Bethany Lutheran Church

Abram and Sarai had given up their dream of having a child. But then Abram received a promise from God that was meant to encourage them to walk in faithfulness to God’s plan. Yet, they took matters into their own hands and things quickly went south. We will often do whatever it takes to make sure our dreams become reality. But what if in this new year, God is inviting us to hold our hopes, desires, and dreams with open hands before the cross, trusting that through the cross Jesus alone can give us abundant life? Genesis 15:1-6 (ESV)After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.

We have all been formed by a world that tells us we can have whatever we want whenever we want it. Yet, many of us are left feeling empty and unsatisfied with the status quo. According to Jesus the way to true life is not through self-fulfillment but through self-denial as he calls us to pick up our cross and follow him. This week we kick off a new series where we will look at several key figures in the Bible and how they experienced true life through bearing their cross.Deuteronomy 13:4 (ESV)You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.Matthew 16:24-28 (ESV)Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son

Just like the people of ancient Israel we too wait for the coming of Christ. The season of Advent fixes our gaze into the future as we wait for Christ’s victorious second coming when he will make all things new, where everything sad will become untrue. Isaiah 65:17-25 (ESV)“For behold, I create new heavens    and a new earth,and the former things shall not be remembered    or come into mind.But be glad and rejoice forever    in that which I create;for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy,    and her people to be a gladness.I will rejoice in Jerusalem    and be glad in my people;no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping    and the cry of distress.No more shall there be in it    an infant who lives but a few days,    or an old man who does not fill out his days,for the young man shall die a hundred years old,    and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.They shall build houses and inhabit them;    they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.They shall not build and another inhabit;    th

We live our lives in AD, in the year of the Lord. But as we begin the season of Advent we intentionally step back into BC, the time before Christ, with our brothers and sisters in the Old Testament. As we do this we seek to take on their posture as we remember what it would have been like to long for the first coming of the Messiah, the redeemer of Israel and of all nations. Jeremiah 23:5-8 (ESV)“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’“Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north count

We don’t talk much about speaking in tongues and it certainly isn’t something you see practiced but at the root of all worship practices and works of the spirit is a sense of good order that brings us together and make it clear to everyone what God is doing in our midst.1 Corinthians 14:1-12 (ESV)Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you s

There are a lot of clanging cymbals and gongs in this world and we easily add to the noise. However, things done with love and in love are enduring and powerful. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (ESV)If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy

There are many spiritual gifts given to bring unity and togetherness to the body of Christ. The most important being faith given by the Holy Spirit. From that faith flows so many wonderful things that help us grow together! 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 (ESV)Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by t