Hope Chapel Podcast: Recent Episodes
Hope Chapel
Hope Chapel is a Christian community located in the Baltimore, Maryland area, celebrating, living, and preaching the good news that in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. God has restored peace with his creation by restoring us to relationship with himself. With this great news, we are a people striving together to live by faith, loving and being loved, sharing in struggles and hope, and pushing one another toward God’s perfectly planned redemption of our world in Jesus Christ. For more information about Hope Chapel, please visit us at www.hopechapelmd.com
We are no longer providing audio recordings of sermons. All our worship services, including sermons, are live streamed and can be viewed at your convenience on our facebook page. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Before the last judgement, believers were raised to reign--as kings and priests--in heaven. So the millenium has been inaugurated during the church age. The church should understand her role in heaven and on earth.
God restricted Satan from destroying the church and deceiving the nations. So the millenium has been inaugurated during the church age. Believers are to be active in their faith, acknowledging that Christ protects the church.
At the end of history, the devil and his minions will be destroyed in one last battle. However, believers should not forget that they've been called to fight off a spiritual war, which was inaugurated at Christ's first coming.
Philip uses this book to introduce the Ethiopian Eunuch to the main character–the promised Holy One, the Suffering Servant, Jesus. The eunuch is brought into the covenant, and he receives the sign and seal of baptism.
The destruction of the last enemy is designed to display the holiness of God. True followers of Christ should not focuse on how the world views them. But they are to be vindicated by the righteousness of Christ alone.
On His second coming, Christ will be judging the wicked, who has been working for Satan. His righteous act of judgement shows that Christ is the convenant-keeping God, who judges the wicked.
Jesus’ people are to be set apart, and the Word is the cause and the means by which we are set apart. God’s Word is truth and changes lives. Believers must see how God’s unchanging Word bears on living in today’s culture.
Believers are to give God the glory for His kingship. However, what if the ground of the praise is the pronouncement of the coming judgement? How should the church rejoice over the future judgement?
Those who belong to Babylon will weep over her judgement, whereas those who belong to Christ will rejoice. You are to rejoice over the judgement because both your faith and God's character have been vindicated.
Wonder at the majesty of God! His frightful hand is in the storm. He even guides the weather. You must fear God, knowing how majestic He is here and now.
The purpose of Christ's coming (advent) is "not to be served but to serve." He did not need your help to "give His life." So as you live out the call to be "slave of all," you first are to be served by Christ, then, and so serve others.
The God of the outcasts has graciously welcomed us into his family, so we should live out his mission. But God is on mission. Being motivated by love for the world, He welcomes those who call on him into His people.
As idolators see the last state of Babylon, they cannot stop lamenting her judgment. Those who belong to the ungodly world system will put worldly grief into practice. However, those who belong to Christ pursue godly grief.
Unless believers separate themselves from the ungodly economic system, they will likewise perish along with it. Before God justly judges the evil, the church ought to disassociate herself with it.
Babylon has tempted people into worshipping idols. So as the judgment upon her is being announced by an angel of God, the severity of the judgement comes along. Worshippers ought to praise God's justice.
God removes the security of the ungodly economic system by making the worldly institutions and its allies turn against the economic system. The evil will self destruct because Christ is sovereign.
The deceptive work of the worldly institutions and its allies are finally being revealed. Their career is nothing but pretense when Christ judges them and discloses all things.
It is no surprise if the ungodly socio-economic world system cooperates with intitutions because Satan and his minions are good at disguising themselves as servants of righteousness. Believers are to watch carefully.
Jesus wants us to come and see Him, but not for the miracles He does, but so that we may be changed and transformed by Him. As we come to Him, we see not only His beauty, majesty and power but we are drawn into a relationship with Him.
The harlot seduces believers to gain socio-economic advantage. But Christ would lead His church to the safe place (i.e., the dessert). How should you find rest in Him in the midst of living in the most materialistic place in history?
Christ's cry at the cross indicates the arrival of the kingdom of God. And the 2nd cry in today's passage belongs to Christ as well. Through it, both redemption of His own and final judgement of the evil are accomplished.
At the end of the age, God will gather "nations" (all ungodly beings). They will be allowed to lift their hands against the church. But those who refuse to compromise their faith will be saved. They always look to Christ.
Because the OT and NT are alone the Word of God written, we must not settle – and we do not have to settle – for anything less than what God has given, for anything less than what God the Spirit says.
Those who do not belong to Christ will be judged even before Christ returns. Their master's sovereign realm wlll be destroyed. And darkness will overtake the disobedient. But the ultimate judgment is their separation from God.
Because the ungodly persecuted the church and worshipped idols, God judges them by depriving them of economic stability. Still, they refused to repent and cursed God. Like idol, like idolator.
God judged those who worshipped money. And His judgement is just, accordingly to the heavenly host. God is righteous even as He judges the ungodly. How should churchgoers avoid worshipping money?
Christ's inner life tends to draw us closer to Him. It also helps us give proper emphasis and appreciation to His human nature, which reformed evangelicals often neglect in their rightful emphasis on His divine nature.
What are the key aspects of Jesus’ great commission--the context, the purpose, the Old Testament allusions and the strategy? We will seek to apply these to our 21st century world.
The sermon text gives us some insight as to what probably was on Jesus' mind/heart. His emotions help us to love and understand Him and give us connection with Him and what He endured for us.
Moses’ request to see God’s glory; how God’s glory reveals our sin; how, in Christ, we can see God’s glory and live; and finally how God’s Word reveals His glory to us, and prepares us to dwell in His presence.
The passage focuses on teh cost of discipleship. The Gospel is a gift from our gracious Lord--but to follow Him will cost us as we live for Him in a world hostile to Him and His message.
Jesus is the Eternal Son, who is fully God and fully man. If we would have fellowship with the Father and the Son for the joy of the fellowship, we must take heed to the message of the Apostles about God the Son now incarnate.
The presence of God is awesome that even heavenly hosts could not stand still. God is magnified not only in His salvation but also in His wrath. So believers are to stand in awe of Him through Christ, especially as they pray.
As God the Father and God the Son redeemed His people and executed judgement upon the ungoldy, they displayed their unique attributes. Believers are to respond to the holiness of God appropriately.
Jesus, the Son of God, has revealed Himself to the disciples. As His disciples, we, too, we can believe the testimony of the disciples, which impacts not only how we confess our faith but also how we live.
As believers suffered the loss of all things for the sake of Christ here on earth, unbelievers will suffer God's judgment. The final judgement is thoroughgoing, whereas believers' suffering is temporary.
Christ secures your idenity, redemption and righteousness. So at the end of the day, He glorifies Himself by rewarding the church and judging the beast and his minions.
In order to follow Christ, you must take up the cross and follow Him. You outght to suffer for His sake. However, you are to remain faithful without compromising your faith at the same time. Christ empowers you to do both.
When we see Jesus for who he really is, it changes us … changes our orientation, our view of the world, our values, our relationships and on and on.
The state functions as an agent to percute the church and to deceive those who do not know Christ. True Christ-followers are to worship properly in the midst of enduring persecution.
The biblical dualism emphasizes strengthening believers through suffering rather than punishing unbelivers. Believers are called to suffer to prove to be Christ's disciples through the means of bearing much fruit.
The true church is to discern true worship from idolatry and perservere in their faith, knowing that the state and religion are authorized by Satan to percute the church and deceive.
We Americans don't think about "priests" very much. Unlike earlier generations, we don't think we need them so much. This hinders us when we come to Biblical teachings on the subject: Jesus as our High Priest.
God protects the church against Satanic harm because Christ's death and resurrection resulted in the victory of Christ. And His victory is equated with the victory of the saints over Satan and in the kingdom of God.
Both the kingdom and judment are depicted as consummated in the most glorious sense of the biblical fulfillment. But the striking thing is that God is the one who establishes the kingdom and executes the judgment.
God's will of decree enables believers to preach the gospel and dwell in the presence of Christ. Paradoxically, the same decree will result in suffering the loss of all things. And it leads to the judgement of their persecutors.
Christ recommissions John to prophesy concerning judgement. Paradoxically, John rejoices over it. Then he also grieves over the same judgement at the same time.
As Christ's bride, the church must be filled with a joyful longing for the consummation of our relationship with Christ. You're are called to delight in Christ's beauty and to make yourselves ready to meet him face to face.
God commissions demons again. This time, He allows them to judge those who hardened themselves by deceiving them to the point of death. Then they will leave the remainder to be unrepentant. They're also deceived.
God torments unbelievers who hardened themselves. And He does it by sending demons to remind unbelievers of their spiritual hopelessness and to bring their souls to ruin.
The earth dwellers have been persecuting Christians and worshipping the idols. So God finally strips of their security, which implies that they are being separated from God.
In the final stage of His journey to Jerusalem, Christ speaks of the true nature of faith: total dependency on Him, willingness to imitate His sacrificial love and “follow him along the way” of obedience in the face of suffering.
God formally response to the saints' petition from ch.6--“how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"--by punishing the unbelieving world.
Both the heavenly hosts and redeemed people worship the Father and the Son. Their worship is the overflow of their theology: they were redeemed only because the Father and the Son menifested the redemption by grace.
Believers will be protected from renouncing their faith by God's grace. Until then, angels will keep the evil forces from putting their destructive intentions into practice. As Christ promised, no one will snach His elect out of His hand.
God is on the move in making fresh disciples and planting them into disciple-making communities which He designed His church to be--the church should know that we would align our lives and hearts accordingly.
God is determined to bring the final judgement up on the world. But the whole idea of judgment day serves one purpose, which is displaying the justice of God. No one can stand in the face of Christ the righteous judge.
After all God's people complete the suffering that He has predestined for them, God will answer those who were slaughtered for Christ through the means of judging the persecutors. Yet Christians are called to imitate Christ.
Christ came to die on the cross, which means He uses evil forces and execute His purpose. So it is with how He inflict trials on people to purify or punish them. Believers are to rejoice in Christ in all circumstances.
The lowly child is the King of the Universe -- scripture reveals the King's Manner, the King's Humiliation, and the King's Exaltation.
Through Christ's death and resurrection, both Father God and Christ execute their sovereignty over creation. Christians are to recognize both "already" and "not yet" of the kingdom and glorify Jesus.
God is redeemer over creation. So believers are to join the living creatures and glorify God for His sovereinty over creation at its inception and throughout history.
God is the sovereign judge and divine king--over all things. Therefore, those who are in Christ must discern how to treat evil in the world and how to treat the divine king.
Laodicea has failed to maintain Christian witness. Also, their spiritual state was deplorable. So Christ rebukes them to repent: the church is to become faithful witness and renew their fellowship with Christ.
Psalm 73 A psalm of Asaph. 1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. 3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.[a] 5 They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. 7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity[b]; their evil imaginations have no limits. 8 They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression. 9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. 10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance.[c] 11 They say, “How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?” 12 This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth. 13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. 14 All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments. 15 If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children. 16 When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply 17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. 18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. 19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! 20 They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies. 21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, 22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. 23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. 28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.
Philadelphia has been persevering in their faith not by might but by grace. Christ promises He will empower them all the more, that they may enjoy eschatological fellowship with Him.
Christ rebukes the church of Sardis for her lack of witness and complacency. So Christ exhorts the church to overcome the compromise, that they may receive the blessings of salvation.
Thyatira was also tempted to follow false teaching although they were good at Christian witness. They're to overcome idolatrous compromise immediately. The promised end-time rule with Christ must motivate them.
Pergamum has endured when percused just as Ephesus. Yet they failed to resist false teachers as successfuly as Smyrna did. Christ intervenes and wields the sword if the church condones false teaching.
The kingdom of heaven expands under the sovereign plan of the king. God is sovereignly building his kingdom and extending it to the many or gathering guests for his grand marriage supper (Rev 19).
The cross gives not only hope for salvation but also the ultimate motivation to stay faithful. Believers are to survey the cross and receive the desire to obey to the point of death even as they are well.
Christ is the giver of both discipline and reward. So those who believe in Christ should listen to His message and repent, lest they take advantage of His grace. Those who belong to Christ deinitely repent.
Although the apostle John's been exiled to an Island, he is to take heart because Christ is still alive. In other words, John has been called to receive the message of the risen Christ, not of the dead.
Christ has given you the name that He has received from the Father. It is for your unity. Since Christ prays to the Father about your unity, you are to cling to Christ to grow into one body in Him.
The church, the New Israel, has become a kingdom of priests because of the cross and resurrection. Those who know Christ should join John as he magnifies the messiah who has accomplished the ultimate salvation.
The book of prophecy is of Jesus. And it is from Jesus as well. Those who heed to it will be blessed by Chirst. The purpose of the revelation is to motivate the faithful.
Those who belong to the kingdom of God can truly enjoy Christ--even more than John the baptist. How is it possible? Christ gives ear to hear. So rely on His grace, which was displayed at the cross.
A relationship with Jesus calls us to show mercy. Who should receive it? How should Christians treat the miserable and guilty? What benefit comes with caring for the miserable and guilty?
The postexilic community of faith was humbled to the point that they forgot to love the Lord with their entire being. Yet they naively believed God will restore their fortune as long as they keep their religious ritual.
It was easy for the Isrealites to believe their God does not care anymore. Yet the Messiah came as both the priest and king. He reconciles the Israeltes to God. And He renews their worship.
Should we pursue righteousness? Yes. Can we achieve righteousness? No. This major dilemma is solved by our God who through Jesus Christ justifies the unrighteous and plants within them righteous longings.
As Zerubbabel faithfully rebuilt the temple, Christ came to rebuild the temple and dwell amongst His own. So they enjoy His peace as they see His glory, which points them to the consummation.
As the last of the Minor Prophets to be written before the exile, it prophesies that God is not uninvolved in people's sins and spiritual state. He saves for His own divine satisfaction--that is, His glory.
Man cannot save himself; the Lord has to intervene. Only complete dependence on the Lord is life-giving and soul-quenching (3:17-19). God's faithfulness through Christ does it all.
Assyrians repented of their cruelty when Jonah preached the gospel. Yet Nineveh's repentence was shallow. It became ruthless and started invading others again. True repentence and restoration are in Christ.
God gives a better identity in Christ as a place suitable for His presence. It may be summaried in the following points: i. Our Birth identity; ii. Our chosen identity; iii. Our constructed identity.
Jesus is the Christ not only because He was born in Bethlehem as prophsied but also because He came to fulfill the divine purpose. Recognize the ruler who is "from an ancient of days" and worship Him.
Jonah offered himself to save others, he was raised from the "dead" in three days and he preached the gospel to Ninevites as well. Then you are to see the sign of Jonah (Lk 11:29-32) and repent.
Diverse groups of people will be settled in the promised land. God's people will be restored to enjoy divine blessing, whereas their enemies will be condemned. God Himself intervenes to make it happen (v.15).
Just as Edom was saved under the kingship of the king David, the gentiles will be saved by the kingship of the greater Son of the king David (Acts 15:16-17).
The Israelites have been unfaithful to God, but He is the covenant-keeping God. In other words, He saves His people for His name's sake. And the coming messiah will be the ultimate teacher.
Christ was crucified so that God the Father can save Him from the dead. And Christ represents Israel who was exciled so that God may restore them.