Hope Church

Mark’s sermon highlights our universal need for God’s grace, using Paul’s life as an example. Paul was both "too bad" in his sins and "too good" in his self-righteousness, yet neither disqualified nor earned his salvation—it was God’s grace alone. Paul’s response to grace was a life of obedience and mission, showing that grace isn’t about comparison or merit but surrender. Mark urges us to remain grounded in the gospel, always returning to God’s grace as the foundation of faith, avoiding both despair and self-righteousness.

Pastor Ross opens the Freedom in Christ series with a reminder that there is only one true gospel—salvation through Christ alone by grace through faith. In Galatians 1, Paul warns against false teachings that add requirements to the gospel, such as religious rituals or works. These distortions enslave rather than set us free. The heart of the true gospel is that Jesus gave Himself to rescue us from sin, offering a relationship with God through His sacrifice alone. Our freedom is found in trusting His finished work, not in our efforts to earn His love.

Student Pastor, Caleb Driggers teaches on true biblical love, rooted in 1 Corinthians 13. He emphasizes that love—not gifts or actions—is the true measure of faith, challenging us to reflect on how we embody Christ’s selfless and sacrificial love. Using personal stories and examples from Jesus’ life, Caleb encourages everyone to memorize scripture, grow in one attribute of love, and commit to loving others more intentionally in the new year. His message serves as a call to bring Christ’s light into a world in need of His love.

Ross's sermon, "Because of Christmas… I Surrender My Life (Jesus)," highlights the transformative power of surrender in light of Jesus' birth. He explains that the Christmas story teaches us to surrender doubts, status, plans, and possessions to fully experience God's presence. Drawing from the lives of Zechariah, Joseph, Mary, and the Magi, Ross shows how trusting God over worldly concerns leads to freedom and joy. He emphasizes that Jesus, fully God and fully man, is worthy of our surrender because of who He is—the King of kings—and what He does, offering salvation and reconciliation through His death and resurrection. The message calls everyone to surrender to Jesus, embracing Him as the ultimate gift of God's grace and presence, bringing life, peace, and joy.

Marty's sermon examines three responses to the gift of Jesus in Matthew 2:1-12. Herod reacts with unwelcoming hostility, driven by a desire to maintain power and control. The religious leaders show indifferent neglect, possessing knowledge of the Messiah but failing to act or seek Him. In contrast, the Magi demonstrate worshipful surrender, traveling great distances, sacrificing their comfort, and offering valuable gifts to honor Jesus as King. These responses challenge us to reflect on how we respond to the gift and authority of Christ in our own lives.

Ross’s sermon, "Because of Christmas… I Surrender My Plans," based on Luke 1:26–38, emphasizes the necessity of surrendering our personal plans to God’s greater purpose. Reflecting on Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel, Ross draws a parallel between his own journey of transitioning to senior pastor—a role he hadn’t planned for—and Mary’s surrender of her life’s expectations to God’s will. Mary’s humble submission, despite the uncertainty and loss of control, serves as a model for believers to trust in God’s faithful plan, even when it conflicts with their own desires or understanding. Ross challenges us to shift our perspective from fitting God into our plans to aligning ourselves with His. By remembering God’s faithfulness and responding in faith, as Mary did, we allow God to work through us for His glory and our good, following the example of Christ, who surrendered His will for our salvation.

In his sermon "Because of Christmas: I Surrender My Status" (Matthew 1:18–25), Ross highlights Joseph's example of surrendering his worldly status to obey God. Joseph faced a choice: follow the world's opinions or trust God's command to take Mary as his wife despite the societal disgrace. Through Joseph's journey, we learn three key steps: recognizing the reality of our new identity in Christ, responding in faithful obedience to God's commands, and rejoicing in God's provision of Jesus as Savior. Ross emphasizes that surrendering our status in this world is essential to receiving Christ, as Jesus changes everything—transforming our status with God and giving us new life in Him.

As we prepare our hearts to celebrate Jesus's birth, we journey through the stories of those surrounding the nativity, beginning with Zechariah, a priest called to surrender his doubts to God's extraordinary plan. Through Zechariah’s story, we learn that doubt is normal, but faith requires us to trust God even when circumstances seem impossible. Step by step obedience allows us to experience the miraculous, as Zechariah and Elizabeth did. Ultimately, we are called to praise God not only for the answers to our doubts but for the greater redemption found in Jesus, the fulfillment of prophecy and the Savior who secures our eternity.

Ross's sermon, "Nehemiah: Rebuilding for God’s Glory | 1 Peter 2:4-10," draws a powerful connection between the story of Nehemiah and the call to live as people rebuilt for God's glory today. He emphasizes how God’s work in Nehemiah’s time wasn’t just about physical walls but a spiritual renewal, pointing ultimately to Jesus as the cornerstone of faith. By focusing on three realities—coming to Jesus, walking in obedience, and proclaiming God’s grace—Ross invites the congregation to examine their lives and align with God’s purposes. Grounded in the truths of 1 Peter 2, he encourages a foundation in Christ, living as transformed people who reflect God’s mercy and glory in the world.

Mark’s sermon, Finishing Strong, draws parallels between Mr. Rogers and Nehemiah, emphasizing their dedication to making the world better and pointing people to God’s purpose. Nehemiah’s story, as seen in Nehemiah 13, shows his commitment to rebuilding the wall and restoring the people’s faith, yet upon his return years later, he finds the people had fallen back into sin, neglecting the house of God, dishonoring the Sabbath, and disobeying marriage laws. Despite Nehemiah’s passionate efforts, including drastic corrective actions, the story ends with him asking God to remember his work, highlighting humanity’s inability to fully measure up. This points to our need for Christ, who fulfilled the law perfectly. The message concludes by calling believers to finish strong by living as disciples of Jesus, obediently standing apart from the world and relying on Christ’s finished work for salvation, assurance, and eternal life.

Ross’s sermon highlights how Nehemiah’s rebuilding of Jerusalem was about more than restoring walls—it was about God restoring His people’s hearts for His glory. In Nehemiah 11-12, the Israelites pause to marvel at God’s work and respond by dedicating themselves to Him through worship. Ross identifies three marks of a life dedicated to God: setting our hearts on His purposes, rejoicing in His faithfulness, and giving sacrificially. He challenges us to reflect this dedication by making God our ultimate treasure, committing everything we have and are for His glory.

In Marty’s sermon, he uses the analogy of a "Jar of Life" to illustrate the importance of prioritizing our lives according to God’s design. The jar represents our life, filled with big rocks, pebbles, and sand. The big rocks symbolize our primary commitments—things that shape our character and relationship with God. The smaller pebbles and sand represent lesser priorities and trivial matters. Marty emphasizes that if we fill our lives with insignificant pursuits, we won’t have room for the crucial commitments to faith and family. Drawing on Nehemiah’s example, he outlines five foundational commitments that should guide us as believers: honoring God’s Word, living a set-apart life, dedicating time for worship, supporting those in need, and upholding the church. Just as Nehemiah’s people committed themselves to God’s ways, Marty calls us to evaluate and prioritize our own lives for God’s glory, reminding us that true discipleship requires intentional commitment and change.

Mark's sermon highlights that Nehemiah’s story isn’t about building walls but about shaping God’s people. While the wall was built swiftly, the heart transformation took much longer. After completing the wall, the people, now familiar with God’s Word, move from celebration to true repentance—confessing their sins and recalling God’s unwavering faithfulness throughout Israel’s history. True repentance means more than just feeling sorry; it requires an honest heart change. As the sermon reminds us, we too need God’s Spirit and a new heart to break cycles of sin. Jesus fulfills this, empowering us to live fully as God’s people.

In this sermon on Nehemiah 8, Pastor Ross emphasizes the pivotal moment when God's people, having completed the physical rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls, now turn to spiritual restoration. The focus shifts to a renewed passion for God's Word. Ezra reads the Law to the gathered people, who respond with conviction, understanding, and worship. Nehemiah encourages them not to grieve but to find joy in the Lord, as His Word becomes central to their lives. The sermon identifies four key aspects of a passion for God's Word: reading it, teaching it, celebrating it, and obeying it. Ross challenges the congregation to make God's Word the foundation of their lives, as it is the only way to truly live for God's glory.

In this sermon, Nehemiah shows how to persevere through distractions while building for God's glory. His enemies repeatedly tried to divert him from his mission, but Nehemiah stayed focused, declaring, “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down.” Distractions, like entertainment, busyness, or even good things, can pull us away from God’s work today. We must, like Nehemiah, stay committed to what God has called us to, knowing that He empowers us to push through distractions and continue building for His glory.

In Marty's sermon, he contrasts the self-centered messages we often hear in modern culture with the biblical call to live for God's glory. He reflects on how phrases like "it's all about you" can lead to emptiness and brokenness, whereas living for God brings fulfillment. Marty emphasizes that from creation to the time of Nehemiah, humanity has struggled with making life about themselves rather than honoring God. Nehemiah, concerned with the people's selfishness, temporarily halted the rebuilding of the wall to address internal conflict, reminding them to live in peace, mercy, and sacrificial love. Marty challenges the congregation to examine whether they are living for themselves or for God's glory, encouraging them to pursue peace, mercy, and love as true reflections of God's character.

In his sermon on Nehemiah 4:1-23, Ross emphasized the theme of being "Faithful in Opposition" as followers of Christ. He discussed how Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem faced both external and internal opposition while rebuilding the city's walls for God's glory. External mockery and threats came from their enemies, while internal discouragement and fear plagued the workers. However, Nehemiah's response—praying, taking action, and uniting the people—serves as a model for Christians facing adversity. Ross encouraged believers to expect opposition in their walk with Christ but to respond by trusting in God, taking faithful action, and standing together as the body of Christ, remembering that Jesus has already overcome the ultimate opposition—sin and death.

In his sermon, Ross teaches from Nehemiah 3, focusing on the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls as a metaphor for building our lives for God's glory. Nehemiah is about a great God who uses people to fulfill His promises. In this chapter, Ross highlights how God uses various types of people to build for His glory: those who are dedicated, diverse, humble, and sacrificial. Just as Nehemiah's community worked together for God's purposes, We're encouraged to dedicate our lives to God's work, serving in unity and with humility, while trusting that Jesus' sacrifice makes us enough.

Mark’s sermon, "Reliant on God’s Wisdom," contrasts worldly leaders who fumble through decisions with Nehemiah, a model of wise and focused leadership. Nehemiah’s story shows a leader who carefully planned, prayed, and trusted in God’s wisdom every step of the way. Unlike Hollywood’s bumbling heroes, Nehemiah didn’t act on impulse; he inspected Jerusalem’s walls in secret, understanding the reality before rallying others to rebuild. He inspired his people, not for personal fame, but for God’s glory, emphasizing the need for community and unity in mission. When opposition arose, Nehemiah confidently relied on God’s promises, showing that success comes not from human strength but through complete dependence on God’s wisdom. The sermon challenges us to inspect our own hearts, work together in faith, and trust God’s wisdom to face the obstacles in our lives, just as Nehemiah did.

In his sermon, Marty emphasizes the importance of building lives, marriages, families, and a community of disciples who surrender to Christ, aiming for a legacy that lasts into eternity. Drawing from the story of Nehemiah, Marty illustrates how God uses unlikely people to accomplish His work, highlighting four key necessities for being on mission with God: watchful patience, strong courage, deep reliance on God, and intentional readiness. Marty challenges you to recognize God's ongoing work around you and to join His mission, just as Jesus did, by surrendering your life fully to God's purpose.