The Hatridge Sermons

Jesus of Nazareth was (at the very least) a carpenter turned Rabbi. But what separated Him for the other religious scholars of the time was His miraculous powers. Raising the dead, calming the storms, and feeding the multitudes were awesome displays of His divine power.

Jesus was both a man and the Son of God. And yet, He still desired to be baptized by a reluctant John. What does this act tell us about Christ? And why was it so important that all 4 gospels chose to include it?

There's little doubt that Jesus of Nazareth was a real man. One who left his carpentry job to minister. One who was killed for that very ministry. The debate is about his divinity. The events surrounding his birth point not just to his role as Messiah, but as a fulfillment of centuries of prophecies.

God provided the ultimate example of leadership through Jesus. Psalms 23 tells us that the Lord is a Sheperd. And the scripture repeatedly tells us to lead God's people. What Biblical lessons can we learn about being a shepherd?

God provided the ultimate example of leadership through Jesus. Psalms 23 tells us that the Lord is a Sheperd. And the scripture repeatedly tells us to lead God's people. What Biblical lessons can we learn about being a shepherd?

God provided the ultimate example of leadership through Jesus. Psalms 23 tells us that the Lord is a Sheperd. And the scripture repeatedly tells us to lead God's people. What Biblical lessons can we learn about being a shepherd?

COVID-19, war, civil unrest... the world might seem like it's on fire. And we are falling victim to allowing fear, panic, and anxiety to effect our judgement and decision making. 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that the Spirit of God is one of power, love, and of a sound mind. It's time to turn to God and pray that cooler heads prevail.

In an increasingly distracting world, it can be easy to lose sight of the important things. That's why we should always keep our eyes on Jesus.

The Bible is full of heroes who were "just some guy". Regular men and women who were chosen for glorious purposes. Even Jesus himself was seen as "just some guy" by those living around Nazareth. Let us never forget God can do amazing things with each and every one of us. Matthew 13:53-58 1 Samuel 17:12-33 Exodus 2:1-4

During Jesus' 3 short years of ministry, He proved that NOTHING was beyond His power. Furthermore, He proved that no struggle was too big, or too small, for His attention. We should all remember that when going to God in prayer, nothing's beyond Jesus. Mark: 5:1-20 John 11:1-44

God has an amazing plan for this world, and for each of us. It is up to us as believers to find that plan through Biblical study and prayer. And it is up to us to ensure His will is done. Romans 8:18-39

Jesus called his followers "Salt of the Earth" & "Light of the World". Easy phrases to skim over. But upon deeper reflection, these phrases mean one thing. We (as God's children) are here to glorify God and all of His creation. And that includes our fellow man. Let us not tear down others but build them up. And in doing so magnify the love of God.

When we observe the amazing actions of Biblical heroes like Samson, David, Moses, and Elijah, we see that they don't "hope" God pulls through. No, these faithfull few simply "know" He will. That's why faith is more important than hope. Hope leaves room for doubt, but faith is absolute. 

We are in a "business partnership" with God. When we look at the covenants, we see that He often views us as equal partners in the caretaking of the world. But we failed, and hard. The Old Testament is full of the shortcomings of humanity. That's why God gave us "a new deal" or covenant. That's why God sent Jesus.

We were made in God's image, which means we are more like God than anything else in existence. So when He calls on us to forgive, He is calling on us to do the divine. But we all struggle with forgiveness of both ourselves and others. So how do we truly forgive the errors of our ways?

To blessed to be stressed. It's a saying that has become common in Christian circles. But the truth is, we're "too blessed" for a lot of things; worry, doubt, fear, and anxiety. How often do we practice gratitude for the things God has given us?

We could all use a break every now and then. And luckily for us, God set aside an entire day just for rest. But how many of us truly honor the Sabbath?

What can the story of Lazarus tell us about what waits for us in death? And what does the story of Jesus promise us about eternal life?

We often spend too much time worrying about the future and being haunted by the past. But what about the here and now? Are we truly content with the here and now, and everything God is doing for us?

Noah was the original "doomsday prepper". How often is God working to prepare us for something big on the horizon? How often do His warnings go ignored?

It is so easy to look out into the world and see nothing but ugliness and sin. But we often forget how beautiful it all is. That when God looks down on us, He sees something worth loving, worth saving. So why does it seem like we're living in "one big mess"?

We are more like God than anything else in all of creation. We were truly made "in His image". But what does that mean for us as sinners? And what does that say about the God we serve?

We live in a world where information and knowledge is just a google search away. But the abundance of information is overwhelming. That is why we should always seek wisdom. Why we should pray, not for knowledge, but for discernment.

When fighting the spiritual battles of our lives, we should consider whether we're fighting the right ones. Satan likes to distract us from the important battles of our spiritual lives. Often leaving us "tilting at windmills".

What do we do when our neighbor is different from us? Love them anyways. What if they have different polical views? Love them. What if they're not Christian? Love 'em! Jesus calls on all of us to love our neighbors, regardless of who they are, where they're from, or what they believe.