Hillside Evangelical Free Church

Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God? As humans we have an incredible capacity to not believe. We may see evidence with our own eyes, hear logical arguments, even sense agreement within our own spirit, yet still refuse to believe. In today's passage we see the hardness of the human heart on display and discuss the one thing that can never be forgiven: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. What...

Unfortunately just as in Jesus' day we struggle with misappropriating the idea of good works. We very easily turn good things into legalistic things or create a different excuse to get out of doing good. Although this issue has going on for centuries, there is hope. Listen in as we learn from Matthew 12:9-21 about how we can be doing good to others. 

It is easy to over or under emphasize something and as a result end up with an incorrect conclusion. In this passage from Matthew 12:1-8 Jesus addresses the issue of the Pharisees adding rules to the Sabbath day. While we often can recognize the danger of minimizing sin, this sermon is a good reminder that adding additional requirements to the Bible can have just as damaging an effect. 

Are you weary? Do you need rest? These are questions some of us may only dream of hearing as we carry on in our busy lives. But what if you could find rest? What if there was someone who could help you in your weariness? In this week's sermon from Matthew 11:25-30 we look at a welcoming invitation from Jesus and what that means to our lives, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I wi...

How will you respond to Jesus? At the heart of this passage from Matthew 11 Jesus rebukes the people for their unbelief. The people had rejected John and said "he has a demon", and then rejected Jesus calling Him, "A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!". Those who had interacted with Jesus had their reasons for not following Him, but as we will see, those reasons will n...

What are you doing here? That is basically the question Jesus asks in these verses from Matthew 11:1-15. Jesus pokes at the crowd's motivation for coming through some rather direct questions. But we could ask the same question today, why are you here? Why do you come to church? Listen in this week as we explore these questions and their implications for our lives.

Drawing on lines from the Christmas hymn, "Hark the Herald Angels Sing", we look at three reasons why Jesus was born. At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus. This is a sermon to help us worship more fully this Christmas as we contemplate the wonders of Jesus being born as a baby in Bethlehem!

Continuing with a Christmas hymn theme, we take a look at Colossians 1:15-20 to learn more about what it meant for Jesus to take on flesh and dwell among us. 

If you're familiar with the classic Christmas hymn, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing", you may think there is a typo in the line, "hail the sun of righteousness". In fact though, the hymn writer Charles Wesley was very intentional with this phrase as it comes from Micah 4:2. In this sermon discover more depth to the much loved hymn, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and may we look expectantly to the re...

Are you known as a thankful person? It might sound like an unusual question but thankfulness is meant to be a big part of a believers life. So what does being thankful look like? How can we be thankful people? Join us as we look at Colossians 3:15-17 to help answer those questions.

What is the purpose of communion? In his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul sternly warns the Corinthian church about how they were practicing communion. But what were they doing that was wrong? Is it that big of a deal? Join us as we look at 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 to learn more about this needed correction around the Lord's supper. 

If you were to make priorities for your life based on passages from the Bible, where would you start? In this sermon Pastor Steve Morgan walks us through 1 Peter 4:7-11 and encourages us to live in light of God's word in our day to day lives. 

In celebration of reformation Sunday and the work God did through Martin Luther, we look at church history and the significant event of The Diet of Worms. 

Is Jesus the only way to Heaven? Some would say yes, some no, and others would argue it doesn't matter. But with so many views on who Jesus is and how to have eternal life, how should Christians interact with those with differing beliefs? Today's passage deals with an important tension that all believers must hold as they live their lives. How to live fully for Jesus without compromise, while also...

Who do you fear? It may sound like an odd question at first but Jesus basically asked that exact question. Will you fear God or will you fear other people? When thinking about sharing the gospel or being bold in your faith it is easy to become fearful, but Jesus reminds us that we ought rather to fear God instead of people. Listen in as we dive into this passage from Matthew 10:26-33 and discover...

Jesus told His followers that they were being sent out as "sheep among wolves". It is quite a statement and can be shocking that Jesus expected such hostility to the good news of the Gospel. But what can we learn from this and how can it help guide us in our daily lives as we seek to share the gospel?

Looking at the first disciples there was very little that held them together outside of their common faith in Jesus. Yet Jesus gathered this diverse group of men, taught them, and sent them out to proclaim the good news of the gospel. But that mission didn't end with the disciples, the proclamation of the gospel is one that believers in Christ are still called to today. We may have very little in...

Do you ever look at other people and wonder if you are missing out on something that you could experience if you weren't a Christian? Does it sometimes feel like your faith is a weight to your soul and that you have more troubles than non-believers? The writer of Psalm 73 seemed to struggle with similar feelings and wrestled with tough questions like these. But if it stopped with those questions i...

We live in a world where injustice and evil are visible all around us. In such a world, how do we go about our lives? In this personal Psalm, King David confronts the reality of evil, betrayal, and how the godly are to live. What hope do we have when it seems that the darkness is pressing in around us? Join us as we explore these ideas. 

Do you ever fear what God thinks of your deepest darkest sin? In light of God's holiness we can often feel ashamed or paralyzed at the thought of our sin being exposed. In Psalm 51 we see King David faced with the reality that he has committed adultery and murdered a man. The depths of his sin are great, but the mercy of God proves greater. King David shows us a pattern of humility and repentance...

What does God think of people who do external acts of piety but whose heart is not in the right place? In surprisingly clear language Psalm 50 describes God's sentiment towards those who do the workings of religion but disregard the true heart of worshiping God. This is a sobering message that calls all professing believers to worship the Lord with sacrifices of thanksgiving, and not be caught una...

What does the Bible say about money? What does the Bible say about death? These are both big questions that are brought up in Psalm 49. When reflecting on death and wealth, it is plain to see that all people die regardless of their income or possessions. The psalmist in Psalm 49 uses this great equalizer to exhort his listeners not to fear the powerful or the wealthy. Instead he turns towards a fu...

Drawn on throughout the Bible are physical representations of spiritual truths. In Psalm 48 the Psalmist uses the imagery and physical presence of Jerusalem to show God's power and protection for His people. In one sense it calls us to slow down and consider the works of God in the past, and in another it enables us to be ready to  "tell the next generation" about who God is. 

How does the idea that God is sovereignly involved in the world impact our daily lives? Drawing on the story from Ruth chapter two and sharing from personal experience, guest speaker John Quay teaches about the providence of God.

Differing worship styles and song choices have unfortunately been a dividing point for churches throughout history. But have you ever wondered what the bible actually says about worship? In Psalm 47 we see the clear call to praise the Lord, to sing loud songs of joy! Join us as Pastor Jim Schultz helps us navigate this tricky area of church life and how the expressions of worship are secondary to...