Sermon Podcasts

We’ve heard the threat—the destruction that sin brings, and the cause of our need for deliverance. We saw God’s early warning, given throughout history through his Word and Prophets. God showed us a preview of the rescue he has planned for us, and implored us to make final preparations for his perfect plan to come to fruition.

Now we see God put his perfect rescue plan put into full effect—we see God send his Son Jesus into the world as the child of Mary. Born into our midst. Laid in a manger. The perfect answer to the ultimate problem. Our Savior and our substitute. We see God’s perfect rescue plan, executed perfectly.

Pastor Pat Brown preached this sermon at Bethany’s Christmas Eve worship service on December 24, 2020.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org

As we get ready for the Lord’s coming, we look at the final preparations that God wants us to have in place as he puts his rescue plan into full effect. We all have lists around this time of year—children making lists of everything they hope to receive, adults taking inventory of everything to be done before their Christmas celebrations. But God tells us to slide those lists off the table and focus simply on this: that we would be ready to receive in faith the gift that he brings at Christmas. That should be our final preparation.

Pastor Pat Brown preached this sermon at Bethany’s Lynndale Campus worship on December 19, 2020.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org

Proceed with caution! The rescue God promised and provided at Christmas is not always the thing for which people are looking and hoping at Christmas. Sadly, at this time of the year, many have their hearts and hopes set on things far less precious than the rescue God sent in his Son. But God doesn’t want us to settle for anything less than the very best. So, through the Prophet Isaiah, God provides us with a beautiful preview of the rescue and salvation that Jesus brings. We can proceed with confidence knowing that the gift of salvation that God presents to us in the manger is the one we need most and is far more valuable than anything else for which we could hope.

Pastor Pat Brown preached this sermon at Bethany’s Parkway Campus worship on December 13, 2020.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org

We heard last week that Jesus is coming—coming to bring destruction to those who are unprepared and deliverance to those who are watching and waiting in faith. So, we must be ready. And God wants us and all people to be ready!

And so, he sounds the alarm. Like the severe weather alert that scrolls across the bottom of our TV or pops up on our phone. Like the ear-splitting siren that blares at the approaching tornado. This week we’ll consider and rejoice in the Early Warning that God provides to people of every generation. The Old Testament prophets and prophecy. John the Baptist—that voice crying out in the wilderness. The New Testament Scriptures and the messengers who share them with us.

God provides all sorts of Early Warning because he doesn’t want anyone to miss the first or second coming of his Son. The question, however, is this: Are we listening?

Pastor Pat Brown preached this sermon at Bethany's Lynndale Campus worship on December 5, 2020.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org

Our first message in the series focuses on the story of Noah, the flood, and God's dramatic rescue of Noah and his family. Perhaps your first recollection is of God's "rainbow promise" following the flood that brings a welcome sense of security to your life. But the truth is that right now, we, too, are living in a world that is destined for destruction. At the end of all things, all who have not focused their faith and life on Jesus will be caught in God's threatened destruction of our world as we know it.

But just as that ark sheltered Noah from the pounding waves, cold wind, and driving rain, so at the cross, God put into effect His rescue plan for us, by allowing Jesus to take the pounding we deserve for our sins, safely sheltering us from the consequences of our shame and guilt. No one loves you more than Jesus—how important it is to proceed in life with caution and confidence—set apart by grace as His people of faith.

Guest preacher Pastor Mark Henke (retired) preached this sermon at Bethany’s Lynndale Campus worship on November 28, 2020.

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As we come to the end of the church year and the season of End Times, we celebrate Christ the King Sunday. There are many pictures in the Bible of Jesus as our King. And the picture of Christ our King that’s the most difficult for us to really look at closely—seeing our King suffer at the hands of the Roman authorities—is also the most precious to us. Because that’s where we see that everything Jesus has done and everything he endured was for us and for our salvation.

Pastor Pat Brown preached this sermon at Bethany’s Parkway Campus worship on November 22, 2020.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org

Jesus encourages all of us to keep our eye on the ball—to be prepared for his return at all times. Like the wise wedding attendants, the time to be vigilant is now. And the same Jesus who calls on us to be watchful and ready is the one who makes us ready through his Word of grace—so we can welcome him when he returns, and join him in the eternal celebration of heaven.

Pastor Pat Brown preached this sermon at Bethany’s Parkway Campus worship on November 15, 2020.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org

As we look ahead to Judgment Day, it’s something that could make us fearful. But as God’s people, we know that the Last Day isn’t something we have to be afraid of. For all of us who know our Savior by faith, Judgment Day is something we can look forward to with joy and confidence. Because we know that our best day is still to come.

Pastor Pat Brown preached this sermon at Bethany’s Lynndale Campus worship on November 7, 2020.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org

God’s given us his eternal Word. That Word which is Christ possesses the power to drive back darkness, reverse death, and make life. Yet in the face of opposition it’s so easy for us to hide the Word, to think that we need to equivocate or hold it with shame.

As we look at Daniel who was faithful to the Word in the face of lions and consider the example of Martin Luther who clung to the Word in the face of princes and the papacy, may we find encouragement to stay faithful to the Word as well. For both those men, their faithfulness lay only in the work God was doing in their hearts through that Word. The Word to which we cling is the Word that empowers us to cling.

Pastor Pat Brown preached this sermon at Bethany’s Lynndale Campus worship on October 31, 2020.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org

Guest preacher Pastor Aaron Dolan from Fox Valley Lutheran High School shares a message about God's will for Christian education, under the theme “Jesus Wants to Be Your Constant Companion.” There are things we keep with us all the time—our phones, a ring, a set of keys. But what God wants us to keep with us at all times, no matter what we’re doing, is his promise of salvation that he has kept for us in Jesus. It’s the promise he reveals in his Word and commands us to teach to the next generation.

Pastor Aaron Dolan from Fox Valley Lutheran High School in Appleton, Wisconsin, preached this sermon at Bethany’s Parkway Campus worship on October 25, 2020.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org