Hope Alliance Nazareth: Recent Episodes
Pastor Jim Entwistle
In this message from Psalm 63, Jake explores how David seeks God while facing loss, uncertainty, and isolation in the wilderness. Rather than longing primarily for comfort or restored circumstances, David declares that God’s love is better than life and trusts that only God can satisfy his deepest thirst. The message encourages believers to pursue God in every season by praising Him, remembering His promises, and intentionally directing their thoughts toward Him. Because Jesus has opened the way into God’s presence, even seasons of spiritual dryness can become opportunities to seek Him more deeply and rediscover His power, glory, and unfailing love.
In this message from Psalm 121, Pastor Jim explores what it means to find hope, help, and home in God while traveling through the difficulties of life. Written for God’s covenant people on a journey, the psalm does not promise a life without suffering, but assures believers that God faithfully watches over, guides, and sustains His people through every hardship. Biblical hope honestly acknowledges pain and uncertainty while still trusting God’s character and promises. Through Jesus, believers are welcomed into God’s family and given an ever-present helper who will keep them secure throughout the journey and lead them safely home.
In this message from Psalm 146, Pastor Jim explores the justice of God and why His people are called to reflect it in the world. Unlike earthly leaders whose plans eventually perish, God reigns forever, remains faithful, and actively cares for the oppressed, the hungry, the imprisoned, the blind, the fatherless, the widow, and the stranger. Jesus reveals this justice fully by drawing near to the vulnerable, welcoming outsiders, and enduring injustice Himself to bring forgiveness and freedom. Because God has rescued and raised us up, we are called to praise Him, do justice, love mercy, and join His work of bringing healing and wholeness to others.
In this message from Psalm 33, Pastor Jim explores why our hope belongs in God rather than in our own plans, strength, or circumstances. Because God is faithful, righteous, just, and full of unfailing love, we can trust His character even when we cannot see how our stories will unfold. His fatherly care reminds us that He sees our needs, while His sovereignty assures us that His purposes will stand through every generation. The cross and resurrection ultimately reveal that even when evil appears to prevail, God is still working for His glory and the good of His people.
In this message from Psalm 96, Pastor Jim explores worship as a response to who God is, what He has done, and the salvation He brings. He shows how worship is more than singing on Sunday, but a daily proclamation that the Lord reigns. As God’s people declare His glory, worship becomes mission, pointing the nations to the King who rules with righteousness, justice, and truth. Ultimately, Psalm 96 reminds us that all creation will rejoice when God makes all things new through Jesus.
In this closing message from Ephesians 6:18–24, Pastor Jim concludes the Masterpiece series by focusing on prayerful dependence on God. He explains that the new family of God is sustained through Spirit-led prayer, persistent alertness, and love rooted in Christ. As Paul closes his letter, he reminds believers that the church stands firm not by willpower, but through prayer, proclamation, and the Spirit’s power.
In this message from Ephesians 6:14–17, Pastor Jim concludes the Armor of God section by focusing on the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. He explains that God’s Word, through the Holy Spirit, orients us to reality, especially when life feels cloudy, confusing, or spiritually chaotic. The Spirit uses the written Word to point us to the living Word, Jesus, helping us resist deception, know truth, and walk in obedience. Ultimately, the goal is not simply to quote more Scripture, but to know Christ so deeply that the enemy’s lies become unbelievable.
In this message from Ephesians 6:10–17, Pastor Jim continues the Armor of God series by focusing on the helmet of salvation. He explains that salvation is not only something that happened in the past, but also a present and future reality. Through Jesus, believers have been justified, are being sanctified, and will one day be glorified. This salvation hope protects us against the enemy’s accusations, discouragement, and lies by reminding us that Christ has rescued us, is still working in us, and will one day make all things new.
In this message from Ephesians 6:10–16, Pastor Jim continues the Armor of God series by focusing on the shield of faith. He explains that faith is not about the amount we can produce, but the object of our trust: the faithfulness of God revealed in Jesus. As the enemy sends fiery arrows of disobedience, doubt, despair, and distraction, believers are called to take up faith by fixing their eyes on Christ, remembering God’s past faithfulness, and standing together as the family of God.
We continue through Ephesians 6 and the Armor of God by looking at the breastplate of righteousness. Pastor J. unpacks how righteousness is not something we achieve on our own but a gift given through Jesus that reshapes both our identity and how we live. The gift of Christ's righteousness both humbles and empowers us. J. explores self-righteousness, spiritual warfare, forgiveness, and how pursuing Christ-centered righteousness protects believers from the enemy's schemes while fostering a humble, grace-filled community.
Pastor Jim explores the “gospel of peace” from the armor of God and explains how peace in Christ gives believers firm footing to stand against the schemes of the enemy. Drawing from Ephesians 6 and the broader story of Scripture, he describes peace, or shalom, as wholeness, security, and restored relationship with God, others, and ourselves through Jesus, who “is our peace.” The sermon emphasizes that true peace is not found in circumstances, control, success, or approval from others, but in a secure identity rooted in the gospel. Jim encourages listeners to daily “put on” the peace of Christ by reminding themselves of gospel truths, trusting God’s character, and becoming people who model reconciliation, stability, and hope in a world marked by division, anxiety, and conflict.
Pastor Jim explores the “belt of truth” from the armor of God and explains how truth is essential for standing firm against the lies and schemes of the enemy. He emphasizes that truth is not merely information to learn, but a person to know in Jesus Christ, who reveals both the character of God and humanity’s true identity. Contrasting the “father of lies” with the “Father of lights,” the sermon highlights how deception about God and ourselves leads to brokenness, while the truth of the gospel brings life, forgiveness, and freedom. Pastor Jim encourages believers to remain rooted in Scripture, gospel community, prayer, and daily obedience so they can recognize lies, apply truth in everyday decisions, and confidently stand firm in Christ’s victory.
In Ephesians 6:10–13, Pastor Jake urges listeners to be strong in the Lord, framing the Christian life as a spiritual battle. He describes believers as soldiers standing firm against spiritual forces that aim to pull them away from God. The strength required is God’s, accessed by donning His armor. These attacks are often subtle—gradual drift, quiet temptation, or overwhelming circumstances that lead to doubt or to turning away from God. The schemes aim to separate us from Christ. The message ends with a call to perseverance, emphasizing that through Jesus’ victory, believers have everything needed to stand firm. Relying on His strength and walking in His truth, righteousness, and peace helps us endure trials. The goal is endurance, so we remain in Christ when it’s over.
In this message from Ephesians 5:21–6:9, Pastor Jim explores how the gospel shapes the relationship between children and parents through mutual submission rooted in reverence for Christ. Framing parenting as “drawing a perfect circle,” he acknowledges no family lives this out perfectly, but points to God as the perfect Father whose grace redeems broken relationships. The message centers on children obeying, parents teaching, and God’s fatherhood as the foundation that holds it all together.
In this message from Ephesians 5, Pastor Jim frames marriage as part of God’s larger new-creation work, calling believers to see it not in isolation but within the story of the gospel and the unified family of God. Using the image of good and bruised apples, he acknowledges both the goodness and brokenness people experience in marriage while urging a fresh look at God’s design: a “good apple” rooted in Christ. Paul’s teaching is presented as both cultural and transcendent, ultimately revealing a subversive, gospel-centered vision where mutual submission replaces self-centered authority, and marriage becomes “gospel theater” that reflects Christ’s sacrificial love for the Church. Rather than reinforcing power structures, Paul redefines them through the cross, calling husbands and wives alike to die to self and serve one another in love, producing both a lived experience of grace and a visible witness to the world. The catalyst for this kind of marriage is not effort but transformation, being filled with the Spirit and anchored in identity in Christ rather than in a spouse. When reverence for Christ shapes the relationship, couples are freed from unrealistic expectations and empowered to offer truth, mercy, and reconciliation, displaying a foretaste of restored oneness and God’s kingdom in everyday life.
In this message from Ephesians 5:1–21, Pastor Jim calls believers to live in light of their identity in Christ. Rather than a “holier than thou” mindset, this passage is a call to holiness rooted in being dearly loved children of God. Because believers are now light in the Lord, they are invited to live as children of light for the glory of God and the good of the world.
The message centers on three movements: who we are, how we walk, and what it produces. Christians are no longer in darkness but have been made new, with minds awakened to truth and identity grounded in God’s love. From that identity flows a new way of living, marked by sacrificial love, purity, gratitude, and being led by the Spirit rather than by flesh or cultural patterns.
Pastor Jim emphasizes that holiness is not restrictive but life-giving. As believers live differently, through their actions, words, and relationships, they become a light that exposes darkness and points others toward God. This is not behavior modification but grace-driven obedience that reflects new creation life at work.
In this Easter message from Philippians 2:6–11, Pastor Jim explores Jesus’ journey from humility and death to resurrection and exaltation. Using the image of a race already won, he shows that Jesus has secured victory over sin and death, and that victory is now given to those who are in Him, changing how we live each day.
The message follows three movements: the road Jesus took, our union with Him, and new creation living. Jesus chose the path of a servant, humbling Himself to the cross before being raised in glory. This same pattern, descent before ascent, is the path believers are invited into, dying to self to find true life in Christ.
Pastor Jim closes by emphasizing that the resurrection is not just future hope but present reality. In Jesus, new creation has already begun, giving believers a new identity and a transformed way of living that reflects His victory.
In this message from Hebrews 9–10 and 12, Pastor Jim explores what truly happened on the cross and why it matters for how we understand our faith. He frames the message around three movements: the problem, the cross, and communion with God. The problem is not only sin, but the guilt and shame that come with it, shaping how we see ourselves and relate to God. While people often try to resolve this through religion, self-effort, or self-condemnation, these approaches may cover sin temporarily but never fully cleanse the conscience or remove shame.
Pastor Jim explains that the cross accomplishes what nothing else can. Through His sacrifice, Jesus provides eternal redemption, removing guilt and taking on shame once and for all. Unlike repeated sacrifices or personal striving, the work of Christ is complete, offering a finished solution that frees believers from trying to earn acceptance. The cross is not just a doctrine to understand, but a reality that transforms how we see ourselves, replacing condemnation with forgiveness and restoring our value through the love of Christ.
As a result, the cross opens the way for true communion with God. Because of Jesus, believers can draw near with confidence, no longer defined by guilt or shame, but by grace and righteousness in Him. Pastor Jim emphasizes that this truth must move from something we believe once to something we live daily, continually returning to the cross and allowing it to shape our identity, faith, and relationship with God.
In this Palm Sunday message from Matthew 21:1–17, Pastor Jim walks through Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, showing how people can recognize a problem yet misidentify its true source. The crowds expected a political solution in the overthrow of Rome, but Jesus reveals a deeper issue rooted in sin within the human heart. He contrasts expectations of a powerful, conquering king with the reality of a humble King who enters on a donkey, not to seize power, but to heal, restore, and draw near to the broken. In doing so, Jesus also redefines the temple, disrupting empty religious practices and revealing that true access to God is no longer found in a place, but in Himself. The religious system had become outwardly active but inwardly disconnected, missing the very presence of God before them. As Jesus heals the blind and welcomes the praise of children, He demonstrates that the kingdom is open to the humble, the needy, and those willing to come to Him in faith. Pastor Jim emphasizes that the problem is ultimately internal, not external, and that Jesus addresses the root rather than the symptoms. The message calls for a response of humble need and childlike trust, inviting believers to stop trying to fix themselves and instead turn to Jesus as the true solution who brings healing, forgiveness, and new life.
In this message from Ephesians 4:17–32, Pastor Jim shifts from identity to behavior, showing how a transformed life in Christ leads to transformed actions. He contrasts the “old self,” marked by futility, selfishness, and deceitful desires, with the “new self,” rooted in truth, awareness, and life in Jesus. The old way of living promises satisfaction but ultimately leads to emptiness, while the new way invites believers to actively put off harmful patterns and put on Christlike character through the renewal of the mind. This renewal is both a spiritual and intentional process, requiring daily decisions to reject falsehood and embrace truth. As believers grow in this new identity, their lives begin to reflect generosity, honesty, encouragement, and compassion. Pastor Jim emphasizes that this transformation is not just personal but communal. The new self builds up the body of Christ through truthful speech, generous action, and grace-filled words that strengthen others. Ultimately, this passage calls believers to live with intentional awareness, choosing obedience over old habits and displaying the character of Jesus in everyday life.
In this message from Ephesians 4:11–16, Pastor Jim explores the difference between immature faith and mature faith and how the church grows into Christlikeness together. Using the imagery of waves and wind pushing a boat off course, he explains how believers can be easily tossed around by life’s circumstances or by new teachings when their identity is not firmly rooted in Jesus. Immature faith reacts to every wave and follows every new voice, but mature faith stays anchored to the gospel and keeps its focus on Christ. Jim reminds listeners that maturity is not simply knowing more information about the Bible but allowing the gospel to reshape identity so that believers increasingly reflect Jesus. As the body of Christ grows together, each person plays a role by speaking the truth in love, encouraging one another, and helping one another stay fixed on the horizon of Christ. Through this shared ministry the church is built up, strengthened in unity, and equipped to display the fullness of Jesus to the world.
In this message from Ephesians 4:7–16, Pastor Jim explains how Jesus, the victorious and ascended King, gives gifts to his people so that the church can grow into maturity. After defeating the powers of sin and death through his life, death, and resurrection, Jim shows how Christ now distributes grace to the church through leaders who proclaim and clarify the gospel, equipping believers for works of service. The goal is not spectatorship but participation as every follower of Jesus grows beyond spiritual infancy and begins to serve as part of the body of Christ. Jim challenges listeners to move beyond gathering information about faith and instead allow the gospel to shape identity, produce transformation, and lead to active ministry in everyday life. As the church builds one another up in truth and love, believers grow toward unity, deeper knowledge of Jesus, and the fullness of maturity that reflects Christ to the world.
In this message from Ephesians 4:1–6, Pastor Jim calls the church to walk in a manner worthy of the calling we have received. After three chapters of celebrating our new identity in Christ as one family, Jim shows that unity is not something we manufacture but something the Spirit has already created and we are called to preserve. With humility, gentleness, patience, and a commitment to bear with one another in love, we reflect the oneness of one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all. Jim challenges the cultural currents of division, outrage, and self-advancement that shape us throughout the week and invites us to root our identity fully in Christ instead. Because Jesus humbled himself, gave up his seat at the table, and welcomed us into God’s household, we are now empowered to extend that same grace to one another. The church becomes a living masterpiece when we eagerly work to preserve our God-given unity, displaying the wisdom of God to a watching world.
In this message from Ephesians 3:14-21, Pastor Jim walks through Paul’s breathtaking prayer that drives him to his knees. After unfolding the cosmic scope of God’s plan to unite all things in Christ and form one new people, Jim shows that the only way forward is through the Spirit’s power at work in our inner being. This passage centers on God’s love, our ongoing grasp of that love, and the glorious goal of being filled with the fullness of God. Jim unpacks what it means for Christ to dwell in our hearts, not as a fleeting feeling but as the deep center of our identity, shaping our affections, obedience, and communal life together. The love of Christ is wider, longer, higher, and deeper than we can comprehend, yet we are invited to press on and seize it daily. As we are strengthened by the Spirit and rooted in love, we become a living display of God’s glory in the church, a foretaste of the day when all things are united in Jesus.
In this message from Ephesians 3:1–13, Pastor Jim explores Paul’s surprising digression about imprisonment, his call, and the breathtaking purpose of the church. What looks small and ordinary on the surface is actually cosmic in significance. Jim shows how Paul understood himself as a steward entrusted with the key to God’s household, revealing that Jews and Gentiles now belong together as one new family in Christ. Through the church, God’s multi-faceted wisdom is put on display not only to the world but to the spiritual powers themselves. This passage reminds us that our ordinary faithfulness, unity, forgiveness, and love carry eternal weight. The church is not the goal but the preview of what God is building, a foretaste of the coming kingdom where every tribe and language will gather around Jesus. Even suffering becomes part of the story as we live out worship, obedience, and proclamation in a world that resists reconciliation.
Pastor Jim unpacks Ephesians 2:11-22 to show how Jesus is not only our peace but the one who has destroyed every dividing wall. What once separated Jew and Gentile, near and far, is now reconciled through the cross. Jim reminds us that salvation is not just about forgiveness but about forming a new family, a new humanity, where God’s Spirit dwells. The church is not a religious club or a place for behavior management. It is God’s living temple on earth. In Christ, our identities are made secure, hostility is put to death, and unity is possible not through human effort but by the presence of God himself living among his people.
In this message on Ephesians 2:1–10, Pastor Jim urges us to grasp the depth of what it means to be rescued by grace. We are not simply saved from something but brought into something entirely new. Jim describes the contrast between our spiritual death and the new life found in Christ, inviting us to see salvation not as a ticket to heaven but as a radical relocation into God’s household. Through vivid imagery and honest reflection, Jim unpacks the beauty of God’s mercy, our position in Christ, and the truth that we are God’s workmanship created for good works. The church, as God’s new family, becomes a sign of new creation in a world desperate for hope, healing, and wholeness.
Pastor Jim challenges the church to move beyond the basics of faith and embrace the deeper transformation that comes from truly knowing God in Christ. Paul’s prayer for the believers in Ephesus is not just one of gratitude; it is a plea for them to see the unimaginable hope, inheritance, and power that are theirs in Jesus. Jim invites us to hunger for more than spiritual comfort food and instead pursue the richness of being a Messiah-shaped people, united as God’s family and empowered to live as agents of new creation in a broken world. When we grasp the risen Christ as King over all, our understanding of church shifts from routine to mission, from individual salvation to communal transformation.
Pastor Jim walks through Ephesians 1 to show that salvation is not just about rescuing individuals but about forming a new family under Christ. Drawing from Paul’s rich language of adoption, blessing, and spiritual inheritance, Jim reminds us that God has intentionally chosen and pursued us in love, not just to save us from sin but to bring us into a people united in Christ. Rather than approaching Ephesians as a theological puzzle to solve, Jim encourages listeners to soak in the beauty of God’s heart, the depth of our spiritual blessings, and the ultimate purpose of uniting all things in Jesus to the praise of God’s glory. This message challenges believers to lift their eyes beyond individual spirituality and embrace the Church as God’s heaven-meets-earth family on mission.
In this final message of the Rejoice series, Pastor Jim teaches from Luke 2 and explores the angelic announcement to the shepherds, showing how the glory of God should evoke great fear—yet through Jesus, that fear gives way to great joy and peace on earth. He reminds us that God’s holiness is overwhelming and unapproachable, like lightning that should consume us, but in Jesus, that immense power is made near and safe, wrapped in flesh and laid in a manger. Jim challenges listeners not to grow numb to the miracle of God’s presence, but to respond with awe, rejoicing, and renewed peace. Just as the shepherds were invited into joy and Mary treasured all these things in her heart, we are invited to behold the Savior, prepare room for Him, and let our hearts melt before the one who brings peace to those on whom His favor rests.
Pastor Jim teaches from Luke 2, where Simeon holds the infant Jesus in his arms and declares that the long-awaited Consolation of Israel has arrived. After years of righteous waiting in silence and spiritual devotion, Simeon recognizes that what he had been hoping for is not just a promise but a person. Jim draws a parallel between Simeon’s patient longing and the hunger many of us feel for something more, challenging listeners to stop chasing after counterfeits and receive the peace that comes only through Jesus. Simeon’s joy is found not in what Jesus would do someday, but in knowing that God was already here. This message invites us to stop striving and instead rest in the gift of God’s faithfulness, freely given in Christ.
Pastor Jim teaches from Luke 1 and reflects on Zechariah’s transformation from silence to rejoicing. After nine months of being unable to speak, Zechariah bursts out with a prophetic song proclaiming God’s faithfulness—not because his situation is perfect, but because he sees that God has entered the story. Jim challenges us to consider what we are beholding this season and invites us to see solitude and silence not as punishment but preparation. Zechariah’s praise points beyond his own miracle to the greater hope of Jesus, the one who leads us into peace. Through remembering God’s promises and faithfulness to David, Abraham, and all of Israel, we are reminded that true joy flows from trusting the God who keeps His word and enters our lives with light in the midst of darkness.
Pastor Jim teaches from Luke 1 and reflects on Mary’s song, the Magnificat, as a model for anchoring ourselves in God’s faithfulness during seasons of waiting. Mary, a young and lowly servant with no status or power, responds to a life-altering calling not with fear but with praise. Jim explains that her rejoicing comes from a clear understanding of who she is and who God has always been, the Mighty One who lifts up the humble, fills the hungry, and keeps His promises. Through this passage, Jim challenges us to recognize our own lowliness, resist the urge to grasp for control, and magnify the Lord by grounding our lives in the gospel. In a world that encourages power and self-sufficiency, Mary’s song invites us to rejoice, trusting that God is still at work in our waiting.
Pastor Jim Entwistle begins our Advent series "Rejoice: Songs of the Savior's Arrival" with an inspiring message from Luke 1:39-45, exploring Elizabeth's prophetic encounter with Mary.
In this powerful opening to our Advent series, Pastor Jim shows us how Elizabeth becomes the first person to recognize Jesus as Lord - before He's even born! Through her story, we discover how waiting becomes the fertile soil where explosive joy grows, and how our small stories are woven into God's grand narrative of redemption.
Pastor Jim teaches from Colossians 4 and calls us to live wisely in how we interact with outsiders, those not yet in the family of God. He reminds us that wisdom means applying gospel understanding to everyday life, and that our lives should reflect the goodness and grace of Jesus in both our actions and our words. Jim challenges listeners to redeem the ordinary moments of each day, to view others not as enemies or interruptions but as potential brothers and sisters in Christ, and to let their speech be seasoned with grace so the gospel is made tangible through conversation. Whether proactively creating environments of kindness or reacting with gentleness to opposition, Jim urges the church to see themselves as sent ones whose lives point to the table of God. When we live like this, we reflect the aroma of the gospel and bring glory to the One who brought us in when we were outsiders too.
Pastor Jim teaches from Ephesians 5 and calls listeners to live as children of light who redeem their days, know God’s will, and walk in the Spirit. Jim explains that wisdom is more than knowledge or behavior; it is wanting what God wants and aligning our lives with His desires. He challenges listeners to see each moment as an opportunity to pull what is broken out of darkness and into the light, to discern God’s moral will through Scripture, and to remain filled with the Spirit by soaking in the gospel. Rather than being swept along by culture or religious noise, Jim reminds us that wisdom grows as we walk with the Spirit in everyday choices, allowing God’s light to shape how we live, love, and worship. When we root our lives in Christ, we not only see clearly but begin to reflect that light into the world around us.
Pastor Jim explores Romans 16 and the call to be wise toward what is good and innocent toward what is evil. Jim challenges the common tendency to focus on external behavior by pointing upstream to the source: belief. False gospels and counterfeit teachings often creep in subtly, creating division and temptation while masquerading as righteousness. Jim reminds listeners that wise belief in the true gospel of Jesus produces lasting fruit and unity, while false gospels elevate performance and foster pride. Through cultural examples and personal reflection, he urges the church to remain anchored in the gospel of grace, not distracted by legalism or religious noise. To spot what is evil, we must first know what is good—and what is good is the gospel.
Pastor Jim unpacks Proverbs 13:20 and Psalm 1 to show how the company we keep directly shapes who we become. Jim explains that walking with the wise leads to wisdom, while surrounding ourselves with foolishness leads to harm. He challenges listeners to consider the voices forming their decisions, asking whether they are rooted in the gospel or in the passing wisdom of the world. True wisdom, Jim teaches, is found in walking closely with people who love the gospel and love us enough to speak truth, receive our confession, and anchor us in God’s grace. This message calls us to take stock of our relationships and intentionally walk with those who help us become more like Jesus, not just for our own good but for God’s glory and mission in the world.
Note: This message contains a brief mention of suicide.
In this first message of the Be Wise series, Pastor Jim explores why wisdom is not only helpful but commanded by God. Drawing from Proverbs 3 and 9, Jim teaches that wisdom begins with fearing the Lord and trusting in Him rather than leaning on our own understanding. He illustrates how wisdom is more than just intelligence or kindness—it is truth applied to the complexities of real life. Jim challenges listeners to consider what shapes their identity and how that identity leads to either foolishness or a life marked by peace, humility, and eternal perspective. As he unpacks the fruit of wisdom, he points to Jesus as the ultimate source and model, the one we must cling to if we want to walk wisely in this world. The invitation is clear: root your life in the gospel and drink deeply from the spring of Christ, the one thing that makes the rest of life possible.
In this final message of the Come and See series, Pastor Jim invites listeners to respond to Jesus’s call not only to come and see, but to come and go. Drawing from Luke 10, Jim explores how Jesus sends His disciples ahead of Him into everyday places to proclaim that the kingdom of God has come near. He challenges listeners to wake up to a greater purpose beyond comfort and consumerism, embracing a life of missional living that reflects the presence of God through everyday friendship, hospitality, healing, and courage. Jim shares that being sent by Jesus is not about having all the answers, but about trusting God to work through us as we proclaim good news, display the fruit of the Spirit, and bring wholeness to a broken world. The invitation to join Jesus on His mission is not an optional extra to the Christian life, but the very purpose of it.
Pastor Jim walks through Jesus’s teaching in Matthew 16 where the invitation shifts from “Come and see” to “Come and die.” After Peter boldly confesses Jesus as the Messiah, he quickly resists the idea of a suffering Savior. Jim unpacks how we often do the same, embracing belief in Jesus but resisting the cost of following Him. The message explores how the call to discipleship includes denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and daily choosing God’s kingdom over our own comfort, safety, and self-worship. Jim challenges listeners to examine the version of Jesus they follow. One who aligns with personal ambition, or the true King who calls us into suffering that leads to life. Through stories, Scripture, and honest reflection, the message re-frames death to self as the path to healing, wholeness, and full life now and forever.
In this message, Pastor Jake opens with the call to follow Jesus from Matthew 4:18 to 22, reframing “follow” not as passive observation but as an invitation to apprenticeship, a daily, personal journey of becoming like Christ and doing what He does. Jake explains that Jesus does not choose His disciples based on qualifications or perfection but on their willingness to say yes. Following Jesus means offering every part of our lives to Him, embracing self-denial, and learning to walk in step with His Spirit. It is a call that continues through every season of life, and Jake reminds us that Jesus meets us in the mundane, the messy, and the meaningful. Ryan also shares personal stories of following Jesus through marriage, parenting, and career, showing how apprenticeship to Jesus can shape every corner of ordinary life. Together, the message challenges us to ask not just what we believe, but how we live in response to the ongoing call to follow Him.
Pastor Jim explores Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well in John 4, revealing worship as a response to encountering God in truth and spirit. Jim challenges listeners to see how true worship is more than ritual or location. It is a response to the presence of Jesus that transforms our identity, confronts sin with grace, and overflows into proclamation. The woman’s story illustrates how our thirst for belonging, healing, and spiritual vitality is met in Christ alone. Whether we are skeptical, ashamed, or stuck in patterns of religious routine, Jesus invites us into a deeper, everyday rhythm of worship that flows through our entire lives.
Pastor Jim shares a moving message about the universal longing for belonging, drawing from the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19. Jim explores how Jesus invites outsiders into the family of God, offering acceptance before transformation. While the world often demands people change before they are welcomed, Jesus reverses this by seeing beyond brokenness and offering identity through relationship. Jim challenges listeners to consider where they find their worth, what false identities they chase, and whether their lives are pointing others toward Jesus. This message is a call to embrace God’s invitation to belong and find true significance in Him.
Pastor Jim reflects on Jesus’ invitation to “Come and see” in John 1:35–51, emphasizing that God is not a platform, performance, or political position, but a person who invites us into relationship. He explores how the first disciples, ordinary people seeking approval, security, and significance, were met by Jesus not with demands but with an invitation. Through vivid storytelling and personal reflection, Jim reveals how Jesus continues to invite us to journey with Him, revealing both God’s identity and our own. Regardless of our skepticism, search, or seasoned faith, the call remains the same: come, follow, and be transformed.
Pastor Jim concludes the True King series by walking through 2 Kings 24 and 25, where the southern kingdom of Judah falls and the people are exiled to Babylon. Jim explains that exile is more than the loss of land or a destroyed temple; it is life without God’s presence and glory. Despite the devastation, he points to the glimmer of hope left in the story and connects it to the arrival of Jesus, the better temple, the better King, and the better Israel. Through the lens of exile, Jim reminds listeners that Jesus took on the true exile of sin and death, offering restored identity, renewed presence, and unshakable hope to all who turn their face to God. The message calls us to examine the idols that rename and mislead us, and to receive the forgiveness and life Jesus secured through his death, resurrection, and the indwelling of the Spirit.
Pastor Jim shares the story of King Josiah from 2 Kings 22 and 23, drawing out how a true encounter with the Word of God leads to repentance and reform, even when the outcome doesn’t change. Jim shows how Josiah responds to God’s Word not with despair over Judah’s coming exile, but with deep humility and conviction, modeling what it looks like to follow God because He is worthy. The Word becomes the center of the story, not the king, and Jim challenges listeners to consider whether their lives reflect a daily posture of repentance shaped by God’s truth. Pointing to Jesus as the better Josiah who reveals the fullness of God in flesh, Jim reminds us that the reward of obedience is not comfort or control, but communion with God Himself.
In this message, Pastor Jim explores the leadership of King Hezekiah and what it looks like to align our lives with God as ultimate reality. Jim shows how worship and obedience help life “fit together,” even when counterfeit pieces try to slip in. Walking through 2 Kings 18–20 and 2 Chronicles 29–32, he traces Hezekiah’s reforms, the Assyrian threat, a shocking illness, and Isaiah’s encouragement to trust God’s promise and power. Jim reminds us that faithfulness does not guarantee a painless life, but it does anchor us in the presence of God. The message culminates in how Jesus is the better Hezekiah, whose third-day victory frees us to live as temples of the living God and to worship in everyday life.
Pastor Jim walks through the fall of the northern kingdom in 2 Kings 17, tracing Israel’s exile back to a long history of idolatry, broken covenants, and corrupt leadership. Jim weaves together the story of Eden, Egypt, and the kingdom to show how exile is not just a political event but a spiritual consequence of rejecting God’s presence and purpose. Through vivid examples, he explains how idolatry shapes our identity, leading us away from the life God intends and into emptiness, corruption, and disconnection. Jim highlights the warning signs God repeatedly gave His people and challenges us to consider what false gods we serve today. Ultimately, the message points to Jesus as the true King who enters our exile, takes on our punishment, and restores us to God’s presence. Rather than settling for temporary substitutes, Jim invites listeners to turn again and again to the King who brings us home.
Pastor Jim walks through the reign of King Ahaz and the nature of fear in leadership. Unlike his ancestor David, Ahaz responds to threats with frantic fear rather than trust or "faithful fear", leading to idolatry, poor alliances, and the abandonment of God’s worship. Jim challenges us to examine how we respond to fear: do we panic and grasp for control, or do we redirect that fear toward deeper reliance on God? Through the words of the prophet Isaiah, listeners are reminded that God is present, faithful, and calling His people to trust Him even when life feels overwhelming. This message offers a clear call to be impressed by God’s faithfulness rather than intimidated by present threats and encourages us to build regular rhythms of prayer and reflection so that fear becomes an invitation to faithful obedience.
In 2 Kings 11 and 12, Pastor Jim unpacks the story of young Joash, who is hidden, preserved, and crowned as Judah’s rightful king in the midst of political upheaval and widespread idolatry. He shows how God works through unlikely people to protect His promise and draws a clear connection between Joash’s flawed reign and Jesus as the greater and perfect King. Jim challenges us to examine the false kings we elevate in our lives and calls us to re-center our worship on Jesus, the true King who brings lasting peace and Shalom.
In this message from 2 Kings 9 and 10, Pastor Jim unpacks God’s justice through the rise of Jehu and the downfall of Ahab’s family. Even as chaos unfolds, the narrative reminds us that God is fully in control, bringing justice for idolatry, restoring peace, and defending the persecuted. Pastor Jim reflects on how idolatry still disrupts peace today and reminds listeners that God works despite human flaws. In the end, God is the true hero and the only source of lasting justice and hope.
Pastor Jake compares life with God to floating down a river, peaceful when we trust His guidance, but exhausting when we fight for control. He shares stories from 2 Kings, such as Elisha’s protection by angel armies and the salvation of Samaria, to remind us that God is the one who saves; we simply receive His grace. Jake encourages us to stop paddling against God’s current, embrace the life Jesus offers, and, like the lepers in 2 Kings, share the good news with joy.
Pastor Jim explores the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5, highlighting how God’s mercy extends to even those perceived as outsiders or enemies. Through the humility of a young servant girl and Naaman’s eventual surrender, we see that salvation comes not through power, wealth, or status, but through simple, obedient faith. Jim challenges listeners to lay down self-reliance and pride, receive God’s free gift of grace, and become conduits of mercy, even toward those we consider enemies.
Pastor Jim walks through a series of Elisha’s miracles in 2 Kings, revealing how God shows up not only in national crises but also in everyday needs. From multiplying oil for a widow, to reviving a child, to recovering a lost axe head, each story testifies to God’s compassion and power in the lives of His faithful remnant. Jim encourages listeners to bring both their biggest fears and smallest concerns to God, trusting in Jesus, the greater Elisha, who meets us in the details with resurrection hope, daily provision, and steadfast love.
Pastor Jim walks through 2 Kings 3 and challenges listeners to consider whether they are living with full faith or half-hearted belief. Highlighting the flawed leadership of King Jehoram, who blends partial obedience with idolatry, Jim contrasts human faithlessness with God’s enduring faithfulness. Even when the people stray, God provides water in the desert and victory over their enemies. Ultimately, Jim points to Jesus as the fully faithful one, whose sacrifice brings lasting hope and calls us to a life of daily surrender and wholehearted trust.
Pastor Jim explores the powerful transition from Elijah to Elisha in 2 Kings, highlighting Elisha’s wholehearted commitment to God’s call. From leaving behind wealth and comfort to asking for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit, Elisha models the cost of discipleship and the necessity of divine empowerment. Jim parallels Elisha’s story with Jesus, the true and better prophet, and invites listeners to reflect on their own surrender to God’s Spirit. This message challenges us to daily clothe ourselves in Christ, walk in the Spirit, and live lives marked by bold faith and confession.
Pastor Jim transitions from First Kings into Second Kings, highlighting how the divided kingdom of Israel and Judah reflects the spiritual fractures that led to exile. He contrasts the partial faithfulness of King Jehoshaphat with the outright rebellion of King Ahaziah, showing how both compromise and idolatry have consequences. Through Elijah’s confrontation with Ahaziah and the powerful reminder that “there is a God in Israel,” Jim calls listeners to examine where they turn in distress, and to respond to God’s word with repentance rather than resistance.
Pastor Jim unpacks the story of Naboth and King Ahab in 1 Kings 21–22, highlighting the spiritual battle between righteousness and corruption. Naboth stands firm on God’s promises, refusing to trade away his inheritance—even at the cost of his life. Ahab’s abuse of power and Jezebel’s manipulation lead to judgment, but not before exposing how the schemes of the enemy mirror our own modern temptations. Jim points us to Jesus, the better Naboth, who stood firm in obedience, was falsely accused, and secured victory through the cross and resurrection.
Pastor Jim explores the surprising grace God extends to King Ahab in 1 Kings 20, despite Ahab’s corruption and idolatry. Through prophetic warnings, unlikely military victories, and divine patience, God continues to pursue Ahab, offering opportunities for repentance. Jim emphasizes that God still uses the small and unexpected—junior officers, obscure prophets, even our own mustard seed faith—to accomplish His purposes. The message points to Jesus as the true King who defeats sin and death, calls us to repentance, and invites us into a kingdom that belongs to the Father.
Pastor Jim explores Elijah’s journey in 1 Kings 19, where despair follows his mountaintop victory. After Jezebel’s threats, Elijah runs away feeling hopeless and alone. Yet God meets him in his weakness, providing food, rest, and eventually speaking not through dramatic signs but through a gentle whisper. Jim reflects on how God works both through and in us, even in our wandering and despair. He reminds listeners that the Christian life isn’t just mountaintop experiences but also seasons of silence where God continues His faithful work.
Pastor Jim walks through Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18, challenging listeners to stop “dancing” between idols and wholehearted devotion to God. He highlights how striving for success, approval, and security often becomes modern idolatry, exhausting us without satisfying our deepest needs. Jim calls believers to trust in the true sacrifice—Jesus—and to rely daily on the Holy Spirit for life, provision, and lasting peace.
Pastor Jim shares a powerful Easter message centered on the resurrection of Jesus and its relevance in the midst of daily chaos and brokenness. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 15 and Romans 10, he challenges listeners to reflect on who they declare as Lord and what they do with the reality of the empty tomb. Jim emphasizes that belief in the resurrection brings not only forgiveness but also the indwelling of the Holy Spirit—transforming believers now and promising renewed life in the future.
Pastor Jim explores the story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath from 1 Kings 17, emphasizing what it means to follow God with costly obedience. From hiding in enemy territory to relying on miraculous provision, Elijah’s journey reflects deep trust in God’s faithfulness. The widow, too, demonstrates courageous faith in offering her last meal. Jim connects this story to Jesus, the better Elijah, who enters enemy territory, speaks truth to power, and draws near to death to bring hope and restoration to the powerless.
Pastor Jim explores the human obsession with winning and control, drawing from the story of Ahab and Jezebel in 1 Kings. He highlights how the relentless pursuit of power leads to idolatry, paranoia, and destruction. Through Elijah’s challenge to God’s people, Pastor Jim calls listeners to reevaluate what they’re truly chasing—and to redirect their hearts toward worshiping the one true God for lasting spiritual growth and wholeness.
Pastor Jim explores 1 Kings 15, focusing on King Asa. He highlights the importance of dethroning and resisting idols inherited from our families of origin and remaining devoted to God, even when it’s hard. Pastor Jim encourages listeners to examine family patterns, and to seek guidance from the Holy Spirit through Gospel community, Scripture, and prayer. A life fully aligned with Jesus not only brings personal transformation but also empowers mission and impact in the world.
Pastor Jim explores the stories of Jeroboam and Rehoboam in 1 Kings, highlighting the dangers of hiding from God and the destructive path of disobedience. He contrasts their downfall with David’s example of honest confession, emphasizing that true transformation comes through vulnerability before God. Jim encourages listeners to step out from behind their facades, embrace confession, and experience the fullness of life, grace, and strength found in Jesus.
Pastor Jim explores the story of King Jeroboam’s disobedience in 1 Kings 13, highlighting the dangers of self-made religion driven by fear and control. He examines how convenience and self-righteousness distort faith, contrasting them with true obedience to God’s word. Through the story of the two prophets, Jim challenges all to reject consumer-based religion, align their lives with Jesus as the final authority, and walk in faith-driven obedience.
Pastor Jim examines the leadership crisis in 1 Kings 12, exploring Rehoboam’s unwise decisions that divided the kingdom. He highlights the tension between human leadership and God’s sovereignty, emphasizing the call to follow the true servant King, Jesus. In a world of turmoil, Jim encourages listeners to seek wisdom, remain faithful to God’s principles, and find rest in Christ, the King who serves.
Pastor Jim explores Solomon’s downfall in 1 Kings 11, where his idolatry leads to God’s judgment and the division of the kingdom. Despite Solomon’s wisdom and success, his disobedience brings adversaries and consequences, yet God remains in control. Jim highlights the dangers of idolatry, the necessity of judgment for restoration, and Jesus as the one who bears the consequences of sin to bring true peace. He calls listeners to confess, trust in God’s providence, and remain committed to Jesus.
Pastor Jim reflects on King Solomon’s journey, highlighting the struggle between flesh and spirit. Despite God’s blessings, Solomon’s pursuit of wealth and power leads to a divided heart and eventual downfall. Jim warns against prioritizing material gain over faithfulness to God, emphasizing the dangers of idolatry. He encourages listeners to rely on God’s presence, resist worldly temptations, and find true fulfillment in Jesus, the ultimate source of life.
Pastor Jim explores the significance of God’s presence in Solomon’s temple as described in First Kings. He highlights Solomon’s awe as God’s glory fills the temple and his recognition that God cannot be contained by human structures. Pastor Jim connects this to Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice and priest, who brings God’s presence to humanity. Through Jesus, religious duties are fulfilled, and believers are invited into a deeper relationship with God through His eternal sacrifice.
Pastor Jake explores the construction of the temple in 1 Kings, comparing the kingdom of God under the reign of Solomon to that of Jesus. He examines the ethical complexities of Solomon’s leadership and the temple’s deep symbolism, connecting it to the Garden of Eden and God’s presence among His people. Jake highlights Jesus as the true King, emphasizing how believers, through faith, become vessels for God’s Spirit and pointing to the future hope of dwelling with Him in His perfect kingdom.
Pastor Jim reflects on Solomon's flourishing kingdom in First Kings 3 and 4, highlighting his wisdom, justice, and governance. While Solomon’s reign brought peace and prosperity, it also sowed doubt through flawed human systems. Jim contrasts this with Jesus, the righteous and eternal King who brings true Shalom—a right relationship with God and others. He emphasizes Jesus’ resurrection as the beginning of a new creation, calling listeners to obedience and faith in the King who offers lasting peace.
Pastor Jim explores the story of Solomon in 1 Kings 3 asking God for "a heart that hears", highlighting the importance of aligning with God’s reality to make just decisions and build a kingdom of peace. He emphasizes how wisdom is also an act of worship while contrasting Solomon’s journey with Jesus as the ultimate example of wisdom and obedience. Pastor Jim encourages listeners to seek God’s wisdom, embrace true worship, and reorient their lives around glorifying Him through the new covenant in Christ.
Pastor Jim reflects on David’s advice to Solomon, emphasizing the importance of covenant obedience for prosperity and strength in God’s kingdom. Highlighting the contrast between human kingship and God’s rule, he explores the already-present but not fully realized kingdom of Jesus. Jim challenges listeners to repent, believe in Jesus as the better King, and live in obedience while trusting Him to build His kingdom.
Pastor Jim introduces a new series on First Kings, exploring Israel’s rejection of God as their king and the consequences of flawed leadership. Through the stories of Adonijah and Solomon, he highlights themes of brokenness, God’s faithfulness, and the importance of trusting His promises. Pastor Jim challenges listeners to reflect on their choice of king—following the world’s taskmasters or the true King, Jesus, who offers life and salvation.
Pastor Jim explores the transformative concepts of redemption, adoption, and inheritance through Jesus. He emphasizes how believers are redeemed from sin, adopted into God’s family, and given a new identity and inheritance. Highlighting the union with Christ as the foundation of true spiritual freedom, Pastor Jim reflects on the atonement, the gift of Christmas, and the significance of communion in connecting past redemption, present identity, and future promises.
Pastor Jim explores the profound concept of the incarnation, highlighting how Jesus closed the gap between God and humanity by taking on flesh. Through His humble beginnings and sinless life, Jesus fulfilled the law and led humanity out of sin into righteousness. Pastor Jim reflects on the compassion and faithfulness of God, urging listeners to embrace the transformative power of Jesus during this season of reflection and hope.
Pastor Jim introduces The Child of Promise series, exploring Galatians 4 and humanity’s deepest struggle: the spiritual struggle with sin, idolatry, and religious legalism. He highlights God’s redemptive plan, from Noah to Abraham, culminating in Jesus as the promised Savior who arrived at "just the right time." Focusing on the Advent season, Pastor Jim emphasizes shifting from idols and legalism to true life and freedom in Jesus, encouraging a deep, expectant connection with Him for transformation.
Pastor Jim highlights the importance of cultivating a life centered on intentional organization for spiritual growth. He emphasizes obeying Jesus’ command to make disciples by recognizing unique callings and living them out through prayer, listening, sharing meals, serving others, and spreading the gospel. Pastor Jim encourages building relationships, serving the community, and sharing the transformative power of Jesus in everyday life as part of a fulfilling walk with Christ.
Pastor Jim explores the importance of using our gifts to serve one another in the church, calling for unity and strength of combined talents. He emphasizes sacrificial living as a response to God’s grace and the need to incorporate serving into our daily rhythms as an act of worship. Pastor Jim encourages listeners to reflect on how God has uniquely wired them to contribute to the church, build up the body of Christ, and spread His grace to the world.
Pastor Jim explores the connection between the gospel and generosity, encouraging believers to develop a rhythm of life centered on intimacy with God. He emphasizes the importance of stewardship, being intentional with resources, and practicing open-handed generosity with finances, possessions, and hospitality. By managing wealth wisely and trusting in God, Pastor Jim shows how we can break free from wealth’s hold, live fulfilling lives, and draw closer to God.
Pastor Jim discusses the importance of gospel-centered relationships for personal growth and God’s glory. He highlights how believers are adopted into God’s family, called to love and support one another as part of one body. Emphasizing forgiveness, humility, and commitment to community, Pastor Jim encourages listeners to prioritize relationships that reflect Jesus and foster spiritual maturity. He also discusses the need to turn from individualism, embrace community, and set boundaries to nurture healthy, Christ-centered connections.
In this episode, Pastor Jim delves into the essence of prayer as a heartfelt conversation with our loving Father rather than a time to use fancy words to impress God or others. Exploring elements like worship, confession, supplication, and submission, he shares insights from Jesus’ teaching on prayer using the Lord’s Prayer as a framework. Pastor Jim encourages listeners to move to a deeper relationship with God, like a child moves on to a deeper relationship with a parent over time. (Special testimony from Dick and Nancy Heaney)
Pastor Jim explores the significance of cultivating a rhythm of life that leads to intimacy with God through engaging the scriptures (the Bible). He highlights how engaging with the Bible goes beyond reading, encompassing the person of Jesus and the indwelling Holy Spirit. The teaching discusses the authority and inspiration of scripture, emphasizing its role in guiding believers, not as a set of rules but as a revelation of Jesus throughout the whole Bible. Practical tips, including resources, are offered to help listeners engage deeply with God’s Word.
Pastor Jim explores the spiritual discipline of silence and solitude, emphasizing its importance in today’s noisy world. He shares how calming the mind and being alone with God can lead to healing, spiritual growth, and deeper intimacy with Him. Drawing from Jesus’ example, Pastor Jim highlights the need for quiet time with God amidst the busyness of life and offers practical tips for incorporating silence and solitude into daily practice.
Pastor Jim explores the value of work in a Jesus-centered life, highlighting how all work can be holy when done for God's glory. He discusses finding identity in Jesus, not job roles, and avoiding stress by working for the Lord rather than earthly recognition. Jim emphasizes a healthy balance between work, rest, and relationships, showing how work is a way God shapes and walks with us.
Pastor Jim discusses the importance of Sabbath as a foundational element in forming a healthy rhythm of life for disciples of Jesus. He emphasizes that Sabbath is more than just a day of less work; it is an act of worship and a time for rest, reflection, and restoration. Jim highlights the restorative power of Sabbath in knowing God amidst the busyness of life and addresses why people often struggle to observe it. He explains that Sabbath is about enjoying God’s creation, worshiping, and stepping away from the constant need to work and perform. Jim also touches on issues like injustice and identity crises that disrupt rest, clarifies misconceptions of Sabbath as merely a break or indulgence, and underscores its role in celebrating freedom from spiritual slavery. He emphasizes that Sabbath is a personal and vital aspect of worship, not bound by legalism, serving as a foretaste of the restoration to come when Jesus returns. Through practicing Sabbath, believers are reminded of their identity as children of God and their redemption in Jesus.
Pastor Jim discusses the importance of intentional effort in developing a sustainable Christian life, emphasizing the distinction between earning salvation and making effort in one’s faith journey. Drawing from biblical references, Jim encourages active participation in the divine nature through God’s gifts, highlighting the need for continual effort and growth. He emphasizes grace-motivated obedience in cultivating a rhythm of life focused on delighting in God, aiming for inner transformation rather than perfection. Jim cautions against external conformity without internal change, stressing the need for the gospel to transform the inner self first. He underscores the importance of choosing to walk with Jesus instead of a life of sin, leading to an increased awareness of God’s presence. Highlighting the significance of being present to God in daily life and listening to His unique calling, Jim concludes that holiness comes only through God’s presence and our relationship with Him, not through mere external efforts.
Pastor Jim discusses the importance of living a rhythm of life that helps individuals glorify God and fulfill their divine purpose. He emphasizes that this rhythm is personal and not a strict prescription, allowing for individual uniqueness in application. Jim highlights the uniqueness of each individual’s calling and the need to prioritize glorifying God in all aspects of life. The central message revolves around curating a personal rhythm of life to align with God’s plan, focusing on unique purpose and calling rather than rigid rules. Quoting Ephesians, he points out that individuals are God’s masterpieces with specific good works to accomplish. Upcoming sessions will cover topics like Sabbath, silence, scripture, prayer, relationships, stewardship, vocation, and mission.
Pastor Jim reflects on our busy lives, introducing the concept of cultivating a sustainable rhythm of life to grow in intimacy with God. He emphasizes the importance of intentionally curating a personal rhythm to experience fullness, peace, and joy in contrast to the frantic pace of modern existence. Jim highlights the challenges of external distractions that divert attention from God’s guidance and stresses the need to move beyond belief into active discipleship. He discusses the idea of apprenticeship with Jesus, focusing on learning, being changed by Him, and committing to His mission. Jim encourages a personal approach to life, tailored to one’s current state, with an emphasis on grace, presence with Jesus, and living a gospel-centered life.
Pastor Jim concludes a series on parables by discussing the parable in Matthew 20, which highlights the generosity and grace of God as portrayed by the landowner. The parable emphasizes that being in God’s kingdom is like working for a generous landowner who blesses all equally, challenging traditional notions of fairness and showcasing God’s abundant grace. Jim addresses the dangers of insiderism and legalism, urging listeners to focus on God’s mercy and grace. The message underscores that all believers will receive abundant blessings and eternal life through God’s generosity, regardless of when they entered the kingdom. Pastor Jim emphasizes the importance of participating in the work of the vineyard, highlighting the rewards of knowing God through faithful obedience and grace, and stresses that salvation is by grace, not by works, encouraging listeners to find purpose and sustenance in God’s kingdom.
Pastor Jim speaks on the concept of debt and forgiveness in the kingdom of God, as illustrated in a parable from Matthew 18. The focus is on the importance of extraordinary mercy and forgiveness, drawing parallels between the debts owed due to sin and the forgiveness granted by God through Jesus. Jim emphasizes sin as idolatry, the cost it incurs, and the immense debt owed to God. The parable of the king forgiving a massive debt is used to illustrate God’s forgiveness of humanity’s sins. The message highlights God’s compassion and grace, encouraging listeners to understand and accept God’s forgiveness in order to extend it to others. Pastor Jim underscores the transformative power of preemptive forgiveness and the daily practice of living in God’s mercy, urging followers of Jesus to embrace forgiveness, compassion, and humility.
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Pastor Jake discusses the parable of the treasure in the field from Matthew 13, focusing on the kingdom of heaven’s immense value compared to earthly riches. He emphasizes the significance of prioritizing the kingdom of God over material possessions, prompting reflection on personal priorities and spiritual growth. The parable illustrates the incomparable worth of the kingdom, highlighting the joy in making Jesus the king of one’s life and the gift of salvation. Jake explores the concept of giving everything back to God and adopting a new identity as a citizen of the kingdom of heaven.
Pastor Jim discusses the parables of the mustard seed and yeast, focusing on the kingdom of God’s transformational power that begins with small, seemingly insignificant beginnings. He challenges the expectation of immediate rescue and salvation, illustrating how the kingdom of heaven grows gradually through internal transformation. The discussion emphasizes the importance of participating in this process, recognizing God’s power at work within individuals. Jim also explores the concept of working out salvation with fear and trembling, highlighting the collaboration between personal effort and divine influence. He underscores the role of the Spirit in enabling individuals to live a godly life, and the importance of intentionally incorporating kingdom principles into daily life to bring about internal and external change. The kingdom’s growth is gradual and subversive, impacting both individuals and the world through the work of Jesus.
Paul discusses the parable of the ten minas from Luke 19, emphasizing the importance of faithfulness and fairness in God's evaluation of individuals. He explains that followers of Jesus will be judged based on their faithfulness rather than outcomes and cautions against speculating on God's fairness. The story of Zacchaeus highlights a shift in faithfulness from worldly structures to the kingdom of God. Paul underscores the significance of performing tasks to the best of one's ability as a sign of loyalty to God. He uses examples of Abraham, Joseph, and David to illustrate faithful actions directed toward serving God and others. The parable calls listeners to be fully engaged and faithful in their responsibilities within the church and community.
Pastor Jim explores the concept of relational prayer through the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18. He contrasts the unjust judge in the parable with God, stressing the need to interpret passages in context. The discussion broadens to view the kingdom of God as both an internal reality and a future hope centered on justice and wholeness. Jesus is presented as the king who brings internal peace and justice, prompting believers to prepare for the return of the Son of Man. Jim underscores the “already not yet” nature of the kingdom, urging his audience to persist in prayer for God’s justice and peace. He emphasizes maintaining faith in prayer as a deepening relationship with God, moving beyond mere requests. The talk emphasizes prayer as relational rather than ritualistic, encouraging alignment with God’s kingdom and persistent prayer for its manifestation in justice and peace, both presently and in the future.
Pastor Jim discusses the Parable of the Prodigal Son, focusing on the identities and behaviors of the younger and older brothers, noting how their actions—rebellion and self-emancipation for the younger and self-righteousness for the older—lead to deeper enslavement and fractured relationships. He discusses how the story underscores the gracious father's relentless pursuit of his lost sons, symbolizing God's love and the theme of repentance. Jim highlights how the father's unending grace and desire for reconciliation contrast the sons' rebellion and self-justification. He also introduces the concept of Jesus as the better older brother who facilitates our reconciliation with God. The key message is an invitation to return to the Father's grace and embrace freedom from self-justification, highlighting the transformative power of God’s love and grace in mending broken relationships and restoring true freedom.
Pastor Jim discusses the parable of the lost sheep from Luke 15, emphasizing the theme of being lost as rebellion against God’s ways, and contrasts it with the joy of repentance and the celebration in heaven when a sinner repents. This parable challenges the Pharisees’ attitude towards sinners, depicting God as a pursuing shepherd who actively seeks the lost. Jim explains that “lostness” signifies rejection and rebellion, while “foundness” equates to repentance. He highlights God’s persistent pursuit throughout history, exemplified by Jesus as the Good Shepherd. The message focuses on the necessity of repentance, recognizing God’s kindness, and the joy of salvation. Jim stresses that salvation comes by grace through faith, and that God’s kindness is meant to lead to repentance. He encourages listeners to continually reflect on their faith and the importance of reaching out to Jesus for salvation, urging them to embrace God’s pursuit.
Pastor Jim explores the well-known parable of the Good Samaritan, cautioning against the oversimplification of its message and stressing the importance of understanding its deeper meanings and context. He discusses how the parable intertwines the law, eternal life, and the notion of being a good neighbor, urging listeners to reflect on their relationship with God and their behavior towards others. Jim highlights that true eternal life is realized through understanding the heart of the Father and demonstrating compassion, as exemplified by the Samaritan's actions towards his enemy, which underscore the value of people over ritual purity. Further delving into the themes of loving one's enemies and neighbors, he emphasizes that genuine love stems from a profound relationship with God, driven by His love, rather than from obligation or an attempt to justify oneself.
Jesus tells the parable of the sower to show two important truths. First, God faithfully and generously sows the seed of the gospel for all of humanity, without precondition or prejudice. Second, the soil, or human heart, on which a seed lands is important for its growth. The faithfulness of the sower is a constant, but the human heart is not. What type of soil is your heart? And what are you doing to cultivate it?
Pastor Jim covers John 17, focusing on Jesus praying for unity before his crucifixion and highlighting the lack of unity in the world. Jesus prays for unity among his disciples and with God, emphasizing the Father's love for him and how it extends to believers. Jim explores how a secure identity in Christ leads to obedience, sacrificial living, and unity. He discusses how our identity in Jesus provides significance, security, and approval, fostering unity essential for making God known. The message stresses understanding our identity in Christ to overcome divisions and focus on what truly matters. Jim emphasizes that unity in Jesus should be the central focus for believers, who can demonstrate this unity by embodying the love and sacrifice of Christ in a fragmented world. The call is for believers to unite in worship and showcase God's love through their actions and relationships.
Pastor Jim explores Jesus's prayer in John 17 for his disciples, emphasizing his request to God for their protection and unity. Jesus expresses deep love for his disciples, manifesting God's name, words, and truth to safeguard them. His concern for their well-being and glorification is evident in his heartfelt prayer. Jim discusses Jesus' prayer for protection and sanctification in the face of the evil one's lies and distortions, highlighting the importance of being set apart by God's truth as a defense against Satan's deception. He explores the concept of sanctification, explaining how Jesus sanctifies Himself and calls believers to remain in Him. Sanctification is linked to the mission of spreading God's glory, with believers set apart to be sent into the world as worshipers and carriers of the truth.
Jesus begins his prayer by asking to be glorified. He is praying for the reality of resurrection in the face of the cross. This resurrection will not only glorify Jesus, but also the Father. And it will bring eternal life to all who are in Jesus. Eternal life is knowing God - both then and now, in both quality and quantity.
Pastor Jim discusses how Jesus sends his Holy Spirit to his disciples to minster TO them and THROUGH them, emphasizing the need to surrender to the Holy Spirit to actually experience his life changing testimony. He highlights that the Holy Spirit is trying to open hearts and minds to the Gospel while the enemy of God is trying to blind and close them off. Jim explains that the Holy Spirit is operating in the absence of Jesus to bring about heart change as it pertains to how the world feels about sin, righteousness, and judgment.
Pastor Jim discusses how true disciples of Jesus will face resistance from a world opposed to His ways, emphasizing the need to prioritize allegiance to the kingdom of God over worldly values such as politics and cultural expectations. He highlights the challenges this misalignment can cause, including hatred and opposition, and stresses the importance of community support and intimate connection with God. Jim explains that the world's ignorance of God leads to hurt and opposition but emphasizes the need to testify to Jesus through love and unity. He also highlights the role of the Spirit in guiding believers and finding peace amid trouble through sacrificial love.
Pastor Jim examines John 15 of Jesus' analogy of himself as the true vine, stressing the significance of bearing fruit to glorify God. This fruit represents sincere and enduring worship and love for God and others. Jim contextualizes the discussion within Israel's historical failure to produce good fruit, portraying Jesus as the true Israel and urging his disciples to spread worship globally by maintaining their connection to him. He underscores the necessity of remaining rooted in Jesus to yield fruit that honors God, advocating for adherence to His teachings, obedience, and openness to growth through pruning. Jim further emphasizes the importance of staying connected to Jesus as the true vine to cultivate enduring expressions of love for God and others, highlighting the communal aspect of growth and worship while underscoring the transformative power of obedience and love rooted in Jesus.
In his discussion of John 14, Jim highlights Jesus' promise to send the Holy Spirit. "The Holy Spirit is the presence of Jesus who empowers us to love and obey Jesus." He elaborates on the significance of having the Holy Spirit dwelling within believers and its impact on their relationship with Jesus, emphasizing the Spirit's role in empowering obedience through love. Jim underscores how the Spirit teaches truth, reminds believers of Jesus' words, and guides them daily, stressing the importance of listening to the Spirit through scripture, silence, and solitude to reaffirm one's identity in God. He further emphasizes the transformative power of faithful obedience to the Holy Spirit, leading to intimacy with the Father and profound peace, ultimately transforming believers into the image of Jesus. Jim concludes that the eternal presence of the Spirit brings a lasting peace that transcends worldly understanding.
In a discussion of Jesus's farewell discourse from John 14, Pastor Jim underscores the theme of destination, with Jesus heading to his father's house and full unity with God, while urging the disciples to remain as empowered witnesses on a journey toward increasing glory. He stresses that the journey with Jesus entails more than just reaching heaven eventually, but also involves being empowered witnesses on earth. Key points include Jesus as the exclusive pathway to the Father, the significance of belief and obedience, and the experience of life and truth through Jesus.
Pastor Jim examines the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus to Mary Magdalene, Thomas, and Peter, particularly focusing on Peter's impulsive nature and his denial of Jesus. The narrative emphasizes Jesus' restoration of Peter despite his denials, highlighting the themes of repentance and forgiveness. Jim discusses how Jesus addresses Peter's denial, gradually reinstating his leadership and refocusing him, ultimately calling him to affirm his love three times. The story illustrates forgiveness, repentance, and restoration, showcasing Jesus' challenge, comfort, and call to leadership as acts of redemption. The focus remains on maintaining faith in Jesus amidst doubts, denial, and the journey of repentance and sacrifice.
Pastor Jim explores the theme of doubt and belief through the lens of Thomas in John 20, acknowledging doubt as a common experience among disciples and people of faith. By examining Thomas's encounter with Jesus, Jim underscores the significance of transitioning from doubt to belief. He emphasizes the role of doubt and community in the faith journey, highlighting how Jesus met Thomas in his doubt and the importance of supportive communities in strengthening belief. Jim encourages engaging in investigations of Jesus collectively and allowing Jesus to address personal struggles within a supportive community.
In this teaching, Pastor Jim looks into the interaction that the resurrected Jesus has with Mary Magdalene outside the garden tomb. Though Mary is looking for the living among the dead, and mistakes Jesus for the gardener, she is doing so out of devotion to Jesus! Jim shows that disciples are devoted to Jesus because of what he has done for them, and that they can join Jesus as the perfect rabbi and gardener as he does works of new creation.
Pastor Jim reflects on the profound significance of Jesus's resurrection, showing it to be the beginning of new creation and the foundation of our faith. Through Christ's resurrection, believers are offered forgiveness and new life, establishing the cornerstone of Christian faith. The discourse delves into the transformative impact of Jesus's resurrection, underscoring its role in signifying forgiveness, new beginnings, and the dawn of eternity. Moreover, the resurrection is depicted as a fundamental pillar of faith and comprehension, providing a sturdy foundation upon which believers can construct their spiritual beliefs.
As Jesus welcomed the disciples to the table, he also bowed low to humbly wash their feet. But it wasn't feet he was actually offering to wash. It was hearts. Jesus has invited everyone to his table, but in order to be with him we have to be washed clean. This would ultimately happen on the cross for anyone who would confess him as Savior. Do you understand what he was done for you?
Pastor Jim examines John 12, following the resurrection of Lazarus in John 11, and focuses on the events leading to Jesus's crucifixion. The narrative explores Mary's sacrificial act of worship, Judas's greed, the fluctuating beliefs of the crowd, and Jesus's impending glory despite facing opposition. The discussion analyzes Mary's anointing of Jesus with expensive perfume, depicting it as a preparatory act for his burial, alongside Jesus's deliberate entry into Jerusalem on a donkey as the king of peace. Themes of betrayal, genuine worship, and the dual nature of Jesus's crucifixion as both mercy and judgment are explored, emphasizing the significance of embracing Jesus as king and living out faith in devotion and mission.
Pastor Jim explores the narrative of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, focusing on Jesus' hatred of death and the sin that causes it. Through weeping with Mary and raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus show that he understands our pain and is willing to directly enter into it...even if it costs him his life. Through this act, Jesus exhibits his power over death and sin, underscoring his profound love for humanity. The discussion delves into the impact of sin on humanity and Jesus' role as the Good Shepherd who leads individuals out of darkness into new life. The resurrection of Lazarus serves as a precursor to Jesus' own victory over sin and death, emphasizing the significance of his sacrificial act for believers' forgiveness and new life.
In this exploration of John 11:1-27, Pastor Jim looks at the famous the narrative of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, unveiling the dual nature of Jesus as both human and divine. Motivated by love, Jesus seeks to instill belief in his disciples, Mary, Martha, and the Jewish people, using the delay in his response to allow temporary pain for ultimate glory. The overarching message centers on the transformative power of belief in and truly knowingJesus, leading to the manifestation of God's glory in the world.
Pastor Jim highlights how the claims Jesus makes in John 10 were messianic in nature, dating all the way back to the prophet Ezekiel. Emphasizing Jesus as the ultimate shepherd for souls, he contrasts him with bad shepherds such as corrupt priests, false messiahs, and the ultimate thief, Satan. Jesus emerges as the compassionate defender of his flock, illustrating true servant leadership by laying down his life to establish a new covenant and defeat sin. The passage underscores the importance of following the Good Shepherd in a world where bad shepherds abound. The speaker encourages listeners to embrace the love, security, and purpose found in following Jesus, emphasizing the significance of listening to his voice for comfort, peace, and intimacy in prayer. This message resonates with the call to reject false voices, acknowledge the need for guidance, and seek a deeper connection with God.
Pastor Jim looks at the story of Jesus healing the blind man in John 9, considering the profound philosophical issue of the problem of pain and the providential will of God. Jesus clarifies that the man's blindness serves to display God's works, challenging the perception that suffering is always a consequence of sin. Jim encourages forming a foundational understanding that everything comes through the hands of God. The discussion extends to the spiritual healing and transformation highlighted in John 9, where the blind man's journey from physical to spiritual sight symbolizes a deeper transformation towards recognizing Jesus as the Messiah. Reflecting on the beauty of the incarnation and Jesus' redemptive work on the cross, Jim underscores the call for believers to walk in faithful obedience, persevere in pain, and live as sent ones sharing the gospel.
Pastor Jim explores Jesus challenging the Pharisees at the feast of tabernacles by offering living water and claiming to be the light of the world. Despite initial resistance, some individuals believe in Jesus, who emphasizes the significance of adhering to his teachings for truth and freedom. Jim delves into how Jesus, as the light, unveils the truth and leads to freedom, stressing that belief entails living out Jesus' teachings and internalizing them to shape identities. The light of Jesus reveals flaws and shortcomings in the context of God's unconditional love, allowing for honesty about oneself. The transcript underscores the importance of walking with Jesus, believing in His sacrifice, and finding genuine freedom in the light of God's love. Jim further discusses the concepts of walking in obedience, embracing grace, and breaking free from enslaving idols, delving into the sacrificial aspect of someone giving up freedom and power to become a slave for the liberation of those enslaved by sin.
Jesus' brother encourage him to go to Jerusalem during the feast and gather a crowd and further his ministry. John tells us they say this because they don't believe in him. They want Jesus to prove himself. On the other hand, Jesus is seeking the glory of the Father, not his own. He speaks the words and follows the timing of the Father. For this reason, he is eminently trustworthy. As sent disciples, we are sent by Jesus just like he was sent by the Father. So we seek only his glory, not our own.
Pastor Jim looks into the stories of the feeding of the five thousand and Jesus walking on water from John 6, framed within the context of the Passover. These miracles showcase Jesus' abundant provision and divine nature, laying the foundation for his teachings on eternal bread. Jim cautions against expecting Jesus to be a political ruler or only performing miracles to satisfy us. Shifting to a pivotal passage where Jesus declares himself as the bread of life, Jim highlights the distinction between having bread eternally or having eternal bread. He challenges misplaced hopes for material provision and power, encouraging listeners to find true soul satisfaction and fortitude in the ongoing immersion in the gospel and community of believers.
In this discussion of John 4, Pastor Jim explores the idea that fulfillment is found in the presence of God and sustenance is found in the purposes of God. Using the Samaritan woman at the well as an example, the passage shows Jesus breaking societal barriers and addressing universal human desires for fulfillment. Jesus offers "living water" as a profound source of contentment, countering temporary worldly satisfaction. The encounter with the Samaritan woman exemplifies how even the rejected can find a place in God's kingdom through Jesus. Jim encourages listeners to live with a deeper purpose and mission alongside Jesus, finding sustenance in His presence and glorifying God through spreading the gospel.
Pastor Jim asks why John gives us the most famous verse in the Bible in John 3:16. Contextualizing this verse within the broader narrative, Jim provides a concise recap of preceding stories in John two, including the wedding miracle at Cana and the temple cleansing. Focusing on the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus, a Pharisee and Jewish ruling council member, Jim explores themes of being born again and the Spirit's role in entering the kingdom of God. Emphasizing the need for genuine inward transformation over religious rituals, Jim uses Nicodemus as an example. Jesus offers new life to all people, including the respectable religious.
Pastor Jim challenges the congregation to contemplate the deeper meaning of Christmas and their genuine desires in life, including our individual aspirations for significance, security, and approval. He underscores Jesus's universal invitation to come and see, offering meaning and fulfillment without regard to background or beliefs. Drawing from the Book of John, Jim illustrates four individuals who choose to follow Jesus, transcending preconceptions and stereotypes. This inclusive invitation extends to all curious and open minds, as Jim explores Jesus's welcoming stance toward skeptics and doubters. Jesus, understanding each person intimately, invites all to discover where true life is found. Promising perpetual presence with followers, Jesus offers meaning, security, and a familial connection. The message encourages listeners to discover significance, security, and love in Jesus.
Pastor Jim explores the account of Jesus's early ministry in the Gospel of John, emphasizing John the Baptist's role in pointing to Jesus as the true Messiah. John's call for repentance and baptism symbolizes entry into the promised land with the Messiah, contrasting his repentance-focused baptism with Jesus's transformative baptism through the Holy Spirit. Warning against misplaced reliance on external factors for salvation, John directs people to prepare their hearts for Jesus, stressing salvation found solely in Him. The sermon challenges listeners to shed distractions, embrace a new way of living, and recognize Jesus as the source of true fulfillment. Repentance and belief in Jesus are encouraged, emphasizing the need to remove distractions and make way for Him in our lives, with the role of Christians highlighted in pointing others to Jesus, especially during Christmas.
In this sermon, Pastor Jim highlights Jesus as the tangible presence and promise of God in our lives. Describing this as a new Exodus, Jim emphasizes the transformative journey from slavery to the sonship and daughterhood of God. Encouraging believers to center their lives around the present Jesus, he explores the revealed glory of God in Christ and the promise of adoption as children of God, fostering liberation and immersion in God's grace, love, and truth in daily life. Jim underscores the call to a unified life, intertwining the relationship with God in all aspects, and reflects on the beauty of the Advent season. Exploring the idea that contemplating Jesus leads to radiating His glory, Jim encourages humility and surrender to the manger and the cross as places where Jesus' transformative power and glory are most vividly displayed.
In this sermon, Pastor Jim delves into the Gospel of John, underscoring its theological depth and central themes of darkness, light, love, and life. Jim explores John's portrayal of Jesus as the incarnate Word, embodying God's self-disclosure and heralding a new creation. Emphasizing Jesus as both the person and power of God, Jim illuminates how belief in His name transforms individuals into children of God. In the Christmas season, Jim underscores Jesus as the light that dispels darkness, bringing life and identity to believers. Jim reflects on the cosmic scope of God's power displayed through Jesus, urging listeners to find comfort in God's control over all things. The sermon concludes with a call for believers to embrace Jesus afresh during the Christmas season, recognizing His transformative power and presence in their lives.
In this sermon, Pastor Jim delves into the profound role of being disciple-makers as an integral part of the Christian identity. Emphasizing that discipleship is a continuous, 24/7 calling for every Christian, Jim stresses that it transcends specific locations or occupations. He underscores the importance of making disciples of Jesus, rather than of a church, brand, or subculture, defining discipleship as the ongoing pursuit of following and teaching others to follow Jesus, focusing on love for God and others. The talk concludes with a challenge to reflect on the transformative impact of being a disciple-maker on one's life and Christian experience. He encourages believers to share the message of Jesus, emphasizing that the Church belongs to Him, and its foundation is unshakable. Concluding with a call to ongoing discipleship and the spreading of Jesus' message, Jim prompts the congregation to consider their willingness to be disciples and participate in the mission.
In this sermon, Pastor Jim explores the vital role of our new identity as witness to showcase God: emphasizing the declaration of God's sovereignty and the truth of salvation through Jesus, Pastor Jim highlights Jesus as the faithful witness and stresses the need to live lives reflecting God's character. He discusses the failures of Israel in this role and urges followers of Jesus to share God's love globally, emphasizing personal transformation and testimonies. Pastor Jim encourages recognizing one's unique influence, using it to share God's truth without opposition. The sermon concludes with a call for the church to bear witness to God's grace and gospel within the community, highlighting the importance of building one another up in the faith through our commitment to one another.
In this sermon, Pastor Jim explores believers' role as a royal priesthood in Jesus. From Old Testament to New, the people of God are part of God's rescue plan. Reflecting on the Israelites as God's chosen priests, Jim emphasizes representing God to the world, bringing Him near, and embodying His character. With Jesus as the ultimate high priest, the sermon underscores the new identity and distinct living that comes with being God's children. Encouraging a deep dive into 1 Peter, Jim advocates for speaking the language of the Kingdom, sacrificial living, and making Jesus known in every aspect of life. Jim dives into the profound concept of living as priests in diverse environments, fulfilling the covenant through love and kindness. The congregation is prompted to intercede for others, be ambassadors of reconciliation, and share the hope of the gospel with gentleness and respect.
In this sermon, Pastor Jim Entwistle explores the concept of inheritance for believers in Jesus, emphasizing our status as adopted children of God and co-heirs with Christ. Jim draws from Romans 8 to illustrate the entitlement of believers to an inheritance and how it should impact their lives in the present, including navigating challenges and joys. The sermon also highlights the connection between this inheritance and promises made to Abraham and the people of Israel, fulfilled in Jesus, who gives his believers eternal life. The message includes a vision of a future inheritance in a new heaven and earth, free from suffering and death, encouraging listeners to live with an eternal perspective. It stresses the importance of prioritizing God and sharing the message of Jesus, as our adoption guarantees a future glory that transforms our path in this temporary life.
In his loving grace and joy, God chose to redeem us, forgive us, and adopt us into his family through Christ! Our identity and purpose are no longer slaves to sin and fear but instead are alive again because of Jesus.
We are all made in the image of God to live for God's glory. That's our God-given identity! But we all also have an identity crisis that causes separation between us and God. We try and find our identity in ourselves. We have a taste FOR God that becomes a desire to BE God. We need salvation! Thank God for the Gospel and the salvation it brings.
As people made in God's image, we are called to bear the image of God to one another and all of creation. We represent God and reflect God's character as care-takers through our creative words and work.
Scripture tells us clearly that God created humanity with intentionality, with great value, and with a purpose.
Genuine faith leads to obedience. And obedience leads to friendship with God...and the thriving life...the way it's supposed to be!
Through the Gospel, God has "planted" us in a new kingdom, a new family, and into eternal life. We now continue on in a Gospel centered rhythm of life to remain planted and thriving!
Psalm 1 says that the way of blessing and thriving in God is found through delighting in and meditating on His ways and words. There is no surer way to hear God's words than in the Scriptures.
Psalm 1 makes it clear that we can find fullness of life through walking in God's wisdom, ways, and worship. But often we go the opposite direction away from blessing. Thank God for His covenant faithfulness to us in Jesus!
Spirit-led self-control is really the brush with which all of the elements of the fruit of the Spirit are painted. In controlling our fleshly desires for self-indulgence by worshipping God we give freedom to the Spirit to lead us into freedom and full life.
Gentleness is a humble, confidently content, tender disposition. Followers of Jesus are called to be gentle in community, in confrontation, and in the Great Commission.
God's faithfulness TO us motivates faithfulness IN us. As we grasp more of what God has done for us in Christ Jesus, we become more and more faithful to God, the Gospel, and other people.
The life of a Jesus-follower is to be one typified by Spirit-led goodness...a life of virtue and integrity for the sake of others. But that integrity does not mean perfection; it means living in the goodness and grace of God rather than our own righteousness.
Kindness is love in action; blessing someone by dignifying them and meeting their needs in a useful way. But too often we are stuck in a scarcity mindset physically and emotionally and it hinders kindness. We find in the Gospel, though, the abundance needed to change our minds and lean into kindness.
Patience is a choice to take the long view. In our patience, we trust God as judge and we join him in taking a posture of redemption and restoration in our world. Waiting, humility and forgiveness are all examples of patience in action.
The Gospel leads us to a relationship with God that impacts us in a very personal way, producing deep peace in our real lives. But that peace is not to remain personal, but is to show itself in how we have peace with others in our lives and church community.
Covenant Member Dennis Hendershot shares a message on having joy based on our relationship to God as Father. We find this joy through cultivating childlike faith and trust.
Deep affection for God and the Gospel leads to a healthy love of others. Meaning, to foster the fruit of the Spirit of love in your life, it takes being led by the Spirit to crucify our selfish love through understanding God's selfless love.
God indwells His people with His very Spirit to call a people to Himself that look like His son Jesus. When we are led by the Spirit we grow in Christlikeness...producing the fruit of the Spirit and finding the full life.
The book of Exodus finally reaches its desired end: the glory of God descending to dwell in the midst of the God's people. But as we see in chapters 35-40, God's glory "shows up" because the people are worshipping and obeying because of God's grace and mercy.
Moses intercedes for the people of God after their sin of worshipping the golden calf. God relents from destroying the people and decides to go with the people "in their midst". He honors the faith of one over the faithlessness of many; the righteousness of one over the sins of many. For us today, Jesus is the better Moses that lives to intercede for us!
While waiting for Moses to come down off Mt. Sinai, the people of God grow worried and restless. They decide to pick a new leader, fashion a new image of god(s), and decide on a new code of conduct. They forget God's past provision and lose hope in the future He's promised them. We have a tendency to do the same thing today!
The first person described in Scripture to be "filled with the Spirit" was a general contractor who was good with textiles, precious metals, and gems. The purpose of the filling was to join God in an act of co-creation for the good of the community. In Jesus we, too, are filled with the Spirit not just for me, but for we. We are filled to build...
The central piece of the Tabernacle Moses is commanded to build is the Ark of the Covenant with the Mercy Seat. It is there that the High Priest assures the people of God of their access to God. Jesus is the perfect High Priest who has given us access to God. And now WE are the royal priesthood offering others access to God.
On Mt.Sinai God gives Moses the plans to build a tabernacle for His presence to dwell with His people, despite their unholiness and rebellion. In Jesus, we are welcomed to be tabernacles ourselves, housing the Spirit of God.
God confirms His covenant to lead His people into the Promised Land via a mediator they must follow and obey . He does this based on His love and commitment, not on anything the people have done. He asks in return that they follow His mediator into the Promised Land and to worship God alone.
God gives Israel the Ten Commandments and the Book of the Covenant at Mt. Sinai as a way to know what they're to look like as His covenant people. In these "rules" we see trajectories of what God is really up to...and how it applies to our lives so many years later.
To walk in newness of life with Jesus is best done in Gospel community. Like the story of the paralyzed man whose friends carried him to Jesus, sometimes we need to be carried, and sometimes we help pick others up. Both are what it means to be in Gospel community, walking in step with God.
To walk in newness of life with Jesus means a journey of good days and bad, days where we stay yoked to Jesus in relational obedience, and days where we miss the mark. Confession to God and others of our sin is the key that continues to unlock the jail cell doors of guilt and shame on this long journey of sanctification.
It is not newness of life and freedom if we don't walk out of the jail cell. Jesus offers us a way of life that is more about abiding than achieving, and it is found walking in step with God. Over time we find that God is inviting us to depth instead of distance, a life of rest under His yoke.
When we give our mind and heart to Jesus we join him in the resurrection power of his life. It means we can walk "in newness of life"; no longer dying in brokenness and shame but instead "alive to God".
The Ten Commandments that God gives Israel are based on His relationship with them and His creation designs for their good and His glory. But the laws were only meant to be a guardian until their fulfillment came in Jesus.
As Israel finally makes it to Mt. Sinai, God reasserts the covenant to them. They will be his special possession, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. Accepting this covenant, the people are consecrated and cleansed and come to the foot of the mountain to be joined to God - a wedding betrothal. However, the need for cleansing can only be fully undone with an even greater act of covenant grace by God. It is Jesus who brings the ultimate union and closeness to God.
Moses' father-in-law arrives on the scene and gives Moses helpful advice. But more than just wisdom for leadership, it reveals something about God's heart for His people and their role in His mission.
God is a banner for His people to unite in, around, and under. Only there do we find provision and protection to deal with the enemies of sin and death. The cross of Jesus is THE banner of the Lord for us.
With the Red Sea crossing only recently in the rearview mirror, the Israelites quickly doubt God and grumble about His provision and plan. What we come to see is that God provides despite our doubts and disobedience. Most notably we find this in Jesus who is true bread and living water for our lives.
God leads the Israelites on an unexpected route where they're forced to depend on Him to defend them against Pharaoh. And He does so via parting the Red Sea, an act that is both salvation and judgment. The only response is to worship!
God knows that if His people to not intentionally remember, they accidentally forget the story of His deliverance. So He calls us to remember it, respond to it, and retell the good news of our deliverance again and again.
After 430 years, the exodus finally begins with "Passover". While the passover is an event done FOR the people of God, it is also a way of life IN them.
In the famous narrative of the ten plagues, the point is driven home again and again that God is God and Pharaoh is not. And the truth is, neither are we. That is either very good or very bad news.
In life, we will either work for Pharaoh(s) in fear, or worship God in faith. As people of the covenant keeping God, we can stand on the rock of the past to face the future.
God desires to bring deliverance and a calling to His people. We have a tendency to doubt and see with our eyes rather than faith. But in God's love and providence He provides just what we need to participate with Him in His rescue mission and our calling.
God powerfully enters the Exodus narrative and speaks to Moses. Despite his permanent presence and power, God condescends to rescue Moses AND His people.
Though Pharaoh has called for the extermination of all baby boys, Moses is rescued and raised inside Pharaoh's house. Even though Moses has intentions to rescue enslaved Israel, he is pushed aside and rejected. But God sees, hears, remembers, and KNOWS Israel's need for rescue!
In Exodus 1, we find the people of God enslaved and in trouble. But the author wants us as readers to know that despite their troubling circumstances, God cannot be stopped from fulfilling His promise to multiply and grow them. And, He will not be stopped from liberating them to worship Him in their own land.
Jesus's earthly father, Joseph, was slow to anger, showing mercy and kindness to Mary, and quick to obey when God spoke to him four times. His silent obedience protected the offspring of God. Jesus, too, was silently obedient to bring about a new offspring of God: us!
Zerubbabel, an Israelite born in Babylon, is one of the first exiles back to the "promised land" after many years. He is tasked with rebuilding the Temple. But it's not the same. It would be another several hundred years before Jesus, the better Temple builder would come, and show us the true glory of God.
King Solomon was the wise king of Israel that built the massive Temple to house God's presence in the center of Israel. But in his foolishness he lost everything. At Christmas we celebrate Jesus, "God's wisdom for us", who brought God's presence near...into our hearts and lives.
David was just a shepherd boy who defeated Goliath, became a national hero, then King of a united Israel. Despite the promise of an enduring kingdom, his life ended in weakness and after gross sin. What we find this Advent is the hope of another hero, who defeats the giants and whose kingdom goes on forever!
The book of Ruth provides us with a wonderful glimpse into the redemption of God. Working through the faith of Ruth and the grace of Boaz, we see God redeem Naomi after her rebellion, blaming, and selfishness. It's good news for us, too!
Matthew includes Rahab in the genealogy of Jesus to show us that God's heart is to rescue sinful people from all nations. It is the gift of God to bring the outsider in to the family of God by grace through faith.
In one of the most disturbing passages of the Scriptures we see that Jesus' family tree includes some incredible brokenness. But, we see that God's gracious redemption is possible!
In the defining moment in his life, Jacob the wrestling, conniving, deceiving patriarch of Israel wrestles with God. He comes away limping and surrendered. As followers of the better Jacob (Jesus) who wrestled with God on our behalf, we, too, can surrender and walk humbly with God.
"Abraham fathered Isaac" is a loaded statement. In Genesis 17 and 22 we find that Isaac is the promised son who would bring joy to the world, but he was also the willing sacrifice. Jesus is the better, perfect Isaac!
Matthew includes a genealogy to begin his account of Jesus to show us the faithfulness of God to fulfill his promises. And in tracing the genealogy back to Abraham, he is making it clear that the new family that was supposed to center around him actually finds its true fulfillment in Jesus.
The person that knows Jesus in their life, will use their life to make Jesus known. At Hope Alliance we call that a "multiplication mindset". It's the full life that Jesus promised, and it's how the kingdom of Jesus expands in the world!
In a Gospel saturated life and church we can be honest with God and with one another. We do not need to fake our faith or hide our sin. Instead, we can find full life by having genuine connections with God, self, and others.
At Hope Alliance we believe it should be casual and easy for people to see Jesus in our church, our lives, and our homes. But, we also believe it requires depth to stay with Jesus on the journey of life. We call this Casual Depth.
The Gospel is a proclamation, not a proposition. It rescues and renews us to produce fruit out in the world. Through our love of Jesus we begin to live the life of Jesus, one Gospel saturated day at a time.
At Hope, we are defined by the statement Simply Jesus. Jesus is first. Everything else is second. It's that simple. The story of the transfiguration helps remind us that our role is to point people to Jesus only and avoid the common pitfalls and traps of religion.
Choosing to follow God as our shepherd is both a child-like act of faith and a choice we make in wisdom.
The journey home to God is long and we need strength to endure. We learn in Psalm 84 that strength is found in God's presence and in the pursuit of Him through worship, serving, and drawing close to Him in integrity and trust.
Using grand poetic language, the author of Psalm 91 wants the people of God to know they can count on God to be their refuge. And when we intentionally trust God with our lives, we can find tender protection and ultimate salvation under "his wings".
If we do not intentionally remember, we accidentally forget. David tells his soul (and ours) to both bless God and remember God's compassionate character and covenant love.
God's design for humanity and the world is one full of good. In our sin and idolatry we have messed that up. But God in HIS goodness wants to show us a better way through the Gospel.
In the Psalms there is an overwhelming sense of the "otherness" of God. The Lord is Holy Psalm 99 declares. And our response to a Holy God can be nothing other than worship.
Using Psalm 95 as our example we find that the entirety of the Psalms revolves around a key concept: The Lord is God....yesterday, today, and forever. How will you respond to God today?
In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul wants his readers to know that we can do the right things but in the wrong way. The mark of maturity in a Christian individual and church is a life of love. In the end, our ministry will go away, our faith will become sight, our hope will become reality, and we will fully know that love never fails.
Paul tells the church at Ephesus to walk in the way of love. What does this mean and how can we do it? Perhaps the best answer comes from another letter of Paul to the church at Corinth. In his famous poem on love, Paul shows us the volitional and active nature of love that we have experience from God and that we are called to exhibit in our lives.
Love listens to others patiently, without needing to prove a point, perform, or produce. And in so doing, love can share the good news beautifully and in a timely way.
The Jesus way calls us to be WITH people in love. While worry and hurry keep us away from people, love humanizes others and moves closer!
John tells us that we love others because we've come to know and be loved by the God who is love and loved us first. And when we come to know this God, we cannot help but love others. And that love of God and for others changes and matures us.
Jesus tells us plainly that the kingdom is already here, in our midst, and in our hearts where true transformation takes place. As Jesus-followers, it is our mission to make disciples in that kingdom via the method Jesus commanded: LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Jesus-followers are called to prioritize love over politics, platforms, and policies!
In a culture rife with division and echo chambers, how are we to be people that move towards one another, Gospel one another, and proclaim the Gospel together in the world? "They will know you're my disciples by your love."
The Holy Spirit desires and empowers unity within this new family of God. It is our privilege to walk with the Holy Spirit through belief in the Gospel and using our gifts for the common good.
As adopted siblings in a new family of God, we develop personal AND communal rhythms of life for the glory of God. Together we live and operate from the shalom of Jesus And we gather regularly with one another around the Gospel, singing and teaching and warning one another with great grace.
As Jesus followers and children of God, Paul calls us to "put off" the old self and to "put on" the new one...like exchanging shabby clothes for a whole new wardrobe. He means to say that our adoption is final, but we now have a role to play in imitating the ways of our heavenly Father as His dearly loved children.
Being adopted into the family of God is wonderful grace. But part of being adopted into a new family is leaving behind the negative baggage and sinful tendencies of our old family. We have to go back to go forward.
To be adopted into the family of God through Jesus means we are adopted out of the family of Adam. We are set free from the shame, rebellion and violence that characterize so much of humanity. So, the only right response is to leave behind the ways of Adam and embrace the true life found in living God's way.
In Christ, we are adopted into God's new family, given a new name, chosen heirs, redeemed in love, and sealed by the Spirit to the glory of God. We are sons and daughters of God that take on His name and His inheritance!
The resurrection of Jesus is a new beginning...a new creation in which we can become a new family centered in and around Jesus.
James concludes his letter reminding his readers and us of the dangers of walking away from the Gospel. But knowing that we all have a tendency to wander, he calls all of us to be part of restoring others back to the Gospel.
After so many warnings about arrogance, James now turns to what a humble life consists of: regular conversation with God through prayer and praise. James is calling his readers and us to be a community that prays individually and for one another because conversation with God though humble prayer brings life and restoration!
As James nears the end of his address, he encourages his readers and us to humbly endure. But he does so by reminding us to endure because Jesus is going to return and make all things right and new.
James offers a stinging rebuke of arrogant wealthy people whose lack of generosity and gospel depth has led them to be unaware of the justice of God and care for the basic needs of people around them. This rebuke is also a warning to us to live in generosity because of the Gospel!
James offers yet another warning about arrogance, this time in how we go about planning and living out our lives. When we live in Gospel humility we get to live life in partnership with God.
Slander, or speaking against others, typically begins as praise of self. But a humble, Gospel assessment of self actually leads to a grace-filled assessment of others. That in turn leads to Jesus-followers being quick to listen and slow to speak.
James warns his readers that they've abandoned their faithfulness to God and instead are looking for love in what he calls "the world". But despite their wandering, God gives greater grace so they can still drawn near to Him, and He will draw near to them.
The world, the devil, and our flesh war against our souls to drive us to selfish ambition and envy. James warns us to receive and live in the wisdom of God who is the lover of our soul; to find satisfaction in the finished work of Jesus and become gentle, peaceful people.
James reminds his readers that "Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks". We must do business with what the "spring" is in our heart because, depending on what's there, it will produce words of blessing or words of cursing.
James goes out of his way to drive home the point with his readers: genuine "saving" faith is a faith that works and produces fruit; that faith is more than a singular prayer and a ticket to heaven. James is making the case that we are not saved BY works but UNTO works.
James exhorts his readers, then and now, that there should be no favoritism of the rich (or the poor) in the church. Instead, James calls Jesus-followers to hold on to faith in Jesus alone, who for their sake became poor and made all people rich who call on him as Savior and King.
Perhaps the most famous verse in the letter of James calls Christians to action and "doing" instead of simply listening and "consuming." What we find is that consuming religion deceives us into self-righteousness which actually enslaves us. But embracing the Gospel energizes us towards transformation and freedom!
The opposite of temptation is not purity; it's faith in the Gospel. When we rely on the truth of our new birth in Jesus we can resist the flesh and its deceitful desires.
"Count it all joy when you suffer" is not grief counseling, nor is it evidence of a punitive God. James is calling Jesus-followers to a perspective of divine wisdom that sees how suffering breaks us of our self-reliance and self-righteousness. And THAT is the Gospel that brings about redemption and resurrection life.
The letter of James in the New Testament is all about one thing: single-minded maturity. James is a book that has a simple theology of "Jesus is King. So live like it." With 59 commands in 108 verses, James is to the point, practical, and sprinkled with Gospel grace.
At Christmas we celebrate that Jesus Brings God; Emmanuel, God with us...in our flesh and in our struggles. Jesus is full life and brings light into our lives. When we make room in our hearts, he and the Father come and make their home in us, giving us light and life now and forever.
Sometimes the idyllic nature of the Christmas story, distracts us from seeing what is actually happening. A king is arriving to inaugurate his kingdom and that is a threat to many. When we see Jesus for who he really is, we are left with two choices: either we kill him or we crown him. Herod shows us what those gripping to power are inclined to do, but the magi show us the right way to receive our victorious king - in worship.
Peace is not a place or a circumstance...it's a person. Jesus brings us peace when we worship him, unite under him, and intentionally center our lives on him.
Scripture tells us over 200 times that God cares for the poor and marginalized. Because his throne is founded upon justice and righteousness, he does justice and calls his people to do the same through living out Christ's kingdom on earth.
In the classic "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" we celebrate that Jesus brings grace...that through Jesus, "God and sinners reconciled" is true for us this Christmas.
On this journey of life in the wilderness, we can pray and ask God for forgiveness which He willingly grants through Jesus. And we can pray for Him to guide our hearts to have power over the sin that so easily entangles.
When Jesus tells us to pray for daily bread today, he is calling us to form our souls in daily dependance. We pray for his daily provision on this journey through the wilderness until we reach the promised land of new creation, while also experiencing the deeper life of the living bread of Jesus himself.
When we pray "Your kingdom come" we are pledging allegiance to, and invoking, God's kingdom instead of our own. In pray we are living in relationship with God, relinquishing our own kingdom, and living for the realization of God's kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
As God's children through Jesus, we don't have to perform rituals to pray "right" or to get God's attention. Instead, we can count on our relationship with the Father, we can be honest in our prayers, and we can make requests of the God of the universe.
Jesus calls his followers to pray. But prayer can be done in a religious way that produces external spirituality, or in a Gospel way rooted in humility and grace. The religious pray-er does so to earn the praise of others; the Gospel pray-er does so to be with God.
In a very famous parable of Jesus in Luke 15 of "the lost son" (or "the prodigal"), we see the results of two sons that both are trying to prove themselves and turn away from their loving Father. But as that fails, one son returns to the Father and the other rejects the Father. Both receive prodigal grace and don't need to prove themselves to him.
God is GOOD, therefore I don't have to look elsewhere for satisfaction. In John 4, we find that God is good and he offers himself as a deep well of satisfaction. And in our lives, satisfaction is not about what you have, but who you have.
When we understand how our glorious God sees our sin and shame from the cross, we will no longer fear others.
Most people live trying to control circumstances and people around them for their own sense of security, significance, and approval. And it leads to an unnecessary around of stress, impatience, and manipulation. But the Gospel says that God is powerfully in control of all things...and that's good news!
At Hope Alliance Nazareth we are a "Gospel-centered family". But what IS the Gospel? The Gospel is the true declaration that Jesus is the victorious, rightful and eternal king that has brought peace to the world through his incarnation, death, and resurrection. In short: Jesus is Lord.
In this next phase of Hope Alliance and our desire to take all of Jesus to all of the Valley, we know that will take all of us blessing our spheres of influence. The people of God have been called to be a blessing to the nations by loving our neighbors!
To grow more and mature disciples takes all of us inviting. In the book of John we see that personal encounters with the person of Jesus should lead to personal invitations to Come and See!
Serving shapes us into Christ-likeness and strengthens us against the enemy of our souls. And when we serve one another in the church, we are able to fulfill our calling of maturing as the body of Christ for the good of one another and the community.
Church is not a product to consume. It's a people that commit. As we move into what's "Next" for Hope Alliance, it will take all of us committing to Simply Jesus and to one another as fully engaged followers to live our the calling God has given us as a church family.
At Hope we are committed to making disciples to the glory of God. To be intentional about this, we embrace a simply Jesus identity and a multi-congregational structure that desires to see the gospel within reach of every single person in the Lehigh Valley (and beyond).
At Hope Alliance we want to grow for God's glory. But HOW do we grow? According to Jesus in Matthew 28, we grow by making MORE and MATURE disciples who bear the name of God and look like Jesus...all for the glory of God!
In this next season at Hope Alliance we want to focus on why and how we can grow Hope Alliance...for the glory of God!
On July 11 we celebrated a baby dedication and several baptisms. In this talk we look into why we baptize people. In short, it is an act of obedience, announcing and aligning our lives with the story of God's gracious rescue through Jesus!
After all the people of God have been through in the wilderness, God makes it clear that He will be faithful to finish what He started...to fulfill the promises He made to His people to provide for them and be with them.
In Numbers 32, some folks decided to settle for "good enough". But doing so is never God's enough. Moses knows this and challenges these folks that settling for good enough is a lack of faith that ignores direct commands of God and jeopardizes the faith of the community.
In Numbers 31 God brings judgement on the Midianites for their opposition to His kingdom advancement. In His providence He has mercy on Israel but condemns Midian. When we really analyze God's judgement, we find that we can either die to self because of His love or die in our sin because of our guilt.
After multiple failures, we see in Numbers that God's covenant love still remains. And that covenant love is actually what motivates our commitment and obedience to Him.
With a new census, we once again see the faithfulness and the goodness of God. And both of these are even more apparent when God resounds to the daughters of Zelophehad. Though their father's sin had led to their deprivation, God welcomed them into an inheritance that legally wasn't theirs to share. In the same way, God has welcomed us into the inheritance of enteral life through Jesus.
Idolatry is zeal for anything other than God's honor. Fleshly zeal and religious zeal both end in pain and separation from God. But what we see in Numbers 25 is that zeal for God's honor starts with atonement and ends in a covenant of peace...foremost and finally with Jesus!
God's promises spoken cannot be broken. What He has blessed cannot be cursed. He the power and the heart to fulfill all of His promises for His people...in and through Jesus.
When you plan isn't working, perhaps God is. That's not meant to be motivational drivel. It's meant to encourage us that when God stops us and gets our attention, perhaps He is calling us to repent and believe something new in the Gospel!
The new generation of Israel has moments of great faith followed by a massive failure. God's faithfulness sees them through as they learn to depend on Him daily and regularly repent. We can do the same because of love and power of God shown to us in Jesus on the cross.
Anger typically makes much of us and less of God...and that's never good. In Numbers 20 Moses (and Aaron) lash out in anger and it has dire consequences. The good news is, Jesus shows us we don't have to be the judge, the deliverer, and the strategists and can instead make much of God and less of ourselves.
Because of the resurrection, Godly people develop Godly peace personally and communally. The seeds of peace are sown in faith in what God has done, is doing, and will do someday in making all things new.
Love begins and ends with liberation. Instead of seeking our liberation FOR self, the resurrection gives us liberation FROM our selves. That liberation makes us better lovers of God and others...which leads to their liberation.
Because of what God has done, is doing, and will do, we can cultivate the fruit of joy in our lives.
It is exactly the right mistake to make to see Jesus as a gardener outside his tomb. At the resurrection of Jesus, new creation has begun and as followers of Jesus, we are part of it. We can "bloom" in the wilderness with evidence of this new creation displaying joy, love, and peace.
Following their rebellion, the people of Israel sense the great separation between them and a holy God. But God, in His grace, provides intermediaries and purification. In the Gospel of Jesus, we find the grace to be in the presence of a holy God.
In Numbers 16 & 17 we find the people of God responding to God's grace with more rebellion and grumbling, to the point of challenging God's appointment of Aaron as high priest. But God demonstrates his grace to the people and his vindication of Aaron when Aaron acts as the mediator between the living and the dead...just like Christ.
Numbers 14 ends with a question mark: since an unbelieving generation will be condemned to die in the wilderness, and the next generation will wander for 40 years, what will come of God's promise to enter the land? Numbers 15 is the answer: God still desires fellowship with His people by His grace and their obedience.
In Numbers 13 and 14 we encounter two different groups of people: those that believe God and see things from His perspective, and those that doubt God and see things through their own eyes. Both have seen God's power, character and promises...but come away with different convictions.
In Numbers 11 and 12, we find God generously putting His Spirit on other leaders so that a grumbling Moses isn't alone in leading the people. But shortly thereafter, his own sister and brother disparage him in their envy. We learn that envy is simply a different form of grumbling...being unhappy about what God has given someone else. But in the Gospel, we have all we need.
Only a few days into their journey to the Promised Land, the people of Israel begin to grumble and complain. The problem isn't wishing for better circumstances, it's that grumbling is caused by ingratitude and faith in self that leads us away from God. However, a life of gratitude for God's grace leads to full life.
In Numbers 9&10 the people of God finally get on the journey to the promised land. The author wants us to see that the culmination of the people's covenant obedience is the constant presence of the living God to comfort and guide them into the Promised Land.
Before they commence their journey to the Promised Land, God calls the Israelites to celebrate Passover...again. What we find is that Passover doesn't just set them free, it's what keeps them free. We, too, are called to continue to celebrate the ultimate Passover in Jesus...it's what keeps us free.
In Numbers 6 and 7 we find the people of God being blessed by God, responding in worship, and enjoying His presence. We, too, can have the blessing of God on us through Jesus.
In Numbers 5, the author wants the readers to see how God's presence cannot abide impurity or sin in the camp. And the people of God will demonstrate their impurity again and again in the wilderness. But praise God for His mercy that accepts the atonement for not just Israel's sins, but ours as well.
In Numbers 3, 4, and 8 we find the role of the Levites described. In short, they were set apart by God to remind people of God's mercy, to help others center on God's presence, and to carry the house of God everywhere He instructed. This special calling also gives purpose to our lives today in the Gospel.
The book of Numbers, also called "In the Wilderness", begins with the people of God having been freed from slavery so they could center theirs lives in worship around God in the tabernacle. So, too, today the people of God are able to center around God because Jesus tabernacled among us...centering himself in our midst by his Spirit.
Over and over the New Testament writers call the people of God to rejoice IN their suffering and seem to believe that good can come from it. In 2021, we will have trials and tribulations. How will we suffer well?
God delivers on His many promises from over many years to crown a new King David. Jesus reigns with the heart of God and delivers his people to salvation, justice, and righteousness.
We find hope and joy in the midst of fear and struggle because our Great and High God became small and lowly. The incarnation demonstrates the love of God for His people despite their unfaithfulness. The greatness of God saves us from ourselves.
Jesus is the second, better Joshua. He leads his people into the promised land of full life, now and in the future. That gives us joy and hope in the midst of our fears and struggles.
In Luke 1, Mary experiences real fear, but she is comforted by the favor of God which gives her hope. We can experience true hope and joy in the midst of our fears because of the favor of God shown through Jesus.
The People of God have always been called to trust God and be generous. But instead, going all the way back to Eden, they've been a people with a scarcity mindset. Jesus redeems us in his generosity and frees us to be generous.
The people of God have always had shepherds...Moses, Joshua, David, the prophets, apostles, and elders. But they're all pointing to the chief shepherd: Jesus.
The people of God are both gathered and scattered for the glory of God. Jesus has sent out his disciples as ambassadors of his kingdom to bring his peace and power into the world.
Prayer is a key way in which the people of God stay connected to the Vine; how the body stays connected to the Head which is Jesus. The people of God pray to the Father for their basic needs. But it's through prayer at a deeper level that relationship with the Father and transformation in the Gospel happens.
The Bible is critical to our identity as the people of God. It speaks his word to us with authority by relaying the gospel and its implications on our lives. When we embrace it with an open heart as a church and as individuals, God uses it to teach us the gospel, rebuke and correct us when we embrace false gospels, and train us in how to live in light of the gospel.
Going to church is not a new invention. For thousands of years the people of God have gathered in sacred assembly one day out of the week to recenter around one God, in His presence, to encourage one another, and to worship in hope.
Being the People fo God is an identity, not an event. And most of that takes place on the 6.5 days we are NOT "in church". The Apostle Paul and the early church show us what this looks like.
As the people of God, the church is the body of Christ but made up of many parts. Each part does its work for the common good which makes the fullness of Jesus known out into the world AND matures the body in the Gospel.
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul makes it clear that we ARE one in the Gospel, and can maintain that same oneness through the Gospel rather than our own efforts or legalism. And when we are one, God gets the glory!
Paul picks an interesting analogy for the people of God: a body with Jesus as the head. It's meant to indicate the power that Jesus has, but also his loving connection to his people. Our goal as individuals and as a church is to stay connected to Jesus and the Gospel...like branches to a vine.
In Hebrews 10 the author encourages us that in the midst of struggle and turmoil to not turn back to religion, but instead rely on our relationship with Jesus to draw near to God, hold on to hope, and encourage one another.
After Jesus ascends to heaven, Peter assumes the role of being the rock of the early church that fishes for people. And rather than trying to gain power to control a physical empire, Peter tells a new story of the power of the resurrection...and it changes the course of history.
Peter's stunning and dramatic fall is met by the even more stunning and dramatic forgiveness of Jesus. In this story we see the incredible reversals that happen in Peter through the reconciling and restoring work of Jesus.
In the famous story of Peter's denials of Jesus, we find that Peter is actually declaring all that he is not. And Jesus is declaring "I am". And what Peter learns is still true for us today: that God looks at us with pure love despite all that we are not.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, as Jesus prayed in sorry, Peter slept in sorrow. And what he learned there and teaches us is that prayer is a powerful guard against the enemy of our souls and a guide for our passions.
In John 13, Peter learns what it means to be cleansed by Jesus and to join him in serving others. We learn that when our identity is rooted in the Gospel, we can join Jesus in serving others, too.
Jesus' cursing of a fig tree is meant to show his disciples the danger of external religion. This story, married with the cleansing of the temple, points out that while everything might look good from a distance, the truth is that religion cannot produce what God desires - a heart bent toward him.
In the Kingdom of Jesus, Peter discovers that forgiveness is not a religious obligation, but is instead a motivation of the heart that has grasped the Gospel.
In a strange story that seems to center on a fish with a coin in its mouth, we actually find that Jesus is revealing to Peter that "the family of the King is free." In Peter's context and ours, this means we are free from religion, free to worship in the true temple, and free to act in love.
At Hope Alliance, we are all about "Simply Jesus". He is first, everything else is second.
At the transfiguration of Jesus, God confirms that everything is fulfilled in and around Jesus...the Law, the Prophets...everything.
In a very famous account of his life, we find that Peter "the rock" believes Jesus is the Messiah, but quickly becomes Peter "the stumbling block" when he questions Jesus' method and mission of suffering. We, too, have a tendency to desire a king who secures us, not a suffering servant who asks us to join him.
When Peter walks on water and then sinks, Jesus calls him to more faith. What we find is that when we have Gospel-motivated faith, it does the miraculous in our lives.
Questions to Consider during prayer:
- How are you straining at the oars right now, trying to retain control?
- How have you experienced the presence of Jesus lately? How might you pursue the presence of Jesus more fully in the storm?
- Is there a sin, behavior, or pattern in life you'd like to change? How is it rooted in an inaccurate identity or lack of faith in Jesus' power, presence, or patience?
In Luke 8, Jesus invites Peter into the room when he raises a dead girl back to life. Jesus demonstrates to Peter and to us that he is relevant, relational, and able to speak life into death. And then he commissions Peter and us to do the same.
One of the earliest lessons Peter and the disciples learn from Jesus is how he prioritizes his time with the Father. Even after a long and exhilarating day of ministry, Jesus retreats to meet with God showing the disciples (and us) the power of regular meetings with God to realign our identity, purpose and direction.
In John 1 and Luke 5 we find the most common man with a common job renamed and repurposed to join Jesus as a fisher of men. Our lives, too, are radically changed when we give control of lives to Jesus. We are renamed and repurposed to be fishers of people.
Our hope for restoration and wholeness is not found in a good economy, a return to normalcy, or having things under control. The prophet Ezekiel shows us that the breath of God is what brings new life amidst exile and pain.
Where is God during hard times? Is God absent? Does God still care for his people? These the are the questions that the author of Esther wants us to wrestle with when we read about the Jewish orphan turned queen "for such a time as this." And what we find is that our God is a God of "great reversals".
Jeremiah's letter to the exiles was both good and bad news. Seventy years of captivity, but even that could not rescind God's faithfulness. His plan for them was a certain future and it brought with it resolute hope. On the basis of this hope, the prophet tells the people to intentionally invest their lives, even while in exile.
When things get tough we often wonder where God is, if God is punishing us, if God has abandoned us altogether, or even has enough power or love to intervene. We learn from the story of Joseph that God is with us and has the love, power, and wisdom to bring good things out of evil circumstances.
In Daniel 3 we find the story of three young men who were living in strange times in a foreign land...in exile. Their faithfulness to God testified to God's faithfulness and how no God can save like the true God. We, too, did not ask for our present reality of a global pandemic, but how we engage it speaks to others about who we believe God is.
The eyewitness accounts of the centurion and Mary to the crucifixion and resurrection are so informative to us. They show us the significance of a real encounter with Jesus that leads to a whole new identity and mission. By the Scriptures, we too are eyewitnesses called to bear witness to a waiting world.
In Paul's very personal closing words to the Galatians, he lets them know one more time that boasting in the cross and finish work of Jesus is the mark of the true people of God; not works of legalism.
Paul takes time to help the Galatians see that their Gospel freedom should lead them to move towards one another and carry their burdens as opposed to legalism that simply burdens people with more.
Paul tries to show the Galatians readers and us that freedom in the Gospel doesn't lead to self-serving. Rather, freedom FROM legalism leads TO being yoked to Jesus. That in turn leads to loving God and loving others.
Religion has no power to gain us access to God or to transform us. It is on the gospel that can set us free into God's family and unto a whole new experience of life. So, stand firm in this gospel!
Using the famous story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar as an allegorical device, the apostle Paul helps the Galatians and us to see that we are actually children of the promise through Jesus. While doing so, he points out again that laying claim to or trying to take on Jewish ethnicity and law is actually slavery.
In Galatians 4:11-20 Paul takes a distinctly personal tone. In this brief passage we get a better understanding of Paul's missional mindset as well as his pastoral friendship to the Galatian churches.
*please excuse the poor audio quality as there was congregational involvement as well as a problem with the recording.
Paul encourages the Galatians and us that when we put on Christ we are adopted as sons of God. Christ and the spirit of sonship stands in direct contrast to the putting on of our own identity-building schemes which lead us into slavery.
Paul makes it very clear that the promises of God have always been the point, not the Law of Moses. But if that's the case, what was the Law for? Was it a trick? Was it simply to preoccupy the Israelites' time? Paul helps the readers understand here (and in Romans) that the Law served a good purpose in guiding us to see what a life devoted to God should look like...but also convicting us that we could never do that on our own. Praise God that the promises come true in Jesus and the indwelling of his Spirit in us.
In Galatians 2:11-20 we have a verbal altercation between Paul and Peter and one of the most famous verses in the New Testament. What we see is that while Peter is seeking justification by customs and culture which leads him to fear, Paul gives testimony to our true justification by faith in the faithfulness of Jesus.
In Galatians 2, Paul tells his readers that the threat to gospel freedom is often a subtle, quiet infiltration. He uses his own story again to tell them that additions to the Gospel must be vigorously opposed by the church family as well as in our own personal walks with Jesus. The Gospel is Jesus + nothing.
Rather than simply telling the Galatians "Believe what I said because I told you so", Paul recounts his own story of gospel transformation. In doing so, he is helping the Galatians (and us) see that zeal for legalism is only to please man, and doesn't lead to liberty in Jesus.
In Galatians 1:6-9 we see Paul’s astonishment that the Galatian Christians are coming under the influence of other Christians that are perverting the One Gospel. We, too, also need to look out for these non-Gospels that try and lead us to desert the one who called us in grace - our loving God and Father.
In this first sermon in Galatians we use a reading and group response to discover who the Galatians were, Paul's authority to be writing to them, and the true One Gospel that he will so passionately write about.
Jesus was born to be not only the King of the Jews, but the king of the world. In Matthew's gospel account he leaves the reader with a choice: to be threatened by the reign of King Jesus like Herod was, or to bow in worship like the magi.
While Caesars past and present glorify themselves through various means, Jesus comes to earth to glorify the Father. And in a most unexpected reality, God glorifies his children through the indwelling Spirit of God.
In Mary's "song" in Luke 1 we find a humble woman who has found unexpected hope in God. Jesus was born from Mary into humble flesh. And through his humility, we find hope when we humble ourselves to receive him this Christmas.
Advent is a time for waiting and expecting. Similar to the people of Israel waiting for a deliver in Egypt, the people of God were waiting for a deliver in the 1st century.
However, God did the unexpected by sending Jesus to tabernacle among us in the flesh full of grace and truth.
The people of God have always given offerings to God. Because of Jesus we now give offerings because of a heart orientation instead of religious obligation. We do this in response to the Gospel, to root ourselves in the Gospel, and to reproduce the Gospel in others.
Jesus celebrated "the last supper" with his disciples as a pre-enactment of his sacrifice which was the greatest Passover and Exodus for the people of God.
The church now celebrates the communion meal as a way to remember and proclaim the gospel: that the cross is the great equalizer that cuts us to our knees in humility and then raises us to status with Jesus as heirs of the Kingdom.
The people of God gather regularly to hear the words of God because they are authoritative and they lead to salvation and purpose. In gathering regularly and listening to Gospel-centered preaching, the people of God know who He is, who they are, what they're to be about.
Christians sing because we are made in God's image and because He has given us a song. It is the completely human response of a mind that has been illuminated and a heart that has been awakened by the Spirit through the redeeming work of Jesus.
Every week millions of Christians "go to church". For many, they don't truly understand why. In this sermon we take a look what it means to be the called out ones of God that gather to remember the resurrection and to recenter our lives around it.
Alan Rathbun of the Eastern PA District shares with us about our connection to the Christian and Missionary Alliance...that we are part of a Christ-centered, Acts 1:8 family that has been blessed to be a blessing to the world around us.
At Hope Alliance we believe that the Gospel of Simply Jesus is powerful and life-giving to all people. One of our core passions is to have a multiplication mindset that motivates us to see disciples, ministries, and impact multiplied for the sake of kingdom growth.
At Hope Alliance we pursue Genuine Connections with God and others in our worship gatherings and our lives. Through the Gospel, we our known and loved by God in such a way that we can be genuine with Him. That in turn leads us to genuinely connect with others in the same way.
At Hope Alliance we live and pursue Casual Depth in our worship gatherings and our lives. What we see in Acts 15 and in the teachings of the apostle Paul is this: it should be easy to meet Jesus, but it isn't easy to stay with him if you don't anchor deep into the Gospel.
At Hope Alliance, everything is about Simply Jesus. To live that identity out as a church and as an individual we saturate ourselves in the Gospel. What we find is that it leads to our rescue, renewal, and it spreads to our spheres of influence.
Jonah 4 concludes with a gut punch to the reader: why are we so quick to have mercy for ourselves and yet have frustration when God has mercy on others? We quickly turn in to "older brothers" that despise the Father and our brothers.
By remembering God's mercy to us and where we came from, we can join God in being merciful to the world around us.
In Jonah 3 we see the people of the great city of Ninevah humbly choose to "believe God". And in His compassion God gives them life. Today we, too, find life when we live a life of repentance...of turning to believe God.
Jonah is brought low by self-inflicted troubles, but finds God's salvation and grace in the depths. When we finally come to a place of brokenness and admit the depth of our lostness, God can raise us up with Jesus.
In Jonah 1 the author wants the reader to know that despite our best efforts to run away and pursue other gods, the true God pursues the ignorantly and intentionally idolatrous and has mercy on both.
Guest preacher Jim Rudd shares with us from the book of Acts about how the early church and believers learned to love their neighbors cross culturally.
Jesus calls his disciples to love their neighbors even if that includes their enemies. What we find is that forgiveness and love of our enemies go hand in hand. Ultimately, we see that Jesus lived this out by loving and forgiving US...his enemies.
Because of the grace and mercy God has given us, we love our neighbors by being people of justice. That means we have compassion for and take action on behalf of our weak, less fortunate, and oppressed neighbors.
For many if not most Christians, sharing our faith is a scary reality. But the apostle Paul tells us we don't have to be afraid or ashamed to do it. He reminds us that the gospel is powerfully good news for everyone.
The Gospel shows us that God is "hospitable" and draws us near, into His kingdom and family, through Jesus. We in turn get to use our homes and lives as outposts for that same Gospel to welcome in strangers who become friends who become part of the family of God.
One of the best ways we can love our neighbors is by listening to them well. But loving by listening is an act of faith in the Gospel. When we believe the Gospel, we don't need to prove ourselves or perform but can instead enter someone's story and listen well. Furthermore, when we believe the Gospel, we don't feel the need to fix someone but can walk with them instead by listening well.
If it's not a lack of time that prevents us from loving our neighbor, it's often not knowing where to start. But what we learn from the good Samaritan and from Peter's letter to scattered believers is that we're actually called to love our neighbors intentionally by staying on the path God has put us on. We are providentially placed into the spheres of influence that we are so we can love our neighbors and carry the Spirit of God with us into every situation as a temple on the move.
A common argument against loving our neighbors is that we don't have enough time to add something else into our busy lives. But what we find in the Gospel is the freedom to choose to put margin into our lives so that we can live the full life of loving God and loving neighbors.
At Hope Alliance we believe that God's love changes us to be more like Jesus: a good neighbor that stays on the path that intersects will people and demonstrates the love of God.
All of our desires and longings are an indication of our homesickness for something we've lost. The Good Shepherd pursues us all the way home to the presence of God.
In Psalm 23, David paints a poetic picture of the good shepherd preparing a table for him while he's surrounded by enemies. What we see in the Gospel is that we are invited to the table with Jesus, the good shepherd, who gives us a full life. He anoints us with oil and overflows our cup of blessing.
In this life we will walk through valleys of troubled and dark times. But when we follow the shepherd who has been through them himself, we find that the valleys are opportunities to find full life in being WITH the shepherd.
Religious moralism and the culture we live run us ragged. They are bad shepherds that sometimes we follow without even realizing it.
Jesus alone truly restores our souls and gives us true contentment.
In John 20, Jesus tells his disciples that they are being sent out the same way the Father sent Him. By the Holy Spirit dwelling within them, they would be empowered to be the pictures of God for an onlooking world to see.
In John 21, Jesus shows us a picture of God graciously restoring the disciples and Peter to the mission to which they'd been called. In doing so, we see that God gives us grace for our own brokenness, but also enough grace to share with the world around us.
In the death and resurrection of Jesus we see that the sins of the people are forgiven because the covenant was finally fulfilled. The exile is over. God's presence has filled the land and new creation has begun, both personally and in the world.
In John 13, Jesus shows his disciples the full extent of his love by washing their feet in the midst of the Passover celebration. He is painting a picture of God as our servant king, come to earth to overturn the power of the enemy and to glorify God.
"What do you want me to do for you?" By asking this question of people, Jesus shows us a picture of our God as more than just a genie that answers our wishes. Instead, God gets to the heart...to our hearts. And when we follow Jesus on The Way we find a new life of loving Him and others by becoming servants.
In John 11 we see Jesus as fully God and fully man, intentionally exchanging his own life to resurrect Lazarus. In his ministry to Martha and Mary, Jesus paints a picture of God meeting people where they are at. To some he minsters with truth and hope, to others with tears and comfort.
Humanity has always advocated for a quick fix, whether it be religious, political, or vocational in nature. But in Matthew 13, Jesus paints a picture of God as being patiently slow and even subversive in the way He grows the kingdom in and through us.
In Matthew 15 Jesus teaches us that religious legalism and moral relativism don't deal with the root problem of sin. But we see in Jesus a picture of God as fulfilling the Law and leading us into a life of love over legalism. Ultimately, God cares about the heart and changes us from the inside out to fulfill the law of love for God and others.
In Mark 5 Jesus shows us a picture of God as interruptible...stopping in the midst of profound ministry to heal and give dignity to a few different people. In doing so, we see that God will still interact with us despite our mess, walking with us, and calling us daughters and sons.
In the story of Jesus "cleansing the Temple", we find a picture of God who defends His children and makes a way for them to connect with Him through prayer. And through prayer, we find a Father that wants us to come to Him as we are...but who wants to give us His Spirit to make us "heaven and earth people".
God Himself took time to cease working and enjoy new creation.
He set up a day of rest for His children after rescuing them from slavery in Egypt.
In Jesus we see a picture of our God as the Lord of the Sabbath. In Jesus we can rest and enjoy New Creation...satisfied instead of striving.
In John 4 Jesus has a scandalous interaction with a Samaritan woman at a well. We see a picture of God breaking through gender, racial, and religious barriers to offer His life-giving Spirit to all those who will walk in the truth.
In the encounter between Nicodemus and Jesus in John 3 we see a picture of God as loving humanity and welcoming them into the light of full and eternal life. We find that Jesus is confronting Nicodemus' legalistic religion with the love and acceptance of the Father. Finally, we see that by the Spirit we have been given the right (ie - power) to become children of God and no longer need to feel the need to prove ourselves to man or God.
In the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4 we see a picture of our God who wants to see idolatry (and temptation) overcome. And in Jesus we see his faithfulness to God to do just that! Through our union with Jesus, we, too, are able to know the God that Jesus knows and keep God on the throne instead of anything or anyone else.
When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, it not only connected him to the larger narrative of the Gospel throughout Israel's history, it also firmly rooted him in and WITH humanity. In looking at this first major event in the ministry of Jesus, we see a picture of God WITH us in the muck and mire of life and it shows again the love of God for us.
What we think God is like has practical implications in our everyday lives whether we realize it or not. To get a clear picture of God, we simply need to look to Jesus.
After trying to find their identity and provision in anything but God, "nevertheless" God tells His children that hope is coming into their darkness and despair. In Isaiah 9 we see that their hope is the coming of a son...the true King of Israel.
Knowing now that the true King of this world is Jesus, we find hope and our identity in living in the ever expanding kingdom of Jesus.
In Jeremiah 29-33 we find a God who calls His people to invest and to be a light in the midst of exile and pain. They can do so because their hope is in the God who will restore.
But when we look further, we see that restoration and a return to the land God had promised comes when the covenant is fulfilled by Jesus.
We, too, can invest and be light in the midst of exile and pain because we know that Jesus has come and fulfilled the covenant and will some day restore and redeem the earth...that we can inherit the new heaven and new earth.
In this season of Advent we remember that our hope for spiritual and physical healing is found in Jesus. Looking back to Isaiah 53 we learn that the mighty warrior God of Isaiah actually becomes the suffering servant who provides healing and the shalom of God for the returning exiles.
In this season of Advent we have reason to put our hope in God. Isaiah 61 points to a savior who would come and rescue the children of God, giving them purpose, provision, and righteousness. We see this fulfilled in Jesus who is the rescuer of all.
(Please forgive the poor audio quality)
God has given us the identity of a Gospel-centered, family, on mission. But this is not something we simply will into existence. It is the role of the Holy Spirit to empower God's children to understand the Gospel and believe it, to live out the law of love and life as a family, and to be sent as ambassadors.
In John 20, Jesus says something profound: "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." We find our identity as a congregation and as individuals in being a family on mission, living as sent ones in our spheres of influence. By looking to how Jesus was sent to proclaim the rule and reign of God, we learn that we have been sent to be WITH people, to SERVE people, and to LOOK for people to invite into the family of God.
The narrative of Scripture shows again and again that God desires to reunite heaven and earth and that His primary means of doing so has been through a family...the families of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and then the tribes and family of Israel.
As a local congregation, Hope Nazareth finds its identity in being a Gospel-centered family on mission. By looking to the letter Paul wrote to the Ephesian church communities we find how it is that we can live out this calling to be a family of God in the Nazareth area.
Hope Alliance Nazareth aims to be a "Gospel centered family on mission." We believe that God is a compassionate Father who wants to find His lost, rebellious, and even self-righteous children and restore them to His family; not as servants but as co-heirs with Jesus.
In this talk we take our cues from Luke 15's parable of the lost son(s). Much credit is due to Tim Keller and his book "The Prodigal God" which is highly recommended reading.
The identity of Hope Alliance Nazareth is built on the Gospel that God loves humanity deeply and has won the victory over his enemy through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
In this talk we look at how Jesus is the Passover Lamb that was given as a ransom for many to free them from slavery to sin which leads to death.
(The picture referenced can be found here.)
Our identity as a church community is rooted in the good news that God loves and pursues His creation, despite humanity regularly walking away from Him. As individuals, when we start to believe this good news, it has the power to change and transform our lives now and for eternity.
Rather than pursuing his own identity and glory, John the Baptist pointed a finger at "Simply Jesus" as the hero and savior of the world. Taking our cue from him, Hope Alliance Nazareth's identity is to point to Simply Jesus as well.
We also find that by being yoked to Simply Jesus, we can rest as children of God instead of exhausting ourselves trying to build our own identity.
What does "success" look like for a local church? In short: staying faithful to the success of Jesus' death and resurrection; the Gospel.
In the Nazareth congregation of Hope Alliance Church, our guiding values set the S.T.A.G.E. for us to do just that.
Simple
Team
Authentic Relationships
Gospel-centeredness
Empowered by the Spirit