HPUMC - Sanctuary Sermons (Traditional Worship)

Living Free

It's Like One Mind

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Do you have the mindset of Jesus? So often we spend time, money, and energy learning to think like others so that we can be more like them—more successful in business or influential in relationships. But what if we could learn to think more like Jesus so that we can be more like him? The Apostle Paul thought we could, and he gives us a blueprint in Philippians 2 to embrace humility like Jesus did. But that’s easier said than done, isn’t it? In ...

The Runner on Second

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Have you ever found yourself presented with an opportunity you felt totally unqualified for? Two thousand years ago, an ordinary disciple named Ananias found himself in the same position. God had called him to do something that seemed risky, unexpected, and far beyond his comfort zone. But what if being the “right person” for God to work through has less to do with qualifications and more to do with availability? And what if the places and spac...

A Father Who Runs

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. What attribute do you love most about your father or a father figure in your life? Maybe it’s his steady strength, his listening ear, or his generosity. Maybe it’s his dependability to show up when it matters most. In one of Jesus’ most famous parables, we meet a father who does something entirely unexpected: he gives away his inheritance early and then runs to embrace the son who wasted it all. Why would he do that? And what is Jesus trying to...

Test the Arm

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Sometimes, all the wisdom and experience in the world tell us to “stay put.” Don’t try. Don’t hope. Don’t believe anything will change. Whether it's a personal struggle or a societal issue that feels too broken to fix, it can be easy to settle into a mindset that our problems are too big, and we should stop expecting more. But what if there is a power greater than the greatest problems we face? In this sermon, we study the story of a desperate ...

Overcoming Decision-Making Anxiety

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Ever felt trapped in the endless cycle of decision-making anxiety? You aren’t alone. Each of us knows the overwhelming worry that comes with facing a big decision, and in the face of that worry, it’s easy to stall out, waiting to feel like we have enough information before moving forward. The only problem is, “enough” information is a mirage. We never have enough to make a perfect choice. But what if this wasn't a design flaw in the decision-ma...

Tougher Than It Seems

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. In a world where “might makes right,” gentleness can feel like weakness. But what if it is actually a surprising kind of strength? God places a high value on gentleness. Jesus describes himself as gentle, and it is listed among the nine fruits of the Spirit that God wants to grow in each of us. So, what is it about gentleness that God prizes? And what does it look like to choose gentleness when the world around us prefers control and power? In ...

Out of Control

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” These words from the Apostle Paul might be some of the most relatable in the Bible. Have you ever felt that way—caught in a struggle with yourself, wanting to do better but falling into the same patterns? We all do at times. We overextend or overindulge in areas like spending, drinking, working, losing our temper, or overcommitting on our schedule...

Take Care of Momma

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. What does it truly mean to honor those who have shaped us? In John 19, as Jesus hangs on the cross, he looks down at his mother and ensures she is cared for. Even in his final moments, he remains focused on honoring her. Mother’s Day reminds us of the call to honor our mothers and motherly figures, but what does that look like in our everyday lives? And how might our relationships change if we lived with that same intentional care and respect J...

Prayer

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. When Jesus promises in John 14 that he will do whatever we ask in his name, it’s tempting to hear that as a blank check—an offer to make our agendas succeed with divine power. But does Jesus really mean God will always give us whatever we ask for? Or is he inviting us into something deeper? Prayer was a constant habit for Jesus. In the Gospels, he models a life of honest conversation with the Father, naming his desires and willingly surrenderin...

Image. Again.

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. What if the way we think about "ruling" isn’t quite what God had in mind? From the dawn of creation, God commissioned humanity to rule over all that God created. But what if His call is less about control and more about reflecting God’s image through loving stewardship? In a world where power is often equated with dominance, God invites us into a radically different kind of rule: one rooted in love, humility, and service. How might that change ...

Because He Lives

Good Friday - Sanctuary 2025

The New Covenant

Something To Believe In

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. On Palm Sunday, we celebrate the moment Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem as the people cheered wildly with the expectation that he was their Messiah. What had he done to receive such adulation? Why would they believe that he was the one? Just days before, Jesus had done an extraordinary miracle: raising a man from the dead. It was a sign that gave people something to believe in. But before the miracle, Jesus did something just as importan...

Walk

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide Do you want to get well? This is the question Jesus asks in John 5 when he encounters a man who has been paralyzed for 38 years, waiting by the pool of Bethesda. When Jesus tells him to "get up and walk," he is inviting the man—and all of us—to move from fear to freedom and trust. In this sermon, we continue our series on the miracles of Jesus in the Gospel of John, which were signs pointing to Jesus’ identity and mission. This story challenges ...

From a Distance

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Have you ever been asked to trust someone based only on their word? Maybe you wanted proof before believing, or you felt doubt creeping in. Taking someone at their word can feel risky, especially when the stakes are high. In this sermon, we continue our series on the miracles of Jesus in the Gospel of John by exploring the story of a man in desperate need who has every reason to doubt a promise from Jesus—a royal official whose son is dying. Wh...

When the Wine Runs Out

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Do you believe in miracles? Maybe you do, maybe you don’t. But most of us have found ourselves praying for one in those moments when we desperately need something extraordinary to happen. The Gospel of John records seven miracles Jesus performed to reveal his divine purpose and authority on the way to Jerusalem. Over the next few weeks leading up to Easter, we’ll take a look at several of these to learn more about the nature of miracles and wha...

Image

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. We all wrestle with questions of identity and worth—who we are, what defines us, and whether we measure up. But from the very beginning, God declared our worth. Made in God’s image, we were created to reflect His love and goodness to the world. Yet, we often try to earn our place with God or define ourselves by other metrics: our achievements, the approval of others, or what we accumulate. What if God’s love isn’t transactional but freely given...

Repentance

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. We’ve all felt that sinking feeling of regret after making a mistake. But how often do we fail to turn that regret into real change through repentance? Repentance can feel like a daunting religious word, particularly if you’ve heard it in a “fire and brimstone” context. But what if repentance isn’t as intimidating as we think? What if it’s not just about owning our guilt, but experiencing life on the other side? In Hebrew, the word for repent, ...

God Wastes Nothing

The Grave Clothes of Lazarus

The Illusion of Limitation

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection guide. What if God is calling you to something bigger than your resources? Oftentimes, we let limitations—money, time, ability—dictate what we think is possible. But what if God is ready to provide in a way we never could have expected, if we will only step out in faith? Twenty-five years ago, asking this question changed the course of our church. It led us to launch Belong Disability Ministry , which has changed our community for the better. It has c...

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Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Why do bad things happen to good people? This is a question humans have been asking for millennia. Whether it’s illness, injustice, or a natural disaster, personal and global suffering often leaves us wondering, “How could a good and powerful God allow this?” In this sermon, we will explore some of the causes of suffering and wrestle with the tension of holding onto God’s goodness while facing these harsh realities. With Psalm 69 as our guide, ...

Overcoming Shattered Dreams - Part 2

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. There is nothing like fulfilling a dream! It feels magical when all your plans and hard work bring you to the finish line of something you’ve always wanted. But what do you do when you hit a dead end and your hard work adds up to nothing? Or worse, what do you do when your dream shatters before your eyes? Last week, we talked about meeting God amid the pain of broken dreams. This week, we explore some practical ways we can face those broken dre...

What To Do With a Shattered Dream

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide There is nothing like fulfilling a dream! It feels magical when all of your plans and hard work bring you to the finish line of something you’ve always wanted. But what do you do when you hit a dead end and your hard work adds up to nothing? Or worse, what do you do when your dream shatters before your eyes? In this sermon, we get honest about the pain of broken dreams, which can leave us devastated and disillusioned. We explore the story of two...

The Ingredients of a Dream

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Dreams unlock our potential. When God plants them in our hearts, He equips each of us with a unique set of skills and gifts to pursue them. But turning those God-given dreams into reality is difficult. It’s one thing to believe that dreams are from God and carry power; it’s another to stay committed to them through setbacks. If God gives us dreams, why are they so hard to achieve? What steps can we take to see them through? This week, we will e...

Dream Big

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Do you ever dream? Not just in sleep, but during the day—thinking about the big, perhaps impossible things you would love to see happen in your life. Some of us have stopped dreaming altogether, deciding that dreams are nothing more than sentimental distractions. Or maybe we've tucked our dreams away on a high shelf, letting them gather dust. Dreams matter to God. Too often, we let the limitations of our circumstances or the expectations of our...

Flies, Not Bees

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide Do you have eyes to see and ears to hear? Jesus frequently asked this question of the crowds that gathered to listen to him—not because he doubted whether they were paying attention but because he wanted to know if their hearts were open to receive his message. Many who had the chance to meet Jesus in person and ask him questions either dismissed him or saw him as a threat. They wrote off the Son of God, even though he was right in their midst. ...