Bethel Community Church Orlando: Recent Episodes
Bethel Community Church Orlando
Boaz overcomes the obstacle of a closer relative who has the first right to redeem Naomi’s land and marry Ruth. When the man declines, Boaz willingly takes on the cost and responsibility. Their story reminds us of God’s providence and the importance of living faithfully and preparing for the responsibilities He gives us. Ultimately, Boaz points us to Jesus, our Redeemer—willing and able to save us, paying the full price for our redemption as a gift of grace. Like Ruth, we are called to trust our Redeemer and live faithfully in response to His grace.
Ruth takes a courageous step of faith, trusting both God's providence and Boaz's integrity. Ruth chapter 3 explores faithful risk, godly character, and how Boaz's role as redeemer ultimately points us to Jesus, our perfect Redeemer.
Ruth 2 reveals God's providence through what appears to be coincidence as Ruth "happens" to glean in Boaz's field. Boaz extends grace, protection, and generosity to Ruth, foreshadowing Christ's redeeming love for us. The chapter reminds us that God is always at work behind the scenes and calls us to reflect His grace by generously caring for others.
This week we begin our journey through the book of Ruth—a story that starts with heartbreak, loss, and uncertainty but reveals the steady, unseen hand of God's providence. As we meet Naomi and Ruth, we'll discover that even when life doesn't make sense, God is still at work, inviting us to trust Him, run to Him, and find hope in His faithfulness.
Isaiah's vision of God's holiness in Isaiah 6 reminds us that everything begins by seeking Him first. When we encounter God's greatness, we recognize our own sin, receive His grace through forgiveness, and are called to live with purpose for His glory. Like Isaiah, our response should be, "Here I am! Send me," choosing each day to seek God, trust His grace, and faithfully serve wherever He leads.
Paul and Barnabas disagreed over giving John Mark a second chance, leading them to part ways. Yet God used their separation to expand the mission, reminding us that His purposes are never hindered by imperfect people. Our confidence rests in Christ, whose grace restores failures and faithfully builds His church.
Acts 15 reminds us that salvation is by grace alone through Christ alone. The church must defend the gospel, pursue unity, and rejoice in the freedom and assurance found in Jesus.
Acts 14 reveals that genuine faith is tested and proven through pressure. Paul and Barnabas faced opposition in Iconium, praise in Lystra, suffering on the road to Derbe, and the challenges of discipleship as they revisited new believers. Through every trial, they remained bold, humble, faithful, and focused on Christ. Like gold tested on a touchstone, true faith leaves its mark when rubbed against the hardships of life, because it is anchored in Jesus, who endured the ultimate suffering and secured the ultimate victory.
Acts 13:14–52 shows that the gospel is a powerful, dividing force that confronts false security, offers salvation by grace through faith in Christ, and produces lasting joy in those who believe—even in the face of opposition and persecution.
In Acts 13, the Holy Spirit commissions Barnabas and Saul from the Antioch church for a mission that requires divinely empowered spiritual leaders to directly confront and overcome opposition. This remains God's blueprint for the church today to push past cultural hostility and successfully advance the gospel.
Acts 12 highlights prayer as the church's ultimate weapon, which the devil constantly tries to prevent. Connecting Jesus’ teachings on persistent prayer in Luke with the early church's breakthroughs, scripture reminds us that God responds to bold, relentless prayers. Rather than treating prayer as a tool for personal comfort, believers must use it to advance God's mission, proving that when God's people unite on their knees, chains break, opposition falls, and the gospel advances with unstoppable power.
Peter’s encounter with Cornelius reveals the gospel’s power to break barriers, as God welcomes Gentiles fully into His kingdom through faith in Christ alone. Peter refuses worship, pointing all glory to Jesus. As Cornelius and his household believe, the Holy Spirit falls on them just as at Pentecost, proving that salvation is by grace through faith, not works or rituals, and that every believer is sealed by the Spirit and called to respond in obedient baptism.
Acts 11 describes the first believers who were called “Christians” because their lives clearly reflected Jesus. In a pagan city much like today’s culture, these disciples stood out by proclaiming God’s Word, sharing the gospel with everyone, living changed lives marked by God’s grace, faithfully gathering with other believers, and sacrificially helping those in need. Don't simply ask, “Am I a Christian?” but instead ask “Does my life make it obvious that I belong to Jesus?”
Acts 10 marks the moment God uses Peter to open the church to the Gentiles, breaking down centuries of Jewish separation and prejudice against non-Jews. While the Gospel had already spread throughout Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, Peter still needed to learn that in Christ, Jews and Gentiles were now one people. God prepared both Cornelius, a God-seeking Roman centurion, and Peter through separate visions. This shows that God prepares both the messenger and the receiver, responds to sincere hearts, uses people to share the Gospel, and orchestrates divine timing to bring people together for His purposes.
The Gospel was never meant to stand still. In this message, we follow Peter as he moves from Lydda to Joppa, where miracles spark revival, mercy leaves a lasting legacy, and God begins to break down long-held barriers. Through the healing of Aeneas and the raising of Tabitha, we see that Jesus restores what is broken and uses ordinary people to display extraordinary grace. Where is God calling you to move, to serve, and to go?
Paul’s story in Acts 9 reminds us that being chosen by God doesn’t mean life will be easy. Paul was chosen, yet opposed. Chosen, yet delayed through years of hidden preparation. Chosen, yet shaped through suffering. But none of it meant God had abandoned him; it meant God was forming him. In seasons of resistance, waiting, or pain, there is still purpose.
Saul, a persecutor of Christians, encounters Jesus and is radically transformed into Paul, a humble follower sent to spread the gospel. His story shows that loving Jesus means loving His church, God pursues us even when we resist, grace opens our eyes and changes our hearts, and no past is too broken for God to redeem or use for His purpose.
Thomas doubted Jesus’ resurrection because he hadn’t seen it, but Jesus met Thomas's doubt with grace and revealed Himself. This led Thomas to faith and confession to Jesus as God. Doubt can lead to faith when brought honestly to Jesus.
Christianity centers on the resurrection of Jesus. The empty tomb wasn’t anticipated; the witnesses came expecting death, not life. Yet this surprising reality changes everything: it confirms that Jesus has paid for sin, offers power for transformed lives, promises a future where all brokenness is undone, and assures believers that God is faithful even in seasons of waiting. What seemed too good to be true is presented as the foundation of hope and the turning point of history.
On Palm Sunday, the often-overlooked figures Simon of Cyrene and Joseph of Arimathea show what true discipleship means: first embracing the cross, then laying down everything to follow Christ, and finally boldly living out faith in His mission.
Pontius Pilate offered the crowd a choice between Jesus Christ (innocent) and Barabbas (guilty), but they chose Barabbas, which lead to Jesus’ crucifixion.
Humanity has a tendency to reject truth under pressure. The contrast of Jesus and Barabbas emphasizes that, like Barabbas, we are guilty yet freed through Jesus’ sacrifice. The key question: what will you do with Jesus?
We’re created for real fellowship with God, but sin caused separation. Jesus’ cleansing of the temple shows God’s dishonor and the loss of true worship. As the true temple, Jesus restores God’s presence and makes personal, direct fellowship with Him possible for all who believe.
Jesus asks His disciples who they believe He is, and Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ. Jesus teaches that this truth is the foundation of His church and calls people to follow him with faithful, self-denying commitment...even through suffering.
Believers are called to live out biblical manhood and womanhood practically by fixing their eyes on Jesus, walking in wisdom, and supporting one another. Through obedience and reliance on the Holy Spirit, families and the church can reflect God’s design and offer hope in a broken culture.
Parents are called by God to lovingly lead, discipline, and instruct their children so they grow into faithful followers of Jesus. This means avoiding both overprotecting and over-expecting, which can hinder their development and understanding of grace. Instead, parents should create a grace-filled home that shapes both behavior and belief, pointing their children to their need for God and helping them see His truth in everyday life.
Christianity does not remove a woman's struggles of perfectionism and comparison. Instead, it calls believers to endure faithfully, laying aside harmful influences and fixing their eyes on Jesus, who begins, sustains, and completes their faith. Through His sacrifice and ongoing work, Jesus offers hope, freedom, and strength in the midst of life’s difficulties.
Sin distorted womanhood after the fall, bringing pain, disordered desire, and broken relationships. Women commonly struggle with comparison and perfectionism, which lead to insecurity and exhaustion. True freedom comes not from approval or perfection, but from resting in Christ’s righteousness and grace.
God created men and women equal in value but with complementary roles. From Genesis 2, women are described as a “helper fit for him,” a role that is honorable and not inferior, reflecting how God helps His people. Men carry primary responsibility for leadership aimed at human flourishing, while women strengthen and complement that work in the home and the church. Both are essential, called to grow, serve, and rely on God’s grace as they pursue healthy families, churches, and communities.
Manhood is grounded in God’s design as Creator, and emphasizes the imago Dei. Humanity is called to flourish under God’s order. Yet sin has distorted manhood into selfish passivity, bringing death into homes, churches, and communities. Jesus' grace and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit calls men not to perfection but faithful pursuit in leadership, love, and responsibility.
God designed Adam and all men for loving leadership. However, sin introduced selfish passivity that distorted manhood. The remedy is true restoration found only in Jesus, the second Adam.
This message moves from humanity’s God-given worth (imago Dei) to God’s design for manhood, teaching that men are called to lead through sacrificial love, spiritual direction, and provision. When men embrace this biblical purpose, families and societies flourish; when they abdicate it, everything breaks down.
Human identity is not image or achievement but is rooted in God’s redemptive story: created as God’s image bearers, fractured by sin in the fall, and restored through Christ. All people have inherent dignity, yet apart from Christ are sinful and lost. In Christ, believers receive a new identity marked by grace, righteousness, and hope. True identity is found not in works or roles but at the cross, where need and redemption meet.
Isaiah’s 700-year-old prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus’ birth. Jesus is Immanuel—God for us who saves us, God with us [p'];w≥÷ho entered our world, and God over us as King. Christmas reveals God’s promise kept and invites us to receive, trust, and obey Christ.
Christmas reminds us of humanity’s deepest need—our sin separates us from God. But at the perfect moment, God carried out His proactive, intentional, and humble plan: He sent His eternal Son, Jesus, to be born so He could redeem us and adopt us as His children. Because of Jesus, we’re no longer slaves but sons and heirs, and that gives us real hope. The true reason for Christmas is that God sent His Son to meet our greatest need and make us His own.
James ends his letter by calling the church to care for one another through prayer. Whether people are suffering, cheerful, sick, or wandering, each needs the church’s support. Prayers for the hurting, praise from the joyful, care and intercession for the sick, and loving pursuit of those who stray. James shows a pastor’s heart for the whole church and invites every believer to share that same concern, trusting that God hears and works through our prayers.
Life gives each of us burdens that can feel overwhelming, but instead of fighting, panicking, or quitting, James calls us to respond with faith. He urges patience, steadfast hearts, and grace toward others. Jesus carried the greatest burden and now walks with us, sharing the weight. Our job is to trust Him, endure, and keep following.
James calls out the ungodly rich for hoarding wealth and cheating workers. The issue isn’t money; it’s the heart behind it. God calls us to see everything we have as His, not ours.
James contrasts ownership (“It’s mine”) with stewardship (“It’s God’s gift, and I manage it”). True faith sees wealth as a tool for generosity, not self-indulgence. The antidote to greed is giving.
Bottom line: You can’t take it with you, but you can use it to bless others and honor God.
Everyone has hopes and dreams for the future, but James reminds us in James 4:13–17 that life is uncertain and brief, and our plans must include God. Too often we live as if we control the future, separating faith from daily life. Instead, we’re called to say, “If the Lord wills,” trusting His sovereignty in everything we do. Like Jesus, we should focus on what God has given us to do and live each day with humility, urgency, and purpose—using our time to bring glory to God.
James 4:1–12 teaches that conflict is unavoidable in a sinful world, but believers can choose how to respond: in a worldly way or a godly way. Worldly conflict starts with selfish desires, and it puts self over God. It causes division, making Satan glad and Jesus grieve. Godly conflict, however, comes through submission to God. It resists the devil and invites the Holy Spirit to guide our emotions.
James 3:13–18 teaches that real wisdom isn’t about knowledge but about living rightly. Earthly wisdom is selfish and leads to envy, disorder, and bitterness, while wisdom from above is pure, peaceful, gentle, and sincere. True wisdom shows in our conduct and humility, producing peace instead of conflict. When we let go of bitterness and trust God, we reap a harvest of righteousness and choose to become better, not bitter.
This message from James 3 teaches that our words have incredible power. They can guide our actions, shape our relationships, and reveal what’s in our hearts. Though the tongue is small, it can cause great harm or bring great good. James warns that controlling our speech is one of life’s hardest disciplines, because no one can fully tame the tongue; only Jesus can transform our hearts so that our words honor God.
Have you ever bought a fake that looked real—until it wasn’t? James 2:14–26 warns us that faith can be the same way. In this episode, we break down three kinds of faith: dead faith that talks but never acts, demonic faith that believes but never loves, and dynamic faith or the real deal that trusts God so deeply it shows up in everyday obedience. Discover how true faith is more than words or knowledge; it’s a life that bears fruit, fueled by love for Jesus and empowered by His grace.
James 2 warns against favoritism in the church—whether toward the rich, poor, or any group—because all people are equally made, sinful, and saved in Christ. The only seat that matters is Jesus’ throne, and He alone deserves the glory.
James teaches that the Christian life requires both knowing and doing God’s Word—like two pedals on a bike. We begin by remembering we are God’s beloved, saved and transformed by His implanted Word. But knowledge alone is not enough; true faith shows itself in obedience. Real religion means controlling our words, caring for the vulnerable, and staying unstained by the world. Though sin leaves us filthy, Jesus takes our rags and gives us His righteousness. Because of His love, we live out the Word with both understanding and action.
Temptation is a human experience, not caused by God, who is not able to be tempted and does not tempt anyone. Instead, temptation arises from our own desires, which, if indulged, leads to sin and ultimately death. The pathway to sin involves lust, longing, lingering, and loss. However, God is the source of all good and perfect gifts, unchanging and trustworthy. Through His truth, He enables us to overcome temptation.
Week 3 of our James series explores the theme of temptation through the lens of Jesus' experience in the wilderness (Luke 4:1–13) and the teachings of James (James 1:12–15). The core message is that every divine opportunity is met with Satanic opposition, but through steadfastness and reliance on God, victory is possible. Temptation isn’t sin; Satan targets our vulnerabilities. Ultimately, Jesus’ sinless life and death empower believers to overcome temptation (Hebrews 2:17–18).
James’ book distills the practical wisdom of Jesus into concise, actionable insights, likened to a modern Proverbs. It urges listeners to "count it all joy" amid trials, as these challenges test faith and foster steadfastness. He gives three key commands for navigating hardships: Perspective—finding joy by trusting God’s purpose in trials; Patience—allowing trials to build character through perseverance; and Prayer—seeking God’s wisdom with unwavering faith. We are challenged to lean fully on God’s generous, loving nature to transform suffering into spiritual growth.
Initially skeptical, Jesus' brother James and His family doubted Jesus' divinity (Mark 3:21) but became believers after His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:7). James, a humble "servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" (James 1:1), led early churches and wrote to Jewish Christians. The James sermon series urges believers to join Jesus’ family by obeying God’s will (Mark 3:35), moving from belief to action.
The end of Judges depicts a morally decayed Israel without a king, where "everyone did what was right in their own eyes." A Levite’s concubine is abused and killed, sparking a civil war against the tribe of Benjamin. The strong oppress the weak, reflecting God’s absence. This despair contrasts with the hope in the parallel Book of Ruth, where a weak, foreign widow’s faith leads to King David’s lineage and ultimately Jesus. The gruesome crucifixion of Jesus mirrors Judges’ darkness, showing He took on humanity’s sin to redeem and transform, offering grace that restores value to all.
Samson's story shows a strong man weakened by impulsiveness, pride, and compromise, driven by personal desires rather than God’s will. His choices lead to his capture and blinding. God uses Samson’s flaws to disrupt Israel’s complacent captivity under the Philistines. In his lowest moment, Samson’s repentance restores his strength, enabling him to destroy the Philistine temple. His life foreshadows Jesus, who became weak to save humanity.
Samson, the final Judge in Judges, embodies Israel's cycle of sin and deliverance. Born to a barren woman as a promised Nazirite, he’s tasked with saving Israel from the Philistines. Despite his divine calling, Samson’s life is marked by compromise, impulsiveness, entitlement, and pride, breaking his vows and using his strength selfishly. His story points to Jesus, the true Savior who fulfills what Samson only begins.
Judges 10-11 tells the unsettling story of Jephthah, a rejected warrior raised to deliver Israel from Ammonite oppression. Israel, having abandoned God for seven foreign gods, is enslaved, and their idolatry deepens as they seek deliverance from false gods. Jephthah, influenced by pagan culture, makes a rash vow to sacrifice whatever comes out of his house for victory. Tragically, his only daughter greets him, and he fulfills the vow, revealing a faith mixed with cultural idolatry, misunderstanding God’s grace.
Gideon, a heroic judge from Judges 8-9, goes bad. After defeating the Midianites, Gideon becomes prideful, ignores God, and leads Israel astray with an ephod. His son Abimelech murders his brothers to become king, only to die violently. Warning signs of “going bad” include infrequent prayer, isolation, resentment, materialism, and self-focus. Some lessons we can learn from Gideon are God’s judgment is certain, sin curses us, and we need Jesus to transform our hearts. Despite Israel’s failures, God pursues them with love.
Gideon's story in Judges 7 is no mere underdog tale. A fearful man, he’s transformed by God’s presence as his army shrinks from 32,000 to 300, showing:1. Weakness fosters reliance on God’s power (2 Corinthians 12:9). 2. Salvation comes through humble obedience, not might, pointing to Christ. 3. God patiently reassures doubt. 4. Faith requires risky steps. 5. Weakness becomes strength through God. 6. Courage comes from Christ’s presence.
Gideon’s later pride warns against self-reliance. We daily depend on Jesus, who overcame sin and death.
Fear disrupts normal life. Success hinges on managing fear, as illustrated in Judges 6 with Gideon:1. God Makes the Called Brave: Gideon, a coward, is called a "mighty man of valor" not for his courage but for what God will make him. 2. We Are God’s Instruments: God uses us to accomplish His work in our generation. 3. Start at Home: Gideon destroys his family’s idol first, showing personal transformation precedes external impact. Idols cause disobedience and anxiety. 4. Courage Despite Fear: Courage is following God amid fear, empowered by His promise, “I am with you.” 5. The Cross Replaces the Fleece: The cross assures us of God’s presence and love, casting out fear (1 John 4:18).
Courage comes from our identity in Christ, not personal strength, enabling us to act as His ambassadors.
In Judges, Israel’s idolatry led to oppression by King Jabin and Sisera. God raised Deborah, a prophetess and judge, who directed Barak to defeat Sisera’s army. A miraculous rainstorm disabled Sisera’s chariots, ensuring Israel’s victory. Jael killed the fleeing Sisera with a tent peg. Deborah’s song teaches that faithful leadership glorifies God, inaction is cursed, and obedience achieves God’s purposes. Ultimately, God will right all wrongs, pointing to Jesus as the ultimate Savior who brings justice and forgiveness.
The Book of Judges follows a repetitive cycle: Israelites worship idols, God allows enemies to oppress them, they cry out, and God raises a judge like Ehud to deliver them. Ehud, a left-handed man with a disabled right hand, kills the Moabite king Eglon, showing God uses unlikely heroes. God triumphs through our weakness, gives us salvation comes faith, overcomes opposition, and values availability over ability.
Throughout the book of Judges, one can see Israel’s spiritual cycle of disobedience, judgment, cries for help, rescue by judges, and then relapse. They start strong (1:1-4) but fail to fully obey, blaming iron chariots (1:19) and enslaving some (1:28). Key lessons from Judges chapters 1 and 2: 1. Disbelief breeds disaster. 2. Forgetting God’s works leads to abandoning Him. 3. Idols enslave; God saves.
Flawed judges can’t fully save, but God’s covenant points to Jesus, who delivers and atones. Cure: repent, obey, pray, and trust God.
"When You Believe in God but Worry All the Time" explores how chronic worry among believers reflects a lack of trust in God. So many of us have a restless soul. We are always searching but never finding. We are interested in everything, but satisfied by nothing. Worry is futile and harmful. Believers must surrender anxiety, focus on what they can control, and trust God’s provision in order to their deepen faith.
"When You Believe in God but Trust More in Money" addresses Christians who claim to trust God but prioritize money for security and happiness. Jesus teaches that your heart follows your treasure and you cannot serve both God and money. The love of money, not money itself, leads to evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Wealth often fosters trust in money over God, especially in affluent societies. True peace comes from surrendering all to God, and honoring Him with everything through prayer.
"When You Believe in God but Pursue Happiness Your Way" considers how believers choose joy in God despite dire circumstances. Happiness is not tied to external conditions, is a deliberate choice, and is found in God alone. Scriptures like Philippians 4:4 affirm joy is always possible through faith. This focus on God offers eternal hope through salvation in Jesus.
"When You Believe in God but Aren't Sure He Loves You" explores the struggles of believers who grapple with doubts about God's love and presence despite their faith. Pastor Robert investigates several biblical insights that address the doubts and insecurities which can plague believers, particularly the fear that God may not truly love them.
"When You Believe in God but Don't Think He's Fair" is a common struggle among Christians who question God's fairness in the face of life's injustices. Personal pain, loss, or unanswered prayers can lead to doubts about God's fairness, causing believers to live as if He isn't trustworthy. But God's fairness is not about equal outcomes but about us trusting in Him for salvation and trusting in His greater plan.
Pastor Robert begins our new sermon series with "When You Believe in God but Don’t Really Know Him," and introduces the concept of a "Christian Atheist"—someone who believes in God but lives as if He doesn’t exist. Mere belief in God is insufficient. Authentic Christians must move beyond intellectual acknowledgment to a relational, authentic faith, fostering a life aligned with God’s presence and guidance.
Jesus' raising of Lazarus, as described in John 11, demonstrates His divine power over death. Lazarus, a close friend of Jesus, had been dead for four days when Jesus arrived. Despite Martha and Mary's grief and the skepticism of onlookers, Jesus prayed to God, affirming His divine authority, and called Lazarus to come out. Miraculously, Lazarus emerged alive. This act not only showcased Jesus' power to restore life but also strengthened the faith of many witnesses, affirming his identity as the Son of God and foreshadowing His own resurrection.
Philip, an early Christian missionary, encountered an Ethiopian eunuch, a high-ranking official under Queen Candace, traveling from Jerusalem. The eunuch was reading Isaiah but struggled to understand it. Guided by the Spirit, Philip approached and explained the passage, revealing it as a prophecy about Jesus. He shared the gospel, and the eunuch, moved by faith was saved and baptized. This account highlights Philip’s role in spreading Christianity to regions outside of Jerusalem.
Was Simon a phony Christian? When Philip preached the gospel and performed miracles, many believed and were baptized, including Simon the Magician. However, Simon’s true motives came into question when he offered money to the apostles Peter and John to receive the power of the Holy Spirit, leading to a sharp rebuke from Peter, who accused him of having a heart not right before God.
After the stoning of Stephen, a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, causing many believers to scatter throughout Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles. Meanwhile, those who were scattered preached the gospel wherever they went. Philip, one of the seven deacons, went to Samaria and proclaimed Christ there. As a result, many believed and there was great joy in the city.
From start to finish, Stephen’s life was an example of service and dedication to Jesus. Stephen served the Lord and, on the surface, did everything right; yet he ended up dying for his faith and service. Stephen’s most effective contribution to the kingdom of God came through his martyrdom. God used Stephen's death to produce the greatest Christian missionary, Paul.
Not everyone can be great in the eyes of the world. Not everyone can be rich or famous. But anyone can be great in God's economy, because serving others is within the reach of everyone. Greatness is open to all, because anyone can be a servant.
We’re here to be witnesses for Jesus. The Holy Spirit will empower us to continually testify the name of Jesus. Although Christians may face opposition or persecution, they are to continually speak the name of Jesus and minister to those who don't know Him.
Ananias and Sapphira, husband and wife, conspire to hold back a portion of the money they received from a sale of some land, while pretending to donate the full amount to the early church in Acts 5. Because of their lies, they died instantly. From their story, we learn that God’s not after perfection, but He’s after our heart. And ultimately, He wants our honesty.
Despite the persecution that the apostles and early Christ followers began to experience, they prayed for God to give them boldness. Because they prayed this way, the gospel went forward. In addition, because future generations responded this way, the gospel eventually went all around the world. Their heroism led to our salvation. From where does boldness and courage like that come?
Throughout the New Testament, miracles were God's way of showing His divine power and giving validation to the apostles. Ultimately, the need for physical miracles points to our need for spiritual healing through salvation in Jesus Christ.
The first message ever preached happened in Acts 2 at the Day of Pentecost. The Apostle Peter urged the people there to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus. That day 3,000 people put their faith and trust in Christ. It marked a turning point in their lives. We have the same opportunity today -- to repent and trust Christ or to trust in ourselves.
Whether Jesus comes back tomorrow or in a thousand years, we have a mission to accomplish for Him. We are to be His witnesses. Jesus's mission is under His sovereign rule to expand His kingdom among all nations. Jesus wants us to be less concerned with His coming and more concerned with our going.
While different apostles do appear throughout the book of Acts, the only single character who unifies the story from beginning to end is Jesus, appearing personally or acting through the Holy Spirit. The book of Acts is about Jesus leading his people through the Spirit to go out into the world and invite all nations to put their faith in Jesus.
Guest speaker Ward Hodges presents the mystery of the blindness of the Jewish people to Jesus as the Messiah. He expounds on God's working in Israel through the ministry of "Grace for Israel."
Paul is one of the most externally righteous people we read about in the Bible, yet he also persecuted other Christians. His good works didn't lead him to Jesus. No matter what you do to look or act like a Christian, what matters is your relationship with Jesus. Paul realized that on the road to Damascus. Do you have an earnestness to know, to follow, and to worship Jesus Christ?
Christmas is the gift of hope because our hope starts at Christmas. It is the beginning of how we can make the most important and lasting change in our life. Believing in Jesus is how we can become new. If we don't change, we won't have a new year, we'll just have another year.
When did the earthly life of Jesus Christ really begin? John 1:14 tells us that “the Word (referring to Jesus Christ) became flesh and lived among us.” Christmas did not begin in Bethlehem, but nine months earlier when the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and implanted within her the divine-human Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Wealth and treasure are the number one contenders for our hearts. Jesus teaches through the parable of the rich man in Luke 12 that we can eliminate the competition for our hearts by being givers. If we give on earth, our reward will be great in heaven, because we have learned to be rich toward God.
The story from Mark 12 about the widow who gave all that she had at the Temple is a lesson in how Jesus viewed wealth. Often, the more money a person makes, the less generous they are. But God is not impressed by how many zeros are at the end of your offering. God is looking for a percentage.
Amassing earthly riches will give you a false sense of security. Instead of putting your hope in the provisions of the world, you should put your hope in the Provider who has given you life and all you need to sustain it. Not only that, God has provided you with the gift of eternal life.
Today, we’ll unpack the attitudes of Jesus’ first team and the affect they had on the culture around them.
Every human has intrinsic value because the image God, imago Dei, has been given to him or her. This elevates human dignity over animals. The way we interact with the world in light of the imago Dei must be shaped by our theology. All lives are created in the image of God and have worth. All life, all the way to the point of conception must be protected. The reason that Satan loves murder is that it represents an attack on the image of God.
Does God really want us to know for sure that we are saved? Yes, just like a good father doesn't want his children wondering whether or not they are loved, God loves us and wants us to have assurance in our salvation. When you believe in the name of the Son of God, you are resting in His actions to save you. The gospel, by its very nature, produces assurance. Because you are not depending on how well or how much you’ve done to earn your way to heaven, you are resting on His finished work.
We are discussing how we can know with certainty that we are saved. So, how we can be sure that we are followers of Christ? 1 John 4 says that our relationship with God is measured by our love for others. Love is how others see God in us.
What dominates your life? Is it the love of the Father, or love of the world? John describes the world as it is arrayed in rebellion against God. He defines this as the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life. John then teaches that the way to overcome the world is by embracing the love of the Father.
In 1 John 1:5-10, John identifies three signs of someone who doesn’t know God—even though they think they do. John says that you don’t know God if you sin willfully and habitually, you say you have no sin, and you have no confidence before God because of your sin. John says that being unaware of the sinfulness of your heart is a sign you don’t know God. The clearest sign that you are growing in grace is not that you no longer sin, but that you are more aware of how much sin pervades your heart.
The book of 1 John is written to anyone wondering, "How do you know that your experience with God is genuine?" Over the next few weeks, we'll be taking a closer look at answering this question.
Mordecai’s life has been spared, but the death sentence for all of God’s people is still in effect, and it cannot be reversed. What are Esther and Mordecai going to do with the power that they now have? They became missionaries in a pagan culture, and they were used by God to rescue the Jewish people. Today, God calls Christians to be missionaries in a pagan culture to share the gospel of Jesus.
At Esther's second banquet, the queen makes her request to King Xerxes – to save herself and the Jewish people from death. She also reveals Haman as the enemy, and Haman is hanged on the gallows that he had made for Mordecai.
God is sovereign; He knows the future; and He’s at work. Even when we can't see it or understand it, we should not question the providence of God. God is never mentioned in the book of Esther, yet we can see how He is at work through the lives of the people in the book. God is working everything out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to his purpose. God is in control; God is good; and He is present with us.
Haman found his identity in idolatry. He was consumed with power, never repented, and his life ended tragically. The idols where he found his identity were liars. In contrast, Esther has a change of identity, but her life doesn’t end in tragedy and misery. She is not perfect, but she is noble. Haman was concerned with himself. Esther was concerned with others, even to the point of losing her life for them.
Esther served as a mediator between her people and Xerxes, but Jesus serves as a mediator between God and His people. Esther had to come to King Xerxes on his throne, but our King Jesus got off His throne to come to us. Esther was willing to die for her people, but Jesus actually died for His people. And He’s alive and seated on the throne of heaven where He always welcomes us into His presence.
Despite the way people are often characterized, people are not good or morally upright by nature. In this portion of Esther, everyone seems to have their own best interests in mind. First, Esther was hiding that she was Jewish. Next, two of King Xerxes' servants plot to assassinate him. Then the king's nobleman, Haman, wants to kill all of the Jews because Mordecai is a Jew and refused to bow to Haman. Finally, Xerxes gives Haman the power to murder the Jews because Haman is going to pay the king a percentage of the Jews' belongings. Only be God's grace are we kept from being consumed by self-interests, greedy, praise-seeking, or angry when we don't get our way.
Throughout the book of Esther it is evident that King Xerxes lived for himself. He wanted the glory and recognition of being a great king. As Esther enters the story, we can see her as a symbol pointing us to Jesus. While one can find many similarities between Esther and Jesus, only Jesus is the one, true Savior. Just as He did with Esther, God walks with us even when we don’t walk with Him. Jesus is a much better king than Xerxes, and Jesus' kingdom is much better than the one Xerxes, Esther, or any other earthly ruler could offer.
Xerxes was the greatest king in the history of the world up to his day. However, his kingdom was filled with lavish parties where addictions were fed and women were mistreated. Xerxes created ungodly laws and saw himself as above the law. Whether past or present, all earthly rulers will leave people disappointed. Earthly rulers attempt to give people what they want; King Jesus gives people what they need. Jesus has a better kingdom. Jesus sits exalted, risen from death, ascended into glory, for all eternity upon His throne. And His kingdom will last forever.
Colossians 1:18 tells us that Jesus should be preeminent in everything. Jesus shouldn't just be a priority in our lives. He is supreme over all things, including: God's creation, our deliverance, and our spiritual growth. Because of Jesus' preeminence, He brought the fullness of God into human form and died on the cross, and shed his blood to pay for our sin; and through that payment, He has reconciled us to God.
Our goal is to move from only discipline and into delighting in prayer to God because of God's delight in us. This will lead us to boldly approach God and submit our lives to Him in prayer.
The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, your family, your career, or even your ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by His purpose and for His purpose. Your ultimate purpose in life is to bring God glory.
Technology is a helpful tool, but it can also be harmful. Too many Christians ignore the relationship between technology and their spiritual development. It’s not enough to ask ourselves if we are using our devices to openly sin. In at least some ways, a technology-focused life is contradictory to what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Technology can never be a substitute for the real world in real communities for which God created us.
God’s Design is that we’d love Him with all of our heart, soul, and mind. One of the first steps to living in God’s Design is obedience. Obedience is difficult. Our natural instinct is to do what we feel and think is right. Each of us must submit ourselves to God’s authority and obey His commands. Jesus was obedient to His Father, even to the point of death. But His death took the punishment for our sins and can grant us forgiveness for our disobedience.
Christians are called to be servants first and second to serve. We are called to a life of servanthood that leads to loving acts of service for our Savior. Serving flows from the heart of a servant. Serving doesn’t make you a servant; but if you are a servant, you will serve.
We can learn from David's example with King Saul that God wants us to respect authority even if they haven't earned it. Learning to respect authority starts in the home. However, respect for authority reaches all of us through managers, teachers, and government leaders. It's our sin nature to rebel against authority, but God's design is for us to respect those in authority over us.
Ephesians 4 highlights "Four Rules for Communication" which encourage us in how we should speak and communicate in all of our relationships. These rules are good for both preventing and solving problems.
As parents implement Deuteronomy 6:4-9, it's important for them to realize that a child's understanding of their need for salvation in Christ looks differently at various stages of development. Young children are being introduced to the concepts of sin through right and wrong. Older children are introduced to grace and forgiveness through their desire for fairness. No matter the stage of development and understanding, parents can still teach their children how to love the Lord their God with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their might.
Last week we looked at Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and how those verses apply to God’s design for the family. This week we'll practically apply these verses to teaching and showing others God's love and His design for our lives.
We're starting a new series about the family, and specifically, how God designed the family to work. If we’re submitting to God’s design, we have a chance to flourish as families. Godly, flourishing families go out and impact their communities and their world for God. How do they do it? It all boils down to loving God with all of our heart, soul, and might.
Have you ever wondered where Jesus is today? After His death, He was buried and then rose again. Today, Jesus is alive in heaven seated at the right hand of the throne of God where he serves as our mediator. Because Jesus is alive, when we can talk to Him, He hears us. Because He rules and reigns over everything, He can answer our prayers. Jesus is Lord. He is our living savior.
Throughout the Bible, God always wanted to be present with His people. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit would come upon a specific individual to complete a task or a mission, but it wasn’t a continual indwelling. Today the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in order to make God real to us, make God come alive to us, and make God's mission personal to us.
In our previous series “The Passion” we looked at the story of when Peter denied knowing Jesus. In John 21, we see a conversation between Jesus and Peter after Jesus' resurrection. How was Peter going to be reconciled with Jesus? It all started with forgiveness. It changed Peter. When we find forgiveness in Jesus, the gospel will change us, too.
Jesus spent Easter Sunday walking with two disciples on the road to Emmaus during which He explained how the Old Testament points to Him. God gives us all the evidence we need to find hope for tomorrow. Salvation in Jesus Christ has always been God's plan, and it's still the most important thing for us today.
There are two questions to consider at Easter. The answers to these questions give us the hope to face each day.
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How can I know what is true?
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Is it possible for a person to know for sure they will go to heaven?
We can find the answers to these questions based on statements Jesus made on the cross.
The day Jesus was crucified, three men died on crosses. Jesus was placed in between two criminals. One of these men wanted escape, not forgiveness. The other man wanted forgiveness, not escape. These thieves on the cross were dying for their sins: guilty men justly punished. One of the criminals cried out to Jesus at the very last minute, and he was saved.
Throughout the gospels we see several times that Peter failed Jesus. Even though Peter was one of the disciples closest to Jesus, Peter denied that he even knew Jesus before the crucifixion. Jesus’ plan for Peter is the same plan He has for us. He rebukes us when we are wrong; He prays for us; He warns us and reminds us; and when we sin, He offers forgiveness and salvation through His sacrifice.
In Luke 23 we meet several people whose different responses to the cross literally divide them for eternity. Who are you?
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The Preoccupied, like Pilate?
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The Superficial, like Herod?
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The Religious, like the Chief Priests?
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The Guilty, like Barabbas?
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The Disciple, like Simon of Cyrene?
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus looked full into the cup of God’s wrath and the full ramifications of separation from God. Jesus drank from that cup so that not a drop would be left for your or me, and all that would be left for us is a cup of joy. Jesus went through Gethsemane and ultimately His death on the cross so that we didn't have to. The gospel, at its core, is substitution: Jesus in my Place!
Today was a special day for Bethel Community Church. On this day, Bill Deitch was ordained as a pastor in Christian ministry. Tom Wagoner of Central Baptist Church in Dunn, North Carolina, was our guest speaker.
Have you ever struggled with your faith? Have you ever thought, "If You’re really up there, God, why did you let this happen?” That's exactly how Jairus felt after his daughter died. If you struggle to believe, then believe this: Jesus came from heaven, and He healed the sick and raised the dead. Jesus is the only one that can forgive sins and and conqueror the grave.
Three worlds meet in this strange story: the underworld of evil spirits, the visible world of human experience, and the upper world of divine control. First, a man comes to Jesus in a shocking condition. Next, Jesus agrees to a surprising cure. Then the townspeople come to Jesus with a strange request. Finally, Jesus gives the man an unexpected answer. If your life is a mess, ask Jesus to deliver you. He will not turn you away.
Humans, in their sinful nature, have found ways to take the gifts of God and misuse them. It seems that the greater the gift, the more capacity it has for damage. In the sermon today, we'll see how two women misused the gift of sex. But these women, just like us, came to realize that salvation is a gift given to undeserving people.
The example in Luke 5 is Jesus doing extraordinary things for people who believed in Him. Verses 17-26 tell the story of a group of friends who lowered their paralyzed friend through a roof in order to get the man to Jesus. The man wanted and received healing but he received something even greater: forgiveness for his sins. Faith is what initiated the extraordinary healing. Our faith in Jesus will help us draw to Him and lead our friends to Him also.
Sometimes, we as Christians, take something that is so simple and make it so complex. Nicodemus was a leader and teacher in Israel; someone with religious and political power. Despite all of his knowledge, Nicodemus did not know who Jesus was or understand why Jesus said he had to be "born again." Although Nicodemus came to Jesus a confused man dead in his sins, he left a new and transformed man.
Spiritual highs are often followed by spiritual lows. Whenever God does something great in our lives, we can count on Satan to try to steal, kill, or destroy it. Even Jesus wasn't immune to Satan's temptations. At the core, Satan used these strategies to tempt Jesus, and he uses them to tempt us: to prioritize something good more than God, and to go around God to get something good. We can learn how to deal with temptation through Jesus' example.
Unlike the three Kings that are often pictured with Nativity scenes, the wise men from the Bible were from "the East," most likely Persia; men who studied the prophecies of Daniel; and a priestly tribe called Magi. Most likely there were more than three men, and they arrived months or years after Jesus' birth. So what is the point of their story? They were Gentiles who traveled close to a thousand miles to worship the infant King. Jesus was there in Bethlehem for the Jews to meet and worship. However, God's own people were not there to praise Jesus, but these men from far away came to acknowledge Him as King.
The angel Gabriel tells Mary that she has found favor with God. Her cousin Elizabeth calls her blessed. Yet, when we think about an unwed, pregnant teenager trying to explain that she is carrying the Lord's child, it doesn't seem that her circumstances are full of favor and blessings. Despite all of her hardship, Mary chooses to praise the Lord. She says in Luke 1:46-47, "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior..."
There are two responses to God's promises: faith or fear. Zechariah was forced to believe the angel of God or fear what he said. Zechariah chose fear, and he was mute for Elizabeth's pregnancy. However, God's promise remained true despite Zechariah's unbelief. Throughout Elizabeth's pregnancy Zechariah's faith and joy grew. Zechariah not only found hope in the birth of his son, John, but also in Jesus' birth -- the hope of our salvation.
The book of Matthew begins with a genealogy to help us trace the lineage of Jesus. What's interesting about this list is that Matthew includes four women, three of which had baggage that would make most Jewish people question their inclusion. Why would Matthew do this? Probably because he had spent time with Jesus and understood Jesus' purpose for coming. Matthew knew Jesus came to redeem the sinner, bring light to the darkness, and give grace to the unworthy.
In Psalm 100 the invitation to thankfulness is given; God invites us into His presence. We have so many reasons to be thankful to God this year. What are you thankful for?
In Titus 3, Paul talks about how the gospel re-shapes how we feel about people on the outside of Christianity. People who dislike us, who misrepresent us, or even persecute us. We cannot expect unbelievers to act like believers. As believers, we must be examples of Christ so others will see the gospel of grace in our lives.
In Titus chapter 2, Paul is like a coach trying to get his team to work together. He is giving instruction to the young and the old on how to follow the direction of the gospel in their everyday lives. Paul wants them to know and understand sound doctrine and apply it to every part of their lives.
The short book of Titus was written to answer one main question: How do you live out your faith in a really difficult, immoral place. Paul wanted Titus to see that truth leads to godliness. It's not just a religion full of rituals, but a transformation of your life by the Good News of Jesus.
In the book of Lamentations, Jeremiah cries out to God. Lamentations reminds us of the importance not only of mourning over our sin but of asking the Lord for His forgiveness when we fail Him. Despite Jeremiah's hopeless feelings at times, he is able to push God’s faithfulness to the front of his mind and remember when God demonstrated His grace and mercy. Whatever hard things we go through, we must never doubt God’s faithfulness.
Many people today see God as vengeful. The Bible shows us that God felt two rightful emotions toward us: wrath and compassion. In his sovereignty, He chose to bring one emotion close and push the other far away. God is fully justified in letting us feel the wrath of our sin. However, He chose to be patient with us and bring compassion near. His anger actually grows out of His love for us — His love for goodness, purity, and holiness. God’s judgment often consists of allowing us to experience the painful consequences of our choices, but He is always near to offer forgiveness and reconciliation. This is never more evident than when God sent Jesus to die for our salvation.
The parable of the Prodigal Son shows us God’s steadfast love
and loyalty at work. God’s loyalty is based on His love for us, and it
endures rejection, accepts repentance, and rewards faithful service. All we have to do is accept God's love for us -- repenting of our sin and believing in Him.
Throughout the life of Joseph, we see how God was at work throughout every situation Joseph faced. Whether he was being treated as the despised brother or the slandered slave, Genesis 50:20 rings true throughout his life. "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today."
Ephesians 2:7 says, "so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2 goes on to tell us that by God's grace is how we are saved from eternal death. But God's grace doesn't just save us; it permeates every aspect of our lives.
In Isaiah 49, the Israelites accuse God of forsaking them. God’s reply to Israel’s foolish allegation is one of compassion. God asks, “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.”
God goes on to tell the Israelites how much they actually mean to Him. They are so loved and so dear to Him that He has carved their names on the very palms of His hands. God’s compassion would not and could not allow Him to forget His children.
Justice is one of God’s attributes and flows out of His holiness. Because God is a just God, He must judge everyone who does not meet His standards for perfection. However, God, in His loving mercy, sent Jesus to the world despite the fact that our sin demands our death. God sent His Son to be our substitute upon the cross, and Jesus paid the penalty for our sin. God's mercy and grace are not in spite of His justice, but because of it.
Although work was part of the punishment for mankind after the sin of Adam and Eve, I Corinthians 15:58 tells us that our labor is not in vain. We are instructed to always be working for the Lord. This can be sharing the gospel with others or going to our day job. Our work provides finances and resources for the Lord's work and for our daily lives. Not only is work part of God's provision, but He promises that we will receive a reward for our hard work. You never know what kind of impact your work will have on others or in the future!
In the last chapter of Joshua, we see that Joshua is nearing death and leaves his last words of wisdom with the Israelites. After all the fighting and wars in the land of Canaan in order to take the land God had promised, Joshua urges the people to continue serving the Lord. He essentially tells them to make their choice; choose their god/God. If they chose not to choose, then they had already made their choice; and it wasn't the one true God. Joshua chose to serve the Lord, and he wanted the Israelites to as well.
In Joshua 16-17, Joshua continues to divide up the Promise Land among the tribes. Ephraim and half of Manasseh are assigned their plots and given land in Canaan. Immediately there are problems. These tribes did not completely drive out their enemies like God had told them. Once again, the people of Israel didn't fully trust that God would bring them the victory. We, too, are in a spiritual battle with the world. We cannot get fatigued in fighting against the evil of today. We must not compromise our calling or beliefs and take the easy way out.
We first meet Caleb when he is about 40 years old, and a recognized leader of his tribe, the tribe of Judah. The Israelites are encamped at Kadesh Barnea. Out of 12 spies sent to preview the promise land, Caleb, along with Joshua, return to give a good report. The other 10 spies, however, were afraid. This led to them wandering in the desert for 40 years. Now, over 40 years later, only Caleb and Joshua are still living. In all that time, through all the battles, and despite the ups and downs, Caleb wholeheartedly served the Lord. As Craig Groeschel says, "If you're not dead, you're not done." Caleb certainly exemplified that statement.
There is a unique story in Joshua chapter 10 where Joshua, as leader of the Israelite army, asks God to cause the moon and the sun to stand still so that they could continue to fight by daylight. Joshua had the boldness to pray a God-sized prayer. Where did he get that courage? Joshua knew that God had promised him the victory. Joshua didn't have a passive faith either. He wasn't waiting around and hoping for success; he walked in faith as he and the Israelites fought and won the battle.
Joshua chapter 9 describes how the people of Gibeon deceived the people of Israel. They wanted the Israelites to believe they lived far away from the land of Canaan and were not a threat to Israel. The Israelites were deceived because they depended on their own observations and did not “ask counsel from the Lord.” This can happen to us today as well. Based on what we believe, we draw a conclusion, quickly make a decision, but forget to ask God’s guidance. Eventually, the Israelites learned the truth, but kept their promise to spare the Gibeonites. By God's grace, many people of Gibeon learned who God was and began to serve him alongside the Israelites.
Previously, the Israelites encountered the large city of Jericho, but it was a small battle with God on their side. In contrast, Ai was a small city but a massive defeat without God on their side. Achan, one of the Israelites, chose to sin and hide it. He, his whole family, along with the Israelites suffered consequences due to Achan's sin. When Joshua and Israel repented of their sins, they were able to recover God’s plan - to move forward into the Promised Land and accomplish all that God had for them.
Joshua and the Battle of Jericho is one of the most well-known stories in the Bible. However, the real battle of Jericho was not with an Israelite enemy. It was in the hearts of the people. Would they believe what God had said? Would they do the absurd and risk public humiliation if the walls didn’t come down? Ultimately, we'll see that the walls fell because of the faith of the people.
An underlying message throughout the book of Joshua is God's faithfulness. One way God was faithful to the Israelites was sending a food called manna from heaven every day. As they wandered through the wilderness for 40 years, God provided manna each day. Until one day, when God stopped the manna in order to ensure their desire for God was greater than their need, and so that the Israelites would have a new demand on their faith and a new delight in their heart.
After crossing the Jordan River, the Israelites came to Gilgal. God taught them not to be diverted by obstacles, not to be discouraged by opposition, and not to be disheartened by obedience. As the Israelites proceed to the Promise Land, we will see that God is faithful, God is present, and that God will fight for them. The same God who was faithful to fulfill the promises given to the nation of Israel is also faithful to us today.
Joshua chapter 3 tells the story of the crossing of the Jordan River, and it emphasizes that God’s work must be done God’s way in order to receive God’s blessing. Joshua had to give up his own plans. The priests needed the courage to step into an overflowing river. The people had to walk across the river to get to the Promised Land. God may lead us out of our comfort zone, but we won't have to go alone. He was with Joshua, the priests, and the Israelites; and He will be with us.
Although Rahab was a pagan Gentile woman who was known as a prostitute, she became a woman of faith. It's incredible that she is mentioned in Hebrews 11, often referred to as "The Hall of Faith." How could a woman guilty of repeated sexual sins be a candidate for God's redeeming love? We can see that God does not use our past to determine our future, and no one is beyond the reach of God's grace!
Moses has died, Joshua is to be the next man to lead the Israelites, but the future is uncertain. The people of Israel are wondering if God will be with Joshua like He was with Moses. God tells Joshua three times to be strong and courageous, and then reassures Joshua that He will be with Joshua wherever he goes. Moses may be gone, but God is alive and will be with Joshua as he leads the Israelites in the future.
Psalm 84 explains the goodness and blessings for those who love God and long to be in His presence. They receive His generous grace and glory. They spend time with God, pursue the purpose He has for our lives, and grow in their trust of a faithful God. A heart for God dwells with God and finds hope in God.
Psalm 137 is a hymn expressing the yearnings of the Jewish people during their Babylonian exile. They longed for Zion. It’s easy to praise God when nothing is going wrong. The Israelites were in a place where they didn’t feel like praising God. However, Psalm 136 reminds us that "His steadfast love endures forever." When giving thanks is hard to do, think about what God has already done. So, even if everything isn't going well for you, you’ve got a reason to give thanks: because His love endures forever.
Psalm 93 focuses particularly on God as Creator and Sustainer of the world. The first verse declares, “The Lord reigns!” and the rest of the psalm proclaims the majesty and strength of God that has established the world for all eternity. The five verses show us how He reigns gloriously, powerfully, and righteously.
Psalms 88 and 89 seem to be a deliberate pair. The Psalmist of Psalm 88 wrote about sorrow and despair; it is a song of lament. However, Psalm 89 is a song of praise and thanksgiving. Psalm 88 shows Christians that not all prayers are answered quickly and not all suffering is stopped. Not every story has a happy ending. Then Psalm 89 comes and reminds those Christians that God's steadfast love is forever. So pray, honestly, Psalm 88 to God, and then preach Psalm 89 to yourself.
In Psalm 32, David connects happiness with forgiveness. Happiness is found in God's forgiveness. It’s not just forgiveness for forgiveness sake. It’s forgiveness that reconciles us to God. There will come a time when a person can no longer call on God's forgiveness. God can use feelings of guilt or other things in our lives as a wake up call. These events are not to pay us back, but to bring us back. Seek God's forgiveness and find the key to happiness in reconciliation with Him.
What’s wrong with this world? The Psalmist says that mankind is in rebellion against God the Father and against His Son, Jesus Christ. While mankind revolts against God, we can find solace in the fact that God is where He’s always been, sitting on His throne. Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and He alone conquerors evil. The only hope for a rebellious mankind is submission to Christ and trust in Him for salvation.
David wrote Psalm 57 while hiding in a cave from King Saul, who was trying to kill him because David was to be the future king of Israel, and Saul was jealous. It is a pretty extraordinary Psalm, because in spite of all the things that were going wrong in David’s life, not one time does David ask God to change his situation. The only thing David asks throughout the Psalm is for God to glorify His name in that situation. David realized that the success of his life would be measured by whether he discovered his purpose to glorify God.
The Christian faith is built on a resurrected Jesus. Not everyone believes this to be true. Paul testified that Jesus is who He says He is. Paul, a former persecutor of Christians, told of the love and forgiveness he found in a relationship with Jesus. That didn't mean Paul's life was easy and free of pain, but it meant that he could remain joyful and hopeful for a future in heaven. Jesus is risen. Paul believed it. Do you?
Pain, suffering, and disappointment are a part of our life here on earth. Sometimes it is hard to reconcile while God allows tragedy to take place. First, we have to understand that all suffering is a result of the curse of sin. We will all experience the curse no matter how good or godly we are. However, God sent Jesus to reverse the curse of death by suffering in our place. Finally, God uses the difficult experiences in our lives for His glory and our good.
Sometimes Jesus spoke in parables so that only those who were genuinely listening would understand what He was saying. One parable Jesus told before He died was about sheep and goats. Just as a shepherd separates the goats from the sheep, so will Jesus differentiate between His true followers and those that are only pretending. True believers are justified by faith, and then they live out their faith as an example of what Jesus has done in their lives.
In Luke 2, Simeon's desire to see Christ brought anticipation as Simeon waited for God to fulfill His promise. We aren't anticipating the birth of Christ, but we are waiting for Him to return. Throughout the game of life we should serve, worship, and long for Christ. We demonstrate that we desire Christ and anticipate His return by how we live our life.
God knew that we would forget what He has done for us. In the Old Testament, after God's people had crossed the Jordan River, He instructed 12 men to return to that spot and retrieve 12 stones. They were to build a memorial in order to remember what God had done. It wasn't just for the people who had witnessed the miracle, but it was also a way for them to share the goodness of God with their children and future generations.
Prayer, Bible reading, church attendance, serving others - they are all ways for us to "Get in the Game" of the Christian life. However, as we live our lives, it becomes difficult to find the time to include these disciplines. God grants each of us a finite amount of time, and we must use that time wisely. Making Christ a priority in our lives will help us navigate our decisions on how we use our time.
The Rich Young Ruler thought he was good enough to earn salvation. He probably saw his riches as favor from God. However, when confronted by Jesus to give up his wealth, he walked away sad. Salvation is not a reward for righteousness. No one can ever be good enough, rich enough, or blessed enough to earn salvation. Salvation is a gift from God to those who are humble enough to admit they need saving.
God doesn't need anything from us. He owns everything! However, to be a disciple of Jesus means you “get in the game” by living your life on mission for God. We'll see how this includes our money, but going all-in, with our whole lives, is more than a financial contribution. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul gives a motivation, a measure, and a mission for how to live a generous, Christ-centered life. If Christ died for us, then we should no longer live for ourselves but for Him.
Most of us probably think of Moses as a hero of faith. He stood up to Pharaoh, parted the Red Sea, received the Ten Commandments, and spoke with God face to face. While all of those things are true, there’s another side to the story. Before Moses did these great things, he gave five excuses to God as to why he wasn't qualified to the lead the Israelites. However, Moses learned that when God calls, don't make excuses!
We need to desire what God desires more than what we desire. Judas was a follower of Jesus. However, his desires came before what Jesus desired. Despite Judas's betrayal of Jesus, Jesus didn’t stop Judas from doing what Judas intended to do; neither did Judas stop Jesus from doing what Jesus intended to do. Ultimately, God is God. It's up to us to follow Him wholly and completely.
In Mark 4, Jesus tells the parable of the sower and the seeds. He uses the hard, rocky, thorny, and fertile soils to represent our hearts and how we receive the Word of God. As Jesus tells the story, the seeds are unable to grow in the hard, rocky, and thorny soils. We realize that the problem isn't the sower (Jesus) or the seed (the gospel). The problem is the condition of our hearts (the soil). We must be a fertile soil that allows the gospel to go deep and take root in our lives so that we can bear fruit.
Take a step of faith, and get in the game! Although quick to commit to Jesus, Peter is sometimes unsteady in his faith in Christ. At first Peter’s faith was very strong; it just didn’t last long. Peter, like us, needed sustaining faith. The faith we all can find in knowing Jesus. Peter's faith may have wavered, but Jesus proves that He is trustworthy. God proves that He is gracious. As we go through the storms of life, may we continue to take steps of faith and trust that Jesus will see us through it.
God keeps His promises! The promise of Christ was a long time coming. God prepares the way for Jesus' coming in the book of Genesis, right after the fall of Adam and Eve. We see the covenant God made with David in 2 Samuel. Matthew 1 tells the lineage of Jesus and links David in Jesus' ancestry. Paul helps us understand in Romans that God has been planning our redemption through Jesus since the foundation of the world. Christmas confirms God promises; promises made to David many years before. God kept His covenant, and we can worship God for the salvation He offered through Christ.
David was not perfect; he was a sinner just like each of us. Despite the fact that David had experienced God's grace and goodness in the past, he lost the courage to confront his own sin and the sins of his sons. This created a lot of disfunction and resulted in some horrible consequences. The Gospel can break the cycle of sin and free us from guilt. The Gospel of Jesus not only saves you from your past and rescues you in the future, it also delivers you in the present by giving you the power of new life.
David defeated Goliath, became a mighty warrior, and eventually was crowned King of Israel. Despite all the good, godly things David did, he was still a fallible man. David really made a mess of things when he committed adultery with Bathsheba. However, God stayed faithful to what He had promised for David. The God who forgave, restored, and used David is the same God who will forgive, restore, and use you.
It's Team Sunday at Bethel, and we’re going to look at one of the best teams in all of ancient history. David’s mighty men were ordinary men. These guys followed David before he was anything and before they were anything. What made them mighty, was the character they gained, the lives that they lived, and the decisions they made while with David in the wilderness.
David’s kindness to Mephibosheth illustrates the grace of God - that seeks us, welcomes us, and enriches us through Jesus Christ. Mephibosheth's father was David's best friend, Jonathan. Because of Mephibosheth's crippled feet, he was in a vulnerable position. The grace, goodness, and generosity that David showed to Mephibosheth, because of his covenant to Jonathan, is a picture of how God treats us. We are crippled by our sin, but the blood of Jesus covers us from the judgment, wrath, and condemnation of God.
God used Abigail to save the life of her husband and remind David of God's promises. There is much to learn from this story. Often, we can see ourselves in the foolish, ungrateful Nabal. Although Abigail shows wisdom and David shows restraint, neither of them are the true leader we need. The true King was a son of David. He will be perfect and need no reminder to trust God.
People often to look to David and Goliath as a story that represents hope for the underdog or how God will fight our battles. However, the Bible is not a book about you, it's a book about Jesus. This story shows us that Jesus is the true David, and He defeated the greatest giant of all -- Satan. It is about what Jesus would one day do on the cross, and the big giant of our sin and death that He would eliminate.
There is much to learn from the interactions of Saul and David throughout the book of 1 Samuel. The focus today is how Saul perceived David as an enemy, even though David’s actions proved otherwise. David had two opportunities to kill Saul, yet David did not. Although Saul’s actions seemed to present him as an enemy of David, it was actually Satan trying to hinder David’s obedience to God. Ultimately, for David, the end did not justify the means. David knew that His obedience proved his belief in God as the source of truth and the determiner of right living.
Have you ever thought that God has forgotten about you? Sometimes we encounter "blank spaces" or times when it feels like God has forgotten about us. However, in those moments where it seems like God is not doing anything is often when He is doing His best work. After David was anointed as king of Israel, he went back to keeping the sheep. Just like God worked through David while David was still in the pastures, God is working in our lives during those blank spaces too.
The purpose of biblical parenting is to train our children to know God, love Him, and honor Him with their lives. Christian parents should be about heart transformation, not just behavior modification. We want to teach our kids to think about God and pursue His design for their lives. Parents are God’s agents to train the hearts of their children.
The 3 Circles model can help us understand God's design for every aspect of our lives including marriage, sexuality, and family structure. Marriage was invented by God, and it can be summarized as one man with one woman for life. Since we are all broken people with imperfect pasts, we must look to the Bible to effectively address all of our uniques situations.
In Luke 12, Jesus demonstrates that greed is not ultimately about our possessions; it’s about our brokenness when we abandon God’s design. When our hearts aren't content, we look for other things to fill the holes in our life. When we have money-brokenness, we begin to take comfort in money instead of relying on God. The only cure for our discontentment, greed, or stinginess is to repent and pursue the gospel. It is God’s design for our hearts to be content in Him.
The gospel is the "Good News" of Jesus. However, we don't always know how to go about sharing it with others. As we go through this conversational, relational way to carry out Jesus' mission, we can learn to apply the 3 Circles in our daily lives. The gospel is simply: Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and God raised Him from the dead. This is the way out of our brokenness. The gospel allows us to recover and pursue God's design for our lives and help others do the same.
Last week we learned that God has a design for the world and our lives. When we sin and depart from God's Design, it causes brokenness. Brokenness is easy for most of us to understand. It feels like broken relationships, addiction, depression, discouragement, guilt, and shame. When we feel broken on the inside and everything’s all messed up, we know something needs to change. The Bible’s word for change is repent. Brokenness is what gets us ready to try God’s solution, which is to repent and believe the gospel.
God has a design for every area of our lives, including: our families, marriages, money, sex life, and work life. God designed us to be in relationship with Him, but we have all sinned and departed from that design. When we repent, believe the gospel, and trust in Jesus, God gives us His Holy Spirit who helps us recover and pursue God’s design again.
We've all wondered at one time or another why we were placed on this earth. In order to answer this question, we must begin with God. Your Creator has put you on this earth not for your own personal fulfillment but for the glory of God. Living for God and bringing Him glory should be the ultimate purpose of our lives.
Our students went to camp this past week. One of the nights of camp focused on taking "Faith Steps." The speaker used the story from Joshua chapter three where the Israelites crossed the Jordan River. Taking a faith step always leads us out of our comfort zone. But when God calls us to take a faith step into the unknown, we don't have to fear. We can trust that He is already there.
When Jesus came to earth the first time, He came as a Lamb, but when He returns, He will come as a Lion. Revelation was written to be a blessing to believers. It foretells their future hope in the conquering king. The last words of the Bible tell us that Jesus is coming soon. Get ready! He's coming! And John says, "Come Lord Jesus...Amen."
Heaven is a real place. It is a wonderful, majestic place where God rules and reigns. There will be no more sin, no more pain, and no more sorrow. What a day it will be when those that have put their trust in Jesus will get to enjoy the sanctuary of heaven for all of eternity! But, you must first come to the cross, repent of your sin, and put your faith in Jesus.
One day, every person who has not put their faith and trust in Jesus will stand before Him at a white throne to be judged. The sinner, the self-righteous, and even church members will stand before Jesus trying to justify their good deeds as reason for salvation. However, salvation only comes through believing in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the unsaved will be condemned to the lake of fire or hell. They will be judged according to their works, not according to Jesus' mercy. If you want grace and mercy, you can have it. But you have to ask Jesus for mercy before the judgment day. Acts 16:31 says, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved..."
Today, Satan is going through the earth like a roaring lion looking for people to devour. But there will come a day when Satan is bound by Jesus. Satan is behind every evil in this world. As Christians, we have the hope of the future reign of our Lord and Savior. The gospel has not failed. Jesus has not failed. We are waiting for His return and the establishment of His kingdom when those that have rebelled are cast into hell, and Jesus will reign forever and ever.
Why can we have hope in this broken world? We can have hope because Jesus is coming again. He will return visibly, coming on a white horse for all to see. He will also return victoriously. Finally, Jesus is coming vengefully, because He is returning to make things right. We don't know when Jesus will return, but we should be looking, longing, and living for His second coming.
Jesus Christ is the only One worthy of our love, our life, our all. He is exclusively worthy! There is none other that compares to Him. He is exceedingly worthy because of Calvary, because of creation, and because of conquest. And He is eternally worthy forever and ever. There was never a time when He was not worthy, and there will never be a time when He is not worthy. “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain. To receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:12).
Revelation 4 is an interesting passage that describes God's throne in heaven. It is like nothing we can imagine! While there is a lot being described, there is only one thing that matters: God is on the throne. Why does this give us hope? Because God always has and always will have authority over His creation. No matter what is going on in our lives, we have hope because God is still on the throne. He is still in control.
As we continue to think about how sorrow looks back, worry looks all around, and hope looks up, we can look forward to the rapture, or when the believers in Jesus Christ will be taken to meet Him. While we do not know when the rapture will take place, we can live and learn and long for Jesus' Second Coming with expectant hope.
Sorrow looks back. Worry looks around. Hope looks up. Our hope comes from Jesus Christ. Over the next eight weeks, we will take a unique look at the book of Revelation and how Christians can have hope now and in the future.
The final session in our Spring Community Groups discusses how "We lose our place in time." The seasons of our lives are now stacked in social media feeds which we endlessly scroll. This causes us to forget our place in the here and now as well as forget the commands of God. Technology can make life easier, but immaturity makes that technology self-destructive.
If you'd like a copy of the worksheet, email Jay@mybethel.cc.
Our mission statement at Bethel Community Church is that "We exist to Love and Lead One Another to Find and Follow Jesus.” Matthew 4 and Luke 5 tells of when Peter, Andrew, James, and John were called out by Jesus to follow Him. In some ways, this call is similar to their current work; in other ways, it is different. The image of fishing is still used, but now it involves people. The greatest purpose we can have in life is to follow Jesus in catching people for Him.
Session 12 discusses how "We become harsh." Our phones have made it easier to judge others actions and call them out online. But how does the Bible say we should confront people who are doing wrong, and how can we apply it to the technology-age?
If you'd like a copy of the worksheet, email Jay@mybethel.cc.
Through the life of Hannah in the first two chapters of 1 Samuel, we’ll see five defining traits of a woman of faith. She endured years of silent suffering because of her barrenness. Yet she faithfully worshipped, pouring out her tears and petitions. When God answered her prayers, she not only kept her promise, she exploded with praise. We might think that it’s tough to relate to people in the Bible because their lives seemed so perfect and their culture was so different than ours. Hannah shows us that the Bible contains examples of real people with real problems, who face them with real faith.
The eleventh session of our Community Group is about how "We Fear Missing Out." We are tethered to our devices because we want to know, want to see, and don't want to be left out of what others are doing. While this is not a healthy way to live, there is one legitimate FOMO we should all have!
If you would like of a copy of the handout for this session, please email jay@mybethel.cc.
Stephen is introduced as a servant of Christ. He also preached the grace and truth of the gospel of Jesus for which many people hated him. Although Stephen seemed to do everything right, he ultimately lost his life. He died for his faith. It may not have been obvious at the time, but Stephen’s most effective contribution to the kingdom of God came through his martyrdom. Paul was not converted by seeing Stephen delivered; he was converted by seeing Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, testifying of Jesus’ glory in the midst of pain. Through his death, Stephen became one of the greatest evangelists.
Session 10 discusses how "We lose meaning." Smartphones make it easy to share and ingest a steady diet of pointless information. In contrast, Christians must consume a steady diet of wisdom. When we turn to God, we find the most precious wisdom and knowledge is not embedded in the newest device or the latest post on social media, but found in Jesus Christ.
If you'd like a copy of the worksheet, email Jay@mybethel.cc.
After Jesus resurrected from the grave he spent 40 days on earth appearing before His followers. In Matthew 28:18, He tells them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." As we go through life, we don't go alone. In our neighborhood, in our workplace, in our home - Jesus is there. He has not abandoned us to do life on our own. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him, and He is always with us. That should give us confidence to share the good news of the gospel with those we meet.
Session 9 is a review week for our Community Groups. We covered the first 8 ways our phones are changing us earlier this semester. After taking a few weeks off for Spring Break and Easter, we are discussing whether or not we control our phones or do our phones control us.
If you'd like a copy of the worksheet, email Jay@mybethel.cc.
Today's last words come from the angel at Jesus' tomb found in Matthew 28:6: "He is not here; for he has risen.” But should we believe that this actually happened? We'll look at evidence for a factual resurrection and a few of the false theories against it. The overwhelming evidence presented proves that Jesus rose from the dead. Because Jesus conquered death, we can believe that His claims about the way to eternal life are also true.
Tetelestai. One Greek word that means, "It is finished." The perfect work of Jesus Christ was complete, and His suffering was over. When Jesus cried out, "It is finished," He triumphed over Satan, fulfilled the requirements of the law, and put an end to the system of sacrifice. Everything that needed to be done for our salvation was done. It was finished! There is nothing for you to do but believe in Jesus Christ and His finished work.
We’re looking at the last words of Jesus as He gave His life on the cross. This week, we look at the time when He asked God, “Why?” It's much easier to have faith in God when everything is going well in our lives. But what about when dark times come? Is your faith deep enough to realize that God sees the big picture, and He is in control? You might be in a season of asking God why. If you are hurting and you don’t understand why, never forget that God loves you enough to sacrifice His only son. In the middle of your pain, God is there with you.
"Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." The first words Jesus uttered on the cross are an example to us in forgiveness. How did He forgive such great wickedness and evil? Because of God's great love for us, Jesus became our sacrifice. Jesus teaches us to pray for the restoration and forgiveness of those who have hurt us. How do I forgive? Just as Jesus forgave me!
In Colossians 4, as Paul begins the conclusion of his letter, he tells the church at Colossea to do three things. First, he instructs them to pray for gospel obligations, gospel opportunities, and gospel circumstances. Next, he wanted them to act wisely by prioritizing the things of God. Finally, he wanted them to watch for what God was going to do next. God wasn't finished with Paul, he wasn't finished with the church in the book of Colossians, and He isn't finished with the church today.
Session 8 discusses how "We become comfortable in secret vices." Our phones have made it easier than ever to hide our sin. What used to be inconvenient or more difficult because of physical distance has practically been eliminated with technology. But God sees everything! How are you safeguarding yourself from smartphone sin?
If you'd like a copy of the worksheet, email Jay@mybethel.cc.
The seventh session of our Community Group is about how "We Get Lonely" even in a group or despite having connections through social media.
If you would like of a copy of the handout for this session, please email jay@mybethel.cc.
The church in Colossae had a "Jesus and..." mentality. They believed in Jesus, but they also thought they needed to add the law, mystical rituals, or traditions to their faith in Christ. Paul was telling them in this portion of his letter that Christ is enough. Period! We do the same thing today. We put our faith in Jesus for our eternal salvation, but we continue to turn to other things, like money, for our security in life. We must realize that Jesus plus nothing else is all that we actually need.
The sixth session of our Community Group is about how "We Become Like What We 'Like.'" We are all trying to become like someone else, and hopefully, you are striving to be more like Christ.
If you would like of a copy of the handout for this session, please email jay@mybethel.cc.
What do you imagine your best life would be like? No debt? Perfect children? Better job? While we may have ideas of what the supreme life might look like, Paul gives us instructions in Colossians chapter two on how to attain it. Paul basically tells us to start with Jesus by believing and accepting the gospel, and then to stay with Jesus by basing our lives on what He has done for us. Because Christ already has the victory over Satan and sin, we can live each day in the supreme life.
Session five deals with our desire to "Feed on the Produced." Everything real, meaning all of creation, is mediated by God. Man takes the mediated and reproduces it into the intermediated. Christians have to be aware of the biases and interpretations of intermediated content. Everything a Christian creates or shares should bring God glory, and the intermediated, whether intentional or inadvertent, can be used for evil.
For a copy of the handout for this session, email Jay@mybethel.cc.
What did it cost you to receive the free gift of salvation? Nothing! Jesus paid it all. Now, are you willing to do what it takes for people all over the world to hear that message? How can we receive the extravagant grace of the gospel, and then do nothing to get it to those who have never heard? God has given each of us the talent, abilities, and even the finances to invest into eternity. But what are we willing to sacrifice in order to further the spread of the gospel?
Session 4 discusses how "We are losing our literacy." Research shows that comprehension is better with print versus digital material. Reading and understanding the Bible is a lifetime investment. The Bible shouldn't be read in the same way we scroll our social media feeds.
If you'd like a copy of the worksheet, email Jay@mybethel.cc.
The third session deals with how "We crave immediate approval." You may not even realize that you use social media in order to get attention, gain approval, or seek praise from others. The problem with this mindset is that all of the glory and praise should go to God not to us.
If you'd like a copy of the worksheet, email Jay@mybethel.cc.
Session two is "We ignore our own flesh and blood." From texting and driving to sending an angry email, technology has the potential to get in the way of our physical relationships. Although we can't get away from remote and digital communication altogether, let's do better at loving through our physical presence.
If you'd like a copy of the worksheet, email Jay@mybethel.cc.
Session 1 of our Community Group is "We are addicted to distractions." Whether you have a smartphone, a dumb phone, or no phone, you cannot escape a life of distractions. We use these distractions to ignore our families, our work, and even God.
If you'd like a copy of the worksheet, email Jay@mybethel.cc.
We are starting a new series from the book of Colossians, a letter Paul wrote to a group of believers in the ancient city of Colossae. The culture of the city had begun to infiltrate the church, and the believers there were adding other traditions and rituals to the gospel. From the beginning of his letter, Paul establishes that Jesus should be first in every aspect of their lives. So, what gets the first and best of your time, talent, and treasures? God wants to be first in your heart, and you reflect His position in your life based on how far up the priority list Jesus is.
Over the last four weeks, we have discussed some of the names of God such as holy and loving. Although it seems counterintuitive, God's wrath actually shows His goodness. God's wrath grows out of His love for purity, holiness, and justice. Sin angers God. God feels wrath toward our sin, yet He sent Jesus because of His compassion towards us. No one wants you to escape God's wrath more than God!
Everything that has ever existed began with God. He was there before the universe started. He is the source of life. He always has been and always will be. Nothing preceded Him. Nothing created Him. He is the same for all of time. God told Moses to tell the Israelites "I Am" was sending Moses. God is. We either receive Him for who He is, or we reject Him. Your are not all the things that God is, but it does not matter because His name is "I Am."
How do you know God loves you? Exodus 34 presents three dimensions of God's love: merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and steadfast. The world around us does not always show evidence of God's love, and it can be hard for us to comprehend it. But God's deep love for us is revealed many times throughout the Bible. Our circumstances and feelings do not determine God's love. God proved his love for each of us by sending Jesus to die on the cross for our salvation. When we know and understand God's love, we will produce it our own lives and then share it with others.
Names are important. God has a name, and understanding that name is crucial to knowing Him. One of God's names is "Holy." This name literally means "set apart." God is set apart by His awesome power and His perfection. Interestingly, God's holiness can be both terrifying and comforting. What does God's holiness mean for humanity? God is so perfect and righteous that man has to die for his sins; but God is so loving that He was glad to die in man's place.
In Colossians chapter 15, Paul gives a clear description of who Jesus is. Paul does this by showing how Jesus is God through six different examples. When Jesus came the first time, he became weak for our sake despite being fully God. When Jesus comes the second time, everyone will know and recognize that He is God. The love and salvation Jesus offers to us, should make us want to worship Him. Joy in Christianity comes from knowing Jesus and having a heart of worship for all that He has done for us.
Enoch faithfully walked with God for 300 years. The simplicity and shortness of Enoch’s story may cause us to miss how incredible it is. But we can learn from Enoch's faithful walks. Faith takes advantage of the outstretched hand of God. Immanuel means God is available to us. Enoch stands in contradiction to what the world had become in his time. Will you take God by the hand, walk with Him, and stand in contradiction to our world today?
Christians and non-Christians alike have used a form of the phrase, "God is with you." When things are going well, it can be easy to think that God is taking care of us. But what about during those times of desperation, when we are in a valley? Christians have the power and strength of God on their side. While we are going through the tragedies of the valley, we can still set our minds on the goodness and unfailing love of God. The road to the path of peace is often through the valley. We all will encounter valleys, but God promises that we won't be stuck there alone. God is with us!
A spirit of ingratitude can cause many negative emotions. Romans 1:21 shows us that the people Paul was speaking to knew God, but they did not give thanks to God. We tend to do the same thing. We have knowledge of God, but we ignore His providences and refuse to give Him thanks. Gratitude is a matter of our hearts. We are ungrateful because we take for granted the goodness of the Lord. Every good gift comes from God! So, be thankful to God for all the good things, even the common things, that He has given us.
Pastor Robert has spent the last six weeks talking about different emotions. Where do our emotions originate? In the heart. However, from a young age, we are taught to monitor or change our behavior, not change our heart. The religious leaders in Jesus' day were certainly more concerned with managing behavior by following their laws rather than monitoring their hearts. Jesus called this to their attention in Matthew 15 when he told them what is in the heart comes out of the mouth, and that is what defiles a person. How is your heart?
Although we tend to make light of jealousy, Proverbs 27:4 tells us that jealousy is more cruel and dangerous than anger. This is evident in the life in Joseph. His brothers were so jealous they plotted his murder. Joseph's life was spared, but he was sold into slavery, accused of wrongs he didn't do, and put in prison. By trusting God, Joseph was able to overcome each of these situations. The things Joseph suffered because of his brothers' jealousy should serve as a warning for all us. Jealousy is dangerous! This story has a happy ending though, because Joseph was able to forgive is brothers and restore his relationship with them.
Why do so many of us carry the weight of depression? Our souls are weighed down with the heaviness of past hurt, the heaviness of present trouble, and the heaviness of an anxious future. Instead of feeling sad or hopeless about our troubles, we can look to God when we feel depressed. We can remember God's faithfulness, cry out to Him, and trust that He is powerful enough to handle the future. May you find rest in Jesus! Put your hope in Him.
So many of us have a restless soul. We are always searching but never finding the comfort we need. Our anxious and worried souls are never satisfied. The busyness and uncertainty of life exasperates us. The book of Psalms is filled with verses that give our weary souls the recipe for rest. Ultimately, our rest is in God. He alone is the answer to our worry.
Guilt. We've all experienced it. You may have asked for forgiveness or tried to right your wrongs, but from time to time, you still feel guilty for things from your past. Satan can use that guilt to make us feel condemned, hopeless, and unloved. However, God has the power to cleanse us, defend us, and remove our guilt through Jesus.
By any measure of success, Moses had it all. He was the prince of Egypt. But in a moment of rage, he lost it all. Moses probably felt as though there was no way to recover from the disappointment he had become. God was not finished with Moses though. God taught Moses through Moses' insecurity, insignificance, and isolation. Moses' failure and disappointment was not the end of his service. It actually became God's foundation for Moses' future success.
Anger is a word we often struggle to clearly define. While anger is not always sinful, it certainly can be. Even God was angry at times, but He never sinned. So, how can we deal with our anger whenever tempers are flaring? We can acknowledge when we are sinful, recognize God's sovereignty, pray that we grow in love, and learn to forgive. Ultimately, through the Holy Spirit, God enables us to replace our anger with forgiveness.
Israel had an incredible victory, and they were returning to rebuild their temple. However, it did not take long for before they fell into old habits and sinned against God. Ezra is broken by the decisions of his people. Through repentance, the Israelites could be restored. The same is true today. Change begins with Jesus, continues with confession, and is solidified with repentance.
Our relationship with Jesus cannot be reduced to a schedule, but it can be renewed each day. We try to control every aspect of our lives. We schedule and work and try for meaning, fun, purpose, success, and power. Yet we are left wanting and needing more. All of this working and doing is wearing us out, because we are trying to accomplish what only Jesus can. The Gospel saves us and sustains us. Come find rest and renewal in Jesus!
As King Cyrus was preparing to rebuild the temple in Ezra 3, he understood that it would take people, obedience, and money. As Bethel rebuilds from the events of the last 18 months, we must be unified in our mission, work, and purpose. In order to rebuild, we need to worship together. We also need each person to be involved by giving and serving. Finally, we need to celebrate what God is doing at Bethel.
As we work through the book of Ezra, we are asking God to give us stirring orders and that we would obey when He stirs. God had asked King Cyrus to return and rebuild the temple. We have an opportunity as a church to return to biblical understanding, an unapologetic stance for Jesus, and a discipleship-based lifestyle. Isolation over the last year and half has caused some of us to retreat, but now is the time for us to return and rebuild.
Over the next few weeks, we are going to reset our hearts and minds. The last 18 months have been difficult for many reasons. We will see many parallels with the Israelites who were in captivity during the time of the book of Ezra. Just as God stirred or awakened King Cyrus of Persia, he can do the same for us. God is stirring us into action despite our difficult circumstances!
All Christians struggle with their faith at one time or another. They may feel guilty or overwhelmed. They may feel the need to prove themselves. They may have a feeling like they should be doing more. Peter was one of Jesus' disciples. He had a close, personal relationship with Jesus, yet he still struggled with his faith. Instead of trying to perform for God, we need to put our faith in the gospel. Instead of struggling with your faith, find rest in Jesus.
Pastor Robert shares the theme from youth camp: Dwell. He gives a synopsis of what the students learned last week through Psalm 46.
James chapters 4 and 5 reveal what happens when we place our assurance in the earthly things that we revere more than God. We are often blinded by these things, but James will bring to light these counterfeit saviors. Then James gives us a practical way to trust God.
WWJD? What would Jesus do as he passed by a blind man? He would give God glory by healing that man of his physical and spiritual blindness. In John 9:1-4, Jesus gives us an example of how to work like our Heavenly Father intended. We may be in the last days and that should motivate us to be ready to do God's work with urgency.
Most people view their jobs as a necessity that must be endured in order to make ends meet. The Bible has a lot to say about work starting in Genesis 2. Many Christians view worship as something done inside the church, but our work is actually a form of worship to God. Although the curse of sin has made work toilsome at times, work helps us to fulfill God's purpose in our lives and allows us to be a blessing to others.
Before the gospel, we approach relationships from a market standpoint: How can this relationship benefit me? The gospel reshapes how we approach broken and needy people. Christians move toward them, in empathy and compassion instead of with self-centered motives. Gospel people realize that Jesus came not because He needed us. He came as an act of love, and those of us who have experienced that love should love others the same way.
It’s no coincidence that Paul talks about sowing and reaping after discussing fruit (Galatians 5). You reap today what you sowed yesterday. Unfortunately, you can’t change that even if you pray about it or ask for forgiveness. God gives forgiveness immediately; however, the way He begins to work change in your life is by getting you to sow seeds of the Spirit! To see the Fruit of the Spirit in your life, it is a continual planting or preaching the gospel to yourself day after day.
God’s desire is to change our heart so that we love Him without being commanded to do it. We find freedom in obedience and faith in the gospel. We use this freedom to grow the Fruit of Spirit in our lives and serve others. God’s goal is to produce in you a new heart that loves the right things. That love is produced—not by going through a list of what you must do, but by soaking in the truth of what Christ has done.
God wanted to make us into children who wanted to obey. He didn’t want us to remain as slaves who were forced to obey. So, He redeemed us—Jesus was born under the law, so He could live the life we were supposed to live, and die the death we were condemned to die. In doing so, He brought us out of the bondage and slavery of sin and made us sons and daughters or heirs of God.
Paul spent the first part of Galatians establishing that salvation is through faith in Christ alone, not faith plus The Law. However, there is some benefit of The Law for our lives. While it is not a means of salvation, it is a guard to help us live in obedience to Christ.
The way of faith is different than the way of the law. That is the point that Paul is making in Galatians 3. Our salvation had to be more than simply having our sin debt removed. And that’s because our sin did more than leave us guilty before God. It also left us utterly unable to live the Christian life. The essence of salvation, Paul says, is you in Christ and Christ in you. Where you stand in Christ’s righteousness, and His resurrection power becomes the source of your spiritual life.
We’ve called this series “Set Free,” because the book of Galatians is about the freedom that the gospel alone provides for us. In this passage, Paul illustrates the kind of freedom that we experience when we trust in Christ. The gospel—that we are justified by faith alone in Christ’s finished work—destroys all types of pride and insecurities. So, in Christ, we have the freedom to unite.
We had a special family Easter service with games, an egg hunt, a story for the kids, songs of worship, and a message from Pastor Robert. It was great to celebrate the best day ever as a church family. Pastor Robert recapped our Best Day Ever series and explained why we celebrate today. Every day with Jesus is the best day ever!
God had a plan to save each person that walks this earth. His plan was substitution: Jesus in my place. We deserve punishment in hell for our sins. That's what the garden of Gethsemane means for our salvation. Jesus took our place; He received our punishment. Jesus didn’t die so we could have an easy life. Gethsemane shows us that our priorities have to be different. Is what you are pursuing with your life worthy of His sacrifice?
The whole point of the Exodus is that Israel might come to know God. Moses desired to be in the presence of God. God’s presence is the point of Christianity today, too. How do we get God's presence? First, we need a relationship with Jesus Christ. Then the presence of God comes into our life when we seek it more than anything in earnest, continual prayer.
Jesus' mission is the expansion of His kingdom. Bethel Community Church exists to carry out that mission by spreading the gospel and making disciples. His mission is accomplished by the generosity and stewardship of the believers. Investing in Jesus' mission is the most worthwhile investment.
As we continue our series on the church, we are looking at the church of Laodicea from the book of Revelation. This church is known for being "lukewarm." They weren't passionate about serving Christ. Many Christians only make room for Jesus when it's convenient. At Bethel, we want everything we do to be about Jesus. We don't want to be a lukewarm church.
Discipleship is what Jesus did. He asked the disciples to follow Him, and He's asked us to do the same. Jesus saves people. Jesus builds His church. We are to follow Jesus and lead other people to follow Him as well.
The church has been given a mission. As a believer and follower of Jesus, we are all commanded to go and make disciples, who get baptized, and then teach them to live for Christ. At Bethel, we say that we exist to love and lead one another to find and follow Jesus. This is our Great Commission!
The church is the most important organization of which you can be a part. In a nutshell, a New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous, local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Find out practically what this means for Bethel.
Fasting and prayer are spiritually powerful things. Even if the prayers you prayed were not answered during this time, God still heard your prayers. You are building a legacy that will affect the people you prayed for and the situations you prayed about. God cares, and God is at work. What kind of legacy are you leaving behind through your prayers?
When you appeal to God’s heart, you can expect to see God’s hand. The God of the universe is not moved most by your love or dedication for Him, but He is moved by His love for you. Mary and Martha knew this, and they petitioned Jesus based on Jesus’ love for Lazarus when he was ill. God is able to do more than we can ask or imagine!
Through the story of Elijah and Ahab meeting at Mount Carmel to test whose god is more powerful, we learn that Elijah puts God's work above his own hunger. Elijah spends time praying rather than eating. When ordinary people who love God pray, powerful things happen. It’s not just 21 days of fasting and prayer, but 21 days of power as we see God do the impossible.
It's week two of our series "21 Days." As we prepare to fast, have you ever wondered what it takes to enter God's presence? Join us as we look at Psalm 24 to find out.
Bethel would like to start a New Year's tradition that focuses on prayer and fasting. Pastor Robert discusses different types of fasts and the purpose of them. Ultimately, fasting is a way to demonstrate to God and to ourselves that we are serious about our relationship with Him.
The word “blessed” gets thrown around a lot in Christian circles. Being blessed does not mean living a life without suffering; it means having the presence and unalterable promises of God in those situations. It means having a life in which God is committed to conforming you more toward the image of Jesus and bringing others to know Jesus through you. Mary learned what it meant to be blessed, because she recognized God’s presence and promises were always with her.
Family is not an emotionally neutral subject. We either have positive or negative emotions concerning our family members. Regardless of our good or bad experiences, or what the hurt was like, or how much time has gone by since we spoke, we were created to care when it comes to family. Sometimes this means that we have to engage in the process of reconciliation. As Christians, we really have no choice in the matter but to open the door for reconciliation.
We're launching a new ministry: Bethel Cares. See how we're going to live out James 1:27.
All families have one thing in common: conflict. Conflict within the family is often complicated and complex. With every problem we face, God has given us directions on how to deal with it in the best way. So, "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you?"
If you knew that asking a simple question was the key to a great family, would you ask it? The word submission often gets a negative reaction, but Ephesians 5 gives us a biblical example of mutual submission that isn't negative at all. It's actually the cornerstone for the ideal family. Practically, we can benefit our family members by regularly asking them this one question.
You don't come from an ideal family. You haven't created the ideal family. There is real and there is ideal, and there is a gap between them. There is real and there is ideal, and there is a tension between them. And it is a tension we dare not resolve, because the future of our families depend on it.
Indifference. Lack of passion. It's something we all struggle to overcome. Sometimes we lack passion in our spiritual life. We will see that pursuing Christ with passion brings true joy. If we are passionate about something, we will urgently and sacrificially pursue it. When we are actively looking for Christ’s rule in our life, we are much more likely to find it.
What would happen if we lived in the reality of God's goodness? When we feed on God's goodness, we can truly experience who God is. "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!"
Sin is "a willful or deliberate violation of some religious or moral principle." But we don't like to think of ourselves as sinners. We like to think that we're mistakers who need to do better. The truth is that we are all sinners with no hope if we depend on our efforts and our righteousness. When we embrace the fact that we're a sinner, we are able to engage in God’s grace, forgiveness, pardon for sin, and have a personal relationship with our Savior, Jesus.
Another way that the unseen world affects our seen world is through authority. God is at work through human authority: the good and the bad. We will see that how we respond to authority is a spiritual issue.
Culture is always pushing us away from the life-giving message of the Gospel. Culture tells us that sex is only physical. That it’s just an activity. However, God created sex, and His view is different than culture's.
One way the invisible world impacts our visible world is through pain. We are tempted to examine our pain, suffering, and loss within the context of our own life. However, God has given us three big dots: in the beginning, in the meantime, and in the end. These three dots give us the context for all of the suffering we will experience in this world.
There’s an invisible world that impacts our visible world every single day. This earth has been placed under the authority of a personality that Jesus refers to as the Devil. The Devil's agenda is the end of human life, and the means by which he accomplishes that is deception.
When people look at your life, do they see you walking in THE WAY? Or are you just in the way? The 1st century didn’t have a name for these new believers that kept popping up all over the Roman Empire, they were just called "People of the Way." Why were they called this and what set them apart?
During this series, we will explore the characteristics of THE WAY and see if our lives reflect the same.
When people look at your life, do they see you walking in THE WAY? Or are you just in the way? The 1st century didn’t have a name for these new believers that kept popping up all over the Roman Empire, they were just called "People of the Way." Why were they called this and what set them apart?
During this series, we will explore the characteristics of THE WAY and see if our lives reflect the same.
When people look at your life, do they see you walking in THE WAY? Or are you just in the way? The 1st century didn’t have a name for these new believers that kept popping up all over the Roman Empire, they were just called "People of the Way." Why were they called this and what set them apart?
During this series, we will explore the characteristics of THE WAY and see if our lives reflect the same.
When people look at your life, do they see you walking in THE WAY? Or are you just in the way? The 1st century didn’t have a name for these new believers that kept popping up all over the Roman Empire, they were just called "People of the Way." Why were they called this and what set them apart?
During this series, we will explore the characteristics of THE WAY and see if our lives reflect the same.
Pastor Ray Rhoton from Bethel Community in Yukon, OK, shares that God is asking us to lean into His Word, lean into His Community, and lean into Generosity. This year, will you be a wave watcher or a wave catcher as we participate in the adventure God has called us to?
Pastor Robert unpacks the new mission Statement for Bethel Community Church: "We exist to love and lead one another to find and follow Jesus!"
Just as the nation of Israel viewed Bethel as a place of transformation because of the stories of Jacob in Genesis 28 and 35, this church desires to see individual lives and ultimately this community transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The local church is more than its name. It is the people that make up the body of Christ. The pastors of South Creek discuss the church's name, its locations, type of church government, and organization of its leadership in order to the lay the foundation for where South Creek has been and where it is going in the coming years.
There is a difference between making a resolution and being resolved to do something. Resolutions tend to sound like a to-do list for a small slice of our lives, while resolve speaks of a new mindset that affects the course of our daily lives. We want to be resolved with how we handle our "output"- that is the discipline of sharing our faith, or something called evangelism. We often overcomplicate the idea of evangelism, but it is simply this: communicating the gospel of Jesus Christ to people who are far from Him.
There is a difference between making a resolution and being resolved to do something. Resolutions tend to sound like a to-do list for a small slice of our lives, while resolve speaks of a new mindset that affects the course of our daily lives. We want to be resolved with how we handle our "input"- that is, the practice of reading and applying God's word to our lives. God's word is God's plan for a transformed life.
As the Christmas season rolls into the New Year, we want to remember what Jesus birth means for us. Each of us has an incredible need to be forgiven of our sins. Jesus paid an immeasurable price to meet our need with grace. God has provided this grace in order to change us. As we grow in our relationship with Christ, we become more like him as we begin to sacrifice for the good of those around us.
The word “blessed” gets thrown around a lot in Christian circles. Many times it means we’re rich in something (like money or friends) and at other times it means things are going well for us. The greatest blessing- the blessing that makes all others appear insignificant in comparison- is that Jesus is ours. Being blessed and highly favored does not mean living a life without suffering. It means having the presence and promises of God in all of those situations.
We all love to receive gifts! But there will be no gift you open and nothing significant that will happen this season like the reality that God came in the flesh and dwelt among us as Immanuel- God With Us. This Advent season, there is nothing that compares to what we’ve been given in the coming of Christ who dwelt among us, who becomes our righteousness and absorbs from us our sins. The invitation to all of us is to enter into the forgiveness of God made possible in Christ- to be fully forgiven, freely forgiven, and forever forgiven.
As we approach Advent, we start by looking at the ultimate purpose of Christ's birth. As humans we have a void in our heart that was designed to long for eternity- to long for God. But God did not abandon us in our sin. Instead he provided the only way to fill this void and restore our relationship with Him. Now he reorders all around us in such a way that all of our rejoicing should roll up into the ultimate rejoicing: that Christ has come, and that he is coming again.
For Team Sunday we want to see what it is like to be on Jesus' team. When we unpack the attitudes of Jesus’ first team and the effect they had on the culture around them, we see our game plan: When we gather together we will grow, give and go with the gospel. God wants the team to follow His plan, and He has always used ordinary people doing ordinary things to accomplish than plan. We could say it like this: When ordinary people practice obedience, God does extraordinary things through the power of the gospel. That is the power of begin on Jesus' team.
Chad Braymer, our missionary to Costa Rica, is our guest speaker this week. During his initial time in Costa Rica, Chad's biggest takeaway has been the emphasis placed on relationships by the Costa Rican people. Teaching from Ephesians 5:15-16, Chad's challenge for us is to make the best use of the time God gives us as we build relationships with those around us. By avoiding a task-driven mentality, we can focus on the people we interact with and introduce Christ into the relationship as we seek to change lives with the gospel.
What is a "Christian"? The word “Christian” today means many things to many different people. Sometimes it obscures the fact that a lot of people who call themselves Christians are not actually disciples. “Disciple” is much clearer—terrifyingly clear, in fact—about what you actually become when you believe in Jesus. This week we’re going back to Matthew 4, the calling of the 1st disciples, to see what a disciple actually was.
The role of the church is to make disciples, but we can't make anyone be serious about maturation. What we can do is come alongside of you and serve you by offering a place for gospel-centered worship and venues for gospel-centered community. Our prayer is that each of us would grow and seek ways to get involved in gospel-centered service. As a result we will see gospel-centered multiplication as God builds his church and draws more people to the Dearest Place.
The dearest place on earth is an imperfect church made up of people from different backgrounds of all sorts who have been brought together by the blood of Jesus Christ. Each of us is uniquely wired by God, so that we all bring different personalities and skills to the church body. Each of us is uniquely placed by God as well, and we are a part of this church to help full God's purpose for the church- to make disciples through our personal lives and through the life of our church body.
We all come to our church gathering with legitimate hurts and struggles. Regardless of where you find yourself in life, the church and her role in your life has everything to do with where you are at right now. Anyone who has put themselves out there with a group of Christians knows the impact that the church body can have on your life. God's covenant relationship with the church is the model that we use as Christians for how we relate to one another. Because of that, God’s tangible love is most often manifested to us through the saints of His church.
The church is not an institution for perfect people. It is a sanctuary for sinners saved by grace, a nursery for God's sweet children to be nurtured and grow strong. It is the fold for Christ's sheep and the home for Christ's family. The church is the dearest place on Earth.
As we wrap up this study of Jonah we look at the prophet's response to the events that took place in chapter 3 in Nineveh, when the whole city repented of their sin. Despite being God's messenger, Jonah's rebellious heart is exposed again as he struggles to accept God's forgiveness of the Ninevites. How do we respond when God sends us to reach out to people who we may not think deserve God's grace?
Last week Jonah was swallowed by a great fish after running from God. This week the prophet has famously spent three days and nights in that great fish's belly, and has finally seen the error of his ways. Because of his idolatry and the futility of life without God, he repents of his sin and finds forgiveness from God, because salvation belongs to the Lord.