Sermons on Hope (Page 2)
Changing Hearts
The Grinch has one goal: stop Christmas at all costs. He plots and schemes to get rid of all Christmas from Whoville by stealing trees, presents, food, and anything that hints at Christmas. But, when he witnesses the people of Whoville celebrating Christmas without the material goods, he has a change of heart. Without God, our hearts are hard. They deceive us and lead us to act and think in ways that go against God’s will for us. When we…
Unexpectedly Wonderful
George Bailey has had enough. He’s always working, always sacrificing, and it seems to get him nowhere. When he faces losing the family business that he never wanted to run in the first place, he contemplates ending it all. However, he gets the opportunity to see what the world would be like without him and recognizes how wonderful his life really is. Things don’t always turn out the way we’ve planned. This gets frustrating to us because we think we…
Hope for Life
Sometimes, things don’t go the way we plan. Our expectations are dashed by some unforeseen complication, and we find ourselves wondering how we’re going to go on with our lives. We lose hope for the future because things look so drastically different than we think they should. After the disciples’ expectations were dashed, they didn’t know how they would go on. They found themselves hopelessly wandering through life. But all that changed when they realized the stranger who traveled with…
Hope in Grief
In the last year, we’ve all experienced grief. We’ve lost opportunities, experiences, and jobs. The way we connect with others isn’t ideal. Some of us have lost loved ones. Many of us have lost hope. On the first Easter, Mary Magdalene, her friends, and the disciples grieved over Jesus. They thought their hope of a Savior was dead with him in the tomb. But then… the tomb was empty. Jesus was alive! Even when you’re in the depths of despair,…
Hope After Failure
We all make mistakes. Some of our failures are small and insignificant, solved with an apology or a quick fix. But for other mistakes, those ones that haunt our dreams and change the courses of our lives, we’re stuck with guilt and shame. This is the kind of mistake Peter made. After he denied Jesus three times, he feels like there’s nothing he can do about his failure in faith. But Jesus gives him hope, forgiving him and entrusting him…
Christmas… And Then This Mess?
We celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus at Christmas. But then… the mess is still there. In the Bible, we hear of the terrible tragedy of the deaths of the children of Bethlehem at Herod’s hand. And we see mess around us. But still, Jesus is near. Jesus is our example, so we can confront our sinful nature and recognize our need for him as our Savior. Sermon Text: Matthew 2:1-18
Preparing for the Light
What does preparing for Jesus look like? As the holidays grow close, we make preparations for meals, decorations, and gatherings. We also need to prepare our hearts. The light is coming, and as we get ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus, we need to examine our hearts and recognize our deep need for a Savior. Sermon Text: Isaiah 40:1-11
The Assurance of Light
Many of us are aware of God’s promises for us, but we grow weary easily. We need assurance along the way to remind of that God is for us and loves us unconditionally. Throughout the Scriptures, God provides assurance with many prophecies of the coming light. Sermon Text: Isaiah 7:10-14
God Provides for Us
There is so much uncertainty in our world right now that makes it difficult to see how God provides for ourselves. We might wonder what will happen with our jobs, our schools, or our businesses. But even in the middle of all these restrictions, God will provide our daily bread. The same God who gave the Israelites daily manna will provide for our daily needs. Sermon Text: Exodus 16
Hope Lives (Easter 2020)
Sometimes, it’s hard to believe that we need a Savior. Other times, we can’t imagine why Jesus would love us enough to die for us. People tell us Jesus was just a man, punished wrongfully, who died almost 2,000 years ago. But he’s much more than that. On the day we now celebrate as Good Friday, Jesus rescued us from our sin. And three days later, on Easter, He rose from the dead. Because of his resurrection, Hope lives forever…
Remain Hopeful – Living Hope
Peter tells those who read his letter, “set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.” Even when it seems difficult to live out our faith, Peter encourages us to fix our hope on Christ. What we think about the future affects the way we live in the present, so we can praise God for the living hope we have in Christ. Sermon Text: 1 Peter 1:1-25
Hope for the Future
As we look into the future, the battles and struggles of life are real. From sickness to relationship issues to stress, they all take a toll on us. But Jesus brings you a hope that sets you free from the handcuffs of hurt, from the chains of chaos, from the Devil’s discouragement and sure death. This hope is an eternal hope for the future that is out of this world. Sermon Text: Jeremiah 29:11