Hillside Church's Podcast

As we begin the Book of Acts, Jesus is getting ready to leave His disciples.  He’s got forty days for final instructions and encouragements.  Ready or not, the disciples are going to have to take the lead. This morning we’ll take a look at three gifts Jesus gives to His disciples before He ascends into heaven. - Pastor Ron KoolSupport the show

Sometimes when we look at something we wonder, “How did that happen?” We see a turtle on a fencepost and we wonder, “How did that happen?” We see two people who are really different get married and we wonder, “How did that happen?” We see someone who was really wild in High School become a teacher and we think, “How did that happen?”  This morning we’re beginning a new series on the book of Acts.  When we look at who and where Jesus’ followers were in the beginning of the book and then look again at the end of the book, we have to wonder, “How did that happen?”  In the book of Acts, Luke tells us how it happened. - Pastor Ron KoolSupport the show

Today we will look at the somewhat mysterious characters of the Magi. Were they really anything like we often think? Why did Matthew include them in his Gospel and what was the message he was conveying in so doing? The sermon will look at and seek to answer these questions and see what the message of the Magi may mean for us also today. - Pastor Scott HoezeeSupport the show

There are so many good things about Christmas. The music, the lights, the presents, the food. So many good things. But sometimes we can get so busy with the good things that we miss the best thing about Christmas—that God’s grace has broken through to us in Jesus.  When we know that grace, we can know that it’s all right, even though it’s all wrong. - Pastor Ron Kool(Titus 2 11-13)Support the show

As we get closer to Christmas things get busier for many of us. We have more presents to buy, more decorations to put out, and more parties to attend. In the midst of all our running around, God promises us an amazing thing through His prophet Micah. Peace. That’s something we can all use. - Pastor Ron KoolSupport the show

As we get closer to Christmas, everyone expects there to be joy in the air! But is it always appropriate to have joy when the world and our lives are a mess? Zephaniah says we can by fixing out eyes on The Day of the Lord. - Pastor Arek O'ConnellSupport the show

John the Baptist is a necessary figure in Advent and yet somehow we don't often include John much in our Advent and Christmas reflections.  Who was John?  Why was he necessary to appear before the arrival of Jesus and what can we still learn from him today?  In today's sermon we will look at Malachi's prediction of this necessary messenger and then Luke's presentation of John the Baptist's ministry.- Pastor Scott HoezeeSupport the show

Advent is a time that the Church can grow deeper in confidence by looking back to see how God's Word came to fulfillment with the birth of Jesus Christ. It was a birth of great anticipation even through challenging times. This sermon series will look at some key Old Testament passages where God gave a word of Hope during difficult times. Calvin Theological Seminary President, Jul Medenblik, will help us hear God's promises as found in Jeremiah 33. The people of God were about to go into exile, but God promises there is something more and better that is coming for them because of His love and faithfulness. - Pastor Jul MedenblikSupport the show

2 Kings 6- Pastor Arek O'ConnellSupport the show

Have you heard of the Yada People of India? The Jambi people of Indonesia? The Awan People of Pakistan? Each of these people groups has more than 1 million persons, yet more than 95% of them have no opportunity to hear the Gospel. God's heart is to reach these "lostest of the lost" (and many more). What does he want us to do about them? - Pastor Stan KruisSupport the show

We've talked a lot recently about what it means to be appropriately clothed before the presence of God. But what type of action is expected of those who are clothed in Christ? What will ultimately motivate us to live a life that Christ has called us to? - Pastor Arek O'ConnellSupport the show

Everyone knows you can't just show up in your blue collar clothes to a wedding. Even if we would prefer to wear something else, we put our best on to honor the people we're celebrating. Jesus tells us a parable about how we should be dressed for the ultimate wedding banquet in Heaven in the Gospel of Matthew. - Pastor Arek O'ConnellSupport the show

On our journey through the Tabernacle, we come to the final room—The Most Holy Place.  This is God’s room and inside of it was the most important religious symbol for the people of Israel—The Ark of the Covenant.  This morning we’ll ask what made the Ark (and its cover) so important and how it points us to Jesus. - Pastor Ron KoolSupport the show

Priests were essential people in the life of God’s people.  They were the mediators between God and His people—they would bring the needs of the people to God and they would bring the grace of God to the people.  It was amazingly important work.  But what made them able to do that work? How could normal people become priests whom God could use? And how might you and I become people whom God can use to be channels of His grace? - Pastor Ron KoolSupport the show

This Sunday we begin the journey of seeing the High Priest prepare to enter the most Holy Place. Not just any person is able to enter into God's presence, only the High Priest can. God turned Aaron from "just a person" into a Priest for God's service and that started by clothing him with the right garments. The good news is that we aren't "just people" either. In Christ, we are a part of the priesthood of all believers called to Kingdom Service. And just as God clothed Aaron in priestly garments, so too are we clothed in Christ as we serve Him and others. - Pastor Arek O'ConnellSupport the show

For some of us, we were raised to think that burning incense was something that other religions did, not ours. But as we continue our journey through the Tabernacle we come to the Altar of Incense, a small table on which the priests would burn incense twice a day, every day.  This morning we’ll think about what this Altar has to say to us today. - Pastor Ron KoolSupport the show

The furniture we have in our homes says something about us. If the entire family room is focused on an 80" TV screen, we have an idea of what is important to the homeowner. God's furniture says something about what is important to Him and this morning we'll look at two of those pieces of furniture - The Table and the Lampstand. - Pastor Ron KoolSupport the show

We've seen that God had Moses build the Tabernacle so He could live with His people. In Exodus 26, God tells Moses about how He wants His "home" built. This morning we'll look at what we learn about God from the home Moses built for Him. - Pastor Ron KoolSupport the show

Last week we talked about how God wants to be with us and we need to be with God, but we can't because of our sinfulness. This week we'll start to look at how God makes a way for us to be with Him, a way for us to come home. The first step is not an easy one for us. - Pastor Ron KoolSupport the show

It sounds kind of crazy (especially for those of us who aren't wild about camping), but for a long time, God lived in a tent. For almost 500 years God lived in what was known as the Tabernacle - a tent that the Israelites carried with them in the wilderness and then into the Promised Land. This morning we're going to begin a series where we look at the Tabernacle and see what it was and who it pointed to. - Pastor Ron KoolSupport the show