Sermons from Grace/Bethel

The Holy Spirit teaches Stewardship. True Stewardship is a fruit of faith that comes when we focus on the Grace we have received from God. His grace to us fills our hearts with joy, trust and generosity. It moves us to use all that we are and have to bring glory to God and good to our neighbor.

Unity? It has to start with being reconciled to God. It means recognizing everyone is equally sinful in God's eyes, and that Jesus died to pay for everyone's sin. 

Add, Increase, Grow. These are words Peter uses to encourage us to life-long study of Scripture. As we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus we will gladly share the good news with everyone.

The writer holds up the Faithfulness of God to inspire us to gather for worship. As we gather, we encourage each other to show love to God and to one another we let our light shine and have opportunities to share the good news about Jesus.

Many examples of how God found ways to make himself known to all.

Nothing the world offers can give true and lasting peace. Simeon found that true and lasting peace comes from seeing the Lord's Salvation. That's our source of peace as well. 

The Word was God. The Word was with God in the beginning. They Word became flesh. The Word is Jesus. He is the promised seed of the woman who took on flesh and blood so that he could redeem us from sin, death and Satan by his perfect life in our place, his innocent death in our place, and his glorious resurrection from the dead. Through faith in him we are children of God and heirs with him of ete...

Mary demonstrated humble faith, but it wasn't blind faith. She knew the prophecies. She trusted that no word of God could ever faith. The same should be true of us. Like Mary we wonder why God would choose us and give us his grace and favor. Like Mary we know that no word of God can faith. Nothing is impossible with God. So no matter what he promises us, no matter how unbelievable it seems, we kno...

Like Israel, we might wonder if we have reasons to rejoice. In Jesus we always have reason to rejoice because he has clothed us in his robe of righteousness and covered us with garments of salvation. He alone gives us everlasting joy.

Prepare for a proper celebration of Christmas by recognizing your need for a savior, recognizing that Jesus is that savior, and remembering your baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

Jesus is like the man who went on a journey and gave each servant a job to do until he returned. Jesus has given each of us gifts to use to serve him and our neighbor while he is gone. He hasn't told us when he will return, but he has given us signs so that we might know the time is near. Watch. learn and pay attention to the signs. In the mean time, remember that the wise and faithful servant is...

Thanksgiving cancelled? God's mercy endures from everlasting to everlasting. There is always a reason for thanksgiving.

Does it seem that God is King, ruling over all the earth? The evil in the world is not God's fault. He is ruling all the earth in the way that fulfills his promise of salvation. He showed this clearly as he turned the evil actions of the Jewish leaders and the sinful action of Pilate into salvation for all through the death and resurrection of Jesus. No matter what it looks like, trust that God is...

Everything we have belongs to God. We are his stewards. Considering the fact that we don't deserve anything from him, yet in his grace he gives us Jesus, and trusts us to use his possessions while we live on earth, we are motivated to use them faithfully. Stewardship is about attitude. Consider the difference in attitude between the two faithful servants and the unfaithful servant.

Believers are plantings in God's vineyard. Considering all the blessings he showers on us he has the right to expect that we will produce good fruit, the we will be a planting for the display of his splendor.

Ever sins Adam and Eve sinned we all have a heart that wants to blame others as they did in the garden. In order to take responsibility for our sins and trust Christ for forgiveness we need a new heart and a new spirit. God creates this new heart and spirit in us through the word and sacraments. As renewed children of God through faith we realize that no one else it to blame for our sins. We reali...

God showed Jonah grace upon grace. He rescued him from drowning. He gave him a second chance to obey him and preach in Nineveh. He provided a vine to give him shade. But Jonah struggled to be gracious to the Ninevites and rejoice in their repentance. So God provided a worm to destroy the plant and teach Jonah what it meant to be gracious to others.

Peter wanted to know how he could forgive someone more than 7 times. We wonder how Joseph could forgive his brothers for the terrible things they did to him. How can we forgive those who harm us? Jesus' parable of the unmerciful servant brings to life Paul's statement that we forgive as God in Christ has forgiven us. 

God tells Ezekiel and us that we are watchmen responsible for giving his warning to those who are living contrary to God's word and will. God then gives us an example of how such a warning is delivered in love as he pleads with Israel to turn from their sin because he doesn't want them to die in their sins.

After John sees a vision of the last day, the sun turning dark and the mood blood red, the stars falling from the sky, the question is asked "Who can stand?" Who can stand before the judgment throne of God? No one can on their own, by their own power, on the basis of what they have or have not done. All have sinned and deserve the wrath of the Lamb. But God provides John, and us, comfort. He shows...

Jesus' interaction with the Canaanite woman shows that he came to save all people, Jews and Gentiles. She is one of the two people Jesus holds up as an example of great fatih.

A sermon on Jesus' descent into Hell by Pastor Allen Lindke.

Jesus sailed across the lake to get away from the crowds and to get some rest. But the crowds were waiting for him when he arrived. Instead of getting back in the boat and leaving, Jesus had compassion on them. He healed the sick. He taught them about the kingdom of heaven. And he fed them. Jesus cares for the whole person - body and soul. On the last day our bodies will be reunited with our souls...

Solomon showed proper, godly priorities when he ask for wisdom, not for himself, but so that he could properly govern God's people to God's glory. Moses showed proper, godly priorities when he chose to identify with God's people instead of enjoying the riches and pleasures of Pharaoh's palace. When we see that Jesus is our priceless treasure, our pearl of inestimable worth, we too will have proper...

Why is there evil? How will it end? When will it end? Jesus answers these questions for us in his parable of the Weeds among the Wheat.