Hope Alliance Nazareth

Love Never Fails: Politics and the Church

June 12, 2022 14:00 - 39 minutes - 27.4 MB

Jesus tells us plainly that the kingdom is already here, in our midst, and in our hearts where true transformation takes place. As Jesus-followers, it is our mission to make disciples in that kingdom via the method Jesus commanded: LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Jesus-followers are called to prioritize love over politics, platforms, and policies!

Love Never Fails Introduction

June 05, 2022 14:00 - 43 minutes - 29.8 MB

In a culture rife with division and echo chambers, how are we to be people that move towards one another, Gospel one another, and proclaim the Gospel together in the world? "They will know you're my disciples by your love."

New Family: Holy Spirit Unity

May 29, 2022 14:00 - 34 minutes - 23.6 MB

The Holy Spirit desires and empowers unity within this new family of God. It is our privilege to walk with the Holy Spirit through belief in the Gospel and using our gifts for the common good.

New Family: Community Rhythms

May 22, 2022 14:00 - 35 minutes - 24.7 MB

As adopted siblings in a new family of God, we develop personal AND communal rhythms of life for the glory of God. Together we live and operate from the shalom of Jesus And we gather regularly with one another around the Gospel, singing and teaching and warning one another with great grace.

New Family: New Clothing

May 15, 2022 14:00 - 37 minutes - 25.6 MB

As Jesus followers and children of God, Paul calls us to "put off" the old self and to "put on" the new one...like exchanging shabby clothes for a whole new wardrobe. He means to say that our adoption is final, but we now have a role to play in imitating the ways of our heavenly Father as His dearly loved children.

New Family: Leaving Our Family of Origin

May 08, 2022 14:00 - 35 minutes - 24.5 MB

Being adopted into the family of God is wonderful grace. But part of being adopted into a new family is leaving behind the negative baggage and sinful tendencies of our old family. We have to go back to go forward.

New Family: Leaving the Family of Adam

May 01, 2022 04:00 - 37 minutes - 26 MB

To be adopted into the family of God through Jesus means we are adopted out of the family of Adam. We are set free from the shame, rebellion and violence that characterize so much of humanity. So, the only right response is to leave behind the ways of Adam and embrace the true life found in living God's way.

New Family: Adopted

April 24, 2022 14:00 - 31 minutes - 21.9 MB

In Christ, we are adopted into God's new family, given a new name, chosen heirs, redeemed in love, and sealed by the Spirit to the glory of God. We are sons and daughters of God that take on His name and His inheritance!

New Creation Family (Easter 2022)

April 17, 2022 14:00 - 26 minutes - 18 MB

The resurrection of Jesus is a new beginning...a new creation in which we can become a new family centered in and around Jesus.

Gospel Restoration (James 5:19-20)

April 10, 2022 14:00 - 39 minutes - 27.4 MB

James concludes his letter reminding his readers and us of the dangers of walking away from the Gospel. But knowing that we all have a tendency to wander, he calls all of us to be part of restoring others back to the Gospel.

Faith-filled Prayer (James 5:13-18)

April 03, 2022 14:00 - 46 minutes - 32 MB

After so many warnings about arrogance, James now turns to what a humble life consists of: regular conversation with God through prayer and praise. James is calling his readers and us to be a community that prays individually and for one another because conversation with God though humble prayer brings life and restoration!

Expectant Endurance (James 5:7-12)

March 27, 2022 14:00 - 36 minutes - 25 MB

As James nears the end of his address, he encourages his readers and us to humbly endure. But he does so by reminding us to endure because Jesus is going to return and make all things right and new.

The Danger of Wealth (James 5:1-6)

March 20, 2022 14:00 - 38 minutes - 26.8 MB

James offers a stinging rebuke of arrogant wealthy people whose lack of generosity and gospel depth has led them to be unaware of the justice of God and care for the basic needs of people around them. This rebuke is also a warning to us to live in generosity because of the Gospel!

Presumptuous Planning (James 4:13-17)

March 13, 2022 15:00 - 33 minutes - 22.8 MB

James offers yet another warning about arrogance, this time in how we go about planning and living out our lives. When we live in Gospel humility we get to live life in partnership with God.

Don't Slander (James 4:11-12)

March 06, 2022 15:00 - 32 minutes - 22.2 MB

Slander, or speaking against others, typically begins as praise of self. But a humble, Gospel assessment of self actually leads to a grace-filled assessment of others. That in turn leads to Jesus-followers being quick to listen and slow to speak.

Devotion to God (James 4:1-10)

February 27, 2022 15:00 - 41 minutes - 28.7 MB

James warns his readers that they've abandoned their faithfulness to God and instead are looking for love in what he calls "the world". But despite their wandering, God gives greater grace so they can still drawn near to Him, and He will draw near to them.

Gospel Wisdom vs. Selfish Ambition (James 3:13-4:3)

February 20, 2022 15:00 - 40 minutes - 28.2 MB

The world, the devil, and our flesh war against our souls to drive us to selfish ambition and envy. James warns us to receive and live in the wisdom of God who is the lover of our soul; to find satisfaction in the finished work of Jesus and become gentle, peaceful people.

Gospeling the Tongue (James 3:1-12)

February 13, 2022 15:00 - 39 minutes - 27.3 MB

James reminds his readers that "Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks". We must do business with what the "spring" is in our heart because, depending on what's there, it will produce words of blessing or words of cursing.

Genuine Faith Works (James 2:14-26)

February 06, 2022 15:00 - 35 minutes - 24.3 MB

James goes out of his way to drive home the point with his readers: genuine "saving" faith is a faith that works and produces fruit; that faith is more than a singular prayer and a ticket to heaven. James is making the case that we are not saved BY works but UNTO works.

Equal Standing in the Gospel (James 1:26-2:13)

January 30, 2022 15:00 - 30 minutes - 21.1 MB

James exhorts his readers, then and now, that there should be no favoritism of the rich (or the poor) in the church. Instead, James calls Jesus-followers to hold on to faith in Jesus alone, who for their sake became poor and made all people rich who call on him as Savior and King.

Gospel Doing vs. Religious Consuming

January 23, 2022 15:00 - 38 minutes - 26.2 MB

Perhaps the most famous verse in the letter of James calls Christians to action and "doing" instead of simply listening and "consuming." What we find is that consuming religion deceives us into self-righteousness which actually enslaves us. But embracing the Gospel energizes us towards transformation and freedom!

Gospel Doing vs. Religious Consuming (James 1:19-27)

January 23, 2022 15:00 - 38 minutes - 26.2 MB

Perhaps the most famous verse in the letter of James calls Christians to action and "doing" instead of simply listening and "consuming." What we find is that consuming religion deceives us into self-righteousness which actually enslaves us. But embracing the Gospel energizes us towards transformation and freedom!

Fighting Temptation: James 1:12-18

January 16, 2022 15:00 - 36 minutes - 25.2 MB

The opposite of temptation is not purity; it's faith in the Gospel. When we rely on the truth of our new birth in Jesus we can resist the flesh and its deceitful desires.

Fighting Temptation (James 1:12-18)

January 16, 2022 15:00 - 36 minutes - 25.2 MB

The opposite of temptation is not purity; it's faith in the Gospel. When we rely on the truth of our new birth in Jesus we can resist the flesh and its deceitful desires.

Suffering with Joy (James 1:2-12)

January 09, 2022 15:00 - 40 minutes - 27.6 MB

"Count it all joy when you suffer" is not grief counseling, nor is it evidence of a punitive God. James is calling Jesus-followers to a perspective of divine wisdom that sees how suffering breaks us of our self-reliance and self-righteousness. And THAT is the Gospel that brings about redemption and resurrection life.

Intro to James

January 02, 2022 15:00 - 51 minutes - 35.7 MB

The letter of James in the New Testament is all about one thing: single-minded maturity. James is a book that has a simple theology of "Jesus is King. So live like it." With 59 commands in 108 verses, James is to the point, practical, and sprinkled with Gospel grace.

Jesus Brings God

December 24, 2021 20:00 - 24 minutes - 16.9 MB

At Christmas we celebrate that Jesus Brings God; Emmanuel, God with us...in our flesh and in our struggles. Jesus is full life and brings light into our lives. When we make room in our hearts, he and the Father come and make their home in us, giving us light and life now and forever.

Jesus Brings Victory

December 19, 2021 05:00 - 39 minutes - 26.8 MB

Sometimes the idyllic nature of the Christmas story, distracts us from seeing what is actually happening. A king is arriving to inaugurate his kingdom and that is a threat to many. When we see Jesus for who he really is, we are left with two choices: either we kill him or we crown him. Herod shows us what those gripping to power are inclined to do, but the magi show us the right way to receive our victorious king - in worship.

Jesus Brings Peace

December 12, 2021 15:00 - 34 minutes - 23.7 MB

Peace is not a place or a circumstance...it's a person. Jesus brings us peace when we worship him, unite under him, and intentionally center our lives on him.

Jesus Brings Justice

December 05, 2021 15:00 - 37 minutes - 25.5 MB

Scripture tells us over 200 times that God cares for the poor and marginalized. Because his throne is founded upon justice and righteousness, he does justice and calls his people to do the same through living out Christ's kingdom on earth.

Jesus Brings Grace

November 28, 2021 15:00 - 35 minutes - 24.3 MB

In the classic "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" we celebrate that Jesus brings grace...that through Jesus, "God and sinners reconciled" is true for us this Christmas.

Pray for Forgiveness and Power

November 21, 2021 15:00 - 40 minutes - 27.6 MB

On this journey of life in the wilderness, we can pray and ask God for forgiveness which He willingly grants through Jesus. And we can pray for Him to guide our hearts to have power over the sin that so easily entangles.

Pray for Sustenance on the Journey

November 14, 2021 15:00 - 43 minutes - 29.6 MB

When Jesus tells us to pray for daily bread today, he is calling us to form our souls in daily dependance. We pray for his daily provision on this journey through the wilderness until we reach the promised land of new creation, while also experiencing the deeper life of the living bread of Jesus himself.

Pray to Align with God

November 07, 2021 14:00 - 40 minutes - 27.5 MB

When we pray "Your kingdom come" we are pledging allegiance to, and invoking, God's kingdom instead of our own. In pray we are living in relationship with God, relinquishing our own kingdom, and living for the realization of God's kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

Pray with Purpose

October 31, 2021 14:00 - 36 minutes - 25.2 MB

As God's children through Jesus, we don't have to perform rituals to pray "right" or to get God's attention. Instead, we can count on our relationship with the Father, we can be honest in our prayers, and we can make requests of the God of the universe.

Pray to be with God

October 24, 2021 14:00 - 41 minutes - 28.4 MB

Jesus calls his followers to pray. But prayer can be done in a religious way that produces external spirituality, or in a Gospel way rooted in humility and grace. The religious pray-er does so to earn the praise of others; the Gospel pray-er does so to be with God.

Good News: I Don't Have to Prove Myself

October 10, 2021 14:00 - 39 minutes - 26.8 MB

In a very famous parable of Jesus in Luke 15 of "the lost son" (or "the prodigal"), we see the results of two sons that both are trying to prove themselves and turn away from their loving Father. But as that fails, one son returns to the Father and the other rejects the Father. Both receive prodigal grace and don't need to prove themselves to him.

Good News: I Can Look to God for Satisfaction

October 03, 2021 14:00 - 36 minutes - 25.1 MB

God is GOOD, therefore I don't have to look elsewhere for satisfaction. In John 4, we find that God is good and he offers himself as a deep well of satisfaction. And in our lives, satisfaction is not about what you have, but who you have.

Good News: I Don't Have to Fear Others

September 26, 2021 14:00 - 42 minutes - 29.2 MB

When we understand how our glorious God sees our sin and shame from the cross, we will no longer fear others.

Good News: I Don't Have to Be in Control

September 19, 2021 14:00 - 43 minutes - 30.2 MB

Most people live trying to control circumstances and people around them for their own sense of security, significance, and approval. And it leads to an unnecessary around of stress, impatience, and manipulation. But the Gospel says that God is powerfully in control of all things...and that's good news!

Good News: What is the Gospel?

September 12, 2021 13:00 - 50 minutes - 34.8 MB

At Hope Alliance Nazareth we are a "Gospel-centered family". But what IS the Gospel? The Gospel is the true declaration that Jesus is the victorious, rightful and eternal king that has brought peace to the world through his incarnation, death, and resurrection. In short: Jesus is Lord.

What Is The Gospel?

September 12, 2021 13:00 - 50 minutes - 34.8 MB

At Hope Alliance Nazareth we are a "Gospel-centered family". But what IS the Gospel? The Gospel is the true declaration that Jesus is the victorious, rightful and eternal king that has brought peace to the world through his incarnation, death, and resurrection. In short: Jesus is Lord.

Next: Everyone BLESSing

September 05, 2021 14:00 - 36 minutes - 25.2 MB

In this next phase of Hope Alliance and our desire to take all of Jesus to all of the Valley, we know that will take all of us blessing our spheres of influence. The people of God have been called to be a blessing to the nations by loving our neighbors!

Next: Everyone Inviting

August 29, 2021 14:00 - 31 minutes - 21.7 MB

To grow more and mature disciples takes all of us inviting. In the book of John we see that personal encounters with the person of Jesus should lead to personal invitations to Come and See!

Next: Everyone Serving

August 22, 2021 14:00 - 38 minutes - 26.6 MB

Serving shapes us into Christ-likeness and strengthens us against the enemy of our souls. And when we serve one another in the church, we are able to fulfill our calling of maturing as the body of Christ for the good of one another and the community.

Next: Everyone Engaged

August 15, 2021 14:00 - 33 minutes - 23.3 MB

Church is not a product to consume. It's a people that commit. As we move into what's "Next" for Hope Alliance, it will take all of us committing to Simply Jesus and to one another as fully engaged followers to live our the calling God has given us as a church family.

Next: Identity and Vision

August 08, 2021 04:00 - 46 minutes - 31.8 MB

At Hope we are committed to making disciples to the glory of God. To be intentional about this, we embrace a simply Jesus identity and a multi-congregational structure that desires to see the gospel within reach of every single person in the Lehigh Valley (and beyond).

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