Father, may your Word be our rule, your Holy Spirit our teacher, and the glory of Jesus Christ our single concern. Amen. I invite you to open your Bibles with me to Genesis 29. Genesis 29 verses 1-30. Genesis is the first book in the Bible. Genesis 29. If you are new to Bethel, we... Continue Reading →
Sermon: Hero? Villain? Victim?
Father, open our eyes to see you, open our ears to hear your voice, grant us always to put our faith and trust in you. In Jesus’ name, Amen. After last week, there were (rightly) a lot of questions during coffee time about whether it was right for Isaac to deceive Abimelech by saying Rebekah... Continue Reading →
Sermon: The World’s Worst Dinner Party
According to Robert Karris, “In Luke’s Gospel Jesus is either going to a meal, at a meal, or coming from a meal.” It seems that Jesus, like the people of Stout, doesn’t do anything without food. He enjoyed eating and drinking with people so much that he was called ‘a glutton and a drunkard, a... Continue Reading →
First Glance: Genesis 9:18-10:32
When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said, ‘Cursed be Canaan, the lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers!’ (Genesis 9:24-25) The story of Noah ends awkwardly and with pain. We have known Noah as a righteous man, a man of faith.... Continue Reading →
First Glance: Genesis 2-3
And the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” (2:16-17) So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and... Continue Reading →
First Glance: Psalm 51
to the leader. A psalm of David, when the prophet Nathan came to him, after he had gone into Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, According to your steadfast love. According to you abundant mercy, Blot out my transgressions.” (Ps. 51:1) Every prayer has a story. Whether it’s the simple cry, “Help!”, a... Continue Reading →
Our Cat and the Canons – Total Depravity
"Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5 We have very few rules for our cat, Julian. She is not allowed on the kitchen counter or the dining room table. She is not allowed behind the television or the computer. That's... Continue Reading →
Etz Pri 