Hope Alliance Bethlehem

At Hope Alliance we are sent people; sent to do what Jesus did. Based on passages in John 7, John 20, and Luke 4, we look at what Jesus did and how we are to join him in being living waters to the world around us.

Children have a critical role to play in the church now. And just like Jesus, we should never keep the disconnected from the church, but rather see them as a crucial part of God's kingdom. It is our communal responsibility to impart the gospel to them and to be inspired by their speech, conduct, love, faith and purity.

Too much in our world is artificial! And this reality starts with ourselves. The gospel calls us to be genuine people who love God and others genuinely. As genuine people, we are honest about who we are, failures and all! And we aim to love God an others in a real and honest way, without masks.

At Hope, we have defined our identity by the statement "Simply Jesus." For us Jesus if first and everything else is second. Its that simple! The story of the transfiguration is a compelling glimpse into why this identity is so important to us and to what it means to be a Christian. (**Our apologies for the poor audio quality**)

The resurrection of Jesus gives us the freedom to rest. Not just from our external work, but more importantly from our internal desire to find approval in our work and life. Finding space for sabbath in life is a chance to be redefined as new creation and a means to escape the constant urgency, stress and pressure the world places on our shoulders.

Because of the resurrection, Christ-followers are free to be happy. We look at how we find that happiness in confession, in being conformed to Christ's image, and in our commission as agents of new creation with Jesus. Text: Romans 8, Philippians, 1 John 1

In the parable of the Lost Son(s) we see a picture of our own rebellion and self-righteousness, revealing our guilt and how far from the Father we truly are. We also see the Father offer freedom from guilt to his sons by compassionately moving towards both of them and offering relationship. In our own lives today we are able to be free from guilt (and learn how to forgive) because of the cross and resurrection of Jesus.

Because of the resurrection, we are new creations. One of the most powerful realities of this truth is that we are now free from performance. We are no longer confined to the system of this world which says we are only valuable based upon our production and performance. Instead, Jesus calls us to come to him like little children who are valued and loved by our Creator because of who we are.

The resurrection of Jesus is not just a miracle. It is God's announcement that he is making all things new. Therefore, if anyone is connected to Jesus, he is a new creation. This means that we are free from our past and it no longer defines us. Easter draws us into a whole new way of life.

As the book of Joshua concludes, the Israelites are called to be courageously obedient. More specifically they are called to be very careful what they cling to. Clinging to things of this world leads to traps and snares, but clinging to Jesus leads us into the abundant life he promises.Here are the questions provided on the response card at the end of the teaching:(1) I am prone to cling to these things:(2) This comes from suppressing the truth that God...(3) Today I choose God. I will lean into this by...