COLOR IN THE DIRT
The synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) offer unique views into the life and ministry of Jesus, and the good news He proclaims. John’s Gospel is unique in that its opening line reminds us of the first words of the Bible: In the Beginning - Creation. Yet not long after the beginning, sin unraveled everything, and the world felt the impact.
We now live in a messy world. There is heartache, pain, turmoil, and strife. There are countries today that are experiencing war, and people are living in close proximity to each other, yet they are deeply divided. Is it possible to discover good news amidst all that we see in the world we live in? John’s Gospel emphatically says yes!
This book is about God acting in an incredibly new way within creation. It’s a story that starts from the very beginning of history. Imagine composing a beautiful painting on a canvas with a messy background. This is exactly what the book of John does. It tells the story of Jesus and how He enters the messiness of our lives and the messiness of the world we live in and offers us a beautiful life. John is intentional with what he writes. In the same way that an artist is strategic with the paint they use and the type of brush, John is specific about the examples he uses from the life of Jesus for one purpose: that anyone who sees the beauty of the painting would believe. Upon believing, they would have life. John tells us why he wrote this book:
“Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20.30–31).
- The Downtown Hope Theology Team
Sermon begins at 45:07
The Key to Our Hiding Places | John 20
May 7, 2023 | JOEY TOMASSONI
In this message, Joey concludes our series “Color in the Dirt” by walking us through John 20.19-23 to discover the key that unlocks our hiding rooms and what happens when the door swings wide open.
Sermon begins at 57:08
Gazing at the Cross | John 19
April 30, 2023 | JOHN CAVALLARO
Sermon begins at 39:40
Priestly Prayer | John 17
April 23, 2023 | DAVID BEMPONG
The Way Home | John 14:1-7
April 16, 2023 | AARON MAYHEW
We are living in a time of increasing anxiety, polarization, violence, discontent, loneliness, despair, addiction, and hopelessness despite being one of the most advanced civilizations in the history of the world. If this is the case, could it be that we are looking for something we cannot find on our own? In this message we explore what everyone is looking for and the secret to finding it.
Sermon begins at 41:45
EASTER SUNDAY 2023
April 9, 2023 | DAVID BEMPONG
GOOD FRIDAY 2023
April 7, 2023 | JOEY TOMASSONI
Sermon begins at 39:14
A King Worthy to Follow | John 12.12-19
April 2, 2023 | JOEY TOMASSONI
We are contingent creatures, designed to be dependent upon our Creator God - to follow. And yet, in the wake of our first parents’ rebellion, we substitute following our God for some parody of a leader. The question is, what makes a leader worthy of our followership, and who will we ultimately follow? This Palm Sunday we join with our brothers and sisters around the world to remember an event that points us to a leader who alone is worthy of following.
Sermon begins at 42:45
The Man Born Blind | John 9
March 26, 2023 | DAVID BEMPONG
In this message we explore John 9 and discover how Jesus, the light of the world, has the power to give sight to the blind.
Sermon begins at 45:40
Intentional Freedom | John 8.30-37
March 19, 2023 | ANUSH JOHN
Many of us live in a "free world." But, is it possible that our freedom is only external and superficial? This sermon explores briefly the concept of sin and a radical method of freedom.
Sermon begins at 35:20
Jesus Our Drink | John 7.37-39
March 12, 2023 | JOEY TOMASSONI
After three days without water, human life falters. This precious resource sustains us, exposing our fragility and dependency. Each Autumn, the Jewish Nation held a festival called “Feast of Booths”, where they offered the first fruits of their harvest and lived in temporary shelters among the vineyards for a week. It was a festival where the nation was reminded of their own fragile existence- how dependent they are on the Lord’s provision by remembering their time dwelling in tents (shelters) during their wilderness wandering. In John 7 we discover Jesus has journeyed to this festival in Jerusalem to further reveal his identity and in doing so, our fragility and dependency on a lasting drink that quenches our thirsty souls.
Sermon begins at 43:55
Bread of Life | John 6.25-35
March 5, 2023 | DAVID BEMPONG
Jesus offers bread that grants eternal life. Bread that truly satisfies. In this message we discover how we receive this incredible gift.
Sermon begins at 42:30
The Third Sign | John 5.1-15
Feb. 26, 2023 | DAVID BEMPONG
Have you ever felt like giving up? It seems like all the odds are stacked against you. In this message we read about a man who had every reason to give up. Instead of giving up, Jesus offers him two words that forever changed his life. These words can change our life as well.
Sermon starts at 45:15
The Second Birth | John 3.1-15
Feb. 19, 2023 | JOEY TOMASSONI
In a world that tends toward decay, two entropic beings, created uniquely as male and female, coming together to conceive a new life is an utter miracle- we call it the miracle of birth. In John 3, Jesus takes this imagery and ushers us even further into the mystery of the cosmos to discover an alternative birth that God himself conceives within the human condition. This second birth is not of human origin but of God's very Spirit. In this message we explore Jesus' teaching on the second birth, a regeneration that renders us citizens of God's Kingdom or new creatures in His new creation.
Sermon begins at 40:55
The Wedding At Cana | John 2.1-12
Feb. 12, 2023 | DAVID BEMPONG
Jesus could have begun his public ministry in several ways. He could have raised the dead, He could have healed the sick, He could have given an amazing discourse on the law. According to John, the first sign… the first thing He does is transform water into wine at a Jewish wedding. In this message we discover the significance of this act.
Sermon begins at 44:40
Come and See | John 1.35-42
Feb. 5, 2023 | CHRIS ADOMANIS
Jesus is assigned and associated with many names/titles throughout all of Scripture, in both the Old and the New Testament. In John 1:35-51 alone, there are TEN such “descriptors” listed, and every one of them gives us a little glimpse into the character and essence of who Jesus is and who He claimed to be. Interestingly, these names are scattered throughout verses that recount the story behind Jesus calling His very first disciples to follow Him. In a sermon titled “What’s in a Name? Come and See!!!“, DH Elder Chris Adomanis will delve into two of these names and explore the deep and abiding Biblical truths found in them and how we can use them to witness and disciple others in our spheres of influence today.
Family of God | John 1.13-14
Jan. 29, 2023 | DAVID BEMPONG
In this message we begin our series focused on the life of Jesus in the book of John.