Bethany Church of Canby

This morning, Jesus tells a parable about the state of our hearts and commends the heart that responds in obedience and patient faith to the Word of God. But how do we get that kind of heart? How do we pursue obedience and patient faith? It’s all in the family. Let’s look this morning at how to have a heart for the family.

Pastor Jeff's ongoing series in the Book of Luke titled "Accomplished Among Us"

Even the greatest of Jesus’ followers have doubts. What matters is what you do with those doubts. Our culture has raised the ever open and questioning mind to the highest virtue, but Jesus says wisdom finally sinks its teeth into something. This morning we look at what to do with our doubts and how Jesus answers them.  

This morning we look at the importance of faith in the life of a follower of Jesus. We will examine the essence of faith in the story of the centurion and the faith awakening truth that death can be overcome in the resurrection of the widow’s son.

How do we become people of integrity as we deal with the sin in our own lives and sin in the lives of others? How can we truly know ourselves enough to be able to help others know themselves? These are truly challenging questions, but integral to the spiritual health and growth of the new kingdom of God’s people. In fact, to not know this is to come into ruin. Let’s look at three truths about inte...

This morning we look at a portion of Luke’s summary of the Sermon on the Mount. What we see is that Jesus is beginning to put together a new type of people into a new type of community. Jesus is building kingdom citizens for his kingdom. However, this kingdom prizes what the world despises, and is empowered in an entirely different way than the kingdom of the world. Let’s look at three pieces of t...

The ongoing controversy over the intent and use of the sabbath continues in Luke 6. Was it about the form of keeping the sabbath, or about the function of worship and rest found in the sabbath? The pharisees struggled to see the heart of rest in Jesus, and so do we. This morning we look at three truths that will point us to the true intent of internal sabbath rest, where we find it, and how we giv...

The Pharisees are going to “dog” Jesus all the way to the cross. Ever since He healed the paralytic and had declared his sins forgiven. “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” EXACTLY! Jesus was God and He was letting it be known. The Pharisees couldn’t accept this and were seeking to cancel Him entirely. So, they sought to trap Him by their constant challenges to His authority. They questioned Him...

What looks in chapter 5 to be a loosely connected mishmash of stories is actually one big picture of what it looks like to have an encounter with Jesus from start to finish. This morning we will look at a progression of truths that begins with Peter, moves through two healings, and ends with Levi. This progression is the story of an encounter with Jesus.

In the close of chapter 4, Jesus brings his authority and power right out into the open exercising it over both the spiritual and physical world. Not only is this a testimony of the power of his words and who he is, but it is a great display of the compassionate heart of Jesus in our own battles against sin and sickness. Let’s find hope today by looking at three spheres of Jesus’ Authority.

Jesus begins ministry in his hometown with one of his first sermons and the reaction is very mixed. The reaction goes from bland amusement, to bewildered rage, in a matter of moments. When you understand the gospel, you can’t accept Jesus blandly, or in self-righteous indignation, but always in abject spiritual poverty, and sometimes real poverty.

At the close of chapter 3, the genealogy of Jesus ends with this declaration, “the son of Adam, the son of God.” It should be no surprise then that Satan’s goal of temptation in the beginning of chapter 4 was to use good things to get Jesus to doubt his sonship. But isn’t that how temptation normally works? Good things become god things, making us doubt the goodness of the true God. This morning l...

John the Baptist’s purpose was to point to the validity of Jesus as the coming Messiah King! He would pave the way for the king. So, if Jesus has come as the true king, what should our response to him be? What does the road look like In today’s story, from John’s message, to Jesus’ baptism, we will see four road signs to check your own response to Jesus as King.

This Christmas morning, we finish the birth accounts in the Gospel of Luke by hearing more about the purpose of Jesus’ birth from two old saints to the mouth of Jesus himself. In the accounts are contained the core truths of the Gospel – Jesus is salvation and change and growth are possible in him. Let’s look at these two core truths together.

This morning Luke sets up for us a story of contrasts in the birth of Christ. No human being alone would have ever written a story where such a magnificent person, the incarnated Son of God, was born in such average circumstances. Especially in the ancient world. But the meaning of this birth, and result it can have in our lives, is extraordinary, if we will listen. Let’s listen together to three...

This morning we look at the meeting of two soul sisters, each with their own joyful prophetic word about the meaning of Christmas and the state of those who receive Jesus as the Son of God. Let’s look this morning at the story of Christmas so we too can be changed and rejoice in “soul” and “spirit” like Mary and Elizabeth.

The progressive unfolding of God’s plan of salvation, in the coming of Jesus, is curious and marvelous. In this encounter between the Angel Gabriel, and Mary, we get to see the tender grace of God and the real time process of Mary wrestling with God’s plan for her life. Can we leave today knowing that God’s plan is always better than our own? Let’s see.

How can we have certainty of the story of Jesus and the things he taught and did? Luke wrote as one familiar with the eyewitnesses who had followed things closely for some time past. He has compiled a story for us of the "the things that have been accomplished among us."

Big Idea : May God sanctify us completely while we live in unity together longing for Christ’s return. Description : As Paul closes this letter he prays for the people of Thessalonica, that their whole selves would be transformed by God himself, and that they might be blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. As they wait he commands them to live in complete unity with each other. This mor...

As Paul nears the end of his first letter to the Thessalonians, he gives them a rapid succession of instructions. Almost like parents giving instructions to their children as they prepare to leave them with the babysitter. Paul, in a staccato-like manner, advises the church at Thessalonica how they are to behave. There are more than 15 commands given in these 11 verses! In this season of Thanksgiv...

The day of the Lord is known throughout the Bible as the day of God’s judgement. However, the experience for those who are children of the day will be entirely different from those who are of the night. Let’s look at the two different experiences and how to live in light of them. Let’s look at some warnings and encouragements.

How often do you think of Jesus’ second coming? Does it impact the way you live your day-to-day life? In this section of 1 Thessalonians, Paul wants to remind us of that the coming of Jesus is to be an event that causes us great hope and encouragement, not one that breeds either speculation or disengagement. Let’s look this morning as 7 words of hope and encouragement.

This morning we continue to examine Paul’s call, from the first letter to the Thessalonians, to love others more and more. Did you know that your work is an expression of love for others? In 4:9-12, Paul explains that one of the ways we love others is to value our work and to do it well. By working well, we are imaging God to the world and valuing the creation as he does. Let’s look at three value...

On this baptism Sunday, we look at Jesus’ standing orders for the church. These orders are a call for the disciples to take the baton of Jesus and run forward with it by making disciples of Jesus. Like a master with his apprentice, we are called to baptize, teach and help new disciples obey. Jesus has not called us to provoke hasty decisions for Christ, but to a depth and intensity of making disci...

In chapter 4 of his letter, Paul takes a turn to apply the gospel in practical ways to a few common areas of life. The first area Paul gives a reminder to the Thessalonians about is sexual holiness. We live in a culture that has deified and is obsessed with sex. I think we need this reminder too! Let’s look at the goodness of sex, the brokenness of sex, and how the gospel can make sex holy.