After the emotional blow of Jesus’ death on a cross, and the emotional high of his victory and resurrection, the ascension of Jesus can feel a bit… anti-climactic. Whether you’re a follower of Jesus or not, you may be asking yourself: why did Jesus leave so soon after he resurrected? What are we supposed to do now without Him here on earth? Join us this Sunday as our Ministry Coordinator, Tara Farrell, brings us a message about the relevance of Christ’s ascension and casts a vision for how we can continue working with him even now, thousands of years later.
Many of our neighbors, classmates, teachers, coworkers, supervisors, friends, and family don’t believe and may never believe that they’re sinners who need a savior. But they will believe, at some point in their lives, that they’re mortal, that death is inevitable. This universal human experience is where Jesus, who died and rose again, is relevant to all people.
The identifying symbol for Christ and His followers is the cross. A vertical and a horizontal beam. Engraved in marble, forged from gold, embossed in leather, carved from wood and suspended before worshipers. Like the silhouette of an electric chair, a hangman’s noose or a guillotine, the Roman cross is an emblem of suffering and shame. Who was responsible for the death of Jesus? Why did He die on a cross? What relevance does His crucifixion have for us today? Join us this Sunday at 9 a.m. as we discover the answers to these questions from an inspired source provided 700 years in advance of the crucifixion of Jesus.
Jesus proclaimed many astounding things throughout his ministry but the most astonishing—the most controversial—was his claim that He, a human man, was also the divine Son of God. Some responded to this proclamation by trying to silence Him. Others continued listening to Him, believed His claim, and amplified it. Jesus’ claim is relevant to us today because, when we recognize its significance, we too must decide whether to silence Jesus or to amplify Him. Join us this Sunday at 9 a.m. to worship Christ, pray as he prayed, and respond to his claim of deity. Our message this week (from Executive Pastor Arik Stewart) is titled The Relevance of Christ’s Deity and is based on John 8:48-59.
Does God do miracles today? Why does He seem to give them at times and not at others? While on earth Jesus was often moved with compassion, yet the primary reason for His miracles was greater than compassion. Though worthy of fame, the primary reason for Jesus’ miracles was greater than growing a crowd. Though faithful to answer prayer, the primary reason for Jesus’ miracles was greater than growing humanity’s confidence to ask bold prayers. Join us this Sunday at 9 AM to worship God in song, pray, come to the communion table and receive guidance about miracles by discovering Jesus’ primary motivation for miracles, to the glory of God.
For many Christianity, is a religion of rules. Endless lists of dos and don’ts that prove to us that we don’t measure up cause us to despair. In fact, if we’re honest it often causes us to draw back from God and Jesus. Some may participate because it is “the right thing to do,” but this is only duty and it actually causes many people to steer as far away as possible from church, religion and anything that has to do with faith. However, in Mark 1, we read about two sets of sons who were working in their respective family businesses. One day these sons encountered Jesus during the course of their work day and the result was that they resigned from their Father’s businesses and became students of this up and coming Rabbi. What did Jesus teach that caused them to leave their life’s work so quickly and easily. It was very powerful, but it wasn’t a list of religious rules. Jesus was relevant to those men for the rest of their lives and He is completely relevant to us today because of the power of His Teachings.
December 25 is a day off work for many, a day for exchanging gifts for some and a day to worship for followers of Jesus. December 26 and the days that follow are typically a return to normalcy as a New Year begins. What if the birth of Jesus through the Virgin Mary is more world-altering than one brief day on the calendar? Join us this Sunday and invite a friend to come with you to discover the reason why the birth of Christ is the greatest cause for joy to the world! Our message this week (from Lead Pastor Dean Wertz) is titled The Relevance of Christ: The Beginning and is based on John 1:1-14.
This is the start of a new series that will walk through the NT and discuss the entire story of Jesus from beginning to end with one question in mind, “So what?”. Why does this matter? How is this still relevant for people today? It’s a great opportunity to invite friends and neighbors who are maybe still on the fence about Jesus or who have started to question the validity of going to church – so be praying about people to invite! Very excited for how these discussions will encourage and build up our entire community.
After my Aunt Martha and I tried to convince the other why each of us should be allowed to cover the cost for a family meal out, she pulled the bill out of my hand, looked at me and said with her winning smile, “Dean, sometimes it’s good to just say, ‘Thank you.'” Her gift to me was more than a meal. She taught me the importance of expressing gratitude in the presence of generous people. Hope, you are a generous family! Please join as at 9 a.m. this Sunday as we worship God, learn how Paul thanked God for the Philippian Christians who gave financially so others could live with God in Christ and thank God for all of you (here in Denver and around the world) who do the same! I look forward to bringing the message titled Imagine a Church With Financial Peace from Philippians 1:1-11. If you are unable to join us in person, please visit the 9 a.m. livestream or view the recording here.
Looking forward to worshiping together! -Dean
Is it possible for a church to grow by serving more people without dramatically increasing expenses to hire more pastoral staff? The fourth of Hope Church’s five overarching goals for this next year is to expand our capacity to love and care for all whom God entrusts to us, primarily through friendships in small groups. Join us this Sunday at 9 a.m. as we see how Jesus cared for those in His small group and then invited Peter and all of us to do the same!