Hope Rock Church: Recent Episodes
Hope Rock Church
We are a church that exists to Know Christ and to make Him Known both in our city but also to the ends of the earth.
A fascinating portion of scripture as God promises the Israelites that he will send an angel to them who will bring them into the place He has prepared for them. And he promises to drive out the Canaanites “little by little”.
But at the same time, he warns them again: do not bow before the Canaanite gods and carry out their practices.
How does this relate to our call and our own exodus?
We’re looking at the ordinances in Exodus where God speaks to Israel about how to implement the Law. And we’re going to find that some of these laws are very difficult for us to grasp in the twenty-first century!
Does God condone slavery? If we don’t know how to look at these scriptures, we might think so! But there is more going on…
We’re looking at the ordinances in Exodus where God speaks to Israel about how to implement the Law. And we’re going to find that some of these laws are very difficult for us to grasp in the twenty-first century!
Does God condone slavery? If we don’t know how to look at these scriptures, we might think so! But there is more going on…
We’ve covered the Ten Commandments, and we now move into further explanation of what they all mean for the nation of Israel.It’s at this point that many readers skip until the action starts up again. But yet here we will begin to see pointers to Christ!
We’ve covered the Ten Commandments, and we now move into further explanation of what they all mean for the nation of Israel.It’s at this point that many readers skip until the action starts up again. But yet here we will begin to see pointers to Christ!
Examining the last three Ten Commandments.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
“You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.”
Examining the last three Ten Commandments.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
“You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.”
Also, we say farewell to Blaine & Rose Schwartz as they head to Alaska!
The fifth, sixth, and seventh commandments of Exodus 20 are God’s way of rebuilding humanity by restoring the essential institutions of authority, life, and marriage. These laws point to the necessity of a Savior - Jesus - illustrating how the gospel provides the grace and transformation needed to move beyond human failure toward holiness in Christ.
(Also includes an update from South Africa and a word from JJ Van Heerden for our church.)
We explore the third and fourth commandments in Exodus 20, which challenges us to honor God by how we carry His name, and to trust God's provision rather than relying on endless personal labor. True rest is found not in human achievement or performance, but in entering the finished work of Jesus Christ.
The Ten Commandments—especially the third and fourth—are not merely rules but the fruit of a heart that loves God. They call us to reorient our hearts toward Him, remembering our identity as His representatives and His role as our ultimate provider. Misusing God’s name is less about specific words and more about dishonoring Him through our actions, while remembering the Sabbath means ceasing our own striving to trust in His finished work and provision, cultivating a posture of gratitude.
The Ten Commandments are a reflection of God’s redemptive grace and character rather than a legalistic checklist for earning favor.
Mount Sinai is the moment God established a covenant with Israel, showing us that His grace and salvation through the blood precedes any laws or commands. God’s primary purpose for His people is not just to provide blessings or deliver them from trials, but to draw them into an intimate, relational knowledge of Himself.
"The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” (Exodus 17:16.)Israel begins to face giants... and so do we.
“The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” (Exodus 17:16.)
The battles with giants begin.
Who is the Holy Spirit?
How can we encounter and experience Him?
Is His empowering something all Christians can expect?
What about “Charismania”? What about speaking in tongues?
These questions, and more, are answered in our resource on knowing the Holy Spirit.
This book is also available in print at our campuses, and as a PDF download at hoperocktx.substack.com.
CHAPTERS:
(00:00) - God, The Holy Spirit (Introduction)
(02:40) - A Baptism For All
(06:29) - Who Is The Holy Spirit?
(11:50) - How The Bible Speaks Of The Holy Spirit
(14:17) - In Union With God
(15:42) - The Presence of God In Our World
(16:42) - Bringing This Love To The World
(17:33) - What Does It Mean, Then, To Have A Relationship With The Holy Spirit?
(21:35) - How Does The Holy Spirit Work In Our Lives?
(23:56) - Experiencing The Holy Spirit
(27:51) - The Promised Renewing
(30:14) - Renewing Even Of Our Material Life
(33:49) - The Holy Spirit is More Than Doctrine, Programs, Teaching
(34:42) - The Spirit And The Word
(43:33) - The Spirit Given To You
(44:07) - Baptism In The Spirit For Empowerment
(47:06) - Baptism As A Pickle Makes Sense Of This
(49:41) - Signs And Power
(53:26) - A Continual Immersion
(55:07) - A Fruitful Life
(58:45) - Surrendering To The Spirit
(01:00:45) - Further Questions & Answers
(01:00:48) - How Do I Receive All This?
(01:02:16) - Does Someone Have To Pray For Me To Experience The Holy Spirit In My Life?
(01:04:05) - What About Charismania?
(01:08:09) - What About Cessationism?
(01:11:10) - What About Speaking In Tongues?
(01:22:15) - What About Mysticism?
(01:24:28) - Cultivating Our Relationship With The Holy Spirit
Crises reveal our true heart and trust in God. But Jesus Christ is our ultimate spiritual rock and provider of all those in need!
“They tested the Lord by saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’”(vs 7)
How many times have you said or thought the above? When we find ourselves in tough situations, even though the Lord has brought us through before, we still so often question whether He really was with us all this time!
As we continue in the book of Exodus, we are being challenged with how we view God’s provision, presence, and power. But there is always hope, for the Lord’s grace has no end!
Shifting from a mindset of control and grumbling to one of daily dependence on God's provision.
God rains down “bread from heaven, and the people go out and don’t know what it is, giving it the name “manna” which is literally the word for “what is it?”
In this, God challenges our hearts around provision - and also reminds us that He has provided the "Bread of life", Jesus, for our salvation.
We explore the story of the Israelites in the wilderness, and see how dangerous bitterness is. But we can apply the gospel to overcome it. Only through the cross can our hearts be transformed from bitter to sweet.
If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”
It doesn’t take long for Israel to begin to grumble! But the testing has now arrived. What do the stories of the bitter waters and the Desert of Sin have to say to us, today?
God's rescue leads to praise; motivating us to move toward the inheritance God wants us to take.
As we look at the parting of the Red Sea we see that God often orchestrates difficult situations to reveal His power and truly save His people.
The Lord brings the Israelites right to the edge of the Red Sea, and promises to fight for them.
Pharaoh’s arrogance is going to cost him, and God is about to reveal just how much. But not only that, God is about to reveal the Passover - what Jesus did on the cross. And so as we approach Good Friday next week, we start getting a sneak peek on what God is up to behind the scenes in the epic showdown of Exodus.
Pharaoh’s arrogance is going to cost him, and God is about to reveal just how much. But not only that, God is about to reveal the Passover - what Jesus did on the cross. And so as we approach Good Friday next week, we start getting a sneak peek on what God is up to behind the scenes in the epic showdown of Exodus.
God manifests His power and mercy through the plagues, dismantling Egypt's false systems to prove His sovereignty. Through this, we are challenged to surrender completely rather than negotiating with God. True deliverance is found in Jesus Christ, the ultimate lamb who absorbed wrath to bring freedom.
Glenn van Rooyen (NCMI team, Cornerstone Church, South Africa) encourages us on finding hope and purpose in a spiritual wilderness by looking at Ezekiel 47. God brings life to dead places!
God, through Moses, publicly exposed the false authorities and spiritual systems of Egypt by dismantling them through plagues. We see that God is a merciful God who strips away what enslaves us to restore His rightful place on the throne of our hearts.
Exodus now moves into a long, “boring” genealogy.
But wait… is it really boring? Or are there some hidden gems here that will have us sit up in wonder?
Frequently, we're tempted to avoid the geneologies in scripture like in Exodus 6:14-30. But let's examine this one more closely as it says a lot more than we might initially realize!
No matter our mistakes, the Lord will ensure that His call and His promises will stand.
No matter our mistakes, the Lord will ensure that His call and His promises will stand.
ust when the story seems to be moving toward confrontation with Pharaoh, Exodus gives us one of its most shocking moments.Exodus 4:24 (ESV): “At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met [Moses] and sought to put him to death.”What? Join us this week as we look at this rather odd portion of the Exodus story!
An absolutely pivotal moment even in the history of humankind occurs to Moses at the burning bush… as God Himself reveals His name for the first time, and the release of the Israelites - signaling the release of humankind from slavery to come - is set in motion.
An absolutely pivotal moment even in the history of humankind occurs to Moses at the burning bush… as God Himself reveals His name for the first time, and the release of the Israelites - signaling the release of humankind from slavery to come - is set in motion.
We continue our Exodus, covering Exodus 2:1-22.Gather the family around the Word at home! It’s a great opportunity to also break bread together! We’ve put together a list of discussion questions you can also go over if you’d like:1. How are you living out your Christianity?2. What is coming out of your private time with the Lord?3. What are your eyes of faith seeing?4. How is God positioning you to be a “deliverer” to those around you?5. Are you running ahead of the call of God in your life? If so, how?6. What does your wilderness season look like? What lessons are you learning?Remember to keep each other in prayer and we’ll see you after the thaw!
The strategy of the enemy is to always put us under taskmasters and oppression. But with the Spirit, we will still continue to multiply and trust God to take us out of slavery. But we can't walk the safe road - we must walk the road of faith.
The book of Exodus is full of drama, intrigue, adventure, supernatural events, and God’s grace and power! So we’ve gone for an Indiana Jones theme to represent it! And it really is going to be an adventure!
2026 will not be a year of shrinking back. It will be a year of coming out of fear, out of limitation, out of old labels, out of small thinking, and out of Egypt! God is leading us into a year of:
- new ground,
- new areas of faith,
- new miracles,
- new doors for mission and expansion,
- new clarity, and
- fresh anointing!
And just as Israel discovered in its Exodus, God does His greatest work not when circumstances look easy, but when His people choose to trust Him.
The book of Exodus is full of drama, intrigue, adventure, supernatural events, and God’s grace and power! So we’ve gone for an Indiana Jones theme to represent it! And it really is going to be an adventure!
2026 will not be a year of shrinking back. It will be a year of coming out of fear, out of limitation, out of old labels, out of small thinking, and out of Egypt! God is leading us into a year of:
- new ground,
- new areas of faith,
- new miracles,
- new doors for mission and expansion,
- new clarity, and
- fresh anointing!
And just as Israel discovered in its Exodus, God does His greatest work not when circumstances look easy, but when His people choose to trust Him.
LAKE TRAVIS - When the Prince of Peace finally came, He brought peace to all mankind. Not a momentary truce. Not a cease-fire. But true, everlasting peace.
JOHNSON CITY - When the Prince of Peace finally came, He brought peace to all mankind. Not a momentary truce. Not a cease-fire. But true, everlasting peace.
Seeing the big picture of what Jesus has done leads us to experience joy - so that we can live out Paul's exhortations to "rejoice" in Philippians 4:4-7.
Seeing the big picture of what Jesus has done leads us to experience joy - so that we can live out Paul's exhortations to "rejoice" in Philippians 4:4-7.
LAKE TRAVIS - The Bible declares in this portion of scripture that we are citizens of heaven. While we may have loyalties to many things on earth; and a citizenship to a nation; there is something even greater that we are citizens of. And this citizenship requires fidelity to certain values and one message which never changes.
JOHNSON CITY - The Bible declares in this portion of scripture that we are citizens of heaven. While we may have loyalties to many things on earth; and a citizenship to a nation; there is something even greater that we are citizens of. And this citizenship requires fidelity to certain values and one message which never changes.
LAKE TRAVIS - The Bible calls us many things in Christ—brothers, friends, united with Christ. It also calls us soldiers in Philippians 2:25. We are called to a spiritual war, and that requires sacrifice, resolve, training, obedience, and discipline.
JOHNSON CITY - The Bible calls us many things in Christ—brothers, friends, united with Christ. It also calls us soldiers in Philippians 2:25. We are called to a spiritual war, and that requires sacrifice, resolve, training, obedience, and discipline.
JOHNSON CITY - Looking at God’s faithfulness who will complete the work He began in us!
Also includes feedback from the Global Equip.
LAKE TRAVIS - Looking at God’s faithfulness who will complete the work He began in us!
Also includes feedback from the Global Equip.
JOHNSON CITY - What does it mean to live a life in a "manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ"? (Philippians 1:27.) Paul tells us in his letter: to live in unity with God's people; to be of one mind, one heart, for the gospel.
LAKE TRAVIS - What does it mean to live a life in a "manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ"? (Philippians 1:27.) Paul tells us in his letter: to live in unity with God's people; to be of one mind, one heart, for the gospel.
LAKE TRAVIS - As we continue our series in Philippians, we see in this portion of scripture that sometimes doing the right thing lands you in prison. It doesn't mean God doesn't love you. But God uses our frustrating circumstances still for His glory and His gospel. Through the Spirit, we need eyes to see how He is turning it all together for the good.
Unpacking the heart of Philippians 1:12-18.1. They become channels for the gospel!2. They unleash bold witness in others!3. They expose hearts, yet Christ is proclaimed!
LAKE TRAVIS - Paul’s letter, written from prison, challenges us to find joy in Jesus, not in our circumstances. We kick off our series on the book of Philippians by covering:
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Our identity is found in Christ, not in our culture, career, or failures.
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Gospel partnership goes deeper than friendship—it’s a Spirit-forged fellowship in mission. The Philippian church started with diverse backgrounds united by grace, and we’re called to join in the mission shoulder-to-shoulder, not just as spectators.
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True gospel partnership creates deep bonds of love that transcend circumstance, reflecting Christ’s own affection.
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Spiritual growth is measured by love that abounds with discernment, leading to fruitful lives that bring glory to God.
As a church, we need to embrace a vision "Beyond the Walls"—to step out in faith, serve, give, and pray for God’s kingdom to advance.
JOHNSON CITY - Paul’s letter, written from prison, challenges us to find joy in Jesus, not in our circumstances. We kick off our series on the book of Philippians by covering:1. Our identity is found in Christ, not in our culture, career, or failures.2. Gospel partnership goes deeper than friendship—it’s a Spirit-forged fellowship in mission. The Philippian church started with diverse backgrounds united by grace, and we’re called to join in the mission shoulder-to-shoulder, not just as spectators.3. True gospel partnership creates deep bonds of love that transcend circumstance, reflecting Christ’s own affection.4. Spiritual growth is measured by love that abounds with discernment, leading to fruitful lives that bring glory to God.As a church, we need to embrace a vision "Beyond the Walls"—to step out in faith, serve, give, and pray for God’s kingdom to advance.
As we finish the book of Jonah we examine Jesus' statement in Matthew 12 that "something greater than Jonah is here." Jonah ran from the city of Nineveh, but we are called to go to every single Nineveh. So we look at Jonah vs Jesus, and our call today, weaved into our response to the tragic deaths of Charlie Kirk, Iryna Zarutska, and challenges with the economy and our church finances.
JOHNSON CITY - As we finish the book of Jonah we examine Jesus' statement in Matthew 12 that "something greater than Jonah is here." Jonah ran from the city of Nineveh, but we are called to go to every single Nineveh. So we look at Jonah vs Jesus, and our call today.
What does it mean to 'walk with the Holy Spirit'? Is the Christian life merely 'sin management' or something more?
God's mercy extends to all, even those we might not expect or desire Him to bless. This challenges us to align our hearts with God's compassionate nature, rather than holding onto anger or narrow perspective.
Restoring three things back to the church:
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The preeminent pursuit of Jesus.
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Returning to the biblical church design.
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The call of God to the nations.
Also includes the deacon ordination!
The Lord churns up a storm for Jonah, but did the Lord create it? Or did Jonah? For, after all, if Jonah had not gone on to Tarshish, would the storm have happened?
We have a desperate need for both an initial revelation of Jesus for salvation and ongoing, fresh revelation for sanctification. Revelation often confronts pragmatism and requires obedience.
Jesus is coming back. How do we get ourselves ready? And what will He expect to find when He arrives?
Marcus Herbert (Cornerstone Church, South Africa; NCMI team) shares with us how the Church is not meant to be an ocean liner but an aircraft carrier - for jets to take the gospel to the world.
We’re encouraged in our world to build many things. A business. Our nation. Our career. Our family. These are all good things. But they can become idols if they’re not placed in the context of God’s Kingdom and His purposes in our world.Join us as we unpack what it means to build the Kingdom - and how everything else falls into place when we “seek first the Kingdom”! (Matthew 6:33)
We’re encouraged in our world to build many things. A business. Our nation. Our career. Our family. These are all good things. But they can become idols if they’re not placed in the context of God’s Kingdom and His purposes in our world.Join us as we unpack what it means to build the Kingdom - and how everything else falls into place when we “seek first the Kingdom”! (Matthew 6:33.)
As we look at the present season, one of the things God has been highlighting to the elders is the story of the ten spies in Exodus 13. Two spies wanted to advance in God’s promises, while ten wanted to shrink back. The outcome for each was vastly different.
How do we cultivate a “two-spy” attitude and heart? A conquering attitude? We cannot have any other attitude for the present season, or we, like the ten, will perish!
Our preaching series on the book of Colossians has been such a wonderful encouragement. We’ve looked at how Christ is the center of it all, the King of Kings who has supremacy in and over everything. Toward the end of the book, we’ve looked at Christian living in the family and in our relationships.
To end it all, we’ll be looking at what it means to finish strong and live the “sent life” for the King.
Our preaching series on the book of Colossians has been such a wonderful encouragement. We’ve looked at how Christ is the center of it all, the King of Kings who has supremacy in and over everything. Toward the end of the book we’ve looked at Christian living in the family and in our relationships.
To end it all, we’ll be looking at what it means to finish strong and live the “sent life” for the King.
Usually, at the end of Paul’s letters, there are “greetings” to Paul’s friends, which most of us probably skim over or ignore. But yet within these greetings there are some wonderful challenges and insights - and this week’s greetings fit very well into Father’s Day!
Usually, at the end of Paul’s letters, there are “greetings” to Paul’s friends, which most of us probably skim over or ignore. But yet within these greetings there are some wonderful challenges and insights - and this week’s greetings fit very well into Father’s Day!
We’re nearing the end of the book of Colossians! This week, we looking at Paul’s heart for evangelism and his understanding of prayer. He also mentions the “mystery of Christ”. What does that mean?
We’re nearing the end of the book of Colossians! This week, we looking at Paul’s heart for evangelism and his understanding of prayer. He also mentions the “mystery of Christ”. What does that mean?
“Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.”
Well, now we’re hitting some controversial scriptures! Was Paul condoning slavery? Do these exhortations still hold relevance for us today? What principle can we glean from this?
“Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.”
Well, now we’re hitting some controversial scriptures! Was Paul condoning slavery? Do these exhortations still hold relevance for us today? What principle can we glean from this?
“Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands…”
“Husbands, love your wives…”
“Children, obey your parents…”
These are instructions that speak right to the heart of our homes. How are we to live these out - and live them out well?
“Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands…”
“Husbands, love your wives…”
“Children, obey your parents…”
These are instructions that speak right to the heart of our homes. How are we to live these out - and live them out well?
As we look at the present season, one of the things God has been highlighting to the elders is the story of the ten spies in Exodus 13. Two spies wanted to advance in God’s promises, while ten wanted to shrink back. The outcome for each was vastly different.How do we cultivate a “two-spy” attitude and heart? A conquering attitude? We cannot have any other attitude for the present season, or we, like the ten, will perish!
JOHNSON CITY - Steve Barr (NCMI; One Life Church, Houston) unpacks the New Testament model of church and the role of elders.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…”How is it that Paul could speak of the message of Christ as something that can dwell in you? Or how could the writer of Hebrews say that the Word is ‘living and active’? (Hebrews 4:12.) Surely he is talking about more than words on a page! What exactly is he getting at?
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…”
How is it that Paul could speak of the message of Christ as something that can dwell in you? Or how could the writer of Hebrews say that the Word is ‘living and active’? (Hebrews 4:12.) Surely he is talking about more than words on a page! What exactly is he getting at?
Putting on the new self and being clothed with Christ means putting off the spirit of religion!
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved…”
How wonderful is this news! To be dearly loved by the Lord of all creation; the King of Kings; the God of the universe!
After having covered sinful deeds, that lead to death, in the previous few verses, Paul now turns his attention to positive deeds that bring life.
But there is still an enemy hidden in all of this: the spirit of religion. It’s time to address it!
“Put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.”
LAKE TRAVIS - PALM SUNDAY / PASSION SUNDAY - They expected a king and a political leader when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem. What did they get instead?
JOHNSON CITY - PALM SUNDAY / PASSION SUNDAY: They expected a King and political leader when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem. But what did they get instead?
LAKE TRAVIS - This Sunday service at Hope Rock Church (Lake Travis) emphasizes freedom in Christ, urging us to focus on God's grace, not self-righteousness, and set our hearts on things above!
JOHNSON CITY - "Since then, since you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above…” (Colossians 3:1)
The gospel is about seeing things as they really are. However, we’ve got to set our minds and hearts on the things above.
There is an ongoing challenge of false teachings within the church. Believers need to remain vigilant and grounded in true doctrine.
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Counterfeit Christianity can only be discerned by understanding authentic Christianity and the gospel message.
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Counterfeit gospels may seem close to the truth but must be rejected.
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Counterfeit Christianity is linked to sinister spirits and not just differences of opinion.
(This recording also includes a testimony from Stacy Flores on the Hope Rock Ladies Conference).
There is a lot of philosophy and ideology in the world. Much of it is very convincing and sounds extremely reasonable. Until you dig under the surface and discover it can lead to dangerous, even terrible places.
What can we build our lives on that will truly lead to freedom from our sinful inclinations?
Key takeaways:1. The concept of a translocal church and obedience to God's calling.2. Discussion on Colossians 2:16-19 and addressing Gnosticism.3. The church's role as salt and light in the world.4. Warning against legalism and self-righteousness.5. The importance of contextualizing the gospel for different cultures.6. Emphasis on Christ-centered living and missional success.7. Cooperation with God as a privilege and responsibility.8. Confidence and courage in the gospel's power to change the world.9. The responsibility of discipleship and multiplying God's work in others.
Being Christ-Centered takes commitment. It’s so easy to fall into legalism, or fall into glorifying experiences and making these the central focus of our Christian lives. Both of these may look like religion but are empty without Christ.
Paul, in Colossians 2:16-19, deals with both legalism and a fascination with the mystical, showing that Christianity is lived in true power and redemption when Christ is the Head.
This Sunday we took a small step back in our study of Colossians, and instead of focusing just on the supremacy of Christ we will dive into what it means for Christ to be preeminent—not in some things, but in all things.So buckle up, because we're going to smash some idols!
Christ is to be preeminent in every aspect of our lives (Colossians 1:15), including our TIME, our TREASURES, and our TALENTS.
Here are just a few highlights about this wonderful portion of scripture, covered in this sermon:
- The deity and authority of Jesus
- The change the Spirit does in us and how He makes us ALIVE
- The meaning of our baptism
- The distinction between Law and Gospel - what the Law even means
- Spiritual warfare (the ‘disarming of rulers and authorities’)
Here are just a few highlights about this wonderful portion of scripture, covered in this sermon:
- The deity and authority of Jesus
- The change the Spirit does in us and how He makes us ALIVE
- The meaning of our baptism
- The distinction between Law and Gospel - what the Law even means
- Spiritual warfare (the ‘disarming of rulers and authorities’)
LAKE TRAVIS - The world is full of philosophy that looks good, moral, and looks wonderful on the outside, but inside it is full of deceit and emptiness. Many times whole churches can be swallowed up by these philosophies. How can we discern when something is disguised as an angel of light, but is in fact a philosophy of Satan and the “elemental spirits” of the world?
JOHNSON CITY - The world is full of philosophy that looks good, moral, and looks wonderful on the outside, but inside it is full of deceit and emptiness. Many times whole churches can be swallowed up by these philosophies. How can we discern when something is disguised as an angel of light, but is in fact a philosophy of Satan and the “elemental spirits” of the world?
LAKE TRAVIS - “Christ… in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3)How deep and wonderful are these verses we’re exploring in the book of Colossians!How the Lord wants to mature us, knit us together in love, unpack the mysteries of Christ, and unite us to the One in whom is all wisdom and knowledge!
Also includes testimonies from our recent mission trip to the island of Roatan.
JOHNSON CITY - “Christ… in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3)
How deep and wonderful are these verses we’re exploring in the book of Colossians
How the Lord wants to mature us, knit us together in love, unpack the mysteries of Christ and unite us to the One in whom is all wisdom and knowledge!
Join us as we continue to explore Christ, the hope of glory!
Also includes a report-back from our recent mission trip to the island of Roatan.
LAKE TRAVIS - “Now I rejoice in my sufferings… Christ in you, the hope of glory.”This week we covered Colossians 1:24-27. These two statements above bookend this set of verses, showing us that God’s intention is to flip suffering on its head.
JOHNSON CITY - "Now I rejoice in my sufferings… Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
This week we cover Colossians 1:24-27. These two statements above bookend this set of verses, showing us that God’s intention is to flip suffering on its head.
How does he do that? Let's find out!
LAKE TRAVIS - This week we’re covering Colossians 1:21-23.“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.”These verses consist of some of the “controversial” scriptures that scholars have debated over for centuries, as it has something to say with whether or not we can lose our salvation.Or does it?
LAKE TRAVIS - We’re back in the book of Colossians this week at both campuses, moving into the central theme of the book - the supremacy of Christ.
This is who we live for. This is our King. This is the One who died for us, saved us, was raised and is now preparing an inheritance in His eternal Kingdom for each one of us. This is the King of Kings who reigns over all.
JOHNSON CITY - We’re back in the book of Colossians this week at both campuses, moving into the central theme of the book - the supremacy of Christ.
This is who we live for. This is our King. This is the One who died for us, saved us, was raised and is now preparing an inheritance in His eternal Kingdom for each one of us. This is the King of Kings who reigns over all.
Today, we covered Hope Rock’s vision for the year. It’s very exciting as we look forward to 2025!Too often, the Church tends to get into a habit of focusing on the Church. But God called us to be Kingdom-focused, not church-focused, with Christ at the center.A church-focused church is only interested in what it is doing as a church (usually an organization comprising pastors and staff) and often whether it is doing it better than another church. A Kingdom-focused church, by contrast, is interested in God's mission and whether we are all fulfilling what God calls us to in the world, with Christ as our head.This change in thinking fundamentally changes what is important.
JOHNSON CITY - "And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
LAKE TRAVIS - God has really, truly, and absolutely without any reservation rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
JOHNSON CITY - Marco shares the vision the eldership team believe God is leading Hope Rock Church into for 2025.
The book of Colossians is amazing—and we’re just getting started!
Here we cover Colossians 1:5-8 and right from the get-go, Paul and Timothy unpack how our hope is found in the truth of the gospel, and how this gospel is cross-cultural and transcends those cultures to point to the King of Kings, Jesus. Also, within this passage we see the Trinity being revealed.
It’s wonderful to go through God’s Word line by line and have our faith in Jesus lifted!
JOHNSON CITY - From the get-go, the book of Colossians centers us on Christ and reveals to us the glorious grace of the gospel.
LAKE TRAVIS - We kick off our series on the book of Colossians and the Supremacy of Christ, covering Colossians 1:1-5.
JOHNSON CITY - We kick off our series on the book of Colossians and the Supremacy of Christ, covering Colossians 1:1-5.
LAKE TRAVIS - The story of Christ’s birth includes a Heavenly Father who loved the world so much that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him would have eternal life. Scripture tells us that we have become God’s adopted family when we come to faith. (Romans 8.) And by Him, we cry, “Abba, Father!”
Joseph, despite shame and ridicule, still took Mary as his wife and fathered the child, Jesus, who he knew was not his own. He showed the Father heart of God in many ways in his actions. Later, Jesus would show the Father heart of God to the whole world.
JOHNSON CITY - The story of Christ’s birth includes a Heavenly Father who loved the world so much that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him would have eternal life. Scripture tells us that we have become God’s adopted family when we come to faith. (Romans 8.) And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father!”
Joseph, despite shame and ridicule, still took Mary as his wife and fathered the child, Jesus, who he knew was not his own. In many ways he showed the Father heart of God in his actions. And later on, Jesus would show the Father heart of God to the whole world.
LAKE TRAVIS - Christ’s entry to the world through Mary’s womb is testimony that there is nothing in this world that his birth, death, burial, and resurrection cannot redeem. Jesus’ arrival is His infinite exclamation that life is precious, from conception to resurrection! He has come to redeem it all; every victory and every disappointment will all become sources of Joy because the Lord has come!
JOHNSON CITY - Christ’s entry to the world through Mary’s womb is testimony that there is nothing in this world that his birth, death, burial, and resurrection cannot redeem. Jesus’ arrival is His infinite exclamation that life is precious, from conception to resurrection! He has come to redeem it all; every victory and every disappointment will all become sources of Joy because the Lord has come!
LAKE TRAVIS - When you consider the details of the Christmas story, it really is quite extraordinary.It starts with the young girl, Mary, bearing the child who is also the Son of God.Sounds crazy when you think about it, doesn’t it? Join us this Sunday as we unpack how the incarnation is such an important key to the good news of Jesus Christ.
JOHNSON CITY CAMPUS - When you consider the details of the Christmas story, it really is quite extraordinary. It starts with the young girl, Mary, bearing the child who is also the Son of God.
Join us as we look at the mystery of the incarnation of Christ.
Tyrone Daniel joins us over our Equip weekend on Sunday and encourages us on how to stay true to what God has called us to do.
JOHNSON CITY - Craig Herbert (Citadel Church NYC, NCMI Team) encourages us around how to get going with the things God has called us to do.
Can we use what some believe is a pagan holiday to talk to people about the truth of Christ?The world is asking questions. BIG questions. When we look at our recent series, “New Days, Same Gods,” we saw just how many questions the world is asking! And how so many times they go to the old idols for answers! All this gives us a perfect opportunity to speak to people about Jesus! This year, we can have a unique strategy to draw people into Truth!
We finish off our short series on the book of Acts and look at what it means to be Spirit filled!
“9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more.” - 2 Kings 2:9-12At the end of Elijah’s call, God takes him up to heaven, and Elisha is tasked to finally continue what he started—this time with a “double portion” of what Elijah had.There is much to cover as we end of our series on Elijah; and we end with the simple challenge. God did extraordinary things through an ordinary man. Will we open to Him to do the same with us? Will we complete the call of God for our generation?
Acts 6 is the first time in the Bible that we see “deacons” mentioned. One of those deacons is Stephen, who is stated to be “full of grace and power”.
Many times, what a deacon is and what role they play in a local church has been confused with many other things. There will be a challenge for us on Sunday: will we let God build His church the way He wants to build it? Or will we add our own structures and processes and procedures onto it? And what is the call God has for you? What if He calls you to be a deacon in the local church—are you ready for that?
After the many despicable things Ahab and Jezebel had done, it seems the taking of someone else’s inheritance (Naboth’s vineyard) is the “last straw” that stirs God in finally pronouncing a judgement on this evil couple in 1 Kings 21:17-24. What does this say about God’s justice and the final end? We shall see.
“Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.” - Acts 5:42
Despite persecution, the apostles continue to preach and proclaim that Jesus Christ is the Christ, the Messiah - even “day after day” - “obeying God rather than men” (vs 29).
We are aiming not for something, but for someone—the King of Kings, Jesus, the savior of the world. Being part of God’s purposes for our world is often difficult as we run counter-cultural to the world. We get so distracted with a million other purposes rather than the one purpose God has called us to.
The issue comes down to our affections. Are our affections in the things we do? Or who we follow?
JOHNSON CITY - The early church continues to shake things up in Jerusalem, causing people even in the surrounding areas to bring people in to be healed by the apostles. This is a picture of how God can use a local church. The challenge for us is this: if God calls us to do extraordinary things that we may even feel uncomfortable doing, would we do it?
LAKE TRAVIS - “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” - Ephesians 6:12If you haven’t noticed, many odd things are happening in the world today. One of them is the increasing government disclosure of UFOs (or UAPs) and alien abductions.What on earth (or not?) is going on? Is this all for real? Are we being visited by beings from somewhere else? Is this some type of distraction? Or are there more significant implications we should be considering? Does scripture have anything to say to us about any of this? What does Jesus and the gospel have to do with it?
JOHNSON CITY - The story of Ananias and Sapphira in the book of Acts (Acts 5:1-11) is certainly one of the oddest stories of the New Testament (and a difficult one to preach!). In it, we see a couple lie about their donation to the local church, and God strikes them dead.
What is this about? Why would God do such a thing? Is this something we can expect from Him to do again? Join us as we look at this fascinating piece of scripture and how it teaches us the gospel of Jesus Christ!
The demonic spirits of Jezebel and Ahab are always on the hunt to satisfy their covetousness through convenience. How can we be sure to avoid this in our lives and grow deeper in our affections for Jesus? Jesus, like Naboth in 1 Kings 21, was falsely accused and overcame sin and death on our behalf. We can worship when the tide is against us!
Also includes an update from Jonno and Erin Warmington, deacons at Cornerstone Church, South Africa, and on the deacon team.
JOHNSON CITY - Peter and John are seized by the rulers, elders and teachers of the law in Jerusalem, and forced to give an account for why the believe in Jesus. Peter, in the power of the Holy Spirit, preaches another sermon boldly and with conviction, giving glory to God for the miracle of the lame beggar (in the previous chapter).
This is a powerful example of the evangelism, boldness, and evangelism. Join us on Sunday as we unpack Peter’s sermon and are challenged by the Word to be preach Christ boldly!
LAKE TRAVIS--One of the true tests of leadership is how well you are able to pass things onto the next generation. Throughout history, including Biblical history, we see leaders rise up and lead a generation into God’s purposes. But then the next generation falls and fails. Many times this is because the leaders simply didn’t know how to hand things over—and often times, leaders don’t even want to!God, the Alpha and the Omega, sees beyond our short-sightedness and thinks in generations. That’s why he gave very careful instructions to Elijah on how to pass his mantle to Elisha. The challenge is: do we think about the next generation today? Are we passing on what God has given us? Or are we holding on tightly? How can we do this well?Join us as we unpack the importance of the next generation from 1 Kings 19:19-21.
JOHNSON CITY--“God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.” (Acts 3:26.)
In this section on the book of Acts, we se Peter get up and preach the gospel again—this time in response to a miraculous healing! What can we pick out from Peter’s preach that teaches us the gospel better? And how can we use what we see there to become better teachers of the gospel? Let’s find out!
In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus is the god of wine-making and revelry, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. He was also known as Bacchus by the Greeks. He was thought to free people from self-conscious fear, and if anyone opposed his “freedoms”, Dionysius would destroy them.In other words, he was literally the god of hedonism.We might look at this and think, “Well, I don’t subscribe to a life of reckless partying,” but we might not realize how much we are living in distracted times! The heart attitude that Dionysius represents goes deeper than we might expect.
LAKE TRAVIS - Gaia, known as the “mother of all life”, the “spiritual embodiment of the earth”, has had quite a resurgence of late. She has even been touted as a “deity most atheists can believe in.” What we will discover as we unpack the mythology behind her is a new, growing, bubbling cult in our modern times that seems to encapsulate everything that is old into a new face, under the guise of all sorts of activism and attitudes we all take on to one degree or another today. She is, perhaps, an embodiment of all the causes that want utopia, but will end in the opposite! She represents a new morality, one with the Self as the center; and we will discover how even in the Church, Gaia has infiltrated and deceived us.
JOHNSON CITY - Dale and Angela Marthick are on the NCMI team based in Sydney, Australia. We call this “apostolic input” as Dale and Angela are not “itinerant ministers” but friends we are connected to who have come for two weeks to spend time with us, give us their perspective, encourage us, and sharpen us as a church for the ministry and call God has for us. This is what we see Paul and Peter do with local churches in scripture and is part of what we mean when we talk about being “apostolic” (being sent), which is what the word means in the original Greek).
JOHNSON CITY - As we continue our new Acts series, we will be unpacking one of the key moments in human history: the day God gave us the Holy Spirit, the Church was birthed, and the Kingdom has been multiplying ever since then with power.
LAKE TRAVIS - Dale and Angela Marthick are on the NCMI team based in Sydney, Australia. We call this “apostolic input” as Dale and Angela are not “itinerant ministers” but friends we are connected to who have come for two weeks to spend time with us, give us their perspective, encourage us, and sharpen us as a church for the ministry and call God has for us. This is what we see Paul and Peter do with local churches in scripture and is part of what we mean when we talk about being “apostolic” (being sent), which is what the word means in the original Greek).
In Rome, you worshipped your gods and Caesar, and in fact, this worship was inseparable from Rome’s official deities. It was seen as a treasonous action if you didn’t partake in the Imperial Cult. It was essential to Roman living and the continual prosperity of the Empire. There was even a formal saying that you were often “encouraged” to say: “Caesar is Lord”!Did the Imperial Cult die in 476 AD when the German warlord Odoacer deposed Romulus Augustulus, the last Roman emperor of the West, and Rome crumbled? Evidence shows that actually, no, it didn’t. And it is alive and well today!
1 KINGS 21:25-29 - We all know Ahab and his wife Jezebel were absolute spiritual train-wrecks (or chariot wrecks)! Is it possible for someone as lost as Ahab and facing the wrath of God for sin to experience transformation?
This Sunday will were encouraged by the unexpected humility and repentance of Ahab and find hope for the Ahab’s in our lives.
As we’ve unpacked this series, we’ve seen how supernatural forces undoubtedly influence our world beyond our limited understanding as human beings. When Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12 that “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places,” it would only be natural to ask: who or what are these “principalities”?
After exposing Baal and Asherah as two “gods” who seem to appear on the scene again and again in human history, we now look at “Mammon” - often seen as the “devil of covetousness” or being “possessed” by a lust for power, influence, and wealth.
JOHNSON CITY - After the many despicable things Ahab and Jezebel had done, it seems the taking of someone else’s inheritance (Naboth’s vineyard) is the “last straw” that stirs God in finally pronouncing a judgement on this evil couple. What does this say about God’s justice and the final end? We shall see.
Text: 1 KINGS 21:17-24
Recording from our Johnson City campus
1 KINGS 21:1-15 - Ahab, as the king of Israel, covets another man’s inheritance, and his wife schemes a way to get him what he wants. This evil episode has a lot of lessons for us today in how we also often despise our own inheritance, covet what others have, allow ourselves to get jealous, and close our hands to others, only taking more for ourselves. Many might think they aren’t like this, but the state of our own hearts can often be quite hidden from us!
Known as the “consort” of Baal as Asherah; the “goddess of love, beauty and sexuality” as Aphrodite in Greek mythology (Venus for the Romans); the ancient Mesopotamian goddess of war and sexual love, Ishtar; Inanna in Sumerian culture; or known simply as the “Queen of Heaven” in other cultures, this spiritual power continues to insidiously work in our cultures today, usually under the guise of “love” and “beauty” and even “tolerance”.From the “free love” movement of the 60s to “Queer Theory” today, the ‘goddess of love’ also brings chaos, violence, and oppression. She promises freedom but only brings bondage.
Jody Romero leads Restoration Church L.A. along with his wife Vanessa, and together they are part of the NCMI team. We had a Friday evening with Jody and his friend Val, speaking to leaders, potential leaders, deacons and volunteers.
This evening Jody will invested into our leadership capacity and abilities. If you want to grow in your ministry in God's Kingdom - however that might look - this was a wonderful evening and well worth a listen.
Restoration L.A. is a wonderful church that was planted in 2010 and is today a thriving multi-cultural, multi-generational body of believers that reflects the greater Los Angeles region, is committed to remaining biblically rooted, Holy Spirit empowered, and relationally driven, in a city that is, without doubt, one of the most difficult to reach in the USA.
Audio only
Jody Romero from Restoration L.A. and the NCMI team opens up Romans 8 to us and speaks about the spirit of adoption. Highly recommended!
Examining how Baal worship and idolatry functioned in the ancient world; how the world has continued in Baal worship; and how Jesus defeated Baal, Satan and the gods at the cross.
Charlie expounds on 1 Kings 19:1-8 as Elijah battles through depression, right after a massive victory. How do we handle dark times such as this? Where is God in them? Can we ever come out? Here is a message of hope and grace!
We look at how the ancient people viewed the supernatural world after Noah and the Great Flood, as we continue to unpack the gods human beings have worshipped and how so many still worship them today; but that Jesus defeated these gods.
We launch our new mini-series that unpacks the powers behind what is happening in our world today.
Marcus Herbert (NCMI, Cornerstone Church South Africa) shares with us on Fathers Day and ordains our new elders.
This Sunday, we follow Elijah's journey from the brook "Cherith" (Cut-off) to "Zarepath" (a place of smelting). What is clear is that often, after God prepares us, He brings us to a place of testing. Why? Because God is more interested in our character than our comfort.
After Elijah makes a bold declaration to the King that there will be a severe drought, which no doubt gained him some notoriety (which we see later), God sends him to live in obscurity by a brook for a few years - a pattern we see often in the Bible. What do you do when God calls you to live in isolation and obscurity? How do we deal with our frustrations in such times? And receive a fresh new perspective of why God is doing what He is doing?
We continue to unpack how God does extraordinary things through ordinary people, by looking at the life of Elijah and how he declared God's word and truth in the face of opposition. Also, we hear from Hennie and Zelda from the NCMI team, and good friends of our church, who share what God is doing in the nations and encourage us as Hope Rock Church in our mission.
The story of Elijah is full of drama, excitement, the work of the Holy Spirit, and a big showdown between God and the evil spiritual powers.
There is so much in the few chapters in 1 Kings that cover Elijah’s story that is applicable to today. Not only do we live in a similar spiritual climate, but we are also called to minister like Elijah did - with conviction and power, even in the face of our weaknesses.
Unpacking the value of faith and forgiveness. But what do figs have to do with it? Find out!
Ending off our series on Galatians by looking at the principle of sowing and reaping - and not getting weary of doing good!
Our Easter series has been a wonderful excursion through key Old Testament stories, concepts and ideas that all point to Jesus. We’ve covered some of the prophecies of Jesus and some of the promises. Now, this week, we look at the ‘types’ and ‘shadows’. This is when a person or an object or a story represents Jesus in a symbolic sort of way. It can really make the Old Testament very interesting and edifying when we uncover these and receive further revelation of what Christ has done!
As we continue our Easter series, we look at how Jesus is the fulfilment of promises in the Old Testament - and promises still to come.
Jesus was the promise God gave to mankind even from the beginning—and prophecy was how God told us that He would come. In Jesus, everything God intended for mankind comes together. The Old Testament gives us so much insight into exactly why Jesus is the center of all of history.
Christ has set us free! Let's enjoy it! But how do we get the balance right between "religiosity" and "liscentiousness"?
We continue to unpack Galatians 5 and note how faith leads to righteousness and good works.
As we continue to unpack Galatians, we see the value of "friendship before function" and how the gospel is so powerful in our weakness.
This Sunday we unpacked Galatians 4:1-11 and looked at what it means to be adopted into the family of God and to be able to cry out "Abba" Father.
In this installment of our Galatian series, we dive into Galatians 3:23-29 and look at what it means to live in the identity Jesus died to give us, i.e., Sons and Daughters of God!
This week, we unpack Galatians 3:15-22 and look at how the Gospel message is weaved into the Covenant God made with Abraham 430 years before the Law ever existed
This Sunday, we look at the example of Abraham in terms of our justification as well as what it means to be free of the curse of the Law.
Charlie and his Christmas sweater unpack Isaiah 9:5, highlighting how Jesus put an end to the war in our heart.
Ryan Strydom unpacks Isaiah 9:4 for Advent and talks about how Jesus shattered the sin the oppresses us.
Isaiah 9:4"For you have shattered their oppressive yoke
and the rod on their shoulders,
the staff of their oppressor,
just as you did on the day of Midian."
Mark Batten speaks about the joy we can experience in Christmas by looking at Isaiah 9:3.
Marco Broccardo encourages us on what Advent truly is all about and shares some childhood memories while expounding on Isaiah 9:2.
Paul asks a probing question in Galatians 3:1: "O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you?"The plague of "cultural Christianity" has infiltrated the churches in Galatia, Jews wanting Gentiles to become Jewish as a mechanism of Salvation.In our case, it may be different, but make no mistake, “Cultural Christianity” in whatever form will never produce the blessings and outpourings of the Holy Spirit because “Cultural Christianity” is a form of Christianity that causes us to focus on practices, traditions, religion, and our works instead of the Glorious grace that the Gospel provides.
Many of us when we hear the scandal of the gospel - that we are justified freely because of Christ and not by our own work - immediately ask with some incredulity, “But does this mean I can do what I want?”
Paul, no doubt having received this question himself many times, begins to answer it in Galatians 2:17-21. In this sermon, we begin unpacking his answer and start taking a deep dive in how it is that we are saved freely and yet also, at the same time, don’t “do what we want” but are instead being changed into people reflecting God’s perfect love and holiness.
The gospel is no respecter of persons, nor is it exclusive to "good people," but rather, its a product of the faithfulness of Christ (Galatians 2:16) .
In Galatians 2:11-14 we witness confrontation, intimidation, and hypocrisy. There is even a fallout among friends that leads to a split within the church. All this turmoil boiled down to conflicting versions of the gospel.Could you stand up to someone who misrepresents the teachings of the Bible? Are you equipped to explain why you believe what you do when questioned about your faith? Is your lifestyle reflective of the gospel that you believe?
In Galatians 2:6-10 we see how Paul, Barnabas, and Titus’ gospel was the same one the other apostles, such as Peter, had been preaching. The encouragement here is we can rest confidently in knowing the gospel has not changed! The good news of Jesus is still the same as in the early church - and it still has the same power!The question is: if the gospel does not have the same power in your life as before, has it changed? Or have you changed? Have you added something to it? Or are you living in the past, closed to God doing anything new in your life?
How important is it to preserve the truth of the gospel? What subtle things pull us away from it? This Sunday, we continued studying Galatians and looked at threats to the gospel and strategies to help us maintain the truth in a topsy-turvy world. We can never be reminded too often that only the gospel will strengthen our souls and solve the problems of our culture.
We continue Paul's testimony and find in that the assurance that we are chosen on purpose, with purpose, and for a purpose.
We continue in our series by looking at Paul's authority and some of his testimony. And what's clear is that Paul, just like us as believers, are the beneficiary of God's amazing grace!
In our first installment of our Series through Galatians, we look at Galatians 1:1-10 and in that discover just how special and unique the Gospel is.
RT Kendall is a gifted teacher who is excellent at making theology accessible and stimulating for everyone. On Sunday, September 24 he shared a message on the judgement seat of Christ.He also spoke at two Saturday morning sessions the previous day. You can find those at https://youtube.com/live/CoawW0R9bZg?feature=share
RT Kendall shares in two sessions:00:00 Session 1: What is heaven like?1:07:30 Session 2: What is hell like?
This Sunday, we had the privilege of hosting Steve Barr (NCMI) as he ordained a new eldership couple onto the eldership team (Ryan & Shannon Strydom).
This Sunday, we looked at the final installment of our Church series and how a Christ-Centered Church knows that multiplication is: - Fundamental- Essential- And Our Only Option...
Dale Marthick (Sydney, Australia, and on the NCMI team) shared a powerful message on getting unstuck and changing - a follow-up to his preach from the previous week.
Dale Marthick (Sydney, Australia and on the NCMI team) shared a powerful message on getting unstuck and changing.
Have you ever had a bicycle tire get a little warped? It is typically an easy fix but requires more than just one of the spokes to be adjusted. When every spoke is properly connected to the hub (Christ) and the tire (mission) then the wheel rolls smooth and true.
Try to maintain control of your bicycle at high speed with an untrue wheel! It will not be pretty!
This Sunday we looked at the importance of living a Christ-centered life. Being Christ-centered is supremely important to our mission as believers and a church so that we will better Know Christ (hub) and Make Him Known (tire).
How do you know if you are Christ-centered?
“Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
- Ephesians 6:17
This scripture above is such a wonderful verse that shows us how the Holy Spirit and the Word of God work together.
Last week we spoke about the “apostolic mission” of God. But we must note: we cannot do what God calls us to do without the Holy Spirit. We don’t just want to believe right doctrine but also want to live out right practice. The practice and doctrine of the Word, which we see revealed in the New Testament, is to walk by the Spirit. But what does that mean?
How can we be a church that “rightly divides the Word of Truth” and is also open to the Holy Spirit’s leading?
It is only an apostolic Church that is able to properly fulfill the mandate of the Church which is to know Christ and make Him known all over the world!But what does it mean to be 'apostolic'?
“But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” - 2 Corinthians 8:7
Most of us upskill ourselves in our jobs, our knowledge, our speech. But have you ever thought of upskilling your ability to be generous?
What does it mean to worship in Spirit and Truth today? To abide in Jesus? J.R. did such a fantastic job of unpacking worship for us!
We live in a culture where the meanings of words are being changed on the fly with some words almost seemingly impossible to define. It is interesting that the whole of Christianity is built on the Word of God (Jesus) from creation to sanctification.
Last week, we began to unpack Acts 2:42 and saw how the early church was devoted to fellowship. This week we look at our desperate need to be devoted to, as Acts 2:42 calls it, the apostles’ teaching - a.k.a. the Word of God.
Join us as we learn what it means to tremble at His Word!
Acts 2:42 says the believers devoted themselves to fellowship. But what is fellowship? How does it work? What does it mean for us today?
For a start our fellowship with one another will often be a representation or reflection of our fellowship and relationship with God. Fellowship has a far deeper meaning then a team of people on a journey to destroy a magical ring!
“You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
- 1 Peter 2:5
This week we look at what it means to be a priest in a local church community - what it means to “partner” in the gospel (Philippians 1:5).
“You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
- 1 Peter 2:5
How do you connect your normal day-to-day life in the workplace, school, or wherever you find yourself, with the powerful call to represent the Kingdom and, in fact, advance it?
Just like with “church”, many people have their own definition of the Kingdom. What role are we to play for, and in, the Kingdom? How does the Kingdom relate to the Holy Spirit? Is the Kingdom merely spiritual and future or is it tangible, today?
What is the Church? What does it mean to be a local church?
Many people have different opinions on this.
- Some see “church” as a place where we gather on Sundays.
- Some see “church” as a place or an event where they perform their religious ceremonies.
- Some see “church” as a social upliftment organization.
- Others see “church” as a cultural institution.
How do you define church? What does the Church mean to you?
Does the Bible tell us what “the Church” really is? Yes, it does! And it’s exciting! Marco launches our 2023 Summer-long series on the Church and unpack this topic in ways you may never have considered before.
Charlie unpacked the Beatitudes this last Sunday, encouraging us to become the people that God intends for us to be and experience the joy that comes with it—as defined by Jesus in Matthew 5:1-12.
Marco closes off our Revelation series with Revelation 22 and reminds us: Jesus is coming soon!
2 Corinthians 5:17-21
The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Cat shares on how God reconciled her relationship with her mom. But it had to start with her being willing to forgive and show grace and mercy, just as Jesus has done for us all.
We continue to cover Revelation 21 and are excited as we begin to get a glimpse of the new heavens and new earth — and the new Jerusalem where God dwells forever with His people!
How do we live in the ‘already but not yet’ tension of God one day making all things new and yet, at the same time, making us new TODAY by His Spirit?
Marco begins the last part of our Revelation series: “7 Glimpses of Glory”. We look at Revelation 21 and unpack how God has called us to live in His glory one day when Jesus returns — and yet, also, today as we live our lives in Him. For, after all, we are encouraged to pray “Your Kingdom Come” and we live in His Kingdom already through Jesus!
Marco looks at Revelation 20:11-21:8 and unpacks how Christ will judge humanity - and the role of faith and works.
We’re back in our Revelation series and look at Revelation 20:1-10. In this scripture we see Satan bound for a thousand years and the saints reigning with Jesus during this time. But what is this ‘thousand years’ all about? Marco unpacks this and notes that in our time we are commissioned to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.
Many Christians around the world will be celebrating “Lazarus Saturday” on April 2nd. Perhaps you have never considered how significant the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead is for all who have trusted Christ in the last 2000 years. All of us have or will experience tragedy in our lives. But Jesus has shown us … 04/02/23 – The Love Of God Read More »
Revelation 19:17-21, where we begin to see the final destruction of the Beast, the false prophet, and the setting up for the binding of Satan (which will come in the next chapter). It’s going to be very encouraging as we are reminded that judgment falls on the evil systems of this world – and one … 03/19/23 – Revelation Series – The Great Supper Of God Read More »
“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.” Jesus has conquered, is conquering, and will continue to conquer! How is he conquering today, and what is he conquering in your life?
Revelation 18:21 – 19:10, culminates in this wonderful scripture: [6] Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. [7] Let us rejoice and exult … 03/05/23 – Revelation Series – The Marriage Supper of the Lamb Read More »
When Jesus told his disciples to “go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19), He was not calling them to recruit members or enter people into a program. Rather, He wanted them to create more disciples! Being a disciple means dedicating one’s life to taking on the teachings and qualities of their mentor and learning from them. … 02/19/23 – Kingdom Value – Discipleship Read More »
At the end of Acts 2 & 4 we see such a great picture of what Community looks like. When we turn on the TV to watch the Super Bowl, we might also see what Community looks like. In the days of the book of Acts, community was everything. Today we have diluted down Community … 02/12/23 – Kingdom Value – Community Read More »
Movies, books, and entertainment have continually fed our imagination on the subject of “Armageddon”. Perhaps many of us have subconsciously allowed those things to form our understanding of what Armageddon means. You certainly won’t find a shortage of theology on this subject either! One thing we must know is that God is the Lord who … 01/22/23 – Revelation Series – Armageddon Read More »
Psalm 65:8 says: “The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.” Advent is a time of joy. After all, we sing the carol, “Joy to the world!” But why would the coming of Jesus mean joy for the world? What does … 12/18/22 – Advent Week 4 – Joy Read More »
We all know the song “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and have memories of Christmas past wrapped up in the opening notes. Those sweet chords usher in a bit of peace amid a chaotic and turbulent world. Of course, this peaceful state of mind is fleeting for most of us. From where and how does true … 12/11/22 – Advent Week 3 – Peace Read More »
Isaiah 9:2 – The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. Have you ever flipped the light switch only to get that dreaded flash of a bulb that just burned out? Just when you thought the room would … 12/04/22 – Advent Week 2 – Faith Read More »
We have kicked off our “5 week” Advent Series that will take us all the way to Christmas Eve. And while traditionally, Advent is normally observed over 4 weeks, we have decided to add an extra week this year by starting with the topic of Prophecy, one prophecy in particular. Isaiah 9:6 (ESV) For to us a child is born, to us … 11/27/22 – Advent Week 1 – Prophecy Read More »
Living for Jesus in this day and age is not as easy as we may sometimes think. As the pressure and heat is turned up in the world, representing Him is more important than ever. However, we may struggle with thoughts and false beliefs that we are not qualified or good enough to represent Jesus. We find ourselves believing what the world labels us as and we struggle to know what to identify with and who we really are.
While Paul was a prisoner he encourages Timothy by saying,
7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, - 2 Timothy 1:7-9 (ESV)
Let us rediscover and be reminded through God's word who we really are. And how the areas we struggle with are not who we are, but areas we overcome with Jesus living in and through us.
Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matt. 6:18). How, exactly, will He do this? Through those willing to “go” (Matt 28:19)! But, go where? How and why?
We see from scripture how Jesus patterned the answers to these questions and how they support the planting of New Testament churches in our region and beyond.
Revelation 14:1–5 (ESV)1 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him, 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads…4 … These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, 5 and in their mouth, no lie was found, for they are blameless. We are given … 10/30/22 – Revelation Series – 7 Visions – The Fall Of Babylon Read More »
Isaiah 43:19 (ESV) “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” The kingdom value of God’s Word and how it empowers us as the Priesthood of Believers. All of us have an opportunity to … 10/23/22 – Kingdom Values – The Word Of God Read More »
We are in the thick of this next section of the book of Revelation, The 7 Visions, and what we have discovered is that we carry the authority as believers to stand firm against the enemies’ attacks. All we need to do is learn to live in that authority, James 4:7 (ESV) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, … 10/16/22 – The Revelation Series – 7 Visions – The Two Beasts Read More »
Revelation 12:11 (ESV) 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Notice the wording here, “we have” not “will” or “potentially could”; We HAVE conquered Him. This Scripture reminds us of who we are in Christ and, in that, what it … 10/09/22 – Revelation Series – 7 Visions – The Blood of the Lamb Read More »
Revelation 12:4–6 (ESV)4 …. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. 5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to … 10/02/22 – Revelation Series – 7 Visions – In Satan’s Crosshairs Read More »
If we believe what Jesus said to Peter (as it relates to the church), Matthew 16:18 (ESV) 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Then surely, it is up to us (as those within God’s Church) to figure out how … 09/25/22 – Kingdom Values – The Advancing Church Read More »
Often when we think of Worship, we tend to think of music, bands, singing, and all the feelings they elicit in us; however, what is clear throughout scripture is that more than just song, melody, and feeling, our lives are to be lived in a consistent place of worship, because not only is HE (Jesus) worthy, … 09/18/22 – Kingdom Value – Worship Read More »
The final installment of the 7 Trumpets, is a doozy because not only will we discover more about God’s plans for His church (in these end times), but also, we will see the Final Trumpet sound and an exciting perspective on the fulfillment of Gods plan for Redemption.
Revelation 9:13–15 (ESV)13 Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, … 08/28/22 – Revelation Series – 7 Trumpets – The Great Deception – Trumpet 6 Read More »
As we continue in our journey through the book of Revelation by looking at the 5th Trumpet, we will immediately notice two things, 1. These next 3 Trumpets are significantly more serious than the first 4, Revelation 8:13 (ESV) Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, … Revelation Series – 7 Trumpets – Apollyon Read More »
It’s not hard to sometimes fall into the trap of believing that our prayers affect nothing and instead of believing that God will acknowledge our prayers, we sometimes think He is too busy to hear us. However the reality is that God does hear our prayers, Revelation 8:3–4 (ESV) And another angel came and stood at the … 08/14/22 – Revelation Series – 7 Trumpets Read More »
Romans 12:6–8 (NIV) We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift… is to lead, do it diligently.Not to be confused with natural talent or acquired skills, the supernatural grace gift of leadership is a spiritual gift given and empowered by the Spirit of God for spiritual purposes with eternal … 07/31/22 – Gifted Series – Leadership Read More »
Romans 12:6–8 (NLT)6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. ….If it is giving, give generously.… What’s interesting about the gift of generosity is that, unlike prophecy, teaching or encouragement, this gift is something that we have much more control over, and what’s more, often the results of us acting out on this gift, are immediate. In addition (no … 07/24/22 – Gifted Series – Generosity Read More »
You have probably heard the phrase “God does not call the equipped, He equips the called.” It is an amazing experience to realize that God’s Holy Spirit is empowering you to do more than you can ask or imagine to serve and strengthen the Body of Christ locally and around the world! If Teaching is … 07/17/22 – Gifted Series – Teaching & Exhortation Read More »
We are excited to continue with our Gifted series, as we look at the gifts of Service and Mercy. As we look at the life of Jesus, we discover the differences between Service and Mercy and see their value and importance both in the church body, as well as in our daily lives. We learned … 07/10/22 – Gifted Series – Service & Mercy Read More »
God speaks to His people today through His Word and through His Spirit. We call it ‘prophecy’. But prophecy isn’t some weird, mysterious thing for a select few, but is part of the gifts God gives His Church to fulfill the call of proclaiming the gospel and advancing His Kingdom today. Have you done your … 07/03/22 – Gifted Series – Prophecy Read More »
Have you ever felt unsure of what your spiritual gifting is? Well, if you have, we are doing our new “Gifted” series. We start off, with the reminder that all of us have been given a unique set of gifts by God, what’s more, these gifts are not for our glory but for His. So to get … 06/26/22 – You Are Gifted Read More »
One of the greatest challenges in our world today is fatherlessness. We are so grateful that at Hope Rock church we’ve been blessed with so many great fathers and so we want to honor and celebrate them on Fathers Day as we hear from Leo & Christine (NCMI / GGC LIFE Church, Sydney).
We are in-between series, so we will be covering another Kingdom Value which are values that we as a church and believers can hold onto and live by. That said, the value we will be covering is something that affects all of us – Change. The thing about change is that it can happen in an instant, the key, however, is how … 06/12/22 – Kingdom Values – Following God, Change vs. Transition Read More »
This message closes off the 2nd main section found in the book of Revelation – The 7 Seals and we will end off this section with one of the most hope-filled and encouraging passages in all of scripture. Revelation 7:9–10 (ESV) 9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every … 06/05/22 – Revelation Series – Safety and Silence Read More »
Throughout scripture, we see God establish local churches that plant and resource other churches throughout their region and even the known world at the time. What are the key components of that sort of church, and how can each of us find our call in it?
We are still in our Revelation Series and today we looked seal 5 & 6, both of which will be covering some pretty tough, albeit encouraging topics i.e., Revelation 6:11 (ESV)11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should … 05/22/22 – Revelation Series – 7 Seals – Jesus, our Lamb or Judge Read More »
Revelation 6:1–2 (ESV)1 Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and … 05/15/22 – Revelation Series – The Conquering King Read More »
In the next phase of John’s heavenly vision where we will encounter “The One who is Worthy to Open the scroll”. And in that, discover that while last week the living beings (and elders) focused their worship on God as creator, this time we, they, along with the multitudes in heaven, will shift their focus to God as OUR redeemer.
We are back to our Revelation Series and ready to unpack the next section in the book of Revelation – The 7 Seals. And what we will come to see (as this section unfolds) is that all the exhortations that Jesus gave to the 7 Churches in section one i.e., the exhortations to overcome, are rooted in the fact that Christ Himself has already overcome. And … 04/24/22 – Revelation – The 7 Seals Read More »
“Do not be afraid”, was the response that the angel gave to both Marys when they arrived at Jesus’ tomb and while yes it was “don’t be afraid of me as an angel”, I believe that what the angel was also saying is do not be afraid when you find an empty tomb! And that’s what … 04/17/22 – Easter Sunday Read More »
Have you ever felt like you have messed up, or perhaps allowed the enemy to convince you that God is disappointed in you? Well if that’s you, you are in good company because not only does that apply to most believers, but as we will see this Sunday, it also happened to some of the … 04/10/22 – A Savior Who Redeems Our Weakness Read More »
We have been going through our series on Jesus’s last week of life leading up to His crucifixion. This Sunday we looked at what it means to live a life of worship, and understanding that Jesus loves our worship. We often think that ‘worship’ is just singing songs on a Sunday morning and praising God corporately … 04/03/22 – A Savior Who Honors Our Worship Read More »
After riding into Jerusalem on a lowly donkey rather than a majestic stallion worthy of a King, and after confronting the religious robbers of the temple courts who were profiting off the people seeking forgiveness through animal sacrifice, Jesus went on to denounce the religious hypocrites. Foretelling the destruction of the temple, the culminating great … 03/27/22 – The Savior Who Knows Our Hearts Read More »
After Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a lowly donkey instead of a majestic stallion, as the oppressed nation of Israel and his disciples had hoped, our conquering King went to the temple where his heart was broken and his zeal for the nations stirred. This Sunday we looked at the unmatched passion of Jesus to … 03/20/22 – The Righteous Savior Read More »
Jesus is our Lord and King, who was so humble that He chose to make His “Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem not with pomp and ceremony, but rather, on the back of a donkey.
Revelation 3:15–16 (ESV)15 “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. These are challenging words and the reason that I think they are challenging is that they deal with a reality that many of us are … 02/27/22 – Revelation Series – LAODICEA Read More »
The church at Sardis reminded us of what not to become i.e. “Dead“. The church in Philadelphia, shows us what we should strive for, and want to become. Revelation 3:8 (ESV)8 “… Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and … 02/20/22 – Revelation Series – Philadelphia Read More »
There are a few things I would not like to hear from Jesus when He addresses us as one of His churches, one of them, in fact, probably at the top of the “I don’t want to ever hear that list” is this, Revelation 3:1 (ESV) 1…“ ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. BOOM! … 02/13/22 – Revelation Series – Sardis Read More »
So far in our journey through Revelation and in particular this section on the 7 Churches, we have encountered both a “Loveless Church“, and a “Suffering Church” each of which, taught us some important lessons i.e., we need to return to our first love (Ephesus), and we must be prepared for the privilege of suffering for the Gospel (Smyrna). And as … 01/30/22 – Revelation Series – Pergamum Read More »
Last week we saw what “The Loveless Church” looks like. Which as a reminder, is the kind of church that by allowing self-righteousness, hardness of heart, and a critical spirit to set in, forgets its first love. What is that first love? It’s the love for the Gospel and the desire to see the lost reached. This week we were exposed … 01/23/22 – Revelation Series – The Suffering Church Read More »
We are forging ahead with our journey through the book of Revelation by looking at the first of 7 Churches mentioned in “The Letter to the 7 Churches” – Ephesus. Revelation 2:2–4 (ESV) 2 “ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles … 01/16/22 – Revelation – Seven Churches Week 2 Ephesus Read More »
We are continuing our journey in the book of Revelation with The 7 Churches. Revelation 1:12–13 (ESV)12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a … 01/09/22 – Revelation – Seven Churches Week 1 Read More »
We kicked off 2022 with a bang as we started our new series on The Book of Revelations. With all the uncertainty in this world what better way to start off our year than by focusing our attention on our conquering King! Revelation 1:3 (ESV) Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are … 01/02/22 – Revelation – Introduction Read More »
Peace is not as much a state of mind as it is a state of being. When the heavenly host sang, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14), they knew that the promised Prince of Peace had arrived!
When the angels told the shepherds “I bring you good news of great joy,” what did they mean? And how can we have more of the joy they spoke about?
The dictionary says that faith is complete trust or confidence in someone or something. What does it mean when we say we have put our faith or our complete trust in Jesus? And what does that practically look like? Take a listen and find out.
We are starting our Advent 2021 Series with Hope. We explored how our hope is not in a situation, circumstance, or even material possessions but in a person- Jesus.
Marcus Herbert from South Africa ministers to us from Matthew 4, about being called to be fishers of men and the power of the Gospel.
The fact is, whether we want to admit it or not, money is a key issue when it comes to growing in God. We know this because Jesus spoke more about money than He did about marriage, heaven or hell. In fact, over 60% of what Jesus taught was about our attitude towards finances and stewardship. He taught us … 11/07/21 – Kingdom Values – Financial Freedom Read More »
The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks a critical question of all of us today i.e., “What is the chief end of man?”. The answer – “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” You see, in contrast to the monastic division of life into sacred versus secular (perpetuated by the Roman Church), the reformers saw that … 10/31/21 – Kingdom Values – Soli Deo Gloria Read More »
For centuries people have been trying to “reach” God through religious systems, works, priests, or charismatic leaders. The fact, however, is, there is no person, government, or system that can (nor should) ever take the place of the Savior of the World.
This Sunday we looked at Sola Fide, Faith Alone. We looked at three areas of faith: The Christian life is a life of faith, secondly, while faith is important, works are a part of God’s plan, and finally, our faith can and should increase.
On Oct 31st, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his history-making 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg cathedral cementing a stake in the ground for the authority of God’s word and the power of the gospel of grace! In 1772, a former slave trader named John Newton penned the words of the most famous … 10/10/21 – Kingdom Values – Sola Gratia Read More »
Luther’s (and scripture’s) claim is that every person should read the Bible for themselves and that only the Scripture itself is inspired. And while issues of authority, inerrancy, clarity, and sufficiency of Scripture were under the microscope in Luther’s day, the sad truth is, these issues are being challenged today too. In fact, when we consider the “authority … 10/03/21 – Kingdom Values – Sola Scriptura Read More »
We have started a “Series Within A Series” as we prepare to celebrate Reformation Month. We started off this series by looking back at what the Reformation was & why it was needed in the first place and then compare that reality with the state that the church currently finds itself in today. All of which, will prepare us to ask ourselves the question, “Is it perhaps time, … 09/26/21 – Kingdom Values – A Modern Day Reformation Read More »
Often, when we look at the crazy times that we are currently living in, we have the tendency to think that our issues of today are so rare & unique (to us) that no one else in history would be able to understand what we are going through. However, when we unpack scripture, we come to realize that perhaps … 09/19/21 – Kingdom Values – Supernaturally Empowered Read More »