Sermons from Grace/Bethel

“Christ” is not the family name of Jesus. It is a title. The Greek word “Christ” and the Hebrew word “Messiah” both mean the same thing: “The Anointed One.” Anointing was the practice of pouring liquid over the head of someone to signify selection for some special task. When the Lord had someone anointed, he also poured his Spirit over them. It was the fulfillment of promises made over centuries.

We continue the Christmas celebration of the dawning of the light of all mankind. When the sun rises, we can see things that we haven’t seen before. When Christ the Savior is born, the light of new revelation breaks over the world. When the Son rises, we can clearly see the grace of God, our Redeemer.

Christmas holidays mean family time, often with extended family travel and visits. Meals are prepared, gifts are given, memories are made. But the memories might not all be good. Sometimes there are Christmas hurts or even tragedies. We live in a world still affected by sin. The sinfulness of the world cannot rob us of the peace God intends to bring through his Son. Christ the Savior is born, and...

Emmanuel is an important person. “Emmanuel” means “God with us.” It was a special name given to Jesus already 700 years before he was born. Who is with us when Jesus is with us? God himself. God became a human being in a special way, becoming truly human but remaining God. God is still with us. We encounter him in a special way when we gather with two or three others in worship. He is so near to u...

The Messiah is an important person. “Messiah” is the same word as “Christ” or “Anointed One.” He is someone who has been anticipated for a long time. Now we look at a time when his arrival is imminent! The historic Christian Church gave Latin titles to each Sunday. They titled the Third Sunday in Advent “Gaudete,” which means “Rejoice!” As we reach the midway point of Advent, we ask Christ to empo...

The judge is an important person. You stand when he enters the courtroom. What he says must be obeyed. If you are the one on trial, his determinations make a big difference in how your life will continue. You might be quite nervous if the judge is about to arrive. John invited people to turn their nervousness to repentance. He says that the arrival of the Judge is imminent, and the kingdom of heav...

The king is an important person. His arrival at our place can mean something quite different to us depending on our relationship with him. We might fear his arrival if we expect him to punish us. We might welcome his arrival if we expect him to validate us. Either way, we expect his arrival to be a big deal. How would it make us feel if we heard that his arrival would be informal and familiar? Adv...

The Church has marked the passing of yet another Church Year, waiting for its Lord to return. How long will we have to wait and watch for Jesus to return? We do not know. Jesus said he would return soon. However, the definition of “soon” for the One who has no beginning or end will naturally differ from ours. Whenever Jesus returns, it will take us by surprise. So, how do believers avoid growing l...

If you were making a list of things that might make society more peaceful, would you include “more judgment”? Likely not. Many people assume that judgment leads to conflict, not peace. However, a lack of judgment is a luxury many cannot afford. Our world is full of victims of abuse, violence, and oppression. In many cases, this evil goes unnoticed and unpunished. A future without the hope of judgm...

King David once said that guilt makes you feel like your very bones are rotting. Guilt makes you feel weak . . . sick. Guilt can make it hard to focus on anything else . . . hard to function. And guilt is an inescapable fact of life. Everyone carries guilt about something. Worse, our efforts to deal with guilt— minimizing our mistakes, making excuses for our sin—don’t help, but only make us feel w...

God grants the status of “saint” (which means “holy one”) to every believer. It might appear that status is of little practical value. If you achieve the status “billionaire” or “celebrity” or “senator” your life is going to be vastly different than most other people, most likely better. But if God calls you a saint, just like everyone else, you will struggle with trials, temptations, and sin. Bei...

Many people believe that freedom means being able to do whatever you want. Jesus teaches that is absolutely false. “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31,32). Jesus says that living however you want does not make you free. In fact, if you take that attitude toward life, you will end up a slave. You will on...

Disciples of Jesus need to learn how to pray. And learning to pray is not like many of the other things we learn to do in our lives. Once we know how to write our name, tie our shoes, or ride a bike, the learning is done. There is virtually no danger that we will forget how to do those things. Not so with prayer. Learning to pray consists of a lifetime of persistence. So, what is the cause of pers...

Gratitude is the appreciation we feel when someone does something kind to us or for us. Two factors affect the intensity of gratitude. First, there is the deservedness factor. Say you do a favor for your neighbor. A month later, your neighbor does a favor for you. You are grateful, but not overwhelmingly so, because you deserved his help to some degree. However, if you have been an unkind or selfi...

As someone rises through the ranks at work, there are typical benefits: higher salary, more authority, and better benefits. However, there is often a corresponding increase in responsibility: longer hours, more meetings, and raised expectations. So, if someone is offered a promotion, they might ask, “Is this worth it?” It is similar in God’s kingdom. As our faith grows, there are obvious benefits:...

What do John D Rockefeller, King Solomon, Henry Ford, and Joseph Stalin all have in common? Two things. First, they are all in the list of the twenty wealthiest individuals who have ever lived. Second, they are all rotting in the ground. The reality is that while money may help you achieve some objectives, it fails to prevent death. So Jesus speaks some sharp words this week, warning that those wh...

There are more than 2,300 Bible passages that speak about money. Why? Money is a master Satan frequently tempts us to serve. In fact, out of all the masters competing for our service besides God, money is probably at the top of the list. Money provides us with a false comfort and sense of security. Money serves as a source of pride. This week, Jesus’ sharp words identify the impossibility of servi...

“He’s lost.” We use that term not only to refer to someone who is bewildered about where they are but also to refer to someone who is in a helpless, hopeless state. Mankind’s natural state is one of complete spiritual helplessness, a profound lostness. It manifests itself in countless ways. The one who simply wants God to leave him alone: lost. The one who feels she can handle life on her own: los...

This week, Jesus’ sharp words expose our desire to pursue comfort and avoid pain at all costs. Jesus explains that following him will be hard. Jesus’ disciples will be called to let go of things they love and embrace things we naturally loathe. Jesus promises that discipleship comes with crosses—a unique type of pain. So, Jesus tells us that we must count the cost of following him. He wants us to...

Everyone knows that humility is a positive trait, and pride is a negative one. So, why bother talking about what we already know? Despite that knowledge, we still helplessly fall into the trap of pride. We all desire acclaim, recognition, and praise. Jesus’ sharp words this week teach us that seeking exaltation in futile and fleeing ways will only result in receiving the opposite. Those who attemp...

When it comes to the uncomfortable topic of who goes to heaven and who goes to hell, it is natural to want to avoid the issue. One way we do that is to direct our attention to more theoretical questions. “What is heaven like?” “How old will we be there?” Today someone asks, “Lord, are only a few going to be saved?” Jesus brushes all such questions aside. Instead, he answers the question we should...

We often divide humanity into groupings that are not really significant: this ethnic group versus that one, men versus women, wealthy versus poor. Yet, every ethnic group is under God’s law. That law equally convicts men and women of sin. Because of sin, both the wealthy and the poor will die. Only through faith in Christ is sin forgiven and the sting of death removed. God’s Word creates that savi...

Last week, Jesus warned us against overvaluing earthly wealth. This week, Jesus warns against undervaluing heavenly treasure. Last week, Jesus exposed the folly of greed. This week, Jesus exposes the folly of worry, even when faced with the prospect of having a seeming shortage of resources. This week might be the bigger challenge! When it seems we lack providence or protection for our daily lives...

Money. Possessions. Perhaps more than anything else, those things have the power to turn our attention away from what is truly important. It is no surprise, therefore, that Jesus frequently teaches about wealth. Christ wants us to understand that it is our heavenly Father who provides us with those useful resources. However, we need to understand why our Father gives them: what they are useful for...

In a sense, prayer comes naturally to us. We want, so we ask. We hurt, so we cry out. We are frustrated, so we vent. We are blessed, so we give thanks. Natural! What does not come naturally, however, is a proper understanding of the privilege of prayer. Prayer is a privilege, based entirely on the unique and unearned relationship we have with God, our Father. And the purpose of prayer is not to te...