Bethany Baptist Church, Salem OR: Recent Episodes
Bethany Baptist Church
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YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
Last week Pastor Jeremiah led us through chapters 4-5 and Ezekiel’s “prophetic Performance art.” Ezekiel performed visual lessons in lying down, eating in unorthodox methods and cutting his hair, all to communicate messages of God’s coming judgment on Israel. In today’s text, those warnings become reality and the end to which God is bringing them comes near. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
Bibliography
Daniel Isaac Block, The Book of Ezekiel, Chapters 1–24, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997).
Moshe Greenberg, Ezekiel 1–20: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, vol. 22, Anchor Yale Bible (New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2008).
Iain M. Duguid, Ezekiel, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 1999).
Amir Tsarfati and Rick Yohn, Exploring Ezekiel: The Next Big War, Earth’s Final Days, and Your Eternal Destination(Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2025).
Joshua Porter, With All Its Teeth: Sex, Violence, Profanity, and the Death of Christian Art (The Rejected Publishing Guild, 2024)
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In the last message we looked at verses 1-3 of Ezekiel 1, noting God’s call of Ezekiel while he was in exile in Babylon. Ezekiel was among 10.000 Israelites captured in Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar and exiled to Babylon, where he sat by the Chebar River/Canal when God approaches him. He was 30 years old, the age when priests could begin their ministry, and on this day God calls Ezekiel to the ministry as a prophet. Ezekiel’s call was seen, heard, and felt, as the hand of the Lord fell upon him. What ensues in ch. 1 is one of the most dramatic scenes in all of the Bible, as Ezekiel sees visions of God’s glory. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
We were pleased to welcome the new Executive Director for Hope Pregnancy Clinic, Jay Messenger, to our service today. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
By the time of Ezekiel, Israel's days of wine and roses had passed. She had flourished under David and Solomon, but had become a divided kingdom, with the northern tribes of Israel taken to captivity in Assyria, and a hundred years later the southern kingdom taken into captivity in Babylon. Ezekiel was a priest in the southern kingdom, taken along with 10,000 others to Babylon in 597BC. Ezekiel's message to God's people in captivity was that God's glory was departing from them due to their sin, but that one day in the future his glory would return. Our story begins with the call of the prophet. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
Our study this month is Dedicated: being Devoted to God. The first message was on being dedicated to God’s Word, then being dedicated to God’s Church, and last week being dedicated to God’s Service. Today, I want us to focus on what it means to be dedicated to God’s Honor. What does it mean for you and me, as God’s children, to be devoted to God, honoring God in the daily lives we live? YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
Our study this month is Dedicated: being devoted to God. The first message was on being dedicated to God’s Word, and last week we looked at being dedicated to God’s Church. Today, I want us to focus on what it means to be dedicated to God’s Service. What does it mean for you and me, as God’s children, to be devoted to serving God and serving others? YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
This January I want to talk about what it means to be “Dedicated” in our walk with Christ. Today, I want to encourage you to commit to joining me in 2026 to walk with Christ by being dedicated to God's church. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
This January I want to talk about what it means to be “Dedicated” in our walk with Christ, our work for Christ, our worship of Christ, and our witness for Christ. Today, I want to encourage you to commit to joining me in 2026 to walk with Christ by being dedicated to Bible reading. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
In our last study we looked at the Marks of Good Friends, where Paul reminded Timothy that good friends show up; they help when needed, and they warn you of danger. Those are the kinds of friends we need in life. Not perfect friends, because there are none, but good friends who stabilize our lives in this chaotic world. Paul had these kinds of friends, and he needed them. Today we will look at the final lines of 2 Timothy together and close this series on the Letters to Timothy. We’ve learned many lessons on what it means to leave your mark in this life, and today we will look at the final lesson: the Marks of Spiritual Confidence. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
For the last three Sundays we have been reading Scripture and lighting candles for Advent without much explanation. This morning I want to give some explanation to what we’ve been doing. Advent is the season of preparation for Christ's coming, his presence with us. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
Building friendships is especially important for those who want to honor God, because God made us for relationships. Jesus taught the importance of loving others and then he lived it out before their eyes. He was called “the friend of sinners.” In today’s text, we see that Paul too became a man of many deep relationships. His friendships were vast and covered a great variety of men and women in his day. His parting thoughts in 2 Timothy 4 give us some lessons on the marks of good friends. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
Last week we looked at Paul’s powerful charge to Timothy in the opening lines of chapter 4, and in today’s text Paul switches his focus to his own life purpose. In verse 5 he charges Timothy with the words “As for you…” and now in verse 6 he says “For I.” In Greek, the word “I” is emphatic, which the NLT translates “As for me.” While young Timothy was to “preach the Word,” Paul is facing his last lap in life and knows he will soon die. His final perspective on running his race reveals three marks of a strong finish. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
As we come to the final chapter of our series in the Letters to Timothy, we find some of the most eloquent, memorable declarations of Paul. He begins this final section by calling Timothy to fulfill his duties as a pastor. There are nine commands in this section that Paul wants Timothy to focus on; nine things that will mark the ministry of a faithful pastor. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
In our last study in the letters to Timothy, we looked at the beginning of chapter 3 where Paul warned: “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.” 2 Tim 3:1 (ESV) We acknowledge that our society is, in some ways, falling apart before our eyes, and that we should not be caught off guard by the ways our culture is declining since we are warned about it ahead of time. We also saw that there were enemies within the church community that Paul described with 19 unflattering character traits. The goal of Paul’s warning is that Timothy and the church would be on guard against apostasy and ready to defend God’s revealed truths. How can we do that? Today Paul will share three learning tools that will enable us to stand firm against false teaching, three marks of those who learn well what it is to stand for truth. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
We were so thankful to have Pastor Samuel Medina, and his family, as a Summer Intern for our Hispanic Ministry at Bethany this year. This was their last Sunday with us as they head off on a new venture in Savannah, GA where they have been called to Pastor a Hispanic Church. The plan was for Sam to find a church in the Northwest, but as this passage will show, sometimes our plans are not God's plans and we follow where He leads. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
In his first letter to Timothy, Paul warned: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” 1 Timothy 4:1–3 (ESV)Now here in his second letter, he places the problem of false teaching into a prophetic framework, warning of the dangers to come. In this warning, his focus is on the lifestyle that accompanies false beliefs, rather on the causes. And what he tells us is that there will be distinctive marks of the last days that we need to be aware of. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
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Last week we looked at the Marks of Spiritual Training and three metaphors of toughness: a soldier, an athlete and a farmer (2 Tim 2:1-7). In today's text we are going to see Paul tell young Timothy four things that will enable him to endure spiritually, to hang in there, to finish his course. You and I need these same things if we are going to endure to the end. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
How are you doing, Christian? Are you developing your spiritual strength? Are you developing the spiritual strength of others by sharing life with them, teaching them to love God as you do? And are you taking your task seriously like a soldier, an athlete and a farmer? These are the marks of a godly life – living for God, making disciples, and developing your spiritual stamina so that you can stand firm regardless of what obstacles come your way. These images remind us of how discipline and devotion and diligence work together to train us for godliness and long-term service to Christ. This is why Paul calls on Timothy to reflect on these images, so that “the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” Don’t quit, friends. Don’t give up. I know it is hard. Suffering and pain is part of the journey, but for those who endure, there is a promise. 2 Timothy is the last letter of Paul in our Bibles. It is his swan song, his final word, his farewell just prior to his death. He will majestically reflect on his ministry journey at the end of this letter: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
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Where does spiritual courage come from? Today we will look at Paul’s continued discourse with young Timothy in Ephesus. Last week we concluded the letter of 1 Timothy, and today we begin the letter of 2 Timothy, looking at the marks of spiritual courage. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
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As the Apostle Paul nears the end of his first letter to young Timothy, he seems to elevate his urgency, allowing his pen to become a sword in his hand as he calls Timothy to a wartime mentality. At the same time, he greatly honors Timothy with the title "man of God." I can see Timothy pause, struggling to accept this grand title. "Me? A Man of God?" Paul will proceed to describe four things that marked this man of God. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
Last week we looked at the first two verses of ch. 6 where Paul tells slaves to “honor” their masters, whether they are Christian masters or non-Christian. The application of this instruction guides the believing worker in his or her attitude and conduct with their employer. Largely this is because most Roman Empire slaves were voluntary slaves, more of indentured servants than possessions of masters. As Christians “honor” their bosses in the marketplace today, the name and teaching of God gains respect. Conversely, God’s name and teaching is dishonored by poor attitudes and performance by Christian employees. Today we will focus on verses 3-10 where another warning is given regarding something that dishonors God; namely, materialism. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
Last week Keith Darwin concluded 1 Tim 5, looking at the marks of church elders, noting how a church is to honor them, discipline them, and select them. As we begin 1 Tim 6, we encounter two verses directed at slaves, where Paul instructs Christian slaves in Ephesus to honor and submit to their masters, linking ch. 6 with ch. 5. Some read this text and believe that because Paul tells slaves to do these things, he is therefore endorsing slavery as a practice. But is this the right way to understand this text? The ESV Expository Commentary says the answer is “no” for these reasons: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
Last week we looked at the first half of chapter 5 where Paul instructed Timothy regarding the church’s responsibility to care for its own, exercising discernment within a permeating atmosphere of love. As we finish chapter 5, we shift our attention to principles and practices for dealing with church elders. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
Last week we concluded 1 Tim 4, looking at the marks of young leaders, noting the Bible’s exhortation to lead by example, to build with the Bible, to know if God has called you to some ministry, and to keep your eyes on prize, the final outcome of your life of service. As we begin chapter 5, Paul will now instruct Timothy on the church’s responsibility to care for its own. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
Last week Joe Mogford led us through 1 Tim 4:6-10, on the marks of training in godliness. Today we will finish chapter 4, where Paul urges Timothy to live out his godliness by embracing his calling as a young leader. How can a young, aspiring leader possibly get traction in ministry, especially when they so often serve their elders? How can a young person successfully begin in ministry? YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
We were privileged to have Peter & Jamie Hudson, ABWE, Colombia, in our service today sharing a ministry update. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
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Last week Pastor Samuel led us through the end of 1 Timothy 3, a beautiful passage extolling the virtues of the church as the “pillar and buttress of the truth.” Today we will look at the opening of chapter 4, where Paul contrasts the beauty of truth with the ugliness of falsehood. The church has a responsibility to protect and preserve truth. Having explained the mystery of godliness, he explains the mystery of ungodliness, telling Timothy and the church to expect bad theology. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
- How to behave in the household of God (vv. 14-15a)
- How to behave as the church of the living God (vv. 14-15b)
- How to behave as the pillar and buttress of the truth (vv. 14-15c)
"Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory." 1 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)
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This morning as we study our passage, we'll be answering a few key questions:What Is a Deacon?Where do we get the word “deacon”, and how is this word used in Scripture?What role do Deacons play in the church?What are the qualifications for the office of Deacon?How do Deacons Serve? YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
Today we will return to a very difficult passage at the end of 1 Timothy 2, which describes the marks of women in corporate worship life of the church. Claire Smith, in her excellent book God’s Good Design, writes:“If the difficulty of a passage of Scripture was decided by the heat of the debate surrounding it, or the number of books written on it, or the number of people attending seminars on it, 1 Timothy 2 must be one of the most difficult passages in the whole Bible. And given that much of the debate and most of the books concentrate on just two of the fifteen verses, we would have to conclude that these two verses must be almost impossible to understand.” (p. 23) YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
After instructing Timothy on the marks of prayer in 1 Tim. 2, Paul turns his attention to the marks of church leaders in chapter 3. Because the impact of leaders in God's church is high, the qualifications for leadership are equally high:“Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.” 1 Timothy 3:2–3 (ESV)As this is Father's Day, the family qualifications listed for those who would serve God's church as pastors is of particular interest. Note how good church leaders must first be good leaders at home:“He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?”1 Timothy 3:4–5 (ESV) YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
One of our Shepherds, Wayne Mick, filled the pulpit for Pastor Tim today and spoke from 1 Timothy 2:1-10 on the Importance of Prayer. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
We’ve been looking at what it means to “leave your mark,” starting with “A Mother’s Legacy” from the intro to 2 Timothy on Mother’s Day, and the “Devastating Legacy” of false teachers in the intro to 1 Timothy. Today we continue by looking at the second half of 1 Tim. 1 at Paul’s legacy. Paul is going to note five facets of his legacy, the marks God left on him and the marks he subsequently left on others. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
THE LEGACY OF FALSE TEACHERS:
1. The misuse of God's law. (v. 3-7)
- Confronting false teachers (v. 3-4)
“As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.” 1 Timothy 1:3–4 (ESV)
- Pursuading false teachers (v. 5)
“The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” 1 Timothy 1:5 (ESV)
- Understanding false teachers (v. 6-7)
“Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.” 1 Timothy 1:6–7 (ESV)
2. The proper use of God's law. (v. 8-11)
- The law is good (v. 8)
“Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully,” 1 Timothy 1:8 (ESV)
- The law is for lawbreakers (v. 9-10)
“…understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,” 1 Timothy 1:9–10 (ESV)
- The law points to the Gospel (v. 11)
“…in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.” 1 Timothy 1:11 (ESV)
“Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.” Galatians 3:23–24 (ESV)
Last week I began this series in the letters to Timothy on Leaving Your Mark. On Mother’s Day my challenge was this to the moms at Bethany: what kind of legacy are you leaving? Today’s text is a warning: be careful about leaving the wrong kind of legacy. How do you do that? By being spiritually informed, not just by others who teach you God’s Word, but by personally reading God’s Word. Are you reading your Bible? More than anything you
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A MOTHER'S LEGACY:
1. Is a pedigree passed on to others. (v. 3-5)
- The pedigree of service (v. 3-4)
“I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.” 2 Timothy 1:3–4 (ESV)
- The pedigree of sincere faith (v. 5)
“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.” 2 Timothy 1:5 (ESV)
2. Is a pursuit you press on toward personally. (v. 6-7)
- The pursuit of igniting your spiritual gift (v. 6)
“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands…” 2 Timothy 1:6 (ESV)
“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)
- The pursuit of spiritual boldness (v. 7)
“for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV)
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” Matthew 6:25–27 (NIV)
Mothers, thank you for your legacy! I pray you will think carefully about the legacy you are leaving and will pursue your walk with Christ passionately, so you have something to leave worth passing on. Moms, if you were to die today, what kind of legacy would you leave?
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We spent this Sunday celebrating 30 years of ministry at Bethany with Pastor Tim & Marcy Baker. The service featured three guest speakers sharing their personal perspectives on why 30 years at the same church, while rare, is so beneficial. The service was followed by a reception in their honor. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
The NT word for kindness is chrestos. As a fruit of the Spirit, it is "goodness in action, sweetness of disposition, gentleness dealing with others, benevolence, kindness, affability." It is the Holy Spirit who prompts you to be kind to your family members, neighbors, coworkers, and others that you come into contact with. We are to be know as chrestos people, those who are routinely kind to those around us. In Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-35) he points out a number of characteristics of kindness. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
THE LEGACY OF A GODLESS LIFE: (In the book of Obadiah)
1. Prediction of Edom's downfall. (v. 1-9)
2. Reason for Edom's destruction. (v. 10-14)
3. Coming judgment and restoration. (v. 15-21)
“This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels” 2 Thessalonians 1:5–7 (ESV)
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Rick Bruggeman, ABWE EveryEthne Western Region Coordinator of Hispanic Ministries, shared a ministry update and a message with us. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
This evening, we will be considering the final words of Jesus before his death. While on the cross, the gospels record seven times that Christ spoke, and in these words we receive an abundance of insight into the purposes of his death. May these words draw uscloser into his death as we worship through singing, prayer, preaching, and the Lord’s Supper.For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. Romans 6:5 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
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Chapter 35 is so completely different from chapter 34. Donald Grey Barnhouse describes the contrast like this:“Chapter 34 does not mention God, and is full of lust, murder, deceit, and wretchedness—but this chapter [35] is filled with God. His name appears ten times, plus once as God Almighty, El Shaddai, plus eleven times in the names Bethel and Israel. The contrast is striking, as it always must be in the life of a believer living out of the will of God, and again when he returns to the will of God.” Happily, chapter 35 records Jacob’s turnaround and newfound obedience, but it also chronicles the sad and difficult hardships that accompanied his obedient life. Yet even in this, there is hope because God had become the center of Jacob’s life. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
We last saw Jacob making peace with his estranged brother Esau. In that encounter, Jacob exhibited some refreshing new traits, signs that he was changing his ways. “Jacob” was his old life, the schemer/grabber. His new identity would be “Israel,” one who struggled with God and finally surrendered. As so often is the case, however, Jacob’s surrender to God wasn’t an overnight transformation: it was a long, circuitous path marked by ups and downs in his obedience to God. Chapter 34 is the tale of his partial obedience to God, his slow progress in doing what he should. And the whole story will reveal the high cost paid by many for his sluggish discipleship. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
The night before his fateful reunion with Esau, Jacob wrestled with God in human form. God broke him that night, injuring his hip and leaving him with a limp that would accompany him the rest of his life. God also changed his name that night. No longer would he be Jacob (the schemer, heel grabber). From now on he would be Israel – a warrior who struggled with God and lived. Jacob named that place “the face of God” (Gen. 32:30). Having seen the face of God, he is now ready to trust him as he moves on to face his brother. In this chapter we will see three things that Jacob will face, each of them reflecting to him the face of God. Like Jacob, these are three things we too may need to face, and if we do we just might see God’s reflection there too. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
Today we are going to look at the story of Jacob’s wrestling match with God. It’s an amazing story because God lets Jacob win! But with his victory, Jacob walked away a changed man. Something in his heart turned a corner after that match, and though he walked away a victor, he walked away with a scar that would mark him the rest of his life. That’s often how it goes for us: necessary growth comes at a cost, and sometimes the cost looks more like a scar than a trophy. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
We’ve all wrestled with the concept of trusting the promises of God. Some of us are beginning the journey, wondering if God’s promises to us are true. We wonder if we can really trust him. Others of us are in the middle of the journey, knowing he has been faithful so far, but wondering what the next turn in the road will bring. Will he be faithful to his promises to me? And others are nearing the end of the journey, knowing his faithfulness, but fearful of how the story will end, and concerned if God will stick with us to the end. We wonder, will God provide? Will he protect? Will he guard what he gives? This is the lesson for all of us from Jacob’s story: What God promises, he provides, and what he provides, he protects. This is exactly what Jacob learns: What God promises, he provides, and what he gives, he guards. For 20 years Jacob has been in exile, but it is time to go home, and Jacob wonders if God will provide what he promised, and guard what he gives. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
There was a time when Jacob thought that success came because he did certain things. But Jacob learned differently. He learned that when you do certain things and success happens, it’s not because you did those certain things, but it’s because of something else.This lesson will play out in two vignettes in Gen. 30 dealing with children and flocks. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
Jacob took advantage of his father, Isaac’s, old age and poor eyesight and tricked Isaac into giving him the blessing that was meant to go to the firstborn son, Esau. Jacob’s mother, Rebekah, advised him to leave in order to escape his brother Esau’s wrath and to go stay with her side of the family.Jacob leaves and on the road has a vision in which God speaks to him and promises to bless him.Now, we find Jacob alone, on his way to find his mother’s relatives… YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
We were blessed to hear an update on our daughter church, Peace Bible Church, from Pastor Casey Lute. He also preached from Psalm 85 on Revival in the Church. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
Last week we looked at the famed story of Isaac stealing the blessing from his brother Esau. The point of that story, as I shared it, was this: Don’t attempt to get the right things in the wrong ways. That is what Isaac did, deceiving his blind father by impersonating his older brother and stealing the father’s blessing. At the end of that story, Isaac flees for his life, uncertain of when or if he would ever return. The chapter ends with this detail, bridging to our section of Genesis today: Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I loathe my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?” Genesis 27:46 (ESV) YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
Last week’s text ends with this description: “When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.” Genesis 26:34–35 (ESV)Isn’t that the goal of every good son, to make his parents’ lives miserable? We know from Genesis 25 that Isaac is 60 when the twins were born, so he is now 100 years old, setting the scene for v. 1, “When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see…” (27:1). What a legacy, a son’s wives causing bitterness, and blindness. We aren’t told of the specific timing of these events, but if Jacob spends 20 years Canaan securing his wives Racheal and Leah, and we know that Isaac dies at 180 in Gen. 35, Isaac might be 120-130 now, which would mean he lived with blindness for the last 50 or so years of his life. Age might be just a number, but Isaac has a big number, and friction with his son’s family.Our text today tells the fateful tale of how Isaac and Rebekah deceive blind Jacob and steal the blessing intended for Esau. This is a familiar story, and sometimes the value of such familiar stories is in their telling the tale more than in examining the details. So much like I did a few years ago with David and Goliath, I want to tell the story from Isaac’s point of view, but in a modern-day perspective, based on a script by my seminary professor, Dr. Don Sunukjian. So sit back and listen to "The Tale of a Stolen Blessing."“The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.” Lamentations 3:25–26 (NLT) YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
We ended our last study in the Patriarchs with the story of Isaac and Esau, and the fateful day Esau traded his birthright for a bowl of red stew. Today we will examine an overview of Isaac’s life in Gen. 26. This is the only chapter in Genesis completely devoted to Isaac. We aren’t told the span of years these events cover, but it is very possible that they encompass the vast majority of his life on Earth. In many ways, Isaac’s life is a reflection of his father’s life; the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Like his father Abraham, Isaac’s life will include episodes of famine and failure, all of it immersed in God’s presence through the ups and downs he will encounter. It is the knowledge that “God is with us” that gives us hope and sustaining power as we journey through the challenges of life. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
We ended our last study in the Patriarchs by reviewing “the generations of Ishmael,” Abraham’s first son. Though born first, he was not the chosen son of promise; Isaac was. Isaac and Ishmael would subsequently have conflict the rest of their lives, except for a brief truce while together they buried their father. Isaac is much like his father Abraham. Both had wives who struggled for years to get pregnant. Both would face famine and flee to other lands. Both would ask their wives to lie, claiming to be the “sister” of their husbands. It seems the difficulties Abraham faced would visit his son in time. We would say about Isaac: “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” In today’s text, we will examine Isaac’s family tree and harvest some lessons for our own lives. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
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Genesis 20 and 21:22-34 present two encounters with Abimelech which provide bookends to bring focus to the crucial narrative in the middle. The events with Abraham & Sarah and Isaac & Ishmael are dramatic and instructive. The faithfulness of God and the Grace of God are on full display. But it is not always pretty. (Not God’s fault) YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
In Genesis 20 we find Abraham and Sarah on the move after the destruction of Sodom, traveling very near Egypt to the town of Gerar. Abraham fears being in danger due to his wife Sarah, and does the same thing he did 25 years prior when in Egypt, calling Sarah his “sister” rather than “wife.” We have to ask ourselves, “What is going on here?” And we know part of the answer: there are certain old sins to which each of us are uniquely susceptible—“sin which clings so closely” (Hebrews 12:1). We each have our unique susceptibilities Abraham was God’s friend, a man who had to learn to trust God alone. God was working to that end, but part of the lesson for Abraham was that old habits are hard to break. God would have to break Abraham in this chapter, so that he could make maximum use of him in the days ahead. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
Last week we looked at the theme of friendship with God from Genesis 18. As we move to chapter 19 we will consider the theme of friendship with the world. The main character is Lot, who lives in the city of Sodom which is about to be destroyed due to its wickedness. This is the problem with friendship with the world; it leads to bad things. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
Abraham is called "the friend of God" three times in Scripture. Why is Abraham designated as God's friend above all other persons in the Old Testament? There can be little doubt that it is because of the familiar and intimate way Abraham entertains and converses with the heavenly visitors in Genesis 18. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
The word "covenant" occurs 17 times in this chapter; a sign that this is the theme of this event in Abram's life. From this chapter onward, the people of God would be known as the children of Abraham, and through faith in Jesus, we are linked to the Patriarchs. When Jesus was born, Mary sang of this while pregnant: "He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever" (Luke 1:54-55). Similarly, John the Baptist's father, Zechariah, sang that God would send Christ "to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham" (v. 72-73). Paul would later ground the salvation of Christians in the Abrahamic Covenant "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise" (Gal. 3:29). Because it is vital for us to understand God's promises to Abraham, let's look carefully at how the covenant is confirmed in Genesis 17. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/x0KojABkyFo?si=ibusrpnmM2_PBZ8jWebsite https://www.bethanybaptistchurch.com/sermons
As we move to chapter 16, the amazing narrative of Abram's heroic rescue of Lot and his noble covenant ceremony with God himself fades in the rearview mirror and we are brought to a dismal part of the story, one laced with a lack of faith and filled with moral failure. So it is in our lives, as our walks with the Lord move steadily from height to depth, victory to defeat, joy to sorrow and back again. This story of Sarai and Abram taking matters into their own hands, resulting in trouble and sorrow, leads us to an important question: What is God's role in our troubles? What does God do when we take matters into our own hands and try to help his plans move ahead? Ultimately, this passage tells us that He is a God who sees.
After his military excursion in the north, Abram returned as a victor, having rescued Lot's family and possessions. Yet the joy of his victory was short lived as he sinks into fear, still childless in spite of God's promise to him. What do we do when God is slow in keeping his promises? In today's text we find assurance that God is faithful, and that our response to him is a call to faith instead of fear.
This is the first sermon in our new series, Patriarchs-God's Plan to Redeem. The heart of the book of Genesis (ch. 12-36) details the lives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the Patriarchs of Israel. These men do not serve as moral examples for us to follow; indeed these were broken and flawed men. But their story reveals the heart of God and his grand plan to redeem broken people and establish his kingdom among his chosen children. We also celebrated our 55th Anniversary as a church which began the first Sunday in October, 1969.
In Galatians 2 Paul describes the way the leaders of the Jerusalem Church affirmed his ministry with "the right hand of fellowship." Clasped right hands were a sign of friendship and trust, an idiom of the day for pledging friendship and acknowledging agreement. The fellowship they shared, symbolized by the clasping of hands, was the shared life of the Holy Spirit. For these reasons, churches have used "the right hand of fellowship" to welcome new members into the body for centuries. It has been a formal pledge of acceptance, of love and partnership in the gospel for local churches.
Last week's study on harvesting spiritual fruit ended with Gal.. 6:6, a verse on financial giving: "Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the on who teaches." Paul proclaims the corporate responsibility that these believers had to provide financially for their pastors. In the following four verses, he will proclaim how this group responsibility is really the product of their personal responsibility to sow good seeds as a child of God. It is good when we share with those who teach us God's Word. But what if we don't do that? What if we don't share? Paul's warning regarding the law of the harvest is a sober warning for all of life.
As Paul moves to the final section of his letter, he will now challenge us to walk together, to live out the fruit of the Spirit in community with others. He challenges the Galatians to harvest the spiritual fruit he has just unpacked for them. Harvest time comes in best with the help of others. There is more joy in picking berries when you do it with someone else. You can bring in more harvest when you do it in community. Let's look at harvesting some spiritual fruit.
We celebrated Pastor Tim's 30th Pastoral Anniversary at Bethany today to be followed by a full service celebration on September 15 at 9:30 am including guest speakers and a fellowship time following the service.
Here is the live stream from today's service.
Gentleness is the eighth fruit of the Spirit, showing us the strength of being tender. It is a word that has three main ideas: to be submissive to the will of God, to have a teachable spirit, and to be considerate. When we are gentle with others, we are being Christlike, as Jesus was gentle. Gentleness comes into play in many of our relationships, so let's look at five relationships that give us opportunities for gentleness.
We welcomed Nate & Azusa Stratton and their family to our service today to present their ministry with ABWE to Japan.
The NT word for peace means more than the absence of conflict, but includes begin quiet, still, and at rest. It is used of a nation or a city that has a caring, competent and secure leader. It is the translation of the OT word shalom, which contained the ideas of "soundness of body and overall wellbeing." That kind of peace is illusive today, so let's examine God's pathway to peace.
In our last study we began looking at the Fruit of the Spirit, nine virtues of the Christian life. While there were many "works of the flesh" in this passage, there is just one "fruit of the Spirit." They are symmetrical, the grow together as one in the life of the believer. Let's look together at the fruit of Joy.
Today we begin a study of the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) with a weekly focus on one of the qualities of this fruit cluster. “These are the qualities of the life that has been claimed by Jesus Christ and is Spirit-led.” (James Montgomery Boice) “The work of the Spirit is to make us more like Christ for His glory, not for the praise of men.” (Warren Wiersbe) Let’s get started! Our study today will focus on “love.”
In our last study we completed Galatians 4, looking at the great allegory of two women and their two sons, representing two mountains and two covenants. Paul argues that we who believe do not trace our heritage to the slave girl Hagar, but to the free woman Sarah, the wife of Abraham. Chapter four ends with these words - words which flow without pause into Galatians 5:1: :So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." In our text today, Paul asks and answers the question, "What matters most?"
On Easter Sunday we looked at Galatians 4:1-7, that revealed that we are sons and daughters of God by faith. The means of our family relationship is adoption, as we become heirs to God's riches through our faith. In today's text we see the Apostle Paul now warns the Galatians against despising the new freedom they have received and slipping back into the slavery of their former lives. Paul reminds them how they had become God's children in the first place and reveals three things that distinguish a son from a slave.
Paul continues his explanation of the mysteries of the law and the works of the law contrasted with God's provision of a promise received by faith in God's grace. Again, Paul is teaching us about the fundamental nature of the gospel.
We welcomed Mark Miller, Director of Fir Point Bible Camp in Southern Oregon, to our service today. We apologize for the technical difficulties that we experienced with the wireless mic.
In Galatians 3:1-5, Paul urges his friends to keep running the race they began when he shared with them the truth of the gospel. That meant that they would understand that they were justified by faith, not by circumcision. To demonstrate his point in verses 1-5, Paul introduces Abraham, the father of God's people, in verse 6. Abraham is significant for a number of reasons, not least because he was the first man that God commanded to be circumcised (Gen. 17). Paul holds Abraham as an example we can follow; one we can identify with and through whom we can receive the same blessings.
Last week we looked at Paul's description of living out the truth of the gospel by living in God's grace. Today we will look at the first five verses of Galatians 3, where Paul shows us how to finish our spiritual race.
Last week we saw Paul and his friends go to Jerusalem to receive the approval of the church leaders there on the gospel ministry they had undertaken with the Gentile world. That Jerusalem visit established a great, uniting truth that all people are save by their faith in Christ; there was nothing else, nothing more to do. In verse 11 we move from Jerusalem back to Antioch, Paul's home base and the location of his sending church. And it was here, in Antioch, that a disagreement arose. In Jerusalem, Paul had stood alongside Peter, but now in-between two of the great apostles? It was the matter of living out the truth of the gospel; specifically it was living in God's grace.
Two weeks ago we looked at the introduction to the book of Galatians. In five short verses Paul lays out the legitimacy and sufficiency of the gospel. Both Paul's calling to proclaim the gospel and Jesus' giving himself for our sins was God's idea. When we stop and consider God's initiative in calling us and saving us, our best response is simply to say 'Amen,' or "with all my heart this is what I wish." In contrast with the best response to the gospel, Paul now addresses what the Galatians have done: they have begun to reject the gospel Paul had preached to them and turn to another pathway of devotion, another gospel.
The story of the shepherds in Luke 2 is one of the most familiar stories in the Bible. But why was the birth of Jesus Christ first announced to the shepherds? Why shepherds? What is the significance of the appearance of the angels to the shepherds who watched their flocks by night? Actually, the place to discover the meaning of the Christmas shepherds is Jeremiah 33. Jeremiah 33 began with God promising to tell Jeremiah "great and hidden things you have not know" (v. 3) Verses 10-16 explain what some of those great and unsearchable things are.
Sandwiched between two promises to rebuild the people and the land, we find the zenith of Jeremiah's prophecy. Verses 31-37 contain one of the most significant promises of God, on that will be spoken of at least 12 other times in the books of Hosea, Isaiah and Ezekiel. In each reference, the nation of Israel is promised a future covenant, her final future destiny.
Last week we looked at eight promises in Jeremiah 30 - promises to give them hope. The promises to Israel now continue in chapter 31. In this section we see Jeremiah being given a series of hope-filled glimpses from God, each of them marked out by the phrase "Thus says the Lord" or an equivalent. Let's look at these five glimpses of hope God gave Jeremiah that night, giving hope that he would indeed ransom captive Israel.
The chapter before us is fascinating. Jeremiah warns the exiles in Babylon that their displacement and captivity will not end anytime soon. He challenges them to patience, purpose and hope in the face of their continuing chaos.
We last looked at Jeremiah 18, the story of the potter and the clay. God is the potter and has the right to shape the clay as he alone chooses. He is sovereign, and therefore in total control of our lives; where he sends us, what happens to us, and how he uses us. The metaphor of pottery continues in Jeremiah 19, where God tells Jeremiah to take a water jug before the priests and people of Jerusalem and warn them of the destruction that coming due to their disobedience. Then he was to break the water pot in their presence. The reaction to his warning was harsh, and led to a night of suffering, his dark night of the soul.
God takes Jeremiah the prophet on a field trip to the pottery workshop. What does he see? A potter slaps a lump of clay in the middle of his stone wheel. Spinning the wheel with his feet, he shapes the clay with his hands, forming it into a pot. When the pot doesn't come out right, he smashes the clay into a ball and starts over again. The potter's wheel is a lesson in the sovereignty of God, whereby he chooses to begin again with his creation, which includes you and me. God is in the pottery business, shaping our lives to serve his purposes, and at times making us start over again as he shapes us into a new pot.
Jeremiah is the longest of all the sixteen OT prophetic books. His age at the time of his call is likely somewhere around 16 years old. Imagine that; being called by God to serve as a prophet in Israel as a teenager. And if that wasn't enough of a bombshell, his calling was not just to speak for God to Israel, but "to the nations." He would serve as a prophet for more that 40 years, throughout the reign of three kinds in Judah, at a time of great reform, then a time of instability, right up to the time that Judah would be taken into captivity in Babylon. His calling was somber; it was grim. These were not the best days for his people. When Jeremiah is called it is a time of chaos in Israel; a lot like ours.
This week we finish the book of Esther bringing our study of this feel-good book to a close, only to discover it may not be as feel-good as it appears.
The motivation for this downshift in style is theological. Because Mordecai’s decree expressed God’s ancient decree of survival for his people and the destruction of their enemies, it was a done deal before the day dawned. The decree in effect guaranteed the outcome. The author is showing it is God’s decree, his word, that assures the survival of his people; the rest is just detail. But it is important detail, because it shows that God’s word is truly effective in the outworking of human history. God is capable of doing exactly what he says he will do, even centuries after he says it. This episode highlights the powerful efficacy of God’s word as it is actualized in history through flawed, and even evil, people. Karen Jobes - NIVAC
There are a number of sayings in the English language that carry the sentiment of payback or retribution. One is "Turnabout Is Fair Play;" a British proverb that carries the meaning of retaliation, of causing harm to someone who intends to harm you. As we will see in Esther 8, that is exactly how Esther and Mordecai solve the problem of the 13h of Adar, when all the Persians have been given the right to exterminated any Jewish residents of the empire. There are four things to consider in our text that form a pivot form trial to triumph.
The book of Esther is a historical and literary gem. Some experts suggest that the literary pivot in the book occurs here, early in chapter 6. The pivot does not emerge from a dramatic word or deed by Haman or Esther, rather from a quiet, subtle non-event. The king has insomnia. What a coincidence!
This is the fourth sermon in our Church Plant Series leading up to the planting of Peace Bible Church in the Fall of 2023.
Dr. David Strope is the Interim National Representative for the GARBC (General Association of Regular Baptist Churches), of which our church is a member. He shared with us before the National GARBC Conference happening at Corban this week. What is the health of individual believers, this church, or our fellowship of churches?
This Sunday was the culmination of a 13 week Leadership Class that church members have been invited to take in order to strengthen their leadership skills and learn how to better serve at home, at church and in the community. Each member was given five minutes to share a particular portion of the class that benefitted them. This represents half of the class. The other half shared in our Adult class after the morning worship service which was not recorded.
“The earth trembles under three things; it cannot bear up under four: a servant when he becomes king, a fool when he is stuffed with food, an unloved woman when she marries, and a servant girl when she ousts her queen.” Proverbs 30:21-23 (CSB)
The text before us today is the second part of a larger segment, Philippians 4:10-20, which taken together, blends the themes of contentment and generosity. I believe that these verses herald the generosity of those who trust in the sufficiency of their Lord.
As we consider Paul's words in these verses, we need to remember that his circumstances are anything but good. Paul is imprisoned in Rome, chained to Roman guards who serve in Caesar's household. He is awaiting trial where his own life is at stake, confined under house arrest, unable to move about with freedom. Two year of incarceration would make any man feel like a caged lion held against his will. Local pastors in Rom have engaged in a smear campaign against Paul, envious of his teaching gifts. And to make things worse, Paul has to pay rent on the house he is being held captive in. When the church at Philippi heard of his predicament, they quickly sent him a financial gift by way of their trusted friend Epaphroditus. As Paul writes his thanks to the Philippians, he assures them he is content in his circumstances, rather than being crushed by them.
We welcomed Walton & Bethany Kostreva to our services today to share their ministry with MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) to Indonesia.
Outline1. Be like this (v. 17)2. Don't be like that (vv. 18-19)3. This is why (vv. 20-21)
Last week we saw Paul’s transformation when he met Christ and placed his faith in him. Having reviewed his impressive religious credentials, Paul called them “rubbish” compared to the surpassing value of knowing Jesus personally. Some in Philippi might have mistakenly assumed that Paul had now reached spiritual perfection, so Paul next explains the importance of his ongoing growth in his walk with God. These instructions make clear that we all need to press on to maturity.
Sometimes in good churches, there is a pressure to confirm to a certain list of rules, a certain lifestyle, a certain pattern of conduct. And if you don't conform to these expectations, others may pull away from you and distance themselves. The Apostle Paul learned that this had happened to his friends in a small church in Philippi. Visiting teachers from the mother church in Jerusalem had come to their city, and these Jewish teachers told the Gentile believers there that they needed to conform to some rules if they really wanted to be the best Christians possible. Paul wrote to warn his friends about the problem with seeking to please God by obeying a list of rules. He challenged them about these behaviors, and whether they really achieved righteousness or were they just a pile of rubbish?