HOPE Church Raleigh Podcast

Using Jesus' Parable of the Sower and the Seed, Pastor Chris shares the teachings of Christ regarding His kingdom that He wanted His disciples, then and now, to grasp and apply.

Pastor Chris begins a new series this week on Studying the Parables. He shares how Jesus clarified His message primarily for His disciples to learn more and grow deeper while the masses, whose hearts were "dull", cared not for the deeper truths of God but only desired a faith that made them comfortable.

Pastor Chris finishes his sermon series on "Being Missional" by sharing Jesus' words and parables regarding being open and pliable to His directives even if it requires doing things new and different.

Using Jesus' calling of Levi (Matthew) to come follow Him, Pastor Chris shows how Jesus went to those in need and did not wait for them to come to Him, encouraging all believers in Christ to follow Jesus' example to reach others for Christ.

Pastor Chris completes his sermon series on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount by showing how Jesus challenges His hearers to build their lives on what He has taught them so they can withstand the storms of life. Foolish are those who ignore His Word and face their own destruction.

Jesus makes it clear to the hearers of His Sermon on the Mount that the way into His kingdom and to the Father is a "narrow" one; only by believing, trusting and following Jesus Christ is entry gained. Pastor Chris expounds on this uncomfortable, yet necessary truth.

We pray to God to communicate our hearts to Him, not to inform Him of anything. Pastor Chris unpacks these verses to remind us that God wants us to come to Him in faith, asking, seeking and knocking continually that He might answer our prayers and glorify Himself in the doing.

What does Jesus mean when He tells us not to judge others? How does His interaction with the Adulterous Woman in John 8 give us clues as to His meaning in Matthew 7? Pastor Chris unpacks this as he returns to Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.

Pastor Chris shares the importance of our abiding in Christ, producing His fruit (i.e. the fruit of the Holy Spirit) and how doing this proves that we are His disciples.

Pastor Chris wraps up his sermon series on the Apostles Creed by sharing the importance of believing in the forgiveness of our sins, the resurrection from the dead, and the life everlasting.

Pastor Chris addresses the subject of "the holy catholic Church" and the "communion of saints" as reflected in the Apostles Creed and applied to us as Christians.

As we get to the line, "I believe in the Holy Spirit" in the Apostles Creed, Pastor Chris shares about the essential ministry of the third Person of the Godhead and how we should be living in His power daily.

Pastor Chris explains the Scriptural background and meaning behind Jesus' Ascension and His return "to judge the quick (the living) and the dead".

Using the relationship between Moses and Joshua, Pastor Chris relates how as fathers and, especially as church leaders, we need to have an eye to the future, preparing ourselves to hand over the baton of leadership to the next generation with the understanding that God rarely advocates for status quo.

Pastor Chris shares from the Word how the power of Christ' resurrection from the dead conquered Death, Hell and the Grave and why is it is imperative for Christians to live in that resurrection power!

In Part 4 Pastor Chris explores the historicity and importance of the crucifixion, death and burial of the Lord Jesus Christ and how it impacts His work of salvation in us as believers.

The conception of Christ by the Holy Spirit and the importance of His Virgin Birth are the subjects of today's sermon by Pastor Chris to show us that "nothing is impossible with God" (rf. Lk. 1:37).

As we celebrate Pentecost Sunday Pastor Chris reminds that the Holy Spirit is our power source, director and provider when it comes to fulfilling our work in expanding the Kingdom of Christ.

To explain the second aspect of The Apostles Creed, "I believe...in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord", Pastor Chris shares how the Lordship of Christ and His upcoming Final Judgment has bearing on the lives of those who believe and trust in Him for salvation.

Pastor Chris shares how Ruth and Naomi's relationship as mother-in-law and daughter-in-law provides examples of the deep love and commitments that are needed in our own relationships with others as followers of Christ.

Pastor Chris has begun a new sermon series to walk us through the Apostles Creed section by section to better strengthen our understanding of the Christian faith. Today's sermon is focused on "I believe in God the Father, Maker of heaven and earth".

Pastor Chris wraps his sermon series on tithing and giving with the emphasis that God is as or more concerned with the attitude expressed in our giving to Him than the amount of the gift.

Pastor Chris continues his study on giving as an aspect of our worship of God, looking at God's encouragement of His people to obey, give and be blessed by Him.

Pastor Chris is beginning a sermon series on financial giving as an act of worship and how our giving reflects our faith, obedience and generosity as believers in Christ.

As prophesied in Malachi the "Day of the Lord" was to be God's time of purifying and refining His people. That special time was inaugurated at the resurrection of Jesus Christ who refines and purifies His people by the power of His Holy Spirit. Pastor Chris explains this reality.