be speaking. Knowing that the Spirit is doing the hard work can help us relax and not be afraid. - Pastor Ron Kool
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This morning we’re going to learn a lesson that will set the tone for the rest of Acts: God's Spirit is active and ahead of us… all the time. As the Spirit continues to grow the church, one thing we’ll constantly learn is that we can’t control the Spirit! All we can do is catch up and keep in step. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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A Higher Court
Stephen is on trial and it’s not going well. The deck is stacked against him. But just as people in the courtroom erupt and begin to attack him, Stephen is given a gift. He has a vision of another courtroom, a higher courtroom. Stephen lost his case in one court. But he didn’t really care because he knew he won in the court that really matters. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Stephen's Defense - One of the scariest things we read when we study the Bible is that God’s people are amazingly able to miss what God is doing. Time and time again it seems that those who should be most ready to see what God is doing miss what He is doing. This morning we’ll listen as Stephen continues to give examples of how our fathers in the faith missed God’s work. - Pastor Ron Kool
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New things can be scary for all of us. They certainly were for the Jewish religious leaders during the days of the early church. This “new” teaching of the Apostles and others both scared these leaders and made them jealous. Today we’ll see that the “new” teaching of Jesus as the Messiah was something these leaders just couldn’t handle. - Pastor Ron Kool
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It was a small thing. A little spat between two groups in the young church. But little things have the potential of becoming big things and causing big troubles. This morning we’ll look at what the problem was and how the Apostles handled it. - Pastor Ron Kool
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As we return to our series in the book of Acts, we get to see the early church filled with the Holy Spirit back in action! As they continue to share the new life they’ve received in Jesus, they continue to experience persecution. Some people just don’t want to receive new life… but even when people are resistant to the Gospel message, we don’t ever stop sharing new life. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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We saw last week that most of the followers of Jesus were really slow to understand and believe in Jesus’ resurrection. This morning, Luke will tell us about two more who didn’t catch on very quickly. Thankfully, Jesus is full of grace and takes the time to help them (and us) understand and believe in Him. - Pastor Ron Kool
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As Luke tells us about Jesus being raised from the dead, it’s interesting to notice how slow the followers of Jesus are to understand and believe this great news. This morning we’ll take a look at that and ask, “Why is that? Why were the disciples of Jesus so slow to celebrate His resurrection?” - Pastor Ron Kool
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We take some time to focus on one of the main events of our faith—the crucifixion of Jesus. In Scripture and song, we will walk through the final eighteen hours of Jesus’ life, from His arrest to His death on the cross. While this is a sad journey, this is also a journey that brings us life—we will finish by recognizing that Jesus is the hope of the world. - Pastor Ron Kool
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This week we’ll take a look at a parable Jesus told—and it was an explosive one. Jesus has been challenging the religious leaders ever since He set His face to go to Jerusalem, but now He tells a story that they know is aimed right at them—and they are not happy. - Pastor Ron Kool
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As Jesus continues to keep His face set on Jerusalem, He must confront a real and credible threat to His mission. In the face of even death itself, we see that Jesus loves all His little ‘chickens’ and will do anything to protect them from the ‘foxes’ of our world. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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In our story today, someone tells Jesus about a tragedy that happened in the Temple in Jerusalem—people were killed by governmental assassins. The people talking about it wanted to know if Jesus thought it was a sign of the times. Jesus’ answer has some very important lessons for us. - Pastor Ron Kool
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At a certain point in His life, Jesus knew that it was time to go to Jerusalem. He knew what would happen there—He would be beaten and crucified. That didn’t stop Him. Because He loved us, He “set His face” to go to Jerusalem. He would not be stopped. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Last week we saw that the early church was threatened by some of the local religious and political leaders—a threat from “outside.” This week, the church will face an even more dangerous threat—a threat from within as two members lie to the others. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Whenever God is at work, there will inevitably come opposition. How do we respond? We see from the early church and the apostles that when opposition came, they were courageous and bold, but not for the reasons we would think. They confronted opposition with the name of Jesus as their only defense and we are called to do the same. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Sometimes we don’t know what we really need. We think we need money to pay the bills, but in reality, we need something else. This morning we’ll look at the story of a beggar who got much more than he bargained for. - Pastor Ron Kool
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The early church just had a mountain-top experience. The Holy Spirit came and 3,000 new believers were baptized—in a single day! When those mountain-top experiences are over, we often want to just move on to the next mountain-top. But that doesn’t always happen. Usually, we have some (often quite a few) “normal” days between these spiritual highs. This morning we’ll look at what the early church did in the “normal” days. - Pastor Ron Kool
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As we study the book of Acts, one of the things we’ll notice is that about one-third of the book is made up of speeches or sermons. There’s a lot of action, but preaching is also a big deal in the book of Acts. This morning we’ll look at the very first Christian sermon—the one Peter preached on Pentecost—right after the coming of the Holy Spirit. - Pastor Ron Kool
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The stage is ready. Jesus has given the church promise, power, and purpose. The early church overcame their first challenge by replacing Judas and making the Apostles whole. Now the Spirit is going to light the flame and call the church to praise, pursue, and proclaim! - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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As we look at the beginning of the church, it doesn’t take long for a problem to arise. The disciples had to figure out, “What do we do about Judas?” Judas had betrayed Jesus and was now dead. What do we do? Try to cover it up? Replace him? Pretend it didn’t happen? This morning we’ll think about how the disciples handled this “problem.” - Pastor Ron Kool
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As we begin the Book of Acts, Jesus is getting ready to leave His disciples. He’s got forty days for final instructions and encouragements. Ready or not, the disciples are going to have to take the lead. This morning we’ll take a look at three gifts Jesus gives to His disciples before He ascends into heaven. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Sometimes when we look at something we wonder, “How did that happen?” We see a turtle on a fencepost and we wonder, “How did that happen?” We see two people who are really different get married and we wonder, “How did that happen?” We see someone who was really wild in High School become a teacher and we think, “How did that happen?” This morning we’re beginning a new series on the book of Acts. When we look at who and where Jesus’ followers were in the beginning of the book and then look again at the end of the book, we have to wonder, “How did that happen?” In the book of Acts, Luke tells us how it happened. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Today we will look at the somewhat mysterious characters of the Magi. Were they really anything like we often think? Why did Matthew include them in his Gospel and what was the message he was conveying in so doing? The sermon will look at and seek to answer these questions and see what the message of the Magi may mean for us also today. - Pastor Scott Hoezee
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There are so many good things about Christmas. The music, the lights, the presents, the food. So many good things. But sometimes we can get so busy with the good things that we miss the best thing about Christmas—that God’s grace has broken through to us in Jesus. When we know that grace, we can know that it’s all right, even though it’s all wrong. - Pastor Ron Kool
(Titus 2 11-13)
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As we get closer to Christmas things get busier for many of us. We have more presents to buy, more decorations to put out, and more parties to attend. In the midst of all our running around, God promises us an amazing thing through His prophet Micah. Peace. That’s something we can all use. - Pastor Ron Kool
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As we get closer to Christmas, everyone expects there to be joy in the air! But is it always appropriate to have joy when the world and our lives are a mess? Zephaniah says we can by fixing out eyes on The Day of the Lord. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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John the Baptist is a necessary figure in Advent and yet somehow we don't often include John much in our Advent and Christmas reflections. Who was John? Why was he necessary to appear before the arrival of Jesus and what can we still learn from him today? In today's sermon we will look at Malachi's prediction of this necessary messenger and then Luke's presentation of John the Baptist's ministry.
- Pastor Scott Hoezee
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Advent is a time that the Church can grow deeper in confidence by looking back to see how God's Word came to fulfillment with the birth of Jesus Christ. It was a birth of great anticipation even through challenging times. This sermon series will look at some key Old Testament passages where God gave a word of Hope during difficult times. Calvin Theological Seminary President, Jul Medenblik, will help us hear God's promises as found in Jeremiah 33. The people of God were about to go into exile, but God promises there is something more and better that is coming for them because of His love and faithfulness. - Pastor Jul Medenblik
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Have you heard of the Yada People of India? The Jambi people of Indonesia? The Awan People of Pakistan? Each of these people groups has more than 1 million persons, yet more than 95% of them have no opportunity to hear the Gospel. God's heart is to reach these "lostest of the lost" (and many more). What does he want us to do about them? - Pastor Stan Kruis
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We've talked a lot recently about what it means to be appropriately clothed before the presence of God. But what type of action is expected of those who are clothed in Christ? What will ultimately motivate us to live a life that Christ has called us to? - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Everyone knows you can't just show up in your blue collar clothes to a wedding. Even if we would prefer to wear something else, we put our best on to honor the people we're celebrating. Jesus tells us a parable about how we should be dressed for the ultimate wedding banquet in Heaven in the Gospel of Matthew. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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On our journey through the Tabernacle, we come to the final room—The Most Holy Place. This is God’s room and inside of it was the most important religious symbol for the people of Israel—The Ark of the Covenant. This morning we’ll ask what made the Ark (and its cover) so important and how it points us to Jesus. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Priests were essential people in the life of God’s people. They were the mediators between God and His people—they would bring the needs of the people to God and they would bring the grace of God to the people. It was amazingly important work. But what made them able to do that work? How could normal people become priests whom God could use? And how might you and I become people whom God can use to be channels of His grace? - Pastor Ron Kool
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This Sunday we begin the journey of seeing the High Priest prepare to enter the most Holy Place. Not just any person is able to enter into God's presence, only the High Priest can. God turned Aaron from "just a person" into a Priest for God's service and that started by clothing him with the right garments. The good news is that we aren't "just people" either. In Christ, we are a part of the priesthood of all believers called to Kingdom Service. And just as God clothed Aaron in priestly garments, so too are we clothed in Christ as we serve Him and others. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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For some of us, we were raised to think that burning incense was something that other religions did, not ours. But as we continue our journey through the Tabernacle we come to the Altar of Incense, a small table on which the priests would burn incense twice a day, every day. This morning we’ll think about what this Altar has to say to us today. - Pastor Ron Kool
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The furniture we have in our homes says something about us. If the entire family room is focused on an 80" TV screen, we have an idea of what is important to the homeowner. God's furniture says something about what is important to Him and this morning we'll look at two of those pieces of furniture - The Table and the Lampstand. - Pastor Ron Kool
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We've seen that God had Moses build the Tabernacle so He could live with His people. In Exodus 26, God tells Moses about how He wants His "home" built. This morning we'll look at what we learn about God from the home Moses built for Him. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Last week we talked about how God wants to be with us and we need to be with God, but we can't because of our sinfulness. This week we'll start to look at how God makes a way for us to be with Him, a way for us to come home. The first step is not an easy one for us. - Pastor Ron Kool
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It sounds kind of crazy (especially for those of us who aren't wild about camping), but for a long time, God lived in a tent. For almost 500 years God lived in what was known as the Tabernacle - a tent that the Israelites carried with them in the wilderness and then into the Promised Land. This morning we're going to begin a series where we look at the Tabernacle and see what it was and who it pointed to. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Should the people I work with be able to tell that I am a Christian? Not just by my words, but by my actions, by the way I work? Does following Jesus make a difference in the workplace? This morning we’ll think about these questions. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Sometimes life feels overwhelming. Everyone needs something from us and we don't have much to give. We feel pulled in a hundred different directions and there aren't enough hours in a day. People are frustrated with us but we've done the best we can. At those times, it can sound good to just run away. We want to escape to a place no one knows us and no one wants anything from us. David had reached that point in his life and this morning we'll look at what David does when he wants to run away. - Pastor Ron Kool
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So often we are tempted to boil down our "giving" into money that we donate. But there is so much more that God asks us to "give to Him." As David ends his time and transfers his power and wisdom to Solomon, one lesson we learn is that God doesn't just want our money, He wants everything we have to offer Him. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Gaining and having wisdom is an important thing. Equally important is how we use it and how we pass it on to others. David was a great king because he did the right thing the right way consistently. As David's time as king comes to an end, what continued to make him great was that he passed down the right things to the right people.
- Pastor Arek O'Connell
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David has been on an amazing role. He has moved the ark of God and conquered enemy after enemy. But his success contains the seeds of his fall and this morning we’ll look at the great king who blew it big time.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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We all face challenges and difficulties. Whether it’s an illness or an enemy, a pain or a sin that keeps getting at us, we all face problems. We all have times when we feel like we don’t have the power to endure, much less win. This morning, the Chronicler reminds us that we don’t need to worry about how much power we have because it’s never been about our power.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Did you ever feel like you were so thankful to God that you wanted to do something to show it? You wanted to give money or build something or volunteer somewhere. What if you wanted that and God said, “No, thank you”? This morning we’ll look at a story in which David discovers what that’s like. - Pastor Ron Kool
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One of the most powerful forces in our world is the power of hope. Hope can give us energy and endurance. The Bible calls us to hope, but we sometimes wonder how we can be people of hope in a broken world. We’ll consider one of the best ways to nurture and strengthen our hope—Worship! - Pastor Ron Kool
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One truth we've all maybe learned the hard way is that doing the 'right thing' the 'wrong way' ultimately results in us doing the 'wrong thing.' David learned this and experienced some heartbreak as well. Through David's lesson, we'll remind ourselves that the King we serve is good...but He isn't safe. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Last week we saw an example of unfaithfulness in the life of Saul. This week we get to see, in the life of David and his mighty warriors, what true faithfulness looks like. And at the heart of what made David and his warriors mighty is that they always knew their highest level of devotion and loyalty belonged to God alone, even when they were thirst. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Sometimes we can learn what we should do by looking at what we shouldn’t do—we call that a negative example. The Chronicler uses Saul as a negative example. He started out great, but he didn’t stay faithful. Saul fell away, but God stayed faithful. - Pastor Ron Kool
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How many generations of ancestors can you name? Grandparents? Great-grandparents? Great-great-grandparents? The Chronicler starts off with the longest genealogy in the Bible—nine chapters! He goes from his own day all the way back to Adam (at least 3,500 years). And most of us skip right over this. It doesn’t make sense to us. We’ll take a look at what we can learn from these long lists of names. - Pastor Ron Kool
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We’re going to begin a sermon series this morning on the book of I Chronicles. While this Old Testament book may not be really familiar to us, it has an important message in our day. This morning we’ll get an overview of the book and look at one key passage that will tell us what God really wants from us. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Today is Pentecost Sunday—the day we remember that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to His people and the Church came alive. This morning we’ll talk about just how important (absolutely essential!!) the Holy Spirit is and what the Holy Spirit does. - Pastor Ron Kool
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The Bible tells us over and over again that God is good. He is loving and wants what’s best for us. But if that’s the case, why are there so many bad things and bad people in this world? Where do they come from and what do we do about them? Today we’ll look at a parable that Jesus told that helps us think about these things. - Pastor Ron Kool
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We have such an easy time defining “us vs. them.” From a young age, we learn quickly how to define good guys and bad guys. But the parable Jesus tells us in Luke 18 forces us to stop for a second and wonder “what really makes someone righteous before God?” How does God define good guys and bad guys? Sinners and saints? - Pastor Arek O’Connell
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In our world it can feel like there are people who matter and people who don’t. There are people who deserve our time and people who don’t. There are people who are of value and people who aren’t. Some of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day felt like Jesus spent too much time with people who didn’t really matter. In response, Jesus tells them several parables.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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We’ve probably all had times when we felt like someone was listening to us but not really listening. They were hearing the words we were speaking but not really paying attention to them. In the parable we’re going to look at today, Jesus is going to tell us that sometimes we can do that with God’s Word—we can listen to it but not really take it in. Join us as we think about how we can hear God’s Word the way we should—so we can be shaped by its power. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Sometimes we don’t understand why someone pays as much as they do for something. Why would someone pay $3 million dollars for a painting that sits on the wall? Why would someone pay $50,000 for an old car that doesn’t run? Sometimes things have a value that we don’t see. But for those who do see it, they have to act. Jesus says that this is the way it is with the kingdom of heaven. When we see how wonderful it is, we have to act. - Pastor Ron Kool
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When we ask someone to do a job, one of the questions we have to think about is this: Do they have what it takes? Can they get the job done? Do they have enough knowledge? Enough strength? Enough time? There were some people in Colossi who were teaching that Jesus was great but that He wasn’t quite enough on His own. They said that you needed Jesus plus some secret knowledge; Jesus plus some secret techniques. Paul is not happy with them and he reminds us that JESUS IS ENOUGH! - Pastor Ron Kool
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Luke 24:1-12
We spend a good amount of time looking for things. We look for our car keys, our purses, our eyeglasses—sometimes even our children. We’ll take a look at the story of a group of women who were looking for someone—but they were looking in the wrong place. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Matthew 27:45-56
- Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Throughout His life, people were trying to understand who Jesus was. Was He a king? Was He the Messiah? Was He a revolutionary? Was He God? Was He a prophet? For most of His life, Jesus allowed some confusion about who He was - He seemed to be keeping it a secret. But in this story, we’ll see Jesus make a clear declaration (without saying a word) of who He is. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Sometimes we’d rather just not have to decide. We want to abstain from voting, not take a stand, not choose one side or the other. Sometimes this is okay. But not always. This morning we’ll see how Pilate discovered that he couldn’t avoid this question: What’s he supposed to do with Jesus? He wants to pass on the question. Ignore it. But he can’t. None of us can. All of us need to have some sort of answer to this key question: What will we do with Jesus?
- Pastor RON KOOL
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Having spent several hours in prayer, Jesus is now ready to begin the final stages on His road to the cross. It begins with His arrest, with Judas showing up with a mob and betraying Him with a kiss. As Jesus deals with Judas, His disciples and the mob, we see God’s love in action—the willingness of Jesus to give His life for us. - Pastor Ron Kool
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Life is really difficult sometimes. There come times where we are ready to throw our hands up in surrender and yell “I can’t do this anymore!” Even Jesus felt this way during his life. When we feel like we can’t go on anymore what do we do? Who do we turn to? Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane shows us that in our times of need, God sustains us through one another, prayer, and His grace. - Pastor Arek O'Connell
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For many of us, when we hear about someone who is caught in a scandal or who was caught doing something very wrong, we have one of two thoughts. We might think, “I would never do that!!” Or we might think, “Would I ever do that?” The fact is that sometimes the Bible calls us to recognize that we are not as strong as we think we are.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Do you ever feel like you want to do “the right thing” but it felt like “the right thing” kept on changing? I think the disciples sometimes felt that way with Jesus. There were times when they were sure they knew what Jesus wanted them to do. But then they would discover that they still didn’t get it. - Pastor Ron Kool
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When we are learning something, we need to start with the basics. We learn to play a scale on a piano. We learn to read simple books before we tackle War and Peace. We walk before we run. The same is true in our Christian faith. This morning we’ll look at a list of normal, everyday commands that Paul gives to the Thessalonians. They aren’t necessarily flashy, but they are the actions and attitudes we need to have to grow a healthy church.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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One of the most powerful teachings in the Bible is that Jesus will come back to judge the living and the dead. Each one of us will stand before Jesus and give an account of our lives—and He knows everything! What do we need to do to be ready for that day? Does the Bible give us some “insider information” so that we can make sure we’re ready?
- Pastor Ron Kool
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What happens to our loved ones when they die? Where do they go? Will we get to see them again someday in heaven? These are questions we ask ourselves in times of grief and loss and desperately want answers for. These are also questions the Thessalonians had for Paul as they expected Jesus to return while also unexpectedly losing loved ones. Paul gives all of us a word of hope rooted in Jesus Christ to help us navigate these difficult questions.
- Pastor Arek O’Connell
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The gospel is the good news that, by His death and resurrection, Jesus has saved us from sin and death. He makes new life available to us freely - it’s completely by grace! But Paul wants us to know that if we accept that gift, it will change us - we will live to please God, not ourselves. This morning we’ll look at how that applies to our sexual lives.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Paul really liked to be with people. For him, there was nothing like doing life together, sharing our lives, helping, challenging and supporting each other. That’s why it was so hard for Paul not to be able to go and visit the Thessalonians. He hated being separated from them. We’ll see why Paul was so passionate about trying too get to see the Thessalonians and what Paul did to try to fill in the gaps.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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One thing that hasn’t changed in the past 2,000 years is that people are sometimes skeptical about religious people. Even back in Paul’s day there were people who thought that many preachers and other religious people were really swindlers - charlatans who were taking advantage of others - fleecing the flock. In the passage we’re looking at today, Paul tells us how we can avoid being manipulative as we try to influence others for Jesus.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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We were created to make a difference. God created us so that we could have an impact on the people and the world around us. It gives our lives meaning and purpose. We’ll take a look at how we can have an impact on others as a church and as individual believers.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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One of life’s greatest temptations is to pretend we’ve got it all together. It’s much easier to pretend to be someone we’re not than to accept our weaknesses and shortcomings. However, the good news that Paul and the Gospel offers is that God doesn’t need perfect ambassadors to deliver his message of hope to the world. He uses jars of clay to accomplish his purposes.
- Pastor Arek O'Connell
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One of the challenges many of us have faced in the past year has been conflict with other Christians. We may not have been at fault but a relationship was broken. We'll take a look at what Paul did when he was faced with a situation where two Christians he loved were in a broken relationship with each other.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Typically during the Holidays, it is assumed you don't talk politics or religion around the dinner table. However, Luke didn't care much for that rule when he announced the birth of Jesus. Luke had no problem stirring the pot by proclaiming that a baby born in Bethlehem was the true Lord of the world. And if Jesus is the true Lord, it means we have a decision to make. Who will you serve?
- Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Jesus does so many things. He guides us. He befriends us. He encourages us. Today we look at perhaps the most important things Jesus does for us. He saves us. He rescues us. This is great news because we all need saving!
- Pastor Ron Kool
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There is something inside each one of us that wants peace. Peace between nations, peace within families, peace among neighbors. We want peace. But most of us also feel that peace is not really a possibility—there will always be wars and hostility and fighting. Unless. Unless. Unless God Himself does something. Today we’ll think together about what it means that Jesus is our Prince of Peace.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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As we remember the first coming of Jesus and look forward to His second coming, we’re taking a look at some of the titles that the Bible gives to Jesus. Last week we looked at Jesus as The Messiah. This week we’re going to look at Jesus as The Word. What does it mean that Jesus is The Word? And what difference does it make to us if He is?
- Pastor Ron Kool
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On the first Sunday of Advent we set our hopes on the one who has come and who will come again, Jesus Christ. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus was given many unique titles to help us understand who Jesus is and how we should relate to him. We begin with the first title the Gospel gives Jesus, “The Messiah.” What does it mean that Jesus is the Messiah and how does it affect our lives today?
- Pastor Arek O'Connell
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There’s a difference between saying thank you and being thankful. Saying thank you is important, but God really calls us to be thankful. It’s that sense of gratitude that we seek and that God calls us to have. Today we will discuss the five keys to nurturing gratitude.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Beginning Again: In Love
As we've been working our way through I Corinthians 13, we've learned that love is essential to all ministry and we've learned about the characteristics of love. This morning we'll learn that while other gifts and abilities are good, Love is the greatest.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Beginning Again: In Love
As we’ve gone through the characteristics of love that Paul gives us in I Corinthians 13, we’ve seen that love is not sentimental or sweet but powerful and challenging. It’s not easy to love the way Paul calls us to love. In his final set of the characteristics of love, Paul tells us that love always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres. Once again we see that love is sacrificial and strong.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Beginning Again: In Love
The Bible calls us to rejoice when others rejoice and to mourn when others mourn. But sometimes that’s not easy. Sometimes we take delight in the failures and hurts of other people and sometimes we are sad when others succeed. We’ll look at what Paul says about love: It doesn’t delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Beginning Again: In Love
We all get hurt. In a broken world, there is no way we can avoid it. We all get hurt (and we all hurt others at times). The question is this: How do we respond? What does love teach us about how we respond when we get hurt?
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Beginning Again: In Love
One of the greatest ways we show love is to honor people - to notice them, to listen to them, to respect them. Today we'll see how love calls us to not seek to gain honor as it seeks to give honor to others.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Beginning Again: In Love
We start taking a look at all the things the Apostle Paul said Love is NOT in 1 Corinthians 13. Paul wants to warn the church against envying one another, boasting, and being prideful because when we do these things the focus is on "me." True love focuses on "we." We now discover how we can get out of our own way so that we can love God and each other.
- Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Beginning Again: In Love
Last week we heard Paul’s call to love. He taught us that no matter how gifted we are, without love, we are nothing. That leads to what we’re going to talk about today and for the next couple of weeks: What is love? A feeling? A song? A generic sort of feel-good moment? Paul’s going to point out that love—real love—requires some real work.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Beginning Again: In Love
We’ve talked about the importance of prayer and of serving. Now we’re going to talk about something that Paul says is the greatest thing: Love. No matter how impressive we may be to others with our prayers and our serving and our speaking and our knowing, Paul tells us that if we don’t do these things in love, we really don’t matter much. Love makes the difference.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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One of the most amazing things we can discover is that God can and does work through us. It feels great to realize that we had an impact on someone’s life, whether that was by a word we spoke, an act of kindness, or a gift we gave. We were created by God to do these sorts of things and feel this sort of joy. We’ll take a look at how God not only created us to make a difference but gave us spiritual gifts so His grace can flow through us to others.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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The Bible tells us that Christians are supposed to be ministers of reconciliation. But when we look at the church these days, it seems like most Christians aren't doing well with that - we look more like ministers of division than ministers of reconciliation. We will think about how we can grow stronger at reconciliation.
- Pastor Jul Medenblik
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For many of us, we are beginning again. Schools are open, ministries at church are ramping up, the Hillside Cook-out is today, the Lions kick off a new season. As we begin again, there are three things that we ought to recommit ourselves to: Prayer, Service and Love. We’ll take some time to commit and re-commit ourselves to prayer.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Most of us have heard that “it’s better to give than to receive.” That’s true. But what we haven’t always recognized is that often it’s easier to give than to receive. We don’t like to receive gifts we can’t pay back. We like to feel like we are pulling our own weight. That’s not terrible, unless it keeps us from receiving the most important gift in the world—God’s grace.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Set Free to Live Free | The Ten Commandments
As we finish the Ten Commandments this morning we’ll see that the last commandment takes us inside—into our hearts, our inner desires, where all our outward actions start. We’ll see that if we can get this one right, we can do much better with the first nine.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Saint Martin of Tours is known as the first Chaplain in the history of the Christian Church. However, Jesus is the first Chaplain and the perfect Chaplain. Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem. By the side of the road, a blind beggar, Bartimaeus, calls out for help. The crowd tells him to be quiet. But, Jesus, even though He is going to be killed in just a few days, puts His life on hold, calls Bartimaeus over, and listens carefully to his call for help. Jesus heals Bartimaeus by restoring his sight. We will follow Jesus when we also put our lives on hold, listen, and be God’s agents of healing when we use our gifts in service to Christ’s Church.
- Chaplain Roger Bouma
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Set Free to Live Free | The Ten Commandments
The ninth commandment might be the one that we break with the most frequency. While we really want to be people who tell the truth, too often we don’t tell the whole truth. We mislead, we speak too strongly, we speak too weakly. We cover the truth and slant it. We’ll take a look at how we can be people who speak the truth in love.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Set Free to Live Free | The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments continue to help us learn to live in freedom. We’ll look at what it means to be free in relationship with our stuff, our possessions. God teaches us that real freedom comes when we are satisfied with what we have and when we are able to freely share what we have with others.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Set Free to Live Free | The Ten Commandments
As we continue through the Ten Commandments, we come to a very important and very challenging commandment: Don’t commit adultery. God cares deeply about our sexual lives and our sexual thoughts. We need to take that seriously as well. A key question we’ll look at is why? Why does the Bible have so much to say about sex?
- Pastor Ron Kool
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One of the biggest fears many of us have is the fear of the unknown. We don’t like it when we don’t know exactly what is going to happen next. We feel a little out of control. We may be excited about the future but it is still filled with unknowns. This morning we’ll look at what God has to say to Joshua as he is about to lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Ever feel your heart is overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude to God and you can’t stop feeling your cup is overflowing? In my farewell sermon, I invite you to think of our lives as a journey with Jesus. It’s all about Christ. We’ll take a look at how loving, faithful, gracious, and generous He has been to all of us since we got the call to serve Hillside Church in 2008.
- Pastor Daniel Bud
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Set Free to Live Free | The Ten Commandments
This is one of those commandments that is pretty easy for most of us if we only leave it at the surface level. Most of us aren’t terribly tempted to literally murder someone. But if we push deeper (and Jesus calls us to do that), we discover that this commandment calls us to avoid harming or hurting people and, in fact, calls us to learn to love our neighbor, even the ones who are our enemies.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Set Free to Live Free | The Ten Commandments
Parents are a big deal. Whether they are good or bad; whether they are wise or foolish; whether they are biological or adoptive; parents are a big deal. And God says it’s a big deal how we treat our parents - we are to honor them. But what does that mean? What does that look like? We take a look at what this commandment has to say to us.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Set Free to Live Free | The Ten Commandments
We take a look at one of God’s really good gifts for us - the Sabbath. In a world where we constantly feel under pressure to do more and to do better, God invites us to stop and remember that He is God and we are not. The world is not in our hands, it is in His hands. When we remember this, we can actually rest for awhile - maybe even one day a week!
- Pastor Ron Kool
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As we celebrate multiple students making profession of faith, we take a moment to reflect on one o the most important commitments in the Christian life; the commitment to serve. Jesus showed us, by example, what a life of service looked like. How will we respond?
- Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Set Free to Live Free | The Ten Commandments
Ever catch yourself being tempted to use foul language and curse? Jesus taught us that "what we say flows from what is in our heart!" What? Explore with us the 3rd Commandment, "You shall not misuse the NAME of the Lord."
- Pastor Daniel Bud
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Set Free to Live Free | The Ten Commandments
Do you ever feel like someone knew one thing about you and then decided they knew everything about you? They labeled you. They put you in a box. They “knew” all about you so they didn’t really have to listen to you. If you’ve ever had that happen, then you know that it’s not fun. God doesn’t like it either. He doesn’t like it when we limit Him or reduce Him from what He truly is. And that’s why He gives us the second commandment.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Set Free to Live Free | The Ten Commandments
After God rescues us, He wants us to learn to live in freedom. We start this morning with the first and, in many ways, most important commandment: You shall have no other gods before me. While most of us aren’t tempted to worship Zeus or Odin or Amun-Ra, there are plenty of gods in our world we are tempted to worship—and we need to identify these gods so we can keep them from taking God’s place.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Set Free to Live Free | The Ten Commandments
The Israelites had the 10 commandments to help them discover a new life of freedom in the desert after God delivered them. Today, we have an even greater gift and helper than the Israelites did. We have the Holy Spirit! This Sunday we’ll discuss how the Holy Spirit strengthens and equips us to live a life of freedom in Jesus Christ.
- Pastor Arek O'Connell
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Set Free to Live Free | The Ten Commandments
For too many of us, we think that God gives us His Commandments so that we can know how to get Him to love us. If we obey God enough, we think, then He’ll save us. But that’s not the case. God first saves us and then He gives us His Commandments. They aren’t there to get Him to love us, they are there because He loves us and wants what is best for us.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Set Free to Live Free | The Ten Commandments
We’re beginning a sermon series this morning on the Ten Commandments. We’ll take a week for each commandment and explore what it means for us today, but before we do that, we need to understand that the Ten Commandments come in the middle of a story. They are not just given randomly. They are given to God’s people – the ones He rescued from slavery.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Revelation | Pulling Back the Curtain
How do you describe the indescribable? How do you talk about something that is better than you can imagine? As John gets to the end of his vision, he tries to give us a sense of just how awesome, amazing, beautiful, joyful and wonderful things will be for God’s people when He makes all things new.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Revelation | Pulling Back the Curtain
This morning we take a look at a very important scene in the book of Revelation: The final judgment. God has already cast the beasts and the dragon into the Lake of Fire. He then raises all the dead and we will face His judgment. This is the last thing that happens before we see the New Heaven and the New Earth.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Revelation | Pulling Back the Curtain
One of the questions we sometimes ask when we’re going through a tough time is this: Will it ever end? Will we be dealing with these struggles forever? Will they keep coming back? John wants us to know that, while our enemies are strong and powerful and smart, one day they will be completely gone. There is an end, and that is good news.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Revelation | Pulling Back the Curtain
Have you ever felt that you are in a situation where there is no hope and no way out? This Sunday we’re returning to our study of The Book of Revelation. Jesus invites us to the wedding supper of the Lamb. Join us as we explore a hope filled chapter where we are invited to sing the Hallelujah chorus!
- Pastor Daniel Bud
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Hope in a Broken World | A Series for Lent from 1 Peter
April 4, 2021
Sermon Summary:
This Sunday we get to talk about one of the most powerful forces in the universe: Hope. In a world where we might sometimes feel like there is no reason for hope, we dare to believe that we can live in hope, even in the midst of really difficult times. Because Jesus rose from the dead, Peter became a person of great hope. This Sunday he invites us to share in his hope.
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Hope in a Broken World | A Series for Lent from 1 Peter
April 1, 2021
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Hope in a Broken World | A Series for Lent from 1 Peter
March 28, 2021
Sermon Summary:
The Apostle Peter was at times so strong. He was often out in front, leading the charge for Jesus. But this same apostle could be, at times, so weak. This morning we’ll take a look at a failure Peter probably never forgot – when he denied even knowing Jesus.
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Hope in a Broken World | A Series for Lent from 1 Peter
March 21, 2021
Sermon Summary:
The last few weeks we’ve discussed what submission as a Christian looks like in a broken world. While Peter gives us great practical advice, what happens when our submission doesn’t solve our problem, but creates more suffering? Do we continue to submit? Do we endure suffering voluntarily? Peter wants to tell us that in the times where we’ve had enough is the exact time we may be called to further submission for Christ’s sake. This Sunday we’ll discuss what it means to submit in times when we want to attack or quit.
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Hope in a Broken World
"Submit"
Pastor Ron Kool
1 Peter 2:9-17
Sermon Summary:
Today we address a really tough subject for many of us: God's call to submit to authority. For many of us that rubs against our grain. We don't like to submit. We don't like to have someone tell us what to do. So what do we do with this clear command of Scripture?
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Hope in a Broken World
"Resident Aliens"
Pastor Ron Kool
1 Peter 2:9-17
Sermon Summary:
Peter says that if we have been saved by Jesus Christ, we are called to be holy. But how do we do that in a world that is not holy? Do we go into isolation and isolate ourselves as best we can from the evil world? Do we go with the flow and know that we are sinners living in a broken world—how much can God expect? In our passage this morning, Peter calls us to be Resident Aliens, to live here, but not be like everyone else here. What does that look like?
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Hope in a Broken World
"Be Holy"
Pastor Ron Kool
1 Peter 1:13-22
Sermon Summary:
When we are hurting, what do we want others to say to us? For most of us we want people to say something comforting, something that will make us feel better. And that’s okay. We need comfort. In I Peter, Peter brings comfort to those who are hurting. But in the passage we’ll look at today, Peter also challenges the people of his day and us to be holy, to fight against sin in our lives. Is Peter not being very sensitive? Why does holiness matter when we are hurting?
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Hope in a Broken World
"Joy and Grief"
Pastor Ron Kool
1 Peter 1:6-9
Sermon Summary:
This Sunday is the first Sunday in Lent. Lent is a time when Christians get ready for Good Friday and for Easter Sunday. This means that during Lent we focus on the brokenness in ourselves and in our world and the hope we have in Jesus Christ. This year we’ll spend time in I Peter during Lent. Join us this Sunday as we focus on living as people who have both great joy and deep grief.
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Revelation: Pulling Back the Curtain"Don't Fall for Her"Pastor Ron Kool
Revelation 17 & 18
Sermon Summary:
Sometimes Satan uses a stick (persecution) to try to force Christians to deny Jesus. But more often it seems that Satan uses a carrot to try to draw Christians away from Jesus. Sometimes Satan wants us to focus on all the shiny and beautiful things in this world so that we lose our focus on Jesus. This morning we’ll see the vision that John was given to remind us that nothing in this world is worth losing our souls for.
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Revelation: Pulling Back the Curtain"The Beasts and Its Mark"
Pastor Daniel Bud
Revelation 13:1-8
Sermon Summary:
Ever feel that anxiety and struggle is a recurring reality? While Jesus is the Lamb sitting on the throne in heaven, here on earth we live in a war zone, a war with sin, with the world, and with the devil. The Dragon summons two of his offspring, two deceitful beasts. People are deceived and marked with the sign of the best, 666. Come explore this Sunday what we learn about our victory through the Victorious Christ we love and worship.
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Revelation | Pulling Back the Curtain
Sun Tzu once said, “Know your enemy.” He believed that when someone is against us, it is important for us to understand who they are and how they fight. In Revelation 12 and 13, John takes a break from describing the judgments that are unleashed on the world to give us an extended vision of the way that the spiritual forces of evil fight against God and His people. John calls us to know our spiritual enemies so that we can stay faithful in our battles.
- Pastor Ron Kool
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Revelation: Pulling Back the Curtain"Sealed and Sent to Love"Pastor Arek O'Connell
Revelation 7
Sermon Summary:The Lamb who is worthy is about to open the scroll which will unleash God’s wrath and judgment onto the world before all things are made new. In the midst of God’s wrath, who will be safe? Who is able to stand? John’s vision in Revelation 7 shows us that those in the lamb are able to stand! In a broken world, those who are in the lamb are sealed and sent to love.
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Revelation: Pulling Back the Curtain"Worthy is the Lamb"Pastor Ron Kool
Revelation 5
Sermon Summary:Last week we saw that God is all-powerful and is in control of all things. And we know that He has promised to make all things new. But how will this happen? How will God get rid of evil without destroying everything? This morning we’ll look at the answer to that question.
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Revelation: Pulling Back the Curtain"The Throne Room"Pastor Ron Kool
Revelation 4
Sermon Summary:In the midst of the very strange and uncertain times in which we live, God gives us an amazing gift. He invites us into His Throne Room to see that no matter what is happening in our lives, He is still in control. We may not understand it. We may not see His hands at work. But He is on His Throne, and we can trust Him.
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Revelation | Pulling Back The Curtain"Back To The Basics"Revelation 2:1-7
Pastor Ron Kool
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Powerful Prayers | Prayers From The Old Testament"Pouring Out Our Hearts"
Pastor Ron Kool
1 Samuel 1:1-20
Sermon SummaryPrayer is an amazing gift from God. He invites us to share with Him our highest highs and our lowest lows. We're beginning a series this morning in which we'll look at four prayers from the Old Testament, looking at what they teach us about God and about prayer. We start with the prayer of Hannah--the prayer of someone who is broken and hurting.
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Joy in the Journey: A Series on Philippians"What Your Giving Really Does"
Pastor Ron Kool
Philippians 4:10-23
Sermon Summary:What happens when we give to one of God’s servants or to a ministry? What difference does it make? As Paul says thanks to the Philippians for the gifts they sent to him, he teaches them—and us—what really happens when we give money and support to God’s work.
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Joy in the Journey: A Series on Philippians"The Secret to Contentment"
Pastor Arek O'ConnellPhilippians 4:10-13
Sermon SummaryWe spend a lifetime searching after contentment. We’re constantly looking for more and more in an effort to find long-lasting peace and satisfaction. In Philippians, Paul tells us he has found the secret in being content in every circumstance. This Sunday, we’ll explore that secret as we seek our own contentment.
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Joy in the Journey: A Series on Philippians | Think and Do
Pastor Ron Kool
Philippians 4:8-9
SUMMARY
The Apostle Paul knows that what we think about matters. A lot. He knows that what we think about impacts what we feel and what we do. This morning Paul will help us to do something important. He’ll help us think about what we’re thinking about. Paul wants us to think about better things because he knows that if we think better, we’ll be better.
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Joy in the Journey: A Series on Philippians
"Living in the Red Zone"
Pastor Ron Kool
Philippians 4:4-7
Sermon Summary:
When you think of Christians, what kind of people come to mind? Are they happy or ornery? Angry or calm? This morning Paul will remind us that if we follow Jesus we should be people of joy, gentleness and peace
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Joy in the Journey: A Series on Philippians
One of the challenges we face as we seek to follow Jesus is that we tend to be myopic—shortsighted. For many of us, we see only what’s close to us, what’s right in front of our faces. But Paul tells us that if we’re going to be followers of Jesus, we need to watch out for that and learn to see the bigger picture.
Pastor Ron Kool
Philippians 3:17-4:3
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There is a danger that exists in all of our spiritual lives to place confidence and comfort in our good deeds. Too often, without realizing it, we can begin to do so many good things that we start to see them as trophies we can present before God. However, Paul has walked down this road before, and he wants to warn us that unless we are seeking to know the person, power, and passion of Christ that those trophies might very well be trash.
Text: Philippians 3:1-11
Message by Pastor Arek O'Connell
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September 13, 2020
Most of us learn to do something by watching someone do it. We don't learn to bowl by reading a book; we watch someone bowl. We don't learn to make a souffle; we watch someone make a souffle. The Apostle Paul knows this and that's why he points to Timothy and Epaphroditus. He wants the Philippians to know that they can see what following Jesus looks like if they'll take a look at these two followers of Jesus.
Text: Philippians 2:19-30
Message by Pastor Ron Kool
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Joy in the Journey: A Series on Philippians
Have you ever felt that you need to work OUT your own salvation? What does it mean? It means that God fills us with purity and JOY, he makes us shine like stars in a crooked generation. The old song says, ’Trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.’ But what if you aren't happy? What if you don’t feel pure and blameless? This coming Sunday let us look together at what Paul has to say about working out our salvation.
Pastor Daniel Bud
Philippians 2:12-18
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Joy in the Journey: A Series on PhilippiansGood doctors do more than treat symptoms. They get at the root of the problem. They find out what’s causing those symptoms. The Apostle Paul does that with us this morning. The church in Philippi had some symptoms: backbiting, bickering, and forming cliques. Paul doesn’t just address those symptoms. He gets at the deeper issue that is causing them—for the Philippians and for us.
Pastor Ron Kool
Philippians 2:1-11
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Joy in the Journey: A Series on Philippians
When we are in a group we often develop a “way” of doing things. It might be that we were taught, “In this family, we don’t raise our voices,” or “In this family, we take turns doing the dishes.” It might be that at work we hear, “In this company, we take care of our employees,” or “In this company, integrity is essential.” This morning we’ll look at how Paul calls us to do things the Jesus way. He calls us to live as citizens of God’s Kingdom first and foremost. We’ll think about what that means together.
Pastor Ron Kool
Philippians 1:27-30
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Joy in the Journey: A Series on PhilippiansBad things happen to us. And they really are bad. They hurt. We don’t like them. But God can still use them. This morning we’ll look at what Paul says about some of the good things that have happened in the midst of the bad thing of being in prison.
Pastor Ron Kool
Philippians 1:12-18
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All too often, we find our worth in what others think and say about us. When we’re thrust into a group, we quickly answer questions about our value that may not be truthful. This week, we’ll hear from Jesus where our value and worth ultimately comes from in Luke 14
Text: Luke 14:7-14
Message by Pastor Arek O'Connell
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One of the biggest challenges Jesus faced was (and still is) getting His followers to understand who He is and what He is doing. The disciples had certain ideas of what “The Chosen One” would do and how that person would act. We do too. But Jesus often doesn’t fit into our categories or expectations and He wants us to genuinely see who He is. This morning we’ll try to see who Jesus really is.
Text: Mark 8:27-33
Message by Pastor Ron Kool
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John 2:13-22
Jesus is kind and full of grace. But at least one time He got angry – angry enough to take up a whip and drive people out of the temple. Why? What was Jesus trying to prove? What was Jesus trying to say? This morning we’ll look at this fascinating story of Jesus.
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This morning is the first Sunday of Lent, a time for us to focus on the life of Jesus, on our brokenness, and on the cross of Jesus that gives us life. We're going to be looking at different events in the life of Jesus that help us see how to find and experience new life. We begin by looking at one of the first events in the ministry of Jesus—His temptations.
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John 4:4-10; 28-42
Ever feel anxious or unprepared to share your faith? Jesus show us something simple yet powerful in our text. He goes into Samaria - enemy territory - and starts a casual discussion with a woman, a Samaritan. Join us this Sunday as we explore how in this encounter Jesus models how to share our faith with anyone, anywhere, anytime.
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We’ve been talking about the joy of serving others. We’ve said that we’re created to do that and find fulfillment in serving others. But we also need to recognize that God not only calls us to serve, He also calls us to rest. If we do this, we might just discover that the better we rest, the better we serve.
Text: Genesis 2: 2-3
Message by Pastor Ron Kool
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I Corinthians 12:12-26
God Calls us to serve on our own at times. There is a need we can meet so we meet it. But often God calls us to serve in community. The Bible teaches us that God created us with different abilities and the Holy Spirit has given us different gifts so that we can and have to work together. We'll learn more about that this morning.
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One of the ways that we can grow to become more like Jesus is to serve others. Jesus was a servant who gave His life and He invites us to the joy of being servants as well. This morning we'll think about a special kind of service that has a powerful effect in shaping us—secret service.
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Philippians 2:3-8
Last week we began our sermon series on service as it relates to our life and journey as a disciple. We learned that God is by nature a servant, thus so should we! But what defines a servant? Our text from Paul this morning tells us that a servant is first and foremost humble. This morning, we’ll discuss what it means to be a humble servant.
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We all want to have a great life. We were created to have joy. But how do we get there? What does the good life look like? This morning we’ll see that the Bible gives us a very unusual path if we want to find deep joy.
Text: Acts 20:35
Message by Pastor Ron Kool
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Acts 1:14
One of the things that can get many of us nervous is when we are in a group of Christians and it comes to prayer time. We might be scared about having to pray out loud ourselves or about what we’re supposed to be doing while someone else is praying. Praying together is a really good thing for us to do and this morning we’ll think about how we can pray together well.
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One of the key commandments for God's people in the New Testament is that we encourage one another. This morning we'll take a look at one person who did a great job of this and think about how we can grow in our ability to encourage others around us.
Acts 11:22-23
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We spend a lot of time waiting. We wait for something to happen. We wait for test results. We wait for our turn. And we also wait for God. This morning we'll think about HOW we wait for God and how God is with us in our waiting.
Text: Habakkuk 2:1-4
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Ever feel weak and inadequate before God and you aren’t sure why? The Annunciation of the Lord is one of the most well known Advent stories. Angel Gabriel says to Mary: Greetings, you who are highly favored!” Mary feels unworthy to be the mother of Jesus, he is coming to be born to poor, unwed mother, from the small town of Nazareth. This Sunday we’ll look at the grace and favor of God that is available to us, even in our weaknesses and even when we feel inadequate.
Text: Luke 1: 26-38
Message by Pastor Daniel Bud
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God With Us: In Our Failures
We’ve been talking about Jesus being Immanuel, about Jesus being God with us. We’ve said that He is with us even when don’t understand what is happening around us and He is with us in the storms of our lives. This morning we focus on the truth that Jesus is also with us in our failures—when we blow it, when we sin. He takes on our sin so we can be forgiven
Text: II Corinthians 5:21
Message by Pastor Ron Kool
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As we approach Christmas we think about one of the most beautiful names for Jesus: He is Immanuel—God with Us. We dare to believe that when Jesus was born He was not just a special baby—He was (and is) God Himself, in the flesh. He came to be with us. And not just on our good days. Jesus came to be with us in our storms.
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This Sunday we start our advent series. Emmanuel means ‘God with us.’ During advent, we expect and long for God to be among and with us. And although the Holidays is a joyful time of the year, there are times we feel lonely, confused, and weak even during seasons of joy. This morning we’ll take a look at how God is with us during times of confusion using how God interacted with Joseph as our example.
Text: Matthew 1:18-25
Message by Pastor Arek O’Connell
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We live in a very practical world. All that matters to many people are the results. In our workplaces we might be told—I don't care how, just get the job done. And it can be tempting to do that in the church. We might be tempted to say, "We know what God wants, who cares how we get there?" This morning we'll remember that God cares about how we build His kingdom.
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1 Corinthians 9:19-23
We’ve talked about what God is doing and how He has gifted us. This morning we’ll turn to another question: Where has God placed us? If we are to make a Maximum Impact we need to think about how to connect with the people in our community today. This question becomes really important when we think of how quickly the world around us is changing. How do we keep sharing the Old Old Story to people today?
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I Corithians 12:12; 18-20
We said last week that we are Living Stones. We said that God is using us as He is rebuilding everything – He is making everything new. This week we’re going to ask another question: What kind of Living Stones are we? As individuals and as a church we are not just like everyone else. We have different strengths, gifts and abilities. This morning we’ll think about what those strengths, gifts and abilities might be.
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We kick-off our Maximum Impact 2 campaign this Sunday morning. We'll spend time thinking and praying about what God is calling us to do and to be as a church. This morning we'll start with the big picture of what God is doing and we'll begin to think about how we are a part of that!
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We just recently wrapped up a series on prayer as it relates to discipleship. This morning we're going to continue to see what scripture has to say about prayer. Specifically, we'll take a look at two parables Jesus tells his audience. How do Jesus's parables inform our prayer life today?
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We know that God commands us to pray. We know praying is good for us. But does prayer actually change anything? And if so, what does prayer change? This morning we'll focus on these important questions.
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John 16:13
We’ve said that prayer is both talking to God and listening to God. Most of us have an idea of how to talk to God. But how do we listen for God in prayer? Is hearing from God something that is reserved only for a select few or is it something all of us should expect?
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Ephesians 6:18
Last week we said prayer is communication with God. This morning we'll take a look at one part of this communication - talking to God. We'll take a look at some of the ways that we can bring our hearts and lives to God.
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Matthew 6:9
If we want to grow in our relationship with God one of the main things we can do is pray. But that’s not always as easy as it sounds. We know we should pray, but we’re just not sure how to do it. This morning we’ll begin to think about what prayer is and how we can learn to grow in our prayer lives.
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II Peter 3:18
Last week we saw that if Christ is alive in us, we should be growing and changing - we should be more loving and kind and obedient in our lives. The Holy Spirit should be at work in us. But we also recognized the it doesn’t always feel like we’re growing. This morning we’ll identify some of the practices that can help us keep growing in Christ.
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When we're younger, we think about growing a lot. We want to grow--taller, stronger, faster, smarter. While there is a time when most of us will stop growing bigger physically (okay, weight might continue to grow), the Bible makes clear that we are never to stop growing as disciples of Jesus Christ. But what does growing in Christ look like? And how can we keep growing? This morning we're beginning a sermon series where we'll be thinking about growing in Christ.
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Acts 16:22-34
Will our children have faith? How many times have you asked that question? Parents and grandparents alike are worried about the faith of the next generation. This Sunday we’re going to have the “Blessing of the Backpacks” and we’ll ask God’s blessing upon our kids. Come explore with us a few principles the Bible teaches us on how to nurture faith in our kids.
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Luke 16: 1-13
When we think of the kind of people God wants us to be, most of us think of things like kind, loving, serving, patient, and generous. But this morning Jesus invites us to add a surprising characteristic to the list: Shrewd. This morning we'll take a look at why Jesus wants us to be shrewd.
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Matthew 21:28-32
One of the major charges that non-Christians make against Christians is that many Christians are hypocrites. Many believe that those of us who claim to follow God talk a good game but don’t actually live the way God wants us to. It’s one thing when our neighbor says this. It’s another thing when Jesus says this. This morning we’ll look at a story in which Jesus challenges religious people to think about whether we are worried about more than how we look.
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One of the pictures the Bible gives us of heaven is that it's like a great feast, a banquet, a huge celebration. The Bible promises that there will be plenty of food and drink and a great time will be had by all. But who gets to go? Who gets invited to the party? This morning, we'll look at another "upside-down" story in which Jesus surprises us about God's invitation.
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We all have a certain amount of resources (time, talent, treasures, etc.) in our lives. The question we have to ask ourselves every day is where we will invest those resources. What are we going to do with what God has given us? Jesus tells us a story today that makes us think about whether we are being wise or foolish as we invest our resources.
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When Jesus came, one of the main things he talked about was the Kingdom of God. He described it as a place that was wonderful but also weird. In so many ways, the Kingdom was different--upside down. For the next several weeks we'll be taking a look at some of the stories Jesus told about the Kingdom and how Jesus redefined so many things in our world.
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Ever felt awkward sharing your faith? Jesus does something pretty radical: he sends out his disciples two by two. In a fast-changing world that changes fast and constantly updates, how do we update as a church in order to reach out to others? Come explore with us this Sunday what we can learn from what God does around the world to reach the lost.
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Ever feel like you want to tap into God’s treasure chest and grab as many riches as possible? These next two Sundays I’m going to share a few things God has taught me during my sabbatical leave. This week we’ll take a look at prayer practices I’ve experienced around the world, and how God’s promises are released when we seek Him.
Text: Revelation 4
Message by Pastor Daniel Bud
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Last week we saw Jonah do his best to run from God and his call on Jonah’s life. Because God is so big, mighty and powerful Jonah’s attempt failed. This week, Jonah will face God and the call God placed on his life. What will Jonah’s interaction teach us about our own lives?
Jonah 4
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Jonah is one of the more popular prophets in the Old Testament. God called him to a task and his response was less than ideal. Even when Jonah rebelled, God continued to call him and fulfill his purposes. How might God be calling out to you? What might he be calling you to? How will you respond?
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On the Way
God has rescued his people out of Egypt, but they aren’t yet to the Promised Land. They, like we, are on the way—no longer slaves, but not yet to their new home. As we look at this story we’ll learn some important lessons about how we live while we are on the way to our true home.
Exodus 17:8-16
Message by Pastor Ron Kool
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This Sunday we celebrate the Profession of Faith of a number of young people. As we hear their declaration about who they are--that they belong to Jesus Christ--it gives all of us an opportunity to reflect on who we are.
Text: I John 3:1-3
Message by Pastor Ron Kool
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We've been looking at what Jesus has been doing since He rose from the dead. This morning we'll look at one of the most important things He did--He sent the Holy Spirit. We'll think about what Jesus is doing through the Holy Spirit in our world and in our lives today.
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After Jesus rose from the dead He spent 40 days on earth and then ascended into heaven. This morning we'll look at what happened next: Jesus sat down at the right hand of God the Father. That's where he is right now. But what is He doing? Resting? Taking a break? This morning we'll see that Jesus is still very busy today.
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Message by Pastor Ron Kool
After Jesus rose from the dead He spent 40 days on earth. Then the Bible tells us that He ascended into heaven. What does that mean? What difference does it make? This morning we'll take a look at those questions.
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Acts 1:1-3
We believe that Jesus rose form the dead on Easter Sunday morning and that His resurrection changes everything. But what happened next? Where did Jesus go? How long did He hang around on earth? What’s He doing now? This morning we’re beginning a sermon series in which we’ll look at what Jesus has been doing since He rose from the dead.
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1 Corinthians 3:10-15. We're all building something with our lives. By the way we use our time, our talent and our treasures, we are building a life - leaving a legacy. We're tempted to build so that our lives look good now, but Paul warns us that there is a day coming when all we've done is going to go to the fire. This morning we'll think about how we can build to get ready for that day.
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John 3:1-15
Ever feel that something is missing in your life and you just can't figure it out? As Jesus meets with Nicodemus, the Savior is telling him exactly what's missing. Jesus said, "No one can see the Kingdom of God unless one is born again." What???? This Sunday we're talking about this encounter with Jesus. Explore with us
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Luke 24:13-35
How long do you keep working with someone when they just don’t seem to get it? At what point do you cut your losses and move on? The Good News for us this morning is that Jesus doesn’t give up on us – even when we’re struggling to trust in Him.
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Today is Easter! It's a day of great joy and celebration. We sing and declare that Jesus is risen. But what does that mean? How does His resurrection make a difference in my life? This morning we'll join the women who go to the tomb and discover that it is empty. The message the angel gives them is the ultimate in Good News.
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One of the dangers Jesus faced (and still faces!) is the danger of people thinking that they have Him all figured out. In some ways, Jesus was who the people were looking for, but in other ways, He was not at all what people were looking for. This morning, we'll think about a story where Jesus wants to correct some of our misconceptions.
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Luke 7: 1-17
We will all come to a moment where we feel that we're out of options. That moment is usually full of desperation and questions. It's not uncommon for us to turn to God in these moments. Two questions we may feel when we turn to God in these moments are the same questions the Centurion and the Widow had: Is God able to help me and does he care? We'll discuss those questions and how the answer affects out lives this morning.
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How sure are you of your salvation? Feeling something is still missing in your life? This Sunday we will talk about the rich young ruler and his quest for eternal life. What stopped him from going all in with Jesus? What stops you from truly following Jesus?
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Mark 2:23 - 3:6. Jesus was full of compassion. He was kind. He was gentle. But there are times when it seems like Jesus goes out of His way to upset people. He deliberately makes them angry. Why? We know Jesus was never petty so why would He intentionally push someone's buttons? This morning we'll look at why Jesus was doing this to the Pharisees.
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When people met Jesus, something happened. It wasn't always the same thing, but it was always something. To have an encounter with Jesus was to be changed. This morning we'll start to take a look at what happened when people encountered Jesus and we'll think about what it means for us to encounter Jesus.
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We have seen Jacob struggle throughout his life. Last week we talked about a breakthrough when Jacob surrendered to God. This week, we'll jump to the end of Jacob's life and look at how much he has been shaped by God's grace over the years.
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Genesis 29: You've heard it many times, but have you ever wondered if this saying is true? What goes around comes around? Is the Bible really saying that 'What a person plants, he will harvest?' This Sunday we look at the great trickster, Jacob, meeting his match in the person of Laban, the brother of his mother, and the father of Jacob's love at first sight: Rachel.
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Genesis 28:10-22
We all have a sense of fairness. If we have worked hard for something, we deserve it. If we put in the hours, we deserve to get paid. This morning we’ll look at a story where Jacob didn’t get what he deserved – he got something so much better.
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Trusting in God’s way of doing things is not easy. When we’re not sure God is going to do something, sometimes we feel like we need to take matters into our own hands. This morning we’ll look at how several of our faith-ancestors made a mess of things by taking matters into their own hands.
Genesis 27
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Genesis 25:21-34
We all have family stories – stories about grandpas and grandmas or about uncles and aunts. Some of them are funny. Some of them are sad. But they help us know more about ourselves – where we came and who we are. This morning we’ll begin to take a look at some of our Faith Family stories. We’ll learn about us but, more importantly, we’ll learn about God.
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Some of us are surrounded by critics. We have people around us who seem to have the gift of criticism—they are able to see everything we do wrong and they know what we should have done. This can be extremely difficult. This week we’ll take a loo at what the Apostle Paul did with the critics in his life.
Text: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
Message by Pastor Ron Kool
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Luke 2:25-38
What would you like to see before dying? At the end of the Christmas story, Luke - the historian - introduces us to two intriguing characters, Anna and Simeon. One of them had a dying wish that was fulfilled when Jesus' parents arrived at the temple. We leave Bethlehem behind but we are still in the Christmas story, and we witness how the Holy Spirit is pushing forward the story of our salvation.
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II Samuel 23:13-17
Most of us have people in our lives who have helped us in great ways and made a huge impact on us. When people do that for us, we commit ourselves to them. we want to honor them and make them proud of us. We are devoted to them. That’s okay, but this morning we’ll look at a story from King David’s life that reminds us that there is only One who deserves our deeper devotion.
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Jeremiah 18:1-10
When we're honest we don't always like what we see when we look at ourselves. We see that we're cracked and broken and not all that useful. The good news this morning is that God has a special way with broken stuff - He doesn't throw it, or us, away.
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Ever feel you are grasping for peace but you aren't sure why you can't get it? Jesus comes to us as God's best gift to the world, the Prince of Peace! In a divisive culture we are going to wrap up our Advent season unpacking God's path for joy and PEACE.
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Isaiah 9:6
When we think of earthly fathers, some of us have great thoughts - our dads were good dads. Others of us don’t have those thoughts - our dads were not the kind of dads they should have been. This morning Isaiah tells us that Jesus will be the kind of father all of us need - He will be called Everlasting Father.
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Isaiah 9:6
Last week we talked about how great it is that Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor – that He is smart enough to know what’s wrong and to know what to do about it. This week Isaiah wants us to know something else about Jesus – He is strong enough to save us. He is the Mighty God.
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What Child is This? The Wonderful Counselor
Life is confusing and complex. We are often faced with choices and decisions that seem overwhelming. We don’t know what to do. Isaiah promises us that in this world of confusion and darkness, God is sending us a gift—His Son—the Wonderful Counselor who can guide us in the ways we should go.
Text: Isaiah 9:1-7
Message by Pastor Ron Kool
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How do we as Christians learn to see God moving in our lives? In times of distress and confusion, often times we feel like God is absent and we are all alone. Where is God in times of trouble? Elisha's servant asked a similar question in a moment of panic. We'll see this morning how Elisha enabled his servant to have Christian double vision and how we can also learn to see God moving.
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It is good for us to give thanks.
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Judges 6 & 7
One of the questions that we often ask ourselves is this: Do I have enough? Do I have enough food to feed everyone? Do I have enough money to pay the bills? Do I have enough patience to deal with all the people in my life? We do the math and we try to figure it out. But this morning we're going to be reminded that, when we add God into our equations, everything changes. When we have faith, we learn to count a little differently.
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Samuel 3:1-10
What do you do when someone shares that God told them to do something? Do you cringe? Celebrate? Wonder why God didn’t tell you to do something? This morning we’ll talk about what it means to listen for God’s leadings as we live by faith.
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Galatians 6:11-18
As Paul closes out his letter to the Galatians, he wants us to know where he gets his confidence, his strength, and his identity. He ends up where he began - at the cross.
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Even though we are saved by grace alone, we know that we are supposed to be good and do good. But why? If we don't have to be good to earn God's favor, why should we even try to be good? This morning we'll look at one of the ways Paul answers that question.
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Galatians 6:1-6
Ever feel like a tattle-tale? What do you do when your best friend is living dangerously? The Spirit Teaches us something radical. While you must rescue your friend, you better watch out so you don’t end up in the same sin. What??? This Sunday you’re invited to explore with us this issue.
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Most of recognize that there is a battle going on inside of us. There are things we don’t want to do that we do, and things we down to do that we don’t do. We get frustrated because we aren’t the people we know we should be. This morning we’ll take a look at why we are in this situation and what Paul tells us to do about it.
Text: Galatians 5:16-26
Message by Pastor Ron Kool
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Galatians 5: 13-15 What does it mean that you are “called to freedom?” Are Christians expected to live without regard to precepts and laws? This Sunday we’ll explore what the Bible says authoritatively about Christian freedom in relation to ourselves, to others, and to God. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Galatians 5:5 The Bible teaches that we are saved (brought into Graceland) by Jesus and Jesus alone – not by what we do. But how do we live in Graceland? Can we do whatever we want? Paul gives us some guidelines about how we live in God’s grace and the first one is this: Refuse to return to Slaveland! Paul wants us to protect our freedom. This morning we’ll continue to think about how we can resist the pressure from people who tell us we’re not good enough for Graceland.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
As we've worked our way through Galations, we've learned that we are set free by Christ alone - not by anything we've done. Now we have to ask the next question: How do we live free? How do we live without the rules and masters of Slaveland? This morning we'll start to look at some of the guidelines Paul give us for living as free people.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Galatians 4:21-31 What makes someone a Christian? Is it a political position? A set of values? Going to church? This morning we’ll see what Paul has to say about what makes someone a ChristianSupport the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Why did Jesus come? How did he accomplish his mission? In our text, Jesus encounters a chief sinner, Zacchaeus. Lets explore together what Jesus teachs us in this life-altering encounter.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Galatians 4:8-20 What does a good leader look like? More specifically, what does a good Christian leader look like? Given some of the scandals in churches today, it’s important that we think about what it means to be a leader in our churches and in our families. In the passage we’re going to look at this morning Paul is going to remind us that Christian leadership is always servant leadership.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
When we put our faith in Jesus we enter into a whole new world - a world where we have rights and privileges and freedom. That’s great but its also a little scary. This morning we’ll begin to think about how live as Sons and Daughters of God.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
As we've gone through the first half of Galatians, we've noticed that the Apostle Paul has had some harsh words and descriptions for the Law that the Jews cherished and followed. Paul even went so far as to say that those who were following the Law were under a curse! If that's true, that following God's Law can put us under a curse, then the question needs to be asked...Why did God give us the law in the first place?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
We believe that Jesus brings life and hope and peace. He brings the forgiveness of our sins and strength for us to live by. This morning we’ll see that we must not let anything, even God’s word, keep us from Jesus.
Text: Galatians 3:10-18 Message by Pastor Ron KoolSupport the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Galatians 3:1-9 We live in a time when the church and our human society is under the attacks of the enemy. The devil is trying to fool us. He is trying to bewitch us to believe that Christianity is just like any other religion: you work hard and you get saved. Satan wants to add anything to our salvation by “faith alone:” justice works, philanthropic works, or moral works. After establishing his credentials as an apostle in the first two chapters, Paul is moving in chapter 3 and 4 to the doctrinal section. Let us join Paul and dig into this important section on false teaching. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Paul has been making it clear to the Galatians that we are saved y grace alone. It's not what we've done that saves us - It's Jesus alone. Now Paul is going to start to deal with the objections - and there are some good ones. This morning we'll look at the question of whether being saved by grace alone means that we can sin all we want.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Galatians 2:11-16 One time in Antioch Paul got right tin Peter's face and chewed him out. Paul was sure of one thing: Peter needed to be straightened out! And Paul didn't back down. So what had Peter done that was so terrible? What made Paul confront him in front of everyone else? This morning we'll take a look at one of the biggest fights between church leaders that the Bible tell us about. Support the show (https://pushpay.com/g/hillsidechgr?src=hpp)
Galatians 1:10 – 2:10 Preachers want us to believe what they say. They want us to trust them? But how do we know what a trustworthy preacher looks like? What does a trustworthy preacher do? This morning we’ll take a look as Paul tells us why the Galatians should trust him when he tells them that his gospel is the right gospel.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/g/hillsidechgr?src=hpp)
This morning we're going to begin a study of one of Paul's letters - the letter to the Galatians. This is one of Paul's most passionate letters - he's actually pretty angry as he writes it! We'll begin by trying to figure out what the problem was - why did Paul write this letter?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
We arguably live in a secular age, a period of time we might call "the Babylonian Captivity of the Church." The society we live in is as odds with God's Word. It can't stand to hear Christians like us believe in "The Truth," in claiming that only through Jesus we have "The Way" to God. Our culture constantly claims we have to bow down and tolerate and affirm that all ways to God are valid ways. This Sunday we will explore how Daniel experienced the same challenge. How shall we then live in exile?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
As Christians, often we ponder the question, "what is the most important thing to do as a Christian?" There are so many spoken and sometimes unspoken rules to following Jesus. What was Jesus's answer to this question and how does it affect the way we live our lives as followers of Jesus today?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
As summer approaches, many of us will begin to spend more time outdoors. One of the things that means is that we'll see more animals, from ants to zebras. The Bible tells us that we can learn some very important life lessons from these animals. Join us this Sunday as we look at what a wise guy by the name of Agur tells us we can learn from four little animals.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Your friend asks you, "What shall I pray for you?" What would you say? furthermore, when you pray for others, what do you want God to do for them? Paul is praying for you and for me in this text. What do you think Paul is asking God on your behalf? Or, what would you tell Paul to mention in his prayers for you? This morning we'll explore Paul's prayer for us. It's a famous prayer regarding how wide, long, high and deep Christ's love is for us!Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Text: John 21:1-4 We all have times when we're not sure what to do. Should we jump in with both feet? Or should we look before we leap? Sometimes we have that as followers of Jesus - we're just not sure what we should be doing. This morning we'll see how Jesus helps His disciples get going again.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 20:24-29 The Bible calls us to believe in Jesus. But the Bible also recognizes that believing in Jesus doesn’t come the same way for all of us. This Sunday we’ll look at five different responses to the amazing news that Jesus rose from the dead.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 15. We live today by connecting to and remaining in and with Christ. Jesus continues to give us life and strength. Our goal is to bear fruit.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 10:11-18 Even though we may think we don’t need anyone to lead us and protect us, even though we may feel like we can stand on our own two feet, the Bible makes it clear that we all need a shepherd – we all need someone who will take care of us. This morning we’ll look at Jesus and His claim to be the Good Shepherd.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 10:1-15 People believe all roads lead to heaven. All faiths are equal. But is Jesus then unique? Is he the only way? How exclusive is Jesus' statement? Let's explore this statement this Sunday. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 8: 12-20 Whether we admit it or not, we're all at least a little bit afraid of the dark. You can't see in the dark and you don't know what's out there. We get lost in the dark and we feel really vulnerable. This morning we'll take a look at a wonderful claim of Jesus - He'll tell us that He is the Light of the World. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
2 Corinthians 5:17 The apostle Paul tells us that those who are "in Christ" are new creations. What does this newness look like? What does it mean to be in Christ? We'll explore these questions this morning.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Joshua 1:8 The Bible talks a lot about meditating on, pondering on, and considering God's Word. But how do we do that? How would we chew on God's Word? This morning we'll talk about some of the ways we can do that.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Psalm 1:1-2 We've been talking about getting into God's Word and about getting God's Word into us. Getting into God's Word is a great thing to do, but it's not always easy to do it. This morning we'll look at some of the challenges we face if we are to take the Word to heart. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Psalm 148 Life is like a toy store! God is the Creative owner who has many games and toys for us. As we solve puzzles and play with God’s toys and games we discover his personality and character. Let’s allow God’s wonder to captivate our creativity and imagination as we open his Word together this coming Sunday.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Micah 7:7 One of the most difficult things for many of us to do is to wait. Whether we’re waiting in the doctor’s office or in a line at a store or in a traffic jam that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, we don’t like to wait. It’s tough to wait for anything, but it’s really tough when we have to wait for God. We want things to change and we want them to change NOW. But that’s not the way God works. He goes at His pace. He moves at the right time. This morning we’ll think about waiting for God.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Last week Daniel talked about the pain and suffering there is in our world and we saw that when we think about all that's wrong in this world we more and more want things to be different. We want things to be made right again. This morning we'll think about id there is any reason to believe that things will actually get better. We'll thinking about using this time of getting ready for christmas by growing in our hope in God and what God is doing. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Revelation 12
As we step into the season of Advent, we enter into a time of waiting, we are getting in touch with our wants. There is a lot of stuff we might want for Christmas: an action figure, a new car, a winter coat, or a ticket to a new vacation spot. From a historical perspective, Christ's birth was anticipated for thousands of years. People's expectations were shaped by the promises of God, "the Savior will come!" What do we really want for Christmas?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
As we head into the heart of holiday season, we know that for many of us we will find ourselves extremely busy. We'll be running here and there, doing this and that and often feeling exhausted. This morning we'll take a look at a story from the Gospel of Luke that calls us to carve out some time for Jesus in the midst of our busyness. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Luke 15:1-7 Last Sunday we finished the sermon series on “one another.” We looked at God’s will to love, forgive, or pray for one another. You can think of these “one another” as being 99% of people who are part of our circle, of our bubble. This Sunday we’re taking a look at the 1%. What is God’s call regarding “the lost”? What is God calling us to do with the 1%?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
This morning we'll take a look at one of the most challenging of the One Anothers. We like to get along and we don't like to confront anyone--or have anyone confront us. Bu the Bible says that if we love one another, we'll speak the truth to one another!Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
This morning we'll take a look at one of the most radical "one anothers" in the Bible-the call to serve one another. While most of us try to find ways to get other to do things for us, jesus calls us to lean to seek ways to do things for others-He calls us to serve.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Romans 1:16-17 We all have a tendency to drift in our lives. We get caught up in rabbit trails. We lose sight of what’s most important. Every once in a while we need to stop and remind ourselves of The Main Thing. As we approach the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, we’ll take some time to remember The Main Thing for Christians.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
I Thessalonians 5:11
Sometimes we my feel like there isn't a lot we can do for someone when he or she is struggling. We can't fix the problem or take away the pain. But we can encourage that person. With our words and deeds we can try to inspire that person to not give up but to keep on going. This morning we'll think about how we can build each other up.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Some among us treat everything as a load and do not share with anyone their troubles and temptations. But others threat everything as a burden and are anxious about everything. This Sunday we will learn the different between caring our own load and carrying each other's burdens. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Last week we started talking about one of the biggest challenges many of us face - God's call to forgive those who have hurt us unfairly. We talked about why we should forgive and about what forgiveness is. This morning we'll take a look at how we can forgive - we'll look at some practical ways we can work at forgiving.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Colossians 3:13 While doing what God calls us to do is often difficult, this morning we're going to begin to talk about doing one of the most difficult things God calls us to do - something that goes against our natural instincts in many way. We're going to talk about forgiving people who have hurt us. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
We all want to feel like we have a place, like we belong. This morning we'll take a look at how the Bible calls Hillside to be a place where everyone who belongs to Jesus Christ is accepted as belonging with us.
Text Romans 15:7 Message by Pastor Ron KoolSupport the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
James 5:16 We’re taking a look at what the Bible says about how we are supposed to treat each other as Christians. This morning we’ll take a look at one of the most important things we can do for each other – even though it doesn’t always feel like we’re doing something for someone else. This morning we’ll take a look at praying for one another.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 13:34-35 Did you know that there are fifty-nine “one another” commands in the New Testament? Time and time again Jesus and the Apostles call us to “love one another” or “pray for one another” or “submit to one another.” They knew that the way we treat each other was going to be an important part of our witness in this world.This morning we’ll begin a sermon series looking at eight of these “one anothers.”Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Psalm 1
The American dream promises us "the pursuit of happiness," yet the current state of the country proves that the world cannot offer us true happiness. Christians claim that God wants us to be happy or blessed, but how can we attain happiness? In Psalm 1 we have such a path, so let's explore this Psalm this Sunday. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Psalms 50:15, Joshua 1:7-9
A lot of us go through a time of transition. Students may attend a new school, families seal with sickness, or we face the death of a loved one. How is the Lord encouraging us? Who will give us strength to face the tomorrow? The Lord has a message of encouragement and strength for us - let's come this Sunday and hear his Word speak to us. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Psalm 131 We all want to find our place in this world. We want to know where we fit, where we belong. This morning we’ll take a look at a short Psalm that helps us find where we belong – at rest in the hands of God.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Psalm 46
Sometimes in our faith journey we find ourselves needing a safe place to rest, a safe place from danger. Where do we go to find that place? One theme we constantly see pop up in the Psalms is the fact that God is our refuge. We'll unpack what it means for God to be that safe place, our refuge. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Psalm 30 When we’re in trouble many of us have learned to turn to God for help. We’ve learned that we need to cry out to Him, tell him our problems, lean on his strength. But we might forget to turn to God when things are going well. In Psalm 30 David invites us to bring our lives to God when God has been good.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Psalm 130
We've seen how the Psalms teach us to bring our lives to God when we are sad and scared and when life is unfair. This morning we're going to look at how we bring our lives to God when we've blown it, when we've sinned against God and others. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
We live in a broken world that is full of threats and dangers. Our lives can get turned upside down in an instant. It would be nice if faith in God means that nothing bad happens to us but that’s not the case. Sometimes we’re in pretty scary situations. This morning we’ll look at how David brought his life to God when he was in a very scary situation.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ever have anyone talk about you behind your back? Tell a story that wasn't completely true (or that shouldn't have been told?) Ver had anyone try to smear your good name? If you have, then you can relate to David. This morning we'll look at Psalm 7 - a prayer that David prayed when someone was spreading rumors about him.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Many Christians today feel that our culture is regressing, that as a western society we are losing our soul. But this is not a totally new feeling. David felt many times that his world was crumbling. What do you do when the foundations of your world are cracking? What is God’s answer when humanity seems to have lost its way? This Sunday morning we’re going to look at God’s answer in Psalm 19.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Psalm 4 Have you ever laid in bed at night, knowing that you need sleep, but you just can’t turn your mind off? If you’ve ever experienced that, you’re not alone. In Psalm 4 David shares with us what he would do when he was lying in bed and couldn’t get to sleep. We’ll think about what David did to give his day to God when the day was done.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/g/hillsidechgr?src=hpp)
Sooner or later we all experience pain, all of us have troubles. This Sunday we’ll look at God’s work in the life of Naaman, the Syrian army leader, who suffers with an incurable illness. We’ll discover how God is using Naaman’s pain to fulfill His purpose. God is using a slave girl to bring about a heart transformation. Can you trust God that all your life troubles work out according to His plan? Do you see that your pain has a purpose in God’s plan.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 16:5-15 Jesus said a number of things that were confusing to the disciples. But at the Last Supper He said something that really had them wondering. He said, "It is for your good that I am going away." They had to be thinking, "Really?" Have you seen how we've done without you?" This morning we'll think about why Jesus said the disciples would be better off when He' gone. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Motivation. What was the motivation behind the words? Intentions. What was the intention behind this deed? In our politically charged climate, we scrutinize every word or deed of public people, trying to define intention and motivation behind these. The Bible tells us that we must do everything in the name of Jesus. What does it mean then to bake cookies, to pass a test, to work hard at school or in your job, to put on that dress, to drive that car, to serve, to speak those words, to smile and to be kind in the name of Jesus?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
We live in a world where storms can strike out of nowhere. Some are small storms. Some are huge. But when those storms strike it can feel like we are being tossed around by waves that push us in all sorts of different directions. In that kind of world, Paul calls us to let the peace of Christ reign in our hearts. It sounds like a great idea, but how do we dot that?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Colossians 3:12-14 Baseball players wear baseball uniforms. Soccer players wear soccer uniforms. The Apostle Paul tells us that if we are Christians we have a “uniform” as well – we are to dress ourselves with compassion, kindness, gentleness, humility and patience. These are the clothes that we fit into better and better as we learn to live in the power of the risen Jesus.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/g/hillsidechgr?src=hpp)
Colossians 3:5-11
For the past couple of weeks, we've been talking about learning to live in the power of the risen Jesus. This morning Paul calls us to do something really difficult - He calls us to take out a contract on our old ways. We need to be ruthless, Paul says, as we attack the sin that still lives in us. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Colossians 3:1-4 One of the most amazing things the Bible teaches us is that Jesus is alive in us and we can live by His power. But how do we do that? How do we learn to live in the power of the risen Jesus? This morning we'll see what Paul calls us to do with our heads and our hearts in order to live in the power of Jesus.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/g/hillsidechgr?src=hpp)
Colossians 3: 1-4
Last week we had a big celebration – Easter. We celebrated that Jesus rose from the dead and is alive in us today. But what does that mean? What kind of an impact does that have on my day-to-day life? This Sunday we’re going to begin a new series in which we take a look at how we can learn to live the life that God is calling us to live.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
One of the lessons some of us have learned as we’ve gone through life is that we should be really careful when we get our hopes up. We shouldn’t let ourselves dream too big because then we’ll be disappointed. We shouldn’t ask for too much because we’ll get hurt when we don’t get it. But today — Easter Sunday — God wants us to know that He wants to do more for us than we could ever ask or imagine. Today He invites us to dare to believe that everything is going to be just right. Text: Mark 16:1-8 Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 21
This question was spoken on the first day of the week as Jesus entered Jerusalem. We try so hard to put Jesus in a box so that we can understand Him easily. The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 18:1-10
Whether you've been going to church for your entire life or you just swung by in the last few months, Jesus is asking us a basic question today: What are you looking for? or Who do we want? On the night Jesus was betrayed by Judas in the garden of Gethsemane He asks the soldiers who came to arrest Him: "Who is it you want?" The soldiers give the right answer, "Jesus," but did they have the right reasons? This Sunday God challenges us to seriously consider this question: "Who is it you want?" or "What is it that you are looking for?" Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 26: 20-25
Many of us try to be good people. We try to be kind and caring, compassionate and giving. We try to tell the truth and keep our promises. We want to believe that there are some things that we would never do - some people might, but not us. This morning we'll look at how Jesus challenges us to recognize that, without Him, we can fail in some really big ways. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 26:36-46 In the worst moment of your life, to whom do you turn for help? In the greatest crisis, who do you ask for help? Jesus is facing the greatest crisis of his life when he is in the Garden of Gethsemane. Let’s take a look this Sunday at what Jesus does while contemplating the incoming storm.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 26:6-13
This morning is the first Sunday of Lent, a time in the church year that leads us to two of the most important days of the year - Good Friday (when Jesus dies) and Easter (when Jesus rose from the dead). This is often a time where Christians reflect on both our own brokenness and sinfulness AND the amazing love and sacrifice of Jesus. In order to help us do that this year, we're going to look at questions that came up in the week that ended with Jesus going to the cross. This morning we'll start with a questions the disciples ask of a woman: Why this waste?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 25:31-46, 28:19-20
Many non-Christians and Christians alike are disgruntled today. There are some things that we can;t stand: abuse, racism, human trafficking, crooked politicians, persecution of Christians, generational poverty, friends straying away from God, etc. But God so loved the world, the bible tells us. This Sunday we'll hear Jesus tell us that we must be like God and love. Love the needy, love one another! What does that mean for you? What if your love for Jesus is measured by the love you have for one another, for the needy brother or sister?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 28:19-20 and Luke 22:19-20 We’re finishing up our series on worship. We’ve looked at what we say to God in worship and we’ve considered how God speaks to us through His Word and the sermon. We finish up with two more ways God speaks to us – Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
II Timothy 3:16
We've been looking at the things we say to God in a worship. We've talked about how we say, "You are awesome" or "Please forgive us" or "We need You" to God. Now we're going to take a look at what God is saying to us during a worship service, and we';; think about how we can listen to His voice better. Support the show (https://pushpay.com/g/hillsidechgr?src=hpp)
Psalm 119:11 We’ve been looking at things we say to God in a worship service. We’ve talked about saying, “We love You”, “We’re sorry”, and “We need You”. This morning we’re going to touch on one more thing we say to God – “We give ourselves to You”. Part of what we do when we get together with God is we make ourselves available to Him – with all of our heart and soul and mind and strength.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Psalm 102:1-2
Most of us like to think that we're pretty independent. We don't like to ask for help - whether it's asking for money or directions. We want to take care of things on our own. But this morning we'll recognize that part of what we do when we get together for worship is we ask God to help us. The good news is that God is very excited and happy to hear our requests.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Psalm 51 One of the important phrases we teach children to say is, “I’m sorry.” We want them to learn to admit their mistakes and ask for forgiveness. We want them to learn this because we know that this is the way to freedom and healthy relationships. This morning we’ll look at the fact that God wants us to learn that lesson as well. This morning we’ll think about what it means to say “I’m sorry” to God in our worship.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Psalm 145 Some things call for a response. When we see a great football play or a beautiful sunset, when we read a great book or hear an awesome song, it stops us. We enjoy it and need to do something - clap or smile or tell someone about it. We need to praise the thing or person. It's what we do. This morning we're going to recognize that when we see God and what He has done, we need to respond in praise as well.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Imagine you’ve been praying for someone who doesn’t know Jesus. You’ve tried to live out your Christian faith and you've shown them hospitality. Then it happens. They actually say, “Tell me about your Christian faith. How might I become a Christian?” What would you do ? What would you say? This Sunday we’ll think about how you might be ready to talk about your faith.
Text: I Peter 3:15-16 Message by Pastor Ron Kool Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
We’ve been talking about sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with those who don’t know Him. We’ve talked about praying and about living a life that is weird and wonderful. This morning we talk about another part of sharing the Good News—showing hospitality. One of the ways we connect with people is by spending time with them and just getting to know them. It takes time (and maybe some money), but part of loving people who don’t know Jesus is making some space and a place for them—showing hospitality. Text: I Peter 4:9 & Hebrews 13:2 Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
When people we love don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior, we have a desire for them to experience God’s amazing grace and peace. But how can we help people come to know Jesus? Last week we said that the first thing we can do is to pray for them, that God would open doors to their hearts. This Sunday we’ll take a look at a second thing we can do: Live a life that would help them to see the joy and peace of knowing Jesus. We can be weird and wonderful.
Text: I Peter 2:11-12 Message by Pastor Ron Kool Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
God is the One who opens people’s hearts and minds to the gospel. He is the One who saves. So prayer is a key and powerful tool for outreach and evangelism! It’s like the spiritual artillery that “softens the ground” before the troops move in. Without prayer we often find ourselves working in our own strength and we accomplish little. But with prayer and God’s help, we accomplish much (John 15:5). This is why the Apostle Paul repeatedly asks those he wrote to to pray for him -- and in Colossians 4:3, to pray for open doors. Prayer is a great place to start if we want to take witnessing and evangelism seriously. Text: Colossians 4:2-6 Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 22 We come to the end of our study of Abraham this morning. We've seen Abraham's ups and downs, but this morning we're going to see the ultimate test of whether Abraham trusts God with all that he has. As we look at Abraham we'll have to ask how deep our trust in God is.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 20 One of the dangers we face as we go through life is making assumptions. We think we know what people are like. We think we know who is good and who is bad. And sometimes we even think we know who God likes and does not like. As we turn again to Abraham this morning we’ll see that sometimes God surprises us with where He is at work.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 19 Two weeks ago we saw that the sins of Sodom were so great that God decided to bring judgment to the city. You'd think it would be easy for everyone who knows that to just leave, right? This morning we'll see that even though sin destroys us, we often have a hard time leaving it behind. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Luke 10: 1-20
Have you ever felt fully satisfied in Christ? Can you think of a time when you fully and physically alive? Abundant living is not only a goal for you, but it's a place where Jesus wants us to be in order to be used by Him in transforming our culture. This Labor Day Sunday we'll look at a kingdom building effort triggered by Jesus. It's an intensive cultural engagement campaign led by 72 of Christ's followers. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
The Bible clearly teaches that God is full of grace and mercy and love. But the Bible also says that there are times when God says, “Enough!” There are times when God says that judgment needs to come. This morning we’ll look at what Abraham learned about God’s heart and His mercy and judgment when it comes to Sodom and Gomorrah.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 18:1-15
Have you ever felt like you deeply wanted something but didn't dare get your hopes up? You don't want to let yourself believe that something good could happen because you "know" that once you start to hope, you're going to be deeply disappointed? If you have eve felt this way, you'll be able to relate to Sarah was feeling in our text this morning and you'll want to hear God's word for Sarah and for us. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 18:15-27 We’ve seen that God makes it clear to Abraham that He is going to work through Isaac, the son not yet even born to Abraham. That’s great, but it also raises a question: What about Ishmael? What about the one who is not “The One?” What does God do with the outsider?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
How do you identify yourself to your peers? Who determines your identity? This morning – in the story of Abram – God dispels the cultural illusion that we can decide for ourselves our own identity. Let’s take a look at how God establishes our identity.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 16
Last week we saw Abraham meet God in such a way that strengthened his belief and faith in God's promise. Some might say he quite literally had a mountain top spiritual experience. When Abraham returns home he's faced with reality and a decision to make: it's a decision we're all too familiar with today... Do I wait on God or is God calling me to take action.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 15
Waiting is not easy. Especially when we're waiting for something really important. This morning we'll look at two gifts that God gives Abram that helped him (and can help us) while we're waiting for God to work in our lives. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Each one of us has life struggles. We’re engaged in various battles. This Sunday we will look at the war Abraham led in order to rescue his nephew, Lot. Was Abraham successful? Was Abraham alone in waging this war?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 13
Last week we sam that, when Abram was faced with a tough situation, he compromised on his commitment to God and God needed to rescue Abram. This week we'll see Abram in another tough situation and we'll take a look at whether he does any better this time. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 12:10-20 Last week we saw Abram make an amazing leap of faith, leaving behind his old security and old identity and trusting God to go wherever God took him. God has promised to bless Abram and bless the whole world through Abram. Abram was probably feeling like things were going to go really well for him, but sometimes things don’t always go as we planned…Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Whenever God comes into our lives, He invites us, encourages us, calls us into a relationship with Him. And the call that God places on our lives is very similar to the call He made to Abram several thousand years ago. This morning we'll think about what it means that God has called us to follow Him.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Romans 4:16; James 2:23
We’re going to begin a new series this morning where we will take a look at a key element in the Christian story - the Old Testament story of Abraham. Abraham is an amazing character who played an essential part in what God was doing to redeem His broken world. As we look at the stories of Abraham’s life this summer, we’ll learn a great deal about who God is and what God is doing in our lives. This morning we’ll look at two titles the New Testament gives to Abraham: The father of faith and a friend of God. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Joshua 2 We live in a world that loves to label everything. We label our foods, our stuff, and we even label people. Rahab was a woman who spent her life dealing with the labels of this world; Foreigner, Prostitute, Harlot. This morning we’ll take a look at her life, and consider how the good news of the gospel transforms our earthly labels into a much more important one. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Hebrews 12: 1-3
Following Jesus is not always easy. Sometime we get tired and discouraged and we feel like throwing in the towel. This morning we'll look at Hebrews 12 to see how we can keep running even when it feels like we want to quit. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
On this Memorial Day weekend Hebrews 11 reminds us of the essential qualities of the heroes in God’s everlasting kingdom. In this sense we’ll look at our Lord as our Commander-in-Chief – not only the author but also the perfecter of our faith.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
I Thessalonians 1:2&3
What inspires you? What gets you excited? Nature? Music? Sporting events? This morning we’ll take a look at one of the things that inspired the Apostle Paul and we’ll see if it can give us some inspiration and encouragement as well. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Acts 2:14-21; 36-42 This Sunday we will explore what Pentecost means for us. What does it mean that we have the Spirit? What difference does it make in or family or in our workplace? Are we better husbands, wives, better kids? Are we better teachers, workers, or businesspeople? The Spirit used Peter to bring the good news to the city of Jerusalem. How is God using you and me to save our city? Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
II Timothy 4: 6-8
We were created by God to be difference makers, to have an impact on our world. The question is this: What kind of impact will we make? What kind of legacy will we leave when our time on earth is done? This morning we'll take a look at what the Apostle Paul says about his legacy. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Exodus 3 & 4 It's really exciting to think about and see what God is doing. We like to watch God at work. But God calls us to be more than watchers. He calls us to get into the game, to be part of what He is doing. This morning we'll think about what we'll do when God taps us on the shoulder. Support the show (https://pushpay.com/g/hillsidechgr?src=hpp)
We saw last week that God is making all things new- He’s restoring everything to its right place. This week we’ll look at something really amazing: God chooses to so this through His church- That’s you and me!! This morning we’ll look at what Jesus has to say about the church.
Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Colossians 1:19-20 As we begin to think about making a maximum impact as a church, it's important that we start with making sure that we're making an impact in the right area and the right way. We want to make an impact that God wants us to make. So we begin by thinking about what God is doing in our world. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Luke 24: 36-49
What brings you peace? What calms your fears and anxieties? This morning we're going to look at the last teaching moment of Jesus in the gospel of Luke. It's a message that the resurrected Jesus has for his frightened disciples. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Luke 24: 13-35
It happens to al of us. We get tired. we get discouraged. Life seems overwhelming. We just want to quit. We want to walk away from it all. This morning we'll look at two of Jesus' followers who were discouraged and who decided to go home. But even more importantly, we'll look at what Jesus does about it. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
We’ve all had bad days. But for many of us, we have a few that stand out and maybe even one that we can name the Worst Day Ever. This morning we’ll take a look at Mary Magdalene as she deals with her worst day ever and discovers some amazing things. Luke 24:1-10Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
We can be so inconsistent in our lives. Sometimes we do the right thing in a tough situation. Sometimes we fail when it isn't that difficult. In the story we're going to look at this morning, the Apostle Peter is at a huge moment in his life. Will he stand strong? or will he fold? At the end of the day, what kind of disciple is Peter? At the end of the day, what kind of disciple am I?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Luke 18: 18-28
Having money in the Bible is not always a bad thing. But it is always a dangerous thing - money is pretty powerful and can become too important in our lives. This morning we’ll take a look at a story that challenges us to think about whether we have our stuff or our stuff has us. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Luke 18: 9-14
We all want to encounter God in church and in our private devotions. This morning we will look at a parable about prayer, told by Jesus, for those who were confident of their righteousness and were looking down on everyone else. The question today are: What does it mean to meet God? What do we expect to get from attending church? What is proper attitude in prayer?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Luke 8:40-56 We often put people into different categories: rich or poor; strong or weak; smart or foolish; male or female; somebody or nobody-the list could go on. Those differences can be real, but there is another sense in which all of us are the same-we all are deeply in need of Jesus.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Luke 5:36-50 Jesus loves every one of us. That’s not the question. The question is whether we know we need His love and grace. Sometimes the biggest danger we face is thinking that we’re somebodies all on our own.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Luke 5:27-32
What’s so amazing about grace is that it’s unmerited and free. When was the last time you were overwhelmed by generosity or by someone’s kindness? This Sunday morning we’re going to discover the caring and loving side of Jesus in relationship with what we might think of as nobodies.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Romans 6: 1-4
The Bible makes clear that we are saved by God's grace, not by anything that we've done. And the Bible makes clear that even if we sin again, God is going to forgive us. That raises a great questions, Why be good? Why not just live however I want and ask God for forgiveness? This morning we'll look at what the Bible says about why we should seek to do good.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/g/hillsidechgr?src=hpp)
II Corinthians 5:21 Last week we talked about having true faith and truly believing in Jesus Christ. This week we move on to another great question: What happens next? What happens when I believe?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Often our culture frowns when someone uses the label, "People of Faith." If we hear that phrase, we immediately wonder whether the person comes from a Christian, Jewish, or Muslim background. However, Jesus is exclusive. He is radical in his claim, "Believe in me!" "Have Faith in God!" Without faith it is impossible to please God. Whoever does not believe will be condemned. As we continue our journey through the Heidelberg Catechism today, we focus on Q&A #21, "What is true faith?"Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Romans 5: 12-19
The Bible (and the Heidelberg Catechism) makes it clear that we are in a bad situation. We are dead in our sins and we deserve eternal punishment. It can be really hard to accept that. Isn't there some way we can get out of this? Shouldn't the fact that I'm trying really hard matter? Can't God just look the other way? Isn't He forgiving?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Hebrews 8:38-39 For any of us, storms can strike in an instant. The doctor calls with bad news. We lose our job. A tornado rips through our house. We are falsely accused of something. When those things happen, our worlds shake. And when those things happen, we need to ask ourselves - what holds my life together? What gives me strength?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Hebrews 4:14 As we begin the new year we also begin a new sermon series. In this series we’re going to take a look at five questions and answers from the Heidelberg Catechism. This morning we’ll begin by asking why would we look at a 480-year-old document at all and then look where the Catechism begins – question and answer 1.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
The story of Jesus’s birth is known by the vast majority of people. We are reminded of it every Christmas season and every time we see a nativity scene. But did you know that the gospels share different account of the story? Why does Matthew talk about the Magi and Luke doesn’t? Why does Luke talk about Shepherds while Matthew doesn’t? Our tendency is to combine all the stories into one, however, each narrative tells its own unique story about who Jesus is and what it is God will do through him. During our time today, we’ll dive into what each story uniquely communicates to us.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Christmas Eve Service - Merry Christmas
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John 1:14-17 For many of us, one of the hardest questions anyone can ask us is this: What do you want for Christmas? We loved the questions when we were younger, but it gets tougher as we get older. This morning we'll take a look at the gifts Jesus brings to us - the gifts that we really need. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 1:9-13
We all seem to use Christmas lights in our front yard or on the Christmas tree. But why do we do that? Why is John telling us that Jesus is the True Light? How would you explain this to an unbeliever? This morning we will learn what the Apostle John wanted to say by this expression.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 1:6-8; 16; 19-20 This is a time of the year where the stress can feel overwhelming. There are so many things to do and so many people who need us. And sometimes we can feel like we are supposed to take care of everyone. This morning we're going to learn that we can't do everything - and that's good news!Support the show (https://pushpay.com/g/hillsidechgr?src=hpp)
John 1: 1-5
We start that time of year when we begin to prepare ourselves to celebrate the birth of Jesus. To help us do that this year, we're going to study the beginning of the Gospel of John, the place where John tell us his "version" of the Christmas story. While John may not tell us about angles and shepherds, he does give us an amazing picture of what it meant for jesus to come to be with us. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Revelation 21:1-9 Watching the news and looking at what’s happening in the world today our hearts are troubled. Uncertainty and fear can cripple us. This morning Christ has a powerful and hopeful message for us from Revelation 21. He wants us to grasp his vision for the end of the story. It’s more optimistic than we might think.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ephesians 6:21-24
How do you end your letters or emails? Do you use something formal, like “Yours Truly?” Or, do you go for something more informal, like "See You Later?” This morning we’ll take a look at how Paul ends his letter to the Ephesians and we’ll see that what he does is give the Ephesians and us a great gift. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
NOTE: RECORDING STARTED AFTER INTRODUCTORY VIDEO
After we put on the full armor of God one might ask, now what? Paul tells us, now fight! How? Pray! By the way, how is your prayer life? It’s great if you feel like it’s pretty strong. Do you feel like it’s not bad but it could use some work? Do you feel like it’s almost nonexistent? Regardless of the condition of your prayer life, we must pray for our kids, our spouse, our family and friends. In addition, Paul tells us that a Christian prays for the persecuted church. Do you know that the Islamic State is on the verge of extinguishing the church within the territory it controls? Do you realize that today almost five billion people face religious persecution?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Last week we started talking about the armor of God, the armor of God gives us tools so we can stand against the schemes of the devil. We talked about the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness and the boots of readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. The morning we'll look at the last three pieces of armor - the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. Support the show (https://pushpay.com/g/hillsidechgr?src=hpp)
Ephesians 6:13-15 We’ve been talking about the fact that Christians are engaged in spiritual warfare. This morning we begin to look at the main thing Paul wants to call us to do - to put on the armor of God. If we are going to stand firm in this world, we need to make sure that we are prepared - that we have put the right armor on. This week we’ll look at the first three pieces of our armor Paul calls us to put on. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ephesians 6:10-13 Last week we began to talk about spiritual warfare. We talked about the fact that the devil and his minions are real and dangerous to us. This week we’ll take a look at how they fight – we’ll consider what Paul calls “the devil’s schemes”.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
In the final section of Paul's letter to the Ephesians he talks about the battle that all Christians are call to fight - the battle against the schemes of the devil. While parts of the world are very comfortable thinking about spiritual battles, many of us in the United States don't think about them very often. For the next four weeks we're going to learn about spiritual warfare. We start this morning by looking at our enemy and his schemes. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
We’ve been talking about the difference Jesus makes in our lives. We’ve talked about marriages and parenting and this morning we’re going to talk about another really important area of our lives – work. While being a follower of Jesus doesn’t mean we all do different jobs, it does mean that we all do our jobs differently. This morning we’ll look at what Paul teaches us about following Christ in the workplace.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ephesians 6:1-4 What does it mean to honor our parents? Are we supposed to obey them all the time? What is the key role of the parents? Isn’t a child supposed to get education and training at church and school? The 5th commandment, “honor your father and your mother” was given about 3,500 years ago. How do we interpret this commandment today? This Sunday we’re going to look at what we can learn from an ancient commandment that defines the relationship between children and parents. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ephesians 5:21-33 Paul continues to encourage us to live out the new life we have in Jesus Christ and now he starts to talk about what new life looks like in our relationships. This morning we’ll take a look at what Paul says to husbands and wives about loving each other. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ephesians 5:15-20 Like the parent of a teenager, the Apostle Paul is worried about his brothers and sisters in Ephesus. He know that they live in a dangerous world and so he calls them (and us) to be very careful, then, how you live... This morning we'll take a look at what it means to live carefully.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ephesian 5: 3-14 We all know that we're supposed to be "good" Christians. But Why? Why do we choose to be righteous when sin is so tempting? Why do we choose to live for Christ when we would rather live for ourselves most days? This morning, we'll explore Paul's answer to these questions. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ephesians 4:25-5:2 Paul tells us that if we are trying to follow Christ we will constantly be engaged in taking off the old nature and putting on the new nature. Last week we saw that Paul called us to take off lying, stealing and trash talking and to put on speaking the truth, sharing and building others up. This morning we’ll add one more to the list – Take off anger and putting on kindness, compassion and forgiveness.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ephesians 4:25-5:2 If we want to grow in Christ, Paul tells us, there is a constant challenge we have to face. He tells us there are certain behaviors, attitudes, and actions that we need to constantly be striving to develop. This morning we’ll look at four areas where Paul calls us to be working.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ephesians 4:17-25 We all want to change. Yet how many times have you tried to change your life and it didn’t work? We all know how hard it is to even pick up a healthy habit once we’re set in our own old ways. We are born with a nature that needs to go through a total transformation. Let take a look at the secret of this life transforming experience that takes place in us.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ephesians 4:7-16 We often feel like it's easiest to get along with people if they are a lot like us (though sometimes it's a problem if they're too much like us). Paul, however, tells us that we are to be united even though we are all different - we have been given different gifts and responsibilities by God. This morning we'll think about what it means to be united AND unique.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ephesians 4:1-6 For the first half of the letter to the Ephesians Paul has been telling us who we are – we are in Christ, we are saved by grace, we are part of a new family. Now Paul starts to tell us what that means. How will our lives look if we really have been saved by God’s grace? For the rest of the summer we’ll be looking at Paul’s answer to that question.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ephesians 3: 14-21 Is it possible to know a lot about God but to have never experienced his love and power? What if we live spiritually poor when we are called to spiritual riches? Can it be that we are Christians who live with a degree of phoniness and inauthenticity? Apostle Paul has an answer to this situation. Today's text from Ephesians is in fact Paul's prayer for us. He is praying for Christians. Let's further explore this Sunday what is Paul's solution to such a sad spiritual condition.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Being able to give someone good news is a great thing. Being able to say “You’re hired,” or “You got an A” or “You made the team” is a wonderful thing to be able to do. The Apostle Paul felt that way about tell people that God loves them-He couldn’t imagine a better calling- even if it was sometimes really difficult. This morning we’ll look at what Paul tells us about what he got to do with his life.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ephesians 2:11-22 You may have heard someone say it or you may have said it yourself: Jesus I like: his followers, not so much. I like to spend time with Jesus but sometimes I struggle spending time with other Christians. They can be so hard to get along with, so pig-headed, so arrogant. They don't all think like me or look like me. This morning we'll take a look at what Paul says to the Ephesians about getting along with each other.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ephesians 2:1-10 There’s an old saying that goes like this: If you see a turtle on a fence post, you know that it didn’t get there on its own. I think Paul wants us to remember something like that. He wants us to remember that when we find ourselves experiencing God’s blessings, we didn’t get there on our own. We are saved by grace and grace alone.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ephesians 1:15-23 Prayer is one of those things that most of us know we should do. The Bible tells us to pray. Our parents told us to pray. The pastor tells us to pray. But what do we pray for when we pray for others? What do we ask God to give them? This morning we'll take a look at Paul's prayer for the Ephesians and think about what we can pray when we pray for each other. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Are all people God’s natural children? On the one side, God is the Creator of all people. On the other side, not everyone is a natural Child of God. The concept of being God’s adopted kids is unique to the Christian faith and it prompts us to proclaim to all that Christ Jesus, the Creator of everyone, can also become a father to all who believe. On Father’s Day Sunday let’s take a deeper look at this unique privilege all the disciples have: to be adopted by God, to be his heirs, and to be invited to sit at the Lord’s table as members in the family of God. This is the greatest privilege a human can have.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ephesians 1:1-2 This morning we’re going to start a new sermon series that will take us through this summer. We’ll be looking at the book of Ephesians, a book that is written for people who are struggling with finding their place in this world. In a world of confusion and uncertainty about what matters and what’s going to last, Paul writes to tell us where we fit in what God is doing in this world.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
This morning we'll celebrate the professions of faith of nine of our young people here at Hillside. We thank God for what He has done in their lives and we look forward to what God is going to do. The words of Joshua 1:9 provide a challenge for each of us on a morning like this. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Galatians 5:16-26 The Bible says that the Holy Spirit wants to do some wonderful things in our lives – He wants to guide us and encourage us and empower us. That’s great. But how do we experience that in our lives? How do we learn to live by the Spirit? This morning we’ll think about that question together.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 16: 5-16
Last week we talked about who the Holy Spirit is. This morning we're going to take a look at what the Holy Spirit wants to do in our lives - How does the Holy Spirit help us as we make our way through this world?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 15:26 What do you think of when you hear the words "Holy Spirit"? A ghost? A fire? People jumping up and down or falling over? The Force? While we may feel comfortable talking about God the Father or God the Son, many of us struggle when we talk about the Holy Spirit. This morning we'll begin a series in which we'll try to learn more about who the Holy Spirit is and what He does.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ruth 1:1-5; 4:13-17 This Sunday is a special time when we are reminded of our mothers. We're going to look together at an Old Testament survival story of a Jewish mother-in-law, Naomi, and her Moabite daughter-in-law, Ruth. In their story God shows his providential care for Jews and non-Jews alike during a devastating famine and the untimely death of loved ones. In the middle of the storms we're tempted to forget God, but his grace is always sufficient in our weakness; his perfect plan and his unconditional love are always acting on our behalf.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
I Get a New Body - 1 Corinthians 15:25-44 Some of us love our bodies. Some of us hate our bodies. Some of us don’t think much about our bodies. The Bible says that because Jesus rose from the dead with a new body, we too will get new bodies one day. What will they be like? Will they be the same? Different? We’ll see what the Bible says about our new bodies this morning.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Hillside has been blessed with a great group of Middle and High School Students! This morning we're going to be challenged with the truths from the Bible that they've been studying as our Middle and High School Youth Directors - Kirk Kingsley and Arek O'Connell bring us God's Word. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Romans 6:9-11; 2 Corinthians 5:17 Christians make a big deal out of Easter Sunday. We celebrate and sing and put out flowers and talk about new life. We declare that we have hope and joy. Easter is a great Sunday. But what difference does Easter make on Monday? Does anything really change because Jesus rose from the dead? That's the question we're asking again this morning. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Now that Easter is over, what does it mean that my old nature is crucified with Christ? How do I personally experience the resurrecting power in my daily life? How is Christ alive in me? This Sunday we’re beginning a three week series on a sixteenth century document called the Heidelberg Catechism. We will be focusing on Question 45, “How does Christ’s resurrection benefit us?” There are three benefits of Christ’s resurrection to us and this week we are going to look at the first on: “by his resurrection he has overcome death, so that he might make us share in the righteousness he obtained for us by his death.”Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Mark 28: 1-10 One of the interesting parts of the Eater story is to see how everyone responded to the news that Jesus was alive. We might think that is was only a time of happiness and celebration, but it wasn't. This morning we'll take a look at how the two Marys responded to the news the angel gave them. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Maundy Thursday Sermon - part 1Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Maundy Thursday Sermon Part 2Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Mark 15: 33-34 We are told that Jesus was crucified at about 9:00 in the morning. For the first three hours the day was like every other day but at noon, things changed. We're told that darkness covered the land for three hours. This morning we'll think about why the darkness came and what was going on in that darkness.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
We’ve been following Jesus on His journey to the cross. We’ve focused on His interactions with others and how they responded to Jesus. This morning we’re going to take some time to look at one specific aspect of this 24 hours-the extreme physical suffering which Jesus endured. These 24 hours were physically excruciating for Jesus and this morning we’ll think about why it had to be this way.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Mark 15:20-22 As we continue to look at the 24 hours leading up to and including the death and burial of Jesus we are coming near the end of the journey. Jesus has been sentenced to die and is brought to the place where He will be crucified. This morning we'll take a look at what happened on that journey and what it has to teach us about following Jesus.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Have you ever imagined how the perfect person would look like? What would his character be? What about his physical appearance? The journey to the cross takes us this morning in the presence of Pilate. He is debating with the Jews whether to release Jesus, who is not guilty, or Barabbas, a terrorist. "Behold, the man!" says Pilate. ECCE HOMO! is in Latin! Jesus seems absolutely powerless, yet in the most ironic moment in human history, we'll ask why they want him crucified and Barabbas is released?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Luke 23: 1-12 What do you want from Jesus? Both Pilate and Herod have things they want from Jesus - answers, miracle, signs. But Jesus does not give them what they want, because Jesus knows that what they want is not what they need. This morning we'll think about what we want from Jesus. Support the show (https://pushpay.com/g/hillsidechgr?src=hpp)
One of the saddest parts of the final 24 hours of the life of Jesus is that much of this was driven by people who should have done better. It was religious leaders and those who were most passionate about God who played a key role in putting Jesus on the cross. This morning we'll ask ourselves how this could happen. What made these good people do such a bad thing?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 26:36-46 What are your prayer habits? Do you usually pray before a meal with your family or do you prefer to pray alone? On Thursday evening Jesus finished the Lord's Supper in the Upper Room. Then he took his disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. This morning we'll take a look at Jesus' prayer when he had less than 24 hours before he was crucified.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 13:1-17 Does your family have any rituals? Do you always do the same things on Christmas or Thanksgiving? For Jewish people, celebrating the Passover was the most important ritual of the year. They would do the same things, say the same things and eat the same food every year to remember what God had done for them. This morning we'll think about the Passover that Jesus celebrated with His disciples less than 24 hours before He was crucified.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
This morning we’re beginning a new sermon series. We’re going to take a 10 week look at the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life, 24 hours that changed the world. We start this morning in an upper room at sunset on a Thursday evening in Jerusalem.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Acts 15: 1-11 What does it take for one to belong to Christian community? We all have boundary markers, all have standards when deciding who is "in" and "out". This morning we'll take a look at what it takes to experience and build into genuine, life-giving Christian community.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
2 Kings 7:3-16 We all go through times of crisis and challenges, life seasons when we feel threatened by life’s struggles. In these critical moments God speaks to us and we need to respond decisively. This morning we’ll look at an interesting story of four lepers used by God to bring a message that seems too good to be true. But that’s how our decisions are used by God’s sovereign plan to save his people who were under a cruel siege.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Isaiah 65:17-25 You’ve probably heard someone say, “It is what it is.” They’re saying that things just are the way they are. We may like the way things are or not like the way they are, but we can’t deny the way things are. It is what it is. But the Bible says that things will not always be what they are. The Bible says that someday everything is going to be different – everything is going to be just the way it’s supposed to be. This morning we’ll think about the fact that our God is one who makes all things new.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Most of the time the Bible tells us to remember—to remember what God has done, to remember who God is. But in Isaiah 43 God tells us to forget what He has done. This morning we’ll think about why God would tell us to forget the things of the past.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Isaiah 49: 1-6
One of the questions we ask ourselves as we close out this past year is: Did I make a difference? Did the things I did in 2014 make a difference? Will things I do in 2015 make a difference? This morning we have good news that God is a God who works through us to make a difference. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Isaiah 53:1-7 As we move along the Advent journey toward the climax of Christmas Eve, we're reminded not only that there is the paradox of having a child on whose shoulders rests the government of the world, but also that this child is going to experience pain and suffering. And before he experiences glory and honor, he is going to be acquainted with sickness. And he would experience one of the most brutal and painful deaths, the death on a cross. Let's take a look this morning at our Lord Jesus as he is described by the prophet Isaiah, a man familiar with pain.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Among all the things Isaiah saw about God, the one we're looking at this morning might have been the most shocking to him. Ina world of power, Isaiah sees that God is a servant. It's pretty amazing.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Isaiah 36 - 40 Have you ever had a great success followed by a great failure? Have you ever "nailed it" but then failed it shortly after that? King Hezekiah was like the nation of Judah - a mixed bag. This morning we'll look at what God does with people like you and me. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
We all have storms that enter our lives. We face a crisis with our health or our finances or our families. We lose a job or experience the loss of someone we love. And it feels like the bottom falls out. When the storms come, we have to ask ourselves-where can we find security? Who can take care of us? This morning we’ll think about what Isaiah calls us to do when it feels like our lives are falling apart.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Isaiah 24 This morning we're going to deal with one of the most challenging of all the images of God - that He is a judge. For some of us this makes us scared. For some of us this seems old-fashioned. For some of us we're glad He's going to get rid of those sinners out there. How should we think of this? How do we picture God as the judge?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Isaiah 5 Last week we saw that one of the primary parts of Isaiah's vision of God was his vision of God's holiness - His otherness, His perfect purity. This week we're going to look at a very different but still powerful picture that Isaiah gives us of God - the picture of a farmer who has a broken heart.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Isaiah 6:1-8
Sometimes when people talk about what God is like, it can feel like, "yeah, that's true, but what difference does it make? I need practical help. I'm trying to figure out how to pay my bills!" That wasn't the case for Isaiah. When he saw God, it impacted every area of his life. It challenged him and changed him and comforted him and encouraged him. This morning we're beginning a series in which we'll try to learn to see what Isaiah saw when he saw the Lord.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
What do you think about abortion? What does the Bible saying about homosexuality? Do you think we should fight Islamic terrorism? What is God saying about poverty? Who are you supporting for the election? We all have questions and we like to discuss things with our family and friends. But when it comes to answering these questions, where do we go for guidance? An easier question to answer is "who won the game last night?" - we just need the information. But to what or where do we go for guidance to answer the complex questions of life?
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Matthew 5:27-30 As we finish up our series on the Seven Deadly Sins, we think about one of the most challenging of the fatal attractions - lust. God created sex and sexual desire to be a good gift for us. But because of sin, this gift can be a real challenge to deal with. This morning we'll try to understand the good and the bad of God's gifts of sex and sexual desire.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Joshua 7:1, 19-25 If anger is the deadliest of the seven sins – as it leads to violence, murder, and wars – gluttony is the most paradoxical: it is one of the most easy to commit and one of the hardest to overcome. It is a perverted obsession with things that we commonly need in order to exist, such as food and drink, but it certainly distorts other carnal desires. This Sunday morning we’re going to understand that this sin darkens the mind and blinds the heart, yet the Holy Spirit can empower us to fight against and resist this huge temptation. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
I Timothy 6:6-10 For many of us, we know that we have all the “stuff” that we need. We know that we have more than most of the rest of the world and we know that we have every reason to be content with what we have. But we still struggle with the voice inside our heads that says, “Yeah, but wouldn’t it be great if you had just a little bit more? Not a lot—just a little bit more.” This morning we’ll think about dealing with that voice.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ephesians 4: 22-24
Remember the old song from Sesame Street about One of these things is not like other, one of these things just doesn't belong? That seems to fit when we get to this point in our study of the seven deadly sins. We know envy is deadly. And we've all felt the string of anger. But sloth? Really? Is it that bad ti take it easy? Don't we all need to learn to relax more? This morning we'll think about why Sloth makes its way into the seven deadly sins.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Ephesians 4: 26-27 We all get angry! This is a reality we have to live with. But is there a difference between sinful and righteous anger? Our society has portrayed the God of the Bible as a very angry and raging God, who not only causes genocides but also encourages others to violence and ethnic cleansing. Is God angry? And what about God's children; can we be angry and not sin? Let's look closer this Sunday at what Christ is teaching us about anger.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Proverbs 14:30 The Bible tells us to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who weep. But that's not always easy. Sometimes we find ourselves rejoicing when others weep and weeping when others rejoice. We take a secret joy in someone who is put in her place and we secretly struggle when someone has a great success. And too often the culprit behind this is envy - our next fatal attraction.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Mathew 6: 1-4
Little kids are obvious about it: "Look at me!" they say. " I can make a big splash ! Look at me!" As we grow older we learn it's not good to tell everyone to look at us. But that doesn't mean we're over our desire to have other people notice us. We like to be noticed. We like to have people say nice things about us. That's not necessarily wrong, but when it gets out of control, it can be the fatal attraction we call vainglory. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Daniel 4 We’ve all done it. We’ve said to ourselves, “I know I’ll pay for this in the morning, but I’m still going to do it.” Or we’ve looked back at something we’ve done and asked ourselves, “What was I thinking?” The fact is that bad things sometimes look really attractive, but they can be fatal. This morning we’re going to start a new sermon series on some of the Fatal Attractions the Bible warns us about.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Proverbs 10:9 One of the pressures many of us face in our workplaces is the pressure to compromise our integrity in order to make a buck or get a promotion or keep a job. It's hard to complete with people who seem to be able to cut corners whenever they want if we have to tell the truth and try to do the right thing. This morning we'll think about whether it's worth it to try to keep our integrity in the workplace. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Exodus 3:9-12 We all have patterns - Certain ways of doing things. When we look at the Bible, we see that God has some patterns as well - He tends to work in the same way over time. It's helpful if we know these patterns and this morning we'll look at four things God never does.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 6:14 The Text for this Sunday is not in the NIV version, but is in NASB (New American Standard), yet it is a text we all recite: "For yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." You only go around once, so why not strive for an effective prayer life? As we wrap up our sermon series on the Lord's Prayer we find that the last line is not found in the best New Testament manuscripts. However, the church through the centuries has always used this powerful ending for the Lord's Prayer. This morning we'll discover that God wants every person to learn how to pray effectively in order to have abundant life.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 6:13
This morning we come to the 6th and final petition of the Lord's Prayer, "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." At first glance, we might ask, "does this petition suggest that God is the one who leads us to temptation? That doesn't seem right!" We'll dig a little deeper to better understand what we're asking for in this petition and what this prayer might tell us about God. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 6:12 Forgiveness is one of the most difficult words to translate into other languages. We often pray for the forgiveness of our sins, but do we grasp the depth of what it is we are truly asking for? When we ask God to forgive us our sins we are then faced with a choice to live in a universe governed by grace or by law. Which will you choose?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
In the first half of the Lord’s Prayer we’ve been praying some very high and lofty, world-changing things. We’ve asked God to hallow His name, to bring in His Kingdom and to have His will be done. These are clearly important and spiritual issues. But Jesus wants us to know that being spiritual doesn’t mean forgetting that we’re also material—we need food! We’ll think about asking the Father to give us our daily bread this coming Sunday.
Text: Matthew 6:11 Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 6:10 If you could have anything in this world, what would it be? If you could change one thing in this world, what would you change? For most of us when we think about these things we have some ideas that immediately come to our minds. We all have things we want. But this morning Jesus teaches us that the best thing for us is to recognize that what God wants for us is better than what we want for ourselves. This morning we learn to pray, "Your Will be Done."Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 6:10 - Your Kingdom Come When you pray the line "Your Kingdom Come" from the Lord's Prayer, what comes to your mind? Living in a republic form of government, the concept of kingdom seems hard to relate to, yet it is an ancient concept that Jesus and the Bible often use in relationship to God's rule and dominion. This Sunday morning we're going to take a deeper look at what do we really ask when we pray: Come! Come! Father, Your Kingdom Come!?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 6:9 When was the last time you've hallowed something? Not hallowed. Not hollered. But hallowed. Hallowed is not a word we use very much, but Jesus says that the first thing we ask for in our prayers is that God will hallow his name. This morning we'll think about what that means.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 6:8 Beginnings are really important. As Aristotle supposedly once said (and Mary Poppins as well), “Well begun is half-done.” It’s not always easy to know where to start, but once we do, we can get going. This morning we’ll take a look at what Jesus says about starting our prayers, about how we approach God in prayer.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/g/hillsidechgr?src=hpp)
Matthew 6: 5-8 Jesus says that if we pray we'll be rewarded. Is it true? Dr. Alexis Carrel, a Nobel Prize winner in medicine wrote a book in which he proved the therapeutic rewards of prayer. Prayer regularly, he wrote, and you will find your life improved. Prayer helps us resolve emotional conflicts, purge guilt and overcome negativism. By verbalizing what goes on inside, the pray-er practices a kind of self-inducted therapy. This morning we'll continue to look at Jesus' teaching on how to pray.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Luke 11: 1-13
Prayer is one of those things we all are for - it's a good thing to do and we know we ought to do it more. But it's not always so easy to put that desire into action. It's not always so easy to actually pray. As we begin our study of the Lord's Prayer this morning, we'll take a look at one of the prayer - God's attitude toward prayer. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
I Kings 3:4-9 We've all been there. We take on a new task. It sounded fun and exciting. But now it's time to take up the responsibilities. And we realize that there's more involved here than we thought. The task is bigger and our skills our smaller than we estimated. Then it hits us. We're in over our heads. We've bitten off more than we can chew. And we need help. This morning we'll look at what King Solomon did when he found himself in that situation.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Psalm 49 Sometimes, if you want someone to really learn something, you make them work for it. If the other person earns the knowledge, it seems to go deeper. This morning we'll take a look at a psalm where the writer wants us to try to figure out some important lessons out for ourselves - where he wants us to earn our knowledge.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 11:1-9 The Tower of Babel The German philosopher Karl Marx wrote in 1844 that "Religion is the opium of the people," further advancing the idea that religion is a means of mass control and not a way to establish a relationship with the divinity. His ideas were fully fleshed out in the two ideologies that overshadowed the 20th century, Nazism and Communism. However, from the beginning of time human beings have tried to build their own ideal society and religion. Today we'll take a closer look at the biblical narrative of the Tower of Babel, one of the failed attempts at reaching God through human efforts.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 8 & 9Last week we left Noah in the ark and the earth covered with water. We saw that this was a picture of God's salvation. But what's next? Does God leave Noah high and wet? This week we'll look at the rest of the story.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 6-8On of the worst things you can do in our world today is to judge someone - to say that someone did something wrong. That can sound nice and at one level none of us like judgmental people, but we also have something inside of us that recognizes that judgement is necessary and actually good. This morning we'll look at a story about judgment. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 21:12-14We go to school to learn how the world works. We go to church to give praise and thanks to God and to listen to his Word. But where do we go to learn how to pray? This morning God's Word will show us the the place of prayer in our lives. But there is a question that pops into our minds: Does prayer really change things? Furthermore, if God is sovereign and he knows all things, why bother to pray?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Did you ever feel like something was “too good to be true?” It sounded great, but there had to be a catch—things just never actually work out that way. That’s what Mary was feeling like on her way to Jesus’ tomb on Easter morning—it had been great, but she never really should have dared to believe it could last. Jesus was dead. The dream was gone. And then things got worse…but then…well, what happens next is really amazing.John 20:1-3, 10-18Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 19:31-37Why is Good Friday "good?" What is good about the unjust trial, beating, and crucifixion of an innocent man? Tonight we look at the Gospel of John to find the good in the death of Jesus - a death that brings us hope.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 12: 12-19St Francis once said that we should "preach the Gospel at all times, and, when necessary, use words." This morning we'll look at a story in which Jesus preaches a really important sermon even though He doesn't say a word. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 11We all have times where we feel like it's too late. Maybe we could have changed things earlier, but now it's too late. The marriage is over. The disease is progressed too far. My life is too big of a mess. It's too late. But this morning we're going to see that with Jesus around, it's never too late. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 9Jesus ran into a lot of challenges in his life. He dealt with people who were blind or lepers, prostitutes or tax-collectors, angry or depressed. He didn’t seem to have too many problems with these challenges. Where he seemed to face his greatest challenge was with the folks who were convinced they knew it all—those who knew what God wanted and didn’t want in every situation. This morning we’ll look at a story and see the danger of thinking we know everything we need to know about God.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 4: 7-26Many of us struggle with evangelism. We want to tell others about Jesus, but most of the time we don't know how. We feel embarrassed and it's outside of our comfort zone. This morning we will learn from Jesus the why and the how of evangelism. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
John 3:1-15Many of us know what it’s like to try to be good. We really want to be good, not just look good or feel good. But it’s really hard to be good. In fact the Bible says that we can’t be good on our own. This morning we’ll look at an essential thing the Bible says we need if we are going to be what God created us to be.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 4: 1-11This morning we're going to continue to think about what it means to live The Jesus Way, what it means to grow to be more and more like Jesus. As we do that, we're going to learn a very important truth: if we try to follow The Jesus Way, we have an enemy who would like to keep us from moving ahead on the journey. This morning we'll look at some of the temptation that come our way as we seek to be like Jesus. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
1 Timothy 4:6-8As followers of Jesus we are not only supposed to believe in Him, but we are also supposed to live like Jesus. We are supposed to love and serve and give and put others first. But how do we do that? How do we grow to be more like Jesus? This morning we’ll talk about training to be godly.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 4:17-6:8As we’ve worked our way through the first four chapters of Genesis, the stories we’ve looked at have been fairly familiar to some of us. But now we come to some material that most of us would simply choose to skip—lists of family names, strange stories of the sons of God, and a little information about the Nephilim (whoever they are!). We can read this a couple of times and still find ourselves pretty confused. This morning we’ll think about what we might learn from a part of the Bible we usually skip!Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 4: 1-16All of us have high expectations for our kids, especially when they are first born. But, what do you do when your first born is break bad? In Genesis 3:15, God promises Eve that her seed/son will be 'the deliverer'. Can you imagine the disappointment Adam and Eve felt after realizing that Cain turned into a murderer and not a deliverer?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 3:21-24Last Sunday we talked about how nothing works the way it’s supposed to work in our world anymore. We don’t do what we’re supposed to do, the world around us doesn’t work right—there’s cancer and pain and death, and our relationship with God is off kilter. God has every right to just let us go. But this coming Sunday we we’ll see that He doesn’t do that. We’ll see how God begins to set the stage to make all things new.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 3:8-19Last week we looked at how Adam and Eve decided not to trust God. We saw how they decided that they knew better than God and they did the one thing God said they couldn't do - they ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And we said that everything was changed after that - their sin - and ours - changes things - and always for the worse. This morning we'll take a look at what changed when we sinned. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 3:1-7Some of the fundamental questions everyone asks at some point in their lives are, "Why are things the way they are? Why is there so much sickness and death and anger and attacking? Why is there so much pain? What's wrong with the world?" This morning we'll take a look at the answer to those questions that we find in the Bible.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Guest Speaker Dr. John Perkins from the Spencer Perkins Center in West Jackson, MSSupport the show (https://pushpay.com/g/hillsidechgr?src=hpp)
Genesis 2:18As we've gone through the opening chapters of Genesis, one of the things we've seen is that what God created was good. Seven times in Genesis 1 we read that God saw what He had made and it was good. But now we come to something really interesting. In Genesis 2:18, we read that something was not good. This morning we'll look at what wasn't good and what God did about it.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 1 and 2As we return to our study of the opening chapters of Genesis, we'll see that God built us for relationships - with Him, with the world we live in, and with each other. This morning we'll take a look at the relationship we have with creation.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 1:18-25Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, has been called the forgotten man of Christmas. We never read a word he said in the Bible. There are no quotes from him. Like the father of the bride at the wedding, he seems to be there to pay the bills and stay out of the way. But that is not all Joseph does. As he takes on this amazing role of being Jesus' earthly father, Joseph shows us what it means to trust God when things are really unclear.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 11:1-15What do you do when you're under attack? What is your reaction when your spouse criticizes you day and night, when going to your workplace seems like facing the firing squad every day? What do you do when your bothers and sisters in faith criticize you? Who do you turn to when even the church is not a safe place for you? Let's explore this morning what sort of expectations are linked with the advent season - what do we anticipate in the arrival of baby Jesus?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Matthew 3:1-12Many of us have already put some time into getting our homes ready for Christmas. We've put up trees, or hung lights, or lit some candles or played some Christmas music. It can be fun to get our homes ready for Christmas. But how are we doing getting our hearts ready for Christmas? This morning we'll take a look at what John the Baptist tells us about preparing ourselves for the coming of Jesus. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
2 Corinthians 4:7-10As Christians, we have a light that dwells within us. This light is comparable to treasure, it is beyond comparison and immeasurably glorious. Unfortunately, we too often hide that light. We let our pride and fear of weakness contain it. In 2 Corinthians the Apostle Paul is not afraid to let go of fear and to let God be his strength in time of weakness so that his light be on display for all to see! We'll think about what that means for us this morning. Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 2:4-25We've been thinking about what Genesis 1 and 2 tell us about who God is, what the world is like and who we are and this morning we come to one of the really important things about us. We were created for community, created to live in relationships. We'll think about what that means for us this morning.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 2:1-4What do you do when you are sick or tired? When life is heavy? Where do you find rest? Is it in the newest organic diet? Is it in the membership in that country club? Is it in your new job? Is it in this or that toy? Is it in that exotic vacation? You're invited to experience REST. Come and let God work on you to give you his rest.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 1:26-31, 2:15 - Last week we talked about what Genesis 1 has to teach us about who God is. This morning we're going to look at Genesis 1 and 2 and see what they have to teach us about who we are. Are we good or bad? Important or unimportant? Souls or bodies? The answers we give to these questions have a huge impact on how we live. Teaching SlidesSupport the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 1 One of the really important things we learn as we look at Genesis 1 (the very 1st chapter in the whole Bible) is what God is like. As we watch God at work in creation, we learn some important lessons about who He is. This morning we'll think about those lessons. Teaching SlidesSupport the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Genesis 1. While we don't always think about it, one of the most important things we do in our lives is to try to figure out our place in this world. Where do we fit? Are we important? Is this world safe? There are big questions and in order to think about them it can be good to start at the very beginning - with God creating everything. This morning we're starting a new sermon series on the opening chapters of the entire Bible.Teaching SlidesSupport the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Luke 16:19-31Your friend makes plans for her 50th birthday or for her wedding, but why isn't your friend making any plans for her death? In 1908 only 14% of all deaths occurred in an institution but by 2000 it is nearly 80%. The past century also led to many people denying even talking about death. How can we learn to see death as the completion of a well-lived life? What would it take for your friend to see death as a transition to glory? Because it comes only once, death is still in the realm of the unknown.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Did you know that one out of every four people in the U.S. (including Christians) believe that they can learn about themselves and the future from the stars? Did you that three out of ten people in the U.S. (including Christians) believe that they have had contact with a dead person? What about this? Is this ok? Harmless fun? Dangerous stuff? This morning we'll think about what to do with a friend who believes in Psychics.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Galatians 6:1-2, John 1:14Proverbs 17:17 says that "A friend loves at all times." But what about when our friend is doing something we don't think is wise? Or that we think is wrong? What do we do then? What does it mean to be a friend to someone who is doing something we don't think she should - like have an abortion?Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
We all have memories of the times when we've been hurt - someone lied to us or about us - someone betrayed us - someone cheated on us - someone abused us. Those memories can hurt us and they can also make us bitter. They can dominate our lives. Is there any way out? Can we ever get beyond them?Support the show (https://pushpay.com/g/hillsidechgr?src=hpp)
If you think about it, it really is a strange thing to do—to say that a book written more than 2,000 years ago is God’s Word—to say that this book is true and trustworthy. Yet many of us do just that. We trust it. We say it is God’s Word. But for some of us and some of our friends, they struggle with that—they find it really hard to trust the Bible. What can we do when we have a friend who is not sure he can trust the Bible?1 Timothy 3:16Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
We’re starting a new sermon series in which we’re going to look at some of the struggles we, and some of the people we love, go through in this world. We’re going to think about doubt and bitterness and unplanned pregnancies and several other difficult situations.We will start by thinking about whether we can know that we are saved.2 Timothy 1:12Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
1 Peter 4:12-19We’ve been talking this summer about living under pressure—under pressure to conform to the world around us and under pressure from the struggles of this world. Peter will tell us that when we feel this pressure it should remind us of something—that there will be a judgment day. Together we’ll think about how we should look at God’s coming judgment.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
Whether you've been a Christian your whole life, or just met Jesus last week, we all still struggle with sin. Yet Peter tells us that Christ Followers are "finished with sin." Really? Is that possible? We will look into Peter's own life to find an example of someone who truly learned to follow Jesus.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
1 Peter 3:13-22Do you ever get tired of trying to do the right thing? Do you ever feel like no one notices or, even worse, people make it more difficult for you? If you’ve ever been in those places, you know what it’s like to ask this question: “Why be good? Why should I keep on trying to do the right thing?” This coming Sunday morning Peter will help us answer that question.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
1 Peter 3:8-12We all are in search of love. We want to be loved and we want to be blessed. In a world that is full of violence, abuse, disrespect, where do we find a blessing? Peter tells us that there's a solution. This coming Sunday we will explore this together.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
1 Peter 3:1-7Does following Jesus make a difference in how we treat our spouses? Does it impact how we treat the people who are closest to us? This coming Sunday morning we’ll see that Peter says that being a Christian does make a difference in our families.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/g/hillsidechgr?src=hpp)
1 Peter 2:11-25Life is all about relationships and Peter wants us to know how we’re supposed to live in relationships with others if we are followers of Jesus. Peter tells us how to relate to two important authorities in our lives—the government and our bosses. If we’re free in Christ, do we really need to listen to these other authorities? Peter’s answer will challenge each of us.Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
1 Peter 2:4-10When we think about who we are, there are a number of things that probably come to mind. We think, “I’m a dad (or a mom). I’m a daughter (or a son). I’m a teacher (or salesperson or firefighter or homemaker or…). I’m an American (or a Canadian or a Romanian or…).” We might think a lot of things, but we probably wouldn’t think about what Peter tells us we are if we’re followers of Jesus. Peter tells us that we are PRIESTS! In this teaching, we’ll think about what it means that followers of Jesus are a “royal priesthood.”Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)
1 Peter 1:13-2:3Hillsiders, God tells us again: "Be holy, because I am holy!" Who can measure against such a high moral standard? Can you really take off your mask and rid yourself of any pretense? Can you stop blackening someone's name? Is it realistic to expect from you not to gossip? Can we love one another from the heart? Peter tells us that our spiritual milk is in direct correlation to how we think (brain power); how we feel (heart passion) and how we act (will power).Support the show (https://hillsidegr.churchcenter.com/giving)