One thing have I desired of the Lord... that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life...Psalm 27:4
The passage we’re reading today from Matthew is commonly framed as a “model for church discipline.” But should it? And if so, what does that look like? Intern Monica talks about the danger of removing these verses from the rest of Jesus’s lessons to his disciples in Matthew 18. Today’s readings are Psalm 119:33-40, Romans 13:8-14, and Matthew 18:15-20.
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Every person is called by God for some reason, some purpose. The great story of Moses and the Burning Bush demonstrates that we too can be apprehensive about what God is asking of us and have the same resistance as Moses. Who is God calling you to talk to? Or what cause is God calling you to? The sub-title to Pastor Russ' message is: "When God Speaks, There Are No Excuses!" Today’s reading is Exodus 3-4.
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What do you picture when you think of the people or “heroes” of the Bible? Intern Monica sums up her take on this summer’s sermon series with a look at some of the women mentioned by the Apostle Paul. Today’s readings are Acts 18:1-3, 24-28 and Romans 16:1-16.
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Pastor Russ introduces us to "Susanna: A Courageous Woman of Faith Confronts Her Assaulters" in this next of the special Summer Sermons Series "Heroes of The Bible." In this Intertestamental Literature, Susanna bravely refuses to consent to the threats of two officials at the risk of her own life. 2200 years later, violence to women is still prevalent and the church is called to not be silent but to be a place of safety and voices of advocacy. Today’s reading is Susanna.
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The Canaanite who Jesus encounters in today’s reading doesn’t seem like a likely choice as a “Hero of the Bible.” Yet as Intern Monica reminds us, this mother advocated for her daughter against perhaps the most daunting obstacle possible: Jesus himself. Today’s readings are Genesis 18:22-32 and Matthew 15:21-28.
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Pastor Russ continues with the "Heroes of the Bible" summer Sermon Series and "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego" from Daniel chapter 3. These three faced a fiery furnace rather than compromise their beliefs. What "furnaces" might we face in our life? When we face challenging times, can we trust that we have a fourth person in our furnace. Today’s reading is Daniel 3:13-30.
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Let’s take a journey today into one of the very oldest (and most memorable) passages in the Bible: the Song of Deborah with the story of Deborah and Jael to continue our “Heroes of the Bible” sermon series. What do we do with these seemingly weird and violent stories in the Old Testament? Intern Monica shows us that these ancient texts still tell us a lot about God and a little about ourselves, too. Today’s reading is Judges 4-5.
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Continuing with the “Heroes of the Bible” sermon series, Intern Monica takes us back to the beginning of Exodus. What started as a promising life in Egypt hasn’t turned out that way for the Israelites, and there doesn’t seem to be any help coming on the horizon. What are normal people supposed to do while they’re waiting for God to act? Let’s meet a few people who can give us some ideas. Today’s reading is Exodus 1:8-2:10.
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Pastor Russ continues the Summer Sermon Series “Heroes of the Bible” with Jonathan, David’s good friend. Do you have a “Jonathan” in your life? Are you a Jonathan for someone else? Read I Samuel 18-20 and learn how Jonathan’s friendship was critical to our faith today. Today’s reading is 1 Samuel 18:1-4; 19:1-7; 20:12-42.
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Sometimes when we’re focused on those who loom large, we don’t notice those standing in their shadow. Intern Monica Holman talks today about Hagar, who some see as a side note in the story of Abraham. Luckily for us, God doesn’t see her that way! Today’s reading is Genesis 16:1-15, 21:1-3, 8-21.
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How do we face fearsome giants, you and I? Today Pastor Russ Gordon kicks off a summer series on the heroes of the Bible, beginning with a familiar story that you may have first heard in Sunday School. But make no mistake; there’s a message here for anyone who has ever been afraid. So get comfortable, open your Bible to 1 Samuel 17, and press Play…
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In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus’s disciples are eager to get out and join in the ministry of healing and proclaiming the kingdom of God! But Jesus has a few words of caution for them, and Intern Monica reminds us that his words still hold true for us today as we also embark on Jesus’s irresistible mission. Today’s readings are Jeremiah 20:7-13 and Matthew 10:24-39.
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Pastor Russ' message is entitled "Sent!" as the Gospel reading reminds us of our Christ-given task to be bearers of the Good News. Although we are imperfect human beings, Christ still calls us to go out and tend to those in need. Today’s reading is Matthew 9:35-10:8.
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In his sermon, Pastor Russ reminds us how the Covid pandemic kept us from enjoying one another's presence and touch for a long while as we worked through the fear of the unknown. In the Gospel reading, Jesus shows mercy, and thereby defeats the fears and artificial boundaries we construct that keeps us from being a truly beloved community. This week’s reading is Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26.
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It’s Holy Trinity Sunday, which means we get to talk about the Father, the Son, AND the Holy Spirit! Intern Monica dives into the mystery of who we are as people who worship the Triune God. This week’s readings are Psalm 8, 2 Corinthians 13:11-13, and Matthew 28:16-20.
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Happy Pentecost! Intern Pastor Monica takes us back to the arrival of the Holy Spirit during Pentecost, and challenges us to think about what languages we speak. What would it look like today for everyone to hear about God in their own native language? This week’s readings are Numbers 11:24-30 and Acts 2:1-21.
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Guest Pastor Mary Stein-Webber returns to Bethel Lutheran Church with a message about looking to God for guidance. And as we listen for an answer, can we be open to receive the advice when it comes? When the Holy Spirit offers us direction, it’s not always a quiet whisper riding in on a cool breeze. Sometimes it’s a honking goose trampling across the picnic blanket and stepping in the potato salad. Can we be an open handed receiver when the Holy Spirit nudges us in unexpected ways?
The Bible readings for this week are Acts 1:6-14 and Luke 24:44-53 if you’d like to grab a Bible and follow along with Pastor Mary’s reading. (Or click here to read online).
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We live in a world with so many choices...including what religious expression we wish to follow. Pastor Russ asks: What makes the Christian faith so unique? What is our calling in the presence of so many religious options? When Paul was in Athens on his 2nd missionary journey, he acknowledged the many statues to their various gods...and he complimented their religious inquisitiveness to introduce to the Athenians the message of Jesus. So too, the diverse expressions within our world, and even in our church, need not induce fear. Instead, we can grow in our love for one another in seeing God already living, moving and having being in the other.
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We’re still in the season of Easter, celebrating the joy of the resurrection and shouting our alleluias! But Intern Monica Holman reminds us that we can’t celebrate Easter without remembering Stephen, the first Christian martyr, whose story made it clear that the church is not called to stay comfortable.
Our Bible passages today (click to follow along): John 14:1-14 and Acts 7:54-8:1.
Sermon Note: Monica cites a statistic from the 2022 National Survey of LGBTQ Youth Mental Health.
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It’s good to be reminded that God is our shepherd, leading us to still waters and helping us along on our path. Today Pastor Russ Gordon guides us through what it means to be the shepherd, and what it means to be, …well… the sheep. What’s more, when the shoe is on the other foot and God calls on us to be shepherds to a particular flock, can we be ready to answer the call?
Our Bible passages today (click to follow along): Psalm 23 and John 10:1-10.
Sermon Note: The pastor’s sermon refers to the Darien Gap, an inhospitable jungle region along the border of Columbia and Panama. Many migrants travel through this area hoping to reach the United States or Canada. For more information, search for “Darien Gap” on your favorite news site. (Here is a link to many sources on Google News.) Here’s a podcast episode on the subject as well: The Daily: A Mother, a Daughter, a Deadly Journey.
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