Bethany Lutheran Church- Long Beach, CA: The Bethany Bullet Sermon Message

Link to Online Worship Video for 11/29/20 – HERE

*If unable to open link copy/paste this into your browser:

http://www.bethanylutheran.org/worship-service-resources/

*Direct link to Vimeo:

https://vimeo.com/483840843

Link to Outdoor Worship (8:00AM service recorded) for 11/29/20 – HERE

*If unable to open link copy/paste this into your browser:

https://vimeo.com/user4580656/review/485165050/94136f98da

Link for printing Sunday’s Bulletin for 11/29/20 – HERE

*If unable to open link copy/paste this into your browser:

https://4677e38069f6a87dabfb-baadebb03584b8c460640ee327586b9d.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/uploaded/b/0e11228278_1606576313_bulletin-nov-29-2020.pdf

Link to Bible Discovery Resources for 11/29/20 – HERE

*If unable to open link copy/paste this into your browser:

http://www.bethanylutheran.org/bible-discovery-resources/

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Sermon Message:

The Gospel reading for the first Sunday in Advent (Mark 13) ends with the words, “after the misery of those days.” Mask mandates, gathering restrictions, job losses and mounting indebtedness, cases surging and spirits waning mark “these days of misery.” The text begins with a conversation with his disciples regarding the temple and its forthcoming destruction. On another occasion (Matthew 23) Jesus discussed the end of the age and the fate of the temple. In that discussion Jesus said something fascinating: “behold your house is left desolate.” The Lords house, The temple, Jesus dubbed “their house.”

What is going on here? God has changed His address! He lives among us, in one of us, Jesus’ advent is proof that God is not confined to buildings built by human hands, but has Himself, in Christ, become a human. From Jesus’ first advent until His second our God so not confined to stone structures; for as the apostle writes, we (the people of God) have become God’s temple, built together to be the dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit with Jesus Christ the cornerstone. (Ephesians 2)

Now this is not a PSA of misery stating that we will never return to the sanctuary! Some day we will worship inside the sanctuary again. However, our God isn’t trapped inside the sanctuary awaiting our visit! He lives in us (His church/people) collectively and He dwells within us (by faith and baptism) individually and thus His address, since the advent of Jesus, has never been confined to a building or buildings.

How fitting that truth for us these days (can we say of misery) in which we find ourselves worshipping on a field or in our living rooms. And come Wednesday (each of the next four to be precise) as our “castles” become His temples we experience the mercy and glory of a God who isn’t trapped inside structures that we can’t enter, but has taken up residence in our bodies and The Body of Christ. join us for midweek Advent worship in your home, His temple, via Facebook live and Zoom.

-Pr. Kevin Kritzer

Worship Resources for Sunday, December 6^thwill be up on Bethany’s website by midday Saturday, December 5^th.

Wednesday Evening – Advent Worship at 7:00PM

Live on ZOOM!

Plan to join us at 7:00PM Wednesday evenings for an off campus, at home worship service via Zoom. Our first Advent worship will be on December 2^nd. To Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88210795871?pwd=akRUSW5mdytSZ3hTWmIzNThVVkpzUT09

Meeting ID: 882 1079 5871 Passcode: Jesus

This is an Online Event and that can be accessed via Zoom or Facebook.

Go to: https://www.facebook.com/Bethany.Long.Beach/ to watch via Facebook Live.

God’s blessings as you and your families

prepare your hearts and homes for Jesus’ birth.