HOPE Sermons

Purposeful Vision | Abundant | Part 2 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 Have you ever thought about your vision for your life? What do you hope to accomplish? Missional Pastor Matt Hartman continues our sermon series, “Abundant,” and teaches that when we invite God to reveal his vision for our lives, we start to work with him for a greater and higher calling. Our vision will expand when we embrace God’s vision - and he will include us in his work for much greater purposes.

True Faith | Abundant | Part 1 In John 10:10, Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Where do we find life? Is it in our financial security, popularity, the causes we support, passions, or personal happiness? Where can we find life that’s truly life? John 1:4 says, “In him [Jesus] was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” We know that our souls were made for more than what this earthly life has to offer because God has placed eternity on our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). We were made for Jesus. So, what does that abundant life in Him look like? How do we get it? How do we do it? For the next seven weeks, we’ll explore these questions and learn what it means to have life in Christ in our new sermon series, Abundant.

Crisis | Peter’s Story | Part 5 Peter’s story tells us that, like him, we will mess up and we will face failure. His story tells us that we have the choice to either live in the condemnation and shame of our mistakes or let them drive us back into the arms of Christ. Jesus sees our mess, knows all our past, present, and future mistakes, and loves us still. Romans 5:6-8 says, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person, someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Peter’s denial of Christ was not the end of the story. Your failures are not the end either. God transformed Peter from a man who denied Christ to save his own skin into the rock of the Church. Imagine what God can do through you. Turn to Christ, for in Him there is love and forgiveness that have no earthly match. He alone can redeem you. To listen to the full sermon from this morning or past messages from this series, visit the link in our bio or find us on YouTube at @hopechurchrva.

Passion | Peter’s Story | Part 4 As we read about Peter it becomes clear that a story of a man transforming from self-centeredness to Christ-centeredness is unfolding. He, like us, begins as rough rock under the chisel of Christ. He was brash and outspoken. He inserted himself into conversations + situations that did not necessarily need his input. He stumbled, tripped, and failed tremendously along the way. Peter is like us and we are like him. Over time, he entrusts his shortcomings, failures, and disappointments to the Lord, and his character + faith are refined. And as believers, we have the same opportunity to take our failures and disappointments and submit them to Christ. We can ask, “God, what do you have for me in this? How can I grow deeper in intimacy with Christ through this?” In doing so we allow Christ to lead us out of the captivity of a self-centered life and into the freedom of Christ-centered life.

How often do we find ourselves amid something grand + important, but are unaware of it until we look in hindsight? 

This morning, Executive Pastor Wes Peterson shared with us the story of the Last Supper in Luke 22:21-24, 31-34. The disciples argued with each other about who was the greatest among them all the while sitting in the presence of Jesus Christ, the greatest of all time! 

It was there Jesus shared that Peter would betray Him, not once, but three times. Jesus was not shocked, was not surprised, and was not concerned because He had and still has a greater plan.

 Jesus would use the failures of Peter to redeem him + sanctify him. He would use Peter’s future faith-testing trials and pain to give him greater purpose. It is the same for us now. Jesus is Lord over all. He can redeem the pain of your struggles + failures for a greater purpose. He can give you a redemption story that could only point to the Father, and strengthen those around you.

To listen to past sermons from this series, visit hopechurchrva.com/sermons

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www.hopechurchrva.com
Facebook: @HopeChurchRVA
Instagram: @hopechurchrva

In thin spaces, where the veil between heaven and earth is almost translucent, we’re able to see a vision of goodness + glory. Maybe it’s beholding an unending landscape of peaks and valleys or basking in the joy + warmth of laughter with your dearest friends. In God’s incredible kindness, He shows us these glimmers of glory. Yet, in all their beauty, they are not enough. They point to a vision more powerful and enduring. Jesus alone. 

As Peter stood atop the holy mountain witnessing Jesus’ face shining like the sun in Matthew 17:5, God says, “…’This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’” God told Peter, as He tells each of us today, to fix our eyes on Jesus. Jesus alone is the vision that will carry us through our mountaintops and valleys. Jesus alone is the better plan. 

Anything else is simply too small. Our plans, our careers, our lives, our bodies; they’re all too small. Fleeting. Look up, Jesus alone is the vision worth beholding.

To listen to past sermons from this series, visit hopechurchrva.com/sermons

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Connect with us at:

www.hopechurchrva.com
Facebook: @HopeChurchRVA
Instagram: @hopechurchrva