January 10, 2021

Mark 1:4-11

4 John the Baptizer was in the desert telling people about a baptism of repentance [a] for the forgiveness of sins. 5 All Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went to him. As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

6 John was dressed in clothes made from camel’s hair. He wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.

7 He announced, “The one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to bend down and untie his sandal straps. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 10 As Jesus came out of the water, he saw heaven split open and the Spirit coming down to him as a dove. 11 A voice from heaven said, “You are my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with you.”

Matthew 3:13-17

13 Then Jesus appeared. He came from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to stop him and said, “I need to be baptized by you. Why are you coming to me?”

15 Jesus answered him, “This is the way it has to be now. This is the proper way to do everything that God requires of us.”

Then John gave in to him. 16 After Jesus was baptized, he immediately came up from the water. Suddenly, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down as a dove to him. 17 Then a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love—my Son with whom I am pleased.”

Thank you for joining us for this service of lessons, carols, and prayers. If you would like to support the ministry of Bethany Lutheran Church, you may do so by texting “GIVE” to (562) 210-0463

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

Special thanks to all of those who made this service of lessons, carols, and prayers possible.

Musicians in order of appearance:

Readers in order of appearance:

Mara Widmann for coordinating all of the musicians, preparing string and organ arrangements, and making sure every detail was taken care of.

Laura Angle for providing refreshments.

Cindy Morrison, Church Administrative Assistant

Ben Lopez, Philip Lopez, Jacob Angle, Kayleigh Lopez, Soren Widmann, Adam Widmann, Jason Jones, Michael Kelley, and Blake Flattley for moving the altar.

The many people that helped to decorate and prepare the sanctuary.

Those who generously gave to cover the expenses of producing this service.

A special thanks to Dr. Carol McDaniel, without whom the legacy of excellent music at Bethany, especially at the time of Christmas, would not exist. Thank you.

SONG CREDITS

O Come, All Ye Faithful

Text and tune by John F. Wade; tr. Frederick Oakeley

Text and music: Public Domain

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

There Will Be Rest

Once In Royal David’s City

Text:  Cecil F. Alexander

Tune:  Henry J. Gauntlett; IRBY

Arranged by David Willcocks

© Oxford University Press 1970. Reproduced by permission. All rights reserved.

Used and Reprinted under ONELICENSE #A-706149.

O Little Town of Bethlehem

Tune: Lewis H. Redner

Public Domain

What Child is This

English, 16th Century

Public Domain

Of the Father’s Love Begotten

John Mason Neale | Matt Preston

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Text: Charles Wesley

Tune: Felix Mendelssohn

Public Domain

Silent Night

Text: Franz Joseph Mohr; tr. John F. Young

Tune: Franz Xaver Gruber

Public Domain

Joy to the World

Tune: George Frideric Handel

Public Domain

Go Tell it on the Mountain

Tune: African American Spiritual

Public Domain

CCLI License # 396555

December 20, 2020

2 Samuel 7:1-11 & 16

While King David was living in his house, the Lord gave him peace with all his enemies around him. 2 So the king said to the prophet Nathan, “Look, I’m living in a house made of cedar, while the ark of God remains in the tent.”

3 Nathan told the king, “Do everything you have in mind, because the Lord is with you.”

4 But that same night the Lord spoke his word to Nathan: 5 “Say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one who will build me a house to live in? 6 I haven’t lived in a house from the day I took Israel out of Egypt to this day. Instead, I moved around in a tent, the tent ⌞of meeting⌟. 7 In all the places I’ve moved with all the Israelites, did I ever ask any of the judges of Israel whom I ordered to be shepherds of my people Israel why they didn’t build me a house of cedar?’

8 “Now this is what you will say to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: I took you from the pasture where you followed sheep so that you could be the leader of my people Israel. 9 I was with you wherever you went, and I destroyed all your enemies in front of you. I will make your name famous like the names of the greatest people on earth. 10 I will make a place for my people Israel and plant them there. They will live in their own place and not be troubled anymore. The wicked will no longer oppress them as they used to do 11 ever since I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. So I will give you peace with all your enemies. I, the Lord, tell you that I will make a house for you.

16 Your royal house will remain in my presence  forever. Your throne will be established forever.’ ”

Luke 1:26-38

26 Six months after Elizabeth had become pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee. 27 The angel went to a virgin promised in marriage to a descendant of David named Joseph. The virgin’s name was Mary.

28 When the angel entered her home, he greeted her and said, “You are favored by the Lord! The Lord is with you.”

29 She was startled by what the angel said and tried to figure out what this greeting meant.

30 The angel told her,

“Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor [a] with God.

34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be? I’m a virgin.”

35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come to you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy child developing inside you will be called the Son of God.

36 “Elizabeth, your relative, is six months pregnant with a son in her old age. People said she couldn’t have a child. 37 But nothing is impossible for God.”

38 Mary answered, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let everything you’ve said happen to me.”

December 13, 2020

Stir us up to Rejoicing

Isaiah 9:2-3

2  The people who walked in darkness

John 1:6-8

6 God sent a man named John to be his messenger. 7 John came to declare the truth about the light so that everyone would become believers through his message. 8 John was not the light, but he came to declare the truth about the light.

December 2, 2020

Advent 2

Luke 3:1-18

3 It was the fifteenth year in the reign of the Emperor Tiberius. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea. Herod ruled Galilee, and his brother Philip ruled Iturea and Trachonitis. Lysanias was the ruler of Abilene. 2 It was at the time when Annas and Caiaphas were chief priests that God spoke to John, son of Zechariah, in the desert. 3 John traveled throughout the region around the Jordan River. He told people about a baptism of repentance [a] for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As the prophet Isaiah wrote in his book,

“A voice cries out in the desert:

7 Crowds of people were coming to be baptized by John. He would say to them, “You poisonous snakes! Who showed you how to flee from God’s coming anger? 8 Do those things that prove that you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act. Don’t say, ‘Abraham is our ancestor.’ I guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones. 9 The ax is now ready to cut the roots of the trees. Any tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire.”

10 The crowds asked him, “What should we do?”

11 He answered them, “Whoever has two shirts should share with the person who doesn’t have any. Whoever has food should share it too.”

12 Some tax collectors came to be baptized. They asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?”

13 He told them, “Don’t collect more money than you are ordered to collect.”

14 Some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

He told them, “Be satisfied with your pay, and never use threats or blackmail to get money from anyone.”

15 People’s hopes were rising as they all wondered whether John was the Messiah. 16 John replied to all of them, “I baptize you with water. But the one who is more powerful than I is coming. I am not worthy to untie his sandal straps. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing [b] shovel is in his hand to clean up his threshing floor.[c] He will gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn the husks in a fire that can never be put out.”

18 With many other encouraging words, he told the Good News to the people.

November 29, 2020

Mark 13:24-37

24 “Now, after the misery of those days, the sun will turn dark, the moon will not give light, 25 the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the universe will be shaken.

26 “Then people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 He will send out his angels, and from every direction under the sky, they will gather those whom God has chosen.

28 “Learn from the story of the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and it sprouts leaves, you know summer is near. 29 In the same way, when you see these things happen, you know that he is near, at the door.

30 “I can guarantee this truth: This generation will not disappear until all these things take place. 31 The earth and the heavens will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

32 “No one knows when that day or hour will come. Even the angels in heaven and the Son don’t know. Only the Father knows. 33 Be careful! Watch! You don’t know the exact time. 34 It is like a man who went on a trip. As he left home, he put his servants in charge. He assigned work to each one and ordered the guard to be alert. 35 Therefore, be alert, because you don’t know when the owner of the house will return. It could be in the evening or at midnight or at dawn or in the morning. 36 Make sure he doesn’t come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 I’m telling everyone what I’m telling you: ‘Be alert!’ ”

November 22, 2020

Matthew 25:31-46

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 The people of every nation will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right but the goats on his left.

34 “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, my Father has blessed you! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me into your home. 36 I needed clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

37 “Then the people who have God’s approval will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or see you thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger and take you into our homes or see you in need of clothes and give you something to wear? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

40 “The king will answer them, ‘I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant ⌞they seemed⌟, you did for me.’

41 “Then the king will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me! God has cursed you! Go into everlasting fire that was prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t take me into your homes. I needed clothes, and you didn’t give me anything to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t take care of me.’

44 “They, too, will ask, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or as a stranger or in need of clothes or sick or in prison and didn’t help you?’

45 “He will answer them, ‘I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you failed to do for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant ⌞they seemed⌟, you failed to do for me.’

46 “These people will go away into eternal punishment, but those with God’s approval will go into eternal life.”

November 15, 2020

Matthew 25:13-30

14 “The kingdom of heaven is like a man going on a trip. He called his servants and entrusted some money to them. 15 He gave one man ten thousand dollars, another four thousand dollars, and another two thousand dollars. Each was given money based on his ability. Then the man went on his trip.

16 “The one who received ten thousand dollars invested the money at once and doubled his money. 17 The one who had four thousand dollars did the same and also doubled his money. 18 But the one who received two thousand dollars went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The one who received ten thousand dollars brought the additional ten thousand. He said, ‘Sir, you gave me ten thousand dollars. I’ve doubled the amount.’

21 “His master replied, ‘Good job! You’re a good and faithful servant! You proved that you could be trusted with a small amount. I will put you in charge of a large amount. Come and share your master’s happiness.’

22 “The one who received four thousand dollars came and said, ‘Sir, you gave me four thousand dollars. I’ve doubled the amount.’

23 “His master replied, ‘Good job! You’re a good and faithful servant! You proved that you could be trusted with a small amount. I will put you in charge of a large amount. Come and share your master’s happiness.’

24 “Then the one who received two thousand dollars came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you are a hard person to please. You harvest where you haven’t planted and gather where you haven’t scattered any seeds. 25 I was afraid. So I hid your two thousand dollars in the ground. Here’s your money!’

26 “His master responded, ‘You evil and lazy servant! If you knew that I harvest where I haven’t planted and gather where I haven’t scattered, 27 then you should have invested my money with the bankers. When I returned, I would have received my money back with interest. 28 Take the two thousand dollars away from him! Give it to the one who has the ten thousand! 29 To all who have, more will be given, and they will have more than enough. But everything will be taken away from those who don’t have much. 30 Throw this useless servant outside into the darkness. People will cry and be in extreme pain there.’

Rev. Nader Hanna was born and raised in Egypt, a Muslim Arabic speaking country, currently lives in Huntington Beach CA, and works as an evangelist and itinerant speaker. Nader helps launch Disciples making movements among Muslims, and helps churches know more about Islam and how to reach Muslims in their communities with the message of God’s love and salvation in Christ Jesus

Nader is a regular guest speaker at several Christian Arabic TV networks. He has traveled to preach the Gospel and train leaders in countries in Africa, Asia and Europe. Nader is recognized as an ordained minister by “Covenant Ministries International” CMI in New Jersey. He received theological training in Beirut-Lebanon, Training on missions at the “Keystone Project” in South Dakota, “Horizons International” in Colorado, “crescent Project” in Indiana USA. Nader is a certified trainer with EQUIP, and a “Haggai Institute” faculty member; both are leadership training organizations.  And currently colloquizing to enter the ministerium of LCMS.

Rev. Nader Hanna and His wife Amy have a 17 years old son; Hadi Hanna. Nader and Amy have been full time in ministry for the past 20 years producing and broadcasting Christian TV and radio programs to the Arab/Muslim world, doing outreaches, discipleship and leadership training in Egypt, Lebanon, Cyprus and the USA.

If you would like to have Nader speak in your church, at a conference or appear on a television or radio program, please contact him at: Salam Ministries. 6100 Edinger Ave. Apt 221, Huntington Beach, CA 92647. Mobile: 714-724-2985, E-mail: [email protected]

November 1, 2020

1 John 3:1-3

Consider this: The Father has given us his love. He loves us so much that we are actually called God’s dear children. And that’s what we are. For this reason the world doesn’t recognize us, and it didn’t recognize him either. 2 Dear friends, now we are God’s children. What we will be isn’t completely clear yet. We do know that when Christ appears we will be like him because we will see him as he is. 3 So all people who have this confidence in Christ keep themselves pure, as Christ is pure.