HPUMC - Sanctuary Sermons (Traditional Worship)

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. This week, we are finishing the story of the Good Samaritan—a story that begins with a question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” That’s a big question. It is a question that many of us have wrestled with at some point on our journey of faith. And the lawyer who asked it was about to find out what happens when what he thinks is obvious is placed in the Son's light.  The question seemed straightforward. The lawyer wanted a clear answer and to test Jesus’ understanding of the law. Jesus doesn’t respond with a formula or checklist—he turns the question back on the man, asking, “What is written in the law?” and “How do you read it?” That simple shift invites the lawyer, and us, to look inward. It’s not just about knowing the right words but living them. That is how we inherit eternal life, living our lives like Jesus and living out the words he teaches.

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Everyone knows the story of the Good Samaritan. They could practically tell it in their sleep. It’s the classic tale of helping your neighbor. There’s nothing to add to it. But what if we looked at the story from the viewpoint of a new journey? A journey that ends in Jericho. If there is another way of looking at it, maybe this story is like one of those pictures where you see one thing, then either turn it around or focus on a different part of it and see something else—like the duck that could also be a rabbit, or the chalice that is also two faces looking at each other. We’ve all seen Jesus’ story one way, but maybe there’s another way to look at it. In this sermon, we’ll unpack how the story is about more than defining our neighbor. Much more.

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Have you ever done something and then felt guilty about it? Whether we deny it or face it head-on, we’ve come up with a million ways to deal with the guilt. Guilt can be something that comes so easily but is so hard to move on from. Learning to move on from guilt doesn’t mean forgetting what we did; it means understanding, taking responsibility, and using the experience for growth. Guilt can be heavy and dark, but the good news is we don't need to be so inventive when it comes to dealing with our guilt. The life of David gives us a pretty simple playbook to use when we’ve fallen short.

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. God is good, all the time! And, all the time, God is good! We believe that. We proclaim that. But c'mon... Aren't there days when you feel like you've lost all momentum when it comes to experiencing the goodness of God? You've been following God, worshiping God, and praying to God just like you were told, and your life seems to be anything but good. What then? If you have ever wondered where the goodness of God has gone, you'll want to hear this message. We'll be in the third week of our exploration of 1 & 2 Samuel as we look at the life of David.

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. You have nothing to fear! Has anyone ever said that to you when you were fearful of something? And they probably meant well. They were just trying to calm you down by minimizing the object of your fear. But what if the object of your fear really exists? How do you avoid being fearful when there really is something to be afraid of?  Fear is a natural part of life and something that we can often hide behind. But just because we can hide behind it doesn’t mean we don’t have to. Frequently in the Bible, we see “Do not be afraid” or “Fear not,” and those can be reminders that fear does not need to be in control. In this sermon, we learn about a young David standing firm in the face of fear and leaning into the strength of God.  

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. It's time to celebrate! When Project Mockingbird began, we invited you to be part of the "echo" in order to continue the great work of HPUMC over the past 109 years, both ON and FROM the corner of Hillcrest and Mockingbird. We believe the brighter HPUMC shines, the more light we bring to our community and the city of Dallas. You have answered that call.  Your support is a testament to the strength of a church that has made an impact and will continue to do so for years to come. Thanks to your generosity, we are moving forward with initiatives focused on a thriving church, thriving leadership, and thriving community partners. Our work remains ahead of us, but through this celebration, we are encouraged to keep moving forward.

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. There is extraordinary power in partnership. Two partners, with synergy and collaboration, can yield extraordinary results. That’s why our church loves joining together with other churches and nonprofits to do miraculous things for the city of Dallas in the name of Christ. Connectionalism is a vital aspect of United Methodism, and we see its fruit through our partnership with St. Luke UMC.  In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus says that everyone is our neighbor. Our neighbor is not limited to our physical neighbor, our city, or our job, but everyone we interact with. We are challenged in this story to expand our vision of who we typically consider our neighbors.

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Decisions! Decisions! We make them all day long, and they never stop coming. Some big, some small. Some are worrisome, some are no big deal. But our identity is ultimately derived from the decisions we make—and so is our impact. Every choice—whether personal, professional, or societal—carries consequences that ripple outward. Good decision-making can build trust, reduce risk, and create long-term success, while poor decisions can waste resources, damage credibility, or close off future options. As we consider what great leadership looks like in our community, we'll talk about one of the most important decisions we all face sooner or later.

Click/tap here to view the sermon reflection guide. Processing so much hatred and violence can feel overwhelming—and everyone has an opinion. From peers to pundits, you don't have to look far to find out how people feel about it. One thing to think about is, has anyone asked God? We often turn to our friends, family, social media, and other sources to process emotions or significant events, forgetting to turn to God. God’s heart breaks with ours, and we see moments of that reflected throughout Scripture.  It’s easy to get mixed up in all of the chaos and forget our call as disciples to be peacemakers. But when violence happens, we can look to Jesus, our perfect example of peace, and seek out ways to be stewards of that peace for ourselves and those around us.

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. It's common to think that your relationship with God should just be between you and God. While faith might be personal, it can never be individualistic. You see, we're not just responsible for our own faith. We're called to lay the groundwork for the faith of the generation to come. Sharing our faith can be as simple as an invitation or as large as truly living life by your beliefs. However you choose to do it, sharing your faith is part of your calling as a Christian.  In this sermon, we continue our series on The Great Commission by considering the challenging question, “Am I willing to share my faith or not?” Through sharing our faith, we lay the groundwork for the next generation and show the light of Jesus to those around us. This week, we dig deeper into what it looks like to practically share our faith in our daily lives.  

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Have you ever longed for a relationship to grow closer? Maybe it’s a friend who stays polite but guarded, an adult child who keeps you at a distance, or a family member who resists reconciliation. Most of us can relate, and Scripture tells us that God can, too. His desire is an intimate, loving relationship with us, yet many of us settle for something polite but shallow. Just as we can’t force closeness with others, God doesn’t force it with us. He stands at the door and knocks, waiting for us to let Him in. Last week, we began a new series on the Great Commission, where Jesus calls us to make disciples of all nations—people who draw close to him and become like him. But that raises a challenge: how can we make disciples if we’re not confident in our own discipleship? This week, we’ll explore what it means to walk with Jesus in the small, ordinary moments of everyday life and move from a surface-level faith to one shaped by His presence.

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Did you know that the word “Christian” only appears three times in the entire Bible? It emerged in the early days of the church as a derogatory label for those who followed Jesus. But when Jesus and the New Testament authors spoke about those who chose to follow him, they used the same word over 250 times: disciple. And as it turns out, being a disciple is a far more demanding calling. In this sermon, we explore what it really means to be a disciple of Jesus and why it challenges so many of the ways we naturally live. We wrestle with the question: if following Jesus is more than a label, what does your life look like when you actually do it?

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Guardrails aren’t placed in the middle of danger. They are strategically positioned to stop you before you get there—along sharp curves, at the edge of steep drop-offs, and in the places where one wrong move could change everything. We put guardrails where the risk is high and the cost of ignoring them is even higher. In this series, we’ve been exploring the boundaries God gives to protect us from harm and guide us toward the life He designed. In this final message, we ask, “Where do you need guardrails in your life before it’s too late?” Most of us only start looking for boundaries after we’ve already hit something, but what if you could see the danger ahead and avoid it altogether? This conversation could spare you years of regret and help you preserve what matters most.

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. What if the way you spend your time is quietly steering your life in a direction you never intended? In a world that glorifies busyness, it’s easy to believe the false gospel that hurry equals a full life, productivity equals worth, and rest equals laziness. But this relentless pace leaves us anxious, exhausted, and distracted. So how do we trade a life of hurrying for the life God designed? In this sermon, we’ll explore the guardrails we need to avoid danger when it comes to one of our most precious resources: our time. For anyone who has felt the weight of nonstop deadlines, the buzz of your phone, or the pressure to prove your worth through productivity, this message invites us to consider how we steward our time and what might be lost if we don’t.

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide No one gets behind the wheel planning to crash. Yet, it happens every day. People crash, not because they meant to, but because they drifted, got distracted, or ignored the warnings. This isn’t just true for driving. It’s true in life. People don’t plan to wreck their marriage, lose their integrity at work, or compromise their financial future. But all too often it happens when we live without guardrails. In this new series, “Guardrails,” we are exploring the spiritual boundaries God gives, not to restrict us, but to protect what matters most. In this sermon, we begin in Genesis 3 with a subtle question that changed everything: Can God really be trusted?

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. What would it look like if the door to God’s love and grace was wide open in your life? What if God’s peace, mercy, and goodness were breaking through in your everyday moments? Prayer is the way Jesus teaches us to connect with God and invite Him to shape our daily lives. In this sermon, we explore Luke 11, where Jesus teaches us how to pray and shows us that when we ask, seek, and knock, God responds. We’ll uncover practical ways to “open doors” so heaven becomes real in our homes, workplaces, and communities through the way we live and love.

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Have you ever found yourself at a loss for words when someone you care about is hurting? It’s easy to feel powerless. You want to comfort, but you don’t want to say the wrong thing. You want to show up, but you’re not sure how. This desire within us—to help, to be useful, to make a difference—is Christlike. After all, we follow Jesus, who taught us to move towards the hurting and be the hands and feet of God. But what if offering our presence could be just as powerful as taking action? In this sermon, we explore the comfort God offers us and calls us to extend to others. Together, we consider how God can shape us into people of deeper strength and compassion in a hurting world.

Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. What do we do when tragedy strikes and suffering seems random? It’s easy to feel overwhelmed or distant from God in the face of broken circumstances and unanswered questions. Yet, we believe that these hard realities don’t mean God is absent or uncaring. So, how can we recognize and hold onto God’s love in the midst of life’s messiness?  In this sermon, we explore how God responds to our pain and shares our struggles with us. Through the Parable of the Good Samaritan, we discover a beautiful image of compassion that doesn’t just observe suffering from a distance but moves toward it, even when it is costly.