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Daily Dose of Hope October 27, 2025 Scripture – John 11:45-57 Prayer: Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, We give you all the glory and praise. Thank you for being a God who provides. Thank you for being a God who heals and cares. God, we pray protection over Jamaica and the other Caribbean islands which are in the way of Hurricane Melissa. Be with the people in the path of the storm. Help them find safety. And we pray that the storm will turn in the name of Jesus. May there be as little destruction as possible. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading. We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we are finishing up John 11. After Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, many believed. In fact, he was getting to be quite popular. As a result, the Jewish leaders were scared of Jesus. That is the bottom line. They were scared that too many people would believe in him and they would lose the limited power they had under the Romans. They think seriously about wanting him dead. The high priest, Caiphas, even says that wouldn't it be better for one man to lose his life rather than a whole nation to be wiped out. Caiphas' words actually have a bit of a double meaning, of which he wasn't aware of at the time. However, John picks up on it. Let's reread verses 51-52, He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. While the Jewish leaders decide it would be better for Jesus to die, they had no idea the enormous truth that they set out to accomplish. They didn't understand Jesus' mission at all. Not only would Jesus' death be better for them, but it would open up salvation to all people, everywhere. The Jewish leaders' vision was much smaller than Jesus' vision of his mission, but it was large enough to allow Jesus to do what he needed to do and accomplish what he needed to accomplish. But what their plans did mean was that Jesus could no longer walk around publicly. He had to be very careful. He knew his time would come but he didn't to rush it. There was still work to be done. Tomorrow, we begin Passion Week. Get ready. Blessings, Pastor Vicki

10 261025 by Greyfriars & New Hope Church

This sermon was delivered by Pastor Cory Klein at New Hope Church of Oxford on October 26, 2025. The text of Scripture is James 2:1-13.

Daily Dose of Hope October 24, 2025 Scripture - John 11:1-44 Prayer: Almighty God and Risen Lord, King of Kings, We come before you today with praise and a sense of awe. Forgive us, for we struggle to keep a focus on you. Help us gather our scattered and distracted thoughts. Help us remember who and whose we are. Holy Spirit, speak to us today. We want to hear your voice. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We are currently working our way through the Gospels and Acts. Today, we begin John 11. In today's text, we again meet Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. This is a family that Jesus loves dearly. Mary and Martha definitely know that Jesus had the ability to heal Lazarus. They request his presence when Lazarus becomes ill. After he dies, they still want Jesus to come. Afterall, when we are grieving, we desperately need those in our inner circle who will offer comfort and give us a shoulder to cry on. The sisters knew that Jesus loved them and their brother, and that alone would have been enough reason for Jesus to come. But it's precisely because he loves this family that we wonder why Jesus didn't rush to their side earlier. We all know, based on his miracle-working skills, that Jesus could have healed Lazarus with the first sniffle. But Jesus stayed. He didn't go anywhere. It was like he intentionally waited before heading out to go see the siblings. But we soon learn that it is precisely because Jesus loves them so much that he waits. He knows that his glory will be revealed in a tremendous way, and it will be one more sign that Jesus is Lord. It isn't surprising that Martha does not hide her disappointment from Jesus. She goes out to meet him an tell him that if he had only been there, then Lazarus would not have died. At the same time, we can see in Martha a faith that is quite strong. Even though her brother is dead, she knows Jesus can still do something. But will he do it? The short answer is yes. Jesus has something much bigger planned. But I do love that we see Jesus' humanity here in a very real way. When an anguished Mary finally leaves the house to meet Jesus, along with all the mourners, Jesus himself is moved to tears. Think about it. Jesus knows that he will raise Lazarus from the dead. That was his whole reason for delaying his visit. But when he sees Mary's grief and the tears of the people around him, he is moved to weep as well. When we see grief around us, when people are sobbing, and you can just feel their pain and anguish, it isn't unusual to begin to cry as well. We can feel the pain of others. It's called empathy. Jesus loved Lazarus, he loves Martha, and he loves Mary. He feels their pain. He is pained that they are having to go through this. And he weeps. But there is also great dialogue here and I don't want us to miss it. Lazarus has been in the tomb four days. There was no refrigeration, no embalming. The body would have deteriorated in that climate. So, Jesus asks the sisters to remove the stone from the tomb where Lazarus was laid. Martha protests that the smell is going to be really bad. But that's when Jesus says this in verse 40, "Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?" Don't we all want to see the glory of God? Don't we want to see the beauty of God's Spirit? Don't we want to see his goodness and his power? It's here that Jesus says if we believe, we will, in fact, see the glory of God. With that, Jesus prays to the Father and then invites Lazarus to come out of the tomb. Lazarus did come out. He was still bound up with grave clothes. Before the body was placed in the tomb, it was wrapped with linen clothes and treated with various spices. And Jesus says to unbind him. Lazarus was alive. How often do we live bound up in grave clothes? We continue to be tied to old, destructive habits and attitudes. Even though we may know Jesus, we still are bound by old patterns of behavior. It's only Jesus that can remove those from us so we can experience new life in him. Lazarus was alive but he still needed to remove the remnants of death. He needed to be loosed. Do you need to be loosed? What aspects of your old life do you continue to hold onto? Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 23, 2025 Scripture - John 10:22-42 Prayer: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever. Psalm 23 Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We are currently working our way through the Gospels and Acts. Today, we finish John 10. In the second half of chapter 10, we find Jesus walking in the Temple. It is the Festival of Dedication, otherwise known as Hanukkah, which celebrates the rededication of the Temple in 164 BC. You may recall that in the 2nd century BC, King Antiochus IV Epiphanes tried to force the Jews to give up their faith. A group of Jewish rebels, led by Judas Maccabeus, fought back and ultimately reclaimed the Temple. It's no accident that John speaks of Jesus walking through the Temple at this particular time. He is pointing to an underlying theme that Jesus, like the heroes of Hanukkah, is coming to redeem Israel and relieve them all from their oppression. But there are other themes in this short passage. John is clear to continue the theme of Jesus' identity, pointing to divine images for Jesus. He is a shepherd, and he is someone who is with the Father. The shepherd imagery here is intended to remind the listeners of the Good Shepherd in the Psalms. Remember, throughout the Psalms, God is seen as the shepherd of Israel and Israel as sheep. Think of Psalm 23, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want..." The Jewish leaders are again livid that Jesus keeps using this divine language and saying that he has come from God and God is his Father. They actually pick up rocks to stone him. But Jesus challenges them. He basically says, "For what good work from God are you stoning me?" They tell him that it wasn't good works that led to this but blasphemy. Jesus uses the Jewish Scriptures to speak out against that. But they are blinded to truth. Jesus slips out of their grasp, for there is still more Kingdom work to do before his time comes. How often are we blinded to the work of Jesus right in front of us? Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 22, 2025 Scripture - John 10:1-21 Prayer: Almighty God, We come before you on this Wednesday, in the middle of our week, with both humility and gratefulness. You are so powerful, so holy, and so wise. We need you. We seek you. We are desperate to hear a word from you today, Lord. We also know that we have failed over and over again. Lord, forgive us for our sins, for the ways we fall short. In these next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers...Jesus, help us stay focused on you and your Word today. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that goes along with the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. As most of you know, we are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we begin John 10. Today, we have come to our third and fourth I AM statements from Jesus, "I am the door of the sheep" and "I am the good shepherd." Let's go deeper here. Jesus begins the chapter with an analogy about sheep. Most of us aren't going to get the deeper meaning because we generally don't know a lot about sheep. From what I understand, a shepherd has a distinctive call for his sheep. His sheep know his voice and his call. They aren't going to respond to a stranger, they know the voice of their own shepherd. It's the shepherd that enters the sheep pen by the front gate. He doesn't need to sneak in by climbing the fence. He safely leads the sheep out to pasture. He is the one that the sheep can trust. Then, why does Jesus say he is the gate? Afterall, we expect him to say he is shepherd, he has literally just given us this shepherd language that makes a fair amount of sense. Why a gate? This took some research. In the middle east at the time, the sheep slept in a pen without a gate; there was just an opening. The shepherd was literally the gate for the pen. He would lay his body across the opening. No sheep would step over him and a wolf couldn't get in without getting past the shepherd first. He was literally the gate. If this is the case, we can see how Jesus could easily be both the gate and the shepherd at the same time. Other scholars say that Jesus is speaking of a literal gate and they cite his use of the word doorkeeper as evidence. Regardless of a literal gate or a shepherd using his body as the gate, I think the meaning is the same. Jesus is protecting the sheep. The thieves and robbers come to wound and destroy. Jesus, as the gate, protects life at nighttime and offers life during the day by taking the sheep out to pasture. It's all about living the life abundant. If you haven't figured it out by now, we are the sheep and Jesus is our shepherd. He is the voice we need to seek, he is the one who provides and protects, and he is one who offers abundant and full life. And Jesus is a very good shepherd. He laid down his life for his sheep, for us. He wasn't coerced into this, but rather he voluntarily died for our sins. There will be other religious leaders, hired hands as Jesus calls them, who will abandon their followers at the first sign of trouble. But Jesus, on the other hand, is our eternal protector. He is always with us and will always be with us. Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 21, 2025 Scripture - John 9 Prayer: Dear God, We come to you in repentance. We are sinful and broken people. We fall short over and over again. Lord, how we need you. Help us to grow closer to you. Help us seek holiness. Help us love others the way you love them. In these next few moments of silence, Lord, please help us set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on you... In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. As most of you know, we are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we start John 9. When we started the Gospel of John, we talked about how the author calls the miracles in his book "signs." Each sign points to a deeper meaning about the identity of Jesus. Turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana demonstrated that Jesus is the abundantly generous host of the messianic banquet. The feeding of the 5,000 demonstrated that Jesus is a gracious provider who gives manna but also his own body and blood. The sign in John 9, the healing of the man born blind, shows that Jesus is the giver of sight and revealer of truth. Jesus restores the man's physical sight, and he also states that he is the light of the world in verse 5. There is the literal sign and then deeper themes beneath each one. Let's talk about the sign a little more. We become quickly aware of an assumption that for a person to be born blind, someone must have sinned. After seeing the man born blind, the disciples ask the blunt question – who is to blame? Jesus makes the statement that neither he nor his parents sinned; he was born this way so that God's power could be revealed in him. There is definitely a bit of debate about whether the words "born blind" were in the original Greek. I don't think it's relevant. The bottom line is that the Jews at the time believed that someone who was blind (born blind or not) must have some connection with deep sin. Yet, this man expresses belief in Jesus. He confesses faith. He calls Jesus, "Lord." On the other hand, the Pharisees who think they are morally superior are actually the ones who are sinful. They may have physical vision but they are spiritually blind. Things are not always as they seem. What does it mean to be spiritually blind and live in darkness OR it's opposite, to live in the light of Jesus? Depending on where you stand, it drastically affects your perspective. Symptoms of spiritual blindness could include a hardened heart, trouble understanding the bigger picture of faith, being controlled by emotions rather than truth, or the feeling of being disconnected from God. Other symptoms could be doubt, hopelessness, and a strong focus on rules (legalism) which can lead to judgement and self-righteousness. When we live in darkness, we are also easily deceived when it comes to spiritual truth. We can see this in the Pharisees. The more important question is to we see this in ourselves? When we walk in the light of Jesus with spiritual eyes open, we are changed people. We seek to know Jesus more deeply. We seek truth and we have clarity about those things that are not pleasing to God in our own lives. We are filled with the fruit of the Spirit. Living in the light also makes our identity very clear. We are children of God. We belong to Jesus and we are created to bring glory to God in everything we do. One more thing from this chapter and the book of John: There are seven "I AM" statements in this book. Keep in mind, that throughout the Old Testament, it was only God, Yahweh, who used the words I AM to describe himself. Jesus is now using these statements to further emphasize who he is and where he is from. We already encountered "I am the bread of life" in chapter six. This chapter has the second "I AM" statement, "I am the light of the world." Jesus says he is the light and then he proves it with the sign of healing the blind man. Tomorrow, we will talk about "I am the door" in chapter ten. Each of these statements tells us more about the identity of Jesus and his purpose. More tomorrow. Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 20, 2025 Scripture - John 8:12-59 Prayer: Holy God, We pause before you. We become still, recognizing that you are God. You are Creator, you are Provider, you are Sustainer. Thank you, Lord. We repent for how we have failed you. We repent for our pride, our anger, our bitterness, our flawed view of others. We repent for not putting you first. Forgive us, Lord. We are broken and sinful people. Lord, use us anyway. We pray that you can lead us to a place of healing and peace so that we can then be useful to your Kingdom. Help us be your servants, open to your leading and direction. We are yours. We belong to you. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. As most of you know, we are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we finish up John 8. This chapter is an interesting and complex set of narratives about Jesus' identity. In verses 12-30, Jesus attempts, unsuccessfully, to explain that he does not need the two witnesses required by the Law in any testimony because he already has them: his own and the Father's. To the Jews, this would have been impossible. No one could testify on their own behalf. Afterall, the Law, to ensure fairness and objectivity, required at least two witnesses. But let us not forget that the gospel is not necessarily historical but theological. We are reading the account of an early Jewish-Christian community engaged in heavy theological debate with the synagogue, a sort of family feud if you consider that everyone here is Jewish. Beginning in verse 31, John states Jesus is speaking to Jews who had believed in him. I think the tense is important here. These were once followers of Jesus but now they are not. Jesus tells them that if they hold to his teachings, they are his disciples. And Jesus continues to say that it is then that they will know the truth and the truth will set them free. But this gets them all confused. But why in the world would they need to be set free? They are Abraham's descendants and they have never been enslaved. Jesus explains that they are, in fact, slaves to sin. Keep in mind, that this is a group who thinks they will go to heaven simply because of their blood line. They are Jews, they are God's chosen people. How they think and behave is far less important than to whom they are related. And yet, Jesus pushes up against this. As the text continues, in verses 37-59, Jesus and the Pharisees and other Jewish authorities throw accusations at each other. Jesus says they are being children of the devil; they accuse him of being demon-possessed and a Samaritan. One can hardly think of a worse situation. No one was listening to one another. But John is making a point. He is leading up to Jesus saying in v. 58, Before Abraham was, I am. Of course, he is speaking of himself using the Biblical way of referring to God. He is saying that he is God. This escalates things. The Jews begin to pick up stones to begin to throw at him but he slips away. Jesus is God. Blessings, Pastor Vicki

This sermon was delivered by Pastor Cory Klein at New Hope Church of Oxford on October 19, 2025. The text of Scripture is James 1:22-27.

9 191025 by Greyfriars & New Hope Church

Daily Dose of Hope October 17, 2025 Scripture – John 8:1-11 Prayer: Almighty God, We give you glory and praise. Thank you for the ways you care for us. Thank you for the ways you care for our church. Lord Jesus, help us set aside our scattered thoughts. Help us push away distractions and truly focus on you. In these next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers...Holy Spirit, guide our reading and devotional time today. May we hear a word from you. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we are starting John 8. Today's passage is one of the most beloved in the Gospel of John. The line, "he who is without sin can throw the first stone", has become a common part of our vocabulary. And the story itself is amazing. The Pharisees have brought a woman caught committing adultery to Jesus. Notice the man was not brought. It always makes me think the whole thing was planned. They were trying to trap Jesus and this was one more opportunity. And the woman was just collateral damage. She probably would have been naked or partially dressed and the whole situation was dehumanizing for her. While the Torah did say that stoning was punishment for adultery, my understanding is that it was not actually carried out often. But it could have been. So, these Pharisees brought the woman to Jesus to ask what should be done. Keep in mind, they didn't really care Jesus' serious thoughts about the situation, but they did care to catch him saying the wrong thing. What did he do? He started writing on the ground. I always wonder what he wrote. Was he writing the men's sins? Was he listing the things the people in that group had done? It would be fascinating to know for sure. And that's when he said that very famous line, ...let he who is without sin cast the first stone. And they all started to walk away, the oldest first down to the youngest. And Jesus asks the woman, "Who has condemned you?" Of course, no one had because they all left. "Go and sin no more." Jesus saw into the hearts of both the accused and the accusers and dealt with the situation accordingly. Probably, for many of you, this passage is in italics in your Bible. The reason for this is that there is significant debate as to whether this passage is original. In fact, most scholars agree that it was added at a later date. The first manuscript of John to include this story is Codex Bezae (D), which dates to the fifth century. There is also an argument that the way the story is written seems to be contrary to John's vocabulary and grammar. So, if this text isn't from John, where did it come from and how do we handle it? It's very possible the story is historical but was part of the oral tradition and just stuck in the Gospel of John later on. Other scholars I read said that the style looks like Luke's handiwork. There is also the possibility that the story is absolutely true but was left out of John by early scribes because they thought Jesus was too lenient and grace-filled. Despite all of this, the church fathers often taught on this passage. I personally think there is a lot to learn from this passage. We see Jesus' compassion and boldness. It seems consistent with the kinds of things Jesus did and said. We also know that there were many things that Jesus did that were originally omitted from the Gospels. Could this be one of them? I don't know. I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 16, 2025   Scripture – John 7:25-53   Prayer:   Holy God, Help us sit and reflect on your presence. Jesus, we need you.  We go through our days distracted, sometimes even forgetting to pray or acknowledge you.  Help us to be aware of your presence, knowing that you walk with us every step of the way, guiding us and leading us in all our words, actions, and decisions.  We belong to you, Lord. Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are finishing up John 7.   Today's reading is challenging.  We are still in Jerusalem at the Festival of the Tabernacles.  If you remember from yesterday's reading, Jesus has come to the festival later, trying to be discreet, but after a few days, he does begin to preach and teach.  The comments are flying.   I want to draw our attention to several verses that might be easy to skip over.  Verses 37-39 read, On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”[c] 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.   Let's talk context.  According to the Mishnah, part of the oral tradition of Jewish law, water ceremonies are an important part of the festival celebrations on the last day.  A priest would draw water from the pool of Siloam, with a special golden pitcher and then take it back to the temple to pour into a silver bowl next the altar.  As the water was poured out, the priest would pray to God to send rain.  In some traditions, the water-drawing at the Festival of Tabernacles was interpreted as the drawing of the Holy Spirit.  So please know this was a really powerful moment.   It is hugely significant that Jesus, on this same day, says that whoever is thirsty should come to him and drink.  He continues that anyone who believes in him will have rivers of living water flowing within them.  Basically, and make sure you get this, Jesus is saying that those who drink of the water he gives will become sources of this living water.  It is similar to what he told the Samaritan woman in chapter 4 when Jesus tells her that those who drink of the water he gives will never be thirsty because he offers water that leads to eternal life.   In chapter 6, if you recall, Jesus called himself the bread of life.  Now, he offers living water that leads to quenches the deepest spiritual thirst.    What's kind of fascinating to me here is John's comment about the Spirit. He makes this connection between water and the Spirit.  John makes other connections between water and the Spirit (remember his discussion with Nicodemus in which he spoke of being born of water and the Spirit.). John says in this passage that up until this time the Spirit had not come because Jesus hadn't been glorified.  But John makes this strong suggestion that the living water Jesus is referring to is the Holy Spirit which is to come.  Believers will soon have the Holy Spirit in their physical body and that will fulfill all spiritual thirst.    Think about that.  If you have said yes to Jesus, then that means that the Spirit of the Living God is in you.  The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is in you.  That means the Spirit that fulfills all spiritual thirst is in you.  How does that sit with you?  Do you see how huge that is?   One small but important note.  Just because the Spirit had not yet come did not mean the Spirit did not yet exist.  We know that the Holy Spirit was with God in the beginning.  As the third person of the Trinity, the Spirit was present at creation, we see his presence throughout the Old Testament, and we see him descend like a dove on Jesus during his baptism.  But he would not be offered to the church until after Jesus was glorified and ascended into heaven.  Of course, it was on Pentecost, Acts 2, in which the Spirit comes, making an incredible scene, and indwells the believers.    As the chapter progresses, we see the Jews are debating amongst themselves.  We can sense the conflict rising between those who reject Jesus and those who believe he is Messiah.  The true conflict boils down to who is the most accurate in their scriptural interpretation.  We see this back and forth debate.  John, as author of this Gospel, is basically joining the debate, defending Jesus and making it clear that he is Messiah.    But the Jewish leaders are frustrated.  They want him arrested.  They want him out of their way.  They feel incredibly threatened by Jesus' claims and they want to shut him down.   More tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope October 15, 2025   Scripture: John 7:1-24   Prayer: Dear God, We come to you today with sorrow.  We know that we are sinful and broken.  We know that we have fallen short.  Lord, how we need you.  Help us to grow closer to you.  Help us seek holiness.  Help us love others the way you love them.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, please help us set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on you...  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently working our way through the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are starting John 7.    This is kind of the beginning of the end of Jesus' public ministry.  He has been doing a lot of teaching and a lot of miracles.  At the beginning of chapter 7, we learn that it is the Festival of Tabernacles, one of the most important Jewish festivals.  Jerusalem would have been filled with visitors for this important event.  His brothers want him to come and essentially show off at the festival.  He can come do miracles and make a bigger name for himself.  A mocking tone is implied here.  They are not supportive of Jesus, they are goading him.  We can assume these are Jesus' half-brothers, the biological sons of Mary and Joseph.    Jesus decides the timing isn't right.  He has his brothers go ahead and he comes later, presumably to be more discreet.  But by this point, it was hard for Jesus to do anything discreetly.  People begin talking about who Jesus is.  And Jesus begins to teach several days into the festival.  His teachings are not well-received by the Jewish leaders.  He says that his teachings are not his own but the Father's.  That does not go over well.  He speaks of the ridiculousness of Sabbath-keeping without keeping to the spirit of the law.  Again, not well-received.  What were the intentions of the law vs. what it had become?  A person's intentions are always more important than evidence or reason.    The Jewish authorities had turned the law into something that God never intended.  It became a way to entrap people and an obstacle to people coming to God.  Keep in mind, that by Jesus criticizing their interpretation of the law, he was hitting at the core of who they were.  There was nothing more sacred to them.  But what Jesus is essentially saying is that their refusal to believe him was a rejection of the Scriptures that point to him.  Their rejection of Jesus' message was a rejection of the law which he fulfilled.   The leaders want to silence Jesus.  They begin their conniving to find a way to get rid of what they see as a blasphemous nuisance.  And they are not kidding.  They feel so threatened by Jesus that they begin to plot his death.    The leaders then continued to miss the point, over and over again.  It's easy for us to point fingers but how often do we miss the point?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope October 14, 2025   Scripture – John 6:25-55   Prayer:  Holy God, We come before you today with such gratefulness.  You are a good God and you love us so very much.  Thank you, Lord.  Help us seek holiness. Help us set aside our worldly distractions and focus on you today, Jesus.  In your name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional/podcast that goes along with New Hope Church's daily Bible reading plan.  As most of you know, we are in the middle of a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are finishing John 6.   We mentioned this briefly in yesterday's devotional - the people have come looking for Jesus.  They don't know how he got across the lake but when they discover where he is, they go seeking him. They want more food!  Honestly, we can't blame them.  They were very hungry people.  But Jesus can see in their hearts.  He knows that they need so much more than physical sustenance.    Jesus tries to explain that what he offers is better than the manna that God provided Moses and the people in the wilderness.  He offers the bread of life.  Not surprisingly, this doesn't make a lot of sense to them.  Of course they want this bread.  It sounds amazing.  To never be hungry would be a huge thing to this group.    But Jesus knows that this group of people isn't quite ready for what he really means by bread of life.  They aren't ready to understand the kind of salvation that Jesus offers.  They can't quite get it that Jesus, as manna, is the true source of life.  And the theme of Jesus as manna from heaven continues through the chapter.   Here is where things start to get hard.  Some of the Jews in the crowd start grumbling.  “Isn't this Jesus, Joseph's son?” they ask.  How could he be from heaven?  The grumbling is possibly intended to echo the grumbling of the Israelites in the Exodus story.  They have experienced God's salvation – it's right in front of them – but they don't fully trust in God's provision.   Jesus is different from manna in an important way through.  The ancestors died in the wilderness but those who eat Jesus' bread do not die.  Jesus as manna is redeeming the sin of the previous generations of God's people.  Jesus is providing nourishment that endures and saves.   But this was really hard teaching.  Many people stopped following Jesus.  I think this is a good lesson for us.  When we get discouraged because people we know and care about refuse to follow Jesus, we can think about all the people who had Jesus directly in front of them and they still did not believe.  Flesh and blood Jesus Christ walked among them and they walked away.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 13, 2025   Scripture - John 6:1-24   Prayer: Holy and Almighty Father, We come to you today with humble hearts.  We know we are broken and need you.  We are weak.  We are vulnerable to temptation.  Lord, fill us with your strength.  Give us your stamina and wisdom.  We can't do this life without you, Lord.  It's in the powerful name of Jesus we pray, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin a deep dive into John 6.    We start with John's text describing the feeding of the 5,000.  Jesus has taken his disciples away, trying to find a quiet place to rest.  That doesn't happen.  People follow them.  Jesus was probably quite a sight.  He said things people had not heard before and he did miracles.    The crowd that followed Jesus this time was quite large.  Thus, they sit down on the side of the mountain and Jesus asks Philip (mainly to test him), “Where in the world are we going to get food to feed all these people?”  Of course, Jesus already knew what he would do.  The interesting thing to me is that Jesus didn't get annoyed with the crowds, he was never exasperated.  He took it in stride and everything was a learning lesson.  Everything was a Kingdom lesson.   Jesus had tremendous compassion for the people.  If you think about Jesus' ministry, he was often interrupted, probably on his off day.  He would frequently be planning to do this one thing but pulled away in a different direction.  But it was in those interruptions, those distractions that Jesus did amazing work, that we get to see God at work in amazing, miraculous ways.  He heals the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years because she “interrupts” him on his way to the Roman official's home.  Think of the man whose friends created a hole in the roof to lower their friend in front of Jesus and “interrupt” his teaching.  He was interrupted by a demon-possessed man at the synagogue and he heals him.  I counted something like 35 “interruptions” and it was in those interruptions that Jesus healed, taught, loved, and demonstrated God's glory.    And I'm wondering if it might be the same for us.  We get so busy, so task-focused, but might it be in the interruptions that God is calling us to demonstrate HIS compassion toward others?  Sometimes, the most important things in our lives happen in the interruptions.  I think God wants us to pay attention to the interruptions because interruptions involve people who Jesus loves.  God uses individual people to bless others, to take care of the needs of others.  But let's get back to the feeding.  Exactly how it happened, we don't know.  What we know is that it happened.  Jesus took a little and turned it into a lot.  In that moment, we see God's Kingdom in all its fullness.  In God's Kingdom, there is no sickness so Jesus healed.  In God's Kingdom, there is no hunger so Jesus fed.  Most of us in here are pretty well fed but that was not the norm in first century Palestine.  People did not get enough to eat.  That's why in the Lord's Prayer we say, “give us today our daily bread” because daily bread was not a given.  Those 10-15K people that Jesus was caring for that day (the men plus their wives and children), these were peasants.  They were hungry people.  There was a huge disparity between rich and poor in the Roman Empire and some argue, quite convincingly, that was intentional.  But Jesus fed everyone until they were full (probably something they were not accustomed to at all).  And when all were fed, the leftovers were collected and there were twelve basketfuls remaining.  Amazing abundance.  Jesus demonstrated the abundance of God's Kingdom.  To these people following Jesus, there was a lack of food, so it made sense to demonstrate abundance that way.  For most of us, we typically eat until we are full so maybe that wouldn't make sense to us.  But for many of us, we still operate our lives from a SCARCITY mindset.  We've talked about this before but it's worth revisiting.  A scarcity mindset means we worry that there won't be enough, we are fearful of running out, that there won't be enough for me.  We live always thinking, “well, what if this happens or that happens?”  But if we view our lives from the lens of scarcity, then we will always be fearful and anxious.  And we will miss so many of the blessings that God has in store for us. And Jesus wants us to operate from the ABUNDANCE mindset.  He wants us to trust that he will provide all our needs and then some.  There were 12 baskets left over.  Jesus wants us to have a stewardship mentality, recognizing that all we have, God has generously put into our hands.  All our resources – they are a gift from God, our health – gift from God, our children/grandchildren/friends – all a gift from God, our time – a precious gift from God.  Just as Jesus was asking his disciples to do in this miracle, he is asking each of us to do --- look beyond what's in front of you.  Look up from this physical, earthly reality and see that there is so much more.  I've got you.  I'm here for you.  Trust me.  The world tells us to be afraid, hold on tight to whatever you have, send the people away.  But Jesus is saying, “Look beyond the world.  Look beyond what's right in front of you.  Look at my Kingdom.” One thing I like about John's Gospel is he gives us a little more detail.  He writes about how, after Jesus feeds all the people, the disciples cross the lake back to Capernaum.  The people follow him again and ask for more bread.  Afterall, they were hungry people.  But Jesus wants them to go deeper.  He knows their needs are deeper.  All of our needs are deeper.  Anyway, Jesus says to them later, in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life.”  Whoever comes to me will never go hungry…   Of course, he is no longer talking about bread.  Those places of scarcity in our soul – the fear, the anxiety, the anger, the doubts, the pain, the past trauma, the bitterness, the insecurity, the emptiness, the bondage to things of this world – Jesus takes all of that and if we let him, will fill us, heal us, strengthen us, nourish us.  Christ, the bread of life, satisfies the deepest longings of our life.  And friends, I need that.  You need that.  We have a whole community who needs it, yearns for it.  The last part of our reading is Jesus walking on water.  Keep in mind that Jesus had the ability to defy the laws of nature.  His miracles included healings but they also included the calming of the storm and walking on the Sea of Galilee.  When the disciples see him do this, they are afraid.  How often are we afraid when we see Jesus act in unexpected ways? Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

8 121025 by Greyfriars & New Hope Church

This sermon was delivered by Pastor Cory Klein at New Hope Church of Oxford on October 12, 2025. The text of Scripture is James 1:19-21.

Daily Dose of Hope October 10, 2025   Scripture – John 5   Prayer: Holy God, How amazing it is that we can come before you today.  You are God of all things, Lord of everything, and yet you care about each of us.  We give you glory and praise.  We thank you most of all for Jesus, who made it possible for us to walk hand in hand with a holy God.  Help us see today's Scripture through fresh eyes.  Keep teaching us, Lord.  Continue to reveal yourself to us.  We are open and grateful.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  As most of you know, we are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we dive into John 5.   The chapter starts with a narrative about the disabled man who had not been able to walk for thirty-eight years.  There are a couple reflections I had from the text.  You may have noticed them too.   First, when Jesus asked the man if he wanted to get well, the man did not say yes.  Instead, he blamed his circumstances for why he was disabled.  “Well, no one will help me into the waters and then people go ahead of me.”  He takes no responsibility, and he puts all his trust in this mystical pool.  How many times have we done the same thing?  Maybe we haven't put trust in a pool, but we have wanted to blame others or blame the whole world for our deep-rooted problems.   Second, when the religious leaders find out Jesus healed on the Sabbath, they become angered.  They say nothing about how this man experienced healing after thirty-eight years of disability.  How crazy is it that all they care about are the rules?  They have no concern for individual people.    Jesus turned social and religious norms upside down.  He was less concerned with convention and more concerned about the souls of people.  The Pharisees totally were missing the point.  How often do we miss the point?    Healing on the Sabbath only makes Jesus more of a target for the religious establishment.  This begins a discourse of Jesus' authority.  One of the more important questions we have here is – what is the relationship between the authority of the Father the authority of the Son?  Jesus says that the son can do nothing on his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing.  This is where we have to be careful in our interpretation.    What can we learn from these verses? The Son doesn't operate independently of the Father. The Son is in constant touch with the Father. The Son does what he discerns the Father is doing. The Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing.   The key to Jesus' Sonship is constant communication with and obedience to the Father. Thus, he is the perfect expression of the Father here on earth. In chapter 1 we read, "No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known." (1:18)   The chapter ends with testimonies about Jesus.  The reality is that anyone could come and make claims about divinity and sonship.  Jesus knew this.  He says if it were just his personal testimony, then basically no one should believe what he has to say.  But Jesus says there are other witnesses that can attest to who he is.  First, there is God the Father.  He comes in his Father's name.  Then, there is John the Baptist.  Next, there are many signs and wonders which attest to his divinity. There is plenty of testimony that Jesus is who he said he is.  Basically, everything in the Scriptures points to Jesus.  John says that if we fail to recognize that, then his Word doesn't dwell in us.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 9, 2025   Scripture - John 4:43-54   Prayer:  Lord, our Lord, How majestic is your name in all the earth!  We magnify your precious and powerful name.  How often we forget how mighty you are.  You created all.  You created us.  Thank you, Lord, for who you are.  Most of all, thank you for loving us with all our flaws and brokenness.  In all we do, in who we are, help us to be more like you.  We pray for humility, mercy, and compassion.  Help us see others through your eyes.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are finishing up John 4.   Today, we read about one of only three healing miracles in the book of John.  But in this Gospel, Jesus is careful to call them signs, not miracles, and there is an important distinction.  A sign is something that is not only a miracle but it also reveals Jesus' divinity and his mission.  They point to who Jesus is as the Son of God and Messiah.  Jesus himself functions somewhat like a sign in the book of John.  We read in chapter 1 that he was with God in the beginning, he was the Word made flesh, and he makes the invisible God known.   John is really unique from the Synoptic Gospels.  He very intentionally shares seven specific signs that Jesus performs and each one reveals something about Jesus' identity and why he is here.  We already read about Jesus turning the water into wine in Cana, sign #1.  Jesus made a tremendous amount of wine and it was the very best at the wedding, showing the amazing abundance of God in Jesus Christ.  Now, we have Jesus healing the son of an official, demonstrating his willingness and ability to restore health and life.  It's interesting that Jesus ignores the official's first plea and instead kind of talks down to him for his need of signs.   Jesus wasn't crazy about turning the water into wine either.  Each sign so far has been met with what seems like reluctance or ambivalence. Could it be that Jesus is concerned about how these signs will be interpreted?  We know from the other Gospels that signs and miracles often led to Jesus being following by thousands of people.  Might they get caught up in the sign and miss the importance of the one who actually allowed the signs to happen?  Or maybe Jesus doesn't want people to simply come to him for signs of God's favor.  What were God's intentions here?  I do find the wording interesting in John.  I tend to think of all of these signs as miraculous.  Why not call them as such?  I'm wondering if God wants us to see past the miracle here.  God is present in so many other ways in our lives.  Yes, he is present in the miraculous.  But he also gives us many, many other signs.  God gives us signs, nudges, or strong feelings that indicate he is at work in our lives.  He gives us signs about whether or not to take a job, signs about which direction to head in educationally, and signs about how to continue in a relationship.  God is always giving us signs, showing us he is right here, pointing us to him.  It might not seem miraculous, like water into wine, but it's still real and powerful.  Regardless of the sign, God is always trying us to point us toward his love.  Whether he is healing a friend, directing us to a certain job, or giving us the words to say to a friend in need, it's always signs pointing us toward his love.  He loves us and he wants to be involved in our lives.  Is Jesus an everyday presence in your life?  What signs does he give you? Blessings, Pastor Vicki          

Daily Dose of Hope October 8, 2025   Scripture – John 4:1-42   Prayer:  Holy God, You are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the one who was and is and is to come.  We love you and give you praise.  We rejoice in your powerful name.  Thank you for how you call each of us.  Thank you for how you provide for us and equip us with everything we need.  You don't need to use us but you do; you allow us to be part of your work in this world.  Thank you, Lord.  Help us to see the blessing of serving you.  We pray this in your name, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional/podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts which will last through the end of 2025.  Today, we begin John 4.   This is the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well.  Many of you are familiar with this passage and it is an extraordinary one.  Let's try to look at it with fresh eyes.  There are some really fascinating aspects to this narrative:   ·      Jesus did not have to go through Samaria; he chose to.  He was making a statement here.  As we have mentioned before, the Jews and Samaritans hated one another.  Usually, Jews went the long way around Samaria so they didn't have to be contaminated by the people who they called dogs and half-breeds.  Remember, the region of Samaria was once the Northern Kingdom.  They set up their own capital and their own temple.  After the Assyrians conquered them, many people moved out and others moved in.  Thus, the people who lived there during Jesus' day were a mix of cultures and nationalities.  ·      Jesus initiates a conversation with the woman at the well.  Jews and Samaritans didn't have conversations.  Honestly, men and women didn't have conversations.  So many things about this situation were taboo.  But Jesus doesn't care about social conventions, he cares about individual people. ·      The woman was at the well in the middle of the day.  That tells us that she was trying to avoid others.  It was really, really hot at that time of day.  Most women would have drawn water in the cool of the morning.  This woman was avoiding the town women because she was probably the focus of their gossip.  She had been married many times and she was, at the time, living with a man who wasn't her husband. ·      We don't know much about this woman, but my guess is that she had a life filled with hardship and trauma.  Jesus knew that.  He saw her needs and her struggles and he offered her living water.  She was open and receptive.  ·      This woman turns out to be one of the best evangelists in the New Testament.  She goes and tells the townspeople about this man who knew everything about her life.  Remember, these are the people who don't like her but she is boldly sharing about Jesus anyway.  Thus, many of the Samaritans believed and became committed to following Jesus.  ·      Jesus is in the business of changing lives and whole communities.  And he uses all of us.  Our past does not matter to Jesus, only our hearts and desire to change.     Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 7, 2025   Scripture – John 3:22-36   Prayer: Almighty Father, You always know what is best for us.  Thank you for that.  We are sorry for the ways that we resist.  Help us to want what you want for us.  Help us to want to be patient, to want to be kind, to want to be obedient.  Conform our will, Lord,  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  Currently, we are doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we finish John 3.   After the nighttime conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus and John the Baptist are in the same storyline again.  They are both baptizing in the same part of the river.  John's disciples are a little miffed that people are headed over to Jesus for baptism and not to John.  And this would have been understandable, as disciples had a tremendous amount of pride in their rabbi.  When you were a student of a rabbi, you basically dedicated your life to that person.  You sit under his teaching and learn everything about faith from him.  So, there would be a certain amount of pride and protection of that rabbi.  And that is kind of what we have here. They recognize Jesus as the one to whom John bore witness but they don't understand why he is now standing down.   John tells them that their ministry, as well as Jesus', receives what heaven gives, not what they earn or create with their own skill.  John knows he isn't the Messiah, but Jesus is.  John feels privileged to just be a part of what Jesus is doing.  There is no envy.   Then John gives an analogy of a wedding.  John basically describes himself as Jesus' best man – he does all the prep for the big day and he measures his success by the groom's happiness and joy at being united with his bride.  Receiving the groom's kind words at the end of the day are the only reward he needs or wants.   It's interesting that John uses the picture of the bridegroom to describe his relationship with Jesus.  Throughout the Gospels, Jesus refers himself as the bridegroom several different times and the New Testament letters describe the church as the bride.  There was no way John could have known this, so we can see how the Holy Spirit was guiding his words even here.  While John may not have understood his purpose initially, it's clear that he does now.    John tells his own disciples that being a rabbi is not the greatest thing one can be.  Jesus came from heaven, and thus is greater than him or any other rabbi.  But if we think of John like the best man, then it makes sense.  He is there to support Jesus, to prepare the way for him, to point to him as the one who is the guest of honor.  We really see John's heart here.  There is no jealousy.  He understands that he must decrease so that Jesus can increase because Jesus is the true Messiah.  He is the Son of God.   John's joy will be complete when his disciples also understand that Jesus, the bridegroom, wants to have a relationship with them as well.  John is willing to do anything, even look like a failure, if it means more people will come to Jesus.    Are we willing to do anything for Jesus?  Take a moment and think about this today.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki          

Daily Dose of Hope October 6, 2025   Scripture - John 3:1-21   Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  We are so amazingly grateful for your grace and love.  Forgive us for the many times when we fall short, when we betray you, when we fail to be loving or faithful.  We want to grow stronger, Lord, but we can only do so through your power.  Lord, help us hear your voice.  In the next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers... In Jesus' Name, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  Currently, we are doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin a deep dive into John 3.   In today's text, we meet Nicodemus, who is a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council.  He is someone who is well-trained in Jewish law and tradition and held in high esteem in his community.  And he comes to see Jesus at night.  To me, it's interesting that the Scripture points this out.  Obviously, Nicodemus is intrigued by Jesus.  He has seen the miracles.  He has listened to Jesus' teaching.  He knows that Jesus knows God in some way, Nicodemus acknowledges that, but he is probably a bit leary of being connected with Jesus.  After all, what will the others think?   So we don't know if there is some pleasant chit chat between Jesus and Nicodemus, there may have been, but in the Scripture it seems that Jesus wastes no time --- he gets right to the point.  He says to Nicodemus, “no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born again.”  Then, there is that interesting back and forth dialogue in which Nicodemus says, “well, how in the world can someone enter into their mother's womb a second time?”  And Jesus doesn't even respond to that, he says it again “Dude, you can't get into the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.  You must be born again!”   Now, Nicodemus would have probably thought that salvation was his because he was born a Jew.  He was one of the “chosen people.”  Or, he would have thought salvation was his because he knew a whole lot about the law, he had accumulated a lot of information about God, and he was trying hard to apply it.   And Jesus is pushing back against that.  He says you must be born again, Nicodemus.  Yes, Nicodemus, you were born a Jew in your first birth but that isn't enough for you to be saved, to enter God's Kingdom.  Yes, Nicodemus, you have lots of information about God, you may even be a really good person, you may attend synagogue, but that isn't enough either.  Jesus is saying to Nicodemus, you have to be spiritually reborn. Jesus knew that Nicodemus needed a change of his heart—a spiritual transformation that could only come from above.   The phrase “born again” can be translated “born from above.”    What Jesus was saying to Nicodemus:  Just as your mother gave physical birth to you, if you want to receive salvation and have eternal life, you need the Holy Spirit to give you a spiritual birth. Jesus says, flesh gives birth to flesh but only the Spirit can give birth to spirit.  This rebirth is when we go from being spiritually dead to spiritually alive in Jesus Christ.  And there is a certain mystery to it.  Just as the wind exists in the earthly, physical realm but there is mystery to where it is going and coming from; so there is the same mystery with the Holy Spirit and how he moves and works.  How can this be?  That was the question Nicodemus asked.  Yeah, how can this be?   Let's unpack this a bit more.  When we were born the first time, we were born inclined to sin, inclined to make bad choices.  Think about a toddler.  Why do we have to put safety plugs in all our electrical outlets?  Because no matter how many times we say no, our little ones defy us and they go straight for that outlet.  Because they don't know what's best for them.  Our natural inclination is to do what we want to do.   From the time of the fall in Genesis to right now, this very second, we as human beings are sinful, broken people.  Look at our world.  We miss the mark of God's full intention for our lives.  Even when we are generally good people, we are far from perfect.  We still do things wrong, we hurt people's feelings, we are self-absorbed, we are fearful, we are weak, you get the idea.  Just being a good person is not enough.    This is the thing - our sin, our brokenness, creates a barrier between us and God.  God is holy, totally without sin, and we are a hot mess.  If you are out there right now and you are like, “I'm not a hot mess.”  I will boldly say to you, “Yes, you are.”  We all are.  And we can't jump that barrier between us and God.  Nothing we can do will close that gap.  Nothing.  No striving to be good.  No racking up spiritual merit badges.  Not being born into a Christian family or having a really strong Christian mama.    God made a way for us to be right with him, to eliminate that barrier.  God himself made a way for us to walk closely with him.  You know God's solution to our sin ---- Jesus.  (Today's Scripture includes John 3:16 ---- For God so loved the world, that he…)   Jesus was God with flesh on.  He came voluntarily to demonstrate a different way of doing life AND then he went to the cross.  He died on that Roman cross, serving as the final, ultimate sacrifice for sin.  You see, when Jesus died on the cross, his blood atoned for our sins.  For all of our sins.  So, if we believe in him, turn away from our old way of doing life, then we receive salvation.  We are spiritually reborn.  BORN AGAIN by the Spirit.  Jesus did the work and the Holy Spirit applies the blood.    You see, when we believe in Jesus Christ, God no longer sees our sin and our mess, he only sees the blood of Jesus.  Not only does this ensure that we get to spend eternity with Jesus, we receive new life right now, today.  We become new people, new creations (2 cor. 5:17).  The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God himself, comes and dwells within us, changing us from the inside out.  Being born again means: 1-       Acknowledging your sin, turning away from your old life and turning toward God (repentance) 2-       Saying yes to Jesus!  3-       Being filled with the Holy Spirit.    Sometimes, we fail to talk about this last piece and it is so, so, so important.  BORN AGAIN by the Spirit.  It's the Spirit that allows us to take that first cry of faith, “Jesus, I need you.  Jesus, you are Lord.”  (2 Cor. 12:3 … no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.). Remember, when we say yes to Jesus, the Spirit of the living God indwells us.  And there is POWER is that!  Jesus sending the Holy Spirit was how he intended to make his presence in this world real and evident.  It's the Holy Spirit that let's us know when we have done something wrong, convicts us of sin.  It's the Holy Spirit that helps us hear the voice of God.  It's the Holy Spirit that makes our faith real and dynamic and alive.  The Holy Spirit gives us boldness to proclaim the Gospel.    You can't have the Spirit of the Living God in you and not be changed.  If someone is a Christian atheist, then I'm thinking they don't have the Holy Spirit in them.  Intellectually consenting to the existence of God, intellectually assenting to the existence of Jesus, being a good person, attending church --- none of those things indicate true salvation, being born again.  And we are kidding ourselves when we think that's going to be enough.  We, as the church, have failed people, by allowing them to skid by a Christian atheists (A Christian atheist is someone who sees themselves as a Christian but it doesn't affect their life in any way.)  Well, at least he is attending church sometimes.  Well, at least he is a good guy.  Y'all that isn't enough.    Going to church does not make someone a Christian. Being a good person does not make someone a Christian. Believing in God does not make someone a Christian.    Believing in Jesus, repenting of your sins, and being filled with the Holy Spirit is what makes someone a Christian.  Period.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

This sermon was delivered by Pastor Cory Klein at New Hope Church of Oxford on October 5, 2025. The text of Scripture is James 1:13-18.

7 051025 by Greyfriars & New Hope Church

Daily Dose of Hope October 3, 2025   Scripture –– John 2:13-25   Prayer: Lord, We come before you on this Friday, and we pray for you to speak to us.  We need you.  It's the end of the week and we need a new word from you.  We need your guidance, your wisdom, your help.  Help us set aside the distractions of our day, our many scattered thoughts, and focus on you.  During these next few moments of silence, Jesus, help us remember that we belong to you...In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional/podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts which will last through the end of 2025.  Happy Friday!    Today, we finish up John 2.  Our reading for today begins with Jesus cleansing the Temple courts.  It's interesting that this text is at the beginning of Jesus' ministry in John and at the end of Jesus' ministry in the other Gospels.  As we will see as we walk through the Gospel of John, the author reorders several different events in the life of Jesus.  Some scholars say there may have been two Temple cleansings but there isn't a lot of evidence for that.  Most likely, John felt there was a theological need for moving up this story.  For instance, beginning Jesus' ministry with the Temple clean-up may provide a kind of theme for the whole Gospel.  It demonstrates the corruption present in first-century Judaism.  It also speaks to who John believes Jesus to be.  Remember, the Temple was typically seen as the dwelling place of God on earth.  Now, John is making the point that God dwells in the person of Jesus (remember John 1:14).  Jesus is taking on the role of the Temple and John wants to make that clear from the beginning of his Gospel.   Let's talk about the text itself.  We've mentioned this before but the need to have the animal salesmen and the money changers was a necessary evil in the Temple.  Being part of the Roman Empire, the rest of the country used a different currency from the Jewish shekel.  But the law in Exodus stated that the temple tax was half a shekel so the money had to be changed.  This ensured a very rigorous interpretation of the Old Testament scriptures.  The Old Testament law also assumed that families would have their own animals to bring as offerings.  By this point in time, not all families had their own flocks. People had other occupations or were day laborers.  Thus, they had to purchase the animals for their sacrifice and this had become quite the money-making industry.   There are details in John's Gospel about the Temple cleansing that we don't find in the other gospels.  For instance, Jesus prepares a whip.  Thus, it seems Jesus knew ahead of time he would do this.  In the other Gospels, it all feels very spontaneous.  It's also a fairly detailed summary of the event.  Read through it again and look at all the detail John uses to describe Jesus' anger.  Jesus is livid that the place where God is to be worshiped has become a marketplace.  Where God should be central, making money has become the focus.    After the turning of tables and the animals being thrown out (that had to have been quite the scene), the Jews ask by what authority Jesus is doing this.  In fact, they ask for a sign to demonstrate his authority.  Jesus replies that if they destroy the Temple, then he will raise it in three days.  They are appalled at the idea of this, but what they don't understand is that Jesus is referring to his own body.  His body, the temple of God, will be destroyed on a cross and raised again in three days.  It says that it isn't until after his death and resurrection that his disciples remember his saying this.    The chapter concludes by saying that Jesus performed many signs and many people believed in him.  But it also indicates he was wary of many of the people who said they followed him.  He knew the nature of humanity and that many were simply following him for what they might get, not give.   Have a wonderful weekend.  We will touch base on Monday.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki        

Daily Dose of Hope September 30 and October 1, 2025   Scripture – John 1:19-51   Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth. Lord, by the light of the Holy Spirit you have taught the hearts of your faithful. In the same Spirit help us to relish what is right and always rejoice in your consolation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional/podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently working our way through a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we continue our deep dive into John 1.    Today's reading begins with John the Baptist, although the Gospel of John does not use the term Baptist to describe him.  Earlier in the chapter, John had been called a witness to the light.  So, the Jewish leaders sent people to ask John who he is, specifically is he the Messiah?  Is he Elijah?  Is he the prophet?  Their frustration is evident.  They want answers.    John will not be labeled.  Instead, he describes himself using the words of Isaiah.  He is the “voice of one crying out in the wilderness.”  John's call is to repent and be baptized.  His message wouldn't be popular but it was necessary.  In other Gospels, John makes it clear that he isn't the Messiah but he is preparing the way for the Messiah.  This does not thrill the Jewish leaders.  They want more concrete information.  Why is he baptizing?  John says that he uses water to baptize but one is coming that will be much greater than he who will do more.   As John continues to baptize, he begins to testify about Jesus.  When he first sees Jesus, he calls him the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  As we move through the book of John, we will see how the author begins to make connections between Jesus and the Passover lamb.  John the testifier describes Jesus as one who outranks him.  He then describes Jesus' baptism, with the Spirit descending on him like a dove and a voice (presumably the Father) declaring that the man on whom the dove descends will baptize with the Holy Spirit.  John then testifies that Jesus is God's chosen one.   Let's talk about that title, “God's chosen one.”  Other translations use the title, “Son of God.”  Clearly, John is making a statement that Jesus is the Messiah.  He is the one they have been waiting for to save God's people.  He is the one who God has sent, uniquely selected by God to fulfill a divine purpose.  Jesus is God himself, sent to fulfill prophecy, to usher in God's Kingdom, and to redeem all of creation.    The remainder of this first chapter is Jesus calling his disciples.  Andrew and John were the first two disciples Jesus called and they were originally disciples of John the Baptist.  When they hear John the Baptist declare that Jesus is the Lamb of God, they acted immediately and boldly followed Jesus without any kind of hesitation.    It's as they begin to follow Jesus (literally follow him) that Jesus asks them a simple question, “What do you want?”  They answer with a question of their own, “Where are you staying?” And Jesus then invites them to “Come and see...”  They end up spending the day with Jesus.    Jesus invites all of us to “come and see...” where he is staying and what he is doing.  Keep in mind that Jesus is always up to something, he is always at work among us.    He also invites Philip and Nathaniel to come and see and they choose to do so as well.  It takes a bit of convincing for Nathaniel who is convinced that nothing good could come from Nazareth.  But he sees Jesus' power and he too decides to follow.   I think sometimes we make an invitation to follow Jesus a little too difficult.  What would it look like for us to simply invite people to “come and see” what Jesus is up to.  A decision to follow Jesus may just start with curiosity.  That's okay.  Invite the people around you to come and see and Jesus will do the rest.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki          

Daily Dose of Hope September 29, 2025   Scripture - John 1:1-18   Prayer:  Holy God, We come before you in this new week with humility and gratefulness.  We praise your powerful name.  Thank you, so much, Lord, that you came to earth to dwell among us and show us a different way of being.  Help us to pay attention to your example.  Help us to be more loving and more merciful in all we do.  Help us to be even but a small reflection of you.  You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Thank you, Jesus.  Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  This is the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  Today, we are starting our final Gospel, John.  And John is different from the other three Gospels, we will see that as we work our way through it.  It's also a beautiful Gospel.  It goes deep.  Be prepared for life change as we engage with the book of John.    This first chapter is John's Christmas story.  It's quite different from the other Gospels.  In fact, the Gospel of John doesn't have any of the Christmas characters we know and love so well–no Joseph or Mary, no shepherds or angels, no manger and animals, no wise men traveling from the east. John didn't need to rehash those details of the incarnation. Afterall, the other Gospels had already been written and did a great job telling the story of baby Jesus. John chose to go about it differently, focusing less on how Jesus came and more on why Jesus came, and how the whole idea of the incarnation was so incredible, so mind-blowing, so amazingly significant for all people for all time. For in Jesus, God announced to the world that “I'm with you!” and that has made all the difference.   We find John's Christmas story in two verses in this chapter: John 1:1,In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:14, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.   What does this mean? Both the Jewish and Greek listeners would have been familiar with the term “Word,” which was Logos in Greek. -Jews were in the habit of substituting the Word of God for God himself in their concept of wisdom/reason---wisdom/reason is one of the meanings for LOGOS. -Greeks thought of Logos as the ruling principle of life and the universe. -Gnostics–believed the Spirit was imprisoned in the physical body and the secret to get it out was gnosis, knowledge, logos. (They didn't believe Jesus possessed a true, physical body.)   So when John writes that the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, he means that the Word, LOGOS, is Jesus Christ. Please know that this was a mind-blowing claim. Jesus wasn't just a little baby who was born under unusual circumstances when Caesar Augustus was governor of Syria. He wasn't just a wise man who told amazing stories and fed a lot of people. No, Jesus (the Word) was present at the very beginning of time, Jesus (the Word) was with God, and Jesus (the Word) was God himself. To the Jews, John says the Word of God (GOD) is Jesus. To the Greeks, John says the ruling principle of life/universe is Jesus. To the Gnostics, John says the secret knowledge that leads to freedom is Jesus who had a true, physical body and dwelt among us. Jesus was not some mental concept, some intangible thought life; No, Jesus, God himself, became flesh and made his dwelling among us.   Let's unpack this a bit more because it's pretty amazing.  Let's start with the Word dwelt among us. A more accurate translation of the term “dwell” actually is “tabernacle” or “pitched his tent.” When a Jewish listener heard this, they would immediately think of the tabernacle in the Exodus. The tabernacle was where God met with his people before the temple was built---it housed the ark of the covenant and it represented God's presence/God's dwelling among his people. Now, John is saying, God has chosen to dwell among his people in an even more personal way, in the Word became flesh, in the person of Jesus Christ. In Jesus, God chose to dwell among his people.   What was the benefit of God dwelling among the people? Think about this. You can kind of know someone, but when you dwell with someone, when you live with someone, then you really get to know them. If you've ever had a roommate, you know this well. You might be friends and know about one another but when you dwell together, when you live with one another, then you know all the stuff–the good and the bad. It's the same when you get married and live together. You know if they put their dishes in the dishwasher, you know if they leave trash around, you know the thoughtful things they do, you know the annoying things they do .You don't just kind of know them. You truly know them.   When God came to earth to dwell among us in the person of Jesus, it was so humans could truly understand who God was, truly know God. God is Jesus and Jesus is God. So the character of Jesus was the character of God. The teachings of Jesus were the teachings of God. The miracles of Jesus were the miracles of God. When Jesus voluntarily gave his life on a cross for the sins of all humanity, it was a demonstration of God's amazing, expansive love for us. When Jesus was resurrected three days later, it was a demonstration of how God conquered death once and for all, meaning that we could have new life now and eternal life in the future. God dwelling among us in Jesus meant that God was not some distance, far off, hard to understand deity.  No, the WORD was with us, hanging out in the living room, sitting at the kitchen table with us, and we could get to know him in a very personal, very intimate way. I love to think about Jesus walking with the disciples, dining with the tax collectors and prostitutes, spending a few days resting in the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. He dwelled with the people in a very intimate way.   So the WORD made his dwelling among us. But some of you might be like---but that was so long ago. We personally did not walk with Jesus and talk with Jesus. He didn't literally dwell with Us personally. I would argue that Jesus does in fact walk among us and speak to us today. Afterall, we serve a living God and God's presence is everywhere. There is no place that we can go where God's presence is not. God's presence is here through the presence of the Holy Spirit.   And we can also still dwell with the Word in another way – through the Bible. Just as the Word came to dwell among us, we can dwell in the Word. The Bible is the Word of God. We meet Jesus, Logos, God on the pages of Scripture. As we dwell in Scripture, we enter into the life of God and God enters into our lives.   The Bible is not simply for information but for transformation. The purpose of Scripture is for us to get to know and love God more fully and be drawn more deeply into the life of faith so we can be changed from the inside out. It is not a textbook---we don't simply study it to acquire information and show people how smart we are. This is God's story from Genesis to Revelation. We learn about God's character. We learn about how God has been present throughout history. We learn about God's mission and plan of redemption for all people for all time. We learn about Jesus' ministry, death, and resurrection. We learn about the Kingdom of God and how Jesus demonstrated this new way of doing life, the way God always intended his world to be. We learn about the early church and the coming of the Holy Spirit. We learn about how God's mission continues through the church, through us, not in our own power but as God works through us.   And while God revealed himself in Scripture through a specific people group, the miracle of God's Word is that it transcends time and place. When we dwell in the Word, God continues to reveal himself to us in new ways, we get to know God better, we begin to be transformed little by little. As we dwell in God's Word, the WORD, Jesus, becomes more real to us.  How has the Bible become more real to you as we have worked our way through Mark, Matthew, and Luke?    Blessings, Pastor Vicki

This sermon was delivered by Pastor Cory Klein at New Hope Church of Oxford on September 28, 2025. The text of Scripture is James 1:12.

Daily Dose of Hope September 26, 2025   Scripture - Luke 24:36-53   Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  We are so amazingly grateful for your grace and love.  Forgive us for the many times when we fall short, when we betray you, when we fail to be loving or faithful.  We want to grow stronger, Lord, but we can only do so through your power.  Lord, help us hear your voice.  In the next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers... In Jesus' Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  This is the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  Today, we are finishing up our deep dive into the book of Luke.  We are focusing on the second half of Luke 24.   The men from the road to Emmaus had found the other disciples and shared their experience.  It's beginning to sink in that something extraordinary has occurred.  And just like that, as the disciples are gathered, Jesus appears before them and says, “Peace be with you.”    A couple things to note.  We know immediately that Jesus' body is different.  He has both a human and spiritual body.  He came into the room without using a door (that isn't normal), but he also later asks for food.  The risen Lord has a body that is different from before.  Jesus also shows them his scars.  They could touch the places the nails were driven into his body.  It showed, once again, that this was really him.  He was real – he wasn't a ghost or angel.  He is physically resurrected and yet, something is also supernatural about him.   His very first statement to them is also fascinating.  Peace be with you.  They have experienced anything BUT peace over the last few days.  They've dealt with grief, depression, anxiety, uncertainty, and probably even anger.  But now, Jesus is saying that he is bringing peace.  There is something about the presence of Jesus that brings peace. In fact, Jesus is intrinsically linked to peace, which he provides not in a worldly way but as an internal state of peace with God and tranquility amid life's problems, a gift secured by his sacrifice and available to those who have faith in Him.  He is the one that provides the peace that passes understanding, it's a peace that only makes sense connected to him.   In a manner similar to what he did with the men on the road to Emmaus, Jesus then proceeds to walk them through the Scriptures.  He shows where this had been prophesied and how God had a plan all along.  Jesus was the fulfillment of the Law.  Jesus was the one that the prophets had been talking about.  Jesus was the one that God sent.  And while he had done this in other ways during his ministry, he now totally had their attention.  Their minds were opened and they began to see.   I once had a Messianic Jewish rabbi tell me that he can share the Gospel message just using Old Testament texts.  He says there is so much in the Old Testament that points to Jesus, he feels confident using those scriptures alone to provide evidence that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and the Lord of all.  That is essentially what Jesus is doing here.   How comfortable are you with the Old Testament texts?  I would challenge you to look up the many places throughout the Old Testament that speak to Jesus coming to redeem the world.  It is essential that we know the Old Testament to truly understand the New Testament.   We finally have the ascension.  Jesus tells them to wait for the helper that is going to be sent (which we know is the Holy Spirit) and his body literally ascends into heaven.  And we know that he now sits at the right hand of the Father.  He is Lord.    What does it mean to you that Jesus is now sitting next to the Father?  How does this affect your understanding of the Trinity?  How does this affect your understanding of Jesus' work in the world?    Who is Jesus to you?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope September 25, 2025   Scripture – Luke 24:1-35   Prayer:  Today we pray an ancient prayer from St Ambrose of Milan, who lived from 337-397 AD...O Lord, who has mercy upon all, take away from me my sins, and mercifully kindle in me the fire of Your Holy Spirit. Take away from me the heart of stone, and give me a heart of flesh, a heart to love and adore You, a heart to delight in You, to follow and to enjoy You, for Christ's sake.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional/podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently working our way through a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin a deep dive into Luke 24.    We start with Luke's resurrection account. And today, we find ourselves walking with the women: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and others.  These are real women who traveled with Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem, they cared for his needs, learned from him, witnessed his power and glory, and loved him.  This has been a horrible week for them.  They helplessly watched him die.  And now, filled with grief, they want to anoint his body for burial.  They need to do this.  I should mention that Jesus was crucified on a Friday.  His body was hastily put in a tomb just before the Sabbath began (Friday sundown to Saturday sundown).  So they have to wait to prepare his body for burial.  Saturday night, it would have been too dark to take care of the body so we are meeting them probably very early on a Sunday morning.  They are ready.  They have brought their spices, they plan to attend to the body properly.  In the Jewish culture, a proper burial demonstrated honor for the deceased and for these women, it was an act of love and respect.    But when they get there, the most unexpected thing happens.  The stone has been rolled away from the tomb and the tomb is empty.  Jesus' body is simply not there.  This doesn't make sense to them.  And it was while they were wondering about where the body is, totally confused and perplexed, that two men in dazzling clothes (clothes that gleam like lightening), we can assume they are angels, they stand by the women.  And the women put their faces down, they were probably scared out of their minds.  And the men say, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”    Such a bizarre question.  Why do you look for the living among the dead?  They are at a tomb, which is typically where dead bodies, not living bodies, are kept.  And they fully expected Jesus' dead body to be there.  Afterall, they saw Jesus die.  They were the last to leave the cross.  They saw his limp, lifeless body placed in the tomb.  What do you mean?  Why do you look for the living among the dead?  But the sparkling men continue…he is not here, he is risen.  Remember how he told you these things?  Way back when you were in Galilee, he told you this was going to happen?    It was then that they remembered his words.  Multiple times, Jesus had said told them but it didn't make sense at the time.  Whether they simply weren't paying enough attention or they didn't want to know the truth, they didn't understand. Luke 9:22, And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”   Now, it's all coming together.  They do remember! Maybe they don't completely understand but they know that something totally unexpected, something totally amazing has happened, and they can't wait to tell the others.  So they burst into the room where the male disciples are hiding and out it comes.  They spill their guts.  They tell them about their morning.  You can picture it.  They are probably talking really fast and they might have been talking over one another and kind of out of breath.  They are excited.  They are so excited!    And the guys, well, let's just say aren't impressed.  They don't believe the women, saying their words were nonsense.  Other translations say the men tell the women they were spreading an idle tale, that what they were reporting was fake news.  It wasn't what they were expecting so it must not have been true.  Wow.    The narrative ends with Peter getting up and running to the tomb.  He also finds it empty, with the strips of burial cloth that would have been wrapped around Jesus' body just lying there on the ground.  And he walks off, wondering what really happened.    And then the narrative shifts to a different scene. Two of Jesus' disciples, not the twelve but two other male disciples, one named Cleophus and the other left unnamed, were walking from Jerusalem to their home in Emmaus.  There are some walks that are longer than others — not because of the miles or even because of the landscape, but because of the burdens. This was a 7 mile walk but it might as well been a 27 mile walk because these men are distressed.  They are grieving.  They have been following Jesus.  They believed him to be the Messiah and Savior and they have just seen him killed, murdered on a Roman cross.  So, they are walking slowly and speaking intensely.  The Greek suggests they may have been having some kind of theological argument.  Bottom line:  they are tired, weary, sad, and confused.  They don't understand what they have just witnessed.  And now they have to go back home and continue with their lives.  You can kind of imagine the kinds of questions they had.  Why did this happen?  How did God allow this to happen?  I can relate to their distress.  Every one of us, at some point, will have to take a walk to Emmaus. Some of you have been down this road already or you are walking it right now! In this world we will have trouble. And it will hit close to home. There will be times when all hope seems lost, and our world seems to be crumbling around us.  Maybe it's a walk out of an office where you have given years of your life but you are now being let go.  Maybe it's a walk out of the doctor's office after your spouse has just been given a terminal diagnosis.  Maybe it's the walk out of the attorney's office after the divorce papers have been finalized.  These are painful walks, in which we question God.  God, how could you let this happen?  God, I thought you were powerful and real.  What in the world is going on here?  In some way, all of us have experienced a walk like that.  Now, Jesus interrupts their argument, but they don't know it's Jesus at this point.  They are kept from knowing him.  He is a stranger to them.  I love this.  Because Jesus shows up to them JUST as he shows up to us.  We don't always recognize his presence either.  I don't know about you, but I've had times in my life that were so difficult, so painful, so anxiety-provoking, that I am so consumed with those feelings and then I look back and realize later, that Jesus was there with me.  His presence was real.  It was protecting me, guarding me, guiding me.  Jesus has a way of showing up when we need him most.  We just don't always recognize it.  Here's the thing.  Jesus could have said, “Hey guys, its me.  I'm here.  I've fixed everything.  Look, I'm alive!”  But he doesn't do that.  Instead, he says, “Don't YOU understand?”  And he begins to explain, starting at the very beginning of Scripture and walks them through the prophecies, walks them through how God said he would send a Savior who would have to suffer and die.  Hope and faith must have begun to stir their hearts as he spoke. They must have never heard, really heard, the gospel like this before—a gospel that included the suffering of the Messiah before entering his glory—told by the resurrected Lord himself!  Now, keep in mind, their circumstances have not changed but their perspective is beginning to change.  Faith is budding. They invite Jesus (still a stranger to them) to come stay with them.  It's late and they insist that he come and dine with them.  It was at the table, when they were breaking bread together that they recognize him.  Just as he did on Thursday night in the Upper Room --- it's when he takes the bread, gives thanks, breaks it, and offers it to them.  Their eyes are opened and they know – this is our Jesus.  Are our eyes open to Jesus when we break bread together?  Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope September 24, 2025   Scripture – Luke 23   Prayer:  Lord Jesus, We come before you this morning, thanking you for a new day.  Lord, you are good and we rejoice in your holy and powerful name.  As we begin our day, Lord, help us focus on you.  Help us set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on your Word and what you want us to learn today.  We get so distracted and self-consumed.  Forgive us for that, Lord.  In these next few moments of silence, help us have laser focus on your voice... In Your Powerful Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional/podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently working our way through a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are deep diving into Luke 23.    Today, we start with Jesus before Pilate and Herod.  Both Roman men believe that Jesus  is innocent.  Pilate actually tries to get the people to release Jesus, but the crowd is stirred up.  They want blood.  Jesus' innocence is not the point to them.  They are looking for a way to get rid of this trouble-maker.  And these men are not willing to stand up for what's right.    There was a man named Simon from Cyrene who was passing by and they forced him to carry the cross.  Cyrene was on the tip of Africa so this man was far from home!  And here he was, just going about his business, and he is enlisted, or more like seized, to carry the cross of the Savior of the world.  I'm guessing that Jesus' physical body was incredibly weak and bloody by this point.  And Simon walked by him, carrying the cross that would serve to execute Jesus but also save all humanity from their sin. We don't know what happened to Simon after the crucifixion.  He isn't mentioned again in Scripture.  But my guess is that his life was never the same again.  An encounter with Jesus is always life-changing.   The text in which Jesus dies on the cross is called the Good Friday scripture.  It may seem odd that we would call the day that Jesus was crucified and died “good.” Apparently, the term came into common use in the 1200s because for us, it was a truly good day, as Jesus became the final sacrifice for all sin for all people for all time. As the full expression of God's love for us, Jesus voluntarily gave his life so that we could be reconciled to holy God. It is very much good.   There is a lot to be said about the crucifixion but I wanted to highlight something in particular.  Right before Jesus breathed his last breath on the cross, the curtain in the Temple was torn down the middle. This is the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (the Holiest of Holies) where the ark of the covenant was kept and the presence of God remained. When the curtain tore, it was a sign that the New Covenant was instituted. Because of Jesus' sacrifice (the final sacrifice for sin), those who believe in him can now go directly to the throne of God's grace. When holy God looks at us, he doesn't see our sinfulness but the blood of Christ. Thus, there are no more barriers that can separate us from God.   I'd like to close today with a prayer that is an adaptation of Hebrews 10:19-25: Thank you, Lord, that we can boldly enter heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Lord, help us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Amen.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

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Daily Dose of Hope September 22, 2025   Scripture - Luke 22:1-38   Prayer: Holy God, We come before you this morning in awe of your blessings and love.  Thank you, Lord, for the ways you continue to guide our lives.  Lord, we are desperate to know you better.  In these next few moments of silence, Jesus, please speak to us.  We need to hear your voice...  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back, everyone, to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Happy Monday!  This is the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.    Today, we start Luke 22.  First, we encounter Judas.  Satan has entered him and he goes to the chief priests in order to betray Jesus.  This is a scary and intriguing Scripture.  From what I've read, this is the only place where Satan himself enters a person. All other evil possessions involve demons. This was a crucial time in salvation history. Satan would not delegate this task to anyone else. So important was this time that Satan himself “entered Judas.”    But how could this happen?  While Satan is the one who initiated entering Judas, this only occurred because Judas allowed it to occur.  He opened the door to his heart.  We don't have any evidence that Judas tried to resist.  We don't have any indication that Judas prayed to God for help, dug into Scripture, or did anything to prevent this from happening.  In fact, we do get the impression that Judas' heart had become hard.  We don't know anything about his inner thought life or prayer life, but we can surmise that things had gone south here.  None of this happened quickly.  Gradually, Judas allowed himself to fall prey to evil.    We then come to the time in which the disciples will share the Passover meal with Jesus.  When I read this text, it reminds me of the Palm Sunday Scripture in which Jesus had planned everything out.  Here, it is the same thing.  He tells the disciples that when they enter the city, there will be a man carrying a jay of water, follow that man.  And that all happened.  The man showed them an upstairs room that was furnished and that was the place they were to prepare for the Passover.  Jesus had taken care of all the details.    And then we have the Passover meal.  But this wasn't a Passover meal like the disciples had experienced before.  Jesus took something that was so familiar and transformed it.  He knew what was going to happen.  He knew that he would soon suffer and die.  And he uses this sacred meal to do a new thing.  (God is always doing a new thing.) The bread and wine become his body and blood.  They represent a new covenant and a new meal.  Of course, this is what we celebrate as a body of Christ when we come together for Holy Communion, also called the Lord's Supper or the Eucharist.   One thing that's particularly interesting to me is that Jesus knew that Judas would betray him.  Does he make him leave the table?  Does he force him to leave the Upper Room?  No, not at all.  He allows him to stay.  He is still welcomed at the table.    Another interesting element in Luke's account is the dispute over which disciple is greatest.  Can you imagine just having this holy moment with Jesus and then arguing over who among you in greatest?  It seems absurd and yet, these disciples were human and they really didn't understand the kind of Kingdom being ushered in by Jesus.  But Jesus stops them and tells them quite bluntly to be careful what you wish for.  In Jesus' Kingdom, to lead is to serve.  The greatest becomes the least.    We then have Jesus predicting Peter's denial and we have this confusing discourse about swords.  Jesus tells them to go buy a sword.  Several disciples present him with two swords and he yells, “Enough!”  Okay, I'm lost – how about you?   Some pastors have used this passage as evidence that Jesus is saying we are to defend ourselves.  But that doesn't seem right.  Two swords would not be enough for eleven disciples.  Plus, the Sermon on the Mount does not seem to allow for any kind of violence.  Most scholars say that this command to buy a sword means to be ready for hardship and self-sacrifice.  It points to being ready for persecution, not ready for revenge.  The term sword needs to interpreted figuratively.   What are your thoughts?   More tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki          

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Daily Dose of Hope September 19, 2025   Scripture - Luke 21   Prayer: Holy God, We rejoice and give praise for the ways you care for us.  We rejoice and give praise for how you continue to forgive us and give us second and third chances.  Help us seek lives characterized by your holiness.  Help us seek pure hearts.  Lord, in these next few moments of silence, hear our prayers and help us bring together all our scattered thoughts and focus on you...It's in your name we pray, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan from New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are deep diving into Luke 21.    Jesus' time on earth is coming to a conclusion.  We are getting very close to Passion week.  And we can see Jesus' language and discussion getting more pressing.  There is an urgency to what he has to say.    At the end of chapter 20, Jesus speaks of how the Pharisees and scribes (and really the whole religious system) are devouring widows' houses. They require much of the poor but they give little to help them.  This leads into the beginning of chapter 21, in which Jesus points out the sacrificial offering of the widow.  He speaks of how so many of the people who are part of the religious system give gifts out of their wealth; but the widow gives all she has despite her desperate poverty.  He recognizes her faithful obedience and holds her up as an example.  Just FYI, this probably really angered the Pharisees.   We go from the Temple offering to the prophecy of the destruction of the Temple and the end times.  One of the disciples comments on the grandeur of the Temple.  Jesus then tells them that the whole Temple will eventually be destroyed.  Every stone will be turned.    Keep in mind that for the Jews, this is where God's presence resided.  This is a holy place.  But the Pharisees and the current system have allowed the Temple to be corrupted.  They have disobeyed God's ways.  And Jesus predicts that it will be destroyed.    What we know is that the Temple was destroyed by Rome just 37 years later.  This would be an ugly season in Jerusalem's history, with lots of persecution and oppression.  Is this what Jesus is referring to in nation rising against nation, famines, earthquakes, and so forth?  Scholars don't all agree but I think it's safe to say yes and no.  Yes, the Roman armies destroying Jerusalem in AD 70 was pretty horrific.  Much of the population was starved and/or eventually massacred.   But there is more to this.  This is more than just a “in the near future” scenario. It's also likely that Jesus is referring to the end of times and when he will return to judge all people.  If you recall, in the Matthew version of this text, we actually have images of Jesus returning on the clouds with the loud trumpet call; this echoes prophecy in Daniel.    And up until this point, Jesus has alluded to this.  He never tells people to be scared or worried, just to be ready and be watchful.  As believers, we have nothing to fear.  We belong to Jesus.  Just be ready.  But there is still an urgency to this – how seriously do we take this?  Are we busy doing God's business, which includes leading people to Jesus?  Is sharing the story of Jesus a regular part of who we are as believers?  If not, why?  Do you believe that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead?  These are serious questions that every single one of us has to reckon with.    One other thing to mention: At this point, the disciples still don't understand that God's presence now dwells in the person of Jesus Christ.  From their perspective, the Temple still holds the presence of God.  But the Good News of Jesus is that God's presence is no longer in a building but in Jesus.  God is Jesus and Jesus is God.   If that isn't enough to blow your mind, consider that the presence of God is now also in the person of the Holy Spirit.  Where does the Holy Spirit dwell?  Well, in us as believers!  So that means that the presence of God is in Jesus' church, his people.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope September 18, 2025   Scripture –  Luke 20:20-47   Prayer: Amazing Father and Lord, Thank you for who you are.  Thank you for how you care for us.  We get distracted.  We veer away from you and your Word.  For that, we are so very sorry.  Forgive us, Lord.  Help us to abide in you.  Help us to remain close so that we can be fruitful and effective for your Kingdom.  Help us get outside ourselves and see others as you see them.  Lord, we belong to you.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional/podcast that goes along with the daily Bible reading at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently deep diving into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we finish Luke 20.   In this chapter, we get a pretty clear picture of how hard the Pharisees are trying to catch Jesus saying or doing something punishable by Jewish law. They keep trying to trick him; they have no idea with whom they are dealing!   No one enjoys paying taxes, and in first century Palestine, this was a particularly sticky topic. The Jewish leaders are trying to trap Jesus so they ask him if it is lawful to pay taxes, meaning according to God's law. If Jesus says it isn't lawful, then he could get in trouble with the Romans. The Jewish authorities are hoping he will be in trouble no matter which way he answers.   But Jesus is not deceived. He asks for a coin, which had Emperor Tiberius' image stamped on it, and asked who was on it. When they said Caesar, he told them to give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what it God's. It left no room for argument and his enemies are literally stunned silent.   Jesus is making the point that we are citizens of both earth and heaven at the same time. While we have allegiance to both our nation and God, there is no question that our first and primary loyalty is to God. Jesus is Lord over all the earth, over our nation, over the church, and over our lives. Think of Paul's words in Philippians 3, But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.   After the coin incident, there are some Sadducees who want to grill him on the concept of the resurrection of the dead.  By addressing Levirate marriage, they also are trying to trap Jesus in his words.  The Sadducees, the intellectual aristocracy of the day, did not believe in resurrection.  They were pressing Jesus on the topic, hoping to make him look foolish.  If you will recall from Mark and Matthew, levirate law was intended to protect widows without a male heir.  When a brother died, leaving his wife without children, a surviving brother marries the widow with the sole intention of producing an heir.  If a son is conceived, he is actually considered to be the deceased brother's child.  In ancient near-East culture, a widow without any connection to a male would either starve or be forced to beg or prostitute herself.    Thus, the Sadducees question makes a little more sense even though it is a bit absurd.  A woman's husband dies and she marries a brother.  That brother dies and she marries another brother and so forth until she has been married to all seven brothers.  Then she dies.  Whose wife will she be at the resurrection?  Keep in mind, they ask this question knowing that they think the resurrection is false.    Jesus basically tells them they are missing the point. In the resurrection, our bodies will be different – perfect and glorious.  There will also be a change in our spiritual nature.  Jesus is saying that in regard to marriage and sexual matters, we will be like the angels (note that he did not say we will be angels but we will be like them.)    But the Sadducees were mistaken so significantly not because of this absurd question but because they didn't believe in the resurrection.  This is a fundamental aspect of Jesus' teaching and they missed it entirely.    Rather than allowing the Pharisees to continue trying to trap him, Jesus decides to ask a  hard question of them.  He asks the group, “What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?”  They immediately respond, “The son of David.”  How then, Jesus asked, could David call him by the Spirit ‘Lord' when he said, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet”' (Psalm 110:1). “If David”, Jesus said, “Calls him ‘Lord,' how can he be his son?” The Pharisees were unable to answer and “from that day on no one dared to question him any longer”. Jesus' point was missed.  Of course, Jesus had descended from David. He was the Son of God.  He was the Messiah, the one the Jews had been waiting for, for hundreds of years.  He was right before their eyes and they were missing it.  How often is Jesus right before our eyes and we totally miss it? More tomorrow. Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope September 17, 2025   Scripture - Luke 20:1-19   Prayer:  Heavenly Father, Provider, Sustainer, Thank you for being the God who creates, cares, loves, and saves.  All we have is from you.  As we talk about today's text, give us a fresh revelation; help us see your Word in a new way. Lord, thank you most of all for Jesus.  Thank you for his sacrifice.  Thank you for showing us a different way of doing life.  Help us actually live the way you taught us.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin a deep dive into Luke 20.   We start today's text with the Pharisees asking Jesus by what authority he speaks and teaches.  Keep in mind, this was right after Jesus cleanses the Temple and the Pharisees are a bit annoyed.  In Jewish culture, authority was based on lineage and education.  Jesus' authority was divine and so these earthly leaders are feeling incredibly threatened.  They are more concerned with losing their own power and authority than anything else at this point, or so it seems.    I do love how Jesus so often answers a question with a question, as he does in this text.  He asks the men where the authority of John of Baptist came from.  They were in a bind and knew that whatever they answered, it would get them into trouble.  So, because they said they didn't know, Jesus told them he had no need to say from where his authority came from either.   We move from there to the parable of the tenants.  This is a hard parable with violence involved in every aspect of it.  A landowner, presumably a man of means, builds a vineyard and gets it set up with all the right equipment.  He has tenants plant the vines and run the farm for him, while he lives in another place.  When the harvest comes, the absent landowner sends a slave to collect his portion of the harvest or profits.  The slave is beaten up pretty badly by the tenant farmers and limps away.   You would think the landowner might do something different next time but he doesn't.  He sends another slave.  Actually, he sends a lot of different slaves to collect on his behalf.  Some are badly beaten while others are actually killed.  We get the impression this happens over many growing seasons.    The landowner decides he has one option left, his beloved son.  He feels assured that the tenants won't hurt him.  Did the son feel the same way?  Not sure.  But things don't go so well.  The tenants know this is the heir and they kill him too, throwing his body out to the wild animals.   The question that Jesus asks is what will the landowner do?  The answer is that he will come there himself, kill the tenants, and give the land to others (or possibly get new tenants.)  What in the world is meant by all of this?  There are several possible things to think about here and none of them are pleasant.   First, throughout the Bible, the concept of the vineyard is associated with the people of Israel.  With that as a backdrop, could it be that God is the stubborn landowner, the slaves are prophets, and the son is Jesus?  That would make the tenant farmers the corrupt religious leaders.    Second, there are aspects to the parable that the first-century hearers would get that aren't necessarily evident to us.  It wasn't that unusual for the wealthy to obtain the land of those who were poor, possibly because of outstanding debts or because the impoverished are forced to sell land to feed their families.  Life was hard.    It also wasn't that unusual for landlords to live elsewhere and demand a large percentage of the harvest from those who are performing the labor.  The reaction of the parable will be different for different people, depending on where they fall on the social ladder in Israel.  There are those who will identify with the slaves.  There are those who will see the landowner as uncaring and reckless and possibly identify with the plight of the tenants.  There are those who will identify with the landowner and his son.  Every single reaction is unsettling.   One thing I do want to mention is that people have used this parable over the years in an antisemitic way, stating that it was the Jews who killed the son and it is the Jews who should then be killed by the landowner.  Jesus is not speaking of ethnicity or religion here, he is speaking about faithfulness.  The big issue in the parable is not the identity of the players but rather the failure of the tenants to respond faithfully to their obligations.  It's no secret that Christians over the centuries have also treated the cornerstone with disrespect, irreverence, and indignation, while Jews can (and many have) responded faithfully to God's revelation.   What do you make of this parable?  Why do you think Jesus told it?  What are your takeaways?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope September 16, 2025   Scripture – Luke 19:28-48   Prayer: Lord, We need you. Our world is unstable and unjust. It is a place where innocent people die and power and control take precedent over mercy and compassion.  While we know that sin and brokenness are everywhere, it is still hard to take it in.  We don't know which way to turn.  So, we need you.  We need your peace, your justice, and your wisdom.  Help us be the people you have called us to be, even when it's hard.  Fill us with your courage to speak truth and grace.  More of you and less of me.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we finish up Luke 19.   We start with Jesus entering Jerusalem as King; this is what we call the Palm Sunday passage.  We are so used to this narrative that sometimes we don't see the strangeness of it.  This is an odd scene.  Jesus sends two of his disciples to go on ahead to the village and find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden.  If someone asks why you are taking it, then just say the Lord needs it.  What this says to us is that Jesus has taken care of every single detail.  We don't know how he has done it, but Jesus is God and he has made sure everything is right.    So, they get the colt.  They put their cloaks on the colt and Jesus rides on it.  Others spread their cloaks on the road.  As he makes his way down the Mount of Olives, a crowd of his disciples gather and begin praising God.  Now, this isn't just the twelve disciples.  This is probably a fairly large group of believers that have seen his power, the people who have heard his teaching, watched his miracles.  And they shout out, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”   A couple things to note here: ·      All of this is very intentional.  This is not a coincidence.  This is a very intentional show of power.  Jesus is being given a royal welcoming.  First, he is riding on a colt.  In the Old Testament, new kings would come riding in on the mule or donkey of the the previous king.  We see in 1 Kings 1 that David puts his son Solomon on his own mule, a trumpet is sounded, and the people rejoice and shout, then the priest and the prophet Nathan anoint him as king of Israel.  The mule is like the presidential limo, a sign of power and prestige that says that this is the new leader. ·      What's interesting here is that Jesus is not riding on the previous king's mule or donkey.  He is riding on a colt that has never been ridden.  Scripture makes a point of telling us this.  Why?  Because God is doing a new thing, Jesus is a different kind of king. ·      Then, there is this whole issue of the cloaks being thrown down on the path for Jesus to pass.  The people are running ahead and shouting his praises.  This is the kind of welcome that a royal official of the Roman government would receive.  Think of it like the red carpet being rolled out.  This is the sign that a very important leader, the new king, has arrived.  All of this has meaning.   And for the Jews in the crowd, and most of them would have been Jewish, they would have known that this was a fulfillment of prophecy.  Zechariah 9:9, Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. All of this is pointing to the fact that Jesus is the king.   This large group of disciples were praising God joyfully and shouting, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord…” What might not be apparent to us is that when they shout this – Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord, Peace in heaven and glory on highest” they are expressing that this is the Messiah, this is the anointed one, the one they had been waiting for that God had sent to save them.  These words echo Psalm 118:22-26, The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 23 the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. 25 Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success!26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.   Surely, this is the long-expected Messiah, this is the one that God sent to sit on the throne of David, just as he promised some 600 years before.  You see, its all coming together for them.  And thus, there is much joy and celebration for God has sent King Jesus to save us.    But what happens next is worth noting.  The Pharisees tell Jesus to make his disciples stop.  Stop the praising.  Stop the quoting of Scripture.  In fact, what they say is, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”  Seriously, make them stop.  Why was it that the Pharisees wanted the people to stop praising Jesus?  What was behind this rebuke?    Could it be that they know exactly what's going on?  They know that Jesus is declaring himself to be the long-awaited Messiah.  Maybe they are scared, maybe they are angry, we really don't know.  What we know is that they want it to stop quickly.  And Jesus refuses this request.  He says, “...if they keep quiet, then the rocks themselves will cry out.”  Creation itself will cry out and proclaim that Jesus is Lord.  Think about that.    And this narrative ends with Jesus crying over Jerusalem, this city that he loves but he knows will reject him.    I want to focus briefly on the crowd.  What kinds of people were part of this group of disciples, praising Jesus and hailing him as King?    I would imagine that some of them were those who saw his miracles.  They were those people who had life-changing encounters with him.  People like Zacchaeus, Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus (who Jesus raised from the dead), the Roman centurion whose slave was healed, Mary Magdalene, the bleeding woman who Jesus healed…people who experienced the expansive love and miraculous healing power of Jesus.  They received grace in ways they never knew possible.  I'm guessing they were in the crowd, cheering loudly and throwing their cloaks on the ground.  They know Jesus as Lord and King.   But who else?  What about those who so badly wanted a king to overthrow the Romans?  Everything about Jesus screamed revolutionary.  Wasn't the long-expected King going to return the Jews to their rightful place?  Wasn't he going to put an end to this oppression and take care of these stupid Romans for good?  Yes, there were probably some of those in the crowd.   So, let's get this clear:  There were those who wanted something from Jesus, there were those who liked the idea of Jesus, and there were those who truly worshiped Jesus.  What group would you fall into?  Before you quickly make a decision, really think about this.  What kind of king is Jesus to you?  What are your expectations of Jesus?    So often in the Christian life, we give lip service to Jesus being King of Kings and Lord of Lords but we don't really live like it.  What kind of king is Jesus to you?  What are your expectations for King Jesus and what happens when they aren't met?  How often have we expected Jesus to ensure us that nothing bad will happen?  If only we believe and are faithful, maybe my loved ones won't get sick, my job will be protected, my marriage will be secure, you get the idea.  How often have we wanted to lean on Jesus as counselor, as self-help guru, as protector, as doctor, but we aren't really that keen on making him Lord of our Lives.   You see, Jesus as Lord means turning everything over to him.  It means giving him our desires, our relationships, our resources, our thoughts, our time, everything, and saying --- Jesus, your will be done, not mine.  Lately, I've been really wrestling with this whole concept of seeking God's will, not my own.  I've found that my prayers too often are a list of what I want to see happen and I'm not really, truly asking Jesus for his will to be done.  I'm working on this.  Because if Jesus is my King, then it's his will I desire.  It's his solution to the problem.  It's his desire for this church, for my children, for my marriage, for my future.  How often do we want Jesus to be provider, sustainer, protector, and friend BUT not Lord?  What kind of king is Jesus to you?   I don't want to end this devotional without talking, at least a bit, about Jesus in the Temple.  According to Luke's Gospel, he enters Jerusalem as King and goes directly to the Temple.  Things are a mess there.  To put it mildly, there was much unholy commerce in the Court of the Gentiles. There were many merchants selling animals for sacrifice and there were money changers present for foreign Jews to exchange their money to the local currency for the temple tax.    So why was Jesus so upset?  Wasn't this all part of the sacrificial system?  This was the one area of the temple designated for Gentiles (the nations) to pray. They weren't allowed in any other area of the temple. And the Jewish people had taken over the entire area for trade and profit. Lots of money was being made here.  Jesus is beyond angry.  The religious leaders have an interesting reaction to this.  They are scared.  I'm thinking that they know they are in the wrong but they don't want to submit to this Jesus character.  Thus, they begin to plot how to kill him.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope September 15, 2025   Scripture - Luke 19:1-27   Prayer (from St. Augustine): Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, That my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, That my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, That I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, To defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, That I always may be holy.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin a deep dive into Luke 19.   At the beginning of the chapter, we meet Zacchaeus.  Zacchaeus' encounter with Jesus is worth a fair amount of reflection. Zacchaeus was a tax collector. The Roman government hired local Jews to actually go around collecting the taxes for them. One article I read said that they didn't receive a salary per se but instead collected significantly more in taxes than was owed so they could keep that money for themselves and evidence suggests they took a lot for themselves. Thus, tax collectors tended to be wealthy and they were hated by their fellow Jews. The Jews thought of them as selling their services to a foreign oppressor at the expense of their own people. The rabbinical writings refer to these tax collectors as "robbers" and the Gospels call them "sinners." They were the scum of the Jewish community. And Zacchaeus was one of them.   Zacchaeus wasn't just a run of the mill tax collector but a chief tax collector. You typically don't get to be chief of something unless you have worked at it for a while and climbed your way to the top so I'm thinking Zacchaeus had probably been living a dishonest life for years, extorting and deceiving others for his own financial gain. He wasn't a newbie at this.   Zacchaeus lived in the town of Jericho, which was Jesus' last stop on his journey from Galilee to Jerusalem. It's interesting...people must have heard that Jesus was coming through. Zacchaeus must have heard it because he is determined to see him. I'm curious what it was that made Zacchaeus want to see Jesus so badly-curiosity or conviction-but Scripture says that the crowd that had gathered was quite large and he couldn't see over all the people because he was short. But he was persistent, so he ran ahead to a place where he knew that Jesus would walk by, he climbs a tree, and he waits.   As Jesus walks by, he notices Zacchaeus and he calls him by name. He knows him. (I hope each of you know that Jesus knows your name too!) When Jesus calls to him, he tells Zacchaeus to climb down from the tree, for he had plans to go to his home. We might not recognize the significance of this, but to go to someone's home, to dine with them, demonstrated connection and belonging. To break bread with someone was a big deal.   It was pretty much a given that the Pharisees didn't like this. He was hanging out with "those" people again. But Jesus goes to Zacchaeus' home and possibly while they are dining together, something happens within Zacchaeus. Maybe it started when Zacchaeus heard Jesus was coming through Jericho-something within him stirred for a different way of doing life. Maybe it started when Jesus really knew him and saw him up in that tree. Maybe it was when Jesus offered him the gift of acceptance by offering to dine with him. Maybe it was in their dinner conversation (I wonder what they talked about over their meal)...but we know that because of his encounter with Jesus, something changes within Zacchaeus. In fact, he eventually tells Jesus, "I'm going to give half of my money to the poor and if I have cheated people, I will payback four times as much.” Four times! He didn't just say, I'll pay them back, I'll make amends ,but he specifically says he will pay them four times as much as he took. He was no longer the crooked, thieving Roman sympathizing tax collector, but rather a repentant, generous Jesus follower.   What can we learn here? ·  God has the power to transform any person, no matter how far gone we think they are. God isn't done with anyone yet! I'm guessing many people had given up on Zacchaeus but Jesus wasn't one of them. ·  Never discount how God may use you to be prevenient grace for someone else. I think about how Jesus noticed Zacchaeus in the tree. There were many people, probably lots of noise and distractions, and yet Jesus notices individual people and responds to their needs. That was an act of prevenient grace that led Zacchaeus closer to a place of change. Do we notice individual people around us, do we really notice them, and show them care and kindness in a way that leads them closer to Jesus?   Immediately after his interaction with Zaccheaus, on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus shares the parable of the minas.  This is very similar to the parable of the talents, which we talked about in Matthew, and it gives us another glimpse into the Kingdom of God.  As a traveling preacher, Jesus would have told the same parable at different times and in different ways.  We see this here.   In the parable, a man leaves for a foreign nation in order to be made king. Before he left, he gave ten minas to ten of his servants. A mina was a good sum of money (about three months' wages), and the future king tells his servants to put the money to work until he returns.  The servants admit they don't like the man and they don't want him to be king.  Nevertheless, some servants invested the money and some didn't.  When the man returns, this is made obvious.    It is clear that the man, now king, expected a return on his investment.  Likewise, God expects a return on his investment.  God has given us resources, which he expects us to use to benefit the kingdom.  This includes material resources but it isn't just material resources.  We have gifts and talents which God has given to us for a particular purpose.  If you have the gift of teaching, God wants you to teach.  If he's given you the gift of leading, then he expects you to lead.  If you have the gift of discernment, prayer, music, then he has the expectation you will use those for the Kingdom.    God also expects us to take our financial resources and use those for the Kingdom as well.  Every single thing we have is a gift from the Lord.  We may think that we have earned it, but it's all a gift from God.  We are to use what we have been given for his glory.     Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope September 12, 2025   Scripture - Luke 18:18-43   Prayer: Heavenly Father, We come before you today in awe of your Word. Thank you for speaking to us through Scripture.  Help us commit to being grounded in your truth.  Help us make learning more about you a priority.  We get so distracted!  The world comes at us from all sides.  Lord, in these next few moments of silence, help us set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on you...In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we finish our deep dive into Luke 18.   Today's reading begins with people bringing their babies to Jesus.  The disciples rebuke them.  At the time, children really had very little value.  I know that is hard for us to understand because we value both human life and the innocence of children. But in the ancient world, children had the absolute lowest status.  Jews would have considered children a blessing but they were also needed to be part of the family workforce.  Young children worked full time and they worked hard.  There was nothing innocent or romantic about being a child in the first century.   Enter Jesus.  He had a totally different idea about the value of children.  He said the Kingdom of God belonged to those who are like the little children.  Basically, Jesus picks up a toddler and says, “You have to be like this little one.  You have to be willing to be nothing, to totally give up your status.  Why?  Because my Kingdom is not about raising up rulers of this world but its about giving dignity and life to the least of these.”  You see, over and over again Jesus is showing us that he is not interested in what the world values and sees in people.  Rather, he is actually interested in the people themselves.  They have value to Jesus.   We move from the children to the rich ruler.  A man comes to Jesus and asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus says, “Well you need to follow all the commandments.” And he lists them, you shall not murder, commit adultery, steal, give false testimony. You shall honor your father and mother.   The man simply says, “Yes, I've done all those things since I was a boy.”  Jesus looks at him and says there is still one thing you lack. Yes, you follow all the laws, but there is still something you lack. It was assumed that if one followed the law perfectly (we know that's impossible but if one did a good job following the law) then they would receive eternal life. Jesus is saying, that is not the case.   Jesus isn't denying that this man is following the law, he isn't disputing that. This is obviously a man of high integrity who is clearly doing all he can to be obedient to God's laws. “One thing you lack,” Jesus said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” The text says that the man's face fell. He went away sad because he had great wealth. This is the irony. The children in the former story who possess nothing are told that the kingdom of God is theirs; yet this man who possesses everything still lacks something! Only when he sells all he has—only when he becomes like a vulnerable child—will he possess everything. But he isn't willing to do that. He decides to walk away from Jesus. The man wasn't expecting to have to make that kind of sacrifice. He had no idea following Jesus would be so hard.   This is confusing.  Jesus talks about the sacrifices needed to enter the Kingdom.  Jesus tells the disciples, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” Most of us should feel at least slightly uncomfortable when we read this passage. Don't dismiss that feeling, rest in it a bit before you move on. The reality is that we are all wealthy in comparison to the rest of the world. Jesus isn't saying that having possessions is a bad thing. Allowing our stuff, our resources, to get in the way of our relationship with Jesus is a bad thing though.    What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus? I think we have so often fallen into the trap of thinking that following Jesus, being a disciple, is about following a list of rules: following commandments, generally being a good person, going to church, giving some money to good causes, and doing good “Christian” things. But here Jesus is saying that being a disciple is not about following a list of rules. If that were the case, then the rich young ruler would have been a shoo-in. Jesus is saying, following him is about denying yourself and picking up your cross. And we don't like to deny ourselves. We don't like to be uncomfortable. It means looking at your life and renouncing any part of it that gets in the way of your walk with Jesus.   We go from here to Jesus proclaiming his death for the third time.  He basically spells it out for them, but the disciples do not understand.  Things will be clear in due course.   The chapter closes with Jesus healing a blind beggar on the road to Jericho.  The man knows that Jesus is passing by and he calls out to him.  Jesus asks the man, “What do you want me to do for you?”  The man says he wants to see and Jesus immediately restores his sight.    So this is how I want to end today.  I want you to picture Jesus walking by you.  Maybe you are at home, maybe you are at work, or the gym, whatever makes sense in your case.  Anyway, Jesus asks you, “What do you want me to do for you?”    Think about it.  What do you most need from Jesus right now?  Spend some time in prayer and just ask him to intervene in your life in a powerful way.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki        

Daily Dose of Hope September 11, 2025   Scripture – Luke 18:1-17   Prayer:  Almighty God, We come before you with awe and humility.  Help us remember all you have done for us.  We are nothing without you.  We need you desperately, Lord.  Help us gather our scattered thoughts today as we focus on you.  In these next few moments of silence, help us remember that we belong to you.  Help us lay our worries and cares on the throne of your grace...We pray this in the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin to dive into Luke 18.   We begin with the parable of the persistent widow.  I've always found this to be a fascinating parable. Jesus uses two opposing characters to make an important point about prayer. First, we have a judge who is arrogant and without integrity. Then, we have a widow, who continues to go to the judge for help from her adversary. A widow at the time would have represented helplessness and vulnerability. She must not have had money to bribe the judge so she does the only thing she can–she pesters him! She will not leave him alone until he gives her justice.   Since even an unjust judge can do justice, how much more should we expect from a loving, righteous God. God wants his people to be persistent in prayer. Don't give up! God will answer, although it may not be in our timing or in the way we desire. But God always answers.   Is there some situation or person for which you have stopped praying? Be like the persistent widow. Continue to plead before a loving and just God.   And then we have the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector.  Both go to the Temple to pray.  The Pharisee prays loudly, thanking God that he isn't like the other sinners around him.  He lists his “religious activity.”  The tax collector, recognizing his sinfulness, stands back and prays humbly.  Jesus says that it is in the tax collector who is justified.  Why?   Jesus was speaking to a group of people who saw themselves as righteous before God because of their actions.  They kept the law, they fasted, they were religious in every sense of the word.  But their hearts were far from God.  They trusted in themselves, rather than God.  Their righteousness was something to be grasped and attained.    The tax collector, on the other hand, is totally different.  His head is bowed.  He asks God for mercy rather than pointing out the sins of others.  He is quick to call himself a sinner.  And he certainly could have been; tax collectors were known for manipulation and thievery.  But he goes home justified because he recognizes the pain he has caused others.  He is repentant.  He recognizes what he has done and it appears he seeks some form of transformation.   Recognizing that all of our hearts have strayed from God is key.  Each of us are sinners.  The more mature we are as Christians, the more we realize our own sinfulness and the less we are inclined to point out the sinfulness of others.    How have you experienced this?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope September 10, 2025   Scripture – Luke 17:20-37   Prayer:  Almighty God, we start by pausing before you.  Help us set aside the distractions of the morning or the day and focus on you.  In these next few moments of silence, help us gather our scattered thoughts and think only of you...Help us be still and know you are God.  God, we rejoice that we can freely read your Word and we are grateful that you speak to It's truly a miracle.  Holy Spirit, we also invite you to join us as we seek to grow deeper in relationship with you.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  This is the podcast and devotional that goes along with the Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.    It's Wednesday so that means Recharge day.  If you are local, I hope to see you tonight at New Hope, on the Moon Ave. side of campus, for worship, fellowship, prayer, and small groups.   Today, we are finishing up Luke 17.  Jesus is initially asked by a Pharisee about the Kingdom of God.  Keep in mind, the Pharisees expected God's Kingdom to be an earthly one, a Kingdom that would overthrow the Romans and allow the Jews to govern themselves, as they once did.  But when Jesus speaks of God's Kingdom, he is talking about something quite different.    We've discussed the Kingdom of God quite a bit in the Daily Dose of Hope, but let's do a little review.  God's Kingdom exists anywhere that God reigns as king and his values are at work, where the world is working in the way that God always intended it to work. The kingdom of God was central to the message of Jesus and wherever he traveled, he proclaimed its coming. Jesus truly lived out the Kingdom in all he did, in all he taught, and in the way he did life. In God's Kingdom, there is no sickness, so Jesus healed the sick. In God's Kingdom, there is no discrimination, so Jesus elevated the oppressed, he ate with tax collectors and prostitutes. In God's Kingdom, there is justice, there is mercy, there is love. So Jesus offered forgiveness, he offered acceptance, he offered LOVE in all he did, ultimately giving up his life in the greatest act of love in the history of the world.    Thus, it makes sense that Jesus says to the Pharisee that the Kingdom is not something that can be observed, but rather it is something that is in your midst.  Jesus ushered in the Kingdom of God.  The disciples and the early church continued Jesus' mission of growing the Kingdom.  Even we are part of expanding the boundaries of God's Kingdom today.  It is here in our midst.  But at the same time, there are elements of God's Kingdom that will not be fully realized until Jesus returns in final victory.  The Kingdom has a NOW and a NOT YET quality about it.  It's possible that Jesus is alluding to this.  And then, Jesus not so subtly steers the conversation to the last days.  He speaks of how people in the time of Noah and with the destruction of Sodom were caught off guard by the judgement.  They should not have been, as there were warnings, but they were.  And people will also be caught off guard when Jesus comes to judge the living and the dead.    We get this warning once again – be ready.  Be watchful and be prepared because Jesus will return again and it will be at a time that is most unexpected.  When the disciples ask Jesus where this will happen, he responds with a proverb, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.”  Basically, the location is not the point.  Rather, the fact that judgment will occur is the point and it will occur wherever there is sin and spiritual death.  The vultures gathering gives us a word picture for what's going to happen --- they will gather around the spiritual “carcass” or dead body.    What are your thoughts about the end times?  Media and Hollywood have given us a lot of bad information about what will happen when Jesus returns.  The Left Behind series, while entertaining, is not very scriptural accurate.  As believers, we really don't have a lot to fear.  In fact, we have nothing to fear, we simply need to be ready.  Are you ready?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope September 9, 2025   Scripture – Luke 17:1-19   Prayer: Holy God, How amazing it is that we can come before you today.  You are God of all things, Lord of everything, and yet you care about each of us.  We give you glory and praise.  We thank you most of all for Jesus, who made it possible for us to walk hand in hand with a holy God.  Help us see today's Scripture through fresh eyes.  Keep teaching us, Lord.  Continue to reveal yourself to us.  We are open and grateful.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional that complements the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently working our way through a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we start Luke 17.   As we start this chapter, Jesus is listing some pretty serious requirements for discipleship.  He warns against causing little ones (children, new believers, those who are vulnerable) to stumble.  He tells his followers that radical forgiveness is required toward one another. Jesus continues to remind his followers that being a disciple is life-changing in the most extreme way.    This obviously challenges the disciples.  They proclaim, “Increase our faith.”  Jesus' answer probably wasn't what they wanted to hear.  He tells them about just needing the faith of a mustard seed.  I picture the disciples rolling their eyes at this.  “Really, just a mustard seed-sized faith?  I feel like I need a bit more.”   So what was Jesus' point?  Faith isn't easily quantified.  It doesn't just magically increase with some special prayer.  Faith increases through our life experiences.  Faith increases only through practice, as we begin to trust God and see him come through for us.  Faith increases as we begin to see Jesus at work in our lives, giving us comfort, peace, and strength, in the good and bad times.  It's usually not a fast process.   How have you seen your faith grow through experience?  What kinds of things in the past few years have had the most impact on your faith journey with Jesus?   The next portion of today's reading is another miracle.  Jesus heals ten men with leprosy.  This is such a wonderful text!  A couple things to note...   First, Jesus told the men to show themselves to a priest while they still had leprosy. It was as they went that they were cured. If the priest examined them and they were no longer sick, then they were able to behave like normal people again, socialize, and live normal lives. Walking to the priests while they still had leprosy meant trusting God even when they didn't really have grounds to do so. They really didn't know what was going to happen. They could have gotten to the priests and still been sick and been yelled at or banned or worse. But they had faith and trusted Jesus.   That's a definition of faith–trusting in what we cannot prove. In Hebrews 11:1 it's described as "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." If we want everything plain and clear before we take a step of faith, it's not really faith. Faith is trust, even when we don't understand and even when the evidence is against us.   It's interesting that the one who comes back is a Samaritan. As you know from previous readings, Samaritans were enemies of Jews; they hated each other. So why was he the one to come back, rather than the Jews? Maybe he had a deeper sense of what had been done for him. Maybe the Jewish men felt entitled, like they deserved a healing and the Samaritan man did not. Regardless, it speaks of God's grace to everyone. The men's healing doesn't depend on them coming back to say thanks. Jesus heals them anyway; it's not as if the healing of the other nine would be miraculously withdrawn because they didn't return. God does lots of good things for everyone, whether they acknowledge it or not. He makes the sun shine on the righteous and unrighteous and the rain fall on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45).   There are many people who are not Christians, but who are still blessed. At one level, Christians ought just to be the people who acknowledge what God's done for them, and turn back to say "Thank you." What do you need to thank God for? Even when circumstances are hard, we are called to spend time rejoicing in what God has blessed us with. It's so easy to fall into an attitude of negativity and complaining. But God wants us to have an attitude of gratitude, spending more time recognizing how he has healed us, blessed us, saved us, taken care of us, and loved us rather than focus on all the crummy stuff.   We will finish up chapter 17 tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki        

Daily Dose of Hope September 5, 2025   Scripture – Luke 16:1-18   Prayer:  Abba Father, Prepare our hearts for your Word today.  Help us approach this Scripture with an openness to learning something new from you.  Jesus, thank you for your perfect example of mercy and love.  More of you and less of me.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the Bible reading plan for New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  It's Friday, yay!, and we are beginning Luke 16.   This chapter has us interpreting more parables.  Just as Luke put like parables together in Luke 15 (the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son), Luke pairs the parable of the shrewd manager that we read today with the parable of Lazarus and the rich man which we will read tomorrow.  Both address the topic of money from various perspectives.   In today's parable, we meet a manager who is accused of not being a good steward of his master's possessions.  In fact, it seems he had been a bit careless and the master was planning to hold him accountable.  The manager, seeing that his fate wasn't good, decided he needed to get to work.  He made shrewd deals with the master's debtors and recovered not all, but at least a good portion of what was owed.  This pleases the master. After Jesus offers this teaching, he goes on, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”  Basically, if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? If you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own? Jesus continues his teaching in verses 10-13,“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”  It says that the Pharisees, who loved money, were very displeased with Jesus, even sneering at him. Jesus is making it clear – people in this world are pretty self-serving.  The manager and the master in the story are both really looking out for themselves. Jesus also wants his followers to look out for themselves, but not in the same way, in a more eternal way. He's encouraging them to think long term, to store up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). He's encouraging us to use our finances in a way so that God enthusiastically welcomes us as good and faithful servants.  What God has given us is a gift and we need to be good stewards of God's precious gifts.  We are to be careful and wise with what we have because none of it is really ours to begin with. Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope September 4, 2025   Scripture - Luke 15   Prayer:  Lord, We give you glory and praise for who you are.  Who are we that you love us so much?  We thank you for your love and care.  Help us be even but a small reflection of your love toward those around us.  More of you and less of me.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the Bible reading plan for New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are reading through Luke 15.   This is a great text, all the parables have to do with things that are lost.  We start with the parable of the lost sheep.  A man has one hundred sheep and loses one.  He leaves all the others to go find that one sheep.  Lost sheep matter to God.  Every single person matters to God and he will go to great lengths to search for them.   In our tradition, we talk about prevenient grace.  That is God's grace that goes before us, that seeks after us before we know God or recognize God or even believe that God is real.  It is God putting people and circumstances in our lives to keep pointing us toward him.  He is wooing us toward him.  He is seeking us out.  Why?  Because he loves each of us so dearly.  He is willing to leave the ninety-nine to go seek out the one.    And one of my favorite parts of this Scripture is when Jesus says, I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.  When someone gives their life to Jesus, heaven throws a party!  How amazing is that? Jesus follows the parable of the lost sheep with the lost coin.  It's a similar story, in which a woman tears her home apart looking for one lost coin.  When she finds it, she rejoices!  Again, Jesus says, In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”  There we go again, heaven is partying and rejoicing when one person is saved. But Jesus closes this teaching with the parable of the lost son.  We also know it as the parable of the prodigal son and many of you are probably familiar with it.  I want to point out a few things from this text.  The Scripture says that when the son was a long way off, his father saw him coming and it says he was “filled with love and compassion” so he ran to him, embraced him, and kissed him. Now, respectable Middle Eastern men did not run. Maybe women and kids ran but men did not. Here is this father lifting his robes, baring his legs, and running to his son. This would have been unthinkable. Then, the father embraces his son and kisses him. This probably wasn't the reception his son was expecting.   Remember, the son is ready with his speech that he practiced about being a hired hand. But the son doesn't even geta chance to finish his speech. The father stops him and says, “Bring the finest robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.” The finest robe would have been the father's robe and here he is asking for the servants to bring it quickly and put it on the youngest son. Wearing the father's robe was a sign of restored standing in the family.   The father didn't say, “We will work on you repaying the debts or I'll take you back after you've groveled a bit.” Rather, he covered his poverty and his ragged clothes with all the signs of the honor. Next, the father asks that the fattened calf be cooked in celebration. Keep in mind, meat was reserved for special occasions and the fattened calf would have been for very rare, very special occasions. And all are invited to celebrate the return of the son.   Most of us know that the story isn't quite over, we have the whole issue of the older brother, and that's an important piece but I'm not going to unpack it today. For now, let's reflect on the father and the youngest son. By now, I'm sure you have figured out that the father is God. We are the sons. We aren't going to get into deep theological analysis of each son, I just want to make a couple points:         God loves us with a love that is so incredibly deep and intense. We can't, in our human brains, really imagine it. If you are a parent, you might understand it to a certain extent. But what is hard for me to understand is that God gave up his own son to die for us (John 3:16).       We have all done things that separate us from God. We are all sinners (Romans 3:23). We have all done things that create a barrier in our relationship with God. We might like to rationalize our sins (think well my sins aren't that bad), the reality is that sin is sin. God sees sin the same, and no matter how big or small in our human way of thinking, it prevents us from being in a restored relationship with God.      Many of us have had our gutter moments. Regardless of how far away from God we are, God is always seeking us, wooing us toward him. He is like the father in the story, looking out the window–is he close by? Is he getting closer? This is certainly an example of prevenient grace.      When we decide to turn back to God, to seek God, God is more than willing to receive us. When we seek Jesus AND decide to say yes to him, he is ready to welcome us into the Kingdom.       When we ask forgiveness from God for our sins, God freely offers it. It doesn't matter what we have done, when we say to God, “I believe in you, I believe in Jesus, I want a relationship with you, I've been wrong, I need your forgiveness.” Just like the father in the story, God is like “YES! Let's celebrate. Let's have a party! I've been waiting for you! Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope September 3, 2025   Scripture - Luke 14:15-35   Prayer: Lord, We come before you today on this Wednesday, and we pray for you to speak to us.  We need you.  We need a new word from you.  We need your guidance, your wisdom, your help, your courage.  Help us set aside the distractions of our day, our many scattered thoughts, and focus on you.  During these next few moments of silence, Jesus, help us remember that we belong to you...Give us the confidence to stand firm in YOU today.  In Your Name, Amen   Welcome back, everyone, to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we dive into the second half of Luke 14.  I should also mention that today is Wednesday so it's Recharge day! Yay!!!  If you are local to the Brandon, Florida, area, please consider joining us at New Hope Church at 6:30 for a time of worship, prayer, fellowship, and small community.  We meet in the Garage, on the Moon Ave. side of campus.   Our reading for today starts with a parable about a great banquet.  Many important people were invited but they all send excuses for why they cannot attend.  As a result, the host (who we can assume is God) asks his servants to go and invite those in the streets – the poor, the downtrodden, the sick, the lowly, in order to fill the seats.  These are people, after all, who will come with both faith and humility.    So what does this all mean?  What is Jesus' point?  The invited guests were initially the Jews, the ones who held on tightly to the law.  They saw themselves as God's people and they thought they were the only ones worthy to come to God's banquet table.  But Jesus was right in front of them and they chose to reject him.  His own people did not receive him.    In the parable, after the spiritually “worthy” send their excuses, the host invites in those who the Jews saw as unworthy – the unclean people, the sick, the weak, even the Gentiles.  The host wants the whole banquet hall to be filled.  God wants as many people as possible to receive his invitation of salvation.   We move from this parable to the cost of being a disciple.  It keeps getting harder.  Jesus speaks of the need to hate those close to us, including our mother and father, wife and children, brothers and sisters, even our own life, in order to follow him.  What do we make of this?  Jesus usually talks about loving others, not hating them.  Remember, whenever a Scripture feels off, we need to go deeper.  So let's do that here.   There are a couple different ways to interpret this Scripture.  Some people might want to go with a literal interpretation but I quickly dismiss that.  Jesus cannot mean to literally hate our family members.  That would contradict so much of his earlier teaching.  It also would contradict his character in general.  So something else is going on here.   It could be that Jesus is using hyperbole.  Remember, hyperbole is an overexaggeration to make a point and Jesus was prone to this kind of speech.  But Jesus is not one to exaggerate commitment.  That also seems out of character.    It seems most likely that there is something going on in the word usage.  When we dig deeper, we find that the word “hate” is sometimes used in ancient Hebrew to mean, “love less.”  One example of this is found in Genesis, when the author writes that “Leah was hated” by Jacob but it is more correctly interpreted as Jacob “loved Rachel more than Leah.”  We see this same kind of language here.  Jesus is saying that those who follow him need to love everyone else less, to such an extent that it might look like hate.  To become a follower of Jesus means to put Jesus above all people and things that we hold most dear.   Jesus also speaks about the necessity of carrying our cross if we want to follow him.  Remember, the cross was a method of execution.  To follow Jesus, we are to carry the thing that will cause our death.  Think about that.  There is pain and suffering in following Jesus.  That isn't something we like to focus on much.  We love the comfort of the Gospel, but what about the cost and challenge of the Gospel?    Would you still be willing to follow Jesus if it meant walking to the gallows?  This is such a foreign idea to us in the United States.  But around the world, there are people who regularly face this threat.  Following Jesus has true cost.  Here's a question for us:  If I were being tortured and persecuted for my faith, would I stay faithful to Jesus or would I give in to the pressure and deny Christ?   What cost have you experienced in following Jesus?  I think this is something for which we need to spend some time in prayer?  What cost have you experienced in following Jesus?  And what if that cost were to get more real? More intense? What if it threatened your very life?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope September 2, 2025   Scripture - Luke 14:1-14   Prayer: Holy and Merciful God, We come to you today rejoicing in your holy name.  It's amazing that you, the God of all, care about the minute details of our lives.  I mean, who are we?  But yet, you love us, you care, you died for us!  Thank you, Jesus.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Help us, as we move on throughout this day to remember your presence.  Guide our words, our actions, and our thoughts.  Help us hear your voice as we engage with your Word today.  We love you.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the Bible reading plan for New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are beginning Luke 14.   We start by joining Jesus at a dinner party on the Sabbath.  Jesus is quite the dinner guest.  He makes things really uncomfortable!  He begins by having a discussion about healing on the Sabbath, which we all know is a sensitive topic.  There is a man there who is desperate for healing (and Jesus does heal him) but he knows that the others will judge his actions.  Jesus speaks preemptively by asking, once again, wouldn't you save a child or an animal who falls in a well on the Sabbath?  They don't answer him but we know that they would in fact save the child or animal.  Do they think this man is less valuable than their own child or animal?  It's a worthwhile question.   But the dinner party isn't over yet.  Jesus looks around and he sees that people have already taken the places of honor.  He speaks of how the guests vie for the best spots, the ones that indicate honor and prestige. But that's dangerous, Jesus says. For the host may actually find someone more distinguished and ask that individual to sit in the seat of honor. Then, the one who originally worked so hard to gain that seat will have to sit somewhere less important. In the end, they will experience humiliation.   While the advice is wise, Jesus is teaching people to be genuinely humble. Before Jesus, the whole concept of humility was unusual. In Roman culture, to be humble was to be weak. Jesus is saying that to be humble is actually smart. It is more in tune with what God calls us to do. In the end, God is going to settle things anyway. God will ensure that the truly humble person will end up where they are supposed to end up and receive the honor that is theirs. But those who think highly of themselves and place themselves on a pedestal risk the very real chance of being knocked off.   Are you humble? I think that's an important question for us all to ask occasionally. Do you think you deserve more honor than others? Where does that thought come from? Let's close with some Scripture from Philippians 2:1-11, Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,  then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God,     did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing    by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,     being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man,    he humbled himself     by becoming obedient to death—         even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place     and gave him the name that is above every name,  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,     in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,    to the glory of God the Father.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope September 1, 2025   Scripture – Luke 13:22-35   Prayer:  Abba Father, We come to you today with gratitude.  Thank you for loving us.  Thank you for wanting a relationship with us. Thank you for never leaving our side.  Help us to follow you more closely, Lord.  We need your truth.  We need your guidance and direction.  With every fiber of our being, we need you.  As we read your Word today and reflect on it, Lord, speak to us.  Help us grow closer to you.  Let us know where we are falling short so that we can be the people you have called us to be.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the Bible reading plan for New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  Happy Monday!  We are currently working our way through the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are finishing up Luke 13.   Jesus tells his listeners that the way to heaven is through the narrow door.  He doesn't directly answer the question about how many will be saved.  It's less an issue about how many (which is out of our control) but rather you will be saved (totally in our control).  The door is narrow because only a few choose to truly follow Jesus through it.  Most people would choose the wider door or the wider road; it's easier and most of the people are headed that way.    This Scripture always reminds me of Robert Frost's poem, The Road Not Taken.  Many of you probably know it.  I would close with the poem except for Frost was a complicated man who was never that clear about his faith.  He had some kind of belief but never professed Jesus as Savior.  I think he struggled with this narrow door/wide door issue.  And there really isn't anything more important in life, getting the doors and roads correct.  Yet, elements of Frost's work point to exactly what Jesus is saying, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”    Which door have you chosen?  Which road will you pursue? We close today's reading with Jesus' sorrow over Jerusalem.  This text has always touched me.  People are warning Jesus to leave Jerusalem.  Even Jewish leaders are warning Jesus that Herod is out to get him, although we have no idea if their concern is sincere. But most people know Jesus is no longer safe there.  The stark reality is that powerful people want him gone, as in dead.  But he continues to lament over his people, he laments over the city.  Keep in mind that to Jews, Jerusalem was the center of everything.  This is where the Temple resided.  This was God's city.  Jesus proclaims, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'”  And when he says this, he is grieving over his city, God's city.  But he is also making a point.  Jesus knows his fate.  He tells them to warn the fox (Herod) that he already knows his fate.  Jesus knows what will happen and he knows that it will happen in Jerusalem.  He will be killed but he will rise in three days.  God will have the last word.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope August 28, 2025   Scripture – Luke 12:35-59   Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are the hope of the world but you are also our hope.  I pray for all those who need hope today.  May they seek you.  I pray for all those who need healing.  May they run to you. I pray for all those who need forgiveness.  May they come to you.  Lord, we all need you.  Before we run to the things of the world, may we rest in you.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we finish Luke 12.   In today's reading, the servants (the disciples in this case) are told to be ready for the return of the master, Jesus, from a wedding banquet.  In the Old Testament, wedding banquets often represent the eschatological hope of God's people.  When we say eschatology, we are referring to the last judgement or the last things, the ultimate destiny of God's people and world.  In the New Testament, the wedding banquet imagery would be centered around Jesus and the hope he brings.  He is the one who came to redeem the world and he is the one who will ultimately come to judge the world.  The disciples are called to be ready and actively waiting for Jesus' return.  And so are we.    The return of Jesus is certain.  When he will return is not.  Are you ready?   The next portion of our reading is difficult.  If I were to ask you why Jesus came to earth, how many of you would say “to bring conflict?”  Hmmm...probably not many.  And yet, Jesus says here that he has come to bring fire on the earth.  He has come to bring division.  How do we reconcile this with Jesus being a Prince of Peace?    I think it's important we look at the context.  Jesus is speaking of the conflict and division his coming will cause.  There was and is division in families because some believe and others don't.  Jesus is saying to expect this rather than be surprised by this.  Following Jesus well is a revolutionary thing.  Maybe following Jesus as a cultural Christian doesn't bring much discord, but truly following the ways of Jesus (as described in the Gospels) puts us at odds with our culture and the greater society.   In the final portion of our reading today, interpreting the times, we find Jesus again referring to the Pharisees as hypocrites.  Afterall, he says, they can interpret the weather, understanding when it's going to rain, but they can't interpret the meaning of Jesus' presence.  They have no idea how significant it is that Jesus is there, nor do they understand his teachings or purpose.  They truly have no idea that the God of the universe has come down among them.    How often do we fail to recognize God in our midst?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope August 27, 2025   Scripture – Luke 12:1-34   Prayer:  Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, That my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, That my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, That I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, To defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, That I always may be holy.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a devotional and podcast that complements the Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we start Luke 12.   We start with Jesus warning his disciples against hypocrisy.  That is the yeast of the Pharisees, saying one thing and doing another.  Another way to put it is to be outwardly religious and inwardly self-serving.  Jesus also warns his disciples to proclaim the Gospel boldly.  Walk the walk.  Those who acknowledge Jesus openly will be acknowledged by God.  Those who are ashamed or fearful to acknowledge Jesus openly will not be acknowledged by God.  There is a real emphasis on not worrying about the fate of the physical body, but focusing on how God will care for us, he will remember us.    This is hard teaching.  We get quite consumed with worrying about our earthly bodies and our earthly livelihoods.  Don't we?  I mean, Jesus is saying to put him first at all costs and he will ensure we are okay. But being okay doesn't mean he will save us in an earthly sense, although he may.  It definitely means he will save us in an eternal sense.  Jesus is saying that is enough.  The big question is --- is that enough for you?  Do you, do I, trust Jesus enough to know that he will not forget me and he will care for me eternally.  This physical world is just a temporary dwelling place.    Our reading goes from here to the parable of the rich fool.  This is a great parable for talking about God's design for wealth.  Yes, we are to save for retirement and ensure we have an emergency fund.  That isn't what Jesus is speaking of!  The man in the parable had abundance, way more than he needed for himself.  But he didn't share it with those in need, nor did he ask God for wisdom in how to use his money.  He built bigger barns.  He liked the idea of having plenty for the future.  In fact, we get the impression that he felt a bit smug because his own future was secure.  But in hoarding his wealth, he failed to consider how God would want him to use his money.  Nor did he consider his eternal future.  He wasn't prepared, as he did nothing to prepare his soul.    What really matters?  How does God call us to use our abundance?   Finally, we move to the portion of the reading dealing with worry.  What is it about us and worry? I have struggled with worry and anxiety for most of my life! I finally had to admit to myself that worrying is lack of trust in God. After all, God loves me and God has promised to care for me. He cares for the birds of the fields; certainly, he cares for me! This doesn't mean things will always go my way. Nor does it absolve me of responsibility in life. I still need to work hard and get things done. But I can know that I know that God is with me and God wants to take care of my needs.   For me, I've found the antidote to worry is prayer. Pray often, pray fervently, pray sincerely. I go through a visual exercise of giving my worry to Jesus. Sometimes I hand it right to Jesus. Other times, I lay it at the foot of the cross. Then, I have to make the decision to not pick it back up. It takes discipline to give our worry to Jesus; I've had to practice this many times. Butit's life changing. When I give my worry to Jesus, I know it's in good hands. And worry no longer steals my joy and monopolizes my thinking. I am free, knowing the God's got this.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki