Bethel Mennonite Church - Gladys VA

Matthew 28:18-20 – The mission of the church of Jesus Christ is to make disciples of all nations. Disciples who are formed into the character of Christ. We are called to bring people into a yielded heart relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord. Galatians 4:19 – That Christ may be formed in you. Seeing Christ formed in each individual is the mission of the church. Some characteristics of...

What was Paul’s thorn in the flesh? There are several ideas, but it seems to be some kind of “bodily ailment.” What does God mean by “weakness?” When God says that His grace is made perfect in weakness He isn’t talking about character flaws. God can do more through weak people. God’s power can do more with people who are aware of their limitations. Are the...

It isn’t that we’re so strong, it is that we are under God’s control and choose to be gentle no matter what situation we find ourselves in. We often think of cowardly, weakness, etc when talking about meekness, but that isn’t the real definition of meekness. If you care deeply about something you’ll find your passion showing up when someone attacks or challenges the t...

Matthew 6:9-15 – We know that God’s will is not done on earth as it is in heaven… so how does this prayer even begin to be answered? A lack of cooperation is a trait of untrained, unbroken horses. They are big and strong and can be dangerous if they are not under control. To be useful, horses need to be broken and trained. The godless, kicking and bucking in rebellion agains rest...

It starts in Genesis. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth… God saw it all, and it was good! After Adam and Eve sinned, entropy began. Everything that has order, moves towards chaos. The only way to maintain that order is through an intelligent outside force. Just as a worn-out and wrecked vehicle can’t restore itself, neither can a fallen man fix his relationship wi...

Our attitude affects us, but it also affects those around us. We do have something to say in our current attitudes. There is a lot of teaching here that applies to everyone in the church, not just Elders. 1 Peter 5:1-4 – Peter first reminds his readers that he is qualified to talk to them about the frustrations that they are experiencing. He has experienced firsthand the teachings of Jesus....

We all know that good relationships make life much more enjoyable. In 1 John 4 we get a clear picture and reminder that our love for each other and our love for God are very much connected. We’ve probably all heard of cure-alls or home remedies that can fix just about anything. When we read these scriptures, the Bible really has the answers for whatever ails us. What should we do when we fin...

Ephesians is full of lofty ideas. Sometimes they are ideas that dig deep inside. Our focus this morning is on three mysteries that are discussed in Ephesians. The Mystery of God’s Redemption in Christ Ephesians says quite a bit about redemption in Christ. Some of it is simple, and some of it is more complex and lawful. Talking about a mystery here means that there was a truth that was hidden...

Peter talks about a number of things but keeps coming back to the theme of a limited amount of time, there is an end coming. The question then is how should I be using the time I have left? Christians need to keep learning to think like Jesus. People who think like Jesus are a serious threat to the kingdom of darkness. Christians who don’t think like Jesus aren’t very well equipped. Pe...

We are so worried about a works religion that we don’t want to talk about practical things. What are we doing with our stuff? What are we doing with this world? The goal of true religion is perfection and God loves people who are patiently pursuing that goal. Do you have a passion for being perfect? Here in Matthew 6, Jesus exposes a divided personality that is common among man. If we are no...

Matthew 5 deals with moral issues, chapter 6 deals with Christian piety and the spiritual aspects of our lives. Matthew 6:16-18 – Jesus assumes that we will fast, He says, “when you fast.” The Jews were really involved in fasting. To the Jews, fasting was a sign of repentance. The senses are heightened during fasting. Matthew 6:19-34 – Jesus is uncompromising when talking a...

Tonight we are talking about resistance against evil, and against those who harm us. Unlimited love was definitely shadowed within the Old Testament. Jesus said that He had come not to destroy lives but to save them. Jesus demonstrated a better way. We are called to a battlefield, we are fighting a real battle, but we have a different commander, have different rules of engagement. If love doesn&#8...

The law was intended for our well-being. God mercifully telling His people how to live. God created the universe, He was telling man right upfront how the universe should be worked with. Man needs law, our wills are lazy. We need the reminder that we need to do some things. We are clever at making things right in our minds, even though deep down we know they are wrong. We are masters at rationaliz...

Joy is the infallible evidence of God’s grace in life. The beatitudes don’t leave us staring at the heavens but at a scared and messed up humanity. The Lord really wants to perfect us. We empty ourselves to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Does the Spirit get all of you when you become a Christian? The joyful warrior embraces peacemaking. Some people believe peacemaking is always being...

Jeremiah 10:23 – Right action isn’t intuitive, it doesn’t make sense to forgive, to give your extra money away, to turn the other cheek. Jesus bases His Kingdom on a radically transformed character. Matthew 5 – Did you ever wonder why the sermon on the mount doesn’t start with the new birth? The beatitudes are a practical look at what the new birth looks like! Jesus s...

God has given us desires, we need to know how to use these desires properly, but the desires themselves are from God. The problem with these desires is that the devil takes these desires and perverts it. God’s righteous rule is just, and kind, and good, and right. The problem is that the gospel is presented a lot of times as a “save me” gospel. Salvation isn’t an end in and...

The issue with a fishhook in the finger is not the fishhook so much as the barb on the end of the fishhook. This little tiny barb makes all the difference in the world! If you have something in your eye, it doesn’t need to be very big at all to potentially do a lot of damage. You wouldn’t want to just put some numbing agent in the eye, you need to get that thing out of the eye! Zechari...

Ephesians 6:10-20 – We won’t be specifically talking about the armor that is covered here. We read about the spiritual life being a journey sometimes, but it is not just a leisurely stroll, it is often a battle. There is opposition all along the way. Matthew 26 and 27 – We know the story of Jesus. Throughout his life, from the cradle to the grave, he was constantly being apposed...

This morning we are going to look at John 15:9-17 – What a packed portion of scripture. Looking at God’s love is such a vast and unsearchable depth. The post The Love of God is Vast and Unsearchable appeared first on Bethel Mennonite Church - Gladys VA .

1 Peter 3:13-17 – Peter asks a rhetorical question here, and the implied answer is “No one.” The whole letter from Peter kind of expects persecution, he is writing to people who are in the middle of suffering. Peter is saying that there is a sense in which no one can harm God’s children. We know that no one can separate us from God’s love. No one can snatch us from Go...

Regardless of when you hear this, the fact is that the present is always a good time to be preparing for the future. 2 Corinthians 4:16 – Even if it is March, there is time to start the things you need to be working on. The top 13 New Years’ resolutions include things like, lose weight, quit smoking, take a trip, etc. Most New Year’s resolutions tend to be at least somewhat self-...

Matthew 5:13-16 – We know that large crowds were following Jesus as He went around to teach and heal people in different towns. Jesus was seeking out the ones who were outcasts and were despised. Jesus was speaking to people who believed Him and were receptive to Him. Jesus had just started His ministry and had just called His disciples. There were likely people here who were just curious, b...

It is an extremely daunting task for a church to figure out how to apply or pursue the vision that they agree upon as their mission. When you try to put this into words and develop a framework in a church it can be quite challenging. We are guilty at times when it comes to the task or mission of the church. We like to think and reason about it, and what it might look like, like we are having a bus...

1 Corinthians 11 – Paul was addressing this issue because he felt like it needed attention. We aren’t talking about this morning because we need a major overhaul, but rather to encourage what we’re currently doing. God has a plan for order, when we fit into His order, that is the best place that we can be. Some teach that this scripture was just for the people there in Corinth. T...

Philippians 3 Pressing Forward and Forgetting the Past We are in the first month of a new year, and I wonder if you have made any new year’s resolutions, or thought about how you want to live this year, or thought about whether the direction of your life and the target you are aiming at will take you to the goal you want to reach. There is a proverb that goes like this: “If you aim at nothing you...