Hope Alliance Nazareth

Pastor Jim Entwistle

5.0 (8)
CHRISTIANITY
UPDATED WEEKLY

A sermon podcast of Hope Alliance Church

2D AGO

Jesus-Shaped Marriage

In this message from Ephesians 5, Pastor Jim frames marriage as part of God’s larger new-creation work, calling believers to see it not in isolation but within the story of the gospel and the unified family of God. Using the image of good and bruised apples, he acknowledges both the goodness and brokenness people experience in marriage while urging a fresh look at God’s design: a “good apple” rooted in Christ. Paul’s teaching is presented as both cultural and transcendent, ultimately revealing a subversive, gospel-centered vision where mutual submission replaces self-centered authority, and marriage becomes “gospel theater” that reflects Christ’s sacrificial love for the Church. Rather than reinforcing power structures, Paul redefines them through the cross, calling husbands and wives alike to die to self and serve one another in love, producing both a lived experience of grace and a visible witness to the world. The catalyst for this kind of marriage is not effort but transformation, being filled with the Spirit and anchored in identity in Christ rather than in a spouse. When reverence for Christ shapes the relationship, couples are freed from unrealistic expectations and empowered to offer truth, mercy, and reconciliation, displaying a foretaste of restored oneness and God’s kingdom in everyday life.

38 min
APR 12

Living as Light

In this message from Ephesians 5:1–21, Pastor Jim calls believers to live in light of their identity in Christ. Rather than a “holier than thou” mindset, this passage is a call to holiness rooted in being dearly loved children of God. Because believers are now light in the Lord, they are invited to live as children of light for the glory of God and the good of the world. The message centers on three movements: who we are, how we walk, and what it produces. Christians are no longer in darkness but have been made new, with minds awakened to truth and identity grounded in God’s love. From that identity flows a new way of living, marked by sacrificial love, purity, gratitude, and being led by the Spirit rather than by flesh or cultural patterns. Pastor Jim emphasizes that holiness is not restrictive but life-giving. As believers live differently, through their actions, words, and relationships, they become a light that exposes darkness and points others toward God. This is not behavior modification but grace-driven obedience that reflects new creation life at work.

36 min
APR 5

Easter: Our Victory Secured

In this Easter message from Philippians 2:6–11, Pastor Jim explores Jesus’ journey from humility and death to resurrection and exaltation. Using the image of a race already won, he shows that Jesus has secured victory over sin and death, and that victory is now given to those who are in Him, changing how we live each day. The message follows three movements: the road Jesus took, our union with Him, and new creation living. Jesus chose the path of a servant, humbling Himself to the cross before being raised in glory. This same pattern, descent before ascent, is the path believers are invited into, dying to self to find true life in Christ. Pastor Jim closes by emphasizing that the resurrection is not just future hope but present reality. In Jesus, new creation has already begun, giving believers a new identity and a transformed way of living that reflects His victory.

32 min
APR 3

Good Friday: Our Guilt Removed

In this message from Hebrews 9–10 and 12, Pastor Jim explores what truly happened on the cross and why it matters for how we understand our faith. He frames the message around three movements: the problem, the cross, and communion with God. The problem is not only sin, but the guilt and shame that come with it, shaping how we see ourselves and relate to God. While people often try to resolve this through religion, self-effort, or self-condemnation, these approaches may cover sin temporarily but never fully cleanse the conscience or remove shame. Pastor Jim explains that the cross accomplishes what nothing else can. Through His sacrifice, Jesus provides eternal redemption, removing guilt and taking on shame once and for all. Unlike repeated sacrifices or personal striving, the work of Christ is complete, offering a finished solution that frees believers from trying to earn acceptance. The cross is not just a doctrine to understand, but a reality that transforms how we see ourselves, replacing condemnation with forgiveness and restoring our value through the love of Christ. As a result, the cross opens the way for true communion with God. Because of Jesus, believers can draw near with confidence, no longer defined by guilt or shame, but by grace and righteousness in Him. Pastor Jim emphasizes that this truth must move from something we believe once to something we live daily, continually returning to the cross and allowing it to shape our identity, faith, and relationship with God.

32 min
MAR 29

Palm Sunday: Our Humble King

In this Palm Sunday message from Matthew 21:1–17, Pastor Jim walks through Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, showing how people can recognize a problem yet misidentify its true source. The crowds expected a political solution in the overthrow of Rome, but Jesus reveals a deeper issue rooted in sin within the human heart. He contrasts expectations of a powerful, conquering king with the reality of a humble King who enters on a donkey, not to seize power, but to heal, restore, and draw near to the broken. In doing so, Jesus also redefines the temple, disrupting empty religious practices and revealing that true access to God is no longer found in a place, but in Himself. The religious system had become outwardly active but inwardly disconnected, missing the very presence of God before them. As Jesus heals the blind and welcomes the praise of children, He demonstrates that the kingdom is open to the humble, the needy, and those willing to come to Him in faith. Pastor Jim emphasizes that the problem is ultimately internal, not external, and that Jesus addresses the root rather than the symptoms. The message calls for a response of humble need and childlike trust, inviting believers to stop trying to fix themselves and instead turn to Jesus as the true solution who brings healing, forgiveness, and new life.

33 min
MAR 22

Put On the New Self

In this message from Ephesians 4:17–32, Pastor Jim shifts from identity to behavior, showing how a transformed life in Christ leads to transformed actions. He contrasts the “old self,” marked by futility, selfishness, and deceitful desires, with the “new self,” rooted in truth, awareness, and life in Jesus. The old way of living promises satisfaction but ultimately leads to emptiness, while the new way invites believers to actively put off harmful patterns and put on Christlike character through the renewal of the mind. This renewal is both a spiritual and intentional process, requiring daily decisions to reject falsehood and embrace truth. As believers grow in this new identity, their lives begin to reflect generosity, honesty, encouragement, and compassion. Pastor Jim emphasizes that this transformation is not just personal but communal. The new self builds up the body of Christ through truthful speech, generous action, and grace-filled words that strengthen others. Ultimately, this passage calls believers to live with intentional awareness, choosing obedience over old habits and displaying the character of Jesus in everyday life.

37 min
MAR 15

Building Mature Faith Together

In this message from Ephesians 4:11–16, Pastor Jim explores the difference between immature faith and mature faith and how the church grows into Christlikeness together. Using the imagery of waves and wind pushing a boat off course, he explains how believers can be easily tossed around by life’s circumstances or by new teachings when their identity is not firmly rooted in Jesus. Immature faith reacts to every wave and follows every new voice, but mature faith stays anchored to the gospel and keeps its focus on Christ. Jim reminds listeners that maturity is not simply knowing more information about the Bible but allowing the gospel to reshape identity so that believers increasingly reflect Jesus. As the body of Christ grows together, each person plays a role by speaking the truth in love, encouraging one another, and helping one another stay fixed on the horizon of Christ. Through this shared ministry the church is built up, strengthened in unity, and equipped to display the fullness of Jesus to the world.

39 min
MAR 8

Equipped to Grow

In this message from Ephesians 4:7–16, Pastor Jim explains how Jesus, the victorious and ascended King, gives gifts to his people so that the church can grow into maturity. After defeating the powers of sin and death through his life, death, and resurrection, Jim shows how Christ now distributes grace to the church through leaders who proclaim and clarify the gospel, equipping believers for works of service. The goal is not spectatorship but participation as every follower of Jesus grows beyond spiritual infancy and begins to serve as part of the body of Christ. Jim challenges listeners to move beyond gathering information about faith and instead allow the gospel to shape identity, produce transformation, and lead to active ministry in everyday life. As the church builds one another up in truth and love, believers grow toward unity, deeper knowledge of Jesus, and the fullness of maturity that reflects Christ to the world.

35 min

5

out of 5

8 Ratings

Excellent Biblical teaching

02/16/2019

MGinion

I am really enjoying the easy access to Pastor Jim’s messages via podcast. He is an excellent Bible teacher and humbly shares from his heart.

A sermon podcast of Hope Alliance Church

Creator

Pastor Jim Entwistle
Years Active

2018 - 2026
Episodes

373
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© 2026 Hope Alliance Nazareth
Show Website

Hope Alliance Nazareth