Sermons from Grace/Bethel

What does it mean to be a living sacrifice? In Romans 12:1–8, the Apostle Paul reminds us that because of God's great mercy in Jesus Christ, our entire lives become an act of worship. Faith isn't just something we practice on Sunday; it shapes how we live every day. In today’s sermon, we explore two important truths. Every day becomes worship, and every gift becomes service. God calls us t...

Death brings grief, sorrow, and the longing to see our loved ones again. But as Christians, we do not grieve as those who have no hope. In this sermon, we explore the comforting promises of God in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and discover why our grief is filled with hope. Our hope rests entirely on the work of Jesus Christ. He died to take away our sins, rose again to conquer death, and promises to re...

What does it mean to stand firm in the faith when following Christ comes at a cost? In Matthew, we hear Jesus’ honest warning that His disciples will face opposition, rejection, and hardship in a world that resists His Word. Yet He also promises the strength and grace we need to remain faithful. Standing for God’s truth may bring discomfort, conflict, and rejection. We are tempted to remain silent...

God invites us to an eternal celebration with Him in heaven! In Matthew, Jesus tells the parable of the wedding banquet, revealing God’s amazing grace, His patient call to faith, and the importance of treasuring His Word. Although none of us deserves a place in heaven, God graciously invites us into His kingdom through Jesus Christ. Yet the distractions of daily life can lead us to neglect worship...

What is the diagnosis for your life, and how can you be certain of your future? In this sermon, The Doctor’s Diagnosis, we turn to Luke, the beloved physician, who carefully recorded the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus so that we may have certainty in the promises of God’s Word. Through Luke’s Gospel, we receive the life-giving truth of the Great Physician, Jesus Christ, in three...

In Ezekiel 18, we are reminded that God wants us to live. The Israelites used the proverb, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge,” to shift blame for their circumstances. God calls us instead to take responsibility for our own sin and turn to Him in repentance. We cannot rely on comparisons, family history, excuses, or our own goodness to stand before a holy...

What do you do when someone hurts you so deeply that forgiveness feels impossible? Our natural response is often anger, resentment, or a desire to get even—but God calls us to something radically different. In Ephesians, we are reminded that our motivation to forgive others comes from the incredible forgiveness we have already received through Jesus Christ. Because Christ has completely paid for o...

We often assume we know what is best—even when it comes to God. Our human thoughts minimize the seriousness of sin, delay repentance, or cause us to run from God in fear of His judgment. But God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours. He shows us both the seriousness of our sin and the astonishing depth of His mercy: rather than giving us the punishment we deserve, God punished Jesus in our plac...

Paul prays that believers’ hearts would be enlightened to know the hope of God’s calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance, and the immeasurable greatness of His power. That same power raised Christ from the dead and exalted Him above every ruler and authority. Christ now reigns over all things for the benefit of His Church, which is His body and the fullness of Him who fills everything in e...

Jesus asked, “Who do you say I am?” It’s the most important question in the world, and it is a question every human being must answer. The expected answer may be dead wrong. Some in Jesus’ day thought he was John the Baptist. Some thought he was the prophet Elijah who had come back from the dead. Today, plenty of people believe that Jesus existed. They think that Jesus was a wise teacher or a role...

“All are welcome!” Is that true at our church? Or is church meant only for people of the right heritage who behave the right way, “good church folk”? Is it conceivable that a stranger could walk into church unexpectedly and for some reason you would ask yourself, “What is someone like that doing here?” Or perhaps you ask that question about yourself. “There seem to be godly people here. I’m not li...

Wherever faith clings to the promises of God, doubt is always lingering. Doubt asks the serpent’s garden question, “Did God really say?” People doubt God’s care, God’s promises, or God’s providence. The answer to doubt is not found in loud, dramatic demonstrations. The true answer to doubt is found in the still small voice of our Savior God whispering to us in his Word. Through Word and sacrament,...

The hardest times to trust God are the times we need him most. It’s easier to trust God when your job is going great, your health is fine, your relationships are fine, and your family is good. It’s easier to trust God when the sun is shining, but what happens when your life is suddenly overshadowed by dark days? When tragedy strikes, we may wonder if God continues to care for us. At those times, C...

What do you consider your life’s top priorities? Many people start with family and friends. Financial security and health follow closely. Reputation and recreation make the cut. How about faith? Is it the top priority? What if other priorities must be sacrificed to keep faith the top priority? The Bible helps Christians keep worldly wealth in perspective. It can buy the things of this world, thing...

The wheat that grows in the Middle East is a variety that looks much like wild grass or weeds. It is difficult to tell wheat and weeds apart until shortly before harvest time, when the wheat stalks develop a head containing the kernels of grain. Pulling the weeds out of a wheat field could lead to accidentally pulling up a fair amount of wheat. People need to wait for the harvest to separate wheat...

Planting seed by hand can be extraordinary. In your hand, the seed looks lifeless and insignificant. You put the seed into the soil, and suddenly, all by itself, the seed germinates and sprouts and reaches to the sun. Except when it doesn’t! Plant multiple seeds, and often only some will grow. The Bible describes Christians as planted by the Word. Why do some people grow in faith, and not others?...

We need rest. Without rest, we suffer. Studies show that with too little rest, people experience fatigue and physical imbalances that result in decreased attention, poor decisions, and even speech impairment. People who take no breaks during the workday have lower productivity than those who take periodic breaks. Christians know they need more than sleep or breaks, more than physical rest. We need...

Not all love is good. It is self-destructive to love bad things. It is just as harmful to love good things in a bad order. For example, it would seem to be a good thing for a man to love his dog. But if he loves his dog more than he loves his wife, his “love” for both is disordered. For love to be healthy, it needs to be properly ordered. Christians love the people whom God has placed into their l...

Believers in God and their ministers have always been persecuted. Religious leaders in Jerusalem tried to muzzle the truth, but they only succeeded in sending people to preach the Word throughout the land. The Roman Empire persecuted Christians with stakes and lions, but God’s Church exploded with growth. In Martin Luther’s day, both the pope and the emperor tried to limit the gospel movement that...

The Law was given through Moses. He was a marvelous leader of his people, but he could not take them to the Promised Land. The Law can never get God’s people to the promised land. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Joshua, the successor of Moses, defeated the enemies of the people and led them into the Promised Land. Jesus defeats our enemies and shepherds us as his flock. The gracious Gos...

They never forgot their past. Moses never forgot how he killed a man in a fit of anger. Paul never forgot how he had savaged the Church of God. Matthew never forgot how, as a tax collector for the Roman Empire, he was considered a traitor to his people. But God forgot their past. He forgave all their sins and called them to proclaim his mercy. Christians are sinners whom God has mercifully called....

We believe in the triune God. He is the only true God. The festival of the Holy Trinity is a time to celebrate God revealing himself to us as one God in three persons. The triune God wants his people to teach this mystery in its biblical truth and purity. This festival of the Holy Trinity begins the second half of the Church Year with a proclamation of people being baptized and blessed in the name...

When the disciples were distressed about Jesus ascending into heaven, he assured them, “It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). That Advocate is the Holy Spirit. If Jesus had stayed in the grave, the Holy Spirit would have had no reason to enter the lives of the disciples. But Jesus lives, and...

Without the resurrection of Jesus, my uncertainty can easily lead to anxiety. I am waiting for everything to turn out, and not knowing what will happen is much harder if I think I cannot rely on anyone. It’s been a long time since Jesus ascended into heaven. Sometimes I suffer. Has he forgotten about me? He lives, and it makes a difference. I know how my life will turn out, and that certainty abou...

Without the resurrection of Jesus, I would be tempted to live only for myself. After all, I have to be in good shape before I can be of help to anyone else, right? I think I know what’s right for me, and I can identify when other people are standing in the way of my self-improvement. If Jesus is dead, I don’t have to worry about what he said or what he thinks. But he lives, and it makes a differen...