Hope Alliance Bethlehem
517 episodes - English - Latest episode: 7 days ago - ★★★★★ - 7 ratingsA sermon podcast of Hope Alliance Church
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Episodes
Jesus, Peter, and Restoration
April 21, 2024 04:00 - 44 minutes - 30.7 MBThe gospel of John winds down with the beautiful story of Peter's restoration by Jesus. Peter is led to feel the weight of his sin so he can feel the even greater weight of God's grace. The forgiveness offered through Jesus overcomes our shame, sets us back on course, and transforms us to live in light of the gospel.
Jesus, Thomas, and Doubt
April 14, 2024 15:00 - 40 minutes - 28 MBThomas is famously and wrongly demeaned for doubt. In fact, what Jesus warns Thomas about is how to process doubt. We are all constantly moving either toward belief or unbelief. So it matters profoundly where we intentionally place ourselves to engage our questions. The church is meant to be a place where we can ask honest questions and pursue the resurrected Jesus together.
Jesus, Mary, and Identity
April 08, 2024 00:00 - 33 minutes - 23 MBAs Mary stands outside the tomb, twice she is asked, "Why are you crying?" Of course she is upset about Jesus, but also about what she has lost - a new life and a new identity. But with the sound of her name from the lips of Jesus, everything changes. Mary's identity is settled, her eyes are opened to see a bigger pictures and she is given a renewed vocation as a witness to the resurrection and victory of Jesus.
Jesus, Mary and Identity
April 08, 2024 00:00 - 33 minutes - 23 MBAs Mary stands outside the tomb, twice she is asked, "Why are you crying?" Of course she is upset about Jesus, but also about what she has lost - a new life and a new identity. But with the sound of her name from the lips of Jesus, everything changes. Mary's identity is settled, her eyes are opened to see a bigger pictures and she is given a renewed vocation as a witness to the resurrection and victory of Jesus.
The Resurrection Means New Creation
March 31, 2024 04:00 - 33 minutes - 23.1 MBThe resurrection of Jesus is not just a Christian doctrine or even simply a fact. It is the central truth to a whole new reality of life. The resurrection of Jesus means new creation. Ever the master storyteller, John makes poignant connections between the original creation and the implications of Jesus resurrection. Sin and death are defeated. Shame is gone and God is near again.
Washing Feet, Cleansing Hearts
March 29, 2024 04:00 - 27 minutes - 18.7 MBAs 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?
Jesus, the Rightful King
March 24, 2024 04:00 - 37 minutes - 26.1 MBUpon his entry into Jerusalem, Jesus embraces the hoped fo- posture of an incoming Messianic king of Israel. However, as John has reminded us form the beginning, Jesus follows God's plans not those of men. And so, Jesus comes on a donkey announcing peace not judgment and spreads his arms open wide to the whole world, not just the Jewish nation. He accomplishes this mission of peace for the whole world by laying his life down as a sacrifice to overthrow the great oppressor of sin and defeat t...
The Resurrecting Power of Jesus
March 17, 2024 04:00 - 36 minutes - 25 MBAs much as Jesus loved Lazarus, he also hates death and all the chaos it brings to our lives and world. Yet, he cares for Martha and Mary in very specific ways to meet their personal needs. In raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus is engaging a direct battle with death (and sin) which will cost him his very life. Ultimately, Jesus raises Lazarus so he can take his place in the tomb and conquer death once and for all.
I Am the Resurrection
March 10, 2024 05:00 - 42 minutes - 28.9 MBJesus is moved by his love for Lazarus and his sisters to help him. However, if that is true, then why did he make the strange choice to wait a few days before going to them? He wants people to believe. Not just in the future or the abstract, but believe in him. When Jesus says that he is the resurrection, he is boldly declaring that he is God and he is pulling the future final kingdom right into the present.
The Good Shepherd
March 03, 2024 20:00 - 42 minutes - 29.3 MBSheep are at their core incredible helpless and incredibly valuable. That's why they need a shepherd. As humans, we inherently know that we are sheep in need of a sheered. The question is which shepherd will we give ourselves to? As the Good Shepherd, Jesus reminds us that we already belong to him. He has named us and leads us because he loves us, even to the point of laying down his life for us.
Spiritual Blindness
February 27, 2024 01:00 - 43 minutes - 29.9 MBJohn sets Jesus' miraculous healing of a blind man right in the midst of the continuing unbelief of the religious leaders. Their pride left them unable to see the scope of the human problem and unable to see Jesus for who he is. This is spiritual blindness, a far more crippling disability than that of the man. Jesus was offering healing to both, but it is only experienced through genuine faith.
True Freedom
February 18, 2024 05:00 - 37 minutes - 25.9 MBWhen Jesus tells his Jewish audience that they can experience freedom, they are quick to dismiss him. As children of Abraham, they are already free. However, Jesus tells that that they are enslaved to sin. This is the human condition. But true freedom can be found when we remain in Jesus' teaching. He shows us who we are and how we are meant to live.
Sent to Glorify God
February 11, 2024 05:00 - 29 minutes - 20 MBJesus' 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 ou...
The Bread Maker is Here
February 05, 2024 03:00 - 36 minutes - 25 MBThough the miracle of feeding 5,000 is a blessing to the crowds, its intent is largely for Jesus' disciples. It is an invitation to join him in the new and ultimate exodus he is launching. In the past people ate miraculous bread in the wilderness, but now the bread maker is with the people. And he offers bread that will satisfy our true hunger and bring the full life.
A Better Well
January 21, 2024 05:00 - 40 minutes - 27.8 MBJesus intentionally crosses paths with a Samaritan woman at a well and offers her living water that would quench her thirst. Is he really capable of digging a better well than Jacob? Jesus offers full access to God who no longer is restricted to a holy mountain. Jesus is the better well that meets the deeper thirsts of our soul. His offer of living water is available to all who would believe.
New Birth, New Life
January 14, 2024 05:00 - 41 minutes - 28.8 MBJohn lets us eavesdrop on a private conversation between Jesus and a religious leader named Nicodemus who wants to know if Jesus is the promised Messiah. Jesus confounds him by saying he cannot know unless he is born again. While Nicodemus, like many religious people, spent his time building a resume fr morality and external performance, his true problem was internal. Jesus shows us all that our only hope for new and full life is a rebirth from above that brings a new heart.
New Covenant, New Creation
December 31, 2023 05:00 - 36 minutes - 25.1 MBJesus' miraculous turning of water into wine at the wedding in Cana serves as the perfect opening to the ministry of Jesus in the gospel of John. Far more than simply meeting a temporary need for wine, this story sets forth all that Jesus intends to do. Namely, he is here to launch a new covenant that will enable new creation allowing broken, unclean people like us to be in relationship with God.
The Compelling Word
December 24, 2023 05:00 - 38 minutes - 26.6 MBThe incarnation is a grand invitation to come and see Jesus for who he really is and what he intends to do. He does not fore himself on us, instead he asks us what it is that we want and invites us to come and be with him. This invitation is for those who believe and those who are skeptical. And it comes with a promise to enlighten and transform us.
The Greater Word
December 17, 2023 05:00 - 38 minutes - 26.8 MBThe whole ministry of John the Baptist was about pointing people to Jesus. He was a voice, but Jesus was the Word. In the same way, the church functions today as a forerunner of the second advent of Jesus.
The Word Made Flesh
December 10, 2023 05:00 - 39 minutes - 27.1 MBThe incarnation is the stunning truth that God himself came to the mess of this earth in order to set it to rights. The Word became flesh and moved into our neighborhood. Inherent in this truth is the offer of forgiveness from God to humanity. Moreover, it announces his intent to dwell with his people forever. The questions John asks us are do we recognize him and will we receive him?
The Eternal Word
December 03, 2023 05:00 - 38 minutes - 26.4 MBJohn identities Jesus as the Word. In the Old Testament, the word of God was the active power of God in revelation, creation and salvation. This is exactly who Jesus is - the embodiment of the revelation, creation, and salvation of God. And it is exactly who Jesus needs to be if he is going to be able to bring restoration to the problem of our world.
Disciple Makers
November 27, 2023 15:00 - 40 minutes - 27.8 MBAmong the last things Jesus called his followers to do was to make disciples. A disciple is someone who is following Jesus with all of their life. Making disciples means being intentional about seeing our lives multiplied in others. This should inform everything we do in life.
Witnesses
November 19, 2023 05:00 - 36 minutes - 25.4 MBOne of the last things Jesus called his disciples was "witnesses." This identity has it roots all the way back into the Old Testament and God's intent for his people. Though the resurrection of Jesus, we are eyewitnesses to the new creation in our lives. So, we reclaim this identity as God's people sharing and living our stories of transformation in our spheres of influence and in so doing bearing witness to his power and salvation.
A Priesthood
November 12, 2023 18:00 - 39 minutes - 27.5 MBUsing imagery from the Old Testament, Peter tells the scattered church that we are a priesthood. As priests we are a worshiping, mediating, exemplary collective. In other words, our purpose is first and foremost to worship God. But in lives of worship, we are also bring God near to others and bring them near to him while we live differently as an example of what God's kingdom ought to look like. This is not a individual call, but a corporate one - we do it together.
Heirs
November 05, 2023 21:00 - 40 minutes - 28.1 MBAs adopted children of God, we are heirs of the full bounty of his kingdom. We have been given the Spirit of God as a guarantee of this full inheritance. This means we experience it now in part, but ultimately we will have it in its fullness. At the core, our inheritance is a vital, sustaining relationship with God himself and all the glory that comes from it. Our certainty in this full inheritance allows us to go without and even suffer in this present life.
Adopted in Christ
October 29, 2023 15:00 - 35 minutes - 24.6 MBIn 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.
Identity Apart from God
October 22, 2023 04:00 - 37 minutes - 25.6 MBHow did the harmony and idealism of creation descend into chaos? Humanity rejected its God-given identity in pursuit of another one. Rather than be content as image bearers, we want to be like God. At the core of this reach is a lack of belief in the trustworthiness and goodness of God. And the result is damaging to every single relationship within creation. Our only hope of restoration is in a good and trustworthy God.
Created for a Purpose
October 15, 2023 19:00 - 36 minutes - 25.1 MBIn creating humanity, God has given us a clear purpose. We are called to fill the earth by displaying his character and glory in our lives. We are called to subdue creation by ruling and cultivating it like God intends. A major way we do this is through our vocations. And we are called to enjoy the creation along with our Creator. This is what it means to be human.
Created by God
October 08, 2023 04:00 - 34 minutes - 23.6 MBWe are created by God as his intentional, distinctive craftsmanship. This through and through reality is truly miraculous. Moreover, we are created in the image of God. Unlike any other part of creation, we mirror him to our world. This means that each person is incredibly valuable and should be treated accordingly.
Firmly Planted
October 01, 2023 04:00 - 36 minutes - 25.5 MBJust like healthy trees, we thrive when we are firmly planted. The Bible's call is for us to rooted and built up in Jesus. It is both a below ground and above ground reality that produces and is spurred on by gratitude. Moreover, where we choose to plant ourselves in community matters profoundly.
Caused to Thrive
September 25, 2023 00:00 - 35 minutes - 24.8 MBThe Bible is clear that it is God who causes us to thrive. This is not a false health and wealth, name it and claim it proposition. Instead, true thriving looks like reconnecting to what it means to be truly human. When we lean into God's way, he causes our spiritual life and our mission to thrive - no matter the season or circumstances of life.
Desiring God
September 17, 2023 04:00 - 34 minutes - 23.6 MBIt is the way of God that leads to thriving. How do we live God's way? At the core, we have to desire God himself. When we are deeply aware of what God has done and is doing, our affection for him grows. That's why the psalmist tells us to meditate on it day and night. God has brought us out of sin and slavery and into a new family and blessing. Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of this reality.
The Way Away from Blessing
September 10, 2023 04:00 - 35 minutes - 24.5 MBJesus tells us that eternal life is the full experience of knowing God - being in an intimate, life giving relationship with him. This is the blessed life. The path toward this blessing starts with an awareness of the seriousness of sin. In all its forms, sin creates separation between God and us. It is only through Jesus that this gap is closed. And that gospel embrace is not just a one time reality, but an ongoing reality in the life of believers. Thus, before we can pray the prayer to thr...
Self-control
September 03, 2023 14:00 - 38 minutes - 26.2 MBSelf-control implies a power exerted over yourself. Its not so much self effort as it is self-submission to the Spirit. It submits our personal desires to the Spirit of God. Self-control is exhibited in an internal tending to our soul, not simply an external act of behavior modification. It is nowhere more beautifully seen than on the cross where Jesus lived out his earlier prayer to the Father - not my will, but yours be done.
Gentleness
August 27, 2023 16:00 - 36 minutes - 25.1 MBGentleness is not weakness or timidity. Rather it passion and volition in submission to a greater reality. Biblical gentleness, then, is passion fully submitted to God and the forward move of his kingdom. It is our arrogance in the view or ourselves and our desired path forward that keeps us from being gentle. Jesus is the epitome of gentleness. As his followers, we too are called to be gentle.
Faithfulness
August 20, 2023 22:00 - 45 minutes - 31.4 MBFaithfulness is the restful of active trust in God. It is consistency and persistence in faith to the benefit of those around us. God shows us what faithfulness is like through his commitment to keep his promises and his ongoing compassion. In the same way, we should avoid the tendency to disengage with God or his church and instead lean into his mission in our world.
Goodness
August 13, 2023 04:00 - 36 minutes - 25.1 MBGoodness is the internal integrity of a gospel transformed person that results in the blessing of others. Hypocritical livings keeps us from being people of genuine goodness. However, when we cooperate with the Spirit, we find goodness manifesting itself in acts of generosity and encouragement.
Kindness
August 06, 2023 13:00 - 44 minutes - 30.5 MBBiblical kindness is goodness made useful to others. It moves toward people to meet their needs. Kindness looks like acts of mercy, even to those we might consider enemies. And it sounds like using our words to build others up. This is exactly what God has done for us. When we fully embrace the kindness of God, we see the fruit of kindness grow in us.
Patience
July 30, 2023 04:00 - 46 minutes - 31.9 MBPatience 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.
Peace
July 23, 2023 04:00 - 42 minutes - 29.2 MBPeace is not a feeling. It is a fruit. It is the offering of new creation only found through Jesus to the broken world around us. Where the fruit of peace is growing, injustice is decreasing, harmony within creation is rising and unity in the church is championed. This kind of peacemaking is only possible when we have truly embraced the peace that only God can offer.
Joy
July 16, 2023 14:00 - 33 minutes - 23.4 MBJoy, as a fruit of the Spirit, cannot be produced but can be promoted through our beliefs and the leading of the Spirit. When we focus on God's faithfulness we find joy. And when we focus our purposes and hope on Jesus and his mission, we find joy. Doing this as individual persons leads us to be a church and people of joy.
Love
July 09, 2023 04:00 - 43 minutes - 29.9 MBLove is the singular fruit of the Spirit, but it comes in all kinds of varieties and manifestations. There is not peace, patience, kindness, or any others without love. Moreover, biblical love is self-giving, volitional and often unreciprocated. But pride keeps us from seeing love blossom in our lives. We are called to join the Spirit in his work to crucify the flesh which produces pride and instead be rooted in the gospel which breeds genuine love.
Living with Expectancy
June 26, 2023 01:00 - 41 minutes - 28.3 MBExodus closes with the building of the tabernacle. Its a wonderful picture of generosity in sacrifice and service for the kingdom of God. It is also a tremendous act of faith and expectancy. Massive sacrifice and effort precedes God's fulfillment of his promise to dwell amongst them. And then the book closes with the glory of God in the midst of the people - a great announcement of their forgiveness. This is our hope and mission as the church too. And it is a mission worth our greatest and m...
Worship the God Who Forgives
June 18, 2023 04:00 - 42 minutes - 29.2 MBAfter the massive failure of the golden calf, Moses enters into a lengthy negotiation with God about the future of Israel. Rather than father a new nation, Moses offers himself as a substitute sacrifice and leverages his relationship with God for the forgiveness and good of the people. This is exactly what Jesus has done for us in light of our rebellion and failures. As a result, we get to see the splendor of God's glory. And the only response is worship.
The Problem with Graven Images
June 11, 2023 04:00 - 36 minutes - 25 MBThe golden calf incident is a story of massive failure. More than simply making an idol, Israel was compromising the grandeur and totality of God with their local surroundings and embracing a pluralistic mindset. We tend to do the same things quite often. Like them, it typically comes from an impatience with God. Rather than embracing God for all of who he is, we take preferred slices and form a god in our own image. This always leads to self-indulgence and destruction.
Gifted by God
June 04, 2023 13:00 - 38 minutes - 26.6 MBWhen it came time to actually build the tabernacle and its contents, God pointed Moses to a man named Bezalel. God had gifted him with the right talent and abilities and filled him with his Spirit. In many ways, Bezalel, like all of humanity, is acting as a mini-creator in the shadow of the Creator. We too have been gifted by God to join him in his mission to redeem and restore our world. And we work as agents of new creation in the shadow of Jesus, the author of New Creation.
The High Priest
May 28, 2023 19:00 - 37 minutes - 25.8 MBIf God is going to live amongst a broken people, then the role of the high priest is critical. He will represent God to man and he will represent man to God, cultivating the necessary balance. But standing in this gap is a dangerous job, especially for a human wearing diving splendor. Ultimately, God would take on human flesh and provide our ultimate high priest, Jesus.
A God Who Dwells Among Us
May 21, 2023 20:00 - 42 minutes - 29.1 MBAmong the first instructions God gives Moses, are those to build the tabernacle. This will be the place that God resides and from which he leads the people. This stunning revelation of God's intent to dwell with his people despite their failures should never cease to amaze us. What's more he invites the people themselves to build this mobile dwelling and in so doing calls them directly into his plan to establish his kingdom to restore the earth.
Marked by Covenant Blood
May 14, 2023 04:00 - 42 minutes - 29.3 MBAfter giving the law, God enacts a covenant with his people. He will lead them and defeat their enemies, but they must listen and obey his voice, staying true to him. A sacrifice is made and the blood marks not only the altar, but the people as well. Then God descends to the mountain. Though the Israelites would fail to keep this covenant, the prophets looked forward to a new covenant, no longer written on stone but instead on human hearts. Jesus descended from heaven to initiate this new c...
The Covenant Code
May 07, 2023 04:00 - 43 minutes - 30 MBThe Covenant Code of Exodus is a series of laws and societal expectations that flow out of the Ten Commandments into the context of Israel forming as a nation. Through them we can see God's intent that his people live their lives on the basis of their identity as his rescued people, reconnected to their original purpose of worship and bearing his image within creation. This is our same purpose. And we need to constantly be thinking about how we embody that contextually in our world today.