Introduction

Is there significance to understanding why Jesus taught in parables? Clearly there is because the Holy Spirit, through the authorship of Mark, records and preserves a conversation between Jesus and his disciples around that very question. Understanding this question will allow us to peek into the intricacies of God’s ways.

Introduction

Introduction

The biblical understanding of Holy Communion (Lord’s Supper) entails 4 parts: 1) the Historical Context of Communion; 2) Who should take the Communion? 3) What are we doing in Communion? and 4) How (with what attitude) should we take it?

Introduction

“For Christ also suffered[a] once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit (v.18).”

Today’s passage fixes our gaze to the pivotal moment in human history, the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. On Good Friday, we celebrated his selfless act of sacrifice, Jesus Christ the sinless Son of God, bore the weight of our sins and he has paved the way for our reconciliation with God. However, Easter is the ultimate triumph of love over darkness. It is the ultimate triumph of redemption over sin because Jesus emerges victorious from the tomb, opening up a new reality of hope and salvation for all humanity. Jesus’ resurrection extends beyond a mere historical event and has practical implications for us today – one of them being our baptism.

Introduction

The core message of Palm Sunday is about our inability to solve our problems. We consistently have to face the reality of our powerlessness and our inability to change our situations that bring us harm, suffering and pain. Our powerlessness becomes even more evident when it comes to global issues such as wars or cultural and political agendas that attempt to sexualize and indoctrinate our children. In our powerlessness, our only response is anger and grief and despair. Another thing Palm Sunday does is to help us recognize our tendency to seek control of the world around us.

Introduction

A leper, a paralytic, and Jewish scribes encountered Jesus, but what was their response to their encounter with Jesus? The leper and the paralytic responded with happiness, but the Jewish scribes and Pharisees with anger. As modern readers, this is a reasonable response, but for the first century readers, the encounter with the leper and the paralytic was scandalous. These were the outcasts of the community, and you were not to touch nor be around them (especially the leper). It was the scribes and Pharisees who were highly honoured and respected and the elite of Jewish society. What’s surprising is that it was not the so-called elite religious leaders, but the outcasts and marginalized who responded to the kingdom of God with happiness. Why is it so?

Introduction

“​The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” This opening statement of the gospel of Mark sets the tone for what we will discover in the book of Mark. The authorship of this gospel is credited to Mark, who is called John Mark in the book of Acts. This book is dated to around 65AD where severe Christian persecution took place under the rule of the Roman Emperor Nero. The Apostle Peter was martyred during this period which may have prompted Mark to write this gospel. Mark wrote this gospel in Roman, in the epicenter of Christian persecution, which challenges believers to stand firm in the face of persecution and difficulty.

Mark was not an apostle, one of Jesus’ 12 disciples. Mark is best known for abandoning Paul and Barnabas during their mission trip for unknown reasons, which became the source of sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas that led to them going separate ways; Barnabas took Mark and Paul took Silas. What led to this person to write one of the greatest books of the Bible?

Introduction

“​The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” This opening statement of the gospel of Mark sets the tone for what we will discover in the book of Mark. The authorship of this gospel is credited to Mark, who is called John Mark in the book of Acts. This book is dated to around 65AD where severe Christian persecution took place under the rule of the Roman Emperor Nero. The Apostle Peter was martyred during this period which may have prompted Mark to write this gospel. Mark wrote this gospel in Roman, in the epicenter of Christian persecution, which challenges believers to stand firm in the face of persecution and difficulty.

Mark was not an apostle, one of Jesus’ 12 disciples. Mark is best known for abandoning Paul and Barnabas during their mission trip for unknown reasons, which became the source of sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas that led to them going separate ways; Barnabas took Mark and Paul took Silas. What led to this person to write one of the greatest books of the Bible?

Introduction - Discipleship as the mission of the Church

The word “commission" refers to a special assignment or mission tasked to a person or group on behalf of another. The Great Commission is a special assignment given to the church on behalf of Jesus. It is the very purpose for the Church’s existence. The gospel writers emphasize the work of the cross and the resurrection to magnify God’s plan to redeem mankind, which was put into motion from the very beginning, and all of biblical history culminates in Jesus Christ who came to redeem us and restore our relationship with God. For many Christians, this is a familiar to you, but one thing many Christians fail to realize is that God’s redemptive plan continues on through the Church beyond the cross and resurrection. It continues with our transformation to be Christlike for our benefit and for the people of all nations. This is what discipleship is about.

Introduction

The topic of “money” can be a sensitive subject to talk about in the church, but the truth is it shouldn’t be. However, it does leave a bad taste in our mouth when we see so called televangelist boasting about how rich they became from the offerings that came in. Should we be surprised when non-believers accuse Christianity and the clergy of profiteering?

Introduction

Fasting is not a spiritual gift but a spiritual discipline that invites us to offer our full dependence upon God. Fasting is not about depriving yourself of something as a means of pleasing God, nor is it a practice reserved for “super” Christians. A simple definition of fasting is: the practice of fasting is the practice of abstaining from food or something else for spiritual purposes. We are called to fast in order to intentionally feast on God. In other words, fasting is about God. The secular world has reduced fasting to a healthy lifestyle, but fasting is about relying and depending upon God. In Zechariah 7:5, God scrutinizes this situation: “Say to all the people of the land and the priests, ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted?’ In today’s Bible passage, Jesus addresses our motivation behind fasting.

Introduction

New Hope Fellowship DT believes that God has given us a new direction and vision to grow as a multigenerational church, but is this biblical? Is this in accordance with God’s will as revealed in Scripture? Yes. The value and idea of a multigeneration community or church found throughout Scripture and it originates from the very nature of our triune God.

Introduction

Aliston McGraph, in his book Evangelicalism and the Future of Christianity, identifies the beliefs of evangelicals.  Evangelicals is not a denomination, but rather it identifies Christians who hold core beliefs or convictions:

The supreme authority of Scripture as a source of knowledge of God and a guide to Christian living.

The majesty of Jesus Christ, both as incarnate God and Lord and as the Saviour of sinful humanity.

The Lordship of the Holy Spirit.

The need for personal conversion.

The priority of evangelism for both individual Christians and the church as a whole.

The importance of the Christian community for spiritual nourishment, fellowship, and growth.

It is important to remember that these core beliefs are foundational for us as individuals and as a church. 

Introduction

Today, the word “Spirituality” correlates with some kind of inner reflection and meditation, dabbling in crystals and new age practices, living a certain lifestyle or principle, or simply being open to explore different religious experiences. In the Christian context, true spirituality (as it pertains to our vision statement) is relational aspect of our existence as sons and daughters of the Living God. True spirituality is about our relationship with God and with the people of God. Spiritual disciplines like prayer, daily devotional meditation and reflection on Scripture are all for the purpose of building intimacy with God as we grow in Christlikeness.

One of troubling concerns for churches all over the world is that many people are drifting away from the life of the church. It’s not simply about church attendance but the drifting of spiritual companionship, which is the drifting away from the nature of having relationships that keep us bonded to God and one another as a family in Christ. Not all respond enthusiastically to the idea of a family of God. Family can be a source of pain, trauma, and conflict for some. However, we cannot understand Scripture unless we recognize the truth that we are the family of God.

Introduction

What is a church and what is the identity and the mission of the church? How we answer this question will determine the purpose and direction of all that we do as a church. Contrary to what many Christians may think, the church is not an event, a location, a product, or an experience. Yes, we have events; we gather at a location; we offer religious and spiritual products such as Bible studies, workshops, Life Groups, and so forth; we have experiences. However, the church is not these things. Then, what is the church?

The Bible speaks of the Church as: the family of God (Rom. 8:14-17); the body of Christ (Eph. 4:15-16); the citizens of God’s Kingdom (Eph. 2:19); the flock of God (Acts 20:28); a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9). These metaphors offer us different perspectives on the identity and mission of the church. What unites the diverse aspects of the church is what Jesus said about the church, and his words powerfully echo in our individual lives, our congregation, and the church.

Introduction

For 2024, New Hope Fellowship is returning to our roots of being gospel-centered as we discover the best life we can live. There have been many highs in the past year, as we have seen magnificent growth across the three campuses with strengthened leadership teams, ministries being built up with new leaders and members, to welcoming individuals into our community who have accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour. 

Despite the many good things happening all around us, if we were to evaluate where we are and where we are heading, are we certain that our lives are Jesus-driven? As a church, we seek to learn from Jesus' posture over this year as we return to Jesus Christ's original vision as followers of Christ.

Introduction

When was the last time you spent at least 30 minutes reflecting on your life? When was the last time you reflected on your actions and reactions, on the stories you believed, the shame you carry, on the time to listen closely to God’s word and how it intersects with seasons of your life, and discernment of God’s will for your life? It is wise to take time to reflect to make adjustments for our future, but many of us have difficulty doing so, especially when it comes to God’s will and His word. We live in a fast-paced society, so reflection is not a common practice when we are caught up in the frenzy and busyness of life. Reflection causes us to slow ourselves down, but many of us believe that slowing down leads to trouble and chaos in our lives. The irony is that we try to save ourselves by keeping up the pace, but this is what actually causes havoc in and around our lives. The deeper truth is that it is not a fast pace that we keep up but a violent pace. This violent pace causes violence against ourselves, others, and our relationship with God.

God invites us to a life of examination, a life of reflection to look inwards and look around us to see where we stand before the Lord. Nouwen once said, "We would do well to spend 50% of our lives reflecting on the other 50% that's lived." This quote points out that we do not take enough time to reflect on our lives. Through the book of Lamentations, God offers us a life that is more reflective and contemplative.

Introduction

Paul reminds us of a profound truth that lies at the heart of Christmas. He says, “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared… (Titus 3:4).” The heart of Christmas, the reason why we celebrate this day is because God has manifested His goodness and loving kindness to us , in the person of Jesus. Jesus, who is the Word of God, became flesh and dwelt among us. In that moment, the world witnessed the embodiment of divine love. Christmas is not merely the celebration of a historical event that took place in ancient Israel 2000 years ago, but it is the recognition that God's divine goodness and loving kindness has drawn near to us. In a lowly stable in Bethlehem, God’s goodness and loving kindness came in the form of a newborn baby, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. The is the good news that we celebrate and rejoice in this season.

Introduction

Philippians is called the letter of joy because it is the most upbeat and joyful of all his letters to the churches. We see Paul’s affection for this church that has demonstrated such love and generosity towards him in various ways such as financial support, especially when he was in prison. Ancient Roman prisons did not feed their prisoners and the care of the prisoner was the responsibility of family and friends. Paul expresses his gratitude in his letter and at the same time, he wants them to know something about his life in Christ and what it means for them.

“Bigger is better and having more is a must.” This is the belief that most people in the world live by. People live in pursuit of a bigger house, more luxuries, bigger paycheck, more power and status, and a bigger portion of everything. In the pursuit of something bigger and better, we become endlessly fixated on what we don’t have rather than what we do have. This endless pursuit exhausts our souls and compromises our joy. The truth is that we all have this temptation to be discontent, but the Lord shows us in today’s passage that the level of our joy is determined by how we nurture our contentment. Contentment is NOT about complacency, laziness, refusing to try new things. Contentment is about resisting the lie that something more will make you happy and having more of something makes you something more. Discontentment is a never-ending search of something bigger and better, but contentment is being free of this cycle.

Three simple but powerful questions can help us determine whether our lives are marked by discontentment: (1) How much time do you spend complaining about what you have? (2) How much time do you spend coveting what others have? (3) How much time do you spend comparing your life to others?

Introduction

The accounts recorded in Act 16 gives us some of the background of how the Philippians church was founded. Paul’s encounter with Lydia the purple cloth vendor (Acts. 16:12-15). It was here that Paul and Silas were imprisoned for setting a slave girl free from demonic possession, taking away her ability to tell fortunes and her owners from making a profit off her plight. Paul and Silas did not grumble or complain but offered up praises and the Lord responded to them with a mighty earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison, and all the doors flew open and all chain came loose miraculously( Acts 16:26). The life of their jailer was spared, and the jailer and his household experienced the joy of salvation (Acts 16:32-34). We witness Paul’s boldness to proclaim the gospel at every turn and corner regardless of his circumstances. We know full well that this boldness has been a difficult and dangerous journey that has placed him in mortal danger many times (2 Cor. 11:23-29). He has never allowed his circumstances be an excuse to stop proclaiming the gospel, be it prison, illness, or threat of death. Even though Paul has experienced all this, more than most people, he says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4) How many of us in, Paul’s shoes, would be able to say the same?

Introduction (Today’s passage is an apt precursor to Philippians chapter 4)

Imagine 2000 years ago, hearing about this man from Galilee, unlike the Jewish leaders, is uneducated, the son of a carpenter. Yet, he speaks a message filled with truth, power, inspiration, and hope for all from the greatest to the smallest. He calls out in an authoritative, firm, and yet gentle tone that those poor in spirit today will be blessed, those who are meek will inherit the earth, and those who are pure in heart will see God. His words are not only filled with hope but accompanied by caring, compassionate, and responsive miracles for the poor, sick, and dead are raised back to life. He is gentle to the weak, the outcast, the sinner, but he holds contempt to the so-called spiritual leaders of the day, the self-righteous, the self-glorifying, who have barred the way to salvation. He has no fear of these people and he does not fear overturning their practices and understanding. In fact, it may be them who are in fear of him. Who is this man called Jesus?

You have his message and seen all that he has done. You are convinced that this man Jesus is the Messiah who was foretold to come and you choose to follow him. You begin to trust him and give him honour and worship as the Son of God because this is what you have come to believe. Your faith in God, your compassion towards others, increases and surges, you sense a transformation in your life and you know are now someone new. Then you hear him say that he is going away to prepare a place for you, but in the meantime, he has given us a gift, the Holy Spirit, to be with us until the day he comes back.

Jesus says: Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:12-13)

And we find ourselves asking these questions: What does this mean? I can ask for anything in His name and He will do it? How can this happen?