Living Hope Fellowship

As the glow of Christmas fades and the decorations come down, Scripture invites us to consider a deeper question: what if Christmas was never meant to end? In Matthew 2:1–12, the Magi model a faith that refuses to dim after the celebration. They searched diligently, followed the light they were given, worshiped wholeheartedly, and left changed by an encounter with Christ. Their journey reminds us that the incarnation is not a moment to rush past, but a mystery to live within. It is better to live in contemplation of the depth of Christ coming near than to live only in anticipation of a climactic celebration. Christmas isn’t just a day, or even a season—it’s a way of life shaped by worship, obedience, and persistent devotion. In this sermon, we’ll explore how to keep the lights on all year long, carrying the spirit of Christmas into our daily walk with Jesus.

The Christmas story is often viewed through the lens of a cozy Nativity scene—peaceful, beautiful, and picture-perfect. But was the journey of Jesus' parents, Mary and Joseph, truly that simple?

Join Pastor Derek Holmes as he dives into the biblical account in Matthew 1:18-25 and unpacks the extraordinary, and often incredibly challenging, faith journey of this young couple.

What You Will Learn:

The Unexpected Call: Discover the immense personal and social difficulty Mary and Joseph faced when called to be part of God's redemption plan. This was a path filled with uncertainty, risk, and potential shame.

The Reality of Following God: See how their story powerfully illustrates that faith is not always easy. Following God's will can be "hard to follow," demanding difficult choices and deep trust.

The Greater Reward: Explore the profound truth that even when the path is difficult, the ultimate reward—participating in God's plan and experiencing His glory—is immeasurably great.

God's Constant Presence: Be encouraged by the assurance that God is not absent in our trials. Just as He was with Mary and Joseph, His presence (Immanuel) is with us as we step out in faith.

This message will challenge you to look past the stained-glass image of Christmas and embrace the courageous, messy reality of a life lived by faith.

Key Takeaways from This Sermon:

-Following God's will requires radical obedience and a willingness to embrace the difficult.

-The life of faith is not a comfortable journey, but a transformative adventure.

-The promise of "God with us" is the greatest strength in times of uncertainty.

Press play and be challenged to trust God's plan, even when it's "Hard to Follow."

The Christmas story is often viewed through the lens of a cozy Nativity scene—peaceful, beautiful, and picture-perfect. But was the journey of Jesus' parents, Mary and Joseph, truly that simple?

Join Pastor Derek Holmes as he dives into the biblical account in Matthew 1:18-25 and unpacks the extraordinary, and often incredibly challenging, faith journey of this young couple.

What You Will Learn:

The Unexpected Call: Discover the immense personal and social difficulty Mary and Joseph faced when called to be part of God's redemption plan. This was a path filled with uncertainty, risk, and potential shame.

The Reality of Following God: See how their story powerfully illustrates that faith is not always easy. Following God's will can be "hard to follow," demanding difficult choices and deep trust.

The Greater Reward: Explore the profound truth that even when the path is difficult, the ultimate reward—participating in God's plan and experiencing His glory—is immeasurably great.

God's Constant Presence: Be encouraged by the assurance that God is not absent in our trials. Just as He was with Mary and Joseph, His presence (Immanuel) is with us as we step out in faith.

This message will challenge you to look past the stained-glass image of Christmas and embrace the courageous, messy reality of a life lived by faith.

Key Takeaways from This Sermon:

-Following God's will requires radical obedience and a willingness to embrace the difficult.

-The life of faith is not a comfortable journey, but a transformative adventure.

-The promise of "God with us" is the greatest strength in times of uncertainty.

Press play and be challenged to trust God's plan, even when it's "Hard to Follow."

Everyone loves a perfect Christmas. But, the conditions of the arrival of Christ and his early years were anything but peaceful. It was chaotic, messy and extremely humble. In this first message of the "Not-So Perfect Christmas" series, Pastor Derek Holmes looks at the lineage of Jesus in Matthew 1. This is the bloodline of the King of Kings, but it is full of imperfection, dysfunction and brokenness; making it just the right backdrop for Christ's redemptive glory to shine through. And, in that truth, we find hope and peace that God is working in our brokenness toward redemption as well.

Everyone loves a perfect Christmas. But, the conditions of the arrival of Christ and his early years were anything but peaceful. It was chaotic, messy and extremely humble. In this first message of the "Not-So Perfect Christmas" series, Pastor Derek Holmes looks at the lineage of Jesus in Matthew 1. This is the bloodline of the King of Kings, but it is full of imperfection, dysfunction and brokenness; making it just the right backdrop for Christ's redemptive glory to shine through. And, in that truth, we find hope and peace that God is working in our brokenness toward redemption as well.

In this final message of the series through the book of Luke, pastor Chris Rieber looks at the hope the Ascension of Christ gives to humanity.

In this final message of the series through the book of Luke, pastor Chris Rieber looks at the hope the Ascension of Christ gives to humanity.

In this moving sermon drawn from Luke 24, Pastor Chris Rieber explores the profound encounter between the resurrected Jesus and two disheartened disciples on the road to Emmaus.

Devastated and depressed after witnessing the crucifixion, these disciples were walking away from Jerusalem—and their hope. But Jesus meets them in their grief and, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he shows them how the entirety of the Scriptures points to Him.

Pastor Rieber highlights a transformative truth: Christ is the key that unlocks all of Scripture, and He alone is our inexhaustible source of hope. Discover how the proof of the resurrection transforms despair into unshakable confidence, and why a hope rooted in Jesus is a hope you simply cannot keep to yourself.

In this moving sermon drawn from Luke 24, Pastor Chris Rieber explores the profound encounter between the resurrected Jesus and two disheartened disciples on the road to Emmaus.

Devastated and depressed after witnessing the crucifixion, these disciples were walking away from Jerusalem—and their hope. But Jesus meets them in their grief and, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he shows them how the entirety of the Scriptures points to Him.

Pastor Rieber highlights a transformative truth: Christ is the key that unlocks all of Scripture, and He alone is our inexhaustible source of hope. Discover how the proof of the resurrection transforms despair into unshakable confidence, and why a hope rooted in Jesus is a hope you simply cannot keep to yourself.

Dive into this inspiring sermon, "The Beginning of Transformation," from Pastor Chris Rieber. Based on the profound scriptural account of Jesus' burial and glorious resurrection in Luke 23:50-24:12, this message reveals how the cross and the empty tomb mark the true starting point of a changed life.

What You Will Learn

Pastor Chris takes a close look at the unexpected courage and hope demonstrated by those nearest to Jesus during His darkest hours and His greatest victory:

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus: Discover the bold and costly decision these secret disciples made when they publicly claimed Jesus' body for burial. Their act of loyalty was a powerful declaration of their faith.

The Women at the Tomb: See the unwavering devotion of the women who came to anoint Jesus' body, only to become the first witnesses to the resurrection. Their loyalty was met with the ultimate good news!

The Key Takeaway

Each of these individuals, in their offering, loyalty, and decisive action, showed that they had made their final choice on where they stood regarding Jesus. Their stories are a testament to the courage and special hope found only by placing faith in the risen Savior.

You are invited to draw encouragement from their examples and be challenged to give your absolute all to Him today. The moment you place your faith in the risen Lord is The Beginning of Transformation for you!