At the theme park, there are two types of people.  The ones who run to the roller coasters and the ones who wish they didn’t exist. We don’t often find people who are indifferent to the thrill rides. Those who love them are ready for the rush of energy and are very able to put aside any thoughts of danger or fear.  But in life, the thrills can often come with very real risk.  And those who live through some of those fallouts can shift from thrill seekers to fear-filled worriers. Moses is a pretty famous person in the Old Testament, but when we find him being called by God to lead Israel, he is certainly overwhelmed with fear. We won’t finish the story today, but we will find the surprising beginning for someone who becomes a famous deliverer and hero.  And perhaps we’ll find that our own story doesn’t need to be derailed by fear!

We know that our Creator made us with a purpose in mind. While many try to reject this idea, the language of our world reflects it regularly.  We hear that we are to ‘follow our heart’ and ‘find our passion’.  We are supposed to ‘do what we were made to do’. Disconnecting these ideas from a purposeful Creator doesn’t make a lot of sense.  But even when we understand the concept that we have a purpose in this life, we can make choices and take paths that seem to destroy the possibility of fulfilling that purpose.  Many people have indeed rejected the potential and calling of their lives. But what happens when you’ve messed up really bad, and then you want to find redemption?  Is that even possible?  How much do our mistakes downgrade the potential of our lives?  The story of Moses actually begins with this very string of events.  He was made for a purpose, but he blew it. As we look at this story in our study through Exodus, we’ll see that God is able to do more with our mistakes than we ever imagined.

Ephesians 2 Bible Study

The term friend has been forever changed by social media.  Our ever changing technology has completely altered how we establish, keep, and grow our friendships. Today we will take a look at the life of Abraham and how his journey leaves the Scripture calling him a friend of God.  God put a unique calling on Abraham’s life, and despite the overwhelming odds that he faced, Abraham put his faith into action.

With Abraham as our example, we will explore how living out our faith, right where we are, can grow our own friendship with God that will echo throughout eternity.

Ephesians 2 Bible Study

Sometimes, we ask God for too little. Probably all the time.

God is not the God of "just enough" or the "what you expected". He is the God of "more than we could ask or imagine". Yet, when we pray and try to hold on to that idea, our limited way of thinking and seeing so often overrides our faith. We can't quite believe that God would be impossibly good because we don't see how what's happening can be good. We don't think waiting is good, or that what's unfolding without God's intervention can be good. So we start to doubt.

 

If ever a people could have doubted God's goodness, it would have been the Israelites in slavery. And yet Exodus is a story to show us that God brings salvation from places and through situations that we'd never expect. Moses' mom hoped for her son to survive. God had much bigger plans.

Church can be a place where people pretend that everything is fine.  We can imagine it as a place where we need to hide the hardships and struggles of life.  We look around and think that everyone else has a relatively smooth life and that it is easy for them to worship Jesus.  But if we get past the assumptions and shallow way of thinking about others, we realize that life is probably hard for all of us. And those struggles that each of us face can bring up deep questions about God and about hope.  We’re beginning a study in the book of Exodus today, and we’re going to see how God meets us in the hard places. As the book opens, God’s people are facing undeserved suffering.  Since many of us face the same situation, let’s see what we can learn from the experience of the children of Israel.

Closing out this month's discussion on Bringing Outsiders In, Pastor Mark turns our focus to the younger generations at Hope. If we truly want to be a church that knows how to include people, we must be a church that models this to our kids and for our kids.

In sports competitions, someone who is really performing at their peak is said to be ‘in the zone’. That phrase has expanded to other realms as well – academics, business, art, and so much more. Getting ‘in the zone’ is a way we talk about functioning as well as possible and seeing the best version of the results we’re shooting for. In church, we are aiming for spiritual progress and growth. It starts when people find Jesus (or He finds them!) and they give their life in faith to Him. But the way a church works most effectively is when each person in the church is in the ‘serving zone’. We connect more deeply, we accomplish more, and we are maturing together when we all serve. Granted, many people opt out of serving because it is inconvenient, hard, or a sacrifice. But since we follow the one who set all of those considerations aside to lay down His life for us, we also should pursue serving others. As we look to find ways to bring outsiders in, we want to understand this powerful pattern!

SUNDAY MORNING MESSAGE – Finding My Way In

Every person at Hope has a story. Whether this is your first week or you’ve been here for years, we all start as ‘outsiders’. While there are some personalities that are not bothered by this reality, most people find it uncomfortable and challenging. We’re going to hear from several Hopers this morning who will share their stories of finding their way ‘in’. The Lord can use the experiences of others to challenge and teach us, and we’re praying that the Lord will use their courage and transparency to help us become exponentially better at bringing outsiders in.