In this episode of our Foundation of Hope series, we talk about communion and why it is essential for believers.

Communion isn’t just a ritual or tradition — it’s something Jesus Himself instituted, rich with meaning, remembrance, and hope.I walk through the moment Jesus established the Lord’s Supper, what it represents, and just as importantly, what it does not represent. Communion is not about re-sacrificing Christ or earning salvation. It is a sacred act of remembrance — remembering His broken body, His shed blood, and the covenant we now stand in because of Him.We also look forward — because communion doesn’t only point us back to the cross, it points us ahead. Jesus said He would drink of it again with us in the Kingdom, making the Lord’s Supper a declaration of future hope and the promise of what is still to come.Every time we take communion, we proclaim the gospel — Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again.Scripture Focus:Luke 22:19–201 Corinthians 11:23–26Support & Connect:🌐 Website: https://www.iammatthewministries.org💙 Donate on Venmo: https://www.venmo.com/u/IAmMatthewMinistries📧 Email: robert@iammatthewministries.org

In this episode of our Foundation of Hope series, we talk about baptism — what it truly is and what it is not. Baptism is an outward expression of an inward change, a public declaration of what Christ has already done in the heart.

I address some common misunderstandings surrounding baptism — including the belief that someone cannot go to heaven unless they are baptized, or the idea of forcing people into baptism.

We look to Scripture and remember the man on the cross who cried out to Jesus and was promised paradise — without ever stepping into the water.We also explore John the Baptizer, who baptized for repentance, and even Jesus Himself choosing to be baptized — not out of necessity, but obedience and identification.

Ultimately, baptism points us back to hope — hope in Christ alone, hope in salvation by grace, and hope in the new life we have because of Him. Baptism doesn’t save us… Jesus does.

Scripture Focus:

Luke 23:42–43

Matthew 3:13–17

Mark 1:4

Romans 6:3–4

Support & Connect:

🌐 Website: https://www.iammatthewministries.org

💙 Donate on Venmo: https://www.venmo.com/u/IAmMatthewMinistries

📧 Email: robert@iammatthewministries.org

In this episode, I talk about the Christmas season and address some of the concerns people have about pagan traditions being associated with Christmas. I share how many first-century Christians navigated cultural practices in order to avoid persecution, while still holding firmly to the truth of who Christ is.

From there, we turn to the heart of the Christmas message — that when God sent His Son into the world, He didn’t announce it to royalty or the religious elite. He sent angels to proclaim the birth of Jesus to shepherds — a group of people whose testimony wasn’t even accepted in court at that time.

That detail matters.

It reminds us that Christ came for the overlooked, the rejected, and the ordinary. The message of Christmas is not about status or perfection — it’s about hope. Hope for those on the margins. Hope for those who feel unseen. Hope for all of us.

As we move through this holiday season, this episode invites us to reflect on the truth that Jesus came to bring lasting hope to a broken world.

Scriptures Mentioned (CSV):

Luke 2:8–14

Support & Connect:🌐 Website: https://www.iammatthewministries.org

💙 Donate on Venmo: https://www.venmo.com/u/IAmMatthewMinistries

📧 Email: robert@iammatthewministries.org