New Hope Chapel: Recent Episodes
Pastor Steve Ristuccia
We all are here on earth with a mission and a purpose. Do you know what your mission is? Have you realized what God is calling you for?Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches from the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, how we can live out our lives with a mission.
We were all once lost, but now we have our being in Him.As Christ followers, we have the responsibility of caring for the ones around us. The ultimate way we can care for others is by introducing them to Jesus. How you ask?Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches through the parables how we can reach people with the hope we have in Christ.
Some call him an exemplary figure, some call him a fairy tale, some call him a philosopher, some call him a carpenter. What do you call him? Who is Jesus to you?Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he opens the scriptures and shows us how we ought to live our lives in awe of who Jesus is.
Remember the last time you had to disagree with someone, but still had to talk to them? You sure would not have enjoyed that experience.While we cannot stand a little disagreement, imagine what it means to love your enemies!Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches us how we can live this high calling!
If one had to state the ultimate purpose of Jesus coming into this world, it woud be this - To set captives free! While that is good news for us, what does it mean for us in our daily lives? Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches from the scriptures what it meant for Jesus to set us free, and how we ought to live our lives in that assurance.
To live out the Great Commission does not necessarily mean to go to far away lands to win souls for Christ. Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches us from Jesus' parable on how we can be faithful followers, pointing people to Christ.
We live in a world of no guarantees. There is no guarantee when we step out of the house, if we would come back safe. There is no guarantee our loved ones wouldn't break our hearts at some point. There is no guarantee that what you have today in this world would last as long as you want them to. But as Christ followers, we have a great assurance that the God we love and serve is the same. Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he opens the scriptures and teaches us how we can live in awe and confidence that our God is a promise keeper.
Have you ever wondered how sophisticated our human body is, or how the earth is a perfect planet to sustain life? Often we tend to take credit of many things in our lives, instead of shifting focus to the creator and sustainer of our lives. Take a listen to Kaarina as she points out the greatness of our creator and how we need to live lives with a heavenly perspective.
What does it mean to be "blessed"? We all want to live a blessed, happy life but most often we find it hard to define what a true blessed person looks or feels like. Take a listen to Rabbi Nathan as he speaks from one of Jesus' famous teachings, and gives us a sneak peak of not just what a "blessed" state means, but also a guide to the kingdom of heaven.
We all pray for breakthroughs and miracles. But what does it take for us to experience them in our lives?Take a listen to Richard Vemagiri as he draws lessons from a little boy in the Bible.
We live in a 'ME' culture today. We are seeing more and more changes in culture coming from the thought that the center of the world is 'Me'. The world must accommodate 'Me' - my ideologies and my way of thinking. Does that ring a bell?Take a listen to Bob Luther, as he exposes today's culture and brings a biblical perspective on how we can navigate and safeguard ourselves in living lives pleasing to God.
Our time on this earth is limited, and so we need to make every day count. But what does that mean? How do we need to live our lives so we can be fruitful and live a meaningful life. Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches us how God wants to live us lives so we can make every moment count.
When Jesus called his disciples, he did not advertise a 10 week crash course. Instead, He said - "Come, follow me". Jesus wanted to have a relationship with his disciples and do life with them.Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches how we can prioritize relationships in our lives and ministry.
As Christ's followers, we ought to have him as our utmost priority. But if we search within your heart, we will find hurdles that hinder us from doing that.Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches from the life of Paul and how we can make God the focus of our lives.
In today's world, being productive means to be finishing tasks and accomplishing things. With that comes the expectation that we need to be doing something all through the day to be productive.While that's good, the Bible also talks about being still. Being still does not mean not being productive. It actually means the opposite.Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches us from the lives of Martha and Mary the importance of being still in the presence of God.
We all know how quickly small sins can turn into a snowball of guilt and shame. But God loves each one of us, no matter how far our sin has taken us. Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches from the life of David on how we can be cautious of sin and lean onto God for his help.
We are all good at something. Has that caused pride at any point in your life? Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches us how to practice humility and make that our state of mind.
One of the greatest blessings human race ever had since the beginning of time is to be able to bring new life into this world. As we celebrate Mother's Day, we need to realize how important life is in general and how much more important it is to take care of the life growing inside of you. Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches from the Bible how we need to protect and care for kids as parents, especially as moms.
Taking a stand in today's world is getting more and more challenging, but it is also getting more and more necessary. As evil is spreading like wild fire, we need to take a firm stand in proclaiming and standing for Christ.Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches from the life of Joshua how we can live our lives serving Him faithfully.
When Joseph was abandoned by his own brothers, what would have been his state of mind? Maybe he thought he would never see the light of day again.As part of living in a sinful broken world, bad things happen. But as children of God, we have a promise. Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches us from the life of Joseph, how God is working things out for us, in the good and the bad.
As we see more and more evil creep into our world, our communities and our lives, we need to step up our game to stay vigilant and fight back when things stop aligning with what the Bible says.How you ask? Take a listen to Ps. Steve as He teaches us how we need to be on guard to protect us and our faith.
As the world around us is getting more and more challenging to be a witness for Christ, how are we to change our methods but not the message? Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches how we can live out our lives as faithful followers of Christ in current times.
If there is ever a unique, most powerful claim made about anyone, it is this. The God of the universe, came down into His own creation, as one of us, suffered and died on a cross, and rose back to life.Finding it hard to believe? Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he unravels the evidences outside Bible and Christianity, to explore what the world has to say about this unique claim.
As Christ’s followers, we might have gone to church many times, and would have listened to sermons thousands of times. Did you follow what was taught in every sermon? Did it just end up as head knowledge?Take a listen to David Lang, as he opens up the scriptures for us and teaches us how God’s word can bring life and fruitfulness in our lives.
If your friend were to ask you who Jesus was, what would you say? Do you know who Jesus is? Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he opens the scriptures and shows who Jesus truly is and how we ought to live our lives as His disciples.
Freedom is such an important aspect in our lives. Jesus came into this world to give us freedom; to set you and me free from the captivity of sin.Are you willing to share this gift of freedom Jesus gave you? Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches us how we can do that.
As seasoned Christians, often times we find ourselves feeling good about our Christian lives and feel content. On a regular basis, we need to ask ourselves if we are living the full Christian life that God wants us to live, or if if we are just going through the motions.Take a listen to Pastor Steve as he teaches from the epistle to the Philippians how we can live lives pleasing and honoring God.
You are the light of the world. What does that mean? What does it take to live a life that shines light into your world?Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches from Philippians how we can shine like stars in this world.
We all heard the saying - Pride comes before a fall. While we all know that humility is a great virtue, often times we tend to put that aside to boost our ego.Take a listen to Pastor Steve as he teaches us from Paul's letter to the Philippians, about humility and how we can prioritize it in our lives.
While it is easy to love the ones you like, when was the last time you did something to show your love towards a stranger?Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he opens the scriptures for us and teaches us how we need to love the people God has put in our radar.
Do you feel you’re stuck in the same cycle? Are you mourning over what has happened in the past? Would you like to see a breakthrough in your life? Take a listen to Richard Vemagiri as he opens the scriptures for us to understand what it takes to begin a new chapter in our lives.
We all heard the saying - A person pursues happiness but chooses joy. How can you choose to be joyful in a broken world? How can joy be our attitude? Take a listen to Al Landry as he opens the scriptures for us and shares how we can have full joy in Him.
As followers of Christ, we are to live outside our small worlds. God calls us to have a Kingdom mindset. What does that mean you ask?Take a listen to Bob Luther as he shares what is means to live outside ourselves.
We all heard this phrase - Take a stand for God. Have you ever wondered what it means and how it can be done practically in our day to day lives? Take a listen to Bob Luther as he throws light on standing for God and what that looks like today.
Persecution is a word that’s not foreign to any church going believer. So if it’s such a prevalent aspect in a Christian’s life, what is the right response when one goes through persecution in this world? Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he opens up the scriptures to show how we ought to respond to the persecution we encounter in our lives.
Most of us don’t like following orders or submitting to authority. While we have our rationale for our disagreement with our authorities, God intends us to submit ourselves to authority. Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he opens the scriptures for us to understand how we can submit to authority in a way that honors God.
When was the last time you made a decision to live right in the sight of God and fell into sin again? When God asks us to be Holy, He doesn't leave us hanging with a command but also helps us every step of our way. Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he opens the scriptures for us and shows us how we can live and be holy.
Have you ever felt stuck in your past? Do you feel your past or current situation is curbing you from tapping into God to claim His promises and blessings in your life? Take a listen to Richard Vemagiri as he draws lessons from the lives of the people of Israel as they journey to their blessing that God promised them.
God blessed us with many things in our lives - health, families, money, time, etc. Question is - how responsible are we with each one of these assets He has given us. Are we using these assets for God's glory, or is anything taking God's place in your life. Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches us how we ought to be good stewards of these blessings in our lives.
Persecution has been and still is a very serious problem in our nation and world. Ever wondered what the Bible talks about such times and how we ought to respond? Take a listen as Ps. Steve opens the scriptures for us and teaches us what God expects of us in these challenging times.
When was the last time you said to yourself or heard someone say - "If I only had the skill....". Evangelism is one of the commandments Jesus gave us to just step out and do. Yet we find ourselves staying in our comfort zones thinking that we need to be equipped and trained in order to evangelize. Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he opens the scriptures for us, teaching and challenging us about evangelism.
How many of us went through or knew someone who experienced anxiety in this pandemic season? Take a listen to Rabbi Nathan as he throws light on how we can navigate anxiety in our lives.
We all know what is right, but we often find ourselves doing what is comfortable. Living right requires discipline and perseverance. But how do we persevere to live right no matter the situations we find ourselves in? Join us as we listen to Al Landry teaching us how to persevere in our Christian walk to claim God's promises in our lives
In this digital age, we are bombarded with information, whether we like it or not. We are in a constant cycle of consuming this information on a daily basis, that many times we are found feeling confused rather than feeling well-informed. Bob Luther reminds us to hit the brakes, and realign our lives to what matters. Join us as Bob teaches us from God's word how we can untangle our minds and reset our focus on God.
One of the things we see around us is brokenness. As Christ's ambassadors, we are called to be peacemakers to restore harmony in our little world around. But how do we do that? Let's dive in as Ps. Steve teaches us how we can be a church of peacemaking.
Loving and caring for others is God's character. As people created in His image, we are to reflect His characteristics. But how can we make this our nature? Join in as Ps. Steve opens the scriptures for us to show what the Bible talks about being the Church that God calls us to.
We live in a world of metrics. Have you ever wondered how one can measure "love"? The Bible says that God loves us so very much. Have you ever wondered how much does God love you? Join in as Ps. Steve shares about God's love and what we need to learn from that love.
Weddings are such a great celebration! But is that celebration alive in the marriages that follow? Join us as Ps. Steve shows what the Bible teaches us about having fruitful marriages in our lives.
We all want to grow in many areas of our lives, but very few put in the effort and the sacrifice. How badly do you want your church to be a place fostering spiritual growth? Let's listen to Ps. Steve as he opens the scriptures for us to see how our churches can be spiritual bodies destined for growth.
In today's world, people are becoming more and more selfish. The focus is shifting more and more inward. As Christians, we need to be counter-culture and our churches should be power-houses of LOVE. Join us as Ps. Steve challenges us to show Christ's love to the people around.
You might have "church friends", but can you call them family? If yes, what is the biggest thing you did for them? Would you have done better if he/she was a family member instead? Take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches us how we should be towards our family of believers.
We all know that our churches need to be Christ-centered. But how many times have we put God's agenda aside and moved ahead with our selfish plans? Let's take a listen to Ps. Steve as he teaches how we can give God the highest priority in our lives, everyday.
A new year brings a fresh perspective - new resolutions, new habits, etc. While we add new things in our lives, what are we leaving behind for good? Ps. Steve talks from Colossians, challenging us as we step into the new year.
Celebrating JESUS! What a privilege to celebrate the God of the galaxies as our Father, friend and salvation!
We all know that actions speak louder than words. Christmas is undoubtedly the loudest love language spoken ever, where God would come down to earth as a mortal man, just so that worthless people like us can have a relationship with Him. Take a listen as Ps. Steve opens up the scriptures for us, sharing about the greatest love of all times.
Do you agree that life gets in the way of your plans? Why does this sound familiar? No matter what we are going through, let's not forget that your Father is God himself and he will never leave you. Advent is that time when we can remind ourselves that our Father sent His only Son into this world to save us and give us the ultimate gift - salvation. Don't you think this calls for joy and rejoicing. Let's take a listen to Ps. Steve as he opens the scriptures for us on rejoicing in advent.
Do you remember the last time you shared something with your family or friends that you were so happy or excited about? Do you feel the same excitement about sharing about Christ? Ps. Steve shares about the wonder of Christ's birth and the importance of spreading this news around.
Have you ever wondered what "Advent" meant? When people talk about the Advent season, what comes to your mind? As Christ's followers, it is important that we truly understand what this season and Christ's birth bring to this world and to us personally. Take a listen as Pastor Steve opens the scriptures for us.
Two words that are not new to us: Fellowship and Service. Do we really understand their true meaning and the significance of them in our Christian lives? Take a listen.
What was the sin of Jeroboam? Does God punish sinners? What was the evil that he committed in the sight of the God? How did God respond to it? Let's find out.
Rehoboam was the eldest son of king Solomon. He was the first King of Judah. He wasted his God-given potential to rule God's people. Take a listen to find out why Rehoboam failed and the consequences he had to face.
Solomon is known as the wisest man that ever lived on the face of the earth. Solomon builds a magnificent temple for God during his reign, and upon dedication of the temple, God appears to Solomon and talks to him! What does God say? Let's find out.
Do you desire to lead and disciple others along the way with all that God as equipped you? Let's find out how we can disciple others.
When you think of prayer, what is the first thing that pops in your mind? Have you ever experienced the power of prayer in your life? Prayer is a powerful tool that you have, but like any other tool, its just a tool if you do not use it.
Life is easier when you have God’s wisdom in your lives. Nowadays people are lacking wisdom. Persecution in our country is increasing and we need wisdom more than ever to overcome our situations and make wise choices. Are we thinking wise when things are going wrong around us? How can you exercise God’s wisdom in your lives?
On this Fathers days, let us all remember our loving heavenly father and celebrate Him. Let us see what the scripture teaches us about being a good father like Him.
The beauty of God’s creation is all around us. He created us more unique and beautiful than anything else. When we look at God's work, we ought to praise Him for being our Savior and recognize that He is our Creator.
People are so sinful and wicked by nature. There is no peace or love towards one another. How can they find peace in their life? Let us look into God's word to find out the solution for sinfulness and depravity.
God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His character and abilities do not change. Though we are facing difficult times, He continues to work on behalf of His people. Pastor Steve opens the scriptures for us to remind and help us understand God's faithfulness and goodness towards us inspite of the negative situations that surround us.
When God calls us, we have to be willing to forsake everything in order to follow him. In this sermon, let us look into examples of many followers of Christ, how they moved forward in faith never looking back.
Time is one of our valuable assets. What are you doing with your time? As Christians, how do you make best use of time? Are you taking time to minister to others?
It's a great blessing and a special calling to all His followers to spread and share the gospel to all nations. What does it take to share the Good News?
What is the evidence that Jesus actually died and was resurrected from the dead? What was the purpose in Jesus coming to die? Take a listen to find out.
Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem, riding on a donkey. Why did Jesus chose to ride on a donkey? What was the significance of the triumphal entry? Let's find out what Pastor Steve has to say.
How did the disciples overcome fear when they are on the Sea of Galilee in a storm and in darkness? How do you challenge fears in your life? Lets dive into God's word to find out.
Jesus called His twelve disciples to Him and gave them the authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. Why did Jesus send His disciples out in pairs without Him?
Have you ever panicked not having enough food prepared for the guests coming over to your house? Well, in Jesus' day, something similar took place. Take a listen to know all about it.
Prayer is very important in every christian's life. Do you want to know how Jesus taught the disciples to pray and the importance of prayer.
It's more natural that we hate someone who has mistreated us. But, how do you love those who mistreat you? Is that possible? How do you love your enemies?
When Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights, He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. How did Jesus deal with temptation?
Have you ever wondered why Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist? Why would the sinless Son of God be baptized by the one who was baptizing people for the forgiveness of their sins? Is John the Baptist worthy to baptize Jesus? How did he prepare to baptize Jesus?
Fear and anxiety are the emotions we face in our hard times. Have you ever seen someone in the grip of fear or anxiety? It's dreadful. This sermon tells us how we can overcome fear and anxiety.
God’s love for His people is everlasting and unchanging. He loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die for you. He is a loving Father who will always love you no matter what. So, take time to meditate, pray and receive His love as you walk in faith.
Have you made your New Year’s resolutions yet? Do you keep them? Let’s look at resolutions that we should make and keep.
Christmas is a time of celebration! With all the festivities in the season, we tend to get caught up in doing a lot of things: get-togethers, shopping, pageants, family dinners, date nights, etc. In all of this, have you forgotten what Christmas is about? Are you giving the same amount of time and energy in celebrating Christ's birth and truly understanding the Father's love?
As believers, we are called to serve God and to serve one another in humility. How do we do that? What does that look like in our day-to-day lives?
Solitude is one of the spiritual gifts that Jesus practiced before he was tempted by Satan. It is good to decorate our house and spend time with friends and family during Christmas, but we shouldn't neglect God. Praying in solitude is a time set for just you and God. Are you willing to spend time one-on-one with Him?
We find ourselves giving thanks for what God has done and not really for who He is. Sometimes it’s easy to take everything we have for granted. Are you confident of living a life of thankfulness?
Biblical Stewardship is one of the essential lessons we need to learn as a disciple of Christ. But today, stewardship is often misunderstood. God calls us to steward everything about our life for His glory. What is biblical stewardship? What are the specific areas where God calls us to be faithful stewards?
God is calling us to be bold. As God's people, Christians should be the boldest and most courageous of all, particularly when it comes to speaking and doing what is Godly. Let's see what the Bible has to say about boldness.
Today, millions of believers around the world are suffering. Being the followers of Jesus Christ, Christians are facing horrific attacks. People are often physically assaulted, hospitalized and sometimes even killed. So, what does the Bible teach us about persecution?
People are more obsessed with themselves. But Paul says that Christ followers must live a different life, living a life united with Christ. He talks about Christ's willingness to humble himself. What does it mean to be united with Christ? What is God going to do to those who humble themselves?
Have you ever read about David in the Bible? If you ever wondered what praising the Lord is like, David has a lot to teach you.
How awesome is it to be in the house of the Lord! The Bible tells us that in God's presence there is fullness of Joy. Do you want to have that joy in your life?
The man who walks in the way of the Lord is blessed. David is trusting in the goodness of the Lord and praying for mercy, grace and forgiveness of sin. What is your prayer today? Are you praying like David to be led in His ways? Are you seeking forgiveness for your sins?
Do you ever feel you are alone? Do you ever feel that you are fighting the enemy by yourself? The enemy is real and fierce in our life. But here's the powerful hope that keeps us strong. God is greater than whatever we face here in this world, and He is the one who fights on our behalf constantly protecting and strengthening us.
Zeal is a burning desire to please God and to do His will. God wants us to be zealous and enthusiastic followers of Him. Bible has countless examples of people expressing their zeal for God through their words and actions. How zealous are you for the Lord?
Parents love their children because they bring joy and happiness to them. Parenting involves giving ourselves daily for our children so they would be blessed as a result of our faithful parenting. Let us see what the Bible has to teach us as parents.
Marriage is a gift to us from God. Every married couple want a healthy relationship. As Christians, we know that applying biblical principles to marriage will give us a stronger foundation, but are we doing that? What if your relationship isn’t as much about you and your spouse as it is about you and God?
Joseph was the first son born to Jacob through Rachel. He had a lot of unpleasant things going his way. His brothers intended to hurt him, but God intended it for good. Have you ever wondered why certain things are happening in your life or in the world around?
Isaac and Rebekah had two twin boys, Esau and Jacob. Jacob, the younger twin was a liar and a trickster but God used him. Do you want to be used by God?
Did you know about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah? What was the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah? Why did Abraham negotiate with God about Sodom and Gomorrah?
Why would God decide to wipe out mankind with a flood? What was the sign of the covenant that God made with Noah? By the way, did you know that back in the day people wanted to build a tower that reaches to the heavens?!
Cain and Abel were the first two sons of Adam and Eve. Cain was a farmer, and his brother Abel was a shepherd. The brothers offer sacrifices to God, but only one of those sacrifices gets accepted. What kind of sacrifices did Cain and Abel offer?
Have you ever wondered why this world is so broken? Well, it all started many many years ago when mankind disobeyed God. Want to know what really happened?
Creating something is not easy. It takes creativity, effort, time and a lot of thought into making something good. The Bible opens up with the statement: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth! Can we comprehend the thought that went into this "Creation"?
There is only one man who gave His life for you! Today He is Risen! His name is Yahweh! His name is Jesus! Easter is the day Jesus rose from the dead after dying on the cross for our sins. Do you want to know this "Jesus" more?
When was the last time you cared for someone and went all in to make a difference.. I mean, like giving them a $100!