Various scriptures - In this message we looked at the overarching story of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and how it builds toward the hope for a messiah to come and put things right. In that story we find a connection between ancient Israel's hopeful longing before Jesus's first advent and our hopeful longing before Jesus's second advent. A sermon by Cameron Heger.

Hope of Israel, Hope of the World / Christmas in the Old Testament

Revelation 19:6-10 - We can rightly think of food and drink as the gifts and glories of the garden made consumable for our nourishment and pleasure. God didn't have to make food with as much delicious potentiality as He did, but He did as a pure gift to his creatures! In this teaching we consider how to receive food as the gift that it is as well as how to let it stir up our longings for the greatest feast of our lives--when we will finally be united with Jesus at the marriage supper of the Lamb. A sermon by Cameron Heger. [Part 8 of the series "God of Every Good Thing"]

Gifts of Food & Drink

Matthew 1:18-25 - Matthew's account of the birth of Jesus focuses on the relational drama between Mary and Joseph receiving unthinkable news: the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. This is far from an incidental reality--it is the key to the idea that Jesus is "Emmanuel" or "God with us" in the deepest sense. It is also the key to the idea that Jesus is able to save us from our sins. It’s the best news imaginable. A sermon by Cameron Heger. [Part 2 of the series "Advent According to Matthew"]

Questions for discussion: 1) Why do you suppose God chose to bring about the birth of Jesus in such an emotionally fraught way for Joseph and Mary? 2) How does Jesus’s genuine humanity especially qualify him to be our judge and savior? 3) How does Jesus’s genuine divinity change the meaning of God being “with us” from how it was before the incarnation of Jesus? 4) Why is salvation from sin such a deep and urgent need for Jesus to meet? 5) Do you think of God as “with” you in your day-to-day life? What would change if you did?

Emmanuel (Advent 2023)

As surprising as it sounds to many, our relationship to food is an important potential avenue for worship. For most, fasting and participating in the Lord’s Supper come to mind—but an often-neglected theme across the pages of scripture is feasting. God’s people have always been a feasting people and their feasting, at its best, has always been a joyful, celebratory, worshipful response to God’s character and work. May we learn to step into this great practice as we await the greatest feast yet to come when Jesus restores all things. A sermon by Cameron Heger. [Part 4 of our series “The Praises of His People: A Practical Theology of Worship”]


Questions for discussion: 1) What is the most memorable meal or feast you’ve ever been a part of? What made it so special? 2) Why did the Israelites break out into worship in Nehemiah 8:1-12? 3) Why do you think God commands feasting as a response to Him and His Word? What does this say about Him? 4) Nehemiah 8:10 says in part, ‘And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ How is joy in God a source of strength? What does this mean for how we celebrate? 5) One of the greatest gifts of the gospel is an invitation to the wedding supper of the lamb (Revelation 19). How is our feasting today related to that great feast that is yet to come?

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If God Is That Good, Let Us Eat! (Feasting as Worship)

Door of Hope Northeast is a simple church pursuing the risen Jesus in deep community in and for Portland, Oregon. This podcast collects our weekly teachings, key ministry updates, and other important news related to the life of our community.

Emmanuel (Advent 2023)

Door of Hope Northeast

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