Bethesda Christian Church Sermon of the Week

What your lips proclaim your life must represent. We must not just say our beliefs, we need to live them out. Our faith and words should represent the action we display to others. 1 John 3:18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by actions.

What's a squirrel got to do with contending for the cause of the gospel of Jesus Christ? That's a good question that's answered in today's message. Paul the great New Testament evangelist and apostle wrote to a church in the Roman city of Philippi about striving together as one, in your relationships having the mind of Christ, doing everything without arguing, and contending with others in the cau...

Think about this: Where will you be in 5 years? Will you finish school, have a bigger home, secure a better job? Your answer may be along those lines, but did your answer include the word “sacrifice?” Probably not. What does sacrifice have to do with our lives, if anything at all? Listen in as we re-center on sacrifice and how it fits into the lives of Christians.

Re-Center - to move or put something at the center again. We all have the tendency to get distracted or busy which can get our eyes off the original purpose or goal. God has called each of us to be His witness. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide and direct you into boldness and confidence to be the best "laborer" in the harvest field that is plentiful. in Matthew 9, Jesus said “The harvest is plentifu...

Have you ever felt lost, all alone and abandoned? There is one who knows your name who is seeking after you and calling your name. He is the Good Shepherd. He doesn’t want you to remain lost and wandering, He desires to refresh and protect you. Listen now and discover how you can be part of the flock of the Good Shepherd. He will never abandon you in this life and has an eternal pasture prepared f...

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” The only way to eternal life is by Jesus who holds the power over death. He proved it by raising from the dead his friend Lazarus, and then He too rose from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus is a fact, and He promi...

There is no “get rich quick" scheme when it comes to Christianity. There is no secret that just has yet to be unlocked. The secret to bearing fruit is to remain in Christ’s love, day after day, week after week, year after year. There is no shortcut. Jesus says to remain in him and he will remain in us. We all wish it could be a quick process, but just like a great marriage, it takes much time and...

“There is one mountain with many paths” is a common saying among a variety of faiths. It’s a way to express there is one God and many ways to God, but is that true? Jesus declared, “I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Was Jesus teaching that He is the only way to God, or one way among many paths? Though many have debated the answer, Jesus...

Are you hungry? Jesus offers food that satisfies forever, you will never be hungry again. When Jesus made such a startling claim, those who first heard Him were incredulous and responded, “Give us this food!” Who wouldn’t want food that would satisfy forever? But Jesus was not speaking of earthly matters, He was talking about eternal life. Thus He declared, “I am the bread of life, whoever comes t...

Without Jesus, the world is hopelessly lost in darkness. Not literal darkness, but souls in the dark separated from God. Jesus claimed that He was not only sent from God, but that He is God. He is the light of life, eternal life. Jesus declared, “I am the light of the World.” Hear how the light of life is available to you, and all who would choose to follow the light.

Jesus made the statement to his disciples in John 14:11 " Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves." HIs disciples who had spent three and a half years with him were being told He was going away. What a change was going to be happening in their lives. They were so comfortable with having Him walk with them, e...

Some say Jesus was a foremost teacher, others the greatest philosopher, yet they do not acknowledge Jesus as God. Yet Jesus did. Although there many who contend Jesus never claimed to be God, Jesus directly declared His divinity. About being God Jesus said, “I am.” Do you see Him as a God, or is he just a teacher? Listen in and discover why it is imperative to receive Jesus as God.

"How well do we know Jesus, or do we just know about Jesus? After we apply the understanding to what "know" means in context, it will help us with the next question we will address. Do we really love Jesus? Looking at some scripture and applying it to our lives can be difficult and challenging. Jesus didn't attempt to give us the "fast pass" to just go to the front of the line. His disciples learn...

The Spirit of wisdom and revelation Paul writes about in Ephesians 1:17 is what helps us know God better. But our pride and self-sufficiency can prevent God from revealing the deep truths that are waiting to be discovered in His Word. What can help bring the full story of the Bible into focus? A hint: “A Humble Heart is a Hearing Heart.”

What is truth? That was the disdainful response Pontus Pilate, the Roman Governor of Judea, gave to Jesus at His trial. Pilate didn’t care about the truth, neither did the mob who wanted Jesus dead. Since the beginning of time, truth has been blurred by the enemy Jesus called the Father of Lies, Satan. Yet Christians are called to live out the truth. How can we do that in world full of untruth whe...

I am speaking toward the idea that we have Promises today, promises that the Word of God has for each of us. But I think it is important for us to understand that not all the promises of scripture are for everyone. God’s promises are for his people, His children, His followers.

Jesus promised his disciples this about the Holy Spirit: “He lives with you and will be in you.” Jesus repeated that promise before he was crucified and after he was resurrected. He told his followers to remain in Jerusalem until they received the promise, and they were obedient to wait. When the day came and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, the apostle Peter declared the promise of the...

The closest followers of Jesus quibbled and argued about who was the greatest, even on the night of the Last Supper. A pharisee named Saul considered Jews who turned to Christianity as worthy of imprisonment and death. Those who weren’t Jewish he considered beneath him. Yet these men changed and put aside their animosity and hate. How? The Spirit of God, who is the Spirit of Christ. On this Pentec...

You call me great? He has made me great. God stooped down and made me great. Could any of us say the same? How could it be? After all, David was special, a king. For the rest of us, the average person, it can’t be so? Or could it?

We can make the choice to rejoice.

Do we recognize grace, are we grateful? And what is our will? Is it to acknowledge all of God’s grace in our lives? Recognizing needs met, ways made, prayers answered? This is the will of God for us… give thanks in all circumstances.

Our expectations and preconceived notions put Jesus in a box. It constrains him to behave and carry out his mission according to our expectations. Jesus is God and he is not constrained by us.

Yet our faith might be challenged, we might doubt, the essentials that form our foundation might come under attack. Don’t give the enemy a foothold.

There can be something new and positive for every single one of us, when we trust him, and turn our worry and fear to joy.

Jesus uses difficult situations to reveal His glory. His ways aren’t our ways. Jesus didn’t stay on that cross, He resurrected, and His glory was revealed. Believe that His glory will be revealed in all that’s going on in the world around us. He is our risen Savior. He is not dead. His spirit is alive today.