Bethany Church of Canby

Where is Jonah’s compassion after the repentance of the Ninevites? It’s what God wants to know. God shows that he is both merciful and just in the object lessons to Jonah, and asks us the same question – where is our compassion?

In God’s great mercy, Jonah is given a second chance to obey. Upon his proclamation of the bad news of coming judgment, Ninevah repents displaying their belief in God’s Word. And we see at the heart of God is a desire to extend mercy and a willingness to forgive those that repent.

Here again we are meant to see a compare and contrast between Jonah and the Sailors. While Jonah wants a god of his own making, the sailors just want to find the right god to appease in the storm. In the end we see Jonah just begin to emerge from his shallow spiritual identity and the sailors radical transformation into God-fearers. But what is needed for both is the beautiful pattern of love in a...

More than a great children’s story, the book of Jonah asks us to evaluate whether we understand the heart of God. Jonah in these opening verses pridefully wants a God of his own making who will act according to Jonah’s definitions of mercy and grace. And yet, God begins to teach Jonah a lesson with a merciful storm that will reshape his grasp on God’s gracious heart and lead us to true humility an...

Psalm 138 is one of my favorite and one of the most hopeful psalms. We need hopefulness as we live out the Great Commission, which this passage reminds me a little of. We will look at the ATTITUDE for discipleship, the MISSION of discipleship and the HOPE of discipleship.

This Sunday we are going to move from a diagnosis to symptoms to a cure for the tension between living in this world, while hoping for the next. Why are we so tempted to put our trust in the temporal and in people we think have power? Let’s talk about that in the context of our politically charged election season and find hope in the God of CHARACTER and COVENANT in Psalm 146.

As Christians, what do we make of the presence of both sorrow and joy in our lives? What good can from our tears? Can they be wasted? We know that all sorrow will someday end with joy, but did you know that the two work to-gether, and that your tears produce joy? Psalm 126 like no other, points us to the New Testament joy and eternal joy available to us. Let’s look at three principles of sorrow an...

Psalm 96 is a happy song from start to finish. But when we look at the world it describes of singing joyful trees and roaring seas of praise, we notice that our world doesn’t quite compare in its brokenness. So how do we get the joy to sing God’s praises and enter this joyful, happy, world to come even if it comes through judgment? Let’s find out by looking at three invitations.

We often feel worry and anxiety when we look at our lives and the problems that surround us and threaten to invade. In Psalm 27 we see David combatting his anxiety by seeking a deep relational experience with the LORD that would translate into an obedient, patient faith. If we can pursue God in this way too, we will have the courage to face the problems of life. Let’s seek God’s face together.

Can Jesus be found everywhere in our Bibles? When Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God and pointed the world of His time to Himself, he only had the words of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms to speak from (see Luke 24:44). Psalm 1 is a familiar Psalm to many in the church. Today as we delve into Psalm 1, let's get on the right path as we look for Jesus.

The open and empty tomb opens up everything! This Sunday we look at the open tomb, the open Scriptures, and the opening of our eyes, minds, and hearts in worship. May we be transformed to live open lives of witness as our baptism candidates are today!

The death of Jesus on a Roman cross is the dividing line for all of history. It is where the Kingdom ethics and mission of truth, justice and sacrifice come to fruition. How will we respond to this dividing line? Will we respond in self-interest like the religious leaders, or in grace, with full life committal that we see in Jesus and his followers?

This morning, we look at the rejection of Jesus by the religious leaders, his disciples and ultimately the Father. However, it is in this rejection and mockery of Jesus, that he was accomplishing the very thing he came to do. Let’s examine our own hearts for mockery and find acceptance and forgiveness as Peter did, while we look at Jesus’ rejection. Let’s look at three types of rejection.

Even as Jesus moves toward his mock trial and ultimately the cross, his heart is set on guiding his followers. While Judas betrays him, he teaches in word and deed what it looks like to follow him. He offers his life on our behalf and calls us to lay down our own lives as we apprentice under him.

The disciples understandably want to know, according to Jesus’ prophecy, when the temple in Jerusalem will be destroyed. However, Jesus’ intent for them, and for us, is not about timing, but about the certainty of the end of all things, and the certainty of the signs that will precede it. Jesus wants to prepare his disciples to live ready for his certain return. So, let’s prepare with three certai...

On the heels of exercising his authority as the Son of God in the temple in Luke 19, the Jewish religious leaders come to challenge Jesus’ authority. We are naturally suspicious of authority as those steeped in the autonomous individualism of our culture. Yet, we all live under multiple kinds of authority including the Supreme Authority – Jesus Christ. Let’s look at Jesus’ authority and how it act...

Peace is something that most people want and pursue and yet it is so elusive in every generation. Jesus’ triumphal entry to Jerusalem is not a declaration of war, but an offer of peace. This peace is true and lasting and yet Jesus knows, as he sees the city, that most won’t see the things that make for peace. Let’s see where and how we can find this peace.

In Luke chapter 19, we are challenged to see Jesus for who he is, the Seeker and Savior of the lost. We will then be encouraged to a life of investing in the Kingdom mission until he returns. We will do this by looking at two principles, one big encouragement, and one challenge to invest in the here and now.

Do you ever wonder when God’s promises will be realized? When will the fullness of His Kingdom come? In Luke chapter 17, Jesus teaches that he has already inaugurated the Kingdom, and yet there is a tension because it has not yet fully arrived. In the meantime, the disciples are encouraged again to not hold too tightly to the things of this world, but press on in discipleship, as they ask for more...

Keeping in line with the theme of “stewardship” in chapter 16, Jesus challenges us to make a connection between stewarding our horizontal relationship with him, with how we vertically treat the poor, in a parable full of truths on heaven and hell and everything in between.

Pacific Northwest District Superintendent Rob Chadwick I Corinthians 1:26 & 27 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.  But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;

How are we to steward the life God has given us? If God is the creator, sustainer, and ruler of all, aren’t we living under his roof? This Sunday we look at multiple areas of our lives and the responsibility to be good stewards, and to the one ultimate steward.