Hope Alliance Bethlehem
528 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 days ago - ★★★★★ - 7 ratingsA sermon podcast of Hope Alliance Church
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Episodes
A God Who Enters the Storm
June 15, 2020 16:00 - 44 minutes - 30.9 MBJesus miraculously walking on water was an act of power, but even more so an act of love. It demonstrates God's willingness to come from the security of the mountaintop into the storm to rescue humanity. And Peter models for us the exact right response - to abandon our manmade protections and go to Jesus.
Impartial Awareness
June 08, 2020 15:00 - 44 minutes - 30.7 MBIn the midst of racial strife and injustice in our country, we can find hope in a God who is impartially aware and moving to bring healing. As the church, we should embody this as a way of life.
Space to Meet with God
May 31, 2020 16:00 - 37 minutes - 26 MBOne 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.
Catching Abundance
May 26, 2020 21:00 - 40 minutes - 27.7 MBIn Luke's gospel, Jesus' call of Peter is preceded by his miraculous catch of fish. In this seeming intrusion of Jesus, we see Peter's process of embracing Jesus. He defers which leads to worship. And his worship enables him to follow Jesus. Peter gave Jesus space to show himself and Jesus demonstrated his desire to grant him an abundant life.
Untitled Episode
May 17, 2020 16:00 - 37 minutes - 25.9 MBTo an exiled prophet and people, the vision of a valley of dry bones coming to life must have brought unthinkable hope. And to those who have realized their brokenness and that of this world, the life that only Jesus can bring offers far greater hope, not just for the future, but also in the now. In the footsteps of our king, we then move to proclaim and breath new life into this world.
Breathing New Life in Exile
May 17, 2020 16:00 - 37 minutes - 25.9 MBTo an exiled prophet and people, the vision of a valley of dry bones coming to life must have brought unthinkable hope. And to those who have realized their brokenness and that of this world, the life that only Jesus can bring offers far greater hope, not just for the future, but also in the now. In the footsteps of our king, we then move to proclaim and breath new life into this world.
Providence in Exile
May 11, 2020 00:00 - 45 minutes - 31.6 MBThe story of Esther reminds us that we all have a divine purpose and have been providentially placed by God. So in this midst of a broken world, and now a community quarantined by pandemic, could it be that God has placed you in your spheres of influence for such a time as this? You have a significant role to play!
How to Live in Exile
May 03, 2020 18:00 - 38 minutes - 26.3 MBJeremiah'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.
Where is God in a Pandemic?
April 26, 2020 17:00 - 44 minutes - 30.4 MBThe story of Joseph shows us two seemingly contradictory and yet equally true realities. This world is broken and so there is pain and suffering. But God is committed to restoring all things and therefore is working good in the midst of it. As we face global pandemic, it causes us to ask real questions about God. If we know him, it should also cause us to be looking for the good he might be working in the midst of it.
New World, New Challenges
April 19, 2020 17:00 - 45 minutes - 31.2 MBAfter the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem, three young men found themselves in exile - a whole new world with all new challenges. They even found themselves on the very precipice. And yet, their faith preserved them in the midst of their fear. Like them, we can have hope in the midst of real struggle and separation.
Eyewitnesses
April 13, 2020 19:00 - 36 minutes - 25.3 MBThe eyewitnesses 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.
Gospel Boasting
April 05, 2020 17:00 - 41 minutes - 28.4 MBTo finish his later to the Galatians, Paul takes the pen himself to write the conclusion. Those who oppose the gospel boast in their fleshly self-effort, but Paul aimed to boast only in the cross. It is the cross of Jesus that bestows new creation and the experience of mercy and peace.
Living Toward Others
March 29, 2020 19:00 - 35 minutes - 24.2 MBOur view of ourself drastically affects our relationships with others. A flesh-centered view leads to love of self and ends up in provoking and envying others. A gospel-centered view leads to love of others and moves towards them with humility and boldness.
Walk by the Spirit
March 22, 2020 17:00 - 40 minutes - 27.7 MBThere is an ongoing battle in the life of the Christian between the flesh and the Spirit. The flesh is our sinful self that craves control, power and the right to be king. The Spirit glories Jesus as the rightful King. It is only through the power of the Spirit and the internal, transforming work of the gospel that the fruit of the kingdom of Jesus is manifest in our life.
Freedom of the Gospel
March 15, 2020 17:00 - 32 minutes - 22.4 MBReligion 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!
A Tale of Two Sons
March 08, 2020 05:00 - 41 minutes - 28.8 MBIn Israel's history, Abraham famously had two sons. Ishmael was born out of human effort, but Isaac was born out of God's promise. Paul uses this example allegorically to show us that faith in human effort leads to slavery, while faith in the gospel leads to freedom.
Paul's Pastoral Plea
March 01, 2020 05:00 - 37 minutes - 26.1 MBPaul, as their founding pastor, offers a plea for the Galatians who he clearly loves. His desire is that they would not fall trap to idols, even religious ones, but rather that they would be formed in Christ. Like the Galatians, these are things we should be zealous for as well.
Children of God
February 23, 2020 05:00 - 35 minutes - 24.8 MBThe glorious truth of the gospel is that in Christ Jesus we are all children of God through faith. What was once just a promise hoped for has now been fulfilled and realized by Jesus' redemption of humanity. And for those who embraced this gospel, the call is to regularly and intentionally clothe ourselves in it.
Why the Law?
February 16, 2020 05:00 - 32 minutes - 22.4 MBPaul 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 ind...
Faith Like Abraham
February 09, 2020 05:00 - 33 minutes - 22.9 MBAs Paul redirects the Galatians to the gospel of faith in Christ alone, he uses the example of Abraham. Going beyond Moses and the law, he shows that entrance into the family of God has always been about faith in God. And now through Jesus, not only has the curse of the law been reversed, but the covenant to Abraham has been fulfilled.
Walking in Line with the Gospel
February 02, 2020 05:00 - 40 minutes - 27.8 MBThe purity of the gospel is so significant that Paul was willing to boldly confront Peter, who had been hypocritically proclaiming the gospel with his mouth, but not backing it up with his actions. In this story we see just how easy it is to fall prey to the fear of man and in so doing forfeit our freedom in Christ. And how our behavior flows out of our gospel identity, not simply our gospel understanding.
A Standing in Christ
January 26, 2020 05:00 - 34 minutes - 23.8 MBPaul uses a previous experience in Antioch to demonstrate the methods of false teachers in forcing gospel compromise. And he reminds the Galatians and us how important it is to give no ground to any addition to the gospel. Our standing in Christ gives us complete access to God.
A Unique Calling
January 19, 2020 05:00 - 42 minutes - 29 MBPaul wanted the Galatians to know that his life journey was sovereignly enabled by God to lead him to bring the gospel to them. Certainly his apostolic authority but also both his testimony of salvation and the testimony of his life made him the right voice for them. Likewise, God has providentially place us as a witness and is preparing us to be his gospel voice where we are.
No Other Gospel
January 12, 2020 05:00 - 37 minutes - 25.6 MBPaul confronts the Galatians' problem head on - any addition (or subtraction) from the gospel is no gospel at all. Paul's warning to them is just as imperative to us as we seek to not only believe and find our identity in the gospel of Christ, but also to live in it.
Introducing Galatians
January 05, 2020 23:00 - 44 minutes - 30.4 MBPaul opens his letter to the Galatians by reminding them of his commission by Jesus and the beauty of a gracious gospel that brings true peace.
An Unexpected Encounter
December 29, 2019 05:00 - 34 minutes - 23.7 MBWhen Jesus is brought to the temple as an infant, he has a surprising encounter with two older people - Simeon and Anna. Their excitement at the presence of Jesus is the result of being people who are boldly waiting for redemption. They have experienced exile, but even in it midst trust the goodness of God as they wait for his full plan to be revealed.
An Unexpected Reign
December 22, 2019 05:00 - 39 minutes - 26.9 MBThe arrival of the magi proclaiming Jesus as king in the face of King Herod sets up a perfect question for gospel readers. Who gets to be king? The reign of Jesus is a threat to all who want power and control, not just of a government, but of their own life. The magi give us the perfect testimony of acknowledging Jesus as king and submitting to him.
An Unexpected Glory
December 15, 2019 05:00 - 32 minutes - 22 MBIn contrast to Caesar, the humble arrival of Jesus shows a very different kingdom with a very different gospel. Peace is not attained through power and conquest, but through a God who willingly set aside power to redeem the world. For shepherds like us, that is truly good news.
An Unexpected Hope
December 08, 2019 05:00 - 37 minutes - 26.1 MBAmidst all kinds of people laboring to enable the restoration of Israel, God comes to a common, insignificant person like Mary and speaks a whole new identity over her. And her faith in him leads her to embrace an unexpected hope not only for her, but the whole world.
An Unexpected Salvation
December 01, 2019 05:00 - 35 minutes - 24.6 MBIn Advent, we celebrate an unexpected baby who brought with him an unexpected salvation. Jesus was a miracle baby like Moses with a name like Joshua who was the ultimate fulfillment of God's gracious rescue and restoration of this world.
Why Do We Give Offerings?
November 24, 2019 05:00 - 39 minutes - 27.5 MBWhen we are radically generous people, we are responding to God, rooting ourselves in the gospel and reaching out to extend the kingdom of God. We give not out of obligation or to prove ourselves, but because as Christians we follow a Christ who was generous in every facet of his being.
Why Do We Celebrate Communion?
November 17, 2019 05:00 - 35 minutes - 24.8 MBThe church celebrates communion because it unites us to Christ and the ultimate fulfillment of the Exodus that is found in him alone. And when we do this, it unites us together as believers as we are again brought to our knees by our equal need for God and raised up to a place of honor as equal participants in his family.
Why Do We Preach?
November 10, 2019 05:00 - 32 minutes - 22.3 MBWhat is the purpose of a sermon? We preach in order to awaken our minds and hearts to God and what he has and is doing in the world, so we can grow and remember. To do this well, we preach messages centered on Jesus and from the Bible.
Why Do We Sing?
November 03, 2019 04:00 - 25 minutes - 17.5 MBChristians have sung when they gather since the inception of the church. We do it because we have been created by a God who sings in his image. In our singing we passionately respond to who God is and what he has done. And as we sing, we grow in our understanding of and commitment to him.
Why Do We Go to Church?
October 27, 2019 09:00 - 37 minutes - 25.8 MBWhat the purpose of a regular church gathering? It is not about demonstrating your holiness and spirituality, nor is it about earning God's favor. Rather, the church worship gathering is an important opportunity to remember God and what he has done and be re-centered on it. Church is not something we come to consume, it is something we are a part of. We come to participate and play our role in the body of Christ.
Work - Part 2
October 20, 2019 04:00 - 39 minutes - 27.1 MBFor many, if not most, in our world, work is the place we look to for our identity. This is the natural outcome of sin. What was once meant to glorify God is now used to grab glory for ourselves. But God in his grace comes down to rescue those who are trying to build their way up to him. And when we pause to remember that he is God and we are not, there is a release from the tiring need to work for identity.
Work
October 13, 2019 04:00 - 40 minutes - 27.7 MBOne of the reasons our work is so tiring is that we don't place the same value on it that God does. As humanity, we are created for work. And work is one of the primary ways that we bring glory to God and reflect his image to the world.
Relationships
October 06, 2019 04:00 - 34 minutes - 23.6 MBPursuing isolation from or identity in relationships is a dangerous and tiring path! Instead, Paul shows us the life-giving reality of meaningful relationships. An identity found in Jesus through the gospel is the basis for meaningful relationships and meaningful relationships constantly point us toward the gospel-centered identity.
Self Esteem
September 29, 2019 04:00 - 31 minutes - 21.8 MBOne of the major reasons we are feeling so tired in this life is the unending pursuit of self esteem. The world tells us this pursuit is central to our existence. But the gospel shows us that true life and rest come from not thinking higher or lower of ourselves. They actually come from thinking of ourselves less often.
Knowing God
September 22, 2019 04:00 - 35 minutes - 24.2 MBIn our tiredness, pursuing a relationship with God can feel overwhelming. For some, the experience of pursuing God is tiring. Our posture toward God is the key to unlocking a life-giving, dynamic relationship. Rather than being another thing to do, our connection to God becomes the means by which we gain true identity and rest for our souls.
Life
September 15, 2019 04:00 - 27 minutes - 19.2 MBOur world is obsessed with performance. And when we buy into the lie that our value comes from our performance it leads to exhaustion. The gospel tells us that God loves us even though we have nothing good to offer. We we believe this truth we find true life and rest for our weary souls.
Returning to God
September 02, 2019 03:00 - 34 minutes - 23.5 MBAs the story of Jonah comes to a close, we find a disgruntled, self-righteous prophet throwing a tantrum. His anger has overcome him and his entitlement complex has paralyzed him. And remarkably, we still find God relentlessly pursuing him. Will God's compassion lead Jonah to return to God?
Responding to God
August 26, 2019 03:00 - 32 minutes - 22.4 MBGod loves the world and is patiently pursuing its rescue and restoration. Humanity's only response to this is what the Bible calls repentance - a turning away from our rebellion and toward God. In Nineveh, we see that this is possible even in the most unlikely places.
Rescued by God
August 18, 2019 15:00 - 35 minutes - 24.2 MBSometimes our present circumstances aren't always the easiest. How can we be grateful people, even in the belly of a fish? We have to believe that our past circumstances were as dire as they truly were and that our future victory is as certain as it truly is. And as we come to grips with God's gracious rescue, our love for him only deepens.
Running from God
August 12, 2019 00:00 - 35 minutes - 24.3 MBHow does a prophet run from the God he serves? When his heart is just as hard as those God has called him to. As the book of Jonah opens, we see that it is less about a prophet sent to a foreign people and more about a God who pursues all of humanity (even rebellious prophets) and lovingly seeks their restoration.
Enemies
July 29, 2019 02:00 - 34 minutes - 23.6 MBJesus outrageous command to love our enemies is not simply a moralistic call to a different way of living. It is a gospel-centered call to a different way of viewing humanity. Those who have been shown mercy are called to show mercy to others. And our identity as children of God make this possible.
Justice
July 21, 2019 14:00 - 30 minutes - 20.9 MBBecause 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.
Sharing Our Faith
July 14, 2019 04:00 - 32 minutes - 22.6 MBFor 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.
Hospitality
July 07, 2019 22:00 - 29 minutes - 20.5 MBPeter urges his readers to offer hospitality without grumbling. What he means is that radical hospitality is not just and open house, but open hands and an open heart. This kind of love for our neighbor is only possible when we realize that we too are strangers who have been welcomed in by God.
Listening
June 30, 2019 04:00 - 32 minutes - 22.3 MBIn many ways, genuinely listening to someone is a great demonstration of love for them. If that's true, then why do we often struggle to do it well? The Bible shows us that we are prone towards pride. And our transformation toward humility is only possible through Jesus sacrificial love for us.