Reading: Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:11 - Often, when we have a major problem to overcome, most of us strive hard not to fall into temptation. We adopt systems of accountability, barriers and more. Yet, for some mysterious reason, we end up falling and failing again. Why? What is the real reason for such failures? Join us for this important message. The answer will surprise you, and make you truly free.

Word of Hope Sermon Series Podcast

Alive in Christ

Reading: Galatians 3:15-18; 4:1-7 - Where do we find our identity? Do we define who we are by what we do, or rather what we do based on who we are? Scripture shows us that we are heirs of the promises of God. We are His children and as such we are called to behave accordingly.

Heirs to the Promise

Reading: John 20:19-31 - The life of the disciples of Jesus speaks to our experience as well. Their distress, their fear, their grief are sentiments we are bound to experience as well. Like them we become tired, overwhelmed, tempted to question the presence of God. But what they learned is something we all need to keep firmly in our hearts: the Lord has not abandoned us. He has not left us in our hour of sorrow. He is present, and He will never leave us or forsake us.

Blessed Are They Who Believe

Reading: Luke 24:13-49 - Sometimes we can be so focused on our problems and disappointments, that we may miss what the Lord in doing in our lives. We can see that in the lives of two of Jesus' disciples, and how the Lord Himself helped them to understand that what He has done is absolutely amazing, glorious, and eternal.

The Death of Death

Reading: Mark 15:1-39 - It was the most important time in all history, a series of events that changed everything, including us. Join us as we look at the account of a witness and seek to determine who was actually responsible for it all.

Truly This Man Was the Son of God

Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 - Why is it that so often, together with our blessings, we find challenges and pain? Why is it that God at times answers our prayers in glorious ways, and at other times He just seems to say “no”? It has been said that you cannot tell a Christian’s character by how many things go well in his/her life, but by the way he/she reacts to the painful events in life. This is a lesson the apostle Paul had to learn the hard way, leaving an important message for all of us today about the sufficiency of God’s grace.

Sufficient Grace

Reading: John 12:20-33 - What is the goal of our life? What is that we actually live for? If we live our life to find pleasure and comfort in this world, we will be sorely disappointed. But if we are willing to give up our lives, to stop serving ourselves and our pleasures and turn to Christ, then we will find out what true living is really all about. Our life will acquire meaning and purpose. 

What Do We Live For?

Reading: John 3:14-21 - You are in the wilderness and you were just bitten by a deadly snake. You are surely to die, and there is nothing you can do about it. Suddenly, you hear someone telling you to look up and gaze at something Moses was told by God to lift up on a standard. Inexplicably, when you look at it your body reacts differently and you are healed. The symbolism is deep and profound. But what does it have to do with us?

Lifted Up That We May Not Perish

Reading: John 2:13-22 : It is supposed to be a sacred time, a time for prayer and worship, a time for communion with God. All too often, however, it is turned into something different: a time for personal contacts, for networking, for socializing, and for self-interest. Jesus confronted this problem directly, leaving a vital teaching for all of us.

Not a Place of Business

Reading: Mark 8:31-38 - Do we have our own views of what it means to be Christians? Do we look for the Lord to meet our expectations? Or are we willing to surrender to the Lord's perfect plan? Are we just closet Christians, ashamed of being labeled as His followers, or are we committed to being openly disciples of Jesus Christ in a way that truly makes a difference in our lives as well as in the lives of others? Peter's problem as he confronted Jesus helps us to understand and gives us comfort, showing us a God who accepts our humanity and is willing to work with it.

Are We Ashamed of Him?

Reading: Mark 1:4-15 - In a world in which strength and power are admired, the greatest battle ever won, the most important victory was accomplished with humility, a servant's heart, and personal sacrifice. The One and only God, the Creator, the great King chose to seek us out to serve us, to bear our sins, experience death and rise from the dead for us.

The Power of Humility

Reading: 2 Samuel 12:1-13  It was a story of sex, intrigue, conspiracy, and the interplay of lust with power that would seem to be made for modern movies. But it was life, real life, and not too different from what we witness today. The biblical narrative is a didactic narrative, written, as the apostle Paul pointed out, "for our instruction." It is important, then, for us to understand how the events in king David's life apply to us all, and how they illustrate how love, lust and power played a role, then and now, in the fall of otherwise godly leaders.

Love, Lust and Power

Reading: Mark 1:29-39  What is most important in our lives? Is it serving and helping, acquiring knowledge, becoming famous? Is it family, health, possessions, prestige? Looking at Mark 1, this message helps us address this question from Jesus' perspective, looking at what was most important for Him, and how He called us to participate in it as well.

The Importance of the Gospel

Reading: Mark 1:21-28  We live in a confusing and scary world. Where do we turn to find meaning and make sense of it all? How do we process what we see around us, and what we feel inside? It is in times like this that the Lord's words echo in our ears as He invites us to come to Him to find the needed rest. But how? Where? This message will point you in the right direction, as it invites us to consider what happened in Capernaum. 

Not Just Another Teaching!

Reading: Mark 1:14-20 Why would Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Creator and Sustainer of all things, choose mere fishermen to be His disciples, and later His ambassadors to the world? Why would He choose us, the little ones of the world, to be "fishers of men"? The answer is important, and it makes a radical difference in the way we respond to His calling: personally and as His church.

Fishers of Men

Word of Hope Sermon Series Podcast from Grace Family Church of Rhode Island (www.gfcri.org)

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Word of Hope Sermon Series Podcast

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