Sermon Podcasts

Many thousands of years ago, God scattered humans from the Tower of Babel in judgment of their prideful rejection of him. Then, at Pentecost, he unites his people through the Spirit. Throguh his people, the Spirit bridged language barriers to unite all of God's people, regardless of language or country, into one people. His people.

Pastor Brown preaches this Pentecost sermon.

This sermon was recorded at Bethany Lutheran Church's Saturday Family Worship Gathering at it's Appleton Lynndale Campus on June 8, 2019.

Jesus wants unity. He prays for it. That he might be one with all who are his. Some already are close to him. Some are his and he hasn’t yet possessed them, though they've been given to him. In answer to Jesus’ prayer, God works through his body, the church, to bring the gospel of the Savior to all people, that they might know God as we know God.

Pastor Mark brings us the final sermon in our Easter Eggs Sermon series.

This sermon was recorded at Bethany Lutheran Church's Saturday Family Worship Gathering at it's Appleton Lynndale Campus on June 1, 2019.

To "live with your eyes wide open" usually means that we live fully aware of the dangers, threats, and risks that we face. But 2 Kings 6 shows us that that's only living with your eyes half open.

God's prophet, Elisha, open his eyes of faith and sees the protection that God's sent him. So also we, when God fully opens our eyes of faith, see his deliverance and goodness all around us. And this deliverance gives us peace.

Jesus teaches us that only when we stay connected to him through Word and sacrament do we have a fruitful spiritual life. Pastor Brown preaches on John 15:1-8 for Bethany's Confirmation Day.

One of Scripture’s favorite pictures of Jesus is a shepherd. But it’s so easy to relegate that picture to caricatures of Jesus for children. Quiet pastures and a gentle shepherd are images with which we can comfort children, but they may seem to have little to do with the hecticness and pain of adult life. Except, they do. In fact, the whole reason Jesus describes himself as a shepherd is for people who suffer on earth.

As we get a glimpse into the heavenly sheepfold in Revelation 7, we notice signs of where these people have been. Robes recently cleaned from blood. Faces recently healed from sunburn. Backs recently relieved from burdens. Those who make up the glorious white multitude “are the ones who are coming out of the great tribulation.” When we know that our Shepherd is bringing us to a certain rest, we are secure in whatever attacks us during the Tribulation.

The Bible presents a message of a Savior. We gather to study that message and worship that Savior. But how do we know--really know--that it's all true? One night when Jesus friends were unwinding on the lake fishing, Jesus answered that question for them. See Jesus' resurrection along with his disciples and find the verification for your faith that they found.

Abram’s childlessness made God’s announcement of reward dubious. But when God spoke a promise, reward became certain. News of Jesus’ resurrection was doubtful to Thomas. But Jesus spoke blessing to those who believe based simply on hearing God’s Word. Peter, who also saw the resurrected Christ assures us that because Scripture comes from the Holy Spirit, it is reliable in attesting to the resurrection of Jesus.

In all these cases, certainty comes from God’s Word. What a blessing that we have uninhibited access that Word that gives certainty. But do we always look to the Word for certainty, or do we turn to other sources? Moreover, how often do we believe the word of liars like reason, culture, and our law-governed self over the divinely inspired Word of God?

We might feel hopeful if we have a reason for hope. But what about when we don’t? What about when even our highest hopes are never quite what we wanted? Jesus’ resurrection presents a new type of hope—a hope that doesn’t depend on circumstances, a hope that has no limit. Easter brings to God’s a people a new identity and a new hope.