Sermon Podcasts

“Judgment” is not a word we usually associate with the season of Advent and Christmas. But today, as we hear Isaiah describe who our judge really is—how he judges us and what the result of that judgment is—then we are glad to pray, “Come, Lord Jesus, as Judge.”

Pastor Pat Brown preached this sermon at Bethany's Sunday worship on December 4, 2022.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org

“Come, Lord Jesus.” They’re familiar words. You might say them every day at the dinner table. But they’re also some of the very last words in the Bible. Jesus says, “Yes, I am coming soon,” and we respond, “Come, Lord Jesus!” It’s an appropriate prayer as we get ready to celebrate Jesus’s first coming, and look ahead to his second coming. Today, we focus especially on Jesus coming as our King, looking at the kingdom that he establishes in this world and in our hearts through the message of the gospel.

Pastor Pat Brown preached this sermon at Bethany's Sunday worship on November 27, 2022.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org

On Thanksgiving, we’re looking at one of the things that often gets in the way of our giving thanks—the worry that so often fills our hearts. But as we listen to Jesus and the promises he gives, we see how he provides the antidote for our worry.

Pastor Pat Brown preached this sermon at Bethany's Thanksgiving Eve worship on November 23, 2022.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org

True safety and security can’t be found in earthly rulers—they will always come up short. But in Christ’s Kingdom, we find forgiveness, love and a ruler who directs all things for our eternal good. It’s only under the gracious rule of Christ in our hearts that we find true, eternal safety.

Pastor Dan Johnston preached this sermon at Bethany's Sunday worship on November 20, 2022.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org

As we continue to consider God’s grace, we look at the gift of perseverance that God works in our hearts as his people. We know we need this perseverance, especially in these last difficult days as we consider the End Times. But today we see that God brings it to us through an unlikely source. Through the judgment that he warns about on the Last Day, as well as the gracious judgment that he passes on his people today through faith in Jesus, God works that perseverance in our hearts.

Pastor Pat Brown preached this sermon at Bethany's Sunday worship on November 13, 2022.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org

As we continue our series Grace Upon Grace, we again see how the grace and blessings of God beget further grace and further blessings. Today, we consider God’s grace in the promise of heaven and what that means for our lives here on earth. We live in a broken world. We see sin and its effects all around us—and we’re part of that problem, too. But God has solved the problem of sin in Jesus, and promises that he has something far better in store for us in heaven. And as God gives us the promise of heaven to look forward to, this gives us comfort in our lives today.

Pastor Dan Johnston preached this sermon at Bethany's Sunday worship on November 6, 2022.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org

As we begin a new sermon series, we will see how so often one blessing from God flows directly out of another one of God’s blessings. We see this especially clearly in the Reformation, when God worked through Martin Luther to restore his gospel to the church. By grace, God has revealed to us the saving truth of the gospel. And it’s that truth that brings us freedom from sin, death and the devil.

Pastor Pat Brown preached this sermon at Bethany's Sunday worship on October 30, 2022.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org

As we wrap up the series My Faith Looks Up to Thee, we consider a message from Luke’s gospel, in which a rich young ruler asked Jesus a straightforward question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” There are many who believe—and many Christians who believe—that the way to heaven lies in our own good deeds. That we’re good enough to earn heaven ourselves. But in this gospel account, Jesus cut right to the heart of this man’s false belief in his own good works. Jesus uncovered the idol that was standing in the way of this young man’s faith relationship with God. And in this interaction, Jesus challenges us to examine our own attitudes, self-righteousness and idolatry. And we see that everything we have and everything that we hope for depends entirely upon the God that we look to in faith.

Pastor Dan Johnston preached this sermon at Bethany's Sunday worship on October 23, 2022.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org

There are so many things we have to pray for, both personally and for those around us. But life is hectic and it can be easy to let prayer fall off of our agenda. Hearing our Lord’s word and promise of salvation in Jesus is what encourages us to pray and never give up. Because it’s our faith connection with Jesus that fuels a life of persistent prayer.

Pastor Pat Brown preached this sermon at Bethany's Sunday worship on October 16, 2022.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org

We have a God who gives to us very generously. As our faith looks up to him, we not only understand the indescribable generosity of our Lord, but we learn how faith necessarily will respond to God’s generosity. And we will consider how the generosity that God has shown to us in Jesus truly and rightly begets the thanks and praise of our lives.

Pastor Dan Johnston preached this sermon at Bethany's Sunday worship on October 9, 2022.

Learn more at bethanyappleton.org