You can feel heartbroken by the news and still never do anything about it.

Catastrophizing. Doomscrolling. Compassion fatigue. Comfort-zone syndrome. We have a dozen ways to feel deeply about suffering in the world — and still keep it at arm's length. This week kicks off a new series through the Old Testament book of Nehemiah, and it starts in an unexpected place: not with a plan, but with a broken heart.

Nehemiah had comfort, access, and success. He also had a choice: stay safe, or let someone else's pain interrupt his life. Before he ever picked up a hammer to rebuild a wall, he wept, fasted, and prayed.

In this message, we talk about:

• Why proximity changes compassion from a feeling into an action
• The four foundations of biblical compassion — starting with turning to God, not trying to fix, avoid, or numb what hurts
• Why the greatest test of compassion isn't when we're hurting, but when we're comfortable and someone else is

Kicking off a 7-week series on the character God is shaping in us — starting with Compassion.

Scripture referenced: Nehemiah 1:1–11 · Matthew 9:36 · Isaiah 49:15 · 1 John 1:9

#Nehemiah #Compassion #SermonSeries

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What if the goal isn't a different season — it's deeper roots?

Everybody is trusting something to hold their life together: control, approval, success, another person, themselves. It works fine until the heat comes — a diagnosis, a closed door, a kid who won't choose right, a prayer that isn't answered on your timeline. Suddenly you find out what your roots were really in.

In Jeremiah 17:5–8, God gives a picture of two lives: one like a shrub in the desert, one like a tree planted by a stream. Both face the same drought. Only one stays green. The difference was never the weather — it's the source.

In this message, we talk about:

• Why pressure exposes what you're actually trusting, not what you say you're trusting
• Why God is often more interested in your roots than your branches
• What it means that "the greatest threat isn't the drought — it's disconnecting from the Source during the drought"
• Why "stuck" doesn't mean "forgotten," and how sanctification can be happening even when your circumstances aren't changing
• How Jesus' invitation in John 7:37 — "if anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink" — changes what it means to grow, mature, and produce fruit

If you're in a season that isn't changing yet, this one's for you.

Scripture referenced: Jeremiah 17:5–8 · John 7:37–39 · Matthew 26:38–39 · Exodus 30:23 · Ezekiel's temple vision (Ezekiel 47)

#Jeremiah17 #StayConnected #FaithInTheDrought #SermonSeries

For the full gathering of this message which includes worship, visit our Youtube channel.

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What if the hardest season of your life isn't a sign God has abandoned you — but proof you're right in the middle of His story?

In Exodus, God's people are rescued from slavery in Egypt... only to land in a wilderness with no food, no water, and no map. It's easy to judge them for grumbling. It's harder to admit we'd do the same. This week, Sean Murphy walks through the pattern that shapes the entire Bible — and our own lives: Out of bondage, Through the wilderness, Into promise. It's the story of Israel, and it's the story Jesus fulfills completely — facing down sin and death so we could be free, not just from something, but for something.

You'll walk away asking: Where am I still stuck in a cycle I keep choosing over God? Do I trust God's provision one day at a time, or do I just complain when it's hard? Am I quick to forget who actually provided the good things I have?

Scripture referenced: Ephesians 2:4-5, Exodus 3:7-8, Exodus 6:7, Exodus 14:10-16, Exodus 16:2-3, Deuteronomy 8:10-18, Judges 21:25, John 3:16, Matthew 4:4, Luke 23:40-43, John 8:31-36, Psalm 139, Jeremiah 1:5

Resources mentioned: The Critical Journey by Janet Hagberg & Robert Guelich; Bible Project

#Exodus #Freedom #Wilderness #FaithJourney #Discipleship #HillsideChurch #GodsStory #Redemption

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We’re glad you’re here.

For the full gathering of this message which includes worship, visit our Youtube channel.

Stay Connected With Hillside Community Church.
Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurch
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurches
Website | https://hillsidechurches.com