HPUMC - Cornerstone Sermons (Contemporary Worship)

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. What do you do when it seems like faith has failed you? How do you handle disappointment, difficulty, and doubt that inevitably comes when things do not turn out how you thought they would? In this week’s sermon, we examine the life and faith of Abraham (Hebrews 11). Although he encountered uncertainty, setbacks, doubt, and fear, Abraham stayed t...

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection guide. The author of Hebrews likens living a faithful life to running a race with perseverance, throwing off anything that hinders or entangles us (Hebrews 12:1). The Christian life is a relay race, in which someone else handed us the baton that we will inevitably hand off to someone else. We are called to be faithful with our stretch of the race!  In t...

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother… How are you doing with these? In Mark 10:17-22, a rich young ruler who seemingly had it all and had it all together, asks Jesus what he must do to live a good life. Jesus then reminded him of the commandments, all of which...

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. In a world that emphasizes individualism and autonomy, everyone has their own definition of what is good. And without even realizing it, we can also choose heteronomy, in which others tell us what’s good. Whether it is ourselves or another human being, we must consider the source and confront the possibility that our ideas of right and wrong migh...

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide What is good? We each have our own ideas of what’s good and what’s bad, and it’s often where these differences collide that we run into problems. In this week’s sermon, we discover that true goodness isn’t about our actions or outward appearances. In Mark 7, Jesus teaches his disciples that goodness doesn’t come from what’s external but from what’...

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. “What difference does it make?” We have all asked that question at some point. It’s easy for us to think about what we lack rather than what we have. However, this mindset is a kindness killer, causing us to miss out on opportunities for God to work through us and within us. In this week’s sermon, we explore the passage leading up to Jesus’ mirac...

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. When we think about Jesus’ life and ministry, we often think of the miracles, healings, and teachings. In just three short years, Jesus changed the world and yet, he did not seem to be in a hurry. In fact, in the Gospel of Mark, we see Jesus making time for the intentional pursuit of purpose, rest, and for a grace-filled response to interruptions...

Clicl/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide All of us want more kindness. So, what stands between our desire for and our actual experience of more kindness? In other words, if all of us want more kindness, why do we not have a more kind society? In this week’s sermon, we look at Mark 2 in which Jesus is criticized for associating with tax collectors and sinners. Through Jesus’ response and...

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide Everyone has a different take on New Year’s. Are you into resolutions or intentions? Do you pick a word for the year? Maybe New Year’s is no big thing for you, and it’s just like every other day. With this week’s sermon, we learn a unique and helpful way to view the new year by looking at the foundation of Jesus’ ministry. In Mark 1:14-15, Jesus b...

Click/tap here to see the Sermon Reflection Guide. Among the many titles given to Mary, the mother of Jesus, she was also known as theotokos or “God-bearer.” Just as God chose Mary, He has also chosen to be in a relationship with you. As followers of Christ, we carry the presence of God with us wherever we go. This Christmas, remember that you are carrying the Holy Spirit inside of you and are cal...

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide Although it may look different for each of us, at some point we all experience some form of hopelessness. This may be the result of our own doing or simply the reality of living in a fallen, broken world. Whatever the cause or circumstance, what matters is how we respond.  In Luke 18, Jesus takes the time to stop and engage with a blind beggar. Be...

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Winston Churchill was quoted as saying, “You make a living by what you get; you make a life by what you give.” We put a lot of effort in trying to make a living (and rightly so); but how do we go about making a life?  In this week’s sermon, we explore this question by studying the words of the Apostle Paul (Acts 20:32-35) and Jesus (Matthew 13:31...

Click/tap  here  to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). However, in some way, with someone, we are all in some degree of conflict. So the question is, how do we navigate and resolve conflict in a way that aligns with our faith? In other words, how do we become people who make...

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Jesus tells us that in this life, we will have trouble (John 16:33). It is not a matter of if, but when. Yet, we can still experience inner peace as the storms around us do not have to become the storms within us. In Matthew 14, we see Peter’s incredible act of faith as he walks on water toward Jesus in the midst of a literal storm. However, when...

Click/tap here  to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. In today's politically charged culture, it’s easy to view everything through a red or blue lens. But this clouds our vision, making it harder to see Jesus as he truly is, beyond the confines of political affiliation. It's crucial to remember that while we cast our votes for candidates, we cast our hope on God and our peace rests in Him alone. Ev...

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Throughout this sermon series, we have learned that joy is not dependent on our circumstances. But how do we claim joy in the midst of uncertainty or challenges? In Acts 9, Ananias is called by God to go find a man named Saul and minister to him. We know him today as the Apostle Paul, one of the most influential leaders in the history of the chur...

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. The apostle Paul knew one thing about how to cultivate joy that we so easily miss today. In his last meeting with the elders from Ephesus, Paul charges them to watch over and serve the church (Acts 20:28). He also reminded them of Jesus’ teaching, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Finally, he knelt down with all of them a...

Click/tap  here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. You don't have to be Christian to experience joy. However, the joy that is offered by Jesus is unique in that it does not depend on circumstances and it can coexist with suffering. Why? Because the resurrection of Christ changes everything! As followers of Christ, we have a living hope because of his resurrection (1 Peter 1:3). It changes the wa...

Click/tap here  to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. In Nehemiah 8, we find the people of God celebrating and praising God with the completion of the wall in Jerusalem. However, when the priests read the Law, they became convicted of the sin that had resulted in their captivity, and their joy quickly turned into despair as doubt and fear crept in. In a similar way, we can allow insecurities, cynic...

Click/tap here for the Sermon Reflection Guide As we conclude our series on cultivating love, we focus on what has been and will continue to be the guiding principle for cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives: We cannot make growth happen, but we can create an environment where growth is more (or less) likely to happen.  It is the Holy Spirit that produces the fruit; Our role involves cr...

Tap/click  here for the sermon reflection guide! In John 15, Jesus identifies himself as the true vine and explains that we, as the branches, must stay connected to him in order to bear fruit. To be the kind of people for  whom love comes naturally, we must remain (abide) in God’s love. But how do we do that? We remain in God’s love by keeping His commandment to love one another. In other words, w...