We are wrapping up our Christmas series by looking at the "Christmas Spirit." It seems like everything about Christmas tells us to be happy, cheerful, and excited. But, what if that's not our reality? What then?
**Our apologies for the bad audio** Christmas can be a little gross or make us feel a little gross. Its easy to get caught up in the overindulgence, in the consumerism, materialism, and tribalism. This all stands opposed to the way of Jesus. So what do we do? How do we recapture the true heart of Christmas? Embrace the Servant King.
It's Christmas time and with that come lots of things, including jam packed, stressed out schedules. But, does it have to be that way?
The world needs healthy, growing churches. Right now Hope Community is exactly that. How do we make sure it stays that way? How do we experience all that God has for us as people and as a church?
Humanity has a problem: sin, evil, and death. For all of our efforts we've never been able to it. Jesus' claim is that he's the one who can.
What does it mean to be free? Is it all about individual autonomy or is there something more?
The world is a dark place, there's no escaping that reality. While we may find ourselves surrounded by darkness we don't have to walk in it.
Are the New Testament documents reliable? Can we trust that what was written then is what we have now? Let's find out together
There are a lot of different opinions about Jesus today. There were also a lot of different opinions about Jesus in his day. That never seemed to phase him. He just consistently and urgently declared who he was and what he came to do. What he came to do for them and us was to satisfy the thirst of our souls.
Ever hear someone say "don't judge me" or "you shouldn't judge?" Its a popular sentiment in our culture, but the reality is from big things to small we make judgement calls everyday. The issue isn't if or what we judge, but rather how we judge. Jesus actually invites us to judge him, but to do so with the right way with the right information.
There is a way of handling our money, that while counterintuitive and uncomfortable is the key to stressing less and thriving more in the area of finances. Flip the script.
When it comes to our stuff we aren't owners, we are managers. As managers we are accountable and responsible for what we do with what we've been given.
Money is a means to an end, it is not the end in and of itself. Its just a tool and it can be used to add meaning to you life when it is used a means to an end that goes beyond you
Part 4
The church is responsible for an incredible amount of evil in the world and throughout world history. But is that statement true? How do we navigate the tension between the bad things the church has done and what Jesus commands us to do?
The church didn't stop after the first disciples of Jesus died. In fact, the church grew at an incredible rate. This week we look at how the church grew and the different forms the church has taken over the centuries.
Everything has a beginning. Hope Community had a beginning, but our story doesn't start with us, it started 2,000 years ago when Jesus launched his gathering, his church. This message explores how the church started and Jesus's promise to build his church.
It seems like we are an increasingly offended culture and we've bought into the lie that being offended and living the "good life" are mutually exclusive. Well it turns out they're not. In fact the thing that offends us often is the very thing that leads us into the life we so deeply desire.
Just like we all have physical hunger, we also all have spiritual hunger, desires/needs that go beyond the physical. We want meaning, purpose, value, identity. We want to know am I loved, do I belong, am I part of something greater than myself? What can satisfy our spiritual hunger?"
John 6 opens with one of the most famous and most important miracles of Jesus' ministry, the feeding of the 5000. Thru it we see the incredible reality that we are invited to be a part of what Jesus is doing in the world. The question is will we meet that invitation with "how" or "wow?"
Throughout John 5 Jesus makes some pretty bold claims about who he is and what he has come to do. Now he calls 4 witnesses to the stand to backup his claims
Is Jesus God? Did he claim to be? Did the early church believe that He was? Why does it matter
Religious conservatism often leads to legalism. Religious progressivism often leads to license. Jesus confronts both and offers the path that leads to life.
Jesus wants to heal us of our greatest problem: sin. He has resurrection life for us. The question is will we live like it. Will we pick up our mats and walk?
One of the biggest barriers to us loving our neighbors is often the way we see them. We see someone we fear, we see someone we judge, we see someone who is just different than us. If we want to love our neighbors well we need to see them differently. Sometimes it takes a party for that to happen.
One of the biggest barriers to us loving our neighbors is time. Our schedules are full, our lives are busy, how can we possibly squeeze anything or anyone else in? We must choose. We can live lives of love or hurry, but we can't do both
When asked what the greatest command was Jesus answered with love God and love your neighbor. Sometimes we forget that includes our actual neighbors too! How do we love well those who live next door?
We all take people at their word. From our mechanic to Amazon reviews, we're constantly taking people at their word. But when it comes to our faith we are sometimes hesitant to take Jesus at his word. Instead, we'd rather bargain with Jesus instead of doing what Jesus said. But what would happen if we simply took Jesus at his word?
Stories are powerful. They can shape our lives and the lives of those around us. But so often when it comes to our faith, we don't know how to share our story. And sometimes we even take the wrong approach. In this message we explore how the woman at the well shared her story and the impact it had on her town. As Christians we need to learn to do this because Jesus wants us to, the harvest is plentiful.
We often look to things or substances to bring us satisfaction. But we know that they don't truly satisfy because we have to keep buying or using more. Jesus offers us a better way to find satisfaction. The way he offers leads to l
