Living Hope Fellowship

In part 2 of a three-part series entitled, Walking In The Fear of the Lord, Pastor Chris Rieber looks at 5 positive results of having a healthy fear of God. It is a fear which results in an awareness of God's goodness to offer grace instead of condemnation, forgiveness instead of judgment and love instead of rejection. This should lead to a joyful desire to obey God, walk with Him daily, love Him more and worship Him continually.

This week at Living Hope Fellowship, Pastor Derek continued the series in Colossians with “Is He Worthy? Part Two” from Colossians 1:24–2:3. Building on last week’s message, we are reminded that Christ’s supremacy calls us to lives of sacrifice, perseverance, and devotion. Through Paul’s example, we see that following Jesus often involves hardship, but it is always worth it because of who Christ is and what He has done. This sermon challenges us to examine our lives and consider whether we are truly living in a way that reflects the worth of Christ. As we prepare our hearts for Easter, we are called to ask an important question: Is He worthy?

This week at Living Hope Fellowship, Pastor Derek preached a message titled “Is He Worthy? Christ’s Supremacy and Our Sacrifice” from Colossians 1:24–2:3. In this passage, the Apostle Paul describes both the suffering and the joy that come with faithfully serving Christ and sharing the gospel. The message reminds us that when we truly understand the supremacy of Christ, our response is a life of sacrificial devotion to Him. Paul’s example shows that following Jesus often requires perseverance and a willingness to serve others so that they may come to know the truth of the gospel. The motivation behind that sacrifice is clear: Jesus is worthy. This sermon challenges us to consider whether our lives reflect the worth of Christ and to ask ourselves: Is He truly first in our lives?

This Sunday at Living Hope Fellowship, Pastor Derek continued our study through Colossians, preaching from Colossians 1:15–23. The message centered on a powerful truth: nothing and no one can come before or beside Jesus. In this passage, we see that Jesus is not simply important—He is preeminent. He is fully God, the One through whom and for whom all things were created, and the One who is redeeming all of creation. Pastor Derek walked through three key truths about Christ: • Jesus is God • We were created by Jesus and for Jesus • Jesus is redeeming creation We were also reminded that: Jesus is first Jesus went first Jesus must be put first The sermon concluded with three important questions for reflection: • Is Jesus important in my life, or is He truly first? • What gets my first and my best? • Am I listening to and obeying Jesus? As we continue through Colossians, this message challenges us to examine whether Christ truly holds the central place in our lives.

This Sunday, Pastor Derek continued our study through the book of Colossians with a message titled “The Why to Our What” from Colossians 1:1–14. The central truth was clear: Christ must be preeminent in our faith. Big Idea: Christ must be preeminent for our faith to be relevant. Walking verse by verse through the opening of Colossians, we were reminded that: When Christ is preeminent, the believer has identity (Col. 1:1–2, 14) When Christ is preeminent, the gospel has power (Col. 1:3–8) When Christ is preeminent, life has meaning (Col. 1:9–11) When Jesus is preeminent, worship gets real (Col. 1:12–14) Everything in the Christian life flows from keeping Jesus first. This message calls us back to the foundation of our faith—making Christ not just present, but prominent in every area of our lives. If you missed Sunday, we invite you to listen and be encouraged.