HOPE Sermons

Senior Pastor David Dwight concludes our series "The Sermon." The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus Christ teaching us how to live a simple human life: how to focus on what matters; how to live with God and people; and how to arrange our priorities to yield a life of wholeness, meaning, and influence; and leave a legacy of love and grace. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus, the author of life, teaches us how to truly live.

When we hear the word "sin," we may think of a list of bad behaviors. We'll compare our behavior to others and be left feeling puffed up or deflated. These "sins," wherever we rank them are really the symptom of a greater problem - separation from God.

 We've all fallen short and the good news is that Christ has closed the gap. The deep heart problem, the barrier, the separation has been taken care of through Christ's work on the cross. Will we open our eyes? Will we say yes to this offer of complete forgiveness? Will we, through Jesus, believe in our new identity?

No longer condemned, no longer separated, but free. This belonging will help us extend forgiveness and love to ourselves and our neighbors.

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’...But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Senior Associate Pastor Pete Bowell continues our study of the Sermon on the Mount by reminding us that God cares about the things that we worry about. We are not wrong to be concerned about the things of this world, but Jesus invites us to rest in him and seek first the kingdom of God.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Executive Pastor Wes Peterson continues our study of the Sermon on the Mount with an exploration of how we are called to think about money. Money is useful here on earth, but will have no value in eternity. In his teaching, Jesus encourages us to fix our eyes on the eternal and use our resources here on earth to invest in things that will pay dividends beyond our earthly life.

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

In the Greek, the word "hypocrite" is most accurately translated to mean "the pretender" - someone who plays the part of a religious person to perfection, but internally does not have sincere faith. Missional Pastor Matt Hartman reminds us that a sincere heart posture before the Lord is the first step to intimacy with him. As we continue to explore The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6, Matt helps illuminate how the Lord's prayer is an expression of what it means to live in God's kingdom.

Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven...when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

Senior Pastor David Dwight continues our study on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:1-4. What does it look like to live life once we have a heart for God? Jesus is teaching us how to be set free from the law and free from the trappings of religion. Can we do the heart of it without the show of it?

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[i] and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you... Loving our enemies doesn't come easy, but it is the path Jesus calls us to. 

Executive Pastor Wes Peterson encourages us to the radical reconciliation that can only come from Jesus. When we treat our enemies as well as we treat our friends, we recognize their humanity and offer dignity to them and to ourselves. It is a hard and worthy pursuit.

Senior Pastor David Dwight continues our journey through The Sermon on the Mount with a teaching from Matthew 5: 21-37, exploring Jesus' teaching on the value of human life, the dignity of the human person, the sanctity of marriage, and the integrity of our promises. 

These four topics interact and hold each other up like the four legs of a table. They speak to our integrity as people and we bring glory to God when we offer this integrity to each other. 

Find all sermons from this series at hopechurchrva.com/sermons

The Beatitudes are first for people in bad situations, not for people with good attitudes. Jesus is on our side. Jesus blesses people not because of their virtues but because of their inadequacies. This is the first part of our Summer series on the Sermon on the Mount.