Hope Church

True freedom in Christ is not about indulging in sin but walking by the Spirit. In Galatians 5:13-26, Paul warns against two dangerous extremes—legalism and license—and calls us to a life led by the Holy Spirit. Freedom in Christ is not an excuse to follow our sinful desires but an invitation to be transformed by His grace. As we walk by the Spirit, we bear the fruit of God’s character—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This transformation not only strengthens our relationship with God but also impacts how we love and serve others.

Marty challenges us to consider the question, “What’s the big deal?” as he unpacks Paul’s passionate warning in Galatians 5. The Galatians had been led astray by false teaching, believing they needed to add religious works to their faith in Christ to be truly accepted by God. Paul makes it clear—if you add to faith in Jesus, you risk losing everything. Marty walks us through five powerful truths that are lost when we stop fully trusting in Christ: His obedience, His grace, His righteousness, His love, and His truth. In the end, he calls us to treasure Jesus above all else, recognizing that our faith in Him is the biggest deal in our lives.

Ross's sermon on Freedom in Christ: Galatians 4:8-5:1 calls us to stand firm in the gospel, rejecting any attempt to earn salvation through works. He emphasizes Paul's warning to the Galatians, who were turning back to legalism and idolatry instead of embracing the freedom found in Christ. Paul reminds them that salvation comes by faith alone, not by obeying the law. Using the story of Abraham, Ross illustrates the contrast between trying to take control and relying on God's promise. His message is clear: we must let go of idols, relinquish control, and cling to Jesus, standing firm in the freedom He has secured for us.

Mark's sermon focuses on Paul’s message in Galatians 3:26–4:7, emphasizing our new identity in Christ. Through faith, we are no longer slaves to sin but have been adopted as children of God and made heirs to His promises. Paul highlights that the law once enslaved us, revealing our inability to meet God's standard on our own. But through Christ’s redemption, we are not just freed from sin—we are welcomed into God’s family, given the Holy Spirit, and granted the full rights of an heir. This transformation calls us to live with confidence, not as fearful slaves, but as beloved children assured of our Father’s love.

Ross's sermon on Galatians 3:15-25 explores the relationship between God's promise to Abraham and the Law given through Moses, emphasizing that salvation comes by grace through faith, not by works. He explains how the law reveals our sin and points us to our need for a Savior, serving as a guide until Christ fulfilled it. Through vivid illustrations, he highlights God's unchanging promise, the law’s purpose, and the freedom found in Jesus. The message calls us to trust in Christ alone, leaving behind the burden of works-based righteousness to embrace the rest and assurance found in Him.

Ross’s sermon, “Freedom in Christ: Galatians | Galatians 3:1-14 | Relying on the Gospel,” underscores that our salvation is secured solely through faith in Jesus and not by our own works, yet genuine faith naturally produces good works as a response to Christ’s redemptive sacrifice. Drawing on Paul’s urgent rebuke to the Galatians for turning to the law, Ross emphasizes that relying on human efforts only replaces the freedom offered by grace with a burdensome striving for perfection. Instead, when we fully embrace the finished work of Jesus on the cross, our lives are transformed, compelling us to live out our faith through acts of love, service, and obedience. This good works, however, are not the cause of our righteousness but the fruit of a heart already changed by grace, continually reflecting God’s unmerited favor to the world.

In this message, Hope attendee Travis Holtan (Apex Ministries) challenges us to embrace God's calling in our lives with faith and obedience. He encourages us to trust in God's plan, even when the path ahead feels uncertain. Saying 'yes' to God requires courage and a heart surrendered to His will, but it leads to transformation and purpose. Let this sermon remind us to take bold steps of faith, trusting that God's ways are higher than ours.

Marty’s sermon, "Keeping Jesus in the Center," draws a vivid parallel between life and a merry-go-round: the farther you are from the center, the harder it is to hold on. Through the lens of Galatians 2, Marty emphasizes that keeping Jesus at the center of our faith, compassion, relationships, and lives is essential. He explains the struggles of the early church to grasp the inclusion of Gentiles in God’s plan, highlighting Paul’s bold defense of the gospel of grace. Marty challenges us to evaluate our lives, ensuring every area aligns with the gospel, keeping Christ as the unwavering focus and foundation.

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.