The Bethany Bullet Sermon Message - Week of September 2, 2018

Sermon: “Labor Days”

Text: Luke 10:2

Labor Day, it’s the day thereafter as this is being written.  Labor Day is often referred to as the last holiday of the summer.  Quite naturally therefore it is associated with picnics, BBQ’s, and pool parties, etc.  If you stop to think about that, it’s a little fascinating that a word that connotes work, sweat, effort and the daily grind has a “day” named after it that connotes fun, frivolity and rest.  Of course, in the big picture both rest and work is the domain of God.  He did both at creation.  In our own formation He appoints us to work and commands (the third one) us to rest.

Jesus Himself invited His own to pray that God would send laborers into His harvest field.  This prayer that we are invited to pray, is a prayer that He answers through the very ones who have prayed the words.  (Better go ahead and re-read that sentence a few times.) 

We are the answer to the prayer our Lord has asked us to offer.  We are the ones He sends into His harvest field.  This isn’t a text only about professional church workers!  Everyone who calls on His name is one He calls on to share the wonders of His name with others. 

That might sound like hard work; and admittedly it can be.  However, one of the easiest ways to do this is through the simple telling of our own story.  Share what it is you have received from the Lord, why it is you call on His name, how you became one who has been called by Him to pray. 

On Saturday, September 22^nd we will be hosting a Lutheran Hour Ministry event helping us to “labor” in His field, so to speak, in this tech driven age.    -Pastor Kevin Kritzer

Share the Faith!

When was the last time you had a conversation about God? For most people, the unfortunate and surprising answer to that question is not very often. Spiritual conversations are exceedingly rare for most Americans, and even for Christians, who are at best reluctant to have them.  In 1993, The Barna Group partnered with Lutheran Hour Ministries to research reasons why people did and did not engage in intentional outreach. A lot has changed since that initial study, so 25 years later they asked follow-up questions to see if talk of faith has become labored in a culture that is more digital, secular and contested than ever. Come and hear about the results in Barna's latest study called- Spiritual Conversations in the Digital Age.  This workshop will help you find ways to engage in more spiritual conversations in this current digital age.  Join us on Saturday, September 22^nd from 9:00AM-12:30PM in the Youth Center. Lunch will be provided by the Taco Guy! This event is totally FREE but please RSVP to Pastor Seth (smoorman@bethanyluthean.org) so we have enough resources and food for lunch.