The Bethany Bullet Sermon Message - Week of November 8, 2020
Link to Online Worship Video for 11/8/20 – HERE
*If unable to open link copy/paste this
into your browser:
http://www.bethanylutheran.org/worship-service-resources/
*Direct link to Vimeo:
Link to BYOBBBB Outdoor Worship (8:00AM service recorded)
for 11/8/20 – HERE
*If unable to open link copy/paste this
into your browser:
Link for printing Sunday’s Bulletin for 11/8/20 – HERE
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into your browser:
Link to Bible Discovery Resources for 11/8/20 – HERE
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into your browser:
http://www.bethanylutheran.org/bible-discovery-resources/
V V V
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, to the
end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
Demographics of our cities and around
our churches are changing, God is bringing the nations here in our backyard. In
previous generations “GOING” meant crossing oceans, today it might just mean to
cross the street. Will the church seize this unprecedented opportunity to make
disciples of all nations?
Pastor Nader Hanna is doing a series
of training session about Evangelism and Cross-Cultural ministry.
Saturday, November 14th, at Holy Cross Lutheran church, 2 sessions about the 3 main cultural orientations in the world, how to build meaningful relationships with people from other cultures and how to communicate the Gospel to them effectively. Participants can arrive 8:30am for breakfast and we will be done before noon. Please RSVP to kkritzer@bethanylutheran.org
Message:
Yesterday’s
parable (Matthew 25:1-13)
has historically been known as that of “The Ten Virgins.” We could really dub it “Bachelor BC.” The story goes like this, “The groom to be
was headed to town, ten single woman wanted to be picked as his wife. Of course, he was late in arriving and half
of the ladies flashlights began to die.
Asking for extra batteries from those whose lights were burning bright,
they were refused a loan and encouraged to head to Torah Target instead and buy
their own.”
There are some important take away’s for us in this story.
Before addressing them, let us agree that one of them is NOT the assertion that Jesus encourages selfishness. “No, we can’t give you any of our oil go get your own.” There is no way that the application of this story is, “Therefore, make sure you don’t share what you have; rather horde and hold what you got as you’ll probably need it before the end.” This is not the Gospel of our Lord! How do we know this? The same chapter ends with Jesus commending those who filled the gas tank or belly of those whose were empty and who had compassion rather than derision upon the incarcerated and homeless.
So what is the “oil” application? Perhaps it is this. While we ought invite and welcome everyone into our company, it’s not hanging out with us (believers) that gets anyone into the marriage feast of the lamb. Personal faith, not proximity to those who have it, is essential.
Yet, there are two other big takeaways that speak to our lives in these days of 2020. Like the ten, we too have lived through events that we thought would certainly be “over and done” long before they were. In fact, we still in the midst of the are we not?
Yet, first takeaway, do not fail to recognize that God is ever and always fulfilling His promises and achieving His purposes even if not according to our time table.
Second, don’t fail to anticipate the “any time now” return of our Lord. The temptation is evident, when one fails to anticipate that our Lord’s return is near they might begin to pin all their hopes and joy on things that are fading away.
-Pr. Kevin Kritzer
Worship Resources for Sunday, November
15thwill be up on Bethany’s website by midday Saturday, November 14th.
posted by Aimee Coleman @ 12:05 PM
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