Hope Alliance Bethlehem

To truly understand the Ten Commandments, we have to see them in the context of covenant and creation. In fact, at their core, they are an invitation by God for his people to reassume their identity they were created for - worshippers and image bearers to the world. This is why Jesus would later summarize the law in two big ideas: love God and love your neighbor. And at the center of this call to...

As Israel finally makes it to Mt. Sinai, God reasserts the covenant to them. They will be his special possession, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. Accepting this covenant, the people are consecrated and cleansed and come to the foot of the mountain to be joined to God - a wedding betrothal. However, the need for cleansing can only be fully undone with an even greater act of covenant grace...

Almost to Sinai, Israel is attacked by the Amalekites. While Joshua leads the battle on the field, Moses lifts his staff on the hill. The battle is fought in the valley, but won on the hill. So too in our lives as we battle sin and evil, we are called to get dirty and fight, even while the victory is ultimately won by Jesus on the ultimate hill. We fight not for victory, but from victory. And like...

Jethro comes to an overwhelmed Moses with some practical and important advice. Raise up and equip leaders who can carry the ministry with you. But that alone is simply an organizational strategy. Leaders can't simply trust in their talents or their capacity. They need the power of the Spirit to help guide the people of God to embrace his covenant and find transformation. And even then the gra...

Right on the heels of their miraculous crossing of the sea, the Israelites are grumbling.  Why? They don't trust God because they don't know God. Yet God responds in grace, teaching them the posture of dependence. He is leading them to full life. Ultimately, full life is found in Jesus, the bread of heaven who brings life to the world.

As Pharoah's army approached the people have an identity crisis. But God fights in their silence and reminds them who they truly are. and the follow him into the Red Sea - a place of simultaneous judgment and salvation.  The ultimate place of deliverance and judgment is the cross of Christ where God makes an unexpected way to new creation and new identity. And our only response is worship.

The final plague that God brings on Egypt is stunning. The death of the firstborn throughout the land. A better understanding of Sin, family, and judgment can help us situate this plague contextually. And God provides another option for all who listen - a substitutionary sacrificial meal could mark the family instead. This would be the very meal that Jesus redefined around himself, embodying God&a...

The story of the plagues God brings on Egypt is well known. But why do they come? Exodus gives us two reasons. First the reality of the hardness of heart. Second, so that the power of God might be on display. Temporary chaos brings creation order out of the ongoing chaos of the world. The people of god belong to him, not to Pharaoh.

The difference between God and Pharaoh is deep and consequential. To put it simply, it is the difference between work and worship.  Which one is our identity? Pharaoh and all the proverbial pharaohs since enslave us, while God offers a freedom that restores us to our original created identity.

Moses has lots of reasons why he shouldn't embrace God's call. But his real issue was that his focus was on himself and the task, not on God and his call. This would not be accomplished by the power of Moses, but by the power of God. And even in his frustration, God shows his persistent graciousness toward Moses (and us) as he wrestles with the call. 

In the famous story of the burning bush, we see a God willing to come down from his mountain in order to initiative a dramatic rescue of his people.  If we look a little closer, we also see the imagery of God working to reverse the curses of the Fall. This would lead to the great Exodus and allow the people to once again dwell with God. Of course, this ultimately points to a far greater exodus, in...

In the midst of pain and oppression, God begins his rescue with a new kind of ark. This vessel not only preserves Moses, but allows the patient goodness of God to be injected into the very court of Pharaoh and we see the plans of Pharaoh undone. This though is only a microcosm of what is to come. By the middle of the chapter, Moses chooses into his Hebrew identity and by the end of the chapter the...

In Exodus 1, we find the people of God enslaved and in trouble.  But the author wants us as readers to know that despite their troubling circumstances, God cannot be stopped from fulfilling His promise to multiply and grow them.  And, He will not be stopped from liberating them to worship Him in their own land.

Joseph was not just the earthly father of Jesus. He was an incredible example of humility. His care for Mary, obedience to God, and embrace of Jesus show us what love looks like. Jesus, though, is the ultimate embodiment of humility and love in his journey to the cross for our protection. And he is the rightful king that neither Joseph, nor any of us, could ever be.

Zerubbabel was the leader of the first group of Israelites to return from exile.  He led the people to rebuild the temple in the midst of persecution and enemies. But this temple, and Zerubbabel himself were actually signs pointing forward toward something greater.  Jesus would lead the ultimate return from exile and rebuild the temple in his death and resurrection.

Solomon was the son of David who presided as king over a time of great peace and prosperity in Israel. Though he was famous for his wisdom and discernment, pride and power got the best of him and led to total corruption. What about God's promise for a son of David to sit on the throne forever? His ultimate answer is Jesus, the better Solomon. His kingdom is forever and brings the true peace a...

Though an unexpected choice, David was empowered by the Spirit and killed the giant. God promised him an eternal throne and reign of peace and prosperity. David's story is not just triumph though, its equal parts prideful tragedy. For their to be an eternal reign of peace, Israel would need a new David. Jesus is the ultimate David who killed the ultimate giant and brings peace once and for al...

The story of Ruth and Boaz is a story of unexpected kindness. Kindness that lays down one's life for another to protect and preserve them. In all, this kindness finds its source in God himself who is providentially meeting his people. And Jesus is the ultimate Boaz who not only lays down his life for us, but marries us into the family of God.

As two spies blow their cover, they are surprisingly protected by a Canaanite woman named Rahab.  Why? Because she had experienced a transformation and her faith was now in the God of Israel.  As a result, her house would be marked by God and she wold be preserved. Rahab appears in the genealogy of Jesus because he is the ultimate fulfillment of this story. We find refuge in Jesus and are marked b...

Why include such a horrible story in the genealogy of Jesus? Matthew does so to remind us of the destructive power of sin and the redemptive power of grace. Grace is greater than sin. And he shows that Jesus came right into the mess of this world in order to rescue it.

Isaac arrived as an unexpected joy to his parents and the world. But at the climax of his story, in faith he willingly laid down his life.  God supernaturally intervened to provide a sacrifice.  Isaac story foretells the story of Jesus - an unexpected to joy to his parents and the world who willingly laid down his life and was supernaturally raised from the dead.  Jesus is the ultimate Isaac.

God gave Abraham an outrageous call.  He was to leave home for a foreign land where he would become a great nation to bless the world.  Abraham's faithful response is amazing, but it is also faulty.  But ultimately Jesus would fulfill this great call and covenant to launch a family that blesses the world.  And we get to be part of it!

God’s gifts are meant to be shared.  With this in mind, our aim at Hope is to see people come to embrace Jesus and grow, while investing themselves to make this happen in others as well.  In the same way, we want to see our ministries and even our church reproduced.  We have a multiplication mindset.

Too much in life is artificial!  At Hope, our desire is to see people make a real connection to God and real connections to each other.  We also want to help people connect to their unique, God-given calling so they can pursue it.