Join us Sunday as Sam Sudarsanam shares the message with Bethel.

Sam will share share his faith journey and connect his story to the scriptures.

I am confident his powerful testimony will be moving for all!

See you next week! Pastor Ben

Message delivered by Sam Sudarsanam.

There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.

And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,

who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table;

even the dogs would come and lick his sores.

Luke 16:19–21

Throughout the gospels, and particularly in Luke, Jesus consistently focuses on the issue of money and wealth.

Last week we heard Jesus say “you cannot serve God and wealth.”

This week we have the parable the rich man and Lazarus.

The rich man is really, really rich and Lazarus is extremely poor, yet they live as neighbors.

This is a challenging lesson from Jesus that calls us to be good stewards with what we have been given

but also that we must see the humanity we share with those living in poverty.

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.

Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.

Luke 16:10

Our gospel text for Sunday features a parable of Jesus that some consider the most difficult passage to interpret (fun!).

In the parable Jesus seems to commend a dishonest manager and taking advantage of others economically.

And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly,

for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.

And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone they may welcome you into the eternal homes.

Luke 16:8–9

This seems to go against Jesus’ basic teachings like “blessed are the poor”

and “it is easier for a camel to enter the eye of needle than a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God.”

Well, join us Sunday and we will try to sort all this out and find a few insights for your week.

See you Sunday!

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

John 3:14–15

Many of us know John 3:16 by heart: "For God so loved the world he gave his only Son…”

but the verses that surround it are just as important to grasp the full meaning and power of Jesus’ words.

This will be our focus on Sunday, which happens to be Holy Cross Sunday.

This feast day was established in 335 at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

For those who want to be festive, wear red. See you Sunday!

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.

Happy are those

  who do not follow the advice of the wicked,

or take the path that sinners tread,

  or sit in the seat of scoffers;

but their delight is in the law of the Lord,

  and on his law they meditate day and night.

Psalm 1:1–2

The book of Psalms begins with the encouragement to focus on God’s Word as a guide to life.

The above translation “law” is the Hebrew word for Torah, referring to the first five books of the Bible, where many of the laws are found.

These laws do provide guidance on “dos and don’ts” but just as importantly, provide guidance on how to live a God pleasing life.

When we focus our attention to the ways of God, rather than the ways of this world, we find joy, delight, and peace.

Join us Sunday as we consider walking in God’s path.

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.

When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable.

Luke 14:7

Jesus often told parables when he was in mixed company (followers and opponents).

In this case, Jesus has been invited to dinner at the home a prominent Pharisee

and he takes note of how they positioned themselves at the best seats at the table.

His parable encourages us to live with humility and to make room for the least fortunate,

rather than being focused on impressing others.

Join us Sunday as we consider his parable and how to apply it.

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.

Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.

And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years.

She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight.

When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.”

When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.

Luke 13:10–13

For anyone who has had a long term physical ailment, or a loved one who has, we can imagine the pain,

struggle, and disheartenment of a woman who has been unable to stand up for 18 years.

Jesus meets this unnamed woman and is filled with compassion and heals her.

She is filled with joy and thanksgiving and immediately began to praise God.

So what’s the problem?

He does it on the sabbath.

Join us Sunday as we consider Jesus’ power to heal in spite of our resistance.

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.

Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth?

No, I tell you, but rather division!

Luke 12:51

This week’s gospel, especially when read without context, is very difficult.

In the passage, Jesus says he wants division between families and to bring fire to the earth.

As my grandma would say “uff da.”

There is of course more to it than that.

And when we come across difficult scriptures, when must ground ourselves in Jesus’ abiding love for us.

In this case, Jesus lives into his prophetic calling to speak God’s truth to God’s people.

The kingdom of God that Jesus teaches challenges a lot of things humans hold dear like power, wealth, and privilege.

Joins us Sunday as we dig in!

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.

And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying.

For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

Luke 12:29–31

I remember fondly the holiday gatherings we had as a family.

Many of these featured dinner at our house with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and many cousins.

I can also picture my mother and my aunts in the kitchen discussing in great length and detail the dinner plans for the week.

They really did spend a lot of time worrying about eating!

Now I know these dinners were about more than the food (and now I wish we could have more), but Jesus’ point about worrying is still applicable.

We worry about all kinds of things, many of which are beyond our control.

And in our worry we often forget that God has and God will provide for us.

See you Sunday!

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.

And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed,

for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”

Luke 12:15

Of all things Jesus said, this may be the most un-American.

We love stuff and we tend to define ourselves by it.

This is not a uniquely American or modern atribute, as Jesus was speaking to the same instinct 2,000 years ago.

It isn’t that having possessions is bad, rather we need to spend our time focusing on the right thing (God)

and not be consumed with worry or fixated on material things.

See you Sunday!

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.